The night was as black as ink. In the darkest hour before dawn, the Hokage Building in Konoha was still brightly lit.
The Anbu who had been waiting outside the courtyard clutched the weighty scroll and raced across the village rooftops at top speed, eventually kneeling before Tobirama Senju's desk.
"Hokage, this is the new ninja clan name Lord Uchiha Ao asked me to deliver."
Tobirama Senju set down his vermilion brush and rubbed his aching temples. A trace of anticipation flashed through his red eyes as he reached out, took the scroll, and slowly unrolled it.
On the scroll were only two bold, forceful characters, carrying a chilling ghostly aura and a domineering presence—[Corpse Soul].
"Corpse Soul... the Corpse Soul Clan?"
Tobirama Senju murmured the name softly, his fingers lightly brushing over the paper.
The name did not sound like that of a traditional Konoha ninja clan. Instead, it carried a coldness that seemed to linger between life and death. Yet that fit Uchiha Ao's unique style and power system perfectly.
More importantly, the name did not carry the slightest trace of "Uchiha." It was even completely different from the Uchiha's glory, built around fire and the fan as their totem.
"Good. Very good."
A satisfied smile curled Tobirama Senju's lips, and his taut nerves finally relaxed. As long as they were willing to change their name and become independent, no matter how strange that name was, it was the best possible outcome for him.
This was an extremely weighty pledge of allegiance. It meant that the fierce tiger named Uchiha Ao was finally willing to wear Konoha's collar and become a blade in his hand.
In his excellent mood, Tobirama Senju became exceptionally tolerant toward the other "violation" reports concerning Uchiha Ao on his desk.
He casually picked