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After crossing the bridge, a Kusa Village ANBU operative approached Mu and handed him an intelligence scroll.
Having fully taken control of Kusa Village, all its ANBU operatives now served under them. Through these agents, they could gather various pieces of information—such as...
The burial site of Zabuza.
"So it really is around here," Mu muttered.
Not far from Naruto Bridge, on a nearby hillside, Mu spotted two graves marked by crudely tied branches. A massive blade—the Kubikiribōchō—was embedded in the soil atop Zabuza's grave.
With a swift motion, Karin pulled the giant sword out and raised it high above her head. She examined its broad blade with admiration. "This is the Mist Village's Kubikiribōchō? Its quality truly sets it apart from ordinary swords."
The Kubikiribōchō measured over two meters in length, but Karin wielded it effortlessly with one hand, creating powerful gusts of wind as she swung it around.
"Feels good to use?" Mu asked.
"Mm," Karin nodded, clearly fond of the weapon's heft.
"All right, then it's ours now. You can keep using it for now," Mu said casually.
Karin tilted her head, puzzled. "Aren't we supposed to trade it with the Mist Village for something?"
"It's just a sword—it won't fetch much. For now, you can use it. From what I remember, this thing is incredibly durable. It survived direct hits from Tailed Beast Balls and even regenerates itself by absorbing iron from blood. No repairs or maintenance needed—just like Shukaku, very low-maintenance."
At those words, mini-Shukaku popped his head out of the backpack, shouting indignantly, "Hey! How many times do I have to say it—I'm not a pet!"
"Yeah, yeah," Karin replied dismissively, pushing him back into the bag.
"Grrr!" Mini-Shukaku slammed the backpack lid shut, refusing to speak further.
Karin continued swinging the massive blade several times, generating strong currents that sent grass and twigs flying everywhere.
"It works pretty well," she commented, trying to strap the enormous sword onto her back. Standing at just over five feet tall, carrying a sword twice her height looked comically disproportionate.
Mu stroked his chin thoughtfully before handing her a sealing scroll. "Just seal it into this when you're not using it."
"Mm."
After collecting their treasure, the pair made their way to the ruins of Uzushiogakure.
Years of scavenging had left little behind besides crumbling walls and debris. Neither of them felt any particular connection to the place, so after a brief moment of remembrance, they found a small hill overlooking the sea where they decided to settle matters.
Feeling the ocean breeze brush against his face, Mu spoke calmly. "The scenery here isn't bad. In the future, we can rebuild a town on the ruins of Uzushiogakure. It's close enough."
"Mm. Let's bury Mother here, then."
Having completed their task, the duo quickly departed Wave Country without changing its name back to Land of Whirlpools—it wasn't time yet.
When they returned to the Land of Fire, new intelligence delivered by ANBU operatives revealed that Chiyo-baa-sama of Suna had already entered Konoha. According to reports, both shinobi and civilians had gathered outside her temporary residence, loudly demanding retribution for Suna's actions. Though the chaos was swiftly quelled by Konoha shinobi, the incident signified growing unrest within the village. Whether orchestrated or spontaneous, it indicated that voices within Konoha were becoming louder—and if no central authority stepped forward soon, factions would begin to form.
By the time Mu and Karin arrived in Konoha, spies from Kusa Village had delivered additional intelligence.
Konoha's reconstruction was progressing rapidly, thanks to the efforts of skilled earth-style ninjas who specialized in construction. While living conditions remained poor, at least everyone had moved out of tents. Occasionally, shouts of "Wood Release: Three-Bedroom Two-Hall Technique!" echoed through the air, followed by the sudden appearance of newly constructed buildings—a phenomenon that seemed almost legendary.
However, due to the severe shortage of administrative personnel, Konoha's governance remained chaotic. For instance, the location of Chiyo-baa-sama's stay shouldn't have been leaked under normal circumstances.
Mu continued reviewing the reports. Thanks to the protests of Konoha shinobi during previous negotiations, talks between Suna and Konoha had reached a stalemate. Though Kusa spies couldn't obtain specific details, rumors suggested the root cause:
Money.
In short, it all came down to money.
Konoha demanded funds that Suna simply couldn't provide. Rebuilding the destroyed village, compensating fallen shinobi, purchasing supplies, and preparing for potential war—all required vast sums of money. Coupled with Kusa Village's declaration of war, Konoha urgently needed to stockpile resources, further straining its finances.
As Mu mulled over the intelligence, he realized there was still room for negotiation success—if only because sticking to the original plan would save him the trouble of stirring up trouble elsewhere.
His thoughts immediately turned to one individual.
"Perfect timing. I'd planned to meet with him anyway."
That night, two figures evaded patrolling eyes and slipped into the outskirts' wastewater treatment plant—an area too remote to have been affected by earlier battles. They descended along thick pipelines until they were roughly a hundred meters underground... and suddenly,
Dozens of masked Konoha shinobi surrounded them.
Mu chuckled softly. If video games had taught him anything, it was that encountering enemies meant he was heading in the right direction.
"Shimura Danzo, let's talk. Miss this opportunity, and you'll never become Hokage in your lifetime."
As soon as Mu finished speaking, the surrounding shinobi froze.
Danzo was the root of Konoha, while these shinobi were merely extensions. Extensions depended entirely on the root; without it, they perished. But the root could always grow new extensions.
Moments later, Shimura Danzo emerged from the shadows, his entire body wrapped in bandages. His narrow eyes exuded an aura of endless schemes, making him appear sinister even at first glance. "The last Uzumaki dares to enter Konoha at a time like this? You're either brave or foolish."
"Compared to someone who once plotted to assassinate the Third Hokage, we're evenly matched, wouldn't you say?"
Shimura Danzo—a man obsessed with becoming Hokage for decades, bordering on madness. He operated without moral boundaries, disregarding the lives of his subordinates. Known as a master conspirator and pioneer of dark ninja arts, he orchestrated countless tragedies.
Due to his ruthless reputation, Danzo became the scapegoat for countless unsolved conspiracies across the shinobi world. Whenever blame needed shifting, accusations often landed on him—or occasionally on the Third Hokage, given their mutual cover-ups.
Danzo held absolute dominion over ANBU operatives, who prioritized his orders above all else, including loyalty to the village. Thus, none reacted to Mu's taunts.
Uninterested in airing his schemes publicly, Danzo waved his hand, dismissing the surrounding shinobi except for two loyal retainers: Yamanaka Fuu and Aburame Torune. Both were highly capable individuals with unique abilities.
Once the other ANBU members vanished into the shadows, Danzo rubbed his chin and asked, "You seem to know quite a bit. Now tell me—what brings you here? Your answer will determine whether you leave alive."