Naruto: Clan Simulation and Bloodline Evolution from Scratch

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*****

After all, Uchiha Madara had been dead for decades, so no matter how Ximen Zhen portrayed him in his story, it wouldn't cause much of a stir.

But the Uchiha clan massacre had occurred only a few years ago.

The incident not only dealt a heavy blow to Konoha's vitality but also severely affected the unity among the village's various clans.

In the eyes of some clans, if even the mighty Uchiha could be wiped out by Konoha, then what would stop the same from happening to them? Wouldn't it just take a single command?

Perhaps in Danzo's eyes, fear and insecurity were the very tools needed to unite Konoha.

However, Hiruzen Sarutobi hoped that Konoha could be united under the Will of Fire—specifically, his Will of Fire.

Even to this day, Konoha had yet to offer a convincing explanation for the Uchiha clan's destruction.

Although the official story was that the massacre was carried out by a crazed Uchiha Itachi, the question remained—what exactly had driven Itachi to commit such a monstrous act?

There had never been a shortage of madmen in the ninja world, but someone driven mad to this degree—there had to be a reason, right?

Moreover, Danzo's manipulation behind the scenes had undeniably played a role, and Hiruzen was still unwilling to publicly throw his old comrade under the bus.

All of this made the Uchiha massacre a hidden danger threatening Konoha's foundation—second only to the Nine-Tails' Attack years ago.

Of course, Hiruzen understood one thing clearly:

Expecting a child like Ximen Zhen to answer such a sensitive and complex issue was clearly asking too much.

His stance remained unchanged—

As long as Ximen Zhen made no fundamental errors, Hiruzen was willing to support him. A few tens of thousands of ryo a month wasn't a big deal—he could even pay it from his own pocket.

But what Hiruzen never expected… was the answer Ximen Zhen gave him.

"Lord Hokage, I only have a preliminary idea about this," Ximen Zhen said, his eyes shining with creative excitement. His hands waved instinctively, as if he were about to start writing right then and there.

"Next, I plan to write The Tale of Uchiha Itachi, which will detail his experiences and transformation."

"It's a story of a noble heir and a common girl, family taboos versus societal norms, a love that transcends villages and nations!"

He went on to explain that he planned to begin with Itachi graduating at a young age and heading to war—an experience that traumatized him. During that time, he would meet a girl from a foreign land, and the two would fall deeply in love.

Then came the heart-wrenching twists: intense emotional conflict, with Itachi watching the love of his life die at the hands of his own father. Enraged, he would attack his parents who stood in the way of his love—only to be caught mid-act by a Uchiha clan patrol, forcing him into a massacre.

Hiruzen rubbed his temples.

Logically, he could understand the structure of the story. But cognitively, his mind refused to accept it.

He knew Uchiha Itachi. He knew his personality, and more importantly, his motivations.

Hiruzen simply couldn't imagine what kind of woman could make Itachi fall in love.

But Ximen Zhen's story reminded him of something important: his personal understanding didn't matter.

The key question was—would ordinary people believe this story?

Hiruzen glanced out the window. From his position, he could see the massive poster outside Konoha's movie theater featuring Fūka Koyuki.

Currently, the most popular movie in Konoha was a romance film starring Fūka Koyuki, telling the story of a beautiful young woman waiting for her ninja husband to return from war, only to spend the rest of her life alone.

…Alright. It seemed the average person did like this kind of story.

Once he understood that, Hiruzen's view of Ximen Zhen changed.

He had previously assumed that Ximen Zhen wanted to clear the Uchiha's name. But now, it was clear—he had overthought it.

This boy wasn't trying to right historical wrongs. He was just a talented opportunist, aiming to leverage the "Uchiha" name to make himself famous.

Someone like that… might just be worth supporting.

Hiruzen raised a hand, cutting off Ximen Zhen, who looked like he could talk until nightfall.

"I get the general idea. What you want is funding, correct?"

Ximen Zhen cleared his throat and looked at the Third Hokage with anticipation, confident that he had succeeded.

Sure enough, Hiruzen wrote down an order.

"I'll have the General Affairs Department assign you a position. I'll also give you access to some of the Uchiha clan's materials, so you won't make any basic factual errors in your work."

"But I have three conditions."

Ximen Zhen nodded eagerly. "Please go ahead, Lord Hokage."

"First, you must not alter established facts. That would be disrespectful to the Uchiha clan."

"Second, you must not insult any members of the Uchiha, and under no circumstances can you defame Konoha in your story."

"And lastly…"

Hiruzen gave Ximen Zhen a strange look, debating whether to tell him to tone things down a bit.

If Uchiha Itachi ever met Ximen Zhen, he might string the boy up and beat him for three days straight.

But in the end, Hiruzen dropped the idea.

After all, he didn't think Itachi was that petty.

Even if the two did meet one day, at most, Itachi would teach him a lesson—not actually kill him.

So instead, Hiruzen continued, "Third, all your manuscripts must be submitted to the Hokage's Office for review. Only once they're approved can you contact a publisher."

Ximen Zhen blinked, not replying immediately, causing Hiruzen to frown.

"Do you disagree?"

"No, Lord Hokage, I was just wondering... if my book gets published, how will the income be split?"

Hiruzen looked at the cautious young man before him and, recalling everything Ximen Zhen had been through, smiled kindly. "All of it goes to you. Konoha doesn't need your money. Use it as motivation to keep writing."

What Hiruzen failed to realize was that he had just missed out on a massive windfall.

Naturally, Ximen Zhen had no intention of refusing. He beamed as he struck the deal with Hiruzen, then walked out of the Hokage's Office feeling like he was walking on air.

Before even leaving the Hokage building, he withdrew his first month's salary:

Fifty thousand ryo.

Compared to the six thousand ryo he previously tried to stretch for two months, Ximen Zhen had now suddenly become a small-time rich man.

But he remained level-headed, knowing full well that this was just the beginning.

With each simulation, his strength and status in Konoha would only grow stronger and stronger.

So rather than go on a shopping spree, he headed straight to Tenten's house.

He had already secured the Hokage's support—there was no way he would miss out on Tenten's, either.

(End of Chapter)