Naruto: Did i Just Get Reincarnated as Gojo?

"Ah, the Two-Tails Jinchūriki..."

With the Konoha-Iwagakure Tailed Beast Crisis successfully resolved, Fugaku Uchiha, utterly exhausted from overusing his Mangekyō Sharingan, shifted his gaze to the unconscious Yugito Nii lying on the ground.

He pondered how to deal with her.

Firstly, killing her was out of the question. As a high-ranking member of Konohagakure and with the knowledge passed down within the Uchiha clan, Fugaku knew that if a Jinchūriki were killed, the Tailed Beast inside would "die" along with them.

Being a mass of chakra, the Tailed Beast would separate from the Jinchūriki's body and eventually reincarnate somewhere else, only to be captured and sealed again by other shinobi.

For Konoha, this would bring no benefits—only the unnecessary hatred of Kumogakure.

Should he take her back to Konoha?

Although the Tsuchikage's words earlier were somewhat exaggerated, there was truth in them. The capture of a Jinchūriki, coupled with the fact that the Kumogakure garrison commander was likely a descendant of their high-ranking officials, could greatly provoke those brutes from Kumogakure, possibly inciting them to recklessly launch an attack on Konoha.

That would only benefit Iwagakure, who were watching from the sidelines.

In the grand game between great villages, allowing a third party to reap the benefits was unacceptable.

Engaging in war with another major village could lead to unpredictable consequences. Unless they refrained from direct involvement and waged a proxy war—which, from the perspective of major village game theory, was somewhat acceptable.

But now, Kusa no Kuni's western proxy, Kusagakure, had been destroyed by Konoha and Iwagakure working together. What extreme actions Kumogakure might take were unknown.

If they brought the Two-Tails Jinchūriki back to the village, Konoha would have to be prepared to drag the entire ninja world into conflict.

The situation in the ninja world was intricate and complex.

After much thought, Fugaku felt a headache coming on.

"If only Advisor Gojo were here..."

That way, he wouldn't have to ponder these far-reaching, interconnected matters.

The more critical the moment, the more Fugaku admired Advisor Gojo.

That's what strategists in the village's rear are for.

Frontline shinobi only need to devote themselves to the battlefield, follow orders, fight bravely, the commanders unleash Susanoo, and the rank-and-file unleash their jutsu. But strategists in the rear have to consider many things.

As Fugaku was deep in thought,

The sounds of battle faded.

More and more ordinary villagers of Kusagakure peeked out, their eyes timidly watching the shinobi lingering outside.

They looked at the Iwagakure shinobi with fear but gazed at the Konoha shinobi with joy.

Some villagers even noticed the bleeding wounds of Konoha shinobi and proactively brought out bundles of bandages from their homes to offer to them.

They welcomed the arrival of Konoha shinobi with open arms. Raggedly dressed villagers wept tears of joy, shouting that with the Konoha shinobi here, justice had arrived.

This made the Konoha Blitz unit feel quite embarrassed.

In ninja wars, it is the shinobi who die, the villagers who suffer, and the village leaders who profit.

Before the war, village elders provide shuriken, kunai, and explosive tags; wealthy families offer food and money; the poor offer their children! After the war, the elders shake hands and make peace; the wealthy families earn enormous profits; and the mothers of the poor bury their children in tears.

It was evident that the elites of Kusagakure didn't treat the poor villagers well. They had also lost the ideological battle thoroughly.

So much so that when their own village was invaded, the lower-class villagers didn't show any resentment or provide opportunities for the Kusagakure shinobi to engage in guerrilla warfare. Instead, they proactively helped Konoha, who were, in essence, invaders to Kusagakure.

Just by listening slightly, Fugaku roughly understood the situation in Kusagakure.

The batch of Kusagakure elders and shinobi they had eliminated belonged to the pro-Kumogakure faction.

Their composition... mostly consisted of the old money and wealthy households of Kusagakure, becoming the biggest parasites sucking the village dry.

Their closeness to Kumogakure was simple—they provided them with the most direct benefits, aligning perfectly with their demands. Thus, they dragged Kusagakure, which always played the geographical advantage, over to Kumogakure.

That's how neutral villages are.

Once they abandon the prefix "neutral," it's equivalent to giving up their geographical advantages and getting entangled in the complex vortex of the ninja world, facing the risk of annihilation at any moment.

"Fugaku-sama, we've brought Uzumaki Momohime."

Hearing this, Fugaku turned his head to see Uzumaki Momohime with her signature red hair, her arms covered in bite marks. Supported by a Kunoichi from Konoha, she walked towards him.

'Red hair...'

For some reason, a faint sense of guilt rose in Fugaku's heart.

Konohagakure and Uzushiogakure maintained a deep friendship and bond. If alliances in the ninja world were to be ranked, Konoha and Uzushio would undoubtedly be the highest level.

Even now, the backs of Konoha's jōnin uniforms are emblazoned with the Uzumaki clan symbol.

No "Non-Aggression Pact" was needed to prove it; the relationship between the two villages was as close as sharing the same umbrella.

But due to other nations and clans fearing the Uzumaki clan's sealing techniques, many countries and clans launched attacks on the Land of Whirlpools, leading to its destruction. The surviving clan members went into hiding, scattering across the world.

That year, Fugaku was ten years old.

Even at ten, he understood that between brother villages, when one is in trouble, the other should do everything possible to help.

But Fugaku vividly remembered that on the night the Land of Whirlpools was destroyed, Konoha did nothing—only increasing village patrols to ensure the enemy wouldn't attack their own village.

Before the outbreak of the Second Shinobi World War, Konoha was undoubtedly the strongest village in the ninja world, with advantages over other villages even greater than the current Konoha.

Yet, at that time, Konoha didn't provide any assistance to its brother nation.

No matter how one tries to justify it, whether it was to preserve Konoha's strength in the turbulent ninja world or for other considerations...

It was inexcusable!

A disgrace for all to see!

Perhaps because of this, a seed of distrust was planted in young Fugaku's heart. If they could so easily abandon their brother village—the homeland of the First Hokage's wife—then what position should the Uchiha clan, which already had estrangements with the village, take?

Back to the present.

Looking at Uzumaki Momohime, Fugaku couldn't help but recall the last line from the essay "Stealing Military Rations Pills Not for Hunger" that Advisor Gojo had written for the Uchiha clan:

"The Police Chief muttered to himself, 'If a man commits a crime for money, he is guilty; if a man commits a crime for military ration pills, the village is guilty; if a man commits a crime for dignity, everyone in the village is guilty.'"

At that moment, just like now.

Fate—it seems like a circle...

"So, I did say those words. But it wasn't the past me; it was the future me."

Fugaku murmured, "This village is guilty; everyone in the village is guilty!"

Yes, everyone is guilty! On that night, all who had the ability but didn't speak up for the Land of Whirlpools are guilty!

Perhaps this is the true meaning behind Advisor Gojo's essay "Military Rations Pills." It's just that at that time, he didn't have a high enough position in the village to mention such sensitive events.

But now, now it's different!

With the complete downfall of the Third Hokage, and Danzo Shimura dismissed and under investigation, this previously untouchable topic was brought into the light by Advisor Gojo, exposed to the Will of Fire.

"So that's why he specifically ordered us to rescue Uzumaki Momohime... This disgrace that the world has almost forgotten was remembered by Advisor Gojo..."

"Essentially, he wants to use Uzumaki Momohime as proof of Konoha's political renewal, declaring to the entire ninja world: 'Ninja world, your overlord has returned; the Konoha of its most prosperous era has returned!'"

Konoha's strength had been continuously weakened during the Third Shinobi World War, and its status as overlord was shaky. Secretly harboring terrifying sealing techniques is one thing, but openly possessing them would have completely different implications.

Undoubtedly, this would stir up deep-seated fears in other villages, possibly sparking another war of annihilation.

Yet, Gojo Kaigetsu still chose to bring this matter to the forefront, clearly intending to use the "Rescue Uzumaki Momohime" incident to convey two messages to the ninja world:

*"We in Konoha are ready once again to face the entire ninja world with the strength of one village!"*

*"The weak policies of the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, are being completely abolished. From now on, Konoha wields dominating power!"*

"Advisor Gojo, was even this within your calculations?"

"Using the ninja world as a chessboard, with all shinobi as pieces, maneuvering skillfully, playing with the ninja world... Just how many steps ahead have you planned?"

"Advisor Gojo, do you love Konohagakure that much?!"

From that time, Gojo Kaigetsu had already foreseen this moment, remembering the sins Konoha bore.

As one who considered himself among those who understood Gojo Kaigetsu best, Fugaku was moved to tears, deeply shaken by Gojo's schemes.

"This is love... true love... loving a village unreservedly, defying fate for its sake!"

Deeply moved by the great love displayed by Gojo Kaigetsu, Fugaku seemed to have a new understanding of what love is. Stimulated by this, the tomoe in his eyes slowly distorted...

Grasping the "great love" given by Gojo Kaigetsu, he instantly refined it, and then—

"Visual Power, Explode!!!"

Fugaku could clearly feel that his ocular power, which had already reached its limit, was still increasing, breaking through his own shackles.

The visual power consumed by repeatedly activating Susanoo in the previous battle was rapidly replenished, and his vision returned to 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray mode!

In the distance, Ōnoki, who was commanding Iwagakure shinobi to rest and loot the spoils, sensed something and turned his head to look in Fugaku's direction, feeling a sudden pang of fear.

His large nose twitched as he muttered, "I knew it... The Uchiha clan are unreasonable madmen... Good thing I didn't make a move earlier."

"Ko-Konoha shinobi-sama..."

Uzumaki Momohime said timidly.

Seeing the Konoha Uchiha shinobi before her suddenly start shedding tears like a madman, Momohime felt a bit scared.

She didn't know what kind of twisted fate awaited her.

After all, Konoha had abandoned Uzushiogakure, trampling the sincere brotherhood and trust between them into the ground... There was no reason for them to pick it back up again; everyone has moments when they find things too dirty to touch.

'Perhaps they'll kill me here to eliminate evidence of Uzushiogakure's existence.'

Momohime thought pessimistically. Ending her hellish life like this might not be a bad choice.

The ninja world is hell...

But she wasn't alone; she still had Karin to take care of. To her, the ninja world was hell, but to the baby Uzumaki Karin, it was a world yet to be known.

N-No, not just Karin; there's also this good person lying on the ground... Momohime looked at the unconscious Yugito Nii, who had become a prisoner.

Although they had only spoken briefly, she could tell that the blonde woman was a good person.

Summoning her courage, Momohime stood in front of the Tailed Beast Jinchūriki with her mortal body, pleading, "Sir, if you must kill someone, please kill me instead."

"If possible... I beg you to spare Lady Yugito. She's a good person. And my child... she's innocent."

Fugaku Uchiha: ?

It seemed they were thinking in completely opposite directions.

'What a humble plea... She's even given up hope of living. Konoha owes the Uzumaki survivors too much.'

'Konoha's debt to the Uzumaki is like Gojo's kindness to the Uchiha—it can't be repaid in a lifetime.'

After a moment of silence, Fugaku asked, "You're barely able to protect yourself, yet you still want to protect someone unrelated to you?"

"I only know that Lady Yugito is a good person. The ancestral teachings of the Uzumaki clan tell me... good people shouldn't have kunai pointed at them."

Momohime said earnestly. When a person breaks through the barrier of fear and musters courage, all that's left is to speak their mind without reservation.

"Good people shouldn't have kunai pointed at them..." Fugaku chuckled, but the smile on his blood-stained face looked a bit eerie.

He glanced around and saw his subordinates holding kunai, eyes fixed on Yugito Nii to prevent her from rampaging. He said, "You all heard that? Good people shouldn't have kunai pointed at them. Put your kunai away!"

"Yes, Fugaku-sama!"

Fugaku made up his mind.

The current Konoha was no longer the heavy and weak Konoha of the past; it was a vibrant Konoha under Advisor Gojo's leadership. He didn't need to be as cautious as before, weighing pros and cons for the greater good of the clan...

Even an unarmed Uzumaki survivor, her life completely exposed under the kunai, could muster the courage to speak up—so why couldn't he, Fugaku Uchiha?

He possessed the ninja world's strongest kekkei genkai, wielded the ultimate dōjutsu, the Mangekyō Sharingan—why couldn't he muster courage!

Even if bringing Yugito Nii back to the village might provoke Kumogakure's reckless retaliation, so what? In Advisor Gojo's plans, Konoha was meant to take on the entire ninja world, not just Kumogakure!

Vision!

Scale!

Fugaku proudly straightened his chest and said calmly to Momohime, "Rest assured, we Konoha shinobi will not kill a ninja recognized as a good person by a member of the Uzumaki clan. Since you say she's a good person... we will bring her back to Konohagakure, along with you and your child."

"Bring... back to Konohagakure?"

Momohime breathed a sigh of relief. It seemed no one had to die; this was undoubtedly the best outcome. In this hellish ninja world, surviving was already the greatest luxury she could hope for.

But deep in her eyes, a hint of confusion emerged. Returning to Konoha... it was such an unfamiliar term.

As survivors of the Uzumaki clan, what status would they have upon returning to Konoha?

Living under someone else's roof was not easy. The Uzumaki clan's home was gone; to have them, now a destroyed clan, take refuge in the home of relatives who stood by and did nothing...

It's like two families of relatives fighting over inheritance. After the death of the adults and the inheritance is secured, they hypocritically take in the other family's children.

No matter what the intentions are later on, it leaves an unrepairable scar in both parties' hearts.

'Life in Konoha in the future probably won't be easy. But surviving is already the greatest happiness; there's nothing more to hope for.'

Fugaku's Sharingan seemed to see through people's hearts. At this moment, as if possessed by the Great Loving Ninja Gojo Kaigetsu, he gave his assurance:

"The regime of the Third Hokage, which stood by and did nothing for the Land of Whirlpools, is now entirely a part of history. The current Konoha is under the governance of the Fourth Hokage. I assure you, the Uzumaki clan will receive the highest honor in Konoha to atone for the sins Konoha bears."

"You will live the best life in Konoha! I swear it in the name of the Uchiha!"

Fugaku's face was solemn.

Swearing in the name of his clan was the most reassuring promise he could give. In a way, it was more credible than a black-and-white "Non-Aggression Pact."

"M-My lord, you mustn't!"

Momohime was startled, nearly bursting into tears—not from being moved.

Having been betrayed before, how could the Uzumaki survivors trust Konoha again? If Konoha were to betray them once more... would the Uchiha, who swore in the name of their clan, let them go?

"Hoo..."

Fugaku waved his hand, signaling his subordinates to bring forward the captured Kumogakure garrison commander and the remaining five Kusagakure elders, who looked uneasy.

Noticing the bite marks on Momohime's arms, Fugaku coldly asked, "Lady Momohime, did any of them bite you?"

"Eh...? L-Lady?"

The honorific startled Momohime. She timidly glanced at the fierce-looking Eguchi and the Kusagakure elder wearing a dog mask.

"This is the promise I make on behalf of Konoha to the Uzumaki survivors: The Uzumaki clan will receive the highest honor in Konoha. Those who have harmed the Uzumaki clan will be eradicated from this world without exception."

Fugaku drew his kunai once more.

"Please feel free to identify them."

"Yes..."

Summoning her courage once again, Momohime raised her hand and shakily pointed at those who had bitten her, "Him... and him."

"Very well!"

Fugaku nodded in satisfaction.

Daring to step forward and identify the culprits—the initial trust was established. This was probably the limit of what Fugaku could achieve. How to repair relations with the Uzumaki clan in the future would depend entirely on Advisor Gojo!

Fugaku turned his head, looking at the Kusagakure elders who had all taken a step back, isolating the elder wearing the dog mask.

"You should be grateful that you haven't harmed members of the Uzumaki clan, or else the entire leadership of Kusagakure would be wiped out."

"As for you... and you..."

Sensing the icy killing intent in Fugaku's eyes, Eguchi, a noble of Kumogakure, finally felt fear. He had thought that given his status, unless the Konoha shinobi were utterly insane, they would spare his life to exchange for greater benefits with Kumogakure.

Who would have thought... the Uchiha shinobi are complete madmen!

This leader actually intended to kill someone as esteemed as him for an Uzumaki survivor?!

Afraid that Fugaku didn't know his value, Eguchi shouted, "Are you crazy, Konoha shinobi? Do you know who I am?"

"My grandfather is the Great Elder of Kumogakure! If you kill me, be prepared to face unending revenge from all of Kumogakure!"

Fugaku sneered, unmoved. Pointing toward the Iwagakure camp in the distance, he said, "Iwagakure killed your Third Raikage, yet we haven't seen your Fourth Raikage launch unending revenge."

"Are you saying your status is even higher than the Third Raikage's?"

How could this be compared?

Even his grandfather's status wasn't higher than the Third Raikage, but hadn't the village's political climate changed? The Great Elder had upgraded from an ordinary elder to the regent elder—the weight of that position was evident.

In Kumogakure, Eguchi was among the small group who enjoyed endless wealth and prosperity, regardless of policy changes.

But is this something he could say? If the Raikage found out, he'd skin him alive.

"Of course not..." Eguchi denied vehemently.

Fugaku continued, "Then you're saying we in Konoha are inferior to Iwagakure?"

"That's... not what I meant. Konohagakure has always been the strongest in the ninja world; that's common knowledge among us Kumogakure shinobi, not to mention those Iwa bumpkins." In internal discussions, Eguchi always claimed Kumogakure was the best and greatest village, but now, to save his life, he couldn't care less about pride.

As long as he could flatter this Uchiha madman and survive!

"Since your status isn't higher than the Third Raikage, and Konoha is stronger than Iwagakure, why can't I kill you?" Fugaku looked puzzled, like a curious student.

"Ah...? You... I..."

Realizing he was being played, Eguchi became tongue-tied. But in his sight, the approaching kunai showed no sign of stopping.

Finally, his eyes filled with terror and unwillingness as his head fell heavily to the ground. It rolled a few times on the ground, bumping into the head of the Kusagakure elder wearing the dog mask.

Fugaku wiped the blood off his kunai. Changing from his cold demeanor during the killing, he showed a gentle smile to Momohime:

"This is the attitude our Konohagakure will have toward the ninja world in the future."

"Welcome home, friend of the Uzumaki clan."

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