Giving Away a Granddaughter and a Forbidden Technique

Tsuchigumo Clan Territory.

Watchtower.

"What's that?"

"A caravan?"

"When has our caravan ever moved this fast?"

Two Tsuchigumo clan members looked terrified as they watched the caravan race toward them, like a thousand troops and ten thousand horses.

After confirming that the wagons bore the Tsuchigumo banner and seeing the eldest young lady, Hotaru, sitting in the lead wagon,

the two sighed in relief.

They did not sound the alarm.

They let the caravan pass through the watchtower and enter the heart of the clan territory, billowing dust spreading across the village entrance.

After the time it takes to drink a cup of tea,

the Uchiha followed the caravan into Tsuchigumo Village, where wooden houses stood in rows and sparse roadside lanterns cast a somewhat desolate air.

Side Mission: Not a Single One Can Be Missing.

Options:

1. Bring the caravan back to Tsuchigumo Village.

Mission Complete!

Reward:

Storage Space increased by 100 cubic meters.

In the lead wagon, Ingetsu's eyes trembled slightly. He focused his mind and checked his Storage Space.

An additional 100 cubic meters had been added, doubling the original one-bedroom apartment-sized space.

Bodies went on the left.

Miscellaneous items went on the right.

From a god's-eye view, Ingetsu inspected the space once. He figured that in the future, he would need to make a separate room for storing bodies.

The caravan stopped near the horse shed.

There was an open grassy area all around.

"Hehe, Great Elder, Miss Hotaru, you both look exhausted. You must have had a bountiful haul this time, right?"

A young Tsuchigumo clan member carrying a torch came over with a group of Tsuchigumo clan members to unload the goods.

With the support of his clansmen, the Great Elder got out of the wagon together with Hotaru. The two looked toward Ingetsu and the others.

Wrinkles rose at the corners of the Great Elder's eyes as he sighed inwardly, It really was a bountiful haul... We even gained an S-Rank Missing-nin and a squad of Uchiha Missing-nin. What a calamity. Hopefully, they'll leave soon!

Hotaru noticed that the atmosphere was a little awkward.

She took the initiative to break the deadlock, raising her hand toward Zong Quan, who had awakened and was lying in the wagon, and said to the Tsuchigumo youth leading the group:

"Shirato, settle the hiring fee with this guard captain, give them some food, and let them rest in the clan territory for one night."

"All right!"

The Tsuchigumo youth named Shirato smiled warmly and cast a puzzled glance at Ingetsu and the others before leaving.

The Tsuchigumo Clan was located on Katsuragi Mountain, far from the towns of the Land of Fire. Information was scarce, and all intelligence came through the caravans. The caravan had only just returned.

The young and able-bodied Tsuchigumo clan members unloading the goods had no idea who Ingetsu and the others were.

As the caravan guards and Tsuchigumo clan members left, all the goods were carried away.

Only the group of Uchiha, Hotaru, and the Great Elder remained on the lawn.

The night was gentle.

The evening breeze was cold and clear.

Seeing that the Uchiha had no intention of leaving,

the Great Elder swallowed and slowly stepped forward, forcing an awkward smile despite his weakness. He said to Ingetsu, "Before you leave, do you need to replenish any supplies?"

Ingetsu shook his head, glanced at the two of them, and said calmly, "You're in a period of weakness. It's unsafe for you to walk at night. I'll escort you home."

Great Elder: "???"

Hotaru: "??"

As he spoke, Ingetsu cast a sidelong glance at Nanfeng and Tamao. The two immediately stepped forward and helped support the old man and Hotaru.

"I... I... we..."

The Great Elder's anxious, pale old face flushed crimson in an instant, and he stammered.

Nanfeng interrupted the old man's explanation, patted the Great Elder on the shoulder, and comforted him:

"The captain has a kind heart and can't stand seeing the elderly and weak walking at night. Come on, don't make a fuss. Don't reject the captain's good intentions."

The old man wore a bitter expression and stared at Nanfeng as though he had swallowed a bitter herb, unable to voice his grievances.

What kind of good intentions are these?

Didn't he say he wasn't interested in the Tsuchigumo Clan?

And besides.

This is the Tsuchigumo Clan Territory. What kind of excuse is 'it's unsafe to walk at night'? Could it be any more ridiculous?

With no other choice,

Hotaru and the Great Elder could only lead the group of Uchiha through the old wooden houses lining the street toward a relatively large courtyard.

"As allies of the Leaf Village, has the Tsuchigumo Clan really fallen into such a state?"

Kurenai Yuhi raised her beautiful eyes slightly and gazed at the dilapidated buildings in the distance, taking the initiative to start a conversation.

The Uchiha looked toward the Tsuchigumo Great Elder and Hotaru, who were leading the way. Both their faces were ashen.

Kurenai's words were blunt.

But they were the truth.

Ingetsu sighed inwardly. Lies did not hurt people; the truth was the sharpest blade.

Looking out, the buildings along the outer rear perimeter of the Tsuchigumo Clan Territory were largely dilapidated and collapsed, giving the appearance of having been trampled by war.

It was nothing like the tranquility at the village entrance.

"It's all because our clan lacks people of talent. Let's not mention it!" The Great Elder tried to forcibly salvage his dignity.

In reality, it was precisely because the clan had declined that the Tsuchigumo Clan had fallen into an information blackout.

Tamao cut in:

"Can being an ally of the Leaf Village ever end well?

The Tsuchigumo Clan is already one of the lucky ones.

The last country to call itself an ally of the Leaf Village was the Whirlpool Country. I bet the grass on the Uzumaki Clan Leader's grave is already as tall as the tree Danzo turned into."

"..." Kurenai's lips twitched.

Ingetsu chuckled inwardly.

The Tsuchigumo Great Elder immediately gave the boy a grateful look upon hearing his explanation.

After hearing the comparison,

the Great Elder felt much more at ease.

All the Uchiha looked at Tamao in unison and shook their heads, sighing, "He still can't let go of the tree Danzo turned into!"

After walking for a while, Hotaru suddenly mustered her courage, looked at Ingetsu, and asked:

"Do you want to meet my grandfather?"

Her grandfather was the clan's true authority.

The Uchiha gathered their thoughts and looked at Ingetsu.

Ingetsu nodded.

The Great Elder immediately became filled with worry, unsure whether this was a blessing or a disaster. The Tsuchigumo Clan had no way to deal with these Missing-nin.

If they resisted, the Konoha Anbu who had died in the valley would be a warning to them.

Hotaru asked worriedly, "Just meet him?"

"Yes."

"All right, I understand." Hotaru sensed no malice or greed from Ingetsu and obediently nodded.

The Uchiha, Hotaru, and the Great Elder arrived outside the courtyard. Several Tsuchigumo ninja appeared in an instant. After seeing Hotaru and the Great Elder, they respectfully withdrew.

Everyone entered the inner courtyard.

"Everyone, please wait here for a moment. The Great Elder and I will go inform my grandfather!" After saying this, Hotaru cast a worried glance at Ingetsu before turning to leave.

She and the Great Elder came to the door of a bedroom and knocked. After receiving permission, the two pushed the door open and entered.

The Uchiha looked around.

They thought the courtyard was decent enough, but it could not compare to even the more luxurious buildings in the Leaf Village.

The fact that the leader of the Tsuchigumo Clan lived in a place like this truly reflected the clan's circumstances.

Inside the wooden house, Hotaru and the Great Elder told the Tsuchigumo Clan's leader everything that had happened on the road, as well as everything Ingetsu and the others had done.

After receiving his consent, Hotaru walked out of the wooden house and invited Ingetsu to enter the bedroom alone.

Tamao and the others had intended to follow him inside, but Ingetsu gave them a gesture to stay alert.

Whoosh—

The Uchiha clan members, including Kurenai and Nonō, melted into black shadows and dispersed, lurking around the courtyard.

The courtyard was empty once again.

Ingetsu put on a black hood that revealed only the lower half of his face and followed Hotaru into the bedroom. As soon as he entered, he sensed quite a few ninjas concealed in the corners.

The bedroom was simply furnished.

The candlelight was dim and yellow.

In the center was a bed covered by a gray quilt, beneath which lay a white-haired, ancient old man who was gravely ill and on the verge of death.

The Great Elder respectfully knelt beside the bed.

The white-haired old man lying on the bed sensed that Hotaru had brought an outsider and weakly opened his eyes.

His eyes lit up when he saw Ingetsu.

Although he could not see the other man's true appearance,

the old man made a difficult decision.

The Tsuchigumo Clan's leader, En no Gyōja, moved his withered hand and took a bundle of green-skinned scrolls from beneath the quilt.

Ingetsu's gaze was drawn to the scrolls.

He could sense that opening his eyes alone took all the old man's strength, as though he would breathe his last in the next moment.

The white-haired old man turned his head and looked up at Ingetsu in the black robe and hood. With difficulty, he spoke: "This is the Tsuchigumo Clan's Forbidden Technique: Raging Hair Heaven. You can take it...

I only have one request.

Take Hotaru with you as well!"

As soon as he finished speaking, everyone in the room except Ingetsu showed confusion and shock.

The bedroom fell into deathly silence.