Chapter 72: Uchiha Kazuki, Do You Desire Power?
The days following the Chūnin Exam incident were anything but peaceful in Konoha.
More accurately, it was the Uchiha clan specifically that had been thrown into absolute turmoil due to recent developments.
First, the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, suddenly deviated from his usual cautious approach toward the Uchiha. Not only did he bring Uchiha Kazuki directly into the ANBU ranks, but he even appointed him to an exceptionally important command position.
However, this promotion alone wouldn't have caused such widespread commotion.
The truly shocking part was what happened next: while serving as chief examiner for the Chūnin Exam, Uchiha Kazuki had physically assaulted Jōnin representatives from both Sunagakure and Iwagakure—leading to his immediate removal from the examiner position by the Third Hokage himself.
Of course, everyone with half a brain knew this "punishment" was merely political theater performed for diplomatic purposes. The real surprise was what came afterward.
Immediately after publicly reprimanding Uchiha Kazuki for his "inappropriate conduct," the Hokage turned around and appointed him as the captain of ANBU's Third Division.
It was said that the Iwagakure ninja currently lying in Konoha Hospital, upon hearing this outrageous news, suffered a severe rupture of his barely-healed wounds. He bled profusely and fainted on the spot.
By contrast, Pakura in the adjacent hospital bed remained eerily calm and quiet—though the medical staff reported that her eyes seemed completely unfocused and she appeared deeply traumatized and dejected.
But getting back to the main point: after learning that Uchiha Kazuki had been appointed as an ANBU division captain, the elder council of the Uchiha clan collectively lost their composure.
"What complete nonsense about 'securing first place, aiming for second, targeting third, fourth, or fifth!'"
Uchiha Enka, an elder well over sixty years old, was so furious that veins bulged prominently on his forehead. He violently smashed his teacup against the floor:
"We old fossils aren't as capable as a damn junior who's barely twenty!"
Uchiha Fugaku sat with downcast eyes, seemingly lost in contemplative thought, silently observing the chaos.
In truth, heated arguments were extremely common at these tedious clan elder meetings—he'd grown thoroughly accustomed to them over the years. If it weren't for the clan head's mandatory attendance requirement, he would much rather be at home with his wife Mikoto.
"Ahem, there's still time to adapt our strategy."
Uchiha Tetsuji, another elder sporting a long white beard, coughed twice and spoke somewhat awkwardly:
"Anyway, whoever ultimately gets promoted, as long as it's one of us Uchiha, that's acceptable. Besides, that young man is still quite young—we have a realistic chance at producing the Sixth Hokage instead!"
"That actually makes sense!"
"I agree with that assessment!"
"Exactly right—our ultimate goal should be the Sixth Hokage position!"
Watching this group of elderly men flip their positions so easily, Uchiha Enka's lips twitched with irritation:
"Alright, alright... you all change your minds faster than the weather. But what about Fugaku?"
"Fugaku..."
The assembled elders fell silent for a brief moment, then simultaneously shook their heads in unified agreement:
"Forget about him. He has absolutely no chance whatsoever."
That's going way too far!
Fugaku's eye visibly twitched. He raised his head with barely concealed exasperation, glancing at the group of dismissive old men:
"So what you're all saying is... from now on, you'll be fully supporting Uchiha Kazuki instead?"
"Let's wait just a bit longer before making that decision. Don't be so hasty."
Uchiha Enka pondered the political situation for a moment, then spoke carefully:
"That young man was ostracized and neglected by our clan from early childhood. Hiruzen Sarutobi clearly recognized this vulnerability—that's precisely why he's offering Kazuki such an important role within ANBU now."
"That's absolutely correct. Enka makes an excellent point."
Uchiha Tetsuji, seated second from the left, narrowed his aged eyes slightly. A cold, calculating glint appeared in his cloudy pupils:
"Don't forget what happened to... Uchiha Kagami."
The name Uchiha Kagami dropped like a thunderbolt, instantly freezing the atmosphere throughout the entire room.
Once considered the greatest pride of the Uchiha clan and their brightest hope for the future, his ultimate fate had been deeply regrettable and suspicious.
Whether one believed in conspiracy theories or accepted the official facts, absolutely everything concerning Kagami's death was strictly forbidden from discussion within the Uchiha clan.
"Don't mention Uchiha Kagami's name again, Elder Tetsuji."
Uchiha Fugaku pinched the bridge of his nose, looking genuinely weary and drained.
"As for Uchiha Kazuki's situation, I will handle his affairs appropriately through proper channels. This meeting is adjourned."
The clan elder council meeting ended shortly after.
Fugaku remained sitting alone in the now-empty council room, surrounded by oppressive silence.
A profound sense of bewilderment and helplessness filled his dark eyes. He felt like a drowning man trapped in a vast, merciless ocean—the more desperately he tried to grasp at hope and solutions, the further they seemed to drift beyond his reach.
"Is this truly the only path forward remaining for the Uchiha clan...?"
He murmured softly to himself, his words echoing mournfully in the empty room. But no one present could offer him the answers he so desperately craved.
That night, thick dark clouds completely obscured the moon overhead, and a fine, steady drizzle began to fall.
The needle-like rain gently nourished the earth below. The only audible sound was the soft, rhythmic patter of raindrops, making the world seem almost ethereal and dreamlike.
Hidden beneath the thick darkness, a pitch-black shadow moved like a phantom—extremely difficult to detect with normal vision. It slowly slipped through a narrow crack in the Uchiha compound's outer defensive wall.
The shadowy figure moved with suspicious familiarity, deftly bypassing every single alarm and security measure protecting the Uchiha compound's perimeter. It headed directly toward a specific, isolated house deep within the grounds.
The shadow clung to the structure like living darkness, pressing against the door and window frames.
This shadowy figure wasn't entirely black. At what should be its head were two hollow, empty eye sockets—staring into the room with an indescribably eerie, unsettling gaze. Its mouth slowly curled upward into a wide, unnatural arc that stretched almost to where ears would be.
Whoosh—!
Suddenly, a sharp kunai flew out through the window at high speed.
"Hehehehe..."
The kunai pierced straight through the shadowy figure's head with no resistance, landing harmlessly in the grass beyond.
The shadow chuckled with dark amusement, then without pausing even momentarily, transformed entirely into liquid darkness and darted away at incredible speed.
"STOP RIGHT THERE!"
Uchiha Kazuki burst out through his door, immediately pursuing the fleeing shadow with full speed.
But strangely enough, the shadow maintained a precise distance—always remaining visible yet somehow impossible to actually catch up to.
Soon, following the shadow's deliberate trail, Uchiha Kazuki suddenly realized his surroundings had become familiar:
"This is... the Naka Shrine?"
"Hehehehe..."
The shadowy figure chuckled again with clear mockery, glancing back at Kazuki standing at the shrine's entrance before disappearing inside the sacred building.
"I said stop!"
Uchiha Kazuki didn't hesitate for even a moment and immediately chased after it.
He pursued the shadow all the way through the Naka Shrine's interior, descending deep into the underground basement—the same location where he'd previously met with Fugaku. Only there did the dark figure finally stop moving.
"So you're finally done running away, are you?"
Uchiha Kazuki gripped his kunai tightly, assumed a proper combat stance, and spoke with cold authority:
"You've trespassed on both Konoha's territory and the Uchiha compound twice now. Did you really think we couldn't do anything to stop you?!"
As he spoke, his chakra surged outward in visible waves—clearly prepared to strike with lethal force at any moment.
"Wait, Uchiha Kazuki."
At that moment, the dark figure suddenly spoke with a disturbingly human voice:
"Aren't you even slightly curious why I deliberately lured you to this specific location?"
"As I suspected—your true target is the Naka Shrine itself."
Uchiha Kazuki's eyes narrowed with suspicion, though he remained thoroughly on guard:
"However, you're severely mistaken if you think you can win me over with these crude manipulation tactics!"
"Heh heh heh heh... You're completely wrong, Uchiha Kazuki."
The dark figure's laughter was hoarse and unnaturally deep, carrying unmistakable layers of hidden meaning:
"Aren't you curious about what's actually hidden and written on the ancient stone tablet kept here at the Naka Shrine?"
Hearing this direct mention, Uchiha Kazuki's eyes widened with genuine shock—though skepticism remained:
"You... actually know about that?"
"I don't just know about it—I know far, far more than you could possibly imagine."
The shadowy figure spoke with absolute, unwavering confidence:
"The stone tablet at the Naka Shrine. The forbidden truth about the Uchiha clan's origins. And the true power hidden deep within your bloodline—power that would make the entire shinobi world tremble and cause even the Hokage of Konoha to fear your very existence. Don't you want to know these secrets?"
Its voice carried an almost hypnotic, seductive quality—deliberately stoking Uchiha Kazuki's natural curiosity:
"Who exactly are you? And why have you infiltrated the Naka Shrine repeatedly?"
"Heh... me?"
The shadowy figure seemed to puff out its chest with pride and arrogance:
"I am known as Black Zetsu. As for why I've infiltrated this place repeatedly—"
Black Zetsu paused deliberately and dramatically, clearly attempting to build suspense and anticipation before continuing:
"Uchiha Kazuki... do you desire power?"
"Power..."
A dangerous glint of interest appeared in Uchiha Kazuki's eyes.
"That's correct—the legendary power spoken of only in whispers. The Mangekyō Sharingan!"
Black Zetsu's hoarse, unnaturally deep voice became even more seductive and tempting—like a demon actively attempting to corrupt a mortal soul:
"Uchiha Kazuki, I'll ask you one final time: Do you desire the forbidden power of the Mangekyō Sharingan?"
[End of Chapter 72]
Author's Notes:
BLACK ZETSU HAS ENTERED THE GAME!
This is absolutely massive for the story! Key points:
Political Developments:
Kazuki appointed as ANBU Division Captain despite "punishing" him
The Uchiha elders are in chaos, abandoning Fugaku entirely
Dark hints about Uchiha Kagami's suspicious fate
Fugaku feeling increasingly helpless about his clan's future
Black Zetsu's Appearance:
Deliberately lured Kazuki to the Naka Shrine
Knows about the stone tablet's secrets
Offering knowledge about the Mangekyō Sharingan
Classic manipulation tactics
Critical Questions:
Does Black Zetsu know Kazuki is manipulating everyone?
Is Kazuki actually interested in the Mangekyō, or playing along?
What does Black Zetsu want from him?
Who's manipulating whom here?
Remember: Kazuki already mentioned Madara in the last chapter—he clearly knows MORE than he should!
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