Chapter 151: Konoha in Transformation and the Shinobi of Darkness Targeted
In the several days following the Yu no Kuni expedition's conclusion, Konoha Village remained peaceful. However, changes within the village were far from few. Under Minato's leadership, the village's defensive barrier underwent certain modifications—trading defensive power for enhanced sensory performance.
Simultaneously, to guard against that unknown Uchiha's attacks, after communicating with Uchiha Fugaku, dozens of sensory ninja from the Hyuga, Yamanaka, Inuzuka, and Aburame clans were incorporated into Konoha Village's Police Force. This broke rules the First Hokage had left behind. The Police Force was no longer solely the Uchiha clan's domain.
Honestly, quite a few within the Uchiha clan raised protests. However, when Minato selected Uchiha Shisui for his personally organized Shadow Guard, opposition immediately quieted by more than half. After incorporating Uchiha Izumo, Uchiha Teyaki, and others into ANBU, the Uchiha clan had no further objections.
Previously, the Uchiha's dwelling place had been solely the Police Force. So when the Police Force no longer belonged exclusively to the Uchiha clan, many felt uneasy and anxious. They knew clearly the gulf between family and village, worrying that after losing the Police Force as a dwelling place, the Uchiha clan would have no foothold in the village.
But Uchiha Shisui joining the Shadow Guard, Uchiha Izumo and Uchiha Teyaki entering ANBU—each of these changes indicated the Fourth Hokage held absolutely no prejudice toward the Uchiha clan. While divesting the Police Force from Uchiha clan hands, he was also truly beginning to accept the Uchiha into the village.
Of course, accepting the Uchiha clan's integration into the village wasn't so easy. The Uchiha's arrogance being annoying was an undeniable fact. Making the Uchiha and village truly merge as one was destined to be arduous, long-term work.
In any case, the Fourth Hokage—no longer constrained by the elders—had unleashed himself, implementing sweeping, bold reforms to the village's internal affairs. Whether things were changing for better or worse couldn't yet be discerned in the short term.
But compared to the Third Hokage's late-reign rigidity, the current Konoha—daily renewing itself with constant changes—undoubtedly possessed more vitality and vigor!
So much so that when Uchiha Tatsuhata returned to Konoha and saw Hyuga, Yamanaka, Inuzuka, and other clan ninja wearing Police Force uniforms patrolling the streets, he was momentarily dumbstruck.
"Has the Uchiha clan already been exterminated?"
Uchiha Tatsuhata, hiding in a tree, blurted out.
Beside him, Black Zetsu emerging from a tree branch didn't answer. His White Zetsu half was receiving information transmitted by White Zetsu planted within Konoha Village.
Several seconds later, the half-white face whose name Uchiha Tatsuhata didn't know spoke. "These are all the Fourth Hokage's doing. He changed Konoha Village's original system, absorbing many ninja not from the Uchiha clan into the Police Force."
"The Fourth Hokage?"
Uchiha Tatsuhata watched the street's coming and going crowds. He couldn't discern whether this was good or bad. But undoubtedly, such changes tremendously increased his operational difficulty in Konoha.
While maintaining Mayfly Technique, he fused with vegetation and earth. Naturally, he needn't fear having his movements sensed. But while maintaining Mayfly Technique, he had no way to attack. Once he struck, he'd inevitably release Mayfly Technique.
At that point, with good luck he might avoid discovery. With slightly worse luck, these ubiquitous sensory ninja might detect the disturbance.
Previously, as a Konoha member, he'd had little sense of Konoha's might. Instead, he'd felt the village under assault from all sides—the village situation utterly terrible, the gloom in his heart never dispersing.
But now, standing in opposition to Konoha, Uchiha Tatsuhata deeply felt Konoha's might and troublesomeness. Just these numerous sensory ninja alone were unique in the shinobi world. Konoha's sensory ninja quantity absolutely ranked the shinobi world's greatest.
Uchiha Tatsuhata sighed sincerely. "So Konoha is this difficult to handle!"
But Black Zetsu beside him decisively shook his head, speaking aloud. "Previous Konoha wasn't this troublesome. The Konoha Police Force was practically decoration. Besides managing petty theft and trivial daily matters, they were fundamentally useless."
What caused all these changes was precisely the current Fourth Hokage, Namikaze Minato. His reform initiatives gave Konoha a completely renewed appearance while also bringing tremendous trouble to Uchiha Tatsuhata's operations.
Of course, tracing back to the root, blame fell on White Yaksha Hyuga Ritsu. If not for Ritsu launching the coup, even with the Fourth Hokage governing now, the Third would still remotely command from behind. The Fourth absolutely couldn't have accomplished anything within the first several years—unlike now, able to reform without any misgivings.
Black Zetsu thought inwardly—if an opportunity arose, he must find methods to kill both the Fourth Hokage and White Yaksha. These two things alive would likely bring considerable trouble to his plans.
He looked at Uchiha Tatsuhata. "Tatsuhata, will the next operation continue?"
With patrol teams of sensory ninja visible every kilometer or two on Konoha's main streets, the prison cell holding serious criminals would only have even tighter defenses. Once choosing to strike at Shimura Danzo, the possibility of exposing their movements was extremely high.
Uchiha Tatsuhata glanced at Black Zetsu, strangely asking in return, "Why not continue?"
"You'll be discovered—"
"So what? Discovery doesn't mean they can keep me."
"Don't be careless. If it's a formidable barrier technique, Mayfly Technique also can't penetrate out."
Mayfly Technique naturally wasn't omnipotent. Relying on this technique to move freely through vegetation and earth—ordinary barriers unable to sever vegetation and earth naturally couldn't block Mayfly Technique's infiltration.
But formidable barrier techniques could physically sever vegetation and earth. Mayfly Technique naturally couldn't penetrate such formidable barriers. The past thousand years sufficed for Black Zetsu to clearly see Mayfly Technique's weaknesses. This was also why he'd always desperately concealed his existence and intelligence.
Shinobi combat was intelligence combat.
The unknown was most difficult to handle. Once the unknown became known, sooner or later, breaking and countering methods would be found.
"As long as movements are fast enough, there's no problem."
Uchiha Tatsuhata wasn't worried at all. He glanced at the anxious Black Zetsu. "Black Zetsu, even you think I needn't strike at Shimura Danzo who's destined for execution. So how could Konoha ninja possibly think of this and prepare ambushes in advance? As long as my movements are fast enough, by the time they react, we'll have already left."
Seeing Uchiha Tatsuhata completely unwavering, Black Zetsu could only helplessly sigh. "Tatsuhata, if you insist, then continue. However, if something unexpected happens, never forget to release Uchiha Madara's replica."
Black Zetsu himself didn't plan to accompany Uchiha Tatsuhata on this risk. He valued his own safety tremendously. A thousand years of experience had cultivated his principle of conduct: "Never place myself in dangerous situations."
"Rest assured! The ideal new world hasn't been built yet. I won't fall now!"
Uchiha Tatsuhata agreed once.
He wasted no more time. Glancing at the sun climbing toward the zenith—soon lunchtime, also the most suitable action time. Nighttime wouldn't work because after dark, vigilance everywhere actually strengthened compared to daytime.
Uchiha Tatsuhata wore White Zetsu Abu. Abu, having received intelligence transmitted by other White Zetsu, led Uchiha Tatsuhata smoothly and unobstructed underground into Konoha Prison.
This sort of place naturally had barriers set.
Of course, these were sensory barriers, mainly sensing internally to prevent jailbreaks. Uchiha Tatsuhata easily passed through the barrier, intruding into the prison, then proceeding straight downward to the deep underground area imprisoning serious criminals.
Uchiha Tatsuhata's face emerged from the ceiling. He could already see Shimura Danzo imprisoned in the cell. This old fellow had thinned considerably. His prison uniform even appeared somewhat oversized. He sat vacantly beside the single bed as though dazed. However, those solitary eyes still brimmed with chillingly fierce light.
Looking at this old man with cold, vicious temperament, killing intent surged in Uchiha Tatsuhata's heart.
But he didn't act rashly.
Because the cell imprisoning Shimura Danzo had quite powerful barriers deployed. Though he hadn't yet attempted it, Uchiha Tatsuhata's instincts told him barriers of this intensity couldn't be silently infiltrated via Mayfly Technique.
Once he approached, he'd inevitably trigger these powerful barriers.
After observing Shimura Danzo for a moment, Uchiha Tatsuhata carefully explored this area used for imprisoning serious criminals. The cell quantity here wasn't large—only five total. Four stood vacant. Shimura Danzo was the sole "resident" here.
This was also normal. Konoha didn't have so many dangerous serious criminals needing imprisonment. Since Konoha Prison's establishment until now—these several decades—these five cells for serious criminals had barely seen use.
Uchiha Tatsuhata carefully observed a full circuit. Everything was normal in the other four cells. On the wall of the guards' duty room hung a trident-shaped kunai bearing a string of technique seal markings.
This was Yellow Flash's Flying Thunder God marker!
With this marker, Fourth Hokage Namikaze Minato could rush here the instant he received news. Uchiha Tatsuhata looked deeply at this trident kunai once, then continued searching. A moment later, beneath a hanging painting on the diagonal wall, he discovered faint chakra fluctuations. Leaning closer to look—unmistakably another string of technique seal markings.
Uchiha Tatsuhata's heart skipped a beat.
So insidious!
Besides the overt marker, another had been hidden covertly.
This chakra fluctuation was extremely faint. Even with his Mangekyō Sharingan's perceptiveness, if he hadn't observed very carefully, he very likely would have overlooked it.
Though Uchiha Tatsuhata's heart was quite bold, he couldn't help feeling somewhat uncertain. Could Konoha have already known he intended to strike at Shimura Danzo?
No, no—it shouldn't be possible. This should merely be coincidence. After all, this was the place imprisoning Shimura Danzo. Leaving such contingencies might be to guard against Danzo himself. He'd guessed correctly—Minato had left two markers here not anticipating someone would kill Danzo, but to prevent Danzo's jailbreak.
Uchiha Tatsuhata forcibly calmed himself, continuing to carefully search inch by inch. He examined every corner of the entire duty room with his Mangekyō Sharingan. No further problems were discovered.
Then—
He looked toward the three Konoha ninja in the duty room.
One Uchiha, one Hyuga, and one Yamanaka clan jonin.
He swiftly abandoned the notion of using genjutsu to control all three. Whether that clan member or the Hyuga jonin, both possessed extremely high genjutsu resistance. Even his Mangekyō Sharingan lacked absolute confidence in controlling all three within an instant.
After contemplating briefly, Uchiha Tatsuhata quietly departed, arriving at the relatively loosely guarded cell area above, finding a corner without anyone within ten meters.
He slightly emerged, speaking to White Zetsu Abu worn on his body. "Abu, next we'll split up. I'll strike to attack the barrier imprisoning Shimura Danzo. You must simultaneously strike, using Wood Release to trap the duty room."
Erasing two technique seal markings in different locations before three jonin—such a task's difficulty was too high. Those three jonin weren't easy to handle.
So Uchiha Tatsuhata changed his thinking. Not seeking to prevent them from messaging Yellow Flash, not seeking to stop Yellow Flash's arrival—only seeking to hinder Yellow Flash as much as possible from reaching Shimura Danzo's cell. Just slightly delaying time would let him break the barrier and kill the chakra-sealed Shimura Danzo.
"Understood."
White Zetsu Abu agreed once.
Then White Zetsu Abu detached from his body. Both deployed Mayfly Technique, again drilling into the walls, returning to the serious criminal imprisonment area.
The two split forces. Uchiha Tatsuhata came to the ceiling outside Shimura Danzo's cell. White Zetsu Abu positioned himself five meters before the duty room door.
Three seconds later, Uchiha Tatsuhata released Mayfly Technique, leaping down from the ceiling. Lightning blazed across his entire body. His bent left elbow struck heavily like a missile against the cell door pasted with barrier seals.
Lightning Release: Heavy Flow Violent.
He chose to use this Lightning Release taijutsu copied from Thunder Beast Sawai. Because this was deep underground—space was cramped. Techniques with excessively large destructive range weren't suitable. Instead, this Lightning Release taijutsu was more appropriate for displaying effectiveness in such circumstances.
Almost simultaneously, White Zetsu Abu also released Mayfly Technique. Clapping both hands together, he deployed Wood Release: Nativity of a World of Trees. He directly created an underground forest, wrapping the duty room in layer upon layer. The entrance and exit leading to the upper area was also completely blocked tight.
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