Evil Uchiha Itsuki

The battle between the three sides had reached a boiling point. 

At the beginning, everyone understood that while they were fighting seriously, they couldn't just go all out and kill each other. After all, they were on the same side. 

But now? 

To hell with that! 

The goal now was to take out the opponents, no matter the cost. All three sides were fighting to the death. 

Hold back? 

Show mercy? 

You're overthinking it! 

From the start, there was no intention of holding back. At most, the difference was killing a few more or a few less. 

"Little Jiraiya, what is going on here?" 

Fukasaku, the Toad Sage summoned by Jiraiya, looked utterly confused. 

The people on the left—weren't they Leaf ninja? 

And the ones on the right—weren't they Leaf ninja too? 

Are they fighting each other now? Is it really that serious? 

Has the Leaf Village gotten this powerful? 

"Roar!" 

The massive figure in front of Fukasaku swung a giant club, bringing down an overwhelming force. 

Fukasaku almost screamed. 

If that hit him, he wouldn't just be squashed flat—he'd be obliterated. Even that fool Gamabunta would be killed by this strike. 

"Sage Art: Frog Song!" 

Fukasaku used a sonic attack to disrupt Torifu Akimichi, causing him to miss what would have been a fatal blow. 

The club smashed into the ground beside him, creating a huge shockwave. 

"Little Jiraiya..." 

"Enough talking, Master! Hurry up and fight!" 

Jiraiya's face was serious as he said, "I've made up my mind. I'm a Leaf ninja, and I need to do what a Leaf ninja is supposed to do." 

Fukasaku was bewildered. 

Of course I know you're a Leaf ninja. 

And yes, a Leaf ninja should do what a Leaf ninja is supposed to do. 

But the people in front of you are also Leaf ninja! How can you just fight them like this? Don't you feel any hesitation? Are they all traitors or something? 

Thousands of people rebelling at once? 

Fukasaku didn't understand but didn't ask further. He just helped Jiraiya in the battle. 

... 

"Tsk, tsk, what an intense fight. They're about to beat the brains out of each other," Itsuki remarked. "Kakashi, how long do you think this can go on?" 

"The more fiercely they fight, the happier you are, aren't you?" Kakashi's voice was cold. 

"No way!" 

Itsuki looked displeased, turning to glare at a nearby ninja. "What are you looking at? Hurry up and get to work! Being slow is not the sign of a good ninja." 

Damn it! 

The ninja almost exploded with rage but hastened his work anyway. 

Around them, many other ninja were also busy packing things. 

What were they packing? 

The weapons from the Leaf Village's armory, of course. 

They were neatly organizing and packaging the weapons, placing them in front of Itsuki. 

Soon, Itsuki would leave the Leaf Village with these weapons and return to Fire Shadow Village. 

Meanwhile, Itsuki lounged lazily in a chair next to Kakashi, both watching the distant battle. 

The Leaf ninja were seething with frustration. 

This is too much! 

It's just too much! 

Uchiha Itsuki, you're not even human! You came to the Leaf Village to steal, got caught, and now you're making them help you pack? How can anyone do something like this? 

Absolutely not! 

So, Uchiha Itsuki must not be human! 

"Kakashi, who do you think should be Hokage?" Itsuki suddenly asked. 

"How would I know?!" 

Kakashi rolled his eyes. 

He didn't want to talk to Itsuki at all, not even a single word. 

Besides, talking too much with him might make the Leaf villagers transfer their hatred onto Kakashi. 

Kakashi wasn't some clueless kid. 

These people might not dare to hate Uchiha Itsuki, but would they hesitate to hate him? 

Blaming others is practically an adult instinct. 

Itsuki wasn't pleased. "Kakashi, you'd better watch how you talk to me. Otherwise, I might strip you down and use genjutsu to make you dance." 

"Yeah, imagine if you jumped into that fierce battle over there as a naked dancer. The scene would be... intense!" 

Intense? 

You make it sound so simple. 

Kakashi's gaze became clearer for a moment, and his tone softened a bit. "Master Itsuki, honestly, none of them are fit to be Hokage after all this. With what's happening... sigh!" 

The Leaf Village was in the midst of a civil war, and hundreds had already died. Whether it was Torifu Akimichi, Hiruzen Sarutobi, or Danzo Shimura, none of them were suitable to be Hokage anymore. 

The villagers of the Leaf would instinctively reject and resent them. 

Especially Hiruzen Sarutobi—he was still the reigning Hokage and had let all this happen. How could that work? 

History would surely record everything that happened today. 

Hiruzen Sarutobi was destined to be nailed to the pillar of shame. 

Didn't he realize this? 

He did! 

But he had no choice! 

For the sake of his children and his clan, Hiruzen Sarutobi was desperate. 

"Kakashi, how about you becoming Hokage?" 

Itsuki's sudden question made all the nearby ninja pause. 

"Heh!" 

Kakashi smiled slightly, shaking his head. "Master Itsuki, please don't joke. I'm just an ordinary ninja—I don't have what it takes." 

"That's nonsense..." 

Itsuki shook his head, counting off points on his fingers. "Your strength may be a bit lacking right now, but it's not too far off. In a few years, you'll be ready. And besides, the Hokage doesn't have to be the strongest person in the village." 

"Plus, you're popular and well-respected. Many ninja trust you." 

"Don't forget, you're also the student of the Fourth Hokage. You're legitimate!" 

"You becoming Hokage—it's only natural." 

Itsuki's words caused the surrounding ninja to react. 

Hadn't they thought about this themselves? 

They had stayed out of the fight so far, a sign that they were completely disillusioned with the three factions involved. 

With them out of the picture, Kakashi Hatake was the most qualified to become Hokage! 

"You flatter me!" 

Kakashi smiled, but his refusal was firm. 

Like hell! 

At a time like this, asking him to become Hokage was practically a death sentence. 

The Leaf was a complete mess—who could clean it up? 

And those three maniacs—practically tearing each other apart—and now you want to tell them, "None of you can be Hokage; I'm going to take the job." 

Ha! 

They'd eat him alive! 

Not to mention all the enemies lurking outside, waiting for the chance to attack the Leaf. 

Becoming Hokage now? 

Ha! 

The Hokage's chair was practically sitting on top of a volcano, ready to erupt at any moment. 

One of the Leaf ninja couldn't hold back and shouted, "Kakashi, actually, Lord Itsuki's suggestion isn't so bad." 

"That's right!" 

"I think it's feasible!" 

"It's total chaos right now. Someone needs to step up and take charge. Kakashi is perfect for the job!" 

"Yes!" 

"Kakashi for Fifth Hokage!" 

"Lord Hokage, we support you!" 

As the voices of support grew, the lines of worry on Kakashi's forehead deepened, and sweat began to form. 

You all really want me dead, huh? 

"Look at that!" 

Itsuki waved his hand. "Everyone sees it clearly—they all think you're the best fit to be Hokage. Why don't you just accept it?" 

"Heh..." 

Kakashi barely managed to twitch his lips. 

No way. 

No matter what you say, I'm not doing it! 

I'm only in my twenties—I still want to live a long life. 

"If you're dissatisfied with the current state of the Leaf Village, why don't you become Hokage yourself?

I, Kakashi, fully support you!"

"How about this, Kakashi?"

Itsuki suddenly spoke up: "You become the Hokage, and Hiruzen Sarutobi, Danzo Shimura, and Torifu Akimichi will serve as your advisors. What do you think?"

"All the ninjas here will support you. As long as you step up, I believe even more ninjas will back you."

"Most importantly, I will help you too!"

Kakashi looked at Itsuki with a strange expression.

So did the other ninjas.

"Have you lost your mind, Itsuki?

You're seriously supporting Kakashi becoming the Hokage?

And if he becomes Hokage now, wouldn't that mean you're ending the chaos in the Leaf Village?

The worse the situation in the Leaf Village, the happier you are, aren't you?

You're going to help the Leaf Village?

I don't get it!"

"Forgive me for being blunt!"

Kakashi looked at Itsuki and said, "The more chaos in the Leaf Village, the happier Lord Itsuki is, right? If we all die, you'd probably be grinning ear to ear, wouldn't you?"

"Who said that?"

Itsuki's eyes widened. "How can you accuse me of such a thing out of thin air?"

"I'm the one who most wants the Leaf Village to become better!"

"As I see it, everyone should be working together to make the Leaf Village better!"

Kakashi fell silent.

What a load of crap!

Keep talking!

Not that it matters what I think. Even the dogs wouldn't believe you!

He had an urge to summon some dogs.

But!

Considering he might get beaten, he decided against it.

"Alright, have you all made up your minds?"

Itsuki looked at the ninjas present with a smile.

"If you agree, follow me outside in a moment, and we'll stop those beasts from fighting and nominate Kakashi as the Hokage!"

The ninjas exchanged looks.

One ninja cautiously asked, "Lord Itsuki, are you serious? You're really going to recommend Kakashi as Hokage?"

"Of course!"

"Are there any other conditions?"

"None!"

The ninjas were genuinely confused.

"We need to discuss this."

"Go ahead!"

At that moment, Itsuki was unusually easygoing.

He just pointed at some ninjas and said, "But don't stop what you're doing. Keep loading those weapons for me, got it?"

The ninjas: "..."

Some Jonin stepped aside and began whispering carefully.

They were really at their breaking point with the current state of the Leaf Village. If there was a way to stop the civil war, they'd go all out.

Kakashi: "..."

You're really discussing this?

And besides!

If you're having a discussion, why didn't you invite me?

Does that mean I, the one directly involved, don't even qualify to join in?

After a while of discussion, a Jonin finally stepped forward.

"Lord Itsuki, considering you were once a ninja of the Leaf Village, please help us stop this civil war. If this keeps going, the Leaf Village will only head toward destruction."

Itsuki shrugged and said, "Of course I want to help, but Kakashi isn't cooperating. You have to understand, if he doesn't cooperate and you don't have a Hokage, nothing you do will matter."

Whoosh!

All eyes instantly focused on Kakashi.

Kakashi went silent.

Staring into those big, pleading eyes.

Looking at those tightly gripped kunai and shuriken.

Seeing the ninjas that could easily form a surrounding formation.

He was utterly speechless.

The current Leaf Village was terrifying!

In every sense of the word!

Capable both on the battlefield and in the kitchen!

One minute they could kneel and beg him, and the next they could swing a kunai and cut him to pieces.

"Everyone!"

Kakashi said helplessly, "I'm really not qualified to be Hokage."

At that moment, the Leaf Village ninjas were being incredibly forceful.

"We say you're qualified, so you're qualified!"

Gathered there were a large number of Leaf Village Jonin and representatives from several ninja clans.

Including the Hyuga clan, among others.

You could say, excluding the three clans involved in the civil war, representatives of all the remaining clans were there.

They were now the true concentration of power in the Leaf Village.

Their strength surpassed the three warring factions!

"No!"

Kakashi, frustrated, lowered his voice and asked, "Do you really trust him?"

"Nope!"

The ninjas responded bluntly, "But what else can we do? If we let those three groups keep fighting, the Leaf Village will really be destroyed."

Despite their distrust, they knew the Leaf Village's current power was at its lowest point in history. They needed the other party's strength.

In the eyes of the Leaf ninjas, the best course of action was for Uchiha Itsuki to lead them in stopping the three warring factions and incorporating their forces to handle the incoming threat.

What was the upcoming threat?

Iwagakure, Kumogakure, and Sunagakure!

As for the Fire Village!

If Uchiha Itsuki decided to help Kakashi become Hokage, they were unlikely to attack the Leaf Village.

Kakashi grimaced.

What did I do to deserve this?

He knew he was someone qualified to succeed as Hokage.

That's why he had hidden here, guarding a warehouse.

And yet, he still couldn't escape!

"Kakashi, go for it!"

Might Guy slapped Kakashi heavily on the shoulder and said, "If Uchiha Itsuki really means harm to the village, I'll deal with him."

"Guy..."

Kakashi was stunned.

As a friend, he naturally understood what Guy's words meant.

The Eight Gates!

Guy was ready to use the Eight Gates Formation against Uchiha Itsuki.

"Alright!"

With his friend prepared to sacrifice his life, what else could he say?

He could only nod.

"Uchiha Itsuki!"

Kakashi's expression turned serious as he looked at Itsuki and said, "Name your conditions. I need your help."

Itsuki glanced at him and said, "Speak politely."

Kakashi immediately put on a fawning smile and said, "Lord Itsuki, the Leaf Village is at a critical moment. Please help us. After all, you were once a ninja of the Leaf Village."

Itsuki was satisfied with that attitude.

"Alright, my conditions are simple."

Itsuki casually said a few things.

"That's it?"

Kakashi was taken aback.

He clearly hadn't expected Itsuki's conditions to be so simple.

"Yep!"

Itsuki nodded and smiled. "Well? Do you agree?"

"Of course!"

Kakashi replied decisively, "If that's all, I agree."

"Good!"

Itsuki waved his hand and said, "Alright, stop standing around. Get ready... and finish loading those weapons from this warehouse for me first."

The ninjas, who had been ready to rush out, fell into silence.

(End of chapter)