In a short time, information about everyone connected to Uchiha Setsuna was laid before Fumori masaki. The Anbu only had the right to investigate and arrest—basically only the right to investigate, as the right to arrest required Fumori masaki's signed order—while the specific judgment was to be decided by Fumori masaki. However, he planned to discuss how to make the decision at a Jonin meeting after returning.
Although Fumori masaki had the right to issue direct orders, he did not want to be too autocratic, especially with such matters. If his actions were to be taken as a precedent by future successors, he believed it would easily be used to eliminate dissenters.
Fumori masaki currently wielded immense power. To advance his policies, he had to possess the highest authority. With the experience of his previous life as a reference, he used this power very cautiously. Therefore, he placed great emphasis on discussions during Jonin meetings, but he could not guarantee whether his successors would uphold this.
InFumori masaki's heart, he intended to establish democracy within Konohagakure before the end of his Hokage term, allowing future Hokage to use their power cautiously. It would be neither complete democracy nor complete autocracy, but a centralized democracy—that was his ideal situation.
Although various factors currently prevented Fumori masaki from directly implementing this, he could set an example for future generations and pave the way for their acceptance. Precisely for this reason,Fumori masaki would never allow the Anbu to carry out direct executions; instead, they would gather evidence and conduct investigations.
The Anbu was an organization directly under the Hokage, and Fumori masaki highly valued their loyalty. He would not treat them in the same way as the Root. Thus, he frequently monitored their situation and even personally participated in guiding them. This was partly to ensure the Anbu's loyalty to the Hokage, and partly due to other considerations.
Facing the increasingly large number of Konoha shinobi in the future, selecting a successor for the Hokage would not be an easy task. If chosen through a master-disciple lineage, it would certainly be a good thing, as they would have been personally watched as they grew. They would be the most trusted, and their strength would be guaranteed. However, it could easily lead to a situation like Hiruzen Sarutobi's, where all three of his students abandoned the Hokage position for various reasons.
At that time, the presence of Minato Namikaze allowed Hiruzen Sarutobi to confidently entrust him with the Hokage position. But after Minato Namikaze's sudden death, Hiruzen Sarutobi realized he no longer had anyone he could entrust it to—Orochimaru was too twisted to bear such a heavy responsibility, Tsunade left the village in sorrow after the death of her loved ones, and Jiraiya's personality was unsuitable for the Hokage—resulting in Hiruzen Sarutobi having no choice but to resume the Hokage position until his death.
This master-disciple inheritance method easily led to a limited number of choices. Even if there were other people, they might not be granted the Hokage position due to trust issues. Although Konohagakure had some democratic elements—such as the Jonin confidence vote—in practice, since the candidates were put forward by the Hokage, even if their strength and reputation made them trusted by everyone, it was ultimately the Hokage's autocratic choice of successor. Of course, this was how things were in that era.
SinceFumori masaki intended to establish a centralized democratic system, he naturally paid close attention to the selection of the Hokage. He believed that the master-disciple inheritance system certainly had its merits, but it could not be relied upon entirely. Therefore, he focused his attention on the Anbu organization directly under him.
The Anbu was the Hokage's direct lineage military force. If there was any power in the entire village that could be fully utilized, it would definitely be the Anbu. Due to the Anbu members' limited numbers and the organization's nature, the Hokage could clearly observe each and every one of them and confirm their character. Even if they weren't master and disciple, invaluable trust could still be forged.
No matter how strong someone outside of one's direct observation might be, if they cannot be trusted, the Hokage would not grant them succession. The best way to build trust is through direct observation.Fumori masaki believed that future Hokage should be chosen from active Jonin, and active Jonin must have experience serving in the Anbu. Even if they didn't at first, they would have to gain it later.
The Jonin were the high-ranking members of a ninja village, possessing the power to conduct confidence votes.Fumori masaki felt it was essential to carefully weigh the role of the Jonin, and their qualification assessment must be strictly enforced. Besides the normal Jonin assessment, serving in the Anbu was undoubtedly an excellent method.
Although Fumori masaki had not yet established a deep relationship between the Jonin and Anbu organizations, the current Anbu members were indeed completely loyal to him. Even for shinobi from prominent clans, it was hard to say which was more important in their hearts: their clan or the Hokage.
For example, Hyuga Kei, who had always been by Fumori masaki's side and now served in the Anbu,Fumori masaki believed that due to the main and branch family system, his allegiance would definitely lean towards the Hokage. Every branch family member had the desire to make a name for themselves, and this opportunity was impossible within the rigid Hyuga clan. Only the Hokage could provide such an opportunity.
For this reason, some talented but unrecognized clan shinobi had the intention of aligning themselves with the Hokage. They knew that their upward mobility within their clans was limited, but it was available with the Hokage. This was especially true after seeing the treatment received by Hyuga Kei, Yamanaka Takuma, Inuzuka Shigeru, and others.
Regarding this, the ninja clans either allowed them to leave—because they didn't think highly of these individuals' abilities, and these individuals didn't know any secrets—or they shook their heads in frustration—that was when they realized that the departing clan members were actually very capable. However, since these individuals had already joined the Hokage or the village, it was more troublesome to bring them back.
Neither the Hokage nor the village made any coercive moves, at most offering enticing conditions. It was mainly those individuals who couldn't resist the temptation. Regarding this, the ninja clans could only feel helpless. They had no reason to cause trouble with the village over it. The village also treated them with great courtesy and was willing to share benefits with them. They just occasionally missed out on some promising talents, and it wasn't worth falling out with the village over it.
However,Fumori masaki vaguely sensed that among these talented but overlooked young people, the thoughts of some might extend beyond just personal advancement. He could perceive this aura in Hyuga Kei, but for certain reasons, he said nothing.
All in all, Anbu members strictly adhered toFumori masaki's regulations during their investigations, without any expansive actions. They also took no excessive measures against suspects. As long as someone had nothing to hide, over time, they gradually cooperated with the investigation with peace of mind. As for those with something to hide—since they already had actions betraying the village, there was no blaming the Anbu for their rough enforcement. Traitors should be treated as such.
Frankly,Fumori masaki believed that there shouldn't be many genuine Uchiha Setsuna loyalists. Even if there were connections, they would be the type of fence-sitters, wavering and opportunistic. If Uchiha Setsuna won, they would certainly side with him, but if the village won, they would likewise side with the village.
Fumori masaki naturally had no fondness for such fence-sitters. However, it couldn't be said that these people had committed any serious crimes. If harsh measures were taken to execute them directly, it would likely lead to an unconscious expansion, which was not what he desired. While completely purifying an organization is certainly a good thing, it must be admitted that complete purification, like perfection, is a very empty term.
As long as the majority of the organization itself could be kept pure,Fumori masaki felt it was sufficient. As long as the majority of people upheld the village's stance, these fence-sitters would naturally also uphold the village's stance. How to utilize them would depend entirely on his own choices.
Regardless, eliminating all these people as rebels was certainly not an option, but Fumori masaki felt that taking this opportunity to clear out some deep-rooted issues was viable. After more than twenty years of peaceful development, such issues affecting the village's internal organizations inevitably still existed. This incident provided a perfect reason, and adhering to the principle of not escalating the situation, the value of each individual within it needed to be carefully screened.
Fumori masaki felt that his own judgment alone was too arbitrary. Excluding those with clear culpability, the rest would need to be thoroughly discussed at a Jonin meeting, which might even advance the judicial process of Konoha Village.
As Fumori masaki silently pondered, he saw Uchiha Setsuna's adopted son, the young man who had caught his attention. After an ANBU investigation into his social circle, requesting testimonies about any unusual behavior, one question asked if he had acted abnormally after hearing the news of his adoptive father's death. His teammates then reported that his eyes had manifested a unique Sharingan.
"Mangekyo Sharingan?"Fumori masakimurmured, "Heh, Black Zetsu's scheme runs deep. Honestly, Uchiha Setsuna was truly just a pawn."
Not long ago,Fumori masakihad received a secret letter from Uchiha Kei. The text was written in a cipher known only to their fellow disciples. He also wanted to know what had happened then. From the outcome, it was truly fortunate that Uchiha Kei survived, which made him breathe a sigh of relief.
In the letter, Uchiha Kei detailed the circumstances before and after the attack and mentioned that he had obtained the Mangekyo Sharingan. However, he was vague about his experiences in the Land of the Dead, only stating that after encountering Madara, Madara ascended peacefully.
Fumori masaki hadn't expected Uchiha Kei to have such an experience, but he felt good about Madara's ascension. At least it was better than Madara's death in the original story after his lifelong dream failed. Uchiha Kei's experience in obtaining the Mangekyo Sharingan also reassured him considerably. Obtaining the Mangekyo Sharingan in this way likely wouldn't have a significant impact on his mental state. After all, Uchiha Kei was an adult, and according to Tobirama's research, the influence of the Sharingan on the brain diminishes with age.
Uchiha Ken, however, was probably suffering from immense psychological trauma.Fumori masaki remembered that he had awakened his Sharingan as a child upon witnessing his father's death. Now, still a teenager, he had heard that his adoptive father was a traitor and had awakened the Mangekyo Sharingan, which was a very strong mental stimulus.
From Uchiha Kei's recollections, he provided details of Uchiha Setsuna's unnatural behavior and the black shadow at his feet. Uchiha Kei himself couldn't guess the reason, but Fumori masaki, with his omniscient perspective, knew that this guy was the constantly lurking Black Zetsu.
Combining the two situations,Fumori masaki finally confirmed that Uchiha Ken was the reincarnation of Indra's chakra. Correspondingly, the reincarnation of Asura would inevitably be connected to him. He didn't agree with the theory that the two chakras would affect temperament, but he believed that these two chakras would attract each other, guiding the two to meet as if by fate.
Asura's chakra would certainly be passed down through the descendants of the Asura lineage. Therefore, if he investigated whether there were any people with Senju or Uzumaki bloodlines around Uchiha Ken and if their birth ages were within one year, he could also find the reincarnation of Asura's chakra.
In fact,Fumori masaki already had a candidate in mind, but it had not yet been confirmed by detailed investigation.
"However, Black Zetsu really caught them off guard and almost killed Kei."Fumori masaki temporarily put aside the identity of the reincarnated person and considered the problem of Black Zetsu. For him, the only purpose of the reincarnated person was to draw out Black Zetsu. As for subsequent uses, that would have to wait until the Ten-Tails was revived. If the Ten-Tails was not revived, they would have no other value.
Now that Uchiha Ken had reached the Mangekyo Sharingan realm, according toFumori masaki's conjecture, the Indra and Asura powers that draw out Six Paths chakra must be strong enough to a certain extent to surface. This would explain why Black Zetsu believed Madara had hope of reaching the Rinnegan realm. Based on this, leaving aside the Asura reincarnate for now, for the Indra reincarnate to manifest Indra's power, they must possess the Eternal Mangekyo Sharingan.
Therefore, Black Zetsu's next move would be to guide Uchiha Ken to obtain another pair of Mangekyo Sharingan.Fumori masakineeded to pay attention to that person. However, he didn't know if anyone else possessed the Mangekyo Sharingan, or perhaps Black Zetsu still needed to guide them to awaken it.
Fumori masaki for a moment wondered if it could be Uchiha Kei, but then he thought that the evolution of the Mangekyo Sharingan was not casual; it had a success rate. And the closer the bloodline, the easier it was to merge and evolve. Although they were both Uchiha clan members, Uchiha Kei and Uchiha Ken had a relatively distant blood relationship, so the success rate was probably not very high.
He didn't believe in any mystical claims that Indra's reincarnates would definitely succeed. Over a thousand years, there were probably many Indra reincarnates who never awakened the Mangekyo Sharingan, and some might have even died prematurely. Indra's power didn't seem to offer any protective benefits in the storyline.
"That person can be found slowly. The key is how to lure out this guy, Black Zetsu. Luring him out isn't too difficult, as the reincarnations of Indra and Asura are already under observation, so opportunities will surely arise. The problem is how to deal with him."Fumori masaki pondered, "This guy has lived for a thousand years, a manifestation of Kaguya Otsutsuki's will. His existence is like a spiritual life form in other light novels. Killing him is probably impossible."
If Black Zetsu could be killed by humans, then Naruto, in Six Paths Sage Mode, could have directly eliminated this weakling, instead of throwing him into the Six Paths — Chibaku Tensei for sealing. Thinking this way, the only way to deal with Black Zetsu must be sealing jutsu.
However,Fumori masak iwasn't particularly skilled in sealing jutsu, and given Black Zetsu's elusive nature, it seemed very risky for an ordinary person to seal him instantly. Once it failed, Black Zetsu might never be found again. It would surely reappear after his death, just like a certain scumbag boss who was defeated by the chosen one.
"It must be something that can seal him in an instant. Besides the Sage-level sealing jutsu, Six Paths — Chibaku Tensei, are there any others?" Many sealing jutsu he knew flashed throughFumori masaki's mind, including sealing tools like the Kohaku no Jōhei. But it seemed difficult to gather them. For example, the Kohaku no Jōhei was in the enemy's hands. And powerful sealing jutsu either came with a huge price, like the Reverse Four Symbols Sealing and Reaper Death Seal which required sacrificing one's life, or they were not fast enough, like the Four Symbols Sealing, which allowed the Nine-Tails to find an opening to counterattack and required Kushina to restrain it with the Adamantine Chains. Fast sealing jutsu, however, might not be able to catch Black Zetsu.
"Wait, there seems to be a very powerful sealing tool, and if I'm not mistaken, it's ownerless."Fumori masaki's mind stirred, and a word slowly emerged in his thoughts.
— Spirit Weapon: Totsuka Blade.
This was one of the spirit weapons possessed by Itachi Uchiha's Susanoo, but it wasn't inherent to the Susanoo itself. The Totsuka Blade was the legendary Kusanagi Sword, which Orochimaru had been searching for. Hence, when he was impaled by the Totsuka Blade, his face was filled with disbelief. Black Zetsu also knew about this spirit weapon. Combining these two facts, it can be confirmed that the Totsuka Blade is a weapon that truly exists in the world and is currently without an owner.
As long as the Totsuka Blade strikes a target, it can drag the opponent into a dream-like genjutsu world, permanently sealing them Fumori masakifelt that the Totsuka Blade must have a power limit; it couldn't seal just anyone. Kaguya Otsutsuki was explicitly stated to only be sealable by Six Paths — Chibaku Tensei. While Black Zetsu is an extension of Kaguya Otsutsuki's will, its power is probably not strong enough to escape the Totsuka Blade's restraint.
"I can try to find this thing. From its speed and strength, the Totsuka Blade is a very useful item,"Fumori masaki thought.