Inside one of the Uchiha clan's residences.
Itachi opened the door, and everyone inside turned their eyes toward him. Among them, Inabi saw who it was, grinned, and—if it were any other time—would likely have made some sarcastic remark. But seeing his attitude now, Itachi knew someone must have spoken to him beforehand.
That guess was soon confirmed.
"Welcome to this side of the world, Uchiha Itachi…" Inabi said, his tone carrying a trace of teasing.
Itachi said nothing and quietly found a place to sit.
Tōshirō clapped his hands to draw everyone's attention. "Alright, I won't waste time with small talk. You all should already know why I called you here."
Inabi was the first to speak eagerly: "Lord Tōshirō, just tell us what to do. I'll follow your lead."
Tōshirō looked at Itachi and gave his first order:"Itachi, resign from the Anbu tomorrow. I'm worried that Danzō might eventually move against you. As for the reason, make one up yourself."
They already had Hashirama's cells in hand, so there was no longer any need to appease the higher-ups.
Tōshirō wasn't worried about Itachi's strength in open battle—the real threat was the underhanded schemes from behind the scenes.
Itachi nodded silently.
After giving the first order, Tōshirō continued:"Next, stay put and act normal. Keep doing what you usually do. I still need to finish a bit of preparation."
"Yes!"
Everyone responded in unison. They had waited so many years already—waiting a little longer didn't matter.
Just thinking about the success of the coup and the fulfillment of their long-held wish made their hearts burn with excitement.
"Good. Now, let me introduce someone to you."
Hearing that, everyone was momentarily stunned, curiosity rising—who could it be that Tōshirō would personally introduce?
Just as they were wondering, a man slowly entered the room carrying a suitcase. His skin was pale, and his eyes had that distinctive purple shadow around them.
It was none other than Orochimaru.
"Orochimaru!?"
Several of them stood up immediately, shocked.
They could hardly believe that the renegade ninja, Orochimaru, had returned—and of all times, it was now, when the Uchiha clan was secretly planning a coup.
"Calm down. Orochimaru is on our side."
By bringing Orochimaru here and introducing him publicly, Tōshirō was not only boosting morale but also signaling that Orochimaru was his closest ally.
"But still…"
Many of them were uneasy. Even if Orochimaru had betrayed the village, he was still the Third Hokage's student. That connection alone was enough to make them wary.
Tōshirō noticed their unease and said, "I know what you're thinking. But Orochimaru is not an outsider. He's someone I trust completely. I want you to treat him as you would treat me—without prejudice."
Since the clan leader himself had said so, they couldn't object any further. At least on the surface, they had to give Tōshirō face.
"Alright, since Lord Tōshirō says so, we'll do our best to trust him."
Tōshirō could tell they were still uneasy, but that was fine—he had another move prepared. With a side glance, Orochimaru nodded and opened the suitcase. Inside were several vials that looked like chemical reagents.
Seeing this, everyone looked curious.
Tōshirō explained, "These are enhancement serums that I commissioned Orochimaru to develop specifically for the Uchiha clan. They permanently increase chakra capacity. I've already tested them myself—the results are excellent, and there are no side effects. They're newly made, though, so there aren't many. Who wants to try first?"
The Uchiha were stunned.
A drug that could permanently increase chakra—with no side effects?
And since Tōshirō himself vouched for it, none of them doubted its authenticity.
One brave clansman couldn't resist volunteering: "I'll try it."
Tōshirō handed him a vial. The man injected himself without hesitation—and the effects were immediate. His eyes widened in disbelief as the power coursed through him.
Others watched nervously. "You okay?"
"This is incredible! I can feel my power surging!" the man exclaimed, his excitement barely contained.
Tōshirō had used a very small dose of Hashirama's cells in these trials, so there was little risk. Once they confirmed safety over time, he would gradually increase the dosage.
Seeing the results, everyone's breathing quickened. The desire in their eyes was palpable.
If Tōshirō weren't there to keep order, they might have mobbed him on the spot.
"Captain Fugaku, I think you should be the one to use it."
There weren't enough vials to go around. After some discussion, the clan decided that Fugaku, Inabi, and Yashiro—their most respected leaders—should receive them.
Fugaku initially hesitated, but seeing his clan's sincerity, he accepted. After using it, he couldn't help but marvel at the serum's power—his chakra had visibly increased.
"Amazing… What is this made from?" he asked.
Tōshirō replied calmly, "Hashirama Senju's cells."
"Hashirama's cells?"
Fugaku's expression froze. He knew about those experiments from the village's past—every one of them had failed.
Tōshirō reassured him, "Don't worry. What I have is a perfected version, and I'm only using very small doses. There won't be any side effects."
Fugaku turned to Orochimaru, surprised. "You've mastered that technology?"
Orochimaru smiled modestly. "It's all thanks to Tōshirō's help. I merely refined the process."
Fugaku was astonished—he hadn't expected Tōshirō himself to possess such knowledge.
Tōshirō continued, "One more thing: although this serum has no side effects, it's still an external power. Everything must be taken in moderation—too much will have the opposite effect. From now on, I'll regulate its distribution. Only those who pass testing will be allowed to use it."
The Uchiha hadn't even taken control of Konoha yet, and already they were reaping tangible benefits from Tōshirō. Naturally, they trusted him completely.
"Lord Tōshirō, you don't need to say more. We can all see your devotion to the clan. When you become the ruler of the Land of Fire, we'll do everything we can to support you and live up to your expectations."
Satisfied with their loyalty, Tōshirō smiled.
After the meeting, Tōshirō privately met with Itachi and handed him one remaining vial.
Itachi's situation was special—if he were given the serum openly, it could cause resentment.
He knew exactly what benefits the serum would bring, but he declined politely. "Uncle Tōshirō, I appreciate your kindness, but please give this to someone else."
Tōshirō chuckled. "At least hear me out before you refuse. I didn't tell the others this, but the serum has another hidden effect."
Itachi looked puzzled.
"It reduces the side effects of the Mangekyō Sharingan."
Itachi's eyes widened in shock.
"Now you see why I saved a vial just for you," Tōshirō said.
This time, Itachi didn't refuse. Anything that could lessen the Mangekyō's drawbacks was far too important.
"…Thank you," he said quietly—words were all he could offer.
Having won Itachi's trust, Tōshirō set out to win over another key ally. He slipped quietly into the Hyūga compound.
When Hyūga Hiashi saw Tōshirō appear like that again, his guard immediately went up. The last time he'd arrived this way, Tōshirō had coerced him into cooperation.
Tōshirō smirked. "No need to look at me like I'm a plague."
Hiashi sighed helplessly. "What do you want this time?"
"Just giving you a little gift—to keep you from overthinking."
Tōshirō pulled something from his robe and tossed it over.
Hiashi caught it and saw it was a small box. "What's this?"
"Take a look," Tōshirō said with a grin.
Hiashi opened it to find a vial inside. He raised an eyebrow and waited for an explanation.
"I know someone like you isn't interested in money," Tōshirō said lightly. "So I prepared this instead. Inject it, and your chakra will permanently increase—maybe even improve your physical condition."
Though Tōshirō spoke casually, Hiashi was visibly shaken.
"If you don't believe me," Tōshirō continued, "try it on one of your branch members first. But aside from the Uchiha, Senju, and Uzumaki clans, I don't recommend others try it. If they do, I can't guarantee the outcome."
Those three clans shared a common ancestor, so a small amount of Hashirama's cells wouldn't cause them harm.
Hiashi understood the implication. "If this thing is as miraculous as you say… you've already used it on your own clan, haven't you?"
"Of course. I'm always generous with my people," Tōshirō said with a chuckle. "And you're one of us too."
Hiashi paused, then picked up the vial and injected himself.
Tōshirō raised an eyebrow. "You trust me that much? Not even going to test it first?"
"No need. If this is fake, I'll take it as a sign to end our cooperation."
Though he'd agreed to work with Tōshirō, Hiashi had been wavering. He saw this as a way to make up his mind.
Moments later, as the serum entered his body, he felt his chakra increase visibly.
Tōshirō smirked. "Judging by that look on your face, I'd say it's working well."
"Incredible… you actually mastered this technology," Hiashi murmured.
"Well then, you've tested it, and I've delivered it. If you feel any discomfort, come find me immediately."
With that, Tōshirō vanished, leaving Hiashi staring at the vial in thought. After a long silence, he gazed up at the bright moon and sighed deeply. "It seems… this is the only way forward."
Tōshirō's power had already become immeasurable—and now he had the means to enhance the entire Uchiha clan.
The Konoha leadership stood no chance against them.
Even if they wished to resist, it was futile. Hiashi could only accept the tide of fate.
End of Chapter)
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