Chapter 562: Conclusion of Itachi's Mission
Chapter 562: Conclusion of Itachi's Mission
After Uchiha Morihei left, the remaining Uchiha ninjas who were still standing also stopped their attacks.
Undoubtedly, they had lost.
The Uchiha ninja, who had previously felt belittled, now wore a complex expression as he gazed at Itachi and Obito.
He had to admit that Itachi and his team had earned the right to be arrogant.
"Itachi and Obito win!" declared Uchiha Hachidai, signifying the conclusion of the battle.
The surrounding Uchiha ninjas stared at the duo in awe, especially Itachi. In this battle, Charizard and Obito had played more of a supporting role, so their impression of Itachi and Murkrow was even more profound.
Murkrow's vast illusion technique, which was difficult to detect, and Itachi's incredibly powerful cyan flames left an unforgettable impression on the Uchiha ninjas present.
"The distance has grown again," Uchiha Inabi said, scratching his head.
Ever since Itachi had revealed his strength, Inabi had been working tirelessly to improve, seeing Itachi as his goal.
However, each time Itachi appeared, Inabi realized that the gap between their strengths had only widened.
Despite his own efforts, not only had he failed to catch up, but the distance between them seemed to be increasing.
Inabi quickly calmed himself; after all, this wasn't the first time he had felt this way since he met Itachi.
He had experienced this countless times, and it had become somewhat of a habit.
Although he knew it was futile to try and catch up, Inabi still used Itachi as a target to spur himself on.
"Hopefully, this will bring about positive change," Uchiha Fugaku said as he led the Uchiha ninjas back to the Uchiha Shrine.
According to the agreement between Itachi and Morihei, the next step was to get Itachi's reform proposal passed at the clan meeting.
Unless Fugaku, as the clan leader, used his authority to veto Itachi's proposal, it would be approved.
As the leader of the Uchiha clan, Fugaku had the privilege to reject any proposal, even if it was supported by most of the Uchiha ninjas.
Of course, Fugaku wouldn't normally exercise this right. As the clan leader, he wouldn't position himself against the majority.
"Finally, the first step of the plan is halfway done," Itachi sighed in relief.
He had prepared thoroughly, but there was still a possibility of failure.
"Obito, thank you for your help this time," Itachi expressed his gratitude.
It would have been extremely difficult to execute this plan alone.
"It's no big deal," Obito waved his hand dismissively. "Besides, you said this is for the good of the Uchiha clan, and I'm a part of it, too."
Obito didn't have many friends within the Uchiha clan, but he had received the same education and still held some sense of clan honor.
All the Uchiha ninjas returned to the Uchiha Shrine, and the interrupted clan meeting resumed.
This time, the atmosphere was different. Morihei and his supporters kept their promise and remained silent.
Itachi took the lead in explaining his reform proposal, and his supporters joined in the discussion.
"Are there any other opinions?" Fugaku asked after a while. "If not, the 'Police Force Reform' proposal will be passed."
Silence descended upon the Uchiha Shrine once more, as if the reform proposal had become the unanimous desire of the clan, and no one dared to voice any dissent.
"Then, the 'Police Force Reform' proposal is passed. This clan meeting is now adjourned," Fugaku announced.
The silence in the Uchiha Shrine was broken as some Uchiha ninjas discussed the impact of the proposal, while others chatted about miscellaneous matters as they left together.
"Obito, you can go ahead. I have something else to take care of here," Itachi said, noticing Obito's eagerness to leave.
His first step was the police force reform, and with the clan meeting's approval, he had only completed half of his task.
The police force was such a large department that its reform couldn't be decided solely by the Uchiha clan. He needed the approval and seal of the Third Hokage.
Thus, Itachi had to discuss with Fugaku the details of the reform proposal that would be submitted to the Hokage.
"Alright then," Obito waved goodbye and left with a small run.
For him, attending the clan meeting had been a bit of a torture, as he could only pass the time by spacing out.
Subsequently, Itachi followed Fugaku back to his residence.
Upon seeing Itachi, Uchiha Itachi, who hadn't gone to bed yet, was delighted.
However, to Itachi's disappointment, Itachi only exchanged a few words with him before heading to Fugaku's study.
"We must convey to the Third Hokage our sincere intention to reform," Itachi said.
The police force was a pit left by the Second Hokage for the Uchiha clan.
However, after Itachi's careful research and guidance from Moyue, he realized that the Second Hokage didn't intend to harm the Uchiha clan.
If the Second Hokage truly wanted to suppress the Uchiha, there were simpler and more forceful methods available during his reign, which was even more influential than the Third Hokage's.
Since the Second Hokage himself didn't intend to harm the Uchiha, would his disciples have such thoughts? Itachi couldn't say for sure about the Second Hokage's other disciples, but as far as he knew, Sarutobi Hiruzen shouldn't have such intentions.
Even though he and Obito were Uchiha, Hiruzen hadn't shown any signs of suppression.
Instead, due to a series of events, they had received support and cultivation.
It was extremely rare for Konoha to send ninjas on missions at their age.
Therefore, Itachi believed that the most important factor in getting the Third Hokage's approval for the Uchiha reform was to demonstrate their sincerity.
He wanted Hiruzen to understand that the Uchiha clan genuinely wanted to turn over a new leaf and wasn't just trying to grab a few more positions to increase Konoha's financial burden.
Fugaku wore an expression that showed he was deep in thought.
He hadn't expected Itachi to have considered even the Hokage's perspective.
The two men talked for about an hour.
As Itachi was leaving, he was surprised to find that Itachi was still awake, sitting alone in the corridor with a sullen expression.
"Itachi, it's time to sleep," Itachi said gently as he squatted down next to Itachi and reminded him with a smile.
Uchiha Itachi remained silent, quietly watching Itachi.
Just as Itachi was pondering why Uchiha Itachi seemed a little moody, the young boy spoke up.
"You said you'd tell me a story next time we met, but we've met several times since then, and you still haven't told me one."
Uchiha Itachi wasn't the type of child to throw a tantrum. If Itachi hadn't brought up the idea of storytelling, he wouldn't be feeling this way just because he hadn't heard a story.
But storytelling was something Itachi had offered, and now Itachi seemed to have forgotten about it, which naturally made Uchiha Itachi unhappy.
He wasn't upset about not hearing a story; he was upset because Itachi had forgotten their promise and, by extension, forgotten about him.
"I'm really sorry, I've been a bit busy lately," Itachi apologized, feeling a bit embarrassed.
He had been preoccupied with planning the reform of the police force and had forgotten about it.
"If you're too busy, then..." Uchiha Itachi trailed off.
"Next time, I'll definitely tell you a story," Itachi interrupted, gently tapping Uchiha Itachi's head with his finger.
"There will be stories, but right now it's a child's bedtime."
Uchiha Itachi nodded obediently and bade Itachi goodbye before heading straight to bed.
"Extinction of the clan... I must never let that happen," Itachi thought to himself, his resolve strengthening as he recalled the future intelligence he had received.
He would strive to guide Uchiha Itachi towards the right path. But if that failed, and Uchiha Itachi still insisted on the insane path of wanting to annihilate his own family, Itachi would show no mercy.
...
In the Fire Shadow's office...
"The Uchiha actually took the initiative to request breaking the rules and allowing non-Uchiha ninjas to join the police force." As Sarutobi Hiruzen read the request submitted by Uchiha Fugaku, he couldn't help but feel surprised.
This was indeed a rare occurrence, as nothing like this had ever happened since the establishment of the police force.
Sarutobi Hiruzen read through the request carefully.
After finishing, he closed his eyes and fell into deep thought.
This matter could be considered significant, as the police force was an important department in Konoha, and their reform would naturally be a big deal.
However, it could also be seen as a minor issue, as it only involved recruiting a few new ninjas into the police force.
Knock! Knock!
Sarutobi Hiruzen rhythmically tapped his wooden desk.
In the end, he decided to exercise his authority as the Fire Shadow and deemed it a minor issue that didn't require a high-level meeting.
But Sarutobi Hiruzen didn't immediately sign and stamp the request. Instead, he summoned an Anbu ninja and ordered him to bring Uchiha Fugaku to the Fire Shadow's office.
He wanted to inquire about some details and clarify Uchiha Fugaku's intentions.
"Lord Third," Uchiha Fugaku greeted as he entered the office.
Sarutobi Hiruzen nodded slightly in response.
The Uchiha were a family closely monitored by Konoha's Anbu, and as the clan head, Sarutobi Hiruzen was quite familiar with Uchiha Fugaku.
Uchiha Fugaku's strength wasn't particularly outstanding among the generations of Uchiha clan leaders, but his personality was one of the most level-headed within the Uchiha clan.
For example, while Uchiha Fugaku might not hold Sarutobi Hiruzen in high regard, he would always ensure that he maintained a respectful facade.
"Tell me about your plan for the police force reform. Why did you come up with this idea, and how will it impact the police force and Konoha?" Sarutobi Hiruzen asked, his interest piqued.
Not only was Itachi grappling with the Uchiha issue, but Sarutobi Hiruzen was also eager to resolve the long-standing conflict between the Uchiha and Konoha.
Dealing with enemies was challenging enough without having to assign Anbu to keep an eye on the Uchiha clan, which was a waste of resources.
If the war intensified, he would have no choice but to send Uchiha ninjas into battle, and he would need to dispatch a separate, equally strong team to supervise them.
"Actually, this idea initially came from Itachi," Uchiha Fugaku explained, omitting some of the details and providing a general overview of the situation.
This was in line with Itachi's request. When they had discussed this matter previously, Itachi had instructed him to tell Sarutobi Hiruzen everything if he inquired.
"If Mirror knew that his grandson was so outstanding, he would probably smile with relief," Sarutobi Hiruzen remarked with a hint of nostalgia.
He had once been teammates with Uchiha Mirror and knew firsthand of his exceptional abilities.
And Itachi, he was like a super version of Uchiha Mirror—still young but with strength and strategic capabilities that surpassed most adults.
After getting the answers he sought, Sarutobi Hiruzen allowed Uchiha Fugaku to return to his duties and then summoned Itachi to his office.
"With your strength, you can reach the top four in the Ninja Fighting Tournament, and you're also capable of helping your clan. If Asuma were half as excellent as you, I wouldn't have to worry about him so much." Sarutobi Hiruzen smiled as he spoke, not immediately bringing up the topic of the police force reform.
"You flatter me, Lord Third. And Asuma is actually very diligent. He made it to the quarterfinals of the tournament, which is not a bad result," Itachi replied humbly.
"He got that far with a bit of luck," Sarutobi Hiruzen disagreed, stroking his goatee.
As the Fire Shadow, Sarutobi Hiruzen had access to extensive intelligence, and he knew that if they were strictly ranking strength, Asuma wouldn't make it to the top eight, let alone the top four.
Of course, his verbal criticism didn't diminish the pride he felt as a father hearing his son being praised.
Soon, Sarutobi Hiruzen got down to business and inquired about the police force reform.
Itachi's explanation was similar to Uchiha Fugaku's, differing only in some minor details. He disclosed everything he could, and Sarutobi Hiruzen found no issues with the proposal.
With that, Sarutobi Hiruzen approved the request to add new positions to the police force, allowing non-Uchiha ninjas to join.
As the reform took effect, and non-Uchiha ninjas became eligible to join the police force, a notification popped up on Mu Yue's panel, informing her of the completion reward for Itachi's mission.
Mu Yue opened the panel and checked Itachi's life mission. She noticed that his progress had increased significantly.
PS: There will be another chapter coming, but the timing is still uncertain, so it's recommended to get some rest and check tomorrow.
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(End of Chapter)
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