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"What seems to be the matter?" The Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, asked with a puzzled expression as he observed the visibly agitated chūnin standing before him.
"Lord Hokage, that brat Naruto Uzumaki has been vandalizing the Hokage Monument again. This is already the third time this month! No matter how many times we reprimand him, he just doesn't learn. What should we do? Please give us your orders," the chūnin reported, his voice laced with frustration. As he mentioned Naruto's name, a flicker of disgust and hatred flashed across his eyes.
Hiruzen noticed the chūnin's expression immediately. He sighed softly, shaking his head. "Very well. I'll handle this matter personally. You don't need to worry about it."
The chūnin opened his mouth as if to protest but hesitated, ultimately remaining silent. Nodding reluctantly, he suppressed his disdain for Naruto. After all, when the Hokage himself had spoken, there was no room for further argument.
Once the chūnin had left, Hiruzen lit his pipe, taking a long drag before exhaling a thick ring of smoke. Chuckling wistfully, he muttered, "That brat Naruto didn't inherit his father's steadiness or intelligence, but he sure did pick up every bit of Kushina's fiery temper."
As he spoke Kushina's name, Hiruzen suddenly froze, his mind sparking with a sudden realization. His pupils contracted sharply. "Kushina Uzumaki… Mito Uzumaki! Could it be…?"
Fragments of a distant memory began resurfacing in his mind. Murmuring to himself, he said, "Could it be Hanzō's descendant?" Hiruzen knew quite a bit about Uchiha Hanzō. Years ago, Hanzō had severed ties with the Uchiha clan for the sake of his wife and child. At the time, Konoha's leadership—out of fear that Hanzō's unborn child might inherit both the Uchiha and Uzumaki bloodlines and pose a threat to the village—had pushed for the elimination of Mito Uzumaki's unborn child.
While Hiruzen had reluctantly refrained from stopping Danzo and the Elder Council during the Uchiha clan's annihilation, as their coup d'état posed an existential threat to the village, he still felt immense guilt over the decision. However, the Uchiha Hanzō family had been entirely innocent. Their persecution stemmed solely from the council's paranoia that the child might one day threaten their power. After all, the child's father was an Uchiha, meaning the child would carry the Uchiha name—a fact that terrified them.
"By now, that child would be around fourteen or fifteen years old—roughly the same age as 'Muu,' according to Kurenai's estimation. There's an eighty percent chance that Muu is indeed Hanzō's descendant," Hiruzen mused silently, releasing another deep sigh. The office filled with swirling smoke as silence enveloped the room.
Meanwhile, Miu and Deidara were making their way toward the Land of Earth, traversing a shaded forest path. Deidara muttered incessantly under his breath, while Miu wore an expression of exasperation.
"In the future, my art will shock the entire world!!! Do you hear me, Miu? When that day comes, you'll be proud! Because you're the first person to truly appreciate my art!!! Hahahaha…" Deidara's face radiated excitement as he rambled on without pause.
"Heh." Miu's lips twitched involuntarily, his eye twitching as he forced a smile. This guy has endless energy. Once he starts talking about his art, there's no stopping him. He's been going nonstop for two hours!
Earlier, Miu had casually asked Deidara if he had any new ideas for his ninjutsu. That simple question had triggered a torrent of enthusiastic explanations. To his credit, Deidara was undeniably a genius, spouting off a multitude of bizarre yet intriguing concepts. He confidently declared that he'd complete his experimental techniques soon.
"All right, all right. I get it. Didn't you say you wanted to return to your old hideout to gather some things? Let's hurry up and go," Miu interjected, his ears unable to endure any more of Deidara's monologue.
"Hmm, you're right. Walking is too slow," Deidara replied, glancing at the sky. Two days had passed since their battle in the Land of Lightning. Reaching into his pouch, he pulled out a lump of white clay, which the mouth on his palm promptly consumed.
"Ha!" Deidara formed a hand seal, and with a puff of smoke, a large white bird materialized before them. "Hop on, Miu! Let me show you the thrill of flight like you've never experienced before!!!" Deidara laughed boisterously.
"Hmph." Miu smirked indifferently, leaping onto the bird alongside Deidara. The white bird ascended gracefully into the sky. Standing atop it, Miu gazed at the distant ground below, the vast expanse of mountains and forests stretching endlessly before him. Taking a deep breath, he marveled at the sensation of flying—a first for him in this world. It felt surprisingly pleasant.
Flight was incomparably faster than walking. The white bird carried them swiftly toward the Land of Earth, disappearing into the horizon within moments.
The Land of Earth was one of the Five Great Nations, known for its rugged terrain. Much of the country consisted of barren rock formations and cliffs, with natural rock barriers along its borders that hindered travel between nations. Additionally, strong northern winds carried fine particles of rock across the mountains, creating a famous natural phenomenon known as the "Rock Rain."
As Miu looked down at the landscape below, he saw mostly rocky mountains and cliffs, with sparse patches of forest. The environment was desolate, far inferior to the lush landscapes of the Land of Fire or even the Land of Lightning.
"No wonder the Land of Earth has always been one of the instigators of the Great Ninja Wars," Miu thought to himself. "With such scarce resources and wealth, they must resort to war to plunder what they need from other nations."