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Chapter 37: The Jealous Danzo
In the following days, the Third Hokage resumed peace talks with Kumogakure.
Previously, Kumogakure had been quite bold, constantly testing Konoha's bottom line.
But with the strong backing of the Uchiha clan, they were reduced to a toothless tiger.
They couldn't win, couldn't drag the conflict out, and couldn't afford the consequences, leaving them at Konoha's mercy.
Originally, Kirabi, the Eight-Tails Jinchuriki, was sent to intimidate Konoha, but he ended up hospitalized and taken hostage instead.
As a result, Kumogakure suffered a huge loss in the negotiations. Compensation alone amounted to 300 million, and they were forced to share some of their scientific research and technology with Konoha.
Although the tech might not have been state-of-the-art, it was still rare and valuable from an intelligence standpoint.
The Third Hokage didn't dare to hoard it all, so he copied the materials and sent them to Uchiha Kaien.
…
Konoha's Eighth Street
Today, the merchants on Eighth Street noticed something unusual—Uchiha patrols were now moving in groups of eight.
Whether it was for patrol or law enforcement, they never moved alone.
Luckily, the merchants on this street had already been "sorted out" by the Uchiha, and there was little trouble now.
The sight of the coordinated patrols only raised some curiosity from the townsfolk.
But for Danzo Shimura, it felt like swallowing a fly.
Just as he was about to make a move, the Uchiha had already blocked his path.
"Aren't those Uchiha getting a little too arrogant?"
"Lord Danzo," said Jitu, his subordinate, in a low voice,
"Now, all Uchiha with awakened Sharingan move only in groups—never fewer than four at a time."
Recently, in addition to implanting a Sharingan in his right eye, Danzo had used the last two remaining eyes in his possession for experiments.
He wanted to uncover the secret behind awakening the Mangekyō Sharingan.
But it was fruitless.
If unlocking a Mangekyō were that simple, the Uchiha clan wouldn't have become so rare and powerful.
Now, even the Shimura clan was affected.
Many other ninja clans had cut off cooperation, and with dwindling funds, Danzo's Root division faced major setbacks.
Several of his experiments had come to a halt.
The power Kaien displayed at the Hyuga residence still burned in Danzo's mind.
But now, he had no more Sharingan in stock.
That's when his eyes turned toward the Uchiha Garrison.
Unfortunately, before he could act, the Uchiha suddenly became hyper-vigilant—almost as if they had predicted his move.
"Who leaked the news?"
Danzo's eyes narrowed.
After thinking it over, he suspected the old fox—Hiruzen Sarutobi, the Third Hokage.
Only Hiruzen had the authority to mobilize ANBU in large numbers.
He probably noticed Danzo's intentions and suppressed him to protect his position.
"Circle the Uchiha compound. See if there's a gap."
Jitu hesitated.
"Isn't that too dangerous? Even the Hokage can't monitor them right now."
Danzo scoffed confidently,
"The Third was pressured by Kaien, that's all. The Uchiha may be big—but can Kaien guard all of them alone?"
"Too many people around draws attention. Let Aburame Ryoma go and look for a chance."
Jitu was startled.
"My lord… Ryoma is still in the dungeon, under the Hokage's orders."
"Then release him quietly. Tell him we've found a cure for his condition—he just has to help us catch one Uchiha."
Jitu hesitated, his scalp tingling, but eventually clenched his fists.
"Yes, my lord!"
…
In the Dungeon
A man in a long black trench coat leaned against the wall, hidden by the shadows.
His muscular body shimmered faintly with a gray-blue hue.
Footsteps echoed.
Jitu arrived at the cell door.
"Ryoma."
Ryoma yawned and walked to the bars.
"Oh? It's you, Jitu?"
Jitu nodded.
"Lord Danzo says there's a cure for your illness. But the price is this—help him capture a Uchiha with a Sharingan."
"A Sharingan? Easy. Those Uchiha aren't hard to catch."
Ryoma had been locked up too long—he had no idea how much things had changed.
"No problem. When do we leave?"
Jitu, feeling strangely uneasy, stepped forward and unlocked the cell.
As Ryoma walked out with a casual air, he spoke again.
"You don't know why I was locked up here, do you?"
Jitu looked nervous.
"I heard you killed your teammates…"
"And yet… you came to me?"
Ryoma chuckled, then said quietly,
"Don't worry—I'm not going to kill you. But my children are starving…"
"So, I'll have to feed them. Sorry."
In the blink of an eye, Jitu froze.
His chakra went silent, and the light left his eyes.
Buzz—
A swarm of nearly invisible insects flew out of his body.
Jitu collapsed into a shrivelled husk.
…
Outside the Uchiha Compound
Uchiha Keiaki was working alone.
He planted chakra-conducting material into the ground, carving enchantment seals into it.
This was the final node. Once activated, the Uchiha compound would have a full detection barrier—something vital after the attacks on their clan.
Since Kaien's promotion to Deputy Patriarch, the Uchiha had rapidly regained prosperity.
Though some clansmen had left, those who stayed were no longer harassed or discriminated against.
The Uchiha Garrison was now highly respected.
Eighth Street, under Uchiha protection, had become the safest part of Konoha.
Merchants from other districts sometimes asked if the Uchiha could patrol their streets too—only to be disappointed.
Keiaki felt proud.
He wasn't much of a fighter, but he loved seeing the clan thrive.
The Uchiha had finally retreated from Konoha's whirlpool of politics.
The Patriarch now enforced strict safety-first policies, even at the cost of earnings.
With many elites gone, the clan encouraged early marriage and childbearing.
Every newborn child in a family with two or more siblings received a 200,000-ryo subsidy.
Families were now pairing off fast, eager to claim the benefits—equal to the reward of a B-rank mission.
Keiaki focused on his work, unaware of the danger creeping toward him.
A large cloud of black insects buzzed closer from above.
"Buzz… buzz…"
Just as Keiaki infused chakra into the seal, a ripple spread outward, detecting chakra signatures.
Suddenly, he heard the screech of insects and rolled to the side just in time.
BOOM!
An explosion tore up the ground where he had stood moments earlier.
"Who goes there!? How dare you attack near the Uchiha compound?!"
He activated his Sharingan—only two tomoe.
He had no signal flare, so he shouted to alert others.
Emerging from the shadows was Ryoma.
"What bad luck—you had to run into me. Two tomoe, huh? That's barely acceptable."
Keiaki instantly recognized him.
"You're... Aburame Ryoma!?"
His mind raced.
Wasn't Ryoma supposed to be imprisoned in the dungeon?
…
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Translated By – Ancient Lores
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