I, Konoha's Sage of Life-Chapter 301 – Fugaku: I Made a Decision That Betrays My Ancestors

Chapter 301: Chapter 301 – Fugaku: I Made a Decision That Betrays My Ancestors

"If the enemy were to obtain the Mangekyō Sharingan, the consequences would be unimaginable. Whatever information the village needs, if the Uchiha can be of help, we are duty-bound to assist."

Fugaku spoke with solemn resolve. 𝚏𝕣𝕖𝚎𝚠𝚎𝚋𝚗𝐨𝐯𝕖𝕝.𝕔𝐨𝕞

The Mangekyō Sharingan—

Of course, the Uchiha longed for it; every clansman wished they could awaken such eyes. Yet Fugaku also understood that, in their current state, the Uchiha could not—must not—possess the Mangekyō.

They had finally reached a fragile balance with Konoha. If another Mangekyō were to appear, the tension between them and the village would flare up again.

Worse still, Uchiha Madara lurked in the shadows, ever watchful of the clan. He had even once stolen away his child.

Should a Mangekyō emerge now...

The Uchiha’s downfall would not be far behind.

"Of course. Madara may once have contributed to Konoha, but the damage he caused was no less severe. And I suspect his ambitions run far deeper... For now, eliminating him is our top priority."

Kyoichi spoke bluntly.

His meaning was clear: whatever extra intelligence the Uchiha had, they needed to lay it all on the table. Everyone would pool their knowledge, because this was not merely Konoha’s problem.

The danger facing the Uchiha might be even greater.

After all—

Konoha only wanted the Uchiha not to rebel. But Madara... Madara’s pace suggested he wished for nothing more than the current generation of Uchiha to perish.

And if they didn’t die soon enough...

He might well act personally.

Fugaku had come prepared. He hadn’t come merely with vague notions about Izanagi; to do so would have been foolish.

He had been waiting for Kyoichi to open this door.

"To be frank, Kyoichi-sama, I haven’t found any conclusive records within the clan. But there is one thing... highly suspicious. I suspect it may be tied to Madara’s secret."

With that, Fugaku revealed the existence of the clan’s stone tablet.

That monument had always been a closely guarded secret, known only to the Uchiha clan head and a select few. But with the clan’s survival at stake, Fugaku could no longer cling to old traditions.

Kyoichi raised a brow, impressed by Fugaku’s decisiveness.

So...

When it came to matters of life and death for the clan, Fugaku could indeed act decisively.

"Please, Senpai, tell me—what is this thing?"

"A stone tablet. But this monument is unique: only with the Sharingan can one read its words. What I’ve seen so far is merely fragments of Uchiha history. Yet I considered... Madara possessed the Mangekyō, something I do not. Perhaps..."

"You mean, the Mangekyō Sharingan might reveal truths hidden within the stone?"

Kyoichi guided him along.

Fugaku nodded heavily.

He had not awakened the Mangekyō himself and thus could not verify the idea. But if the tablet did indeed conceal such secrets, then perhaps...

Madara’s true goal could be unearthed there.

"Clan Head Fugaku, this monument is your clan’s most sacred treasure. Normally, the village would have no claim upon it. But in the present crisis—"

"Say no more, my lord. I’ve already declared it—this is not merely a matter of the village. It concerns the very survival of the Uchiha. If aid is needed, say the word!"

Fugaku had revealed the clan’s greatest secret. What hesitation could remain?

Kyoichi thought a moment, then decided to speak openly.

"To be frank, I have a friend who possesses the legendary Rinnegan. And I suspect those eyes once belonged to Uchiha Madara himself."

"What?!"

Fugaku shot to his feet.

The Rinnegan!

Of the three great dōjutsu, it was the most mysterious. Fugaku had of course heard the legends—that only the Sage of Six Paths himself had ever wielded it, with the power to create all things.

An eye so unbelievable...

Yet it truly existed. And it had belonged to Madara.

His breath quickened.

Could it be—?

"You suspect the tablet’s secret is...?"

"Possibly the mystery of the Rinnegan and the Sharingan. It is still speculation, but there is a way to confirm it."

"I understand. Please, Kyoichi-sama, bring your friend. I will guide you both to the monument."

Fugaku’s heart surged with excitement, though he held it in check.

If the Rinnegan were the final evolution of the Sharingan, that was a truth both thrilling and terrifying. But the present-day Uchiha were so weakened they couldn’t even manifest the Mangekyō—how could they dream of the Rinnegan?

That power...

Was but a flower in the mirror, a moon reflected on water—something they could long for, but never reach.

Better to focus on saving the clan from its immediate crisis.

If Madara lived, the Uchiha—even if they survived—would not be this generation.

For that man was a madman!

Kyoichi wasted no time, sending Katsuyu to deliver the message.

This was why his true body had hurriedly left Orochimaru’s laboratory with Nagato. With the tablet as a means of verification, many things could now be achieved with half the effort.

Nagato was brought home.

When he saw a stranger inside, he immediately cast a Transformation Technique.

But—

"Nagato, no need to conceal yourself. This time, we are going to the Uchiha compound. This is Clan Head Fugaku."

Nagato gave a small nod, though he did not release the jutsu. Before he could say anything, Fugaku spoke first.

"No need!"

Fugaku’s eyes flared open.

He had a more direct method.

The Sharingan could not see chakra as clearly as the Byakugan, but it could still discern truth from illusion, chakra flow and distribution—enough to pierce through ordinary disguises.

A simple Transformation Technique was nothing before him.

Easily, he dispelled the deception and saw the Rinnegan beneath.

Such overwhelming ocular power...

Though he could not yet confirm whether it was tied to the Sharingan, it was unmistakably the Rinnegan. Fugaku bowed slightly.

"My deepest thanks, Kyoichi-sama. Please—this way."

"Is this in your clan’s ancestral grounds, or elsewhere? I have my Hiraishin markers in many places inside and outside the village. We can arrive instantly."

"At the Naka Shrine, outside the village."

"That complicates things a little. But we can jump outside the walls first..."

As Kyoichi spoke, he laid a hand on each of them.

And in an instant—

They warped through space, emerging beyond the village.

In truth, Kyoichi already had a Hiraishin marker hidden within the Naka Shrine. But to admit that outright would be... awkward. So he took a "subtle" approach.

This spot—neither too close nor too far from the Naka River—was just right.

"The Flying Thunder God truly is wondrous. I hadn’t thought you had mastered even this art."

Fugaku marveled.

Hadn’t Uchiha Madara’s younger brother died to this very technique?

Experiencing its power firsthand only deepened his wariness—

Kanda Kyoichi’s strength was even greater than before, his methods more unpredictable. None could guess how many trump cards he still held.

Fugaku’s respect only grew as he led them toward the Naka Shrine.

Nagato and Kyoichi both remained cautious.

The difference was this:

Nagato was wary of threats around them.

Kyoichi was wary of what lay beneath their feet.

As they neared the shrine, he quietly split off a clone, sending it to weave through the trees, reshaping them into his watchful eyes.

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