blogombal Chapter 474 The Buried Truth
Chapter 474 The Buried Truth
"When the massacre ended, the entire Uchiha clan was almost wiped out, leaving only you, a young child, alive. All of this was caused by Itachi Uchiha's own hands, and he bore the heavy burden of sin and infamy. However, even so, he had no regrets. Because he knew that only through such extreme means could he prevent the outbreak of civil war in Konoha and protect more innocent people from the ravages of war."
At the same time, Itachi Uchiha presented two crucial conditions to the Konoha leadership: first, they absolutely must not harm Sasuke Uchiha; second, they must wholeheartedly care for Sasuke's growth. Although the Konoha leadership was reluctant to accept these conditions, considering Itachi's demonstrated strength and loyalty to Konoha, they ultimately reluctantly agreed.
The masked man slowly recounted those untold stories, his gaze fixed on Uchiha Sasuke, whose expression had drastically changed. Sasuke's face was ashen, his lips trembled slightly, and his eyes were filled with shock and disbelief. Seeing this, the masked man's lips curled into a meaningful smile, then he stopped speaking, standing there quietly, as if giving Sasuke ample time to process everything he had just heard.
Sasuke stood there, stunned, every word the masked man had spoken echoing in his mind. The questions and pain once buried deep within him surged forth like a tidal wave. He remembered the destruction of his clan, the time he had spent with his comrades, and the secrets hidden within Konoha Village…
Time ticked by, and Sasuke's breathing grew rapid. His hands clenched into fists, his nails digging deep into his palms, yet he felt no pain. Finally, he raised his head, staring intently at the masked man, his eyes burning with rage. At this moment, his trust in Konoha Village had completely crumbled, replaced by boundless hatred. And all of this was unfolding exactly as the masked man had predicted…
"Actually, if you calm down and think about these things carefully, the whole truth will be clearly presented before your eyes. You must know, the Uchiha clan is one of the most powerful clans in the entire ninja world! Could it be that Itachi alone could have slaughtered them all in just one night? Even if we admit that Itachi's strength is indeed extremely powerful, how could the Uchiha clan be so easily defeated, even losing the most basic ability to resist? Moreover, Konoha Village has many excellent ninjas and a tight intelligence system. How could they be completely unaware of such a huge change in the Uchiha clan?" The masked man said jokingly, making Sasuke Uchiha frown even more.
"What do you mean? Explain yourself clearly!" Uchiha Sasuke glared angrily, shouting and rudely interrupting the masked man. His eyes burned with fury, as if he could see right through the man before him.
However, the masked man remained remarkably calm in the face of Sasuke Uchiha's intense reaction, showing no sign of annoyance at being interrupted. He slowly raised his head, and through his mysterious mask, replied in a detached and cold voice, "My meaning is crystal clear. The annihilation of the Uchiha clan was not solely the work of outsiders; Konoha Village also participated in this bloody event. They meticulously planned and deployed resources, responsible for besieging the Uchiha clan's territory, preventing their members from escaping, and cruelly massacring the defenseless civilians. It was precisely because of Konoha's involvement and assistance that this horrific massacre was able to be completed in a single night, wiping out the entire Uchiha clan without exception."
The masked man's answer struck Sasuke Uchiha like a bolt from the blue, instantly transforming his lingering suspicions into a cold and cruel reality. This shock was like an incredibly sharp sword, mercilessly severing the seemingly unbreakable emotional bond between him and Konoha that had lasted for many years.
Although Sasuke Uchiha had always vaguely sensed many suspicious points and oddities surrounding the night the Uchiha clan was massacred, at that time he was consumed by only one obsession—avenging Itachi Uchiha, who had personally killed his clansmen. Therefore, he chose to temporarily set aside the truths hidden in the darkness and did not delve into what earth-shattering secrets lay behind them.
However, as the masked man ruthlessly ripped away this veil of pretense, details he had deliberately ignored flooded back. Everything he had once firmly believed began to crumble, and Sasuke was forced to re-examine that unforgettable night and everything connected to it. He knew he could no longer escape; he had to muster the courage to confront this history filled with bloodshed and conspiracy.
"Who exactly are you?" Uchiha Sasuke stared wide-eyed at the mysterious masked man before him, his voice trembling slightly with anger as he continued to question, "How do you know these things!"
At this moment, Sasuke was filled with doubt and shock. He simply couldn't understand how this person before him could know so much about such secrets. These were deeply hidden secrets, unknown even to ordinary people, let alone his highly respected mentor, Kakashi Hatake!
Sasuke clenched his fists, his nails digging deep into his palms, as if only in this way could he slightly alleviate the unease and anxiety in his heart. His cold gaze shot towards the masked man like a sharp arrow, as if trying to see through the mask to see the other man's true identity and the conspiracy hidden behind it.
"Who am I? Didn't Itachi Uchiha tell you? Hmph! How laughable, he was still plotting against me even when he was dying." The masked man said expressionlessly, his tone calm but revealing a hint of barely concealed anger and disdain.
After a brief pause, the masked man opened his mouth again and slowly said, "Listen up, kid, I am the legendary Uchiha Madara, once a fearsome figure who shook the ninja world! Now, I am nothing more than a forgotten Uchiha ghost." As he spoke, he slightly raised his head, his gaze coldly fixed on the front through the holes in his mask, as if he could see through time to the glorious past.
When the words "Uchiha Madara" reached Uchiha Sasuke's ears, his expression froze instantly, as if struck by lightning. His eyes widened as he stared ahead in disbelief, his lips trembling slightly, his heart churning with turmoil.
For Sasuke Uchiha, this name represented endless fear and mystery. It was like a forbidden symbol, deeply imprinted in the history of the Uchiha clan. Although he had heard legends about Madara Uchiha since childhood, he never imagined that one day he would come so close to the awe-inspiring power of this name.
Madara Uchiha, a figure who once shook the ninja world and instilled fear in countless people. He was hailed as the Asura of the Shinobi World, his immense power enough to make the entire world tremble. Even Hashirama Senju, hailed as the God of Shinobi in the same era, only managed a slight victory in his clash with Madara. Their earth-shattering battle is still talked about to this day.
However, as far as Sasuke Uchiha knew, Madara Uchiha had died long ago in a fierce battle against Hashirama Senju. Time flies, and a long period of time has passed since that decisive battle. Logically speaking, if Madara Uchiha were still alive, he would surely be in his twilight years, and his physical functions would likely be severely deteriorated. How could he possibly reappear in the world at this time?
A flood of questions overwhelmed Sasuke, plunging him into deep thought. He clenched his fists, his brow furrowed, struggling to unravel the complex situation before him. The man before him, who called himself—Uchiha Madara—shadowed him like a heavy, persistent shadow…
The masked man didn't pause at all despite the incredulous shock on Sasuke's face. He continued unhurriedly, "Thinking back to those days, my earth-shattering battle with Hashirama Senju was unprecedented in its intensity! After that battle, my body was severely injured, almost reduced to an empty shell. The vast power within me receded like the tide, leaving almost nothing. However, the gears of fate always turn unexpectedly. When I dragged this broken body back to the Uchiha clan, I unexpectedly discovered Itachi Uchiha, a peerless genius. From that moment on, I began to secretly and meticulously teach him. Because of this, I am fully aware of all the thrilling events that happened back then. Not only that, but Itachi's later successful joining of the Akatsuki organization was also due in no small part to my matchmaking and support."
Sasuke Uchiha frowned, his mind filled with doubt as if shrouded in a fog. How credible was the other person's seemingly sincere account? Were those so-called truths truly facts? Sasuke fell into deep thought, his mind racing through various possibilities. Although the other person spoke with apparent conviction, he didn't readily believe everything. After all, having experienced countless conspiracies and betrayals, he knew the unpredictability of human nature and couldn't blindly believe based on just one side of the story. Therefore, he decided to remain vigilant, continuing to observe and analyze the other person's words and actions to determine whether these so-called truths were genuine or false.