Hatake Tatsuya in Naruto

Uchiha Itachi had enrolled in the academy, but any hope of living like the Uchiha genius who thinks like a Hokage was far from reality. The pressures and suspicions surrounding his clan made such a life impossible.

For now, he would be content if he wasn't seen as a monster.

Although Tsunade ordered that the news about the Sharingan appearing in the Nine Tails' eyes that night be completely sealed, too many Shinobi and Civilians had already seen it. It was impossible to hide. The Uchiha clan had, for the most part, become synonymous with the word "evil."

In the original timeline, the Uchiha conflict after the Nine-Tails incident was primarily with Konoha's high-ranking officials. But now, the problem lay with the Uchiha clan and the other residents of Konoha. Changing one's image is often the most difficult problem to deal with.

After all, there are only a handful of high-level officials. As unpleasant as it may sound, eliminating them would resolve about 80% of the issue. But dealing with the masses? They number in the thousands. You can't simply kill them all to solve the problem.

...

...

"If we can elect a Hokage that both Konoha and the Uchiha can recognize, that would be ideal," suggested Rin, who works as a secretary in Tsunade's office, sharing her worries.

With Uchiha Madara's plan to corrupt Obito already accomplished, there was no longer any need to target Rin. She no longer had to cling to Tatsuya's protection, as she once did. Additionally, the presence of three new secretaries—once referred to as "little vixens"—had significantly eased the burden on Tsunade's shoulders. At least now, it wasn't like before, when Tsunade would shout, "I'm done with this damn paperwork! If anyone wants to be Hokage, they can have it!"

Tsunade's eyes narrowed as she considered Rin's suggestion. While the idea seemed practical and straightforward, the reality of implementing it was far more complex. It reminded her of Sarutobi's idea about abandoning traditional Shinobi clans—so many people express a desire for change, but how many follow through?

First of all, any Hokage the Uchiha would approve of must come from the Uchiha clan itself. No ninja from a different clan or a civilian background would be acceptable. And with Uchiha Fugaku no longer a viable candidate, it was unlikely anyone of his age could rise to the challenge.

The only option is to look to the next generation. Uchiha Shisui? Or Uchiha Itachi? One is 11 years old, the other just 6. Even if they prove to have the necessary qualifications in the future, how long would we have to wait—ten, maybe twenty years?

At this point, it's clear that the Uchiha clan is out of the running for the Fifth Hokage. They might have a chance when the Sixth Hokage is elected, but can the Uchiha endure until then?

The thought of this problem alone is enough to irritate Tsunade. She sighed inwardly—fine, she'd take care of things for a while longer. When the time is right, she'll find a way to step down. Managing this mess wasn't something she wanted to deal with indefinitely.

As for revealing that the masked man was Uchiha Obito, Tsunade hadn't seriously considered it. Even after weighing the options repeatedly, it just didn't feel right. The source of this information was Tatsuya's own "feeling," and who knew if he was even correct? Worse yet, Obito was already dead in the eyes of the public.

Revealing this now could make things worse. Even if it might help temporarily clear the Uchiha clan's name, the villagers might accuse her of using a dead man to shift blame. Instead of solving the problem, she'd only end up making herself a target, distrusted by everyone.

For now, Tsunade could only take things one step at a time.

...

...

No one knew. Less than three months after the Nine-Tails incident in Konoha, the leadership of Rain Shinobi Village had changed hands. Because of the village's isolationist policies, none of the other ninja nations were aware of this. Everyone still believed that the leader of Rain Village was Hanzō of the Salamander.

Hanzō once nicknamed the "Demi-God," had been defeated by another man who now called himself "God."

"You are no demigod," Pain declared, his voice echoing with unyielding certainty. "I am the true God!"

"Is that the power of the Rinnegan? It's incredible," Obito muttered as he stood by the doorframe at the entrance to the highest tower in Rain Shinobi Village. He squinted at the frail Nagato and Konan, who were conversing nearby. Obito had witnessed the battle between Six Paths Pain and Hanzō firsthand. For the first time, he had seen the power of the same eyes as the Sage of Six Paths.

But Obito wasn't afraid. His Kamui was just as overpowered, if not more. Besides, now he had both of his eyes back. He didn't need Danzo's scheming to manipulate things. It had been easy enough to provoke a rift between Hanzō and Yahiko. Hanzō was naturally suspicious—a perfect pawn for Obito's plans.

Black Zetsu reported to Obito, "The situation with the Uchiha clan is becoming very dangerous."

Obito chuckled inwardly, finding Hanzō's gullibility amusing. Despite his amusement, a more pressing concern lingered in his mind. "Indeed," Obito mused. "The situation of the Uchiha clan is precarious."

At that moment, a tendril emerged from the wall—a familiar sight as White Zetsu's left half appeared, now joined by the dark form of Black Zetsu on the right.

"It doesn't matter what this world is like," Obito remarked dismissively. "Only the world of the Moon's Eye is truly perfect."

Obito snorted, sounding eerily like Uchiha Madara. He was fully aware of the trouble he had caused the Uchiha clan by controlling the Nine-Tails to attack Konoha, but none of it mattered to him. Villages, companions, family—everything in this world was insignificant to him.

"Heh, it's good that you see it that way," Black Zetsu grinned with an unsettling smile. It hadn't been for nothing that he had personally infiltrated Hatake Tatsuya's home to administer the drug. If he'd been caught, it would have cost him his life.

"When can we start capturing the tailed beasts and begin the Tsuki no Me plan?" Obito asked, a hint of impatience in his voice. The memories of that night still haunted him, and he wanted to rid himself of this filthy world as soon as possible.

"Don't worry, Obito," Black Zetsu reassured him. "The first thing you need to do is gather more companions and expand Akatsuki's organization."

Black Zetsu chimed in with his raspy voice, "Those tailed beasts are the ultimate weapons of the major ninja villages. With our current numbers, we aren't ready. And if we delay too long, it will likely draw unwanted attention. The best strategy is to gather ten core members and strike collectively at the right time. Before any of the villages can react, we'll capture all nine-tailed beasts."

Though Obito had fallen into darkness, his mind was now sharper than ever. Upon hearing Black Zetsu's report, he managed to compose himself and asked with a hint of curiosity, "Have any candidates been selected?"

"Kakuzu, a rogue ninja from Takigakure, who can do anything for money. Sasori, the true murderer of the Third Kazekage. And... Orochimaru, one of the legendary Sannin."

When White Zetsu mentioned that last name, Obito's expression suddenly changed, a dark cloud passing over his face.

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