Chapter 35 Obito Uchiha
The next day.
Sakumō went alone to the Hokage's office.
None of the former members of Team Sakumō were with him because, starting today, he would be assigned new comrades by the Hokage to form a fresh Team Sakumō for mission execution.
Arriving at the office's door, Sakumō lightly knocked, and after hearing the voice saying "Come in," he entered and closed the door behind him.
"Hokage-sama."
"Ah, you're here, Sakumō."
Now in his prime, Sakumō's aura was completely restrained. If he were wearing a ninja attire, he would have appeared just as ordinary as anyone else here.
There was no hint of the sharp aura expected of the Konoha White Fang.
The Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, nodded in agreement. Among the many Jonin in present-day Konoha, Sakumō was indeed one of a kind.
No matter if it was the new-generation talented Jonin or the ninja of his generation, they couldn't compare to his brilliance.
This also meant that the pressure around him would be alleviated.
Various types of merchants and foreign officials who came to Konoha for missions would now specifically request Sakumō to take on their tasks. This indicated both his reputation and the trust placed in him.
"I'm sorry, but the original Team Sakumō needs to disband."
"Since the day I started leading them, I've been prepared for this. They have all become independent and capable ninja."
Sakumō said this.
Hiruzen agreed with Sakumō's perspective.
Since its formation, Team Sakumō had completed numerous S-rank and A-rank missions.
Putting aside the team's only medical ninja, since they weren't combat-oriented, the other two members, both from prominent clans, had recently been promoted to Jonin and had become mainstays in Konoha.
Breaking up Team Sakumō had been considered from various angles.
However, the most important factor was the attitudes of the Uchiha and Hyuga clans.
"I'd like to ask, what plans do they have next?"
Sakumō still cared enough to ask this question.
"Hinata Ayane will become the future head of the Hyuga clan's bodyguards, and Uchiha Rui will be selected for the Uchiha security team as a squad leader. As for Chiba Shiroshi, I'm planning to assign him to work at the Konoha hospital. Alternatively, he might become an assistant at the ninja academy. Tsunade says his theoretical knowledge is solid, and during his learning period, he rarely made any factual mistakes. He's a rather outstanding medical ninja."
Over the past few years, due to a strong focus on cultivating medical ninjas, Konoha's current number of medical ninjas was double that of the Second Ninja War era.
However, even with this increase, given the vast number of Konoha ninjas, it still wasn't enough to cover all aspects.
Thus, both the ninja academy and Konoha hospital were short on medical ninjas.
"Is that so? I heard Tsunade is currently teaching at the ninja academy..."
"Yes." Saying this, Hiruzen's eyes dimmed with a trace of sadness, as if regretting something. He then collected himself and continued, "There happens to be a vacancy for an assistant to Tsunade. He can be sent there."
Sakumō smiled and finally felt a sense of relief.
He wasn't particularly worried about Rui and Ayane, but he was concerned about Shiroshi's future path.
Whether at the ninja academy or the Konoha hospital, his life would be stable going forward, with no significant life-threatening risks.
As for whether there were any political factors in this decision, Sakumō didn't want to think about such troublesome matters.
He had little interest in politics. His focus was on how to increase his strength, protect his comrades, and execute missions perfectly.
"These are your new team members. Take a look and see if they're suitable."
Hiruzen placed the information profiles of the three new team members on the table. Sakumō picked them up and quickly scanned through them.
"No problem. A sensory ninja, a medical ninja, and a supporting combat Jonin. The composition isn't much different from before."
"As long as you're satisfied. Lately, for some reason, I feel my physical condition deteriorating. Having your team led by you can alleviate some of the pressure on me."
Hiruzen laughed.
"You're joking, Hokage-sama. You're not even fifty yet."
"It's coming soon. And sitting in this office all day, I only get a chance to practice my ninjutsu occasionally. I wonder if my abilities have declined."
Hiruzen felt somewhat melancholic.
"You're a ninja professor and the Hokage trusted by Konoha."
"Haha, rest assured. I can manage this position until it's handed over to the next generation of Hokage."
Hiruzen also knew that once a ninja reached fifty, they would generally start declining in abilities.
Considering his past service, including fighting alongside the Second Hokage during his younger years, and the many old injuries he carried, he had recently been feeling increasingly inadequate.
It really was time to consider the matter of the next Hokage.
In another two or three years, they could conduct the ceremony to select the candidate for the Fourth Hokage. That's what Hiruzen was thinking.
As for who should inherit the position of the Fourth Hokage, Hiruzen hadn't made up his mind.
The problem was that there were too many viable options.
White Fang, the Sannin, and many talented Jonin from the new generation, each had qualifications to compete for the position of Hokage.
All of them were excellent ninjas capable of upholding the Will of Fire.
This was a delightful dilemma named "happiness."
Thinking of this, Hiruzen felt much lighter.
…
Hyuga Clan Territory.
In the corridors of a vast courtyard, people walked along.
At the forefront of the group was Hiashi Hyuga, the next head of the Hyuga family, followed by a young man and a young woman.
The man, in his twenties, had a calm demeanor. He was an outstanding Jonin of the Hyuga clan and served as the protector of the future head, Hiashi. He was fully committed to this duty.
The woman beside him was in her teens and wore a white kimono-style ninja outfit. She was also a Jonin of the Hyuga clan and an elite guard, similar to the man. She was responsible for Hiashi's safety.
This young woman was Ayane.
Having completed the training tasks of Team Sakumō, her next actions were to follow the arrangements and commands of the family, as was only natural.
From the start, she had decided to become Hiashi's guard.
Remembering her mission to protect the main family, she was also from a branch family, with responsibilities she had to fulfill.
While the overall strength of the Hyuga clan was inferior to that of the Uchiha clan, they excelled in maintaining strict family traditions, an area where the Uchiha couldn't compare.
"Both of you can wait here for now."
"Yes."
Ayane and the male Jonin gave a slight bow before stepping back and creating distance from Hiashi.
"It seems that the moment when Lord Hiashi inherits the clan head position is not far away."
The male Hyuga Jonin murmured softly.
"What do you mean?"
"This time is a matchmaking ceremony. After getting married, Lord Hiashi will soon become the clan head... This is also a tradition of the main family."
"Dōken-senpai, you're quite familiar with these procedures."
Ayane laughed.
Dōken Hyuga was the name of the male Hyuga Jonin.
He was a ninja of the generation preceding Ayane's. In terms of talent, he was an existence that could not be underestimated. His usage of the Byakugan and Gentle Fist surpassed most members of the Hyuga clan.
Additionally, as a branch member, he had the spirit of being willing to sacrifice for the main family, which is why he was chosen to be one of Hiashi's guardians.
There were differences even among branch members.
Most branch members were not taught the core techniques of the Hyuga clan, such as many derived techniques of the Gentle Fist, or the ultimate defense technique, "Eight Trigrams Palms Revolving Heaven."
These were advanced techniques only taught to main family members.
Both Ayane and Dōken were allowed to learn these techniques in order to better protect Hiashi, who would become the clan head.
"Nothing much. By the way, I heard that you performed extremely well under Jonin Sakumō. You became a Jonin at such a young age. That's truly impressive."
Dōken Jonin said with a smile.
Becoming a Jonin at such a young age was rare even within the talented Hyuga clan.
Especially considering she was a woman.
"I was exhausted. I had to complete many high-level missions, and there were several times I narrowly escaped death. I don't want to experience those days again. Life in the clan is much quieter."
Ayane complained, and Dōken Jonin agreed.
Although three years had passed since the Second Great Ninja War, during peacetime, ninja still had to work.
Especially elite teams like Team Sakumō; the missions they received were at the very least A-rank.
"But you should also be a little cautious. Don't get too involved with outsiders, especially in matters of the heart. Hyuga and Uchiha are different; Hyuga don't allow their women to marry outside the clan, not even through marriage into other families. Moreover, you are Hiashi's guardian, a very important role."
Dōken's words carried a deeper meaning.
"What do you mean?"
Ayane looked at Dōken Jonin with a slightly tilted head.
"Nothing specific. Just as a fellow branch member, I don't want a talented Jonin like you to be neglected by the elders."
Dōken Jonin sighed.
"I don't understand."
"You're a smart person; you must understand my meaning. Don't do anything unnecessary. Every move you make is observed by the elders. In the eyes of the Hyuga clan, branch members don't need secrets. As a guardian of Lord Hiashi, our lives are different from those of other branch members."
Seeing Ayane's confusion, Dōken Jonin smiled wryly.
"..."
Ayane fell silent.
"My life has already been arranged by the elders. My wife is a branch family member I didn't know before. We hurriedly got married in that situation because it was the safest option. Your future will be the same. Don't try to resist. The power of the Hyuga clan is not something you can oppose. Apart from that, you'll enjoy benefits that other branch members can't."
"Should I thank those considerate elders then? They've arranged my future so thoughtfully."
Ayane said with a smile, her face showing no trace of anger or resentment.
In her pure white eyes, there was only a simple smile.
"Only this way can the Hyuga clan's bloodline remain pure. Our Byakugan is a noble bloodline limit, and genetically, we're in a different class from civilian ninja. I don't want to hear news that you've met an unfortunate fate one day."
Dōken Jonin looked up at the blue sky, where birds were flying freely, and he smiled faintly.
To be a bird flying freely... what a luxury wish.
"Don't worry, Dōken-senpai. I will fulfill my duty as a Hyuga ninja."
Ayane's convincing smile calmed him.
"You really are a fearsome woman."
Dōken Jonin couldn't help but say this as he stared at Ayane's beautiful smile that held nothing but, well, a smile.
No, he had no idea what she was thinking.
A monster, perhaps? Dōken Jonin felt a sense of caution rising.
Working alongside a woman like this, a monster, required him to be on guard every moment.
…
After the matchmaking ceremony, Hiashi returned to his residence and let out a long sigh.
A feeling of exhaustion surged over him.
Practice of the Gentle Fist and the Byakugan, learning how to manage the clan, and now building a relationship with a woman he hadn't seen before—all these left him with almost no time.
Apart from his sleeping hours, his schedule was already fully arranged.
For the first time, he realized that being the clan head wasn't an easy task.
"It's good to be back here..."
He murmured to himself.
Come to think of it, he hadn't seen Hizashi for a long time.
"But when he thinks of Hizashi's gaze directed at him now—indifferent, reverent, and filled with resentment—Hiashi's emotions become complicated.
He really wishes he could go back to the carefree days of his childhood, when Hizashi's gaze held respect and affection for an older brother, rather than this gaze that treats him as a stranger.
From the moment they were caged, their destinies as brothers took dramatically different paths.
One became the exalted main family, the other, a branch family controlled by the main family.
Once marked as a branch member, every child that follows will bear that mark as well.
Only the main family's heirs have the chance to become part of the main family, while others carry the risk of being relegated to the branch.
This has led to the main family dwindling in numbers, while the branch family grows.
Thinking about this, Hiashi's weariness deepens.
"If only there were no branch system, then Hizashi..."
But this is just his personal sentiment.
The clan's will won't shift according to his individual wishes.
The destinies of the branch and main family, Hizashi's and Hiashi's, were predetermined from the start, unalterable.
"Please don't say it like that, Lord Hiashi. Protecting the main family is our branch's responsibility. Sooner or later, Hizashi-sama will understand your good intentions."
Winter Dōken reassures Hiashi.
In his eyes, Hiashi isn't the aloof young master outsiders see. He also has a gentle and kind side.
However, faced with the family's principles, he can only choose to be stern.
If he follows someone like that, Dōken believes he won't have any regrets in life.
The treatment of the branch might even improve a bit.
"Winter-senpai, that's a bit cruel to say. Lord Hiashi is just expressing some occasional complaints."
Ayane defends Hiashi from the side.
"I understand."
Winter Dōken respectfully steps back, but his gaze remains on Ayane.
This woman is too dangerous, and yet Hiashi trusts her deeply. Winter Dōken narrows his eyes.
Honestly, he doesn't want to work together with Ayane.
A woman whose thoughts are impossible to decipher—fortunately, there's a caged bird controlling her.
Otherwise, it wouldn't be good for the Hyuga clan or for Konoha.
"What are your thoughts about the future Lady of the clan, Lord Hiashi?"
"She's a good woman."
But a bit too rigid and dull, like a finely crafted doll. Hiashi adds this to his thoughts.
Every action and expression follows a template, not artificially but because she was crafted to be mild and gentle.
Her smile is full of genuine warmth, but Hiashi can't find any interest in such a good woman.
His mother, the maids in the household, including his future wife—they all fit this mold.
Like finely manufactured goods from a factory.
But among them, there's one exception.
That's Ayane.
Beneath her gentle exterior lies an incredibly strong, unyielding personality that hasn't been eroded by the strict clan rules.
Hiashi can sense the difference between Ayane and those women.
At a fundamental level, she's no longer the stereotypically serious Hyuga clan member.
What has she experienced in the past that brought about this transformation?
What kind of person will she marry in the future?
For some reason, Hiashi has been preoccupied with these questions lately.
…
"Having finished the arduous mission, I'm back in this familiar place..."
Standing at the entrance of the Ninja Academy, Shiroshi felt like he didn't know what to comment on.
When he was in Team Sakumō, he occasionally passed by the Ninja Academy. However, since graduating, this is the first time he's officially stepped into this land of memories.
But perhaps this is better; compared to the hospital, the work on this side of the Ninja Academy is relatively relaxed.
The only thing he's concerned about is keeping an eye on the rambunctious kids at the school.
"What's wrong, kid? You've made it to this place, and you're scared stiff, huh?"
Mocking laughter came from behind.
Shiroshi turned around and scratched his head. "Not at all, Granny Tsunade. I'm just thinking about how I should get along with the adorable younger students from here on."
"Having that kind of mindset is good."
Tsunade walked up and patted Shiroshi's shoulder. She's grown much stronger compared to before, and taller as well.
The changes in Tsunade, Shiroshi could only feel like her bust seems to have developed again.
Too overwhelming.
Truly a Jonin.
Although he's not sure if having a big bust is directly related to being a Jonin, Shiroshi still thinks that way."
"Don't worry, this isn't a dangerous place. Working with me here is much safer than with Team Sakumo."
Tsunade holds a high regard for Shiroshi's medical knowledge. While he might have shortcomings in certain areas, with sufficient knowledge and ample experience, he's well-suited to be her assistant and teach the newcomers.
"Yes, I'm quite satisfied with this job."
Shiroshi nodded in agreement.
But to be honest, Team Sakumo wasn't really dangerous either. Every mission was completed swiftly. The other three members would charge into battle and defeat enemies, while he stood on the sidelines signaling and cheering, and the battles would end in a spectacular manner.
"Follow me."
Tsunade led the way, and Shiroshi remembered the direction clearly from his memories.
They were heading to the classroom where he had initially studied medical knowledge.
Several batches of the Medical Ninja Training Experimental Class must have passed by now.
He was truly looking forward to the young and adorable underclassmen.
The class schedule for the Medical Ninja Training Experimental Class was set after 3 pm to avoid conflicts with the main classes, and it usually ended around 5 pm.
During graduation exams, the passing scores for the experimental class students were lowered, and they also received additional allowances.
The class had more students than Shiroshi's initial class, with nearly forty people. It seemed that over the past few years, the importance of medical ninjas had been promoted within the organization, and with the added incentives, it had yielded positive results.
The majority of the students were female, with only a few scattered males.
Both male and female students looked curiously at the young man beside Tsunade, speculating on his identity.
"This is your senior, Chiyoko Shiroshi. He used to be one of my students a long time ago. He's now here to assist me in my work. Welcome, everyone."
After Tsunade's introduction, the students below applauded.
Shiroshi also nodded in a friendly manner, portraying the behavior expected of a senior.
Next was the start of the official class.
Compared to the past, Tsunade's teaching method was more innovative, with many issues being analyzed incisively.
The students here respected Tsunade, and their learning attitude was much more earnest than Shiroshi's batch.
When Tsunade grew tired, she let Shiroshi continue. With his wealth of knowledge, he quickly adapted and managed to keep up with Tsunade's pace.
His experiments were also compatible with Tsunade's methods, leaving her with few criticisms.
This kid has grown quite a bit. With him here, Tsunade might even have some time to relax and visit the casino and tavern... Thinking this, Tsunade smiled.
Recruiting him from Team Sakumo was indeed the right choice.
A perfect tool.
"For real, on the first day, you're just going to dump all the work on me?"
After class, Shiroshi sighed as he looked at the empty seat next to him, where Tsunade had disappeared to who-knows-where.
"Um, Senior Shiroshi, may I ask you some questions?"
After everyone had left, a girl approached him. She had shoulder-length deep brown hair and a gentle smile, giving her an appearance of a cute and obedient type.
"No problem."
Shiroshi readily agreed to her request, letting her sit next to him and discussing the medical knowledge she didn't understand.
Just as he was about to speak, a furious roar came from outside the classroom:
"What the heck are you trying to do to Rin?! Getting so close, despicable! Take this!"
Saying this, he rushed towards Shiroshi aggressively, not caring about anything else.
Shiroshi immediately sidestepped, and the other guy sailed gracefully over his head, crashing into the wall on the opposite side.
His shouts came to an abrupt halt, and he slid down the wall.
"Obito!?"
The girl, Rin, recognized the identity of the guy who attacked Shiroshi. It was their classmate, Obito. She panickedly rushed over to see if he was okay.
"Are you alright?"
"Haha, yeah, I'm... fine. This minor injury is nothing, see how strong I am? It's really no big deal!"
Saying this, he blushed and jumped up from the ground, doing exaggerated stretching movements to show that he was completely unharmed.
"Excuse me, but, Senior Shiroshi, were you trying to demonstrate how to become a pevert just now? While it's after class, you should still maintain a sense of propriety."
Shiroshi walked over, his headache worsening as he looked at this male student.
Here comes the troublemaker who often stumped teachers during school hours.
"Hmph, don't think I don't know your background. You're that 'freeloading Shiroshi' from the Uchiha, right?"
It seemed like he wanted to humiliate Shiroshi.
Shiroshi nodded. "Yes, that's right, I indeed freeload."
Huh? Admitting it? Without any hesitation?
Is this something worth being proud of?
Obito was at a loss for words.
"When a woman is willing to support a man, doesn't that also count as one of his skills?"
Shiroshi said this.
Obito couldn't find a retort, even though he wanted to argue, he didn't know what to say.
"Speaking of which, when you said 'us Uchiha'... Are you also from the Uchiha clan?"
"Of course, haven't you seen the insignia on the back of my clothes?"
"I didn't notice. Maybe you're just impersonating and secretly drew it on yourself."
Obito was almost exploding with anger.
And he swung his fist again.
Shiroshi sidestepped, and Obito ended up face-down on the ground on the opposite side.
"Freeloading... You're so despicable! Setting a trap under my feet!"
"Obito, that was clearly you slipping, it had nothing to do with Senior Shiroshi."
Rin walked over, somewhat helpless in regards to Obito.
"..."
Shiroshi was somewhat speechless watching this scene.
This guy... is he really from the Uchiha?
A member of Rui's clan?
Undoubtedly, this was a genuine idiot.
…
Late April.
Land of Tea, in a canyon.
Steep and treacherous cliffs on both sides formed a natural barrier.
On the road within the canyon, two groups were engaged in battle.
They wielded kunai and utilized ninjutsu, making it clear that both sides were ninja.
The leader of one side was Chūdan, a member of the organization under Shiroshi. Following Shiroshi's instructions, they gathered information in the ninja world while searching for potential recruits.
Their identities as bounty hunters suited the five of them well.
By collecting information and recruits, they could not only increase their extra income but also expand their fame. This would attract more employers to hire them for missions and expose them to more secrets.
This time, they received a mission from a merchant of the Land of Tea to eliminate an illicit ninja organization within the country.
This ninja organization originated from outside the Land of Tea. They were not affiliated with the Five Great Nations nor any of the smaller ninja villages. Instead, they became ninja by coincidence, essentially rogue ninja without a village.
They survived by robbing passing merchants, prompting Tea Country's merchants to offer a bounty on their heads in the underground market. Their task was to eliminate this group of rogue ninja and restore stability to Tea Country's trade routes.
To be honest, this mission posed no great difficulty for the five of them.
Their average strength was that of chūnin or above.
Bestowed with powerful physical attributes and strong abilities like perception and self-healing, Shiroshi also had them each master their own unique techniques under his arrangement.
The strength of their five-person team was such that it would take at least three jōnin to defeat them, and killing them remained a daunting task.
The strength of the rogue ninja organization mostly consisted of genin-level members, with their leader's strength generally being chūnin-level. Jōnin-level members were quite rare in such a vast group of rogue ninja.
"What... what's this!?"
A ninja in green clothing with brown hair held a wandering ninja by the neck from behind, sparks of intense flames bursting from his arm.
More accurately, his entire arm had turned into flames.
The throat of the wandering ninja was immediately charred, and he fell to the ground lifeless.
Then, another wandering ninja thrust his blade into the back of the first one. It felt as if he had struck air, his attack meeting no resistance, his weapon touching what seemed like insubstantial flames.
The second wandering ninja was instantly engulfed in flames, emitting a chilling scream of terror.
Eventually reverting to his normal appearance, the brown-haired ninja displayed an indifferent expression.
This battle could be described as child's play.
"Hinote, your jutsu remains as cruel as ever."
A ninja in purplish-red attire approached, laughing.
"No choice, each of us has been granted specialized jutsu."
Emerging from the shadows of a rock, a person with yellow attire and black hair appeared, clearly satisfied with the abilities they had obtained.
Hinote's jutsu derived from the manipulation of fire-based chakra natures. His, on the other hand, resulted from manipulating the shadow-based chakra nature. It allowed him to stealthily traverse shadows and made him an unstoppable assassin within the team.
The others were also busily dealing with their assigned opponents.
"Now that the mission is over, at this pace, we'll soon become renowned in the underground market."
"Indeed, absorbing talent will become much easier as well."
Completing the mission of annihilating the rogue ninja in the Land of Tea, the team's accomplishments in the black market had once again expanded.
Continuing like this, within a few years, they would become a renowned name in the underground market, drawing in more resources and recruits.
"Regardless of the type of enemy, just be cautious."
Leader Chūdan came to the side of the rogue ninja's corpses and began to loot them, as was his usual routine.
Sometimes, these wandering ninja might carry something interesting. Though Chūdan had yet to encounter such a situation, he viewed it as adding to his personal savings.
After all, these wandering ninja were already dead; their wealth now belonged to the team.
This was quite a lucrative mission.
"Oh?"
Chūdan raised an eyebrow and found a scroll on one of the wandering ninja's bodies.
He remembered this particular wandering ninja; he was the leader of this rogue ninja organization.
Judging by the quality of the scroll, it was cheap, but it was sealed with a technique. Could there be some secret hidden inside?
"What's inside?"
"I don't know. Can't rule out the possibility of a trap."
Chūdan contemplated for a moment. Even if it were a trap, he needed to open it to see what was inside. Of course, precautions were in order.
After breaking the seal, Chūdan immediately jumped backward, guarding against any potential trap within the scroll.
However, there was nothing on the scroll, just hasty handwriting, outlining their plan to exploit a certain 'secret' to earn a substantial amount of money.
Chūdan and his team were puzzled, unable to understand what this 'secret' the wandering ninja mentioned was, and how it could bring in so much money.
Judging by the script, they had already found suitable buyers and today was the day of the transaction.
Coincidentally, they had been ambushed by the five of them ahead of schedule. This deal probably wouldn't go as planned.
"Boss, should we check out this so-called 'secret'?"
"Might as well. It doesn't seem too far from here. After all, we'll need to recruit a lot more people in the future. Even the tiniest mosquito leg is still meat."
Chūdan's perspective was also shared by the other four.
While the organization offered good salaries, due to its recent establishment, funds were needed in many areas.
Money was necessary to attract talent.
The talents required weren't limited to just ninja; they encompassed various fields.
Craftsmen, researchers, educators, medical practitioners, and more.
They needed to quickly accumulate resources in these areas, establishing a solid foundation for the organization before experiencing rapid growth.
Even the tiniest of resources had to be fully exploited. Not a single needle or thread could be overlooked.
…
Inside the cave, the path was extremely rough and damp, filled with a foul and filthy odor.
This was the scent of poverty and death.
The five members of Chūdan's group were all too familiar with this odor. In the past, and even now in the Rain Country, this odor could be found everywhere.
This was the lair of the group of rogue ninja. Their desired 'secret' to be traded with the unknown buyer was here. According to the scroll, this 'secret' was significant and could fetch a good price.
Naturally, Chūdan's group was very interested in finding this treasure.
They just hoped that this secret wouldn't disappoint them too much.
As the cave was dim, Hinote picked up a stick and ignited it, using it as a torch for illumination.
The cave was filled with food scraps and residues, suggesting that these wandering ninja lived a miserable and meager life.
"Is this the place?"
After disarming all the traps on the way, Chūdan's group arrived in front of a closed wooden door.
A securely sealed iron lock was on top, covered in rust.
An indescribable stench, along with the smell of decay, wafted from inside.
This was the only place in the lair that could be used to hide the 'secret'.
From their senses, Chūdan's group didn't know what the 'secret' inside was. However, behind the door, there were several living individuals.
A total of eight.
In this room, there were eight living individuals.
Locked inside, they couldn't possibly be comrades of those rogue ninja. Were they captives?
Attacked by the rogue ninja and brought here?
Chūdan hesitated for a moment before breaking the lock on the door, opening it.
The light of the flames shone in, revealing a dimly lit room. The light was weak and flickering, the power supply not very stable, but it was enough for Chūdan's group to see the condition of these people.
Emaciated, they looked like they had been abused for a long time.
Among them were men, women, and children, like members of a single family.
Dry, cracked lips, haggard faces – the food and water given by the wandering ninja were at the bare minimum.
They all wore heavy leg and wrist cuffs.
Chūdan surveyed these eight people and finally fixed his gaze on a child of just a few years.
The hopeful and eager gleam in the child's eyes was a testament to their determination to live.
And there was a hint of nervousness and unease.
"Boss, they seem a bit different from regular people."
Hinote whispered beside him.
"Even after enduring such mistreatment, receiving minimal water and food, their life force still exceeds that of others. And they all have red hair..."
Chūdan narrowed his eyes, noticing that all eight of them, regardless of gender, had incredibly vibrant red hair.
"Descendants of the Uzumaki clan..."
This must be the secret that can be sold for a good price.
Indeed, it was a very remarkable 'treasure'.
Chūdan took a few steps forward, approaching these people.
An unbearable stench emanated from them, their faces covered in dirt, wounds infected, and with no medical treatment available. Cockroaches even crawled over the food boxes nearby.
Here, they could only barely survive.
"It's truly pathetic. The once glorious Uzumaki clan in the ninja world has fallen to this state."
Not only had their nation perished, but their fellow clansmen were scattered everywhere, wandering the ninja world and living a hand-to-mouth existence.
"Since you're alive, why didn't you seek help from Konoha? Instead of ending up captured by these rogue ninja, and living a life worse than underground rodents?"
Chūdan touched the head of the Uzumaki child, asking with a puzzled expression.
The Uzumaki clan had had a long-standing alliance with Konoha.
Even the jōnin uniforms of Konoha bore the emblem of the Uzumaki clan, symbolizing the friendly relationship between the two.
Losing their nation, their first reaction should have been to seek refuge in Konoha, not living a beggar-like wandering life across various parts of the ninja world.
"We sent out a distress signal at the time... but they only took one person away..."
A middle-aged man with red hair lowered his head and said in such a way that the sound of his sobbing could be heard. Chūdan's question seemed to have stirred up unpleasant memories for him.
The annihilation of the Whirlpool Country had not yet reached a decade.
For this middle-aged man, it was a bitter experience he had lived through.
Bearing the title of a slave from a fallen nation, he wandered through the ninja world, facing exclusion and capture.
And during that time, he clearly remembered that Konoha had never extended a helping hand.
Both before and after the fall of their country, the distress signals they sent seemed to disappear into thin air, and what they received was only despair.
The thought of seeking help from Konoha had long faded away.
Regarding the fall of the Whirlpool Country, Chūdan could only offer a moment of silence.
Perhaps in the future, his former homeland, the Land of Rain, might also walk down this path, becoming a sacrificial pawn under the major nations.
At that time, the people of the Land of Rain would be like the current Uzumaki clan members, hidden rats in the darkness.
People would look at the Land of Rain's people and call them slaves of a fallen nation.
And the so-called alliance was nothing more than a piece of paper.
Nothing more than a worthless piece of paper.
"I feel sympathy for your experiences. Seeing your homeland ravaged, that feeling of heart-wrenching pain is something everyone shares."
Chūdan deeply empathized.
"Our organization is currently recruiting exceptional talent. If you're willing to join, we'll be comrades in the future. You'll have a clean environment, clean water and food, and security. But at the same time, your loyalty will be required. If you don't agree, we won't trouble you, and you can continue living your own life."
These people had hesitant and concerned expressions, a mix of worry and hope.
The nerves of these people had long been so fragile that after giving them hope, the despair that followed would lead them only to suicide.
Chūdan smiled and spoke, "Our leader said he won't save those who only pray for rain to fall. There are no pie-falling-from-the-sky miracles in this world. By doing good deeds while gaining greater benefits, we find more motivation to continue doing good."
And what the Uzumaki clan could offer was undoubtedly their bloodline and their rich sealing techniques.
Even though their nation had been annihilated, they would surely have a significant role to play one day.
"Whether you live like a person or like a dog, there's no need to feel ashamed. What matters is the future. As long as you're still alive, there's a possibility to change your destiny. After all, your nation is already gone. Now you only have one miserable life. What's there left to lose? Who hasn't been a homeless dog at some point?"
Chūdan's expression was filled with pity.
Due to war, his family was torn apart. After that, he survived by robbing and killing, and then he was taken as a pitiful subject for experiments. Those years were terrifying to think about, causing cold sweat to break out on his back.
Fortunately, after the storm comes a rainbow. He had come to terms with many things and was no longer as naive as before.
The world was as it was.
He hoped that the descendants of the Uzumaki clan would make a choice they wouldn't regret.
What was important was to first entice them into the organization.
With that done, they would have money, women, luxurious mansions, and more.
This was Chūdan's principle in doing good deeds.
…
Shiroshi's daily work was to arrive at the ninja academy before three o'clock to assist Tsunade in teaching medical ninjutsu to the students of the experimental class.
Aside from that, he was occasionally dragged to the hospital to do some grunt work.
Most of his time was spent quietly in the laboratory, conducting research.
Of course, at the school, there was also a troublemaker brat named Uchiha Obito who would occasionally come to bother him.
These kids nowadays were truly terrifying; they were only five or six years old, yet they already knew how to be jealous.
But it's not like he had done anything to that girl named Rin, he was just teaching her some medical knowledge after class.
In many aspects, the ninja world was not something that could be deduced using common sense.
The more one deduced, the more outrageous the answers became.
For instance... the white humanoid creature lying on his experimentation table right now.
It was the unidentified individual caught by Chūdan's group. During their surveillance of 'Akatsuki,' they had been noticed by Chūdan's group, and after being crushed to death, the body was sent to him.
After that incident, Shiroshi became quite interested in these simple life-structured white creatures.
However, after dissecting the entire body and revealing its secrets, he got an even more puzzling answer.
The energy extracted from this creature can revitalize a withered branch, causing it to sprout new shoots.
Wood Release?
And there's even a hint of a tailed-beast-like aura.
What exactly is the origin of this creature?
A fusion of tailed-beast and Wood Release?
Pathetic.
According to Chūdan, this creature's combat power is extremely weak; it can be easily handled with just one hand, without even resorting to ninjutsu.
"It seems there's an issue with 'Akatsuki'."
Although this creature's strength is weak, the secret it holds shocked Shiroshi.
Both Wood Release and tailed-beast, either of them possesses remarkable legends.
The former is the power of the ninja deity that quelled chaos.
The latter is a chakra monster that has existed since ancient times, an immortal being beyond human power to resist.
Anyone connected with both of these powers, Shiroshi believed, must have a lot of hidden meaning.
Who is behind this white creature?
Why monitor 'Akatsuki'?
Is this creature truly created using Wood Release and tailed-beast powers?
If that's the case, where does the Wood Release come from?
Since the death of the First Hokage, Wood Release, which can suppress tailed-beast powers, has vanished from the ninja world and turned into legend.
Shiroshi thought of a highly probable possibility.
The upper echelons of Konoha!
They're secretly researching the revival of Wood Release.
Just like him, they extract hidden cells from the corpse; for Konoha, this is undoubtedly not a difficult task.
Because the only ones who could have access to the corpse of the First Hokage were those few individuals.
Extract cells containing Wood Release power from the First Hokage's body, then use human bodies for experimentation, mass-producing Wood Release ninja.
And the creature before him is the result of their research.
The question then arises: Why send it to monitor 'Akatsuki'?
An organization consisting of only eight or nine people, all of them young boys and girls who haven't even grown up. If they're really considered a threat, they could simply be eliminated by the ANBU.
There's no need to go to such lengths to monitor them.
Shiroshi's head began to ache; there were too many contradictions, but according to the intelligence he had gathered, this seemed to be a reasonable deduction.
What exactly are the higher-ups in Konoha plotting?
While Shiroshi was pondering what Konoha's higher-ups were up to, a piece of earth on the floor became loose. A humanoid head made of earth-colored mud emerged from the ground, its dark eyes fixed on Shiroshi.
A scroll manifested from the mud, placed on the ground; it would continue to function as a perfect communication tool, infiltrating the underground.
Shiroshi paid no attention to this 'clumsy child's' action of leaving without informing him. He didn't hold high expectations for its intelligence.
Using a technique to unravel the scroll, as expected, it was the scroll sent by Chūdan's group.
The content of the scroll was quite simple; Shiroshi glanced at it and understood the general idea.
"The Uzumaki clan? I thought all of them had died off."
Shiroshi pondered for a moment, then immediately took out a blank scroll, wrote a few sentences on it, rolled it up, and sealed it using a technique.
"Give this scroll to them."
He was speaking to the earth-made humanoid.
The earth-made humanoid emerged on the surface again, and in its hollow eyes, there seemed to be a touch of human-like resentment.
Even so, it was still very obedient in accepting the task entrusted to it by Shiroshi.
Despite being just half a year old, it had completed the feat of running through a large part of the ninja world all by itself.
Without a doubt, it was a perfect tool just as Shiroshi had anticipated.
(Chapter End)