Chapter 169: The Tragedy of the Uchiha Clan

A god's soul brooks no tampering!

Daring to pry into a deity's memories, Fugaku was simply courting death!

Not a single soul noticed that the two tomoe in Feng Zhe's eyes had instantly transformed into the Rinnegan.

The technique Fugaku unleashed was rebounded in a fraction of a second. In particular, the terrifying visions within the Rinnegan plunged Fugaku straight through the Six Paths of Samsara, instantly throwing his memories into utter chaos.

Feng Zhe held not the slightest interest in a servant like Fugaku; his attention was instead captivated by the scroll. Just as he reached down to pick it up, Fugaku abruptly stopped him.

"Master, there is treachery in that scroll. Every single jutsu within it has a backdoor that reveals itself when truly locked in combat with a member of the Uchiha clan."

Hmm?

Feng Zhe turned his gaze toward Fugaku, who then produced a second black scroll from his tunic. It bore the exclusive seal of the Uchiha, one that could only be undone by the clan head.

Fugaku formed a complex series of hand seals, and with a soft *poof*, the scroll unfurled.

Rank-B Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique!
Rank-B Fire Release: Great Fire Ash Technique!
Rank-B Fire Release: Dragon Fire Technique!
Rank-A Fire Release: Great Dragon Fire Technique!
Rank-A Fire Release: Fire Dragon Flame Bullet!

A total of six Fire Release ninjutsu, alongside records of two Rank-S Fire Release techniques—Fire Release: Great Fire Destruction and Fire Release: Great Fire Annihilation—which had been lost following the disappearance of Uchiha Madara.

Furthermore, what interested Feng Zhe most were the records concerning the Sharingan. There were extensive entries ranging from the two-tomoe to the three-tomoe, as well as accounts of the Mangekyo Sharingan.

Inscribed above these were two Sharingan ninjutsu: the Rank-S Amaterasu and the Rank-S Tsukuyomi.

At the very end of the scroll, it even detailed the ultra-Rank-S Sharingan ninjutsu, Susanoo, though cultivating this technique was exceedingly harsh and fraught with immense peril.

It was practically an encyclopedia. Rolling it back up, Feng Zhe could not help but feel a twinge of sorrow for the Uchiha clan.

The clan possessed a complete, unbroken legacy. Both their Fire Release and their Sharingan represented the absolute pinnacle of this world, yet they insisted on wasting their energy scrambling for power within Konoha.

First, they fought the Senju clan, only to be played for fools by the First and Second Hokage; then they were pressed into the dirt by the Third. Most ridiculously of all, when the clan finally produced two rare geniuses—Uchiha Shisui and Uchiha Itachi—they were brainwashed by the Third, and ultimately, the clan was wiped out by that young brat Itachi. It was utterly laughable.

Of course, this scroll was merely a foundation. In the later stages, developing jutsus suited to one's own capabilities was what true Kage-level figures ought to do.

Look at how many jutsus that brat Sasuke developed, playing with them in all sorts of fancy ways. This scroll was simply the stepping stone.

"Keep our relationship hidden for now. Under no circumstances must anyone else find out."

"Understood, Master!"

Fugaku prostrated himself on the ground, his expression one of absolute, unwavering devotion.

After studying the scroll, Feng Zhe handed it back to him and stepped out of the Uchiha compound.

With his acute perception, Feng Zhe was keenly aware that several separate parties were observing him—some from the Anbu, some from Root, and he even spotted a few scouts from other noble clans.

"How utterly tedious. The foremost shinobi village in the current world is actually this filthy. It's quite disappointing."

Ever since regaining his clarity, Feng Zhe naturally refused to believe in the Will of Fire advocated by the Third. Such slogans were far too vapid and essentially served as brainwashing tools.

It was a pity that the Fourth, that warm-hearted soul, had been played to his death by a Nine-Tails right in front of this pack of old schemers. No matter how one looked at it, it reeked of a conspiracy.

With Feng Zhe's broad perspective, he could even discern a massive ideological rift and struggle for supremacy between the Third and the Fourth. The Third essentially wore two faces; to put it bluntly, he was a hypocrite.

On one hand, he promoted the Will of Fire, while on the other, he secretly committed acts that violated human ethics. Take Kakashi's father, Hatake Sakumo, the White Fang—his fate was an absolute tragedy.

Or take the Senju clan's little princess, Lady Tsunade: a medical ninja who was deathly afraid of blood. Whether the Third had a hand in that behind the scenes remained anyone's guess.

Jiraiya's subsequent disillusionment and withdrawal from Konoha could likewise be regarded as a form of self-preservation.

As for the Fourth Hokage, Namikaze Minato, he was entirely different. He was fundamentally an orphan with no deep-rooted backing, which made him easy to control. More importantly, he truly possessed a heart of gold.

For a shinobi village to employ a few underhanded tricks during its early developmental stages was normal, but once it reached its peak, the path it walked must inevitably be a bright and righteous one. Petty tricks could never achieve true greatness.

The evolution of Konoha followed this very trajectory. The death of the Fourth Hokage could not halt this historical current. Only with the succession of the Fifth, Tsunade, the Sixth, Kakashi, and finally the Fourth's own son, the protagonist Naruto, inheriting the mantle of Hokage, did Konoha finally step onto the correct path.

From this perspective, it was by no means an exaggeration to call the Fourth a pioneer.

The collision of these two ideologies during this era had triggered wave after wave of turmoil in the ninja world. From another perspective, the Third was guilty.

"Hmph! Since I have come to this world, I will never allow the Fourth to die!"

At some point unbenknownst to himself, Feng Zhe had actually begun to enjoy life within the Fourth's household, to the extent that a genuine emotional attachment had taken root.

...

The next day.

"What? You want me to participate directly in the Chunin Exams?"

Hearing his teacher's words, Feng Zhe stared in astonishment, scarcely believing his own ears.

"Yes. This is the Third's decision."

His teacher looked equally helpless, but since it was an order from the Third, he had no choice but to comply.

"Then what about my Genin headband?"

"You are participating in the exams under the status of a ninja academy student, so you won't be issued a headband."

"Ugh..."

Feng Zhe was left momentarily speechless. Without a Genin headband, he was essentially a civilian. Could a mere civilian participate directly in the Chunin Exams?

This was utterly shameless.

"Can I choose not to go?"

"Uh, no!"

"Fine, then!"

The teacher had half-expected Feng Zhe to make some outrageous demands, so his prompt agreement came as quite a surprise.

After school, Feng Zhe walked home with his backpack slung over his shoulder, only to be intercepted by a green-spandex-clad youth with a bowl-cut who came sprinting straight toward him.

"You must be Feng Zhe, Konoha's genius! I am Might Guy, and I've come specifically to challenge you!"

With that declaration, he immediately moved to attack.

Feng Zhe rolled his eyes. He always felt this guy was missing a few screws...

Seeing that Feng Zhe ignored him, Might Guy repeated himself, only to be met with total silence once more.

"Your silence means consent!"

With a shout, a sweeping kick came hurtling toward him, only for that leg to connect squarely with the trunk of a massive tree the very next second.

"Aah!!"

The excruciating pain in his shin caused Might Guy's voice to crack entirely. He had no clue when Feng Zhe had executed the Substitution Technique.

Recovering his wits, Might Guy hollered, "No, that wasn't a Substitution Technique! You used a genjutsu!"

"Not entirely an idiot!"

Indeed, the technique Feng Zhe had just used was not a substitution. The moment Might Guy had closed in, he had already fallen under a genjutsu.

Had there been any bystanders, they would have seen Might Guy shouting animatedly at an empty tree trunk before delivering a sweeping kick directly into a tree broad enough to require several people to encircle it.

"This must be because my efforts are still insufficient! Feng Zhe, next time I will definitely make you fight me properly!"

Clutching his throbbing leg, Might Guy swore a solemn oath to settle the score.

And once again, Feng Zhe gave him a silent roll of the eyes.