**Chapter 71: The Big Stick, Eager for Action!**

Fugaku rolled up his sleeves. 

"I'm done with you! No one can stop me!" 

Seeing this, Itsuki sighed quietly, pulled out a scroll, and opened it. 

*Whoosh!* 

Countless explosive tags poured out like water, filling the entire meeting room in an instant.

Fugaku froze in place, unable to move. 

Everyone else's eyes twitched uncontrollably.

"Are those… explosive tags?" 

"Yep." 

"Sigh, I specialize in dealing with defiance." Itsuki sighed again and said softly, "Clan Leader, are you convinced now? Or would you prefer we both take a trip to the afterlife?" 

Fugaku slowly sat down. Before sitting, he even glanced at the chair to make sure there were no explosive tags on it. He much preferred solid ground.

"Hurry, hurry!" 

Itachi chuckled, quickly directing the nearby jonin to collect the explosive tags.

As for whether Itsuki was after his mom? Well, wasn't his dad still around? They could worry about that once his dad was out of the picture!

Itsuki watched this with approval, nodding to himself. 

What a dutiful son, still making me laugh.

No wonder he would one day be the type to take down his own father and mother. 

Looking around, Itsuki sighed, "This is 100,000 explosive tags. Consider it my support for Uchiha Itachi, the Deputy Clan Leader."

"Thank you, thank you!" 

Itachi quickly expressed his gratitude.

Fugaku's face turned dark, but the meeting finally began. 

Yet, the expressions of those present weren't exactly pleasant. 

Even Setsuna was feeling the chills from being surrounded by so many explosive tags for the first time. 

He had to admit—it was terrifying. 

If these things went off, not even Uchiha Madara would survive, and they wouldn't even leave a trace.

"Actually..." 

Itsuki spoke slowly, "Rather than saying I have something important to discuss, it's more of a notice. It's just a small matter, so there's no reason for you to object."

He placed a list on the table in front of him. 

"The Hyuga and Uchiha clans will be sent to Sunagakure for a mission, and I want the clan to send these people."

Fugaku picked up the list and glanced at it, his brows furrowing slightly.

**Uchiha Hachidai** 

**Uchiha Kaima** 

**Uchiha Inaho Brothers** 

... 

All of them were either Itsuki's men or closely affiliated with him.

Fugaku asked slowly, "Itsuki, what are you planning?"

The number of people was correct. According to the Hokage's orders, both the Hyuga and Uchiha clans were to send six jonin and twenty elite clan members each. It wasn't a battle mission, just one to prevent the enemy from advancing. All they had to do was buy Konoha two or three days, and the village's defenses would be back in place.

But! 

Itsuki was assigning only his people to the mission. Was he planning to sabotage it, or even let Sunagakure invade Konoha?

Itsuki replied confidently, "Rest assured, the mission will be completed, and even the Hokage won't be able to say anything. I can promise that."

"I just need to take care of some other matters during the mission, which won't interfere with the clan's plans."

Fugaku exchanged glances with the two elders.

"This…" Setsuna said slowly, "Itsuki, when you speak so seriously, it makes us all nervous."

Itsuki: "..."

Elder Zongyi sighed. "Really, you're being too serious. It's honestly a bit frightening."

*Jerks!* 

What a bunch of jerks!

Itsuki left, ready to carry out the mission. 

As Fugaku and the others watched him leave, they couldn't help but furrow their brows tightly.

"Everything Brother Itsuki says, you can trust!"

Itachi looked at the group and slowly said, "Even though he's usually unreliable, his word still counts."

Immediately.

The group stared at Itachi like he was an idiot.

"Hmph!" 

Zongyi snorted, turned, and left.

Sasna sighed, patted Fugaku on the shoulder, and said, "Too young. You should teach him well."

He left as well.

Fugaku looked at Itachi with a complicated expression.

"Did I say something wrong?" 

Itachi was confused.

"Do you all think Brother Itsuki would break his promise?"

"Itachi, how can you be so naive?" 

Fugaku couldn't help but say, "The Third Hokage said that at seven years old… ugh!"

His expression turned sour. 

What was meant to be praise had turned into sarcasm, thanks to that jerk Itsuki.

He glared at Itachi and gritted his teeth, "Listen, Itachi, Itsuki won't break his promises. He'll definitely complete the mission perfectly, so no one can find a single mistake."

"But!" 

"Just because he won't break his promise doesn't mean he won't do anything. On the contrary, he's definitely planning something big."

"What I'm worried about is that the storm he stirs up will swallow the entire Uchiha clan."

"This…"

Itachi was stunned. After a while, he cautiously asked, "What kind of big move?"

Fugaku snapped, "I don't know! And it's exactly because I don't know that it's so worrying!"

He stared in the direction Itsuki had gone, murmuring, "Not only do I not know, but even after he's done, we still won't know."

"We can't guess what's going on in his mind at all."

"Uchiha Itsuki, sigh!"

Fugaku's last sigh was filled with deep frustration and helplessness. 

Itsuki was undoubtedly the leader of the new generation of the Uchiha, but he had already distanced himself from them. 

His attitude was clear: he didn't trust them. 

And that deeply frustrated Fugaku, who was trying to be a good clan leader.

If Itsuki could hear Fugaku's thoughts, he'd definitely scoff at him.

He wanted to trust them, but they didn't even act like responsible adults! 

Uchiha Fugaku had abandoned his duty as clan leader in a critical moment, choosing to protect his son instead. 

Uchiha Itachi had massacred his entire family, including his parents. Disgusting! 

Uchiha Shisui was so naive that when he woke up from his dream, he chose suicide. 

Uchiha Sasuke started off alright, but later lost to Naruto's "talk-no-jutsu" and chose forgiveness.

Sometimes Itsuki wanted to grab Naruto and ask him, "If I killed your parents, could you forgive me?" 

Oh, you could? 

Then tell me, how did Kakuzu die?

The Uchiha clan had only a handful of members worthy of attention, but they all did outrageous things.

Itsuki thought, "I want to trust you, but can I really?" 

"Better to stay alive and enjoy life. Isn't that better than messing around with you guys? 

I'm not crazy!"

---

Nighttime.

Itsuki, leading a squad from the Anbu, left Konoha, heading toward the Village Hidden in the Clouds.

Their mission was to set up an ambush on a main road between Konoha and the Cloud Village. 

If the Cloud made any moves, their job was to disrupt them as much as possible to buy time for Konoha.

Other ninja villages, when their defense plans were exposed, might fully adjust their tactics. 

But the Cloud Village was unpredictable. 

These war-loving people always believed that the best defense was a strong offense.

If two ninja villages went to war, other villages might get involved as well.

The Fourth Great Ninja War would break out!

However, after traveling just 20 kilometers from Konoha, Itsuki stopped.

"Captain!" 

The Anbu squad leader looked at the suddenly-stopping Itsuki in confusion.

"Sigh, sorry everyone, I can't wait any longer."

"Can't wait? Can't wait for what?" 

The squad leader heightened his vigilance to the extreme.

"I can't wait to kill you all!"

Itsuki flashed a bright smile and softly said, "My big stick has been itching for a fight for a while now. Please, die!"

(End of chapter)