Tōshirō weakly said, "Nothing. Didn't you just mention that those who betray you are often the ones closest to you?"
Clan Leader Itachi angrily responded, "You fool, what benefit would I gain from betraying you? Or what would the Uchiha clan gain from such a thing?"
Whether Tsunade or the other three would betray Tōshirō behind the scenes in favor of Uchiha Madara or not, Tōshirō was planning, at the right time, to reveal the secret of his possession of the Sharingan to Konoha's higher-ups.
At that moment, it would arouse suspicion among Konoha's leadership, affecting Tōshirō psychologically.
Tōshirō sighed, saying, "I believe there should be a minimum level of trust between people."
Clan Leader Itachi, in a dark, soft voice, said, "Optimism is a deadly poison. Right now, the Uchiha are like someone walking on a tightrope over a deep abyss, and any misstep will shatter them into pieces."
"Would you rather place your life in the hands of others, or would you hold it in your own grasp? I believe someone like you should be able to discern."
Tōshirō sighed, expressing some frustration: "Does my only goal have to be becoming Hokage?"
The clan leader replied, "The solution lies in addressing the root problem." His dull eyes flashed sharply, like the talons of a bird of prey: "Since Konoha's leadership is biased against us, the Uchiha must replace them, and then all Uchiha problems will naturally be solved."
Tōshirō, objecting, said, "But even if that's the case, it doesn't necessarily have to be me. I see that this young man Fugaku seems interested in the position of Hokage, and his talent is not bad."
Clan Leader Itachi said, "Fugaku is a good candidate for training, but he still falls short compared to you."
Having no other options, Tōshirō reluctantly agreed with a sad sigh, tears forming in his eyes: "Fine, what should I do now? Continue being a good ninja and try to leave a good impression on everyone?"
The clan leader smiled reassuringly: "There's no need for that. Just keep doing what you're doing."
Tōshirō: "???"
The clan leader explained: "If you keep working as an excellent ninja now, how can I send you to investigate Madara? To become Hokage, it's not about what you do daily, but about achieving major accomplishments at critical moments. I believe there will be a war in the future, and during the war, you'll have the chance to prove yourself and gain the reputation you need, which is far more effective than carrying out meaningless routine missions."
Upon hearing about war, Tōshirō sighed deeply, looking sorrowfully: "War again..."
Clan Leader Itachi's eyes gleamed with a mysterious glow as he asked Tōshirō, "Tōshirō, do you want to eliminate war once and for all?"
Tōshirō replied, "Eliminate war completely? Of course, I want that!"
But then he remembered something that suddenly dampened his enthusiasm: "But even Hashirama Senju and Madara Uchiha together couldn't achieve that. Although I consider myself talented, I'm still far less than they were."
The clan leader smiled and said, "Some dreams may seem out of reach, but they're not impossible if you're strong enough."
Tōshirō pondered, "If I'm strong enough?"
Clan Leader Itachi confirmed: "Yes, strength is the most influential language in this world. If you're strong enough, there's nothing you can't achieve."
Tōshirō asked, "What should I do?"
The clan leader responded, "First, you need to become Hokage. Secondly, you must possess Kekkei Tōta, and also..." He smiled mysteriously: "The power of the Mangekyō Sharingan. With these two powers combined, you'll be able to change everything."
Tōshirō, in shock, questioned, "The Mangekyō Sharingan? But didn't you say that these eyes carry the risk of blindness? I don't want to go blind!"
The clan leader shook his head, saying, "I don't intend for you to awaken the Mangekyō Sharingan."
Surprised, Tōshirō asked, "I won't awaken the Mangekyō Sharingan? Then how will I obtain its power?"
The clan leader explained: "Awakening the Mangekyō requires a great sacrifice, and if I can, I wouldn't have anyone from the clan awaken it. So my idea is..." His eyes opened as he said, "Uchiha Madara..."
Tōshirō, stunned, said, "Uchiha Madara? You mean..."
Tōshirō realized that the clan leader planned for him to find Uchiha Madara's body and transplant his eyes.
But the problem was that Madara was still alive at the moment, so how could he obtain his body?
The elder Itachi nodded slightly, as if confirming Tōshirō's thoughts: "Yes, I plan to have you transplant Uchiha Madara's eyes into yourself."
Tōshirō smiled bitterly, saying, "Where will we easily find Uchiha Madara's body? And besides, I don't want to use someone else's eyes—my own eyes are better."
The elder Itachi gave a cryptic smile and said, "Don't be hasty. Search first, and you'll see."
Tōshirō thought to himself, "Perhaps I'll never find it..." Then he asked, "If I gain these two powers as you plan, what should I do next to eliminate all conflicts in this world?"
The elder Itachi responded, "You must unify the entire shinobi world."
Unify the shinobi world?
Tōshirō was taken aback and said, "That's an ambitious vision."
The elder Itachi began to explain: "In the past, Hashirama made many efforts to bring peace to the world, including handing over the tailed beasts he worked hard to gather to other nations, hoping that the power of the tailed beasts would curb the actions of these nations. But as you've seen, after Senju Hashirama's death, these nations began using the tailed beasts' power to ignite wars."
"At that time, Hashirama, known as the 'God of Shinobi,' tried to use love to influence people, hoping that everyone would understand each other. So he and Madara founded the village of Konoha, this paradise on earth."
"But after his death, the flames of war quickly spread to the village."
"Shinobi are made up of two parts: the heart represents love, and the blade represents power, and power must be above love. As you've seen, after Hashirama's death, in the absence of a strong military threat, chaos broke out. So, you could say that absolute strength is the most important foundation for maintaining peace."
"For over a thousand years, this world has been in a state of constant division, with different nations and forces controlling various regions. We have different nations, different cultures, and different traditions, and this is what causes the recurring wars, which haven't ceased for over a thousand years. If you want to achieve lasting peace, you need to remove all obstacles, and when there are no national boundaries, everyone will be able to live together in peace. This is the true paradise for this world."
As he said this, the elder Itachi raised his arm and clenched his fist, his red eyes glowing with an ominous intent.
Tōshirō, feeling concerned, said, "But with this method, many unnecessary losses might occur."
The elder Itachi replied in a deep voice: "The quickest way is to decisively cut through. Compared to the continuous wars that will happen in the future, this method is the fastest and most effective. When Konoha was founded, many sacrificed for the sake of achieving this temporary peace. If Senju Hashirama had realized this from the beginning and united with Uchiha Madara to unify the shinobi world, none of these wars would've happened later, and you wouldn't have lost your parents, your grandmother, and many of your loved ones."
It seemed that Tōshirō was moved by the words, as he clenched his fists and his gaze became sharp.
Noticing the impact of his words, the elder Itachi continued to apply pressure, pointing at Tōshirō and adding forcefully: "Think about it carefully. If you can achieve what the founders of Konoha couldn't, then you, Uchiha Tōshirō, will be the savior of this world!"
Tōshirō took a deep breath, uncertain why he saw in Itachi the image of a great villain.
He thought to himself: perhaps because he came from an era of wars and had endured the cruelty of conflict, he had developed this unhealthy obsession with peace.
Tōshirō didn't dwell much on it. In many ways, his goals aligned with Itachi's.
He didn't have noble ambitions; he simply felt that if he had the power, he wouldn't let anyone important stand in his way. Not even the feudal lords would dare act against him.
He made up his mind: when he becomes Hokage...
The first thing he would do is collect "protection fees" from the lords. Not the kind where the lord pays for protection, but the reverse—they'll pay to avoid being robbed.
In any case, the princes aren't good people, and Tōshirō wouldn't feel any guilt about taking their money.
Tōshirō took a deep breath and said, "In short, my current mission is to find the body of Uchiha Madara."
The elder Itachi nodded.
Tōshirō then smiled slyly and said, "Finding Madara's body is an extremely difficult task. I'm a rare ninja with two bloodlines. What if I die along the way? So, couldn't you provide me with some powerful tools to protect myself?"
The request was reasonable, and the elder Itachi didn't refuse. He nodded slightly and said, "Tell me what tools you need, and I'll try to support you with what your family deserves."
In the past, Uchiha Madara had a collection of powerful tools, but after unlocking the Mangekyō Sharingan, he no longer needed them. So, if Tōshirō wanted any of them, the elder Itachi could extract one or two and gift them to him.
Tōshirō smiled and said, "Well, since you offered... do you have the Kusanagi Sword?"
(End of Chapter)
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