Infinite Anime [270-271] (Patreon)

Chapter 270: Uchiha, Bearing No Grudge

Although he was angry, Fugaku knew he had to pay attention to his image at this moment. He couldn't let others think he had deliberately allowed Gusion to kill the Konoha advisors, as this would damage the Uchiha clan's reputation afterward.

With this in mind, he suppressed his anger and continued to attack Gusion.

However, Gusion was now focused solely on killing the loathsome Konoha advisor, with no interest in sparring. Activating his Shunpo, at lightning speed with Lightning Release chakra, Susanoo under Fugaku's control looked like a clumsy giant puppet.

As Fugaku's Susanoo swung its massive curved blade and missed, Gusion flashed about rapidly. Before Mitokado Homura could finish his hand seals, Gusion's Mazuko down.

Mitokado Homura's elderly head flew into the air, his eyes still filled with resentment and unable to comprehend his impending death.

"Calamity!"

Fugaku feigned a furious expression at the advisor's death, but inside, he was secretly giving Gusion a hundred thumbs up.

Excited, he slashed at Gusion again, and this time he landed a hit. The two entered a direct, head-on clash.

Meanwhile, on another battlefield, Itachi, having temporarily deactivated his Susanoo, used Body Flicker to rush to where his clan members were fighting.

Fighting off his mental exhaustion, he first used Amaterasu on Sasori, who was entangled with several Uchiha.

He didn't expect Amaterasu to kill Sasori, but at least hoped it would sever his chakra threads controlling the puppets.

Sure enough, under Amaterasu's flames, the chakra threads burned and snapped midair, causing Sasori's puppets to go out of control and lose threat.

Orochimaru, watching from the side, was taken aback. He hadn't expected the Uchiha child to be so troublesome.

He stared at Itachi's scarlet Mangekyō Sharingan with intense interest—never had he seen such powerful eyes. If only he could capture and study them…

With this in mind, he took the opportunity to sneak around Itachi's side while the latter was dealing with Sasori. Using his Shadow Snake Hands, he tried to bind Itachi's neck.

Just as snakes coiled around Itachi's neck, Orochimaru was delighted, thinking that Sasori was probably finished, Gusion was exhausted, and the plan to destroy Konoha was nearly complete.

In the end, he could even acquire a pair of evolved Sharingan for research—a true joy for any scientist.

But the next moment, Orochimaru's delight vanished. He realized that the Itachi bound by his snakes had disappeared.

Instead, he was the one bound tightly by snakes. The familiar white full moon in the sky had turned into a scarlet blood moon.

He warily turned his head to see Itachi standing beside him, staring at him coldly. "You should sleep for a bit."

As he finished speaking, in Orochimaru's eyes, Itachi transformed into a flock of crows flying at him, passing through his body, and vanishing into endless darkness behind.

A battle-hardened veteran like Orochimaru immediately realized he'd fallen into a genjutsu. But how? At what point?

He wasn't some rookie—he'd survived countless battles, even if his soul was a little flawed from repeated reincarnation. Not just any genjutsu could control him.

But now, no matter how he tried to break free, he couldn't. This Sannin, over forty and a battle-hardened master who had just helped kill the Hokage and flatten Konoha, had actually been defeated by a thirteen-year-old!

Orochimaru couldn't accept it. For the first time, he felt an uncontrollable craving for the Sharingan.

No, more than craving, his priority now was survival—being controlled on the battlefield was deadly!

Outside, the elite Uchiha saw Orochimaru frozen in place and were deeply impressed by their young leader's ocular power. They were about to finish off Orochimaru when suddenly a violent wind pressed them down.

Itachi looked up in surprise—not only at the sudden gust, but also at the savage, dark red lightning.

In an instant, that figure crossed a kilometer, leaving only a crimson streak across the sky—starting from Susanoo's chest and flashing to its destination.

As Gusion's form materialized, he grabbed Orochimaru. His Conqueror's Haki radiated out in a ring, stunning the crowd as he retreated with Orochimaru.

Landing on some ruins, Gusion patted Orochimaru's face, frowning and muttering, "You really know how to cause trouble for me, Orochimaru."

Although this was a scene from the original, he hadn't expected Orochimaru to be so fragile against Itachi's eye techniques—knocked out in one move! What a disgrace for a Sannin.

Still, the situation worked out for him. He'd already had Garaga take Naruto and Sasuke out of Konoha, and with Orochimaru and Sasori blocking, Garaga had already broken through Konoha's walls and run far away.

With Orochimaru defeated by Itachi, and Gusion acting as a "medic" for the wounded, it was only natural his full strength wouldn't show.

"Itachi, don't let the criminal escape!"

Fugaku, piloting his restored Susanoo, rushed over and shouted to his eldest son.

Itachi snapped back to his senses, realizing this was the perfect time to force Gusion to withdraw.

But after using so many eye techniques, he was already at his limit. With Susanoo activated, he was shaky and blood streamed from his eyes.

Konoha ninjas saw this and were deeply moved, believing the Uchiha father and son were truly fearless, burning their lives to defend Konoha.

In the ensuing battle, Gusion was forced back by the combined Susanoo of the Uchiha father and son, flying back toward Konoha's east wall. Steadying himself, he clicked his tongue: "Tsk, dragging a burden along really is inconvenient."

The Uchiha duo seized the opportunity, pressing the assault with their Susanoo, driving Gusion out of Konoha.

The Konoha ninjas watched the two giant gods battle into the distance and breathed a sigh of relief.

"The Uchiha clan leader is truly wise—driving Gusion out of the village to prevent further losses."

A Konoha ninja sighed, relieved not to have to witness more monster battles, which were risky even to watch.

The village was finally quiet, but the surviving ninjas looked upon the devastated Konoha with deep sorrow.

This day's battle had cost Konoha too much. The Hokage was dead, both advisors killed by Gusion, and with Danzo absent, people suspected the Root leader was also dead.

Moreover, the village's hidden strength, including two of the Sannin—Jiraiya and Tsunade—who had returned specially, were defeated and missing.

Many elite jonin were lost; Konoha's foundation was shaken, and it was no longer the strongest ninja village among the Five Great Nations.

People were deeply worried, thinking that even if the Uchiha duo could defeat the "Calamity," Konoha's future would still be grim.

The ninja world was never truly peaceful. Once a great nation weakened, its neighbors would pounce.

Their supposed ally, the Sand Village, was likely the first to attack.

"Looks like we'll have to rely on the Uchiha clan more from now on. Who would've thought they were so powerful? If not for them turning the tide today, who knows what would've happened."

An elite jonin said, glancing at his companion.

The tall man beside him nodded in agreement, "Yeah, if the Uchiha father and son hadn't set aside old grudges and acted, we might have all been killed today."

These two were the Dog Bark Brothers, who had just finished a fight with the Hogwartz adventurer group. Their match ended in a draw, mainly because both sides felt something was off with Konoha's situation halfway through.

Explorers aren't fools. Knowing Gusion's strength, they realized he was holding back, especially after the Uchiha father and son appeared and "Calamity's" power dropped a level. They sensed something was wrong.

Thinking it over, they realized the battle for Konoha's destruction was fishy. Dark Sky Demon, knowing more action would mean more mistakes, and with their employer Orochimaru already defeated, decided to run.

The Dog Bark brothers didn't pursue, knowing Dark Sky Demon was at least temporarily on Gusion's side. If they met Gusion in a chase, it'd be over for them.

Now that the fight was over, their side quests were complete. Knowing Gusion likely wouldn't return, and the Uchiha duo would surely "win," they decided to help Gusion by going with the flow, hoping for future cooperation in the ninja world.

As expected, after their words, Konoha's ninjas began to discuss, some quietly thinking about which side to take when Konoha revived.

With the Hokage line nearly extinct and the Uchiha having performed great deeds in defending the village, they might really have a shot at the Hokage seat. People began to consider their future attitude toward the Uchiha.

Chapter 271: The Uchiha and Orochimaru's Deal

On the other side, after fighting far away, Gusion retreated, jumped onto a tree, holding Orochimaru in one hand and sheathing his Mazuko blade with the other, "Stop!"

Seeing Gusion's signal, the exhausted Uchiha father and son quickly deactivated their Susanoo and landed, panting.

"How are your eyes holding up?"

Gusion approached and tried to heal Itachi's eyes with the Kaido but found that once the ocular power was depleted, even healing couldn't restore vision.

Itachi struggled to get up, "No need, Gusion-senpai. I can handle it; a few days of rest will suffice."

Fugaku looked in better shape. He elegantly pulled out a handkerchief to wipe the blood off his face. "This time we really troubled you, Gusion-kun. I never thought we would meet again under these circumstances."

"You're too polite, Clan Head. I just couldn't stand the Hokage's ways."

Gusion replied, "And I've gotten what I wanted. I hope you can make Konoha fairer in the future."

Fugaku wasn't one for pleasantries. He nodded, "If the Uchiha can take power, once things settle down, I'll find a way to bring you back to Konoha."

Gusion waved it off, "No rush. Let the Uchiha stabilize first—though I don't think there will be much resistance now."

"It's more than just 'not much'…"

Itachi frowned slightly. "Gusion-senpai, this isn't quite what we agreed upon."

"What? You think I went too far?"

Gusion sat on a fallen tree and took out a drink from his storage space.

"Konoha's buildings are mostly destroyed, and too many top fighters are dead. This is basically the same as if we'd staged a coup. Plus, you took the Nine-Tails jinchuriki away. Konoha's military strength is empty and will be targeted," Itachi said with concern.

"Heh, Itachi, after all you've been through, you're still so naïve?"

Gusion sneered, "If I hadn't done this, do you really think you could have taken power so easily?"

"Itachi, Gusion-kun is right. This really is the best situation for us," Fugaku said. "The old Hokage's faction was just too opposed to us."

Itachi pondered and realized the key point. If high-level fighters like Tsunade and Jiraiya had stayed in Konoha, even if they didn't run for Hokage, they'd support the Hokage faction and prolong the political struggle. Now, with them missing or possibly dead, they wouldn't block the Uchiha's rise, allowing more stable development.

"Sorry, Gusion-senpai. I shouldn't have doubted your judgment," Itachi admitted, feeling ashamed—he hadn't helped much, while Gusion had set things up perfectly for them.

"No worries. Let's wake Orochimaru up; we should make things clear to prevent misunderstandings later on."

Gusion said, not wanting to carry an unconscious Orochimaru back.

Itachi immediately released Tsukuyomi, and Orochimaru slowly woke up.

Seeing Fugaku and Itachi standing with Gusion, Orochimaru was stunned for a moment, but quickly understood what was going on.

"Gusion-kun, you're a bit unkind, using me like this," Orochimaru said, though he didn't seem upset. After all, his goal was achieved, and their partnership was always mutually beneficial. At least Gusion didn't leave him behind in Konoha but took him out—already a favor.

"We just each got what we wanted. You killed the Third, I killed Danzo, and made a deal with the Uchiha."

Gusion spoke vaguely, not wanting to explain details to Orochimaru, but making it clear he'd still need him later.

The plan to destroy Konoha had gone even better than expected, and the Uchiha's rise was inevitable. With some tweaks, Gusion would soon complete his hidden mission and obtain the Mangekyō Sharingan. He still wanted Orochimaru's help for further upgrades.

"Well, the current situation is quite interesting anyway," Orochimaru said, licking his lips. "So, you woke me up now because you want to discuss something?"

He understood Gusion could have kept him in the dark, but waking him up now meant he was still needed.

"It's easy talking to a smart person like you, senior. I'll be direct. I took the Nine-Tails jinchuriki and want to leave him in the Land of Rice Fields for you to teach."

Gusion laid out his first request. The Uchiha father and son exchanged glances and kept quiet.

"My place isn't a nursery, and that brat looks pretty dumb. I don't like dumb students," Orochimaru complained, glancing at Itachi and licking his lips. "But the Uchiha kid, I could teach him."

He'd seen Itachi's strength and Fugaku's Susanoo, so he knew Sasuke's bloodline was guaranteed—he was only interested in teaching geniuses. At the same time, he wondered if he could brainwash Sasuke and use him as a vessel to get the Sharingan.

Orochimaru's words and demeanor made Itachi uncomfortable. He looked at Gusion, "Gusion-senpai, about this…"

Gusion raised a hand. "Don't worry, Itachi, I'm not done yet."

Orochimaru gave a sinister smile. "If you let Sasuke stay with me, I'll teach the Nine-Tails as well."

"Orochimaru, aren't you worried about Akatsuki questioning you about the Nine-Tails?" Gusion grinned, knowing Orochimaru wouldn't refuse the chance at the Sharingan, and he had his own precautions.

"You've already figured out how to explain it, haven't you? The jinchuriki collection plan is on hold anyway. With the Nine-Tails at our place, Pain will be at ease. Besides, after what we did, who knows if we'll even stay in Akatsuki."

Orochimaru said, "As for the conflict with Akatsuki over the Nine-Tails, I'll leave that to you, Gusion-kun. You just make sure those two kids are taught well. As for payment, I'm sure the Uchiha will make it worthwhile."

Gusion had already planned how to fool Nagato, and Obito was another excuse to use—so he wasn't worried.

"Gusion-kun, what do you want from us?" Fugaku frowned, not liking the idea of leaving his son with the creepy Orochimaru. But he also knew a father wasn't the best teacher. As a Sannin, Orochimaru was a proven instructor.

With Gusion saying the payment would come from the Uchiha, he was wary.

"Not much. Just keep doing what you're doing—give Orochimaru some cells and samples for research. He's already made his desire for the Sharingan obvious."

Gusion said bluntly.

Even Orochimaru was a little embarrassed at how obvious he'd been.

"That's no problem, but can you really get anything just from that? Even among born Uchiha, it's not guaranteed they'll awaken their eyes."

Fugaku was doubtful. They were already marrying for gene improvement—selling some samples wasn't an issue. After all, not all Uchiha could awaken their eyes, and even those that did weren't that special without Mangekyō. In this turbulent era, normal Uchiha were fairly average.

"Then try to give him some high-quality genes, don't shortchange him. In return…"

Gusion looked at Orochimaru. "Don't be so shameless, Orichimaru. Always coveting little kids. I promise I'll help you get a pair of Mangekyō."

Fugaku frowned, thinking Mangekyō were rare—even among the Uchiha, only he and Itachi had them. Was Gusion planning to take theirs?

But Itachi reacted first. "Gusion-senpai, do you mean… Obito?"

Earlier, when he disguised himself as Rin, the masked man was fooled. No matter how unbelievable, he had to admit the masked man was Obito.

Gusion nodded. "I don't think he died in the other dimension. We'll fight again, and next time I won't let him escape."

Orochimaru was puzzled but saw they were serious and realized that "Obito" probably did have a pair of Mangekyō, likely space-related, which piqued his interest.

"With Gusion-kun saying this, I'd be foolish not to agree. Don't worry, Sasuke will get the best training from me."

Orochimaru laughed; he preferred a ready-made Mangekyō over the uncertain chance of Sasuke awakening his.

"Then I'll count on you. My son is mischievous, please don't mind," Fugaku said respectfully, knowing this was a good deal. The ninja world wouldn't be peaceful, and with the Uchiha busy reviving, he had no time to train Sasuke himself. Orochimaru's harsh training would make Sasuke strong, not a weakling coddled in Konoha.

For Fugaku, Sasuke being "captured" was also a cover—publicly putting the Uchiha and Gusion on opposing sides, painting them as tragic heroes.

As clan leader, Fugaku was thorough, focused on benefits, and didn't care much for Sasuke's feelings.

Itachi, on the other hand, was uneasy, worried his brother would suffer under Orochimaru's harsh methods.

But he understood that Konoha might be attacked, and it might be safer for Sasuke to train outside the village. With both Naruto and Sasuke training together, Konoha would one day have two hidden powerhouses.

To prevent Orochimaru from warping their minds, Itachi decided to visit Sasuke once a month in the Land of Rice Fields to check on him.

"How could I? As the son of the Uchiha leader, Sasuke is surely a genius. If he dominates the ninja world in the future, I'll share in the glory."

Orochimaru, ever the smooth talker, responded politely.

At this time, Sasuke didn't know that he had just been "sold" during a casual conversation.

…

The next morning, at sunrise.

Sasuke woke up to Naruto's shouting. He struggled up, body aching, and looked around in confusion.

All he saw was Naruto and a strange village outside the woods.

"Sasuke, you're awake, are you okay?" Naruto asked. Yesterday, Garaga had carried them north, stopping outside this village. When the summoning ended, the two of them fell from above and nearly died.

Thankfully, Naruto caught Sasuke and protected his head.

"I'm fine…Where are we? Where's the Calamity? Where are my brother and father?" Sasuke asked, bewildered.

"I'm not sure, but Brother Gusion said he was taking us to a great ninja village. Maybe it's this one. Since you're awake, let's go check it out."

Naruto was eager to explore.

"So that's what Gusion-kun said. My Sound Village really is a great ninja village," a hoarse voice came from behind, making both kids shiver.

They turned to see Orochimaru smiling "kindly," scaring them pale.

"Welcome to Sound Village. From today, you are my disciples," Orochimaru announced, leaving the two children utterly confused.

Naruto was a little better off, knowing Orochimaru was with Gusion. "Is this the village Brother Gusion mentioned?" he asked cautiously.

Sasuke, however, couldn't accept it. He believed his brother and father were invincible—how could he end up outside the Land of Fire!?

And this snake-like, ghastly man wanted to be his teacher? No way—learning from someone so ugly would make him ugly too!

"No, I won't learn from someone like you! I don't believe it, my brother and father are invincible—where are they? They can't have lost to the Calamity!" Sasuke shouted, looking around for his family, hoping this was all a dream.

But the next moment, a familiar voice called out, "Sasuke, don't yell. And from now on, show more respect to your teacher."

Sasuke turned and saw, perched on a branch above, was his brother, Itachi.

Sasuke: ???