Chapter 72: Ninja Clans and Shadows

After the trial ended,

Itachi Uchiha's soul returned to reality. After opening his eyes, his brows could not help but furrow tightly.

Having grown accustomed to that body in the game free of illness and pain, the sudden surge of sickness left him somewhat unable to react.

He could not help but cough.

Hoshigaki Kisame, who had been waiting for a long time, asked with concern: "Itachi-san, did you pass the trial?"

"Everything went smoothly."

Itachi Uchiha nodded, his mind still savoring the power of the Curse User.

Although he had not handed over all his valuable items, the Reward Points remaining were not many after clearing the trial.

It seemed he needed to level up in the game as quickly as possible to earn enough Reward Points.

To upgrade skills and purchase equipment.

Only by becoming powerful enough could he become the strongest Soul Imprint when he was eventually devoured by Sasuke.

Hoshigaki Kisame asked curiously: "Itachi-san, what kind of profession did you Awaken?"

"Curse User."

Itachi Uchiha did not want to say more and gave a perfunctory reply.

If it were Sasuke, he would be very willing to explain every bit of knowledge regarding the Curse User thoroughly, without reservation.

But Hoshigaki Kisame was only a companion; although he cared about him, it did not reach the level where he would dedicate his soul.

At most, in times of danger, he would throw out a few inconsequential skills, but skills involving the soul must be reserved for Sasuke.

Hoshigaki Kisame did not understand the underlying meaning but said excitedly: "That sounds like a very powerful ability. When the time comes, Itachi-san, we can act together in the game."

Itachi Uchiha did not respond.

Sasuke's level was likely already very high; he would first team up with Kisame to hunt Pollution Monsters, and after raising his level, he would go find Sasuke.

While browsing the Game Mall, he had seen items capable of concealment and disguise; as long as he approached Sasuke at the right time, there was a high probability he would not be detected by him.

Very well, just like this, he would silently dedicate his strength to his younger brother and then die.

Forgive me, Kisame.

"What a truly pleasant transaction. If the two guests have no other business, let us part ways here!"

Fang Yi, having earned a fortune, revealed a gentle smile.

He even found the ugly shark-face and the sickly ghost before him much more pleasing to the eye.

"Wait, Mr. Merchant."

Itachi Uchiha suddenly spoke, calling out to the gradually fading phantom of Fang Yi, and asked: "I would like to know, if possible, could you tell me what you intend to do to Konoha, or rather, the ninja world?"

Even with Kisame by his side, he still asked this question that worried him.

Fang Yi said in surprise: "I thought Itachi-san was only interested in matters concerning Sasuke."

Itachi Uchiha covered up: "I am merely worried that the Leader's plans will be obstructed."

He was currently a member of the Akatsuki, so stating this reason was reasonable.

In fact,

He could have chosen not to ask this question; inquiring about what the mysterious game merchant before him wanted to do to the ninja world was a very dangerous thing.

Who knew if the seemingly kind game merchant would suddenly fly into a rage?

He had already done enough—staining his hands with the blood of sin for the village to stop the Uchiha coup, becoming a sinner bearing shame, and even infiltrating the Akatsuki as a spy after becoming a rogue ninja.

It could almost be said he had sacrificed everything.

He could have left all his remaining time and energy for Sasuke, yet Itachi Uchiha still could not help but ask.

Having witnessed the horror of war with his own eyes since childhood, those scenes like Hell remained vivid in his mind to this day.

He loathed war and loved peace.

The appearance of the mysterious merchant would absolutely bring unimaginable, massive turmoil to the ninja world, so he had to speak up and ask.

Fang Yi did not expose him, smiled, and said: "From the moment we met, I had already answered this question."

"Selling the Samsara Game—that is what I want to do."

"But..."

Spreading power so recklessly would absolutely cause war to erupt in the ninja world.

By then, the world would once again descend into Hell, with displaced civilians everywhere, ninjas losing brothers, wives, and children, and the land riddled with holes...

Itachi Uchiha wanted to say more, but was interrupted by Fang Yi.

"Itachi Uchiha, even without my appearance, war would still erupt!"

Fang Yi looked at him with a calm gaze and said: "Do you think that slaughtering the entire Uchiha clan could stop the arrival of war?"

"But what was the result? Konoha, having lost the Uchiha, is coveted by the other Four Great Ninja Villages and will likely suffer a siege very soon."

"Within the village, after the Uchiha were wiped out, the Hokage lineage grew unprecedentedly strong. With Shimura Danzou and the Hokage, two Shadow-level experts, sitting in command, along with two other high-level advisors of no small strength, they have suppressed the Ninja Clans in the village until they cannot catch their breath."

"Now, taking advantage of the critical period of the Five Nations Joint Chunin Exams, the Hokage has no time to attend to other matters, and Shimura Danzou is still unscrupulously capturing Elite Ninja from the Ninja Clans, putting the shackles of the Root on them. The Ninja Clans dare to be angry but dare not speak, but the conflicts will only accumulate deeper and deeper."

"The current Konoha, including the entire ninja world, is like sun-dried firewood; it only needs a tiny spark to instantly turn into a sea of fire."

"Do you really think I am the one who caused this?"

Fang Yi looked directly at him; there was no anger or displeasure in his eyes at being questioned, only pure indifference.

It was as if he had just walked into a movie theater, prepared to watch a film destined to be played.

Itachi Uchiha took a breath and said: "But, if the game were not sold, the time for this war to arrive would..."

Hoshigaki Kisame's palms were sweating as he watched Itachi Uchiha nervously.

He was terrified that the harmless-looking phantom before him would suddenly attack.

He did not want Itachi-san to die yet.

"Just like how you slaughtered the Uchiha Clan?"

Fang Yi never felt that Itachi Uchiha was a good person, but he didn't think he was purely evil either; he was more like a madman with paranoid tendencies who had been brainwashed after accepting erroneous ideologies from a young age.

The age of chuunibyou.

Easily swayed by others, he would do what he believed to be right, even if it meant becoming an enemy of the entire world.

Fang Yi withdrew his smile and said calmly, "As you can see, the strife in Konoha did not cease with the destruction of the Uchiha; soon, flames will appear again, and where there are flames, there will be burning, and when things burn, people will die."

"If a Ninja Clan is strong, it burns Danzou and the Hokage to death."

"If the flames of the Hokage and Danzou are hot enough, they burn the Ninja Clan to death; the cake is only so big, and everyone wants an extra bite. The taste of hunger is hard to bear, and when the feeling hits, it cannot be suppressed by a few words about the Will of Fire."

Hearing Fang Yi disparage the Will of Fire, even Itachi Uchiha, who usually had stable emotions, found his breathing quickening.

He was a man who possessed the mindset of a Hokage, capable of considering issues from a higher perspective.

Under those circumstances,

the Uchiha Clan was destined to be destroyed, otherwise, there would have been no way to bring the situation to an end.

But now, the mysterious game merchant who had suddenly appeared was saying that the sins and slaughter he bore, and all his sacrifices and contributions, were actually as useless as a castle in the air.

No one could remain rational under such circumstances.

A look of agitation appeared on Itachi Uchiha's face, and he controlled his emotions to ask, "If that is the case, does it mean there is no way to ever end the war?"

If so, what exactly had he been doing from the time he became a ninja until now?

Itachi Uchiha dared not think too deeply, but Fang Yi's words kept squeezing into his mind like maggots clinging to bones.

Because,

the facts were right before his eyes; although he had not returned to Konohagakure, he had heard some rumors about what was happening in the village, and it was indeed just as Fang Yi had said.

After the Uchiha Clan was destroyed, nothing had changed.

How could this be?

Hoshigaki Kisame had never seen Itachi Uchiha lose his composure like this, and he said nervously, "Itachi-san."

(End of this chapter)