Why did he deliberately omit the part about the Third Kazekage in the Hokage's office? This wasn't just a lack of trust in him; it was a lack of trust in the entire village.
"Send a message to the front lines. Have Tsunade investigate the truth of this situation. We'll discuss the rest once everything is clear," the Third Hokage instructed. He desperately hoped that the intelligence division's report was false. If it turned out to be true, things would become very complicated.
"Father." Uchiha Fugaku, exhausted, returned home and respectfully knelt before the Uchiha clan head.
"Take a look. It's quite surprising," the elderly Uchiha patriarch said, his wrinkled face, marked with age spots, creasing further as he handed a scroll to Fugaku.
"Yes, Father." Fugaku opened the scroll, his eyes widening in shock as he read. "This...this can't be!"
"Sit down!" the Uchiha patriarch sternly ordered. "As the future head of the Uchiha clan, you must learn to remain calm, even in the face of shocking news. How else will the clan trust you to lead them?"
"Yes, Father." Fugaku quickly regained his composure, but the shock on his face was still evident as he continued reading. Can this really be true?
The news of Takuya single-handedly wiping out a squad of Jonin was already shocking enough. On top of that, there was the fact that he had used a single genjutsu to control Shimura Hideitsu, a skilled Jonin, leaving him mentally scarred and bedridden for weeks.
Such feats, especially for a child, were astonishing. But what was even more terrifying was that the Third Kazekage himself had fallen victim to Takuya's genjutsu. No wonder the Sand's surprise attack on the Land of Fire never saw the Kazekage on the front lines!
For so long, Konoha had been paranoid, fearing that the Kazekage was hiding somewhere, ready to launch a devastating surprise attack. But it turned out that the Kazekage had been incapacitated by Takuya's genjutsu, forced to hide and recover.
Konoha had been worrying for nothing all this time.
Taking down an entire squad of Jonin had already solidified Takuya's reputation as a genius. Controlling Shimura Hideitsu with ease only confirmed it. But for even the so-called strongest Kazekage to fall to his genjutsu... It's as if Takuya is destined to soar to unimaginable heights.
Given time, there was no doubt he would become one of the most formidable figures in the village. With enough power, even policies could be bent to one's will. That's the reality of the world.
"So, should we continue trying to recruit him?" Fugaku couldn't help but recall his last attempt to approach Takuya, which had ended in a cold rejection—a memory that still stung.
"Exactly," the Uchiha patriarch said, slowly sipping his tea. "Geniuses like him don't come around often, not even for the Uchiha. And those who can truly change the course of history are worth recruiting, especially when they already carry Uchiha blood."
"The white hair...is it really that unacceptable?"
"How ridiculous," Fugaku thought, holding back his frustration. It was these old men who initially said the white hair was unacceptable.
"Fugaku, I'm getting old," the Uchiha patriarch sighed.
Fugaku clenched his fists, his head bowed. "Yes, Father. I will do my best."
The unspoken message was clear: The old guard was nearing the end of its time. Even if they realized their mistakes, their pride wouldn't allow them to personally correct them. This task would fall to Fugaku, as the future head of the Uchiha clan. He had no choice, even if it meant enduring humiliation or rejection.
"Good." The Uchiha patriarch nodded in satisfaction. The decision was made: Fugaku would take on the task of recruiting Takuya. If he succeeded in bringing Takuya back into the fold, it would prove his capability as a leader. If he failed, it would reflect poorly on him. This was the compromise reached after discussions with the clan elders.
Fortunately, regardless of the outcome, it wouldn't affect Fugaku's eventual ascension to the role of clan leader.
As word continued to spread, the Rain Country's camp received a scroll from Konoha.
BAM!
Danzo slammed his fist on the table in fury after reading the contents of the scroll. He had never imagined that the half-Uchiha brat he had so carelessly dismissed possessed such terrifying potential. What he thought was just a minor nuisance had now revealed itself to be a significant threat.
Even the Third Kazekage had fallen victim to Takuya's genjutsu, which meant that Danzo himself wouldn't be safe from the effects of the "Sakura Fall" technique. The mere thought of being controlled by Takuya's genjutsu, forced to perform a humiliating dance in front of everyone, made Danzo want to grab a knife and end Takuya's life right then and there.
This kind of danger cannot be allowed to exist.
But eliminating this threat wasn't going to be easy. Takuya was no fool. He wasn't like the other naive children who could be easily manipulated. Trying to sway him with talks of the Will of Fire would likely earn nothing but a cold sneer—and perhaps a bout of that dreaded genjutsu.
Danzo had known from the moment Takuya defied the Third Hokage that this was no ordinary child. This was not someone easily controlled or fooled.
If it had been Nawaki or Minato, Danzo could have staged a performance, delivered a convincing speech, and easily swayed them to his side. But with Takuya, the only reward for such efforts would be ridicule.
How should I handle this? Danzo pondered, realizing this was a problem with no easy solution. After considering his options, he decided it was best to lay low for now. The Third Hokage was likely even more concerned about this than he was. There was no need for Danzo to make the first move.
Even though Takuya had killed his men and humiliated him, Danzo couldn't afford to act rashly. If he made a mistake, it could lead to even bigger problems. It was better to let the Third Hokage worry about this mess.
"Send this information to Tsunade. Also, recall the agents monitoring Yagami Takuya. There's no need to keep an eye on him or provoke him any further," Danzo ordered.
The current priority was accumulating war merit and building his reputation. Only by doing so could Danzo strengthen his position to eventually claim the title of Hokage. Now was not the time to be engaging in pointless conflicts with Takuya. Handling him was the Third Hokage's problem, not his.
Takuya was like a spiky hedgehog—too difficult to grasp and impossible to recruit. So why bother making trouble for himself?
The message quickly reached Tsunade.
"Am I seeing things?" Tsunade muttered, flipping the intelligence scroll back and forth. Did I read this wrong? Or was the report filled out incorrectly?
Has Takuya really become this powerful?
Jiraiya leaned over to read the scroll, his face showing a mix of disbelief and admiration. "You weren't wrong, Tsunade. This kid is something special."
"A genjutsu that even the Third Kazekage couldn't resist? It seems Takuya is indeed a fascinating person," Orochimaru added with a sly smile, his slit-like pupils gleaming with curiosity. What kind of genjutsu could achieve such an effect? he wondered. If I could learn it...
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