Confession

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No matter what the issue was, once it involved the Uchiha and the Sharingan, there could be no carelessness.

The Uchiha Clan had far too many strange forbidden techniques hidden within the Sharingan, such as Izanagi and Izanami. Without knowing the details, those techniques were almost impossible to guard against.

Since Danzo had transplanted the First Hokage's cells and a large number of Sharingan, he had likely also mastered certain forbidden techniques of the Uchiha Clan.

Facing Danzo head-on right now would be too risky.

Orochimaru was a good example. As a genuine Kage-level powerhouse, he had fought Itachi twice and been handled almost casually by Itachi's Sharingan both times. That lesson was enough to make Naoki cautious.

After returning home, Naoki calmed his thoughts and once again buried himself in studying the Four Symbols Seal.

Increasing his own strength was his top priority at present. Every other plan existed only to serve that goal. He had always kept that hierarchy very clear.

For now, he had technically learned the Four Symbols Seal.

Of course, "learned" only meant he could barely use it. As for the operating principles of the Four Symbols Seal and deeper development of the technique, he was still far from sufficient. That was why he needed to study it further.

Because the Four Symbols Seal was a door.

A door that could open the treasure vault of the Uzumaki Clan's sealing arts.

And as long as he mastered the Uzumaki Clan's sealing arts, he could break the Fourth Hokage's seal on the Dragon Vein and complete the most critical part of the artificial Tailed Beast project.

After studying for a while, Naoki recorded his insights one by one.

When he finished writing, he reviewed the notes and thought, 'With the achievement Team Eleven made this time, exchanging it for another sealing technique should not be a problem.'

He estimated that at most one week would be enough for him to fully master the Four Symbols Seal.

After mastering it, if he could learn one or two more Uzumaki sealing techniques, he would be confident in using the Tenseigan to understand the secrets of the Uzumaki Clan's sealing arts.

And with Team Eleven's contributions this time, he felt that exchanging them for a sealing technique should be more than enough.

Early the next morning, Naoki left home.

Along the way, everything he heard from the villagers was debate about Konoha's peace talks with Kumogakure.

Without question, the shinobi in the village were furious about Kumogakure's sudden raid. Adding in the fact that several hundred Konoha shinobi had died in this conflict and almost every major shinobi clan had suffered funerals, many Konoha shinobi were deeply resentful of the peace talks.

More or less, everyone could understand why the Third had agreed to negotiate.

But being struck hard from behind and then shaking hands in peace was something the shinobi of the greatest village in the shinobi world found difficult to swallow.

Naoki did not feel too much emotion about it.

The current Konoha was no longer the Konoha of the First Hokage's era, when it could suppress everything. In the shinobi world, if one's strength was insufficient, even the greatest humiliation had to be silently endured.

Besides, this was only the beginning. The village would have many more troubles in the future.

After reaching the agreed location, Naoki waited quietly.

Before long, a figure landed in front of him. The newcomer was Uchiha Shisui, who had arranged to meet him.

Shisui looked apologetic. "Senior, sorry to keep you waiting."

"It's fine. I only just arrived." Naoki waved it off, then said, "I asked you here because there is something very important I need to tell you."

"What is it?"

Naoki activated the Byakugan. After confirming no one was around, he lowered his voice. "I met Danzo yesterday and discovered a secret about his body."

Shisui was startled. "What? You met Lord Danzo yesterday too?"

Naoki frowned when he heard this, and unease hit him at once. "You met him yesterday as well?"

Shisui answered, "Yes. Lord Danzo invited me to join Root, but I refused. Did Lord Danzo invite you too, Senior?"

Naoki hurriedly asked, "You did not tell him about your Mangekyo Sharingan, did you?"

Shisui nodded. "We talked about the conflict between the Uchiha and the village. To reassure Lord Danzo and the village leadership, I already told Lord Danzo and the Third about the Mangekyo Sharingan yesterday. I also promised them that, when necessary, I would stop the clan from taking extreme action."

Naoki's face darkened. "Idiot."

Shisui looked confused. "What do you mean?"

"Do you know what I came to tell you today?" Naoki paused, then continued, "Yesterday, through the Byakugan, I discovered that Danzo has already transplanted the First Hokage's cells and a large number of Sharingan. He has modified his own body beyond recognition."

"What?"

Shisui froze where he stood.

Naoki glanced at him. "That old man has been coveting the Sharingan for a long time. And you told him you awakened the Mangekyo Sharingan. Is that not the same as walking straight into his trap?"

Naoki's plan yesterday had been to tell Shisui that Danzo coveted the Sharingan, then guide Shisui into using Kotoamatsukami on Danzo and resolve the old man once and for all.

He had not expected Danzo to move so quickly, contacting not only Naoki yesterday but Shisui as well.

Even more unexpectedly, Shisui had openly admitted the truth of the Mangekyo Sharingan to Danzo and the Third.

Of course, that was because Naoki did not know what had happened to Shisui at the Uchiha clan meeting the day before. During that meeting, some Uchiha clan members had openly advocated an armed coup. That was what had pushed Shisui to confess to the village leadership.

After drifting in silence for a long time, Shisui murmured, "Senior, did I make a mistake?"

Naoki asked again, "Aside from Susanoo, your Mangekyo Sharingan should have another ability, right?"

Without hesitation, Shisui answered, "Yes. My Mangekyo Sharingan can use a genjutsu called Kotoamatsukami. This genjutsu can alter and control an enemy's will without the target noticing."

"You told Danzo and the Third that too?"

Shisui nodded. "Yes. I plan to use Kotoamatsukami to stop the clan's coup, so in order to make the Third and Lord Danzo believe me, I did not hide it."

Naoki said, "You can stop the Uchiha from launching a coup, but can you stop Danzo from moving against the Uchiha? At this point, the village leadership will no longer trust you. In private, Danzo probably will not meet with you again."

Shisui seemed to understand something, disbelief spreading across his face.

Naoki warned him, "Remember this. If Danzo asks to meet you privately, there is only one possibility: he is going to attack you. Whether he can live until that day, however, is hard to say."

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