One look at Sarutobi Hiruzen was enough for Tsunade and the others to feel a sense of foreboding. A suspicion arose in their minds —a terrible, unthinkable one, which they had previously driven away from themselves.
—Teacher, you mean?".. Tsunade's voice instantly became heavy.
- yes. We met Uchiha Yue. We even talked to him," Hiruzen began, and deadly fatigue could be seen in every word. "But he didn't show any remorse. Not a drop. Uchiha Yue is a part of Konoha, but there is not even a grain of the Will of Fire in his heart. He doesn't care about the fate of the village! Tsunade, Jiraiya... we were all terribly wrong.
Sarutobi Hiruzen's face twisted into a grimace of regret. If he had known this earlier, he and Danzo would not have had to play out that pathetic farce of persuasion. He even changed the original plan, deciding to grant Yue the title of Hokage, and then, slowly and inevitably, boil him like a frog in warm water.
Who would have thought? A native of the village who doesn't have the slightest affection for her. The killer of the Hokage and his comrades, who does not feel guilty. There was no place in his soul for the Will of Fire—only the primal egoism of a beast that could not see beyond its own desires.
It must be understood that the murder of comrades—in-arms is as serious a crime against the spirit of the village as the assassination of the Hokage. And Yue didn't just make an attempt, he killed. And even after that, Hiruzen was willing to give him a chance. A chance to become a new leader. What generosity! What a mercy!
But this beast, Uchiha Yue... although, the taste of Danzo and Itachi... hehe... was really not bad…
An eerily strange smile flashed across Sarutobi Hiruzen's face for a split second. At that moment, in the heat of battle, he hadn't realized anything, but now the memory made him shudder and saliva pooled in his mouth. A wave of forbidden pleasure swept through his soul.
This taste... this feeling of merging... ha ha... ha ha ha..." fragments of other people's memories swirled in my head. —... we became one... ha ha...
— Ha ha…
Hiruzen laughed softly, but then stopped, horrified at himself. The expression of hungry satisfaction disappeared, replaced by a bitter smile. Absorbed in their own grief, the others did not notice this terrible metamorphosis.
Bam!
Jiraiya collapsed to his knees. His face was contorted with despair. The faith that had been the backbone of his life cracked and crumbled to dust.
—Impossible… IMPOSSIBLE! THIS IS AN ABSOLUTE LIE! "Teacher, you're lying to me, aren't you?" he shouted, digging his fingers into the floor. Is this a joke? How can Yue not have the Will of Fire?! How could there not be a village in his heart?! Teacher, your memories must be messed up! Precisely! Your soul has been devoured by this monster, you've gone crazy! Yes, that's right! All that's left of you is your head, your memory has failed! Haha, that's right! Uchiha Yue has the Will of Fire in her heart! He's just confused and waiting for us to come and convince him to commit suicide! Ha ha ha!
He jumped up, his eyes glittering wildly.
— Tsunade, that's it! We need to develop an even more powerful Edo Tensei! This time, I'll... I'll go... I'll kill... no, I'll go and persuade Uchiha Yue to commit suicide! Go ahead, what are we waiting for?!
What broke him? Perhaps Yue himself had damaged his sanity. Loss of manhood, perhaps. Or the guilt that his stubbornness had nearly killed his comrades. Or maybe it's the unshakeable, fanatical belief that he can convince Yue to die.
Jiraiya really seems to be distraught. Anyone could have doubted Yue, but not him. He was dogmatically sure: The Will of Fire lives in the soul of this Uchiha, and he can be broken by a sense of duty.
And as soon as Yue dies, Jiraiya will personally chop his body into a thousand pieces and mock the corpse.
Convincing Yue to voluntarily accept death was their only plan. And now they're telling him he failed? He refused to believe it!
—Jiraiya! Sarutobi Hiruzen's voice became stricter. He didn't expect his student to… that he would come to this.
"Shut up, Teacher! Jiraiya roared. — SARUTOBI HIRUZEN!
He rushed forward and grabbed the collar of the body that served as a vessel for the mentor's soul with a death grip. Bloodshot eyes glared at Hiruzen, and he forgot all respect and shouted out his full name.
— Jiraiya…
At that moment, Tsunade's heavy hand landed on his shoulder.
He turned around. In her eyes, he saw the same pain, the same powerlessness. Tsunade just shook her head silently.
With a trembling hand, he unclenched his fingers.
If Uchiha Yue has no Will of Fire in his heart, if he doesn't care about the village... how can I convince him to commit suicide?
Sakumo Hatake, the White Fang of Konoha, committed suicide because his village and comrades lived in his heart. He could not bear the weight of their condemnation.
And Uchiha Yue?
You can't hit a weak spot if that weak spot... just doesn't exist.
"No, Teacher! Jiraiya seemed to grasp at the last straw. —If Yue doesn't care about the village, if he hates it, then why... why didn't he touch us?" This proves that your memory is damaged!
He looked at Hiruzen with desperate hope.
The answer was silence.
"Perhaps Uchiha Yue can't move,— Nara Shikaku stepped forward at that moment. His voice, as always, was calm, but there was a chill in that calmness. "Such a powerful and strange force cannot be perfect. She must have a flaw. Immobility is his price.
Ultimately, Konoha's plan failed miserably. If Shimura Danzo had known that Uchiha Yue's power was capable of absorbing souls, he would never have taken this risk.
After all, he…