The Uchiha Clan's Radical Faction Is Thrilled

November 11, Konoha Year 38.

This was the day Li Yao had transmigrated into the world of Naruto, and also the day Kumogakure's alliance delegation arrived in Konoha.

Faced with Kumogakure of the Land of Lightning, one of the Five Great Nations, taking the initiative to propose an alliance, Konoha attached sufficient importance to the matter.

The Third Hokage personally welcomed Kumogakure's alliance delegation at Konoha's gates.

But wasn't this alliance delegation a little too large?

As he watched the group of some thirty people approach, a trace of unease flashed through the Third Hokage's mind.

Generally speaking, delegations sent to other ninja villages never exceeded ten people, and usually consisted of only four or five.

Yet Kumogakure's alliance delegation had arrived with thirty people?

The Third Hokage had a bad feeling. Kumogakure's initiative in seeking an alliance was probably not as simple as he had imagined.

Still, he hoped the alliance negotiations could succeed.

If Konoha could truly form an alliance with Kumogakure, the pressure of war would lessen considerably.

So, had Kumogakure really come to discuss an alliance?

After entering Konoha with the Third Hokage, Kumogakure's alliance delegation showed no urgency to begin negotiations despite his subtle hints. Instead, they delayed the talks on the grounds that they did not yet know enough about Konoha.

They said they would only begin alliance negotiations after confirming that Konoha was an ally worthy of trust. Before then, they would make no decisions.

"How do you intend to learn about Konoha?"

The Third Hokage frowned slightly. As former enemies, he did not believe Kumogakure was unfamiliar with Konoha's circumstances.

The representative of Kumogakure's alliance delegation smiled faintly. "We have long heard that Konoha is a peace-loving ninja village, so we would like to stay here for a while and see for ourselves whether those rumors are true."

As if anyone would believe that... The Third Hokage's gaze flickered as he thought that Kumogakure had indeed come with ill intentions.

"Fine, but no longer than half a month."

Although the Third Hokage knew Kumogakure definitely had something up its sleeve, he had no choice but to agree.

But there had to be a time limit. He could not allow Kumogakure's people to openly gather intelligence on Konoha.

And people would have to be secretly assigned to monitor the members of Kumogakure's alliance delegation.

However, those assigned to monitor them could not be Anbu or Root.

Otherwise, it would be easy for the Kumogakure delegation to find an excuse to oppose the alliance.

After considering the matter, the Third Hokage could only hand the task of monitoring Kumogakure's alliance delegation to the Konoha Guard Division led by the Uchiha Clan.

The Konoha Guard Division was already responsible for protecting Konoha's security.

If Uchiha Clan ninja from the Konoha Guard Division monitored them under the pretext of protecting the delegation, then even if the Kumogakure delegation knew they were being watched, they would have nothing to say and no way to refuse.

Although the Uchiha Clan was far from friendly toward the Third Hokage.

The Third Hokage still believed that even the Uchiha Clan's Radical Faction stood with him against foreign enemies. They would not slack off or allow Kumogakure's delegation to do anything detrimental to Konoha.

And even if something unexpected happened, with himself, Lady Mito, and the Sarutobi Clan's elite ninja force present, the Third Hokage was not afraid that Kumogakure could cause any trouble.

Unfortunately, the Third Hokage had miscalculated one thing.

He did not know the true purpose behind Kumogakure's alliance delegation coming to Konoha, nor did he know that the Uchiha Clan's Radical Faction was more confident and more radical than he had imagined.

Many things that the Third Hokage considered harmful to Konoha were, in the eyes of the Uchiha Clan's Radical Faction, extremely beneficial to both Konoha and the Uchiha Clan.

Different views and opinions on the same matter doomed the trouble Kumogakure would cause in Konoha to be anything but simple.

Three days later.

Although Kumogakure used every means at its disposal to shake off the Uchiha Clan's Guard Division and conduct secret activities in the shadows.

They were ultimately discovered by the Uchiha Clan, which had been following Kumogakure's alliance delegation and monitoring them all along. The Uchiha learned the purpose of their visit to Konoha.

It could not be helped. This was Konoha's territory, after all.

And they were up against the Sharingan, which could directly see Chakra. Shaking off Uchiha Clan ninja was far too difficult.

Kumogakure's alliance delegation was already skilled enough to conceal their purpose for three days before the Uchiha Clan discovered it.

And they were fortunate—the ones who discovered their purpose were ninja from the Uchiha Clan's Radical Faction.

The Uchiha Clan's Radical Faction did not report that Kumogakure's delegation had been inquiring about Kushina Uzumaki, the next Nine-Tails Jinchuriki. Instead, they suppressed the information and circulated it only among the Radical Faction's upper ranks.

If one were to ask which clan besides the Uzumaki Clan—with their mastery of Sealing Technique and enormous Chakra reserves—was suitable and capable of sealing the Nine-Tails without having their minds affected by its Chakra.

Then it would undoubtedly be the Uchiha Clan.

Although the Uchiha Clan did not possess the Uzumaki Clan's immense Chakra reserves, their Chakra reserves were still beyond comparison to those of ordinary ninja clans.

They had enough Chakra to seal the Nine-Tails.

After all, they were a ninja clan that had fought the Senju Clan, renowned for its vast Chakra reserves, in prolonged battles for centuries without falling behind. How could their Chakra reserves possibly be ordinary?

They simply could not compare to the Senju Clan and the Uzumaki Clan.

When it came to Chakra reserves, the Uchiha Clan was not lacking.

Combined with the Sharingan's strange ocular Chakra, they did not fear being corrupted by the Nine-Tails' Chakra, which was filled with hatred and evil.

The Sharingan's ocular power Chakra was even more evil and hateful than the Nine-Tails' Chakra.

With Sealing Jutsu Formula to support them, the Uchiha Clan could completely become the next Nine-Tails Jinchuriki and firmly seize control of the Nine-Tails, the Hokage's exclusive superweapon.

For Konoha, in a sense, the Nine-Tails had already become a symbol of the Hokage's power and had always remained in the hands of the Hokage's faction.

If the Uchiha gained control of the Nine-Tails, it would give some of the village's ninja clans the impression that the next Hokage after the Third Hokage would be from the Uchiha Clan.

That impression was important. The Uchiha Clan's Radical Faction needed it badly.

And with the Nine-Tails, the Uchiha Clan's strength would completely surpass that of the Third Hokage and the forces behind him.

When that time came, they would have strength, prestige, and reputation. Wouldn't the position of Hokage be theirs for the taking?

Kumogakure's plan to abduct Kushina Uzumaki, study Kushina's special sealing-jutsu Chakra constitution, and cut off Konoha's succession of Nine-Tails Jinchuriki happened to align perfectly with the Uchiha Clan Radical Faction's ideas.

This was an opportunity!

An opportunity for the Uchiha Clan to gain control of the Nine-Tails.

The Uchiha Clan Radical Faction realized it.

They immediately took action, staging a casual drunken conversation that accidentally leaked the information that, on the final night of every month, Mito Uzumaki spent three hours entering a secret chamber to reinforce the Nine-Tails' Sealing Jutsu Formula.

During that time, all of Mito Uzumaki's focus would be devoted to strengthening the Nine-Tails' seal, while the various Sealing Jutsu Formula within the secret chamber would also block her Chakra-sensing ability.

At that time, the Senju Clan compound would be at its weakest.

Moreover, because Kushina Uzumaki was an outsider, although she lived within the Senju Clan compound, her residence was located on its outskirts.

As long as Kumogakure moved quickly enough, they could absolutely take Kushina Uzumaki safely out of the village with the Uchiha Clan's cooperation.

Once she left the village, with Kumogakure causing trouble inside Konoha to coordinate with them, Kushina would surely have no chance of ever returning to Konoha.

That way, once Mito Uzumaki died and the Nine-Tails broke free, who could control the rampaging Nine-Tails?

Only the Uchiha.

Only the Sharingan of their Uchiha Clan could calm the Nine-Tails and make it obediently submit to being sealed by them.

When that time came, they would be Konoha's heroes.

Then let them see who would still oppose the Uchiha Clan taking the Hokage's seat.

Thinking of the benefits once Kushina was abducted, everyone in the Uchiha Clan Radical Faction was thrilled.

Thus, with the Uchiha Clan Radical Faction helping to cover things up, the Kumogakure delegation found it far more convenient to act.

All sorts of information about Kushina Uzumaki soon fell into the hands of the Kumogakure delegation.

With the tacit approval of the Uchiha Clan Radical Faction, a plan to capture Kushina quietly moved forward.