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No matter which side you looked at it from, Uchiha Itachi was an exceptionally special existence.
He was Konoha's hidden chess piece within the Akatsuki organization.
He was a sharp blade in the hands of the masked man.
Naturally, he could also be used by Uchiha Haru. If this piece remained alive, it could prove invaluable in the future.
"If you want me to stop, you will have to pay a price."
Uchiha Haru said bluntly.
Previously, Konoha had gathered its forces and launched a surprise attack on the Uchiha clan, intent on exterminating them.
But now, because of Haru's unexpected return,
Konoha simply could not complete this mission before dawn.
Continuing to drag out the conflict would only expose their plans.
This wouldn't just make Konoha a laughingstock across the entire shinobi world—it would reveal just how weak Konoha had become.
Konoha.
The world's premier ninja village.
Unable to deal with a single Uchiha clan member, it would be utterly unworthy of its name—and would certainly attract the greed and hostility of countless others.
This was nothing short of a disaster for an already weakened Konoha.
The Third Hokage's expression darkened. The situation had completely reversed.
They no longer held the initiative.
"Uchiha Haru, don't think you have everything under control. At worst, we'll both die together!"
"Do you really think you can take on the entire Konoha alone?"
Danzo said coldly.
"Want to try?"
Haru looked at Danzo with eyes that gleamed with indifferent amusement.
Under that look, Danzo couldn't help but shudder.
Images of being hunted and killed repeatedly by Haru flashed through his mind, frightening him to the core.
He wanted to boast, to speak, but the words died on his lips.
"Ahem."
The Third Hokage cleared his throat to break the tension, then spoke slowly, "I can let you go. In exchange, you must hide your identity and never claim to be from the Uchiha clan."
"The Uchiha clan will cease to exist from today onward."
"Everything will proceed according to our previous plan, and Uchiha Itachi will bear all the responsibility."
Behind Haru, the faces of the Uchiha clan members showed clear anger.
The Uchiha were immensely proud—their name was their honor.
To abandon that name?
They would never agree.
Yet no one dared to speak up.
All eyes were on Haru.
Though it had been only one night,
Haru had won their hearts.
The Uchiha clan believed this young man would choose what was best for their future, the most righteous course of action.
Haru's gaze was faintly disdainful. He stared directly at the Third Hokage and said, word by word, "Impossible."
Now, the initiative was no longer with Konoha—it was with them.
The Third Hokage was still clinging to the idea of using power to suppress them.
But now it was no longer about letting them go.
The real issue was how to completely conceal the disgraceful plan of the Uchiha clan's extermination night.
The Third Hokage frowned slightly, anger flickering across his face, but it was quickly masked.
As Hokage of the world's strongest ninja village, no one had said "no" to him for so many years.
Yet the current situation… seemed to leave him powerless.
"So, what do you want?"
After a moment, the Third Hokage asked.
"Do not publicize this incident."
"But the Uchiha will not hide their identity. The Uchiha will always be Uchiha."
Haru said flatly.
Keeping the ugly truth of the Uchiha extermination secret was the foundation for any negotiation between the two sides.
If this failed, there would be no more talks.
But for everything else, the Third Hokage had no room to bargain.
"Good."
"Well said, Haru!"
"It is impossible for us to abandon the Uchiha name!"
Haru's words resonated among the clan members, and they echoed in unison.
The Third Hokage narrowed his eyes. "Allowing you to leave is already the greatest concession we can make."
"Hiding your identity is necessary to avoid the prying eyes of foreign forces, to keep you safe and maintain secrecy. Concealing tonight's plan benefits not only us but also you."
"A broken Uchiha clan without protection will surely attract the covetousness of many."
The Sharingan is the symbol and pride of the Uchiha clan.
There were countless people in this world who coveted the Sharingan and sought to unlock its secrets.
Before, they had been safe under Konoha's protection.
Now that the Uchiha clan had suffered such a betrayal, seriously weakened and unprotected, enemies would surely take advantage.
What the Third Hokage said was not without merit.
The Uchiha clan members hesitated at his words.
Why had the envoy from the Land of Snow kidnapped Hyuga Hinata?
Because he coveted the Byakugan, the Hyuga clan's bloodline limit.
The Uchiha's Sharingan was as famous as the Byakugan—arguably even more so.
That fame brought trouble. Could they really resist it now?
Perhaps listening to the Third Hokage and hiding their identities was the wiser choice.
Though none wished to abandon the Uchiha family name.
But no matter the circumstances, the most important thing was survival.
If you couldn't survive, what was the point of everything else?
However, Uchiha Haru said firmly, "The affairs of the Uchiha clan are none of Konoha's concern."
"Before Konoha was founded, our Uchiha clan was one of the most powerful families in the world."
"We can protect ourselves. Anyone who dares to harm the Uchiha clan—no matter who they are—will only meet one fate: death!"
Haru's words served as a stark reminder to everyone present.
Though the Uchiha clan was severely wounded, they were nowhere near the point of needing protection or hiding their identities just to survive.
Since the ancestors of the Uchiha had once made their clan one of the strongest powers of their era, they were certainly capable of defending themselves now.
"If you refuse to conceal your identities, we will have to restart our previous plans from scratch. How can we possibly convince the outside world that nothing happened to the Uchiha clan, and that they simply left Konoha of their own accord?"
Danzo sneered, "Besides, who can guarantee you'll be able to protect yourselves and keep such a secret?"
"You're free to believe that if you want. But the reasons behind it are your business, not mine."
"Or… we can continue fighting."
Haru refused to yield.
The Third Hokage and Danzo exchanged grim looks; neither were pleased.
Orochimaru stood apart, indifferent.
What happened to Konoha, and whether the plan was exposed, was none of his concern.
He didn't care at all.
A pity, though.
Haru's strength was overwhelming.
He might never again have such a perfect body in his lifetime.
The Third Hokage squinted, weighing the pros and cons carefully in his mind.
Letting the Uchiha leave was no longer a last resort.
It had become the only choice.
Keeping the secret was paramount, no matter the cost.
Otherwise, even he could not imagine the chaos that would ensue.
As for what Haru said—it was difficult, but not impossible.
After a moment's thought, he looked up at Haru. "Very well, I promise…"
"Not so fast."
Before he could finish, Haru interrupted calmly.
"As for the conditions, those need to be discussed slowly."
Haru continued without urgency, "Now, to keep this secret, we have to go far away. And if we want to survive, we need money."
Money.
No matter the era, it was always valuable.
To take the clan and settle somewhere else required financial support.
The Third Hokage exhaled deeply as he regarded Haru. "Fine. I promise one hundred thousand ryō per person."
He agreed swiftly, without hesitation.
It wasn't that he didn't care about money—he simply no longer wished to negotiate with Haru.
"One hundred thousand ryō…"
In the world of shinobi, a reward of 100,000 ryō was only attainable by completing at least a B-rank mission.
One hundred thousand per person wasn't a trivial amount, but it wasn't excessive either.
However, Haru clearly did not intend to stop there.
He pressed on, "This time, Konoha attempted to destroy the Uchiha. Although it failed, it dealt us a heavy blow."
"I don't know how many of our clan members died at Konoha's hands."
"Those people were our dearest friends…"
"More money!"
If you really wanted to live somewhere new, money was needed for countless things.
If you could ask for more, why not?
Besides, Konoha was the number one ninja village at the time—with a large treasury, they could afford this demand.
The Third Hokage's expression darkened abruptly.
Danzo's fury was even greater. Had the Third Hokage not stopped him, Danzo would have exploded in anger right then and there.
Orochimaru had already returned to the masked man's side, and the two of them watched this drama unfold, detached and uninterested.
This was no longer their concern.
Though, they hadn't yet received the agreed-upon reward.
Why not ask for some hush money?
After a tense silence, the Third Hokage was forced to accept Haru's demands and agreed to pay even more money.
Haru got the price he wanted.
The Uchiha clan members looked at the Third Hokage's pained expression and felt a grim satisfaction.
"The money has been settled. You may leave now."
Danzo's voice was grim as he urged them on.
Previously, it was Danzo who had prevented the Uchiha from leaving.
Now, he was the one pushing them out.
How fleeting power was.
Yet Haru remained motionless, standing firm.
"What else do you want?"
Danzo asked, eyes wide in disbelief.
If Haru weren't so vastly stronger than him, Danzo would have taken action already.
No matter how much he resented it, he would have been forced to endure.
"I want Konoha's forbidden technique."
"The forbidden technique left behind by the Second Hokage, Senju Tobirama."
Haru said lightly.
Senju Tobirama, the Second Hokage.
In terms of raw power, he might not have been the strongest Hokage.
But there was no doubt that he was a genius—an unparalleled supergenius.
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This Week Bonus Chapter - 200 Power stones
2nd Bonus Chapter - 400 Power Stones
3rd Bonus Chapter - 600 Power Stones
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