I, Konoha's Sage of Life-Chapter 166: The First Hokage’s Legacy is Truly Terrifying

"Shisui, are we really sure this plan will work?"

Inahori was worried.

He had already learned that yesterday, Fugaku and the Eighth Hokage had visited his home in secret and decided to publicly announce their position in the village today.

Even though the plan had been discussed between him and Shisui, he couldn't shake the unease in his heart.

This was no small matter!

The clan leader had made a decision without consulting the rest of the Uchiha—once the news got out, wouldn't the entire clan blow up?

"My teacher once said that Kirigakure's biggest problem was that there were too many competing voices, which led to each faction within the village having its own agenda."

"What do you mean by that?"

Inahori was intrigued.

He was well aware of Shisui's admiration for Kyoichi, but from a political standpoint, Shisui was a staunch supporter of the Uchiha. Every decision he made was for the good of the clan.

So...

He was curious why Shisui would suddenly bring up something like this.

"Think about it. Ice Release, Shikotsumyaku (Dead Bone Pulse)... they might not be on the same level as our Sharingan, but they're still incredibly powerful kekkei genkai. The Yuki clan, the Kaguya clan—their strength is undeniable. And yet... when we were fighting Kirigakure, where were they?"

Shisui turned to look at him.

Inahori had also joined the Eastern Front campaign. By the time their squad arrived, Kyoichi had already resolved most of Kirigakure resistance in coordination with the others.

The only remaining elite forces were the Seven Ninja Swordsmen and Yagura.

Thinking back, Inaho realized something peculiar.

No Ice Release. No Shikotsumyaku.

For a hidden village, that was deeply unusual.

Then it clicked—

He understood what Shisui had meant earlier.

Was Kirigakure weak?

Not at all...

Otherwise, how could they stand among the Five Great Shinobi Nations?

But—

They hadn't even displayed half their full power. Ever since the Second Mizukage died in battle, Kirigakure had merely hovered on the sidelines during major wars, only stepping in to scavenge minor benefits. They never dared to fully commit to large-scale conflicts.

And this time...

Even their scavenging attempts had backfired.

Inahori couldn't help but sigh, "We Uchiha are just like them... too many voices within the clan."

"You're absolutely right, Inaho-nii!" Shisui said with enthusiasm, as if this realization had never occurred to him. "I used to think we were just too hesitant, but with a capable clan leader like ours, hesitation shouldn't even be a factor. Now I see—the core issue is that we have too many internal voices."

He sounded genuinely enlightened.

Inahori flushed with a little shame and quickly waved it off. "It wasn't even my own thought—it was something your teacher said that opened my eyes. The Uchiha's real issue is too many voices. Konoha has that problem too, but at least they've begun taking action."

"You mean... the change in responsibilities for the two advisors?" Shisui murmured, falling into contemplation.

"Exactly. Haven't you noticed? Tsunade hasn't even formally taken office yet, but the two advisors have already been sidelined. I think your teacher and Tsunade-hime's next target... is likely Danzo."

Inahori's tone was firm. For the first time, he felt extraordinarily perceptive.

Shisui nodded slowly. "I see... I'd thought about it before, but never went that far. The more I hear from you, the more it makes sense."

"What was your original plan?"

"What plan?" Shisui replied innocently. "I was going to adapt as needed. Taking that first step is most important. The rest—internal clan problems—we can solve in time. Worst case, we ask the village for help."

"You're not wrong," Inaho said, frowning. "But you're still young. Some things you haven't fully considered. If we're really going to rely on the village to strengthen the clan, we first need to clean house—get rid of the old, stubborn hardliners within. If we let outsiders intervene... it'll be too late."

His voice was resolute.

At that moment, light footsteps echoed outside.

A second later...

Fugaku entered.

"I heard everything you said. Inahori, well said. If we choose to align with the village, we must be decisive and willing to make sacrifices."

He took a deep breath and turned to Shisui. "You're not wrong either, Shisui. But you're still a bit too idealistic. Once we allow the village to step in, they'll gain room to maneuver."

Like the Sharingan, for example.

"Yes, sir," Shisui lowered his head without rebuttal.

"Inahori, you may go."

"Yes, Clan Head."

After dismissing Inaho, Fugaku turned his full attention to Shisui.

Such a sharp young man.

It looked like Inahori had made the discovery himself, but really, it was Shisui guiding him step by step toward that realization. Yet this level of strategic thinking wasn't something Shisui used to have.

The true source of it all was—

Kanda Kyoichi!

Fugaku inhaled deeply, more and more aware of just how terrifying that boy was.

Only seventeen years old!

The thought flashed through his mind before he forced himself to calm down.

"At your age, having this level of foresight is already remarkable. Jonin Kyoichi truly is a brilliant teacher. If you continue learning under him, you'll no doubt become the pillar of the Uchiha one day."

"But," Fugaku added gently, "don't treat everything your teacher says as gospel. You must think independently if you want to secure the best future for the clan."

He trusted that these were Shisui's own thoughts.

After all, he and Obito had been spending a lot of time among civilians, learning firsthand how they viewed the Uchiha. The logic of his conclusions was clear—this didn't seem like something an outsider had implanted.

Still... what if it was Kyoichi nudging Shisui toward that civilian outreach?

He worried Shisui might place too much trust in him.

"Clan Head... Orochimaru was the Third Hokage's student. Did that stop him from going his own way? I am a Uchiha. I have the clan's aspirations in my heart. I won't let admiration blind me."

Shisui bowed.

"That's good! Very good. Shisui, once your Sharingan awakens, come find me. I'll personally teach you how to master it."

"Thank you, Clan Head!"

Shisui looked thrilled.

Fugaku was still young, with his first child barely a year old, so he still had the energy to lead.

His statement wasn't naming Shisui the heir, but it definitely marked him as someone to be cultivated closely.

But just as he was about to ask about Shisui's training progress, he noticed—

Shisui's eyes had turned blood-red.

Wait...

The Sharingan!

Fugaku's eyes widened in shock.

"Shisui, your eyes—!"

"What?" Shisui blinked, unaware. Fugaku grabbed a mirror and handed it over.

Shisui took one look.

"I... I awakened it? I awakened my Sharingan?! Clan Head—!"

"Excellent. Very good. You've just awakened it, so you won't be able to control it right away, but I'll teach you step by step. Coincidentally, the upcoming Chunin Exams might be a joint exam for the entire shinobi world. I want you to earn your spot!"

Fugaku was visibly excited.

He was glad Shisui hadn't gone all-out in the last exam, or he might've missed this global event—

And this wasn't just about showing off.

A joint exam's true meaning lay in showcasing each village's next generation. The stronger Konoha looked, the more hesitant the other villages would be to act rashly.

That made this exam critical.

"Clan Head, I will give it my all and bring glory to the Uchiha!"

"No—do it for the village!"

...

In the Anbu headquarters...

Kyoichi received another wave of feedback.

It was just Lightning Release proficiency, but it still proved quite useful.

But...

Where did this reward come from?

Lightning Release...

Uchiha?

Shisui's on fire!

Looked like he didn't even need to bother with Fire Release now—Shisui would end up generating rewards all on his own.

Wonderful!

Kyoichi grinned inwardly.

With a student like this...

What more could he ask for?

"Kyoichi, let me say this again—my grandfather's cells are extremely dangerous. And I'm not warning you just because of family ties," Tsunade said gravely.

"I understand, Tsunade-nee. That's why I need you here to supervise. If things go out of control, I'll need your help."

"...Alright."

Kyoichi then released the seal and extracted a small sample.

Tsunade immediately resealed the rest.

In his other hand, he held a fish.

After removing the sample, Kyoichi placed the Hashirama cell sample into a wound on the fish. In the next instant, the wound closed rapidly—more than that...

The fish's chakra surged. Its body quickly began to take on a woody texture. Buds sprouted from its body, and within seconds, a tiny tree grew from its flesh.

The fish's vitality was completely spent.

He had seen it once in the anime, but witnessing it firsthand was something else entirely.

Human cells could live this long? freeweɓnovel.cѳm

No wonder this was a monstrous fusion of Sage Body, Asura Chakra, and Wood Release.

Kyoichi was silently awed.

Then, he took a deep breath and focused, attempting to extract the power of Wood Release. As soon as he touched it, he noticed—

Originally, the sapling didn't absorb chakra.

But now that he began to absorb it, it reacted—and started absorbing chakra back!

Had he just awakened the Wood Release's natural instincts?

"How is it? Should I seal it?"

"Wait, let me try!"

Gritting his teeth, Kyoichi fought back with chakra control, forcibly pulling a small amount of Wood Release chakra from the sapling.

After a drawn-out struggle, he finally succeeded in collecting a faint cluster of chakra.

But...

He didn't dare continue.

The fish's life force had been too weak—the cells couldn't generate much Wood Release chakra. If he pushed further...

What if he accidentally triggered Asura's chakra?

Inviting a god is easy; sending one away is hard.

With something like this, there was no telling whether the Sage of Six Paths had left behind any hidden traps. There was no way he was going to let it enter his own body. And as far as research went, the amount of Wood Release chakra he had just obtained was more than sufficient.

"Nee-chan, seal it!"

"Got it!"

With a single punch, Tsunade shattered the branch that had been entwined with Kyoichi's chakra. She immediately threw down a pre-prepared scroll, using it in tandem with a sealing technique to swiftly lock away the sapling.

"The First Hokage's stuff really is terrifying."

The necklace was eerie enough.

But his cells? Even more bizarre!

"Hm?"

Tsunade shot him a look.

Kyoichi quickly corrected himself, "I mean, the First Hokage's cells are terrifying. Just now, I tried to absorb some of the chakra, and it seemed to trigger its instinct to absorb chakra in return. It took everything I had just to tear out a small portion."

"You actually managed to absorb it? Are you alright?"

Tsunade's expression turned serious.

What if her grandfather's chakra also had corrosive properties?

"Don't worry. The chakra doesn't carry any life force—it's harmless. And with this sample for analysis, our research on Wood Release will progress much faster."

A smile spread across Kyoichi's face.

With prior experience analyzing fusion chakra natures like Lava Release and Ice Release, and now a direct sample of Wood Release chakra in hand, reverse-engineering the process would be far easier.

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