Naruto: I am Uchiha Shirou-Chapter 201: Naruto: I am Uchiha Shirou []

The full moon hung high in the night sky. Inside a tavern in Konoha, there were both ninjas from prominent clans and ordinary ninjas, gathered in groups of two or three with their companions.

Perhaps they were here to gather useful intelligence, or maybe just to vent the frustrations in their hearts—after all, no one understood the horrors of war better than ninja.

At every table, two or three ninjas were drinking together. At one corner table, a figure suddenly sat down. Sarutobi Asuma didn't even raise his head and immediately spoke in a hoarse voice to refuse.

"This seat is taken."

"Is that so? But there are no other seats available tonight. Shisui and I can only sit here."

A familiar voice rang out. Sarutobi Asuma lifted his head, and what greeted his eyes was the masked face of Hatake Kakashi. Next to him stood Uchiha Shisui, whose face was filled with apology.

"Asuma-senpai, we've been ordered to be here. Sorry for the intrusion."

Faced with Shisui's apology, Sarutobi Asuma's eyes lingered only on Kakashi. At that moment, seeing Kakashi's calm demeanor, Asuma felt only shame in his heart.

"Kakashi, you're not allowed to drink!"

In the end, Asuma's hoarse voice revealed a sense of concern between classmates. Thus, Hatake Kakashi sat across from him, while Shisui, surrounded by the strong smell of alcohol and smoke, was left speechless.

Asuma seemed about the same age as Kakashi—only eight years old! Of course, in two months, he'd be nine.

"Too noisy."

Drinking his wine sullenly, Asuma couldn't help but frown. The usually peaceful tavern was noticeably chaotic tonight, leaving him somewhat dissatisfied.

However, Kakashi, seated across from him, calmly observed the program on the tavern stage and shook his head.

"You should pay attention to what's happening on stage."

Hearing Kakashi's words, Sarutobi Asuma raised his head and glanced at the stage. Two ninja were arguing heatedly, their faces red with anger. He sneered disdainfully.

"Listening to these idiots whitewash certain people? Claiming that the war wasn't started by us? Or hearing them boast about the contributions of a bunch of old folks to Konoha?"

Under Asuma's mocking gaze, Shisui also raised his head and noticed the argument on the stage.

One of the participants was a scarred, ordinary Konoha chunin. His face was flushed, and he excitedly waved his arms as he spoke.

"Have you all forgotten the contributions of the Third Hokage to the village? Twenty whole years of peace—we've all enjoyed those peaceful years, and our generation has grown up because of it..."

On the other side, a middle-aged ninja with a red nose and a limp slammed the table in anger, shouting:

"Unno Irubi, you don't know anything! The first half of the 20-year-long First Shinobi World War was won under the leadership of the Second Hokage. When the Third took over, what was he busy with every day?

He was building his organization! His Anbu! Consolidating his power! The wars we fought were won by the blood of the Senju, Uchiha, and Hyuga clans, along with us common ninja!"

Unno Irubi—this man, the uncle of the future Iruka—had eyes filled with anger. He was a fanatical devotee of the Third Hokage. Pointing at the other man, he angrily retorted:

"All I know is that I've lived under the governance of the Third Hokage. The things you're saying are just the same old nonsense..."

"Shut up, you ignorant fool! The so-called Third Hokage you praise is nothing but a megalomaniac! An ambitious coward who starts wars but cannot end them!"

The red-nosed, limping ninja's eyes glistened with angry tears as he fiercely argued:

"Who caused this war? The Sunagakure Collapse Plan enraged the Sand Ninja, who are now launching an assault on the Land of Fire! The Kumogakure Collapse Plan enraged the entire ninja world—now, the four great villages have declared war on Konoha.

And this strongest Hokage you speak of, the Third—why is he hiding in the village? Why isn't he on the frontlines to repel the enemy?!"

On the second floor, in an elegant private room that overlooked the stage, Shirou couldn't help but show a curious expression.

Mikoto, sitting beside him, understood his thoughts without him saying anything. She softly explained before he could even ask:

"That limping chunin is named Mimura. His son was an excellent special jonin, but he was decapitated by the Third Raikage during the Kumogakure Collapse Plan. His head was all that was brought back..."

Hearing this explanation, Shirou suddenly understood. No wonder the man's gaze was filled with anger and hatred.

The families of fallen ninjas could accept the sacrifices that came with being a ninja. However, they couldn't accept that their sons, parents, or loved ones had died as tools for an ambitious leader who started wars but stayed safely in the village.

This made them believe that their loved ones had been sacrificed for the selfish ambitions of others.

It wasn't just this tavern. With the outbreak of war and the rapid decline of the Third Hokage's reputation, more and more people were speaking out in public places about the Third's supposed contributions to the village, clearly in an attempt to salvage his reputation.

It was obvious that this was a whitewashing campaign orchestrated by the Hokage's upper echelon. Tonight, Unno Irubi had simply run into a particularly difficult opponent—a man who had lost his son.

Just as Irubi's face turned red with frustration, his eyes suddenly locked onto a figure standing high above on the second floor. His expression instantly turned to anger.

The Uchiha! Konoha's greatest scourge!

"Uchiha Shirou, the famous genius jonin of Konoha! You even severed the Third Raikage's arm during the Kumogakure Collapse Plan. Why didn't you risk your life to kill him back then for the sake of the village?!

If the Third Hokage made a mistake in this war, then you carry the greatest responsibility!"

Grasping at straws, the enraged Irubi had found a new target to shift the narrative.

He knew the Uchiha all too well. This arrogant clan, always looking down on everyone, only relied on brute strength. Even if he got locked up for a few days, it wouldn't matter!

But in the tavern, countless ninjas were shocked when they saw Irubi loudly accusing Uchiha Shirou.

On the high platform of the second floor, Uchiha Shirou revealed a contemptuous smile. To be provoked by an ant—was this ignorance or arrogance?

Beside him, Mikoto showed an expression of disgust and coldly spoke:

"Unno Irubi, recently promoted to chunin only two months ago. His abilities are barely adequate. He frequently appears in public places and incites conflict. He harbors a strong dislike for the Uchiha and has repeatedly shifted blame and stirred trouble for the Police Force..."

Mikoto's words carried no hesitation. Her cold voice echoed throughout the tavern, causing many ninjas to frown.

Information was a ninja's priority. Anyone could verify this information with a little effort.

Yet, upon hearing his background revealed, Irubi wasn't angry. Instead, he became even more furious.

"Why should the Uchiha enjoy the most prosperous districts?! Why should we commoners have to bleed for your great clans? You had the power to kill the Raikage..."

Irubi's demeanor caused many ninjas in the tavern to frown. Recently, an increasing number of fanatical chunin and genin had been attempting to whitewash the Third Hokage.

At first, people didn't think much of it. But as it became more frequent and blatant, it only made them resent the Third Hokage's actions even more.

However, faced with this ant's clamor, a sudden flash of white light appeared—a short blade was already pressed against Irubi's neck. The atmosphere in the tavern immediately turned tense.

A conflict like this breaking out in the village was no small matter.

"Go ahead, kill me! Do you dare?!"

Despite the blade at his neck, Irubi only grew more excited, shouting. Who would dare act in front of so many people?

"Kakashi..."

Shirou, who had initially ignored the ant's antics, suddenly exuded an imposing aura as he noticed Kakashi holding the short blade.

Below, Kakashi's cold eyes were locked on Irubi. Filled with disgust, Kakashi coldly said:

"You people who spread baseless rumors should be taken away by the Root!"

Seeing people like this reminded Kakashi of his father—driven to his death by the same type of mob.

Irubi, however, didn't back down. Instead, he touched his neck and pointed at the Uchiha in front of everyone.

The source of this c𝐨ntent is freeweɓnovēl.coɱ.

"It's you, high-and-mighty clans, that, to preserve your strength and out of cowardice, let the Raikage escape. That's why we're in this war now..."

Just as his ridiculous accusations grew more outrageous, a series of crisp claps interrupted him. The sound caught everyone's attention, and they turned to look.

Standing on the second floor, Shirou slowly descended the stairs, clapping his hands with a mocking smile on his face.

"What a spectacular performance by a clown."

Shirou slowly approached the stage. His black eyes swept over everyone present. Tonight, the tavern was unusually packed with shinobi. Then, his calm and steady voice resounded.

"I don't know when it started, but there has been a certain rumor in the village—claiming that the great clans are squeezing out the ordinary shinobi, taking away their space to survive, and enjoying the fruits of the victory won with the blood and sacrifices of civilian shinobi. I believe everyone here has heard of it..."

People often say that a person's voice is their second face.

And Shirou's voice was nothing short of a gift from the heavens. Combined with a touch of training and technique, it was magnetic and carried a unique distinctiveness that was impossible to ignore.

Even on the second floor, Mikoto, though having heard this voice many times before, couldn't help but close her eyes and reveal an expression of enjoyment, as if she were basking in a piece of exquisite art.

At this moment, Shirou slowly turned around, extending his hand to point toward Irubi, who had been stirring the pot. With a calm and clear tone, he teased:

"Take, for example, this Chūnin Irubi. With that hostile gaze of his... And I believe there are others seated here who have entertained similar thoughts. Well, what I want to say is..."

At this point, Shirou's voice paused, immediately drawing everyone's attention toward him. He cast his gaze over the crowd and revealed a mocking smile.

"The most basic intelligence for a shinobi... If any of you took even a moment to seriously investigate the shinobi of our clans, you would discover something. The Senju, the Uchiha, and the Aburame—families that some people with grievances accuse of being unfair.

Their children, upon becoming Genin, regularly take on missions of the highest danger. And during times of war, do you know how many of them went to the battlefield? I can tell you responsibly: every single Uchiha Genin has been sent to the battlefield to hone themselves!"

His voice grew firmer as he reached the final sentence, his expression becoming increasingly solemn.

"The Senju clan! Once the largest shinobi clan in the world, with over one hundred Jōnin. After the wars, they were reduced to fewer than ten!"

"And yet, this Chūnin Iruka here, along with countless others who have no idea where their rumors come from, dare to slander their fellow shinobi of the same village. But not one of them is willing to take even a small action—such as gathering basic intelligence—about the past decades!"

"Who built Konoha? It was the Uchiha and the Senju, together with the other great clans! The resources that make some people green with envy? They are the fruits of our families' efforts!"

At this point, his voice grew louder and more impassioned, his anger boiling over as he pointed furiously at Irubi.

"The resources of Konoha were won by all of us! And before that? They were resources that we, the great clans, gave up for the sake of the village! Yet now some ungrateful traitors dare to question us—question our comrades!"

"You! You! And you!" He pointed at several shinobi in the tavern, raising his voice to a thunderous level.

"Tell me: during the wars, your parents! Your children! And you yourselves! Who among you has not been to the battlefield? Now go and ask the clan shinobi bearing their family crest—how many of them have stayed off the battlefield? The family crests are not symbols of privilege, as some claim, but symbols of the honor we have earned through bloodshed to protect this village! Just like Konoha's forehead protectors!"

As Shirou's impassioned and stirring words echoed throughout the tavern, countless shinobi were visibly moved. Some of the shinobi from the clans wore somber expressions.

Their families had given them many privileges, but the first thing they had been taught was always to protect the village.

"And now, there are even those shameless enough to question why we didn't take down the Third Raikage! Well, I want to ask you this: how did you even graduate from the Academy?"

Shirou's sharp accusation was directed at Irubi, but his gaze swept over the room, addressing everyone.

"We, hundreds of shinobi, fought with all our might to hold back the Raikage and over two thousand Kumo Shinobi! And now, someone here dares to question us? Then tell me: how would you, with seven hundred shinobi, half of whom were already exhausted, turn the tide of battle? How would you defeat an enemy who single-handedly defeated our Third Hokage and the head of Root?"

His furious voice reverberated through the tavern. Though his finger pointed directly at Irubi, everyone could see the anger burning in Shirou's eyes.

He wasn't just accusing Irubi—he was accusing those with ulterior motives and those who distorted the truth.

Under his relentless questioning, Irubi's face turned pale, his gaze filled with panic. Especially under the weight of countless eyes in the tavern, he couldn't help but feel fear creeping over him.

"I... you..." Irubi stammered, his mind blank.

In the past, when facing the Uchiha Police Force, he could simply yell at them and either drive them away in frustration or provoke them into taking action. Either way, he would emerge feeling triumphant, as though he'd scored a victory.

But now? Faced with this situation, he was utterly lost, unable to come up with a single retort.

"Umino Irubi! Then why don't you tell us—since your graduation—have you ever set foot on the battlefield?"

Shirou's thunderous voice shook the tavern, leaving Irubi's face ashen, devoid of any color. His eyes were filled with confusion and panic.

For a moment, countless shinobi in the tavern wore expressions of doubt and anger.