Kairen clenched Tsunade's hand tightly. It seemed she truly hated them to the bone—otherwise she would never have said something so ruthless.
"I'll help you. Tomorrow, when the Chūnin Exams begin, we rise up. By then we'll take control of the entire village. You'll become Hokage, and I'll become the Hokage's man."
Hearing Kairen's words, the ferocity on Tsunade's face faded a little.
She leaned gently against Kairen's chest and said with deep gratitude, "Thank you, Kairen!"
"Is 'thank you' all there is?!"
Kairen wasn't someone who would part with benefits. If there were no perks, he'd turn cold on the spot.
Tsunade let out a soft laugh.
"You little rascal, all you know is taking advantage of me!"
She gestured for Kairen to lean his ear closer.
Kairen did as told. Tsunade whispered softly into his ear.
Kairen's eyes widened.
This reward… I like it!
After talking Tsunade through it, Kairen dispatched all of the Pangolin, spreading an atmosphere of imminent collapse throughout the village.
Some villagers went to buy fish during the day and found a slip of paper in a fish's belly. On it were written the words: Wanna hook up?
"Hook up my ass—what bastard's prank is this?!"
Some villagers discovered a stone statue by a small river, with words carved on it: I am the Sage of Six Paths, send money!
"Damn it!"
Some villagers…
Kairen transformed into a gray eagle, watching the Pangolin making a spectacle below from the sky.
Not a single serious matter—everything had devolved into pranks.
Kairen shook his head and flew toward the Uchiha clan's residential area.
It wasn't because he lusted after Uchiha Mikoto's body, nor because he wanted to take over Uchiha Fugaku's position after his death, and certainly not because he wanted to go there and be a cuckold.
Tomorrow, war would break out. When that time came, none of the village's ninja clans would escape.
They needed to choose a side!
With two glides, Kairen arrived at Uchiha Fugaku's home. He saw a young man carrying a ninja blade, with pitch-black, wide pupils, teaching Itachi how to throw shuriken.
Kairen recognized him at a glance—it was Uchiha Shisui, another tragic Uchiha who had been thoroughly misled by Sarutobi and Danzō.
"Who's there?!"
Shisui's perception was extremely sharp. Sensing a hidden gaze, he immediately became alert.
"Ke—!"
A piercing eagle cry rang out from the sky, causing Shisui and Itachi to look up.
A white-headed eagle streaked toward them like a meteor, as if it were about to attack.
Shisui quickly pulled out a shuriken, ready to strike the bird!
But a hand suddenly clamped tightly around Shisui's arm, stopping his movement.
It was Kairen—he had flashed in front of Shisui in an instant.
Itachi recognized Kairen and immediately exclaimed in delight,
"Kairen!"
Kairen smiled at Itachi. "Long time no see, Itachi."
Kairen released his grip on Shisui's wrist and faced the young man before him.
Shisui carefully examined Kairen, and suddenly noticed the Senju clan crest on Kairen's gray hoodie.
"Someone from the Senju clan—you're Senju Kairen!"
Kairen's fame among the upper ranks thundered like lightning, but among the lower ranks he was still largely unknown. The reason was that he had never shown his strength in any official setting, or else information had been deliberately sealed off by the higher-ups.
But Shisui, as a prodigy of the Uchiha clan, naturally knew of Kairen's existence.
He was a great benefactor to the Uchiha, having helped many clan members with physical disabilities recover.
Realizing his address was inappropriate, Shisui quickly corrected himself.
"Kairen-kun, hello. I'm Uchiha Shisui."
Kairen said nothing and instead stared directly at Shisui.
In an instant, he opened the Mangekyō Sharingan. An immense pressure washed over Shisui's entire body.
Shisui and Itachi exclaimed in shock together,
"Sharingan… and a form we've never seen before!"
An Uchiha hidden in the shadows clenched his fist.
"Mangekyō Sharingan!"
Shisui's shock didn't last long before he felt as if he were standing amid mountains of corpses and seas of blood. Endless enemies surged forth like swarms of ants, their faces filled with savage killing intent…
Shisui's face went pale, his breathing growing rapid.
Itachi, standing nearby, grew worried.
"Kairen, don't—"
Kairen asked Shisui, "I ask you—what kind of person is the Third Hokage?"
Shisui gritted his teeth and replied, "He is benevolent and kind. He treats the villagers like a loving father. He is an outstanding Hokage."
Kairen let out a soft scoff and turned his gaze toward Fugaku as he emerged from the shadows.
"Clan Head Fugaku… your Uchiha family's upbringing has really failed."
Fugaku frowned at Shisui. Without realizing it, this prodigious youth had been brainwashed by the higher-ups to such an extent. It seemed the Ninja Academy was no longer suitable.
Itachi was also nearing school age—he couldn't be allowed to be brainwashed. Fugaku would have to teach him personally.
Thoughts churned in Fugaku's mind before he returned to the main issue and greeted Kairen with a smile.
"Kairen-kun, you've been making quite a big splash these past few days!"
Kairen smiled back.
"It's nothing. Just a daimyō and a group of aristocratic warriors—I don't take them seriously at all!"
Cold sweat broke out in Fugaku's heart.
Just a daimyō? That was the ruler of the Land of Fire, the leader of the strongest nation in the ninja world.
But thinking of Kairen's power, someone like this couldn't be offended.
Fugaku stepped closer and said to Itachi, "Go tell your mother to prepare some tea."
"Okay, Father!"
Fugaku then looked at Shisui.
"Come to my place tonight. I'll guide you in ninjutsu. Tomorrow's Chūnin Exams—I hope you can perform even better!"
Shisui exclaimed in delight, "Really? Clan Head!"
Fugaku nodded. "Of course!"
"That's wonderful—to receive guidance from the clan head himself."
Shisui happily bounced out of Fugaku's house.
A faint smile curled at the corner of Kairen's lips. The guidance would probably be more about correcting his thinking.
Fugaku cared greatly about this promising Uchiha sapling. He couldn't allow him to become a pawn of the higher-ups.
Fortunately, this sign had been discovered today. Otherwise, it would have led to great disaster.
After sending the two children away, Fugaku led Kairen into the inner room, speaking as they walked.
"Kairen-kun, the atmosphere in the village has been very strange lately. I suspect the higher-ups are going to make a move against you!"
Kairen nodded.
Earlier, while patrolling the sky as a gray eagle, he had activated the Byakugan and seen the entire village filled with chakra clusters.
It seemed… the old people were ready to lay their cards on the table.
Entering the inner room, Mikoto was warming the tea. Her figure was slender, her demeanor gentle and graceful.
Her black eyes met Kairen's, and it was as if memories of that ambiguous, rippling night resurfaced…
Mikoto quickly averted her gaze, not daring to meet Kairen's wolf-like eyes.
Fugaku and Kairen sat facing each other on the cushions.
Kairen lightly sipped the tea. Within its sweetness was an enticing note, like a mature, beautiful woman caressing the depths of one's heart, smiling and frowning just for you…
Kairen quickly suppressed the tyrant stirring within his heart.
Fugaku got straight to the point. "Kairen-kun, your Sharingan?!"
If Kairen didn't possess that demon-like power, Fugaku wouldn't be so polite. He would have dragged him straight to the guard station and gouged the eyes out.
Kairen smiled. "I don't really know myself. Back on the battlefield, fighting desperately, I survived relying on it."
Fugaku failed to obtain a satisfactory answer, but he also ruled out the possibility of transplantation.
Because someone who wasn't an Uchiha could never develop the Sharingan to the Mangekyō level.
That left only one explanation—
Kairen was a descendant of the Uchiha.
Possessing Wood Release while also bearing the Sharingan—calling him the reincarnation of the Sage of Six Paths wouldn't be an exaggeration.
Fugaku immediately wanted to secure this enormous backing and said kindly,
"Kairen-kun, you have Uchiha blood in your veins, and you've even awakened the Uchiha clan's supreme bloodline… the Mangekyō Sharingan!"
"If possible, I'd like to invite you to join the Uchiha clan. I'll hand over the position of clan head to you!"