Chapter 101: Uchiha Itachi Appears Again

Hinata had originally worried that recounting these details would make Naruto and Sasuke see her as a glutton, and as she pondered this, a shy blush crept across her cheeks.

However, Naruto and Sasuke entertained no such thoughts at all.

Sasuke furrowed his brow slightly, earnestly considering the role of nutrition in the development of ocular jutsu users, and indeed, for all members of bloodline clans. Naruto’s perspective was far simpler and more direct. He had spent twenty years in the army, encountering all manner of hearty eaters along the way. In his mind, the importance of nutrition in cultivating strong soldiers was simply common sense. Thus, Hinata’s considerable—and perhaps even exaggerated—appetite was no issue whatsoever.

On the contrary, observing Hinata’s shy demeanor, Naruto found her utterly adorable, like a young tiger cub issuing its first roar into the world.

After a brief assessment of the Echo Byakugan’s abilities, Naruto and Sasuke escorted Hinata to see Hiashi Hyuga, explaining everything in detail. The emergence of an advanced Byakugan form stirred a great commotion within the Hyuga clan, spawning a host of complex consequences that need not be mentioned for now.

As the date of the Chunin Exams drew near, foreign shinobi flocked to the Leaf Village, bringing with them a torrent of bizarre incidents. Cultural differences between the villages sparked countless conflicts and brawls, and the frequency of spies infiltrating the Leaf Village to gather intelligence grew ever more rampant.

These days, the members of the ANBU were overwhelmed, chasing spies everywhere with no end in sight. Some who had once rejoiced at the Uchiha clan’s downfall now found themselves complaining bitterly. They used to scoff at the Uchiha Police Force’s swagger, assuming the job was easy. Now, as the burdens fell upon their own shoulders, they realized how daunting the task truly was.

Capturing spies meant taking them alive for interrogation; ANBU had to devise meticulous plans, coordinate precisely, and rely on seasoned interrogators—a drain on manpower and resources beyond measure. If the Uchiha had handled these matters, they could simply activate their Sharingan and use genjutsu to hypnotize suspects, resolving issues with ease.

Of course, few realized that the difficulty in apprehending spies was, in part, due to the Uchiha’s secret machinations.

The Dragon Forge Society was highly active within the Leaf Village, recruiting informants and covertly constructing an intricate intelligence network, maintaining contact with the outside world through hidden channels. Many of these efforts bore the Uchiha clan’s signature.

When the Uchiha clan withdrew their vulnerable members, they included elite guards from the Police Force, and among the elderly and infirm were retired, wounded veterans. With such figures present, the Leaf’s internal security network resembled a sieve riddled with holes. The Uchiha channeled their resentment toward the Leaf in their own way.

To them, the disaster that befell their clan stemmed largely from the Leaf’s relentless suppression and its indulgence of factions hostile to the Uchiha, never curbing their aggression.

Over the years, they conducted thorough investigations into the mysterious masked man claiming to be Madara Uchiha, who appeared on the night of the massacre. They uncovered numerous details, lending credence to Naruto’s assertion that he was likely Obito Uchiha, missing since the Third Shinobi World War.

Furthermore, they discovered undisclosed dealings between the Leaf’s leadership—especially the shadowy Root division—and Obito Uchiha, as well as Root’s unspeakable actions against Shisui.

Thus, the Uchiha threw their full support behind the Dragon Forge Society, infiltrating the security department’s vulnerabilities and sowing various forms of chaos within the village.

To advance their plans, the Dragon Forge Society dispatched their finest battle engineers and elite ninja squads, secretly infiltrating key facilities throughout the Leaf: secret research labs, executive quarters, weapons depots—every vital location. There, they installed traps and explosive tags without a trace, preparing meticulously for future attacks. Their operations were so stealthy that almost no one detected their presence, sowing a dangerous seed of disaster beneath the village’s security.

The turbulent undercurrents in the Leaf left Naruto feeling helpless. Amidst the cacophony, he heightened his vigilance rather than relax it.

He now understood that Akatsuki had targeted Hinata because of the immense potential of her Byakugan. He did not believe that Akatsuki would abandon such a crucial target after a single failure.

As expected, Naruto, relying on his acute sensory skills and shadow clone reconnaissance, repeatedly detected Akatsuki members’ presence. They lingered on the village’s outskirts, patiently waiting for an opportunity to strike. This time, the invaders were not formidable members like Kakuzu, but Akatsuki’s peripheral agents—natives of the Hidden Rain Village, who harbored a deep, abiding hatred for the Leaf.

They concealed themselves in the shadows, quietly observing and waiting for the perfect moment to incite greater chaos within the Leaf.

During his investigation into Akatsuki, Naruto stumbled upon unusual signs that suggested another, third mysterious organization was operating within the village alongside the Dragon Forge Society and Akatsuki.

This organization’s actions were even more secretive; they seemed to be executing a covert mission, and their methods and motives were shrouded in mystery.

The intelligence leaked about this group was sparse, but Naruto gathered a few key points:

First, the organization was called the Raven Organization, aptly named, with members identifying each other by the emblem of a crow in flight.

Second, the Raven Organization was formidable. Every member possessed exceptional skills, with reconnaissance and counter-surveillance abilities surpassing all expectations.

Third, it was likely that some members hailed from the Leaf Village, possibly former ANBU operatives. The Raven Organization was so familiar with the Leaf that they seemed to know it better than Naruto himself. At times, Naruto only recognized certain ANBU members by following the Raven’s operatives.

Who exactly was this Raven Organization? Naruto’s curiosity was piqued.

On a tranquil night, Naruto followed one of the Raven’s members as usual. After a while, he noticed the cloaked figure stopping in a clearing within the village.

Clearly, the individual had detected Naruto’s pursuit; he had deliberately come here to confront him face-to-face.

“Come out. I know you’re following me.”

As expected, the figure spoke, his back to Naruto.

The voice sounded familiar, and the tone stirred a sense of déjà vu in Naruto. Who could it be?

When Naruto revealed himself, the figure slowly approached, pulling back his hood to reveal a familiar face.

Naruto’s eyes widened in astonishment as he exclaimed, “Itachi? You’re alive?!”