Chapter 135: Don't Say You Weren't Warned
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Soon, Konoha's somewhat domineering declaration spread throughout the entire ninja world. Furthermore, a week later, Uchiha Douhuan even specially arranged a political show.
Uchiha Douhuan and Sarutobi Hiruzen, these two generations of Hokage, took Naruto, the descendant of the Uzumaki clan, on a high-profile trip to the old site of Uzushiogakure.
The once prosperous Uzushio Village was now a scene of ruin, with broken walls and rubble covered in moss everywhere.
"Is this... the place where my ancestors once lived?" Naruto looked up blankly, surveying everything around him, and murmured absently. "But... why did it become like this?"
Hearing Naruto's question, Sarutobi Hiruzen beside him wanted to say something, but after his lips trembled for a moment, nothing came out.
Why did it become like this? One would have to ask him, Danzo, and those two advisors what they were thinking back then.
Although Konoha was mired in war at the time, they could still have mustered a corps to support Uzushiogakure if they gritted their teeth. But the four of them watched as the Uzumaki clan perished, and couldn't even protect the last pure-blooded Uzumaki descendant left in the village.
"The village at that time bears inescapable responsibility for Uzushio becoming like this," Uchiha Douhuan said. "What happened in the past cannot be undone. However, I can guarantee that such a tragedy will absolutely not be repeated."
Uchiha Douhuan led Naruto to the front of Uzushio Village's shrine, placed a bouquet of flowers before it, and then bowed deeply.
Sarutobi Hiruzen immediately followed suit, offering flowers and bowing.
"Come, Naruto, offer flowers to your ancestors," Uchiha Douhuan turned back, patted Naruto's head, and said.
Naruto imitated Uchiha Douhuan's actions, placed the flowers in front of the shrine, then bowed deeply. After straightening up, he stared blankly at the dilapidated shrine before him. In a trance, he seemed to feel the gaze of his ancestors upon him.
"Protect this place. In the future, if any Uzumaki clan descendants wish to rebuild Uzushio Village, then return their ancestral land to them," Uchiha Douhuan turned back and instructed Uchiha Inahi.
"Understood." Uchiha Inahi nodded, also sighing as he looked at the surrounding ruins. As a child raised in a major clan, he had heard many stories about the Warring States period. Although in their clan's stories, the Uzumaki clan were villains almost as bad as the Senju clan, often the targets that their Uchiha heroes had to overcome through great hardship, seeing the current state of this great clan, which could once stand on par with their Uchiha during the Warring States period, he couldn't help but feel mournful.
"Teacher, I want to rebuild this place in the future," after a while, Naruto said solemnly to Uchiha Douhuan upon returning to his senses.
Hearing this, Sarutobi Hiruzen immediately turned to look at Naruto, then towards Uchiha Douhuan. Naruto was the village's Jinchuriki; if he ran off to rebuild Uzushio Village, what would happen to the village?
Moreover, it had only been a few days! Had the dream of becoming Hokage that he had cultivated in Naruto since childhood already changed to rebuilding Uzushio Village?
"This was originally something you should do." Uchiha Douhuan, however, ignored Sarutobi Hiruzen's gaze and said while patting Naruto's head. "You are the Clan Head of the Uzumaki clan now."
"Clan Head?" Hearing this, Naruto couldn't help but lower his head again. "But... I don't know what I should do."
"Don't be anxious," Uchiha Douhuan said. "I will teach you these things slowly. Besides, Sasuke and the others will help you too. Because you are comrades."
"Okay!" Naruto nodded forcefully.
"However, before that, you should first learn the most basic Two Symbols Seal. Otherwise, if the Uzumaki clan head doesn't even know Sealing Jutsu, people will laugh," Uchiha Douhuan chuckled.
"But Teacher, as the Uchiha clan head, don't you not even know genjutsu?" Naruto suddenly retorted at this moment.
"Who told you that?" Uchiha Douhuan's gaze sharpened as he spoke, exasperated.
"Uh, when I was playing with Sasuke and Brother Neji in the Uchiha compound, an old Uchiha grandpa told us," Naruto said.
Uchiha Douhuan: ...
Ever since he became Hokage and fulfilled the long-cherished wish of these clan elders, these old fellows had really become quite idle lately. They didn't even hold the clan meetings they used to love. All day long, they just wandered around the compound teasing children, even casually leaking confidential Uchiha clan matters like this. It seemed he needed to find something for them to do.
...
Soon, the news of Uchiha Douhuan paying respects at the old site of Uzushio Village spread throughout the ninja world. At this point, the various powers in the ninja world realized that the statement previously issued by Uchiha Douhuan was perhaps not a joke.
Inside the tall tower of Amegakure, Nagato Uzumaki's expression flickered slightly upon learning this news.
"Nagato, this new Hokage of Konoha, what do you think of him?" Just then, Konan walked in and asked Nagato, whose face was gaunt.
"Pay him no mind," Nagato said slowly. "Whatever his purpose may be, our Akatsuki organization will eventually confront them one day anyway."
"I understand," Konan nodded.
"By the way, speaking of Konoha, is there any news about that traitor Orochimaru?" Nagato asked.
"No. After doing something as major as assassinating the Daimyo, that fellow seems to have completely vanished from the ninja world," Konan replied.
"I see," Nagato nodded, the Rinnegan in his eyes flickering with a profound light.
Compared to the Land of Rain, Kusagakure, which also had Uzumaki descendants in their village, was far less calm.
You see, they belonged to the category Uchiha Douhuan spoke of: forces that had harmed Uzumaki descendants and would be pursued by Konoha to the end.
Currently, Karin and her mother were imprisoned within their village, treated as blood bags for recovering injuries anytime, anywhere. Once Konoha learned of this, who knew what actions Konoha might take.
Therefore, regarding how to handle this mother-daughter pair in the village, the higher-ups of Kusagakure were caught in a heated argument.
To just release Karin and her mother – this group was reluctant. Over the years, it was precisely because of the existence of such a blood bag in the village that their Jounin dared to accept dangerous missions, allowing the village to develop. Moreover, the things they had done over the years already fell within Konoha's scope for settling accounts; Konoha wouldn't let them off just because they released Karin and her mother now.
"Hmph, I refuse to believe Konoha would actually start a war over two women!" a radical faction member in Kusagakure exclaimed. "Those two women are the property of our Kusagakure! What right does Konoha have to interfere!"
"That's hard to say. The current Fifth Hokage of Konoha is from the renowned Uchiha clan," the leader of Kusagakure said gravely.
"Are we really going to release those two women?" someone asked defiantly at this point.
"Releasing them is also impossible! Their blood is more useful than any medical ninjutsu," the Kusagakure leader said after pondering for a while. "Pass down the orders. This matter will be treated as a village secret. No one is allowed to leak it. Also, lock up those two women. Don't let anyone know they are in our village."
"Yes!" The Kusagakure higher-ups present accepted the order and departed.
However, while they thought they could keep Karin and her mother hidden as a secret, at this time, Uchiha Douhuan, back in the Hokage office, had already obtained readily available intelligence.
"Damn Kusagakure! How dare they treat the descendants of the Uzumaki clan like this! It seems they have absolutely no regard for me, this Hokage!"
Inside the Hokage office, Kakashi, Uchiha Fugaku, Inuzuka Tsume, Aburame Shibi – all the members of the current Konoha power center – were gathered, listening to Uchiha Douhuan in front of the desk slam the table and curse.
On the desk lay an intelligence report detailing how the Land of Grass treated Uzumaki clan descendants as blood bags and tortured them.
"Lord Hokage, this matter cannot just be let go," Kakashi spoke up at this time. "If the village hadn't issued the declaration, it might be one thing. But now that the village has already declared it will protect all Uzumaki descendants, and these people from Kusagakure still dare to act this way, it seems they truly don't regard us, Konoha, at all."
"So, are we declaring war on Kusagakure?" Uchiha Fugaku asked.
"Declare war? Are they worthy?" Uchiha Douhuan sneered. "Send two people over there. Tell them either release the people now and make those who harmed the Uzumaki descendants pay the price, or I will personally come knocking to seek justice for the Uzumaki descendants."
"Understood. In that case, I will make the trip myself," Kakashi offered at this time. "If I go, even if negotiations break down, I can still withdraw safely."
"Alright," Uchiha Douhuan nodded. "Then I'll leave it to you."
...
Within Kusagakure, if Karin and her mother had been living in hell before, then these past few days, the mother-daughter pair had undoubtedly been cast into a new layer of hell.
Previously, the mother and daughter still had the privilege of occasionally basking in the sun within the village. But ever since Kusagakure decided to hide them away, the two were quickly transferred overnight into an underground basement in Kusagakure where they never saw the light of day.
Furthermore, perhaps due to the need to vent their own panic, during this period, these Kusagakure higher-ups became even more unrestrained when extracting Uzumaki life force, biting down as if wanting to tear off a piece of flesh from Uzumaki Anri.
Moreover, each time after using Uzumaki Anri, they would vent their frustrations with a barrage of punches and kicks towards the pair.
"I warn you, Kusagakure gave you shelter! Your ability is the only value that keeps you alive! You'd best not have any improper thoughts," this day, a Kusagakure Jounin, after sucking a wave of Uzumaki Anri's life force, said coldly to the barely breathing Uzumaki Anri lying on the ground and the trembling Uzumaki Karin beside her.
However, just then, Kakashi arrived alone at the main gate of Kusagakure.
"Who goes there?" Seeing a stranger approach, the ninjas at the Kusagakure main gate immediately became alert.
"Hatake Kakashi, Hokage Aide of the Hidden Leaf Village, has come to pay a visit," Kakashi stated coldly.
"A ninja from Konoha?" The Kusagakure guard ninja frowned slightly. "What business do you have in our Kusagakure?"
"Have someone who can speak for your village come out. I'll give you only 15 minutes," Kakashi said.
The two guards at the Kusagakure gate exchanged glances. Then one of them quickly hurried into the village.
Ten minutes later, a high-ranking official from Kusagakure, accompanied by several Kusa Jounin, arrived at the village's main gate.
"May I ask what business brings the Hokage Aide here today?" The Kusagakure Jounin Commander, Yoshioka Shinzō, asked, forcing a calm demeanor.
Konoha had just issued a statement recently, and now the Hokage Aide himself arrived in person. He likely came with ill intentions. But before coming, Yoshioka Shinzō had already received instructions from the Kusagakure leader: just deny everything about having Uzumaki descendants, and Konoha probably couldn't do anything to them.
"Konoha has received intelligence that two descendants of a former Konoha ally, the Uzumaki clan, are in your Kusagakure and are being mistreated by your village. Regarding this, can you explain?" Kakashi said, his face cold.
"Hehe, I wonder where the Hokage Aide obtained this news? Kusagakure knows nothing about any Uzumaki descendants," Yoshioka Shinzō replied.
"I think you misunderstand. I am not asking you whether this is happening. Compared to your words, I trust our own intelligence channels more. I am merely demanding an explanation from Kusagakure," Kakashi glanced at Yoshioka Shinzō and the Kusa Jounin behind him, speaking frostily.
"We really don't know anything about Uzumaki descendants," Yoshioka Shinzō insisted, bracing himself. "Moreover..."
"I am giving you only 30 minutes. Hand over the Uzumaki descendants in your village. Then, among those who harmed them, the mastermind commits suicide, and the others cut off one finger each in apology. If you delay, don't say you weren't warned," Kakashi directly interrupted Yoshioka Shinzō, who intended to continue muddying the waters, issuing a direct ultimatum.
"Isn't Konoha being too domineering?" Hearing this, Yoshioka Shinzō's face also turned cold. "Do you really think Kusagakure is afraid of Konoha?"
"It seems Kusagakure doesn't cherish Lord Hokage's mercy," Kakashi said, pulling up the forehead protector covering his left eye. The three tomoe in his left eye spun rapidly, transforming into the Mangekyou pattern. He then used the Summoning Technique to summon Pakkun, and then dismissed the summoning.
Seeing this, Yoshioka Shinzō immediately fired a signal flare and drew his kunai.
The Kusa ninjas behind him also entered combat stances.
However, the next moment, with a ripple of spatial distortion, Yoshioka Shinzō's entire body was instantly severed at the waist by the twisting space. Blood spurted out.
Seeing this, the other Kusa ninjas showed terror on their faces. Kakashi's technique was too bizarre; it instantly intimidated them.
"Does Konoha wish to start a war?" Just then, the leader of Kusagakure walked out, his face grim.
"Are you worthy to talk of war with Konoha?" Kakashi sneered, taking out a special kunai and planting it in the ground before him.
(End of Chapter)
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