Chapter 90: Uchiha Iizumi Has Already Threatened the Village (Two-in-One – Requesting Subscription)

“What?!!” Tsunade Konoha couldn’t help but gasp in shock, her face pale as the news from Hiruzen Sarutobi struck like lightning. She stood frozen, her mind reeling as a storm of thoughts churned violently within. It took five full seconds before the weight of the message finally settled.

With a sudden surge, Tsunade Konoha rose to her feet, her voice trembling with disbelief. “Hiruzen! You just watched as the second son of the Daimyo was murdered by that man—Uchiha Iizumi?!”

She paused, eyes blazing. “Do you even realize what this means for our Leaf Village? Do you understand the chaos this will unleash?!”

Before Hiruzen could respond, Tsunade was already pacing back and forth, her face etched with deep lines of tension. Her voice dropped to a hushed, horrified whisper: “I knew… I knew it was a disaster waiting to happen when that envoy ran into Uchiha Iizumi. Zetsu never brings good news. But I never thought… they’d actually meet.”

Tsunade Konoha had already sent word to the Daimyo’s envoy team, instructing them to avoid certain districts—areas where Uchiha Iizumi was known to frequent. But today, the man had done the unthinkable.

He hadn’t been where he was expected.

Instead of prowling the usual haunts, Uchiha Iizumi had vanished from his usual patterns—so completely out of character that Tsunade couldn’t help but wonder: Was this intentional? Did he know the envoys were coming? Was he waiting for them?

“By the time I arrived,” Hiruzen Sarutobi said quietly, his voice heavy with sorrow, “the young man was already dead.”

He slowly moved to sit behind the Hokage’s desk, his expression grim. The silence between them stretched, thick with unspoken dread.

Tsunade stopped pacing, her face darkening. “Where is Uchiha Iizumi now? Did you arrest him?”

Hiruzen looked at her. She looked back.

No words were needed.

“Hiruzen!” Tsunade’s voice cracked. “What are you thinking?! I finally understand why Danzō acts the way he does—right now, I feel like I’m about to explode! My blood pressure’s through the roof!”

She pressed on, voice rising: “You’ve let Uchiha Iizumi get away with everything! What are you even tolerating? Don’t you remember Hiruzen Shintetsu—your firstborn son—died at his hands? Don’t you remember who really betrayed Danzō? And how many times has Iizumi openly defied your orders in front of everyone?!”

Her voice trembled. “Now he’s murdered the Daimyo’s second son—and you still stand by him? Just because his presence keeps the unstable elements in check? Is that really enough? Can you really let him kill a nobleman and pretend nothing happened?!”

“Hiruzen… I don’t understand!”

Hiruzen remained silent.

That silence only fueled Tsunade’s fury, her breath coming in sharp, uneven gasps.

Hyūga Menji, who had remained silent until now, finally spoke. “Hiruzen… you’re weighing the consequences of a direct confrontation with Uchiha Iizumi.”

Tsunade’s brow furrowed.

Hiruzen gripped the armrests of his chair so tightly that the wood cracked under his fingers. His face was drawn, shadowed by anger and sorrow.

After several deep breaths, he finally spoke.

“For the sake of Leaf Village’s stability… I must endure this. If Iizumi were to lose control, his threat to our village would be no less than the Nine-Tails Uprising.”

He looked at Tsunade. “Do you really want to see that tragedy repeat itself?”

“And…” His voice broke, heavy with resignation, “after last night, Iizumi has already become a symbol of defiance in the eyes of many young radicals within the Uchiha Clan. To move against him… would be to provoke the entire clan.”

He paused. “Yes, Fugaku and Itachi stand with us. But even they aren’t enough to hold back the storm.”

Tsunade opened her mouth, then closed it. No words came.

She fell silent.

Hyūga Menji sighed. “Instead of arguing here, we should focus on how to handle the Daimyo’s fury. This is a catastrophe we can’t afford to ignore. Even if we don’t want to protect him, we must act—before the damage spreads.”

…

“Phew… I’m exhausted…”

Naruto Uzumaki, small and frail, slumped onto the front steps of a house, gasping for breath. He glanced around cautiously, relieved to see only curious stares from a few villagers—no sign of anyone suspicious.

“Whew… Just… one moment of rest…”

To Naruto, the only real threat in the world was Uchiha Iizumi.

But the next second, his peripheral vision caught a flicker.

A familiar figure appeared.

His heart stopped.

His breath caught in his throat.

“S-s-s-s-!”

He shot upright, nearly toppling over. His hand snatched up a nearby broom, sweeping frantically left and right in panic.

“Ten more days,” came a soft, chilling voice from beside him.

Naruto screamed inside.

The man—Uchiha Iizumi—had just been a hundred meters away a second ago. Now, he was standing right beside him.

Naruto nearly burst into tears.

How is this even possible?!

Can I ever catch a break?

What Naruto didn’t know was that the Anbu Ninja hiding in the shadows was even more desperate.

Why is Uchiha Iizumi back?!

Why now?!

The Anbu wanted to step in, to break the contact between Iizumi and Naruto. After all, the Hokage had explicitly ordered Naruto to stay away from all Uchiha Clan members.

But… he knew he wouldn’t stand a chance.

If he tried to stop Iizumi, he’d be crushed.

So he stayed silent.

Hokage-sama’s orders… but maybe… just this once…

It’s not entirely disobedience, right?

Besides… Iizumi didn’t seem to be targeting Naruto. He wasn’t trying to manipulate the Nine-Tails Jinchūriki. He claimed to follow Absolute Justice, didn’t he?

If that was true… then he wouldn’t risk triggering another Nine-Tails Uprising.

That thought kept the Anbu from acting.

Meanwhile, Naruto’s eyes were drawn to the bloodstains on Iizumi’s sleeve.

His face twisted with confusion.

“P-please wait…!” he called out, voice trembling.

A soft, melodic voice drifted from behind the man.

Naruto turned—and froze.

A stunning woman with long black hair, elegant and poised, followed Iizumi. On her shoulder sat a plump, fat orange cat.

“Meow~ Iizumi-sama killed a dozen Evil Offenders today. That should be enough to scare off any ill-intentioned fools for a while,” the cat said.

Naruto’s mind shattered.

…Wait. What?

His eyes widened. His face drained of color.

Tachibana Jiro said… he killed dozens of Evil Offenders…

The words echoed in his head like a death knell.

His entire body went numb.

“P-please don’t kill me!!” he cried, dropping into a full tadokoro—a submissive, trembling bow. “I-I know I’m wrong!! I’m sorry!!”

Tachibana Jiro tilted its head. “…What’s wrong with this kid?”

Izumi stroked her chin, frowning. “Looks like he’s misunderstood something. But… he seems so frail. Is it really safe to make him do this kind of labor?”

She hesitated. “He’s so skinny… I’m worried he’ll pass out mid-sweep.”

Uchiha Iizumi remained expressionless. “He’s the Nine-Tails Jinchūriki. This is nothing to him.”

Izumi blinked. “Wait… what? The Nine-Tails Jinchūriki?”

She stared at Naruto in disbelief.

Tachibana Jiro explained calmly: “Iizumi-sama said the fox sealed inside him was the one responsible for the Nine-Tails Uprising. The beast is called the Nine-Tails. And Naruto Uzumaki, as its vessel, is known as the Nine-Tails Jinchūriki.”

Izumi’s breath caught.

The Nine-Tails…

The Nine-Tailed Fox…

Her Sharingan had awakened on the night of the Nine-Tails Uprising. Her father had died that night—consumed by the beast.

“P-please… Iizumi-san…” she whispered, voice shaking. “Does that mean… he’s…?”

Uchiha Iizumi spoke, calm and deliberate: “He’s just a vessel. A forced one. He had no choice when he was born. He was made a Jinchūriki the moment he drew breath.”

Tachibana Jiro added, “Meow. Iizumi-sama said the true instigator of the Uprising was Uchiha Obito. He used his Mangekyō Sharingan to control the Nine-Tails. It was he who manipulated the beast.”

Izumi’s mind reeled.

Uchiha Obito…

She locked the name into her memory.

The conversation had been loud—no attempt to hide it. Naruto, still on his knees, heard every word.

…I’m the Nine-Tails Jinchūriki?

…I’m a container for a demon fox?

…There’s actually a fox… inside me?

He couldn’t imagine Iizumi lying. Not about something like this.

Suddenly, it made sense. Why some people called him “demon child.” Why others whispered behind his back. Why they looked at him like he was cursed.

“…I… I’m sorry…” Naruto whispered, tears streaming down his face. His body trembled. His voice cracked. He was lost, broken.

…

No secret stays hidden forever.

Yoyoenin Kyosuke and the others had screamed their identities before dying. Now, everyone knew who they were.

And within hours, the news spread like wildfire.

The Daimyo’s envoy… murdered.

People had hoped the chaos of last night would fade. But less than a day later—another disaster.

And the culprit? Uchiha Iizumi.

…

Leaf Village Anbu Base

Hiruzen Asama sat in silence, a Root cigarette dangling from his lips. His gaze was fixed on Nanmu’s body—headless, blood-soaked, a grim sight.

The Guardian Ninja Twelve had been a complex alliance—part of it loyal to the Daimyo, part of it not. Like the Uchiha Clan, they split into factions: the cautious, moderate group led by Asama… and the radical faction led by Haruma.

Nanmu had been one of the moderates. A close friend.

Now, he was dead.

Asama exhaled slowly, the smoke curling into the air like a ghost.

Twice now…

Old man… how much longer can you keep enduring?

He reached out, gently closing Nanmu’s wide-open eyes.

His face, shadowed by stubble, was grim.

“Twice,” he muttered. “You’ve let this go too far. You’re the Hokage. When did you become so weak? Is Uchiha Iizumi really worth protecting?”

He remembered his brother—killed by Iizumi.

He remembered Nanmu—now a corpse.

And now, the Daimyo’s own son—dead.

The Daimyo would be furious. Kyosuke was his favorite child.

And the radicals in the Guardian Ninja Twelve? They’d be waiting. Hoping for this moment.

They’d use it to push for the abolition of the Hokage position. To bring all ninja under the Daimyo’s direct control.

“Old man…” Asama whispered, crushing the cigarette between his fingers. “You know this is wrong. Uchiha Iizumi isn’t protecting us. He’s destroying the balance. The peace. The stability.”

He lit another cigarette.

“He’s already threatened the village.”

He stared at the dead.

“Maybe… you’ve gotten used to my defiance.”

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end