Chapter 72: The Oil-Body Clan Defects—The Reason Will Chill Your Spine!

Yamato Haiichi spoke with certainty.

He clearly had no faith in the Oil-Body Clan.

As he said, the Oil-Body Clan was merely a mid-tier ninja clan—even their numbers couldn’t match any single one of the Pig-Deer-Butterfly families.

Even united, the Pig-Deer-Butterfly could barely defend themselves.

What about the Oil-Body Clan?

Due to their clan’s nature, they had no allied ninja clans, not even a single friend to stand beside them.

Yet this mid-tier clan possessed remarkably well-rounded abilities.

What choice did the Oil-Body Clan have against Danzo’s coercion?

It seemed…

The only option left was to fully defect to the Uchiha—there was simply no room to maneuver when crisis struck.

“Haiichi, Dingzuo.”

“Have Itachi noticed something strange? The fact that Danzo is still alive is deeply puzzling!”

“Don’t forget—Uchiha Jin holds a grudge against him.”

“Danzo seized his parents’ lives, yet despite this hatred, Danzo has survived multiple attempts on his life. Could Uchiha Jin truly lack the ability to kill him?”

“Think of that night in the Death Forest—the black giant over thirty meters tall.”

“Frankly, I don’t believe it.”

Nara Shikamaru’s eyes flickered.

His mind raced, and he voiced his suspicion.

And yet—

Upon hearing this, Yamato Haiichi and Akimichi Dingzuo’s faces darkened instantly.

They weren’t fools!

If they still failed to grasp what Nara Shikamaru implied, they deserved to sit at the Uchiha’s table.

“Are Itachi saying…?” Akimichi Dingzuo stared in shock.

But—

Before Nara Shikamaru could speak, Yamato Haiichi coldly said: “Uchiha Jin deliberately spared Danzo—to make Danzo disgust us clans and force us to defect to him as soon as possible!”

Akimichi Dingzuo sighed.

Even if they knew this, what could they say?

After all, Danzo was the one committing these vile acts—they couldn’t blame Uchiha Jin!

And yet—

Nara Shikamaru fell silent for a long while, then shook his head.

“Forget it. None of our business.”

“But this alone proves Uchiha Jin is a patient, calculating man.”

“Konoha is about to descend into chaos.”

Yamato Haiichi and Akimichi Dingzuo could only sigh in response.

Yes!

Though they were clan heads, on the village’s chessboard, they had no right to be players.

Even with all their strength, they might not even save their own families!

…

Meanwhile, elsewhere—

In Uchiha Jin’s courtyard, within the Uchiha clan grounds.

The front hall, reception room.

Uchiha Tsuki skillfully brewed tea, then bowed slightly and left the room.

Uchiha Jin lifted his teacup, then couldn’t help but remark.

“Chief Shimizu, what an honor.”

“I expected some clan to defect to me, but I never imagined it would be the Oil-Body Clan—whole clan, no reservations.”

“Mind telling me why?”

“How many Oil-Body members was Danzo demanding?”

Uchiha Jin looked genuinely curious.

Yes!

He was truly astonished!

Uchiha had planted many spies in the village, so he knew Danzo had begun visiting every major clan today.

Thus—

He’d prepared accordingly, even mentally guessing which clan would defect first.

But the problem was—

He never expected the first to arrive would be the Oil-Body Clan!

Know that—

Compared to the Pig-Deer-Butterfly or Hyuga, the Oil-Body Clan was smaller, but within Konoha, their numbers were still substantial.

So in Uchiha Jin’s view, even if they defected, they’d surely deliberate for days first.

Now?

Danzo had barely left the Oil-Body compound when Chief Shimizu came straight to him.

It left him momentarily stunned.

After all, Uchiha Jin assumed the first clans to defect would be minor ones—Mizuki, Katō, or Kurama.

So—

He asked outright, without even denying he’d anticipated this.

Even…

A clever person hearing this would realize Danzo’s survival was Uchiha Jin’s doing!

And yet—

Dressed in black robes, wearing dark glasses, Oil-Body Shimizu let out a quiet sigh upon hearing Uchiha Jin’s words.

He drained his tea in one gulp, placed the cup firmly on the table, then spoke in a heavy tone.

“All of them.”

Uchiha Jin looked bewildered.

That’s it?

He knew the Oil-Body Clan was quiet, but Itachi’re their chief—can’t Itachi at least talk a little more?

But wait—

What did he mean?

Uchiha Jin paused, then cautiously probed: “Chief Shimizu, I don’t quite follow.”

Then—

He considered Shimizu’s personality; this conversation was too stifling.

So—

He called Uchiha Tsuki, ordered her to prepare several dishes, and brought out several jars of wine.

Afterwards—

Uchiha Jin raised his cup and began pouring wine for Oil-Body Shimizu.

And yet—

Though Shimizu disliked alcohol, he knew today was for defecting, so he reluctantly drank.

After three cups, Shimizu loosened up.

“Yes, all of them,” Shimizu said, his expression cold: “Danzo is too greedy.”

“Before, he only wanted one or two Oil-Body geniuses—I gritted my teeth and gave them, because our clan lacks depth, so we must bow when necessary.”

“After Konoha’s founding, too many clans were wiped out.”

“The Fūma Clan, once similar in size to ours, and even the founding clan, the Senju, are gone. We Oil-Body realized this—so to survive, we had no choice but to submit.”

“The village has changed!”

“Since Hiruzen Sarutobi became Third Hokage, the village is no longer what the First Hokage promised.”

“But…”

“Danzo went too far!”

“This time, he demanded I, as clan chief, lead every single Oil-Body member into Root.”

“What’s the difference between that and clan annihilation?”

As he spoke, Oil-Body Shimizu was furious.

Especially with alcohol in his system, his chakra control slipped, and insects began swarming from every part of his body.

And yet—

Uchiha Jin paid no attention to the insects—he was stunned by Danzo’s sheer audacity.

Holy shit!

Are Itachi insane?

He had thought that Danzō, even at his craziest, would at most demand half the clan.

But now?

Itachi’re literally not even human—Itachi want the entire Oil House clan absorbed into your Root?

Fuck.

Itachi’re completely brain-dead.