Read ahead of public release on P atreon at: p-atreon.com/Knockturn_Alley
Check out Chapter illustrations on Pixiv at unhinged_uchiha
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Inside the Hokage's office, Sarutobi Hiruzen sat in silence, puffing on his pipe with a sombre expression.
'Uchiha Kanzou is about to become the patriarch of the Uchiha Clan…'
This development was very alarming because a dangerous man like Kanzou held the reins of the Uchiha Clan in his hands.
"Uchiha Fugaku… he turned out to be even more useless than I expected," Hiruzen muttered.
He had originally assumed Fugaku wouldn't be able to match up to Kanzou and was even preparing to offer support. But in less than a day, Kanzou had already outmanoeuvred and expelled Fugaku from the clan.
Truthfully, Hiruzen believed that if Kanzou had any justification to kill Fugaku, he would have done it without hesitation, and Fugaku wouldn't have made it out of the Uchiha compound alive.
"Anichi," Hiruzen said, turning to the ANBU beside him, "go bring Uchiha Fugaku. Take him to my residence and keep him under guard for now."
Although Fugaku had been expelled from the Uchiha clan, he still held value. He couldn't be allowed to fall victim to an assassination by Kanzou.
Hiruzen knew Fugaku had to be protected.
He wasn't naïve enough to believe that Kanzou wouldn't dare assassinate him, even within the boundaries of Konoha.
Judging by Kanzou's previous actions, Hiruzen was well aware of how audacious and unscrupulous he could be.
Still, Kanzou's unscrupulousness might work in Hiruzen's favour.
"The more people he offends, the more enemies he'll make, and that could ultimately be good for Konoha."
While he was deep in thought, strategizing how to isolate the Uchiha and fully strip them of influence in Konoha's central power structure, the door to his office suddenly burst open.
He frowned, clearly displeased. "Don't you know how to knock?"
"Hiruzen, your temper's gotten worse. Is the Uchiha Clan giving you that much of a headache?" Danzō stepped inside.
"Danzō? What are you doing here?" Hiruzen's frown deepened.
Though Danzō was officially the Hokage's advisor, he usually remained buried within the Root organisation, rarely showing himself.
"I'm here to talk about Uchiha Kanzou," Danzō said bluntly. "That boy is a cancer, much more so than the rest of the Uchiha Clan. The Uchiha Clan itself has no place in Konoha. We need to eliminate them… especially this boy Uchiha Kanzou."
A dangerous glint flashed in Danzō's eyes.
The Root ninja he had sent to summon Kanzou had gone completely silent. Danzō was certain the operative hadn't betrayed him; something must have happened.
Someone had dared to act against him, and the fact that it was a Uchiha, the very clan he despised most, ignited a quiet, seething fury within him.
If the Uchiha clan had been any weaker, Danzō would have already led the Root organization to wipe them out. But relying solely on Root to take down the Uchiha would result in significant losses, even in victory. That's why Danzō had come to Hiruzen; he wanted the Hokage's support.
With the combined strength of Konoha's Anbu and Root, exterminating the Uchiha could be done… even if not the entire Clan, at least, Uchiha Kanzou and his top followers can be dealt with… which would make it easier to control and exploit the rest of the Uchiha Clan. Even eliminating them won't be an issue.
"Danzō, you're being too extreme. I won't allow it," Hiruzen replied firmly.
It wasn't out of mercy that he refused to move against the Uchiha; it was because he couldn't afford to. Launching an assault on the Uchiha would cause enormous damage to Konoha as well.
And once word of internal conflict spread through the spies hidden within the village, the other Villages would seize the opportunity to strike.
Moreover, such an attack would raise alarm among the other clans in Konoha. If the Uchiha could be wiped out, what would stop the same fate from befalling them?
"Hiruzen, don't be naïve. The Uchiha clan will be the death of this village; they're a ticking time bomb," Danzō said, glaring at Hiruzen with growing fury.
His dissatisfaction with Hiruzen had only deepened. The once-proud hero of the First Great Shinobi War had grown soft. In Danzō's eyes, Hiruzen no longer deserved the title of Hokage; he should have been Hokage all along.
Danzō, a fellow student of the Nidaime Hokage, Senju Tobirama, had never once considered himself inferior to Hiruzen.
"You clearly don't understand the consequences of moving against the Uchiha," Hiruzen warned coldly. "I won't authorise it. And I suggest your Root organization stay out of it, because if you don't, I won't hesitate to dissolve Root myself."
His voice was calm, but firm.
Seeing his plan rejected, Danzō left with a gloomy expression, but not without throwing one last warning over his shoulder: "You'll regret this, Sarutobi."
Meanwhile, the major ninja clans of Konoha were stunned by how swiftly Uchiha Kanzou had risen to the position of clan head.
The only one who wasn't surprised… was probably Nara Shikaku.
Although many people were unhappy with Kanzou's rise, they couldn't change the fact that he had become the new head of the Uchiha clan.
…
"Kanzou-sama, Fugaku has disappeared; he's suspected to have been taken away," Shin reported with a grave expression.
After Fugaku was expelled from the clan, Shin secretly kept watch over him, even preparing to seize an opportunity to eliminate him.
Though Fugaku was no longer a Uchiha, Shin believed it was safer if he were dead. Someone humiliated so thoroughly would never stay silent; revenge would be inevitable. Better to crush the problem before it can take root.
Yet, despite Shin's vigilance, Fugaku seemed to have vanished without a trace.
"I see," Kanzou nodded calmly.
Unlike Shin, he didn't consider Fugaku a threat, not with his current strength.
Even if Fugaku were to awaken those eyes again, he still felt no concern. Based on the Ocular Jutsu Kanzou had already extracted from him, Fugaku's Mangekyō would likely manifest Amaterasu and Kagutsuchi. Neither posed a problem; Kanzou already controlled the Black Flames himself. As for Susanoo, Kanzou possessed that as well. Not to mention Tsukuyomi, Amenominakanushi, Amenotokotachi, and Ryūjin Jakka.
There was nothing to fear.
In fact, if Fugaku did awaken the Mangekyō Sharingan, Kanzou would welcome it. It would simply allow him to take those eyes and transplant them into one of his subordinates.
"Keep an eye on Shinkurou's movements. Try to win him over," Kanzou added.
Shinkurou was an Elite Jōnin-level shinobi. He could be useful if he turns a leaf and swears loyalty to Kanzou.
"That guy was raised by the old man Douma. I doubt he'll betray Fugaku; it'll be hard to win him over," Shin said with a troubled expression.
Shin felt that trying to recruit Shinkurou would be pointless. After all, he was a loyal follower groomed by the previous patriarch to support his son, and it was unlikely he would defect to their side.
"Try anyway. It doesn't matter if you fail. And if he refuses to see reason… then there's no need for him to keep living."
Though Kanzou couldn't openly execute him, if he truly wanted Shinkurou dead, there were plenty of ways to make it happen discreetly.
After giving his instructions, Kanzou dismissed Shin, leaving only him and Mikoto in the room.
"You did well earlier," Kanzou said, eyeing Mikoto with satisfaction.
Hearing his praise, Mikoto sighed and bowed to him, asking, "Did I prove my usefulness?"
Rather than that kind of praise, she cares more about whether she has proved herself useful to him.
"Come here…" said Kanzou, patting his lap.
Mikoto blushed, but having grown accustomed to submitting to him, she didn't complain.
She quietly settled onto his lap as her feet rested on the sofa, and her arms rested around his neck, while Kanzou wrapped his hands around her waist. Before long, she also felt something hard press against her, which only made her more flustered and ashamed.
Still, she looked up at him, waiting to hear his response.
But what she received wasn't an answer to her question.
Instead, Kanzou reached up, tucked the loose lock of hair behind her ear, and leaned in to claim her lips.
Chu…
There was no hesitation in her eyes. She closed them and kissed him back, a soft sound slipping from her lips. "Mmm… ahmm… Kanzou-sama…"
The kiss wasn't forceful or breathless. It was gentle, soothing, something Mikoto found herself savoring. When he finally pulled away, she bit her lip unconsciously, as though wanting more.
But instead of another kiss, he simply gave her a small nod to in response to her previous question. "I suppose you did prove yourself useful."
Excitement stirred within her…
Before she could dwell on it for too long, however, he continued coolly, "But that alone isn't enough. Unless I see that you're willing to go to any lengths for me, how can I be certain of your true worth?"
She felt a flicker of disappointment. For a moment, she wondered whether her grandfather had been right, whether Kanzou was simply leading her on. But she quickly pushed the thought aside. 'That's probably not the case…' At least, she hoped it wasn't.
"Then… how can I prove myself to be more useful?" she asked softly.
"Hm… opportunities will come in the future," he replied. "There's no need to rush, is there?"
She nodded. "Mm…" Though part of her longed to marry him quickly and feel secure, she knew there was no real need to hurry.
"Anyway," he continued, his tone firm and leaving no room for debate, "from now on, stay here with me. Serve me with all your heart. That alone may be enough to prove your usefulness."
She blinked and hesitated. "This…"
Kanzou narrowed his eyes. "Why? Don't you want to stay with me and serve me?"
She shook her head immediately. "No—that's not it. I… I do. More than just staying with you… I want to spend the rest of my life with you."
She had already surrendered herself to him; wanting to remain by his side wasn't difficult at all. In truth, she genuinely wanted to stay.
"Then what's the problem?" he asked, frowning.
"Sofu-sama…" she said quietly. "If I'm not there… there'll be no one to look after him."
That was the real issue. Elder Tadayoshi was old and needed care. She had always been the one to look after him.
If she suddenly began living with Kanzou, it would leave him alone with no one to look after him, and that worried her deeply.
"That isn't such a serious problem," Kanzou said calmly. "Someone can be assigned to look after him."
She nodded in response. "Yes… If that's arranged, then I'll feel relieved."
"In that case, I'll have someone take care of him," he said, then added, "So, with that issue resolved, you have no further concerns, correct?"
"I will follow your will," she replied with a nod. "It's just that… I'll need to bring a few things here."
After all, spending a single night with him and actually living with him were two very different things. If she was going to stay here, she would obviously need to bring some of her belongings, clothes, and other necessities.
"Don't bring everything at once," he said calmly. "Just a few changes of clothes and the basics you'll need. As for the rest, we can wait."
Bringing everything at once would draw attention. Kanzou himself didn't care what others thought, but Mikoto clearly did.
She understood his reasoning and nodded. "In that case, I'll bring only the essentials."
"I have a few things to take care of," he continued. "You can go pack what you need and bring it over. As for the key…" He told her where she could find the spare.
"I understand," she nodded, but she didn't immediately rise from his lap. She remained there, still and quiet.
"Is there something else?" he asked, sensing her hesitation.
She bit her lower lip, her cheeks warming as her gaze flicked to his mouth. "Kanzou-sama… can I… can I kiss you?"
Kanzou blinked, then smiled faintly and nodded. "Sure."
Joy lit her expression. Leaning in, she kissed him.
Chu… slrrp…
As he responded to her kiss, his hands also began to roam, "Aaahnn… hmm… n-not there…"
She said amidst the kisses, but made no attempt to swat his hands away and continued to make out with him.
…
Sometime later, Mikoto, slightly disheveled and flushed, rose from his lap and began adjusting her kimono.
As she stood, her gaze drifted to the bulge in his trousers.
Since they had only shared a brief make-out and hadn't gone any further, the hardness she felt beneath her was still very much there.
She hesitated, wondering if she should take care of his erection before leaving to fetch her belongings.
The thought made her feel deeply embarrassed, yet she still wished to serve him.
"Kanzou-sama… sh-should I?" she asked, flustered.
"There's no hurry," he replied, giving a small shake of his head. "We'll talk about it tonight."
He was, admittedly, feeling horny, but he had other matters to attend to. Besides, she would now be staying in his house. There was no need to rush.
Moreover, he would rather wait, let semen build up a little more, and release it inside her later. Taking care of it now would only lessen what he intended to give her tonight.
"I… I see…" she nodded.
After bowing, she took the spare key to the gate of the mansion and quietly left.
…
Once Mikoto had left, Kanzou's thoughts returned to what Shin had said earlier. 'Who took Fugaku away?'
Two likely suspects came to mind: Sarutobi Hiruzen and Shimura Danzō.
There was also a third possibility, Uchiha Madara.
After all, Madara had manipulated Obito in the original timeline.
It wouldn't be strange if he were keeping a close watch on others as well, Fugaku included, and perhaps even Kanzou himself.
But recalling Fugaku's incompetence and the fact that he had no one left whose death might help him awaken the Mangekyō Sharingan, Kanzou dismissed the idea. It was unlikely to be Madara.
With that option ruled out, his focus narrowed to the remaining two.
"No matter who it was," Kanzou snorted, "you'd better make sure Fugaku doesn't lose his value to me."
At this point, the only value Fugaku held in Kanzou's eyes was the Mangekyō Sharingan, though Kanzou wasn't entirely certain Fugaku would ever awaken it.
He hoped Fugaku would succeed and come seeking revenge, turning it into another opportunity for profit.
But hope alone didn't make things happen.
'I guess, I'll still assign Hazuki to locate him and keep watch,' Kanzou decided. 'Her Zodiacs should be more than capable of finding him if he is still in Konoha.'
With that settled, he pushed Fugaku from his thoughts.
Rising from his seat, he left the mansion and headed toward the training grounds.
'Since I have both Amaterasu and Kagatsuchi… I might as well see what all things I can do with them…'
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Drop power Powerstonessssssssss!
Read ahead of public release on P atreon at: p-atreon.com/Knockturn_Alley
Check out Chapter illustrations on Pixiv: unhinged_uchiha