Asuma froze for a moment, his eyes widening as he realized what Tōshirō meant. "What… what did you just say?"
"I think I made myself quite clear," Tōshirō replied calmly. "Back then, Itachi was willing to sacrifice his entire clan for the sake of the village. So tell me—why can't you, the Hokage's own son, do the same for the greater good?"
"What kind of madness are you spouting?"
Asuma stared at Tōshirō as if looking at a lunatic.
He was telling him to kill his own people—his entire clan. Impossible.
"I'm not mad," Tōshirō said evenly. "I'm perfectly clear-headed. Things have reached the point where reconciliation between the Uchiha and the village's higher-ups is impossible."
He raised a finger, speaking as though giving a lecture. "I can't fix the problem itself—but I can remove the people who caused it."
"When the Uchiha once clashed with the village council, there was no hope for them to win. Such a fight would have plunged the entire village into chaos, giving the enemy an opening. So, for the sake of the bigger picture, Itachi slaughtered his clan and bore the burden alone.
"But things are different now that I'm here," Tōshirō continued. "Now, it's the higher-ups who have no chance of winning. Which means it's time for you, the Hokage's son, to make a sacrifice for the greater good."
Asuma's glare could have cut through steel. "So this is revenge, isn't it?"
Tōshirō smirked, his tone dripping with mockery. "Oh, come on. Don't make it sound so ugly. I'm doing this for the greater good."
"What kind of twisted 'greater good' is that!?" Asuma roared.
"How is it not?" Tōshirō said smoothly. "If a battle breaks out, the village will be reduced to rubble. And managing that would be a pain. But if you do what Itachi did—bear the burden yourself—the damage will be minimized. Tell me, isn't that noble?"
"That massacre—everything—it was all Danzō acting on his own! Even in that vision, the Hokage opposed it!"
"Are you stupid, or do you think I am?"
Tōshirō gave him a look of utter contempt. "For years, the Uchiha have suffered injustice in Konoha. Do you really believe that was all Danzō's doing? Without your father's silent approval, how could it ever have gone that far?"
Asuma was left speechless.
"Well?" Tōshirō asked lightly. "My plan doesn't sound so bad, does it? Oh, and by the way—while you don't have a brother, you do have a nephew, don't you? That little kid… Konohamaru, right? If you agree to my plan, I'll let him live. The Sarutobi bloodline can continue. But if you refuse… well, don't blame me for what happens. Even your little girlfriend, Kurenai Yuhi, won't be spared."
At the mention of Kurenai, Asuma exploded like a cat whose tail had been stepped on. His teeth ground together as fury surged through him. "You bastard! If you lay a single finger on her, I'll kill you myself!"
Tōshirō dismissed the threat with a cold snort. "You're not scaring me, boy. When I was making a name for myself, you were still too young to play in the mud."
"Don't push me," Asuma growled.
His face darkened, and a surge of chakra erupted from his body, shaking the air around them.
Tōshirō's eyes gleamed with interest. "Heh… a Jinchūriki?"
"That's right."
Asuma had been implanted with the Six-Tails since childhood by his father. Though he hadn't mastered it to the same degree as the Eight-Tails' host, he could skillfully control and borrow its chakra.
As tension reached the breaking point, Itachi's eyes shifted. The three tomoe of his Sharingan spun rapidly, merging into a distorted, pinwheel-like pattern that glowed with a sinister light in the darkness.
Asuma's expression changed in shock. This wasn't an ordinary Sharingan—it was far more complex.
"The Mangekyō Sharingan!"
"Exactly," Tōshirō said. "Did you really think a twelve-year-old like Itachi could slaughter an entire clan just because the elders told him to?"
Asuma didn't know much about the Mangekyō, but one thing was certain—it was a far more powerful version of the Sharingan, a legendary eye.
If even someone like Itachi possessed it, then surely Tōshirō did too.
And if those two had it… could others in the clan also have awakened it?
Perhaps even Fugaku, the "Evil-Eye" himself?
Damn it… just how many Uchiha had these eyes now?
When had the Mangekyō Sharingan become so… common?
Cold sweat beaded on Asuma's brow. Now he understood where Tōshirō's confidence came from—the power to annihilate Konoha's leadership.
Trying to sound calm, Asuma said, "I'm warning you—don't make any reckless moves. This is the Daimyō's mansion. If a fight breaks out, you'll attract trouble you can't handle."
He was stalling for time, hoping to get back to the village and warn his father about the Uchiha's plan for revenge.
Tōshirō sneered. "Trouble? From these small fry? Do you think I care about that?"
Word by word, Asuma shot back, "Uchiha Tōshirō—are you saying even the Daimyō means nothing to you?"
"Of course," Tōshirō said flatly. "Why should I care about the Daimyō?"
Asuma was stunned by his arrogance. "You…"
Tōshirō turned to Itachi with a mocking grin. "See, Itachi? The Hokage's son doesn't have half your resolve. You killed your own clan for the greater good, and yet he can't even make a single sacrifice. And he dares call himself a successor of the Will of Fire?"
Itachi said nothing, merely lowering his eyes.
Asuma's face darkened further. He could feel the scorn behind Tōshirō's words.
Tōshirō continued coldly, "I'll be honest with you. Once I take control of the village, my next target is the Land of Fire itself. I'll eliminate anyone who stands in my way—including the Daimyō. After that, the old 'one country, one village' system will cease to exist. I'll create a new regime—one nation under my rule. I'll call it… the Land of Flame."
"With that," he added, his tone rising with ambition, "Konoha will surpass even the golden era created by the First Hokage and Uchiha Madara. Tell me, isn't that true greatness?"
"Do you even hear yourself?" Asuma shouted. "You'd destroy the very ideals Konoha was founded on!"
Tōshirō sneered. "The ideals of Konoha? And who are you to lecture me about them? Konoha was founded by the Senju and the Uchiha. The Sarutobi clan were nothing more than followers. What right do you have to talk to me about the village's will?"
"You—!"
"But," Tōshirō said lightly, "you're right about one thing. Fighting here would cause unnecessary trouble."
His eyes faded from red to black, and his battle aura receded. "Think about what I said. I'll give you two days. After that, I'll come for your answer."
With that, Tōshirō turned and gestured to Itachi to leave.
As Asuma let out a breath of relief, lowering his guard slightly, Tōshirō suddenly turned his head with a smirk.
"Just kidding."
"You—!"
Before Asuma could react, it was already too late.
Their eyes met—just for a fraction of a second.
The last thing Asuma saw was a pair of eyes… strange eyes.
Each held a different Mangekyō pattern—one like a blood-red snowflake, the other like a four-pointed shuriken.
Tōshirō formed a single hand seal, his gaze chilling to ice as he activated his ocular power—
Kotoamatsukami.
Outside the Daimyō's mansion.
Tōshirō was breathing heavily. Just one use of Kotoamatsukami had completely drained his chakra—on par with a tailed beast's reserves.
"Uncle Tōshirō, are you all right?" Itachi asked with concern.
Tōshirō waved a hand dismissively. "I'll live. But now I understand why this eye technique takes over ten years to recharge."
"…"
"Tell me, Itachi," Tōshirō said after a pause. "Do you think I'm despicable?"
Itachi pressed his lips together, unable to answer—perhaps unwilling to.
Tōshirō sighed. "The Uchiha's power is too special. Rulers will always fear us. No matter how loyal we are, they'll never truly trust us. So I have no choice. The only way to survive… is to become the ruler."
"…"
"Come on," Tōshirō said suddenly, "I'm starving. Let's grab something to eat. My treat."
Itachi followed quietly. Before long, they reached the busiest district in the city. Even at night, it was dazzling—bright lights, crowded streets, and endless noise.
Tōshirō stopped, his gaze falling on a lavish, glittering building adorned with four large characters on its signboard: Heaven and Earth Pavilion.
A grin crept across his face. "Come on, kid. Uncle Tōshirō's gonna show you the world."
Itachi followed his gaze. At the entrance stood scantily clad women, their smiles suggestive. A pleasure house—frequented by nobles and the wealthy.
Itachi shot him a skeptical look.
"Don't get the wrong idea," Tōshirō said with a laugh. "We're just going to look around. If your mother, Mikoto, thought I was corrupting you, she'd chase me down with a knife."
"I think I'll pass…" Itachi muttered, clearly uninterested.
"Oh, come on," Tōshirō insisted. "You need to see how the world really works."
Despite himself, Itachi let Tōshirō drag him inside.
The patrons were mostly rough-looking men—none with the refined looks of Tōshirō or the youthful charm of Itachi. Especially Tōshirō, whose good looks made the hostesses swoon.
Of course, Tōshirō hadn't come here for pleasure. He was here, as he liked to say, to "save lost women"—and, perhaps, to continue indoctrinating Itachi.
They entered a private room. Tōshirō ordered a few small dishes. When the women realized he wasn't interested in their company, they left disappointed, leaving him and Itachi alone.
Tōshirō picked up a piece of meat with his chopsticks, chewed thoughtfully, swallowed, and said—
End of Chapter)
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