"Fuck!"
Qingyi Lang exclaimed as he turned around, only to see a mission scroll lying behind him at some point, with a transparent thread wrapped around it.
"Feels good, Brother Qingyi Lang?"
Sou let go of the hand pinching his throat and burst into laughter, while the middle finger of his other hand wagged back and forth.
"How about that?"
If Setsuna found out that the Puppet Shuriken Technique he had given Sou was being used for this sort of thing, he would probably chase him down nine streets with a kunai...
Hiss!
Qingyi Lang's old face flushed bright red, and it was as though steam were shooting from his ears.
If he were a kettle, he would probably have already boiled to one hundred degrees.
"Damn it, you bastard, die!"
With that, he was about to rush Sou and fight him to the death.
"Hey!"
Sou grinned and raised a hand to stop him, then pointed at the diners around them, whose expressions had grown somewhat displeased. "No fighting in public.
Besides, you were the one who misunderstood just now. How is that my fault?"
While Qingyi Lang had been furiously ranting about how Sou did not deserve Feilin, Sou had taken the chance to place a scroll behind him, planning to prank him when the opportunity arose.
Did Qingyi Lang really think Sou had spent all that time getting scolded for nothing?
"Fuck!"
Qingyi Lang's face was red with embarrassment. Left with no choice, he backed down. After the two traded a few more barbs, they packed up and prepared to return to the clan compound.
The night had grown deep, and moonlight spilled across Konoha's streets like water, as though draping them in a soft silver veil.
Sou supported the slightly unsteady Qingyi Lang as the two staggered toward the Uchiha Clan Compound, humming the little tune Sou had taught him earlier.
"Loving you as you walk alone through dark alleys..."
As Sou hummed, he looked up at the lone moon hanging overhead and thought, Tomorrow, I'll be reporting to the Police Force. I wonder what position they'll assign me?
Hopefully it won't be too troublesome.
As he pondered, their figures gradually vanished into the night, leaving only the lingering melody drifting through the air.
Meanwhile, elsewhere in Konoha, at Uzumaki Mito's residence.
Uzumaki Mito knelt in the seat of honor, with the Uzumaki Clan crest carved into the wall behind her.
She still wore her favorite bun hairstyle. Though a few strands of white could faintly be seen among her red hair, time had not eroded her delicate, beautiful face in the slightest.
"Longya, you all should get up first."
Mito looked troubled. "It's not that I don't want to help, but the current situation..."
"Lord Mito!"
Uzumaki Longya heavily slammed his forehead against the floor, interrupting her.
"Please, for the sake of our shared bloodline, save Uzushio Village!
The situation is already out of control. Ever since the First passed away, the major shinobi villages have no longer been able to suppress their desire for the secret techniques used to control Tailed Beasts.
Cloud Village has even directly established a hidden base not far from Uzushiogakure. Stone Village and Mist Village may not be as excessive as Cloud Village, but they harass our clansmen day and night!
Now, not only do our people have to handle the clan's commissioned missions, they also have to guard against attacks from other shinobi villages whenever they go out on assignments.
The village's situation worsens year after year. If we had any other choice, my clansmen and I would never have wanted to disturb your peace."
"..."
Mito's fingers tightened slightly around her teacup, her knuckles turning white.
"Longya, I understand your difficulties, but Tobirama is now governing Konoha."
Mito sighed, her voice filled with helplessness. "Although I am Hashirama's wife, I have long since stopped involving myself in politics. Rashly interfering in foreign affairs and military matters would put Tobirama in a difficult position."
"We aren't asking Konoha to send troops to war!"
Longya suddenly raised his head, his eyes red-rimmed. "As long as Konoha can send a capable, intelligent shinobi to casually eliminate one of Cloud Village's bases for the Uzumaki Clan and demonstrate its stance.
If the Shinobi World knows that Konoha has not abandoned the Uzumaki Clan, it will be enough to deter those petty villains!"
Seeing that Mito still hesitated, he gritted his teeth and played his final card.
"Lord Mito, your own niece, Misaki... was targeted for assassination again last month.
The attackers were Kinkaku's unit from Cloud Village. If the clan elders had not protected her at the cost of their lives, then..."
"Misaki?!"
Mito shot to her feet, tea splashing onto her sleeve.
That gentle-natured niece who had followed behind her since childhood, calling her "Auntie," had also been targeted for assassination...
"Yes. Those people do not merely want our Sealing Technique. They want to use the Uzumaki Clan's Kekkei Genkai to develop containers capable of housing Tailed Beasts!"
Every word Longya spoke was soaked in anguish. "Lord Mito, if you still refuse to act, the Uzumaki Clan... may face the disaster of extermination!"
Mito's chest rose and fell violently as reason and emotion fiercely wrestled in her mind.
She understood Tobirama's concerns. The situation between Konoha and Cloud Village at the Land of Fire's border was still unclear. If they made a major move now, a new Shinobi World War might break out immediately.
But if she stood by and did nothing, that was her home, her root.
Just as the atmosphere fell into a deadlock, light footsteps came from outside.
"Grandma!"
A childish voice shattered the heavy atmosphere in the room. The paper door slid open with a swish, and Tsunade skipped inside.
"Why have you and Grandpa Longya been talking for so long? I still wanted to hear you tell me a story..." Tsunade pouted angrily.
"Tsunade, why are you still awake?"
When Mito saw her granddaughter, her expression finally softened somewhat.
Little Tsunade threw herself into Mito's arms and looked up with a spoiled smile. "I can't sleep, Grandma. Can you tell me a story?
Tell me about Grandpa when he was young. And when will you take me to the Uzumaki Clan? Didn't you say it was beautiful there? You said that one day, you'd take me to see your hometown."
As she spoke, she tugged at Mito's sleeve with her little hands and blinked her big eyes cutely.
"Hometown..."
Mito was briefly lost in thought. She looked at the hopeful granddaughter in her arms, then at Longya kneeling on the floor, his face full of pleading, and the flash of despair in his eyes...
She closed her eyes and took a deep breath.
This clan had been Hashirama's most valued ally during his lifetime. It was also her maternal family.
Misa was her niece, and there were still so many clansmen in Uzushiogakure...
How could she bear to stand by and do nothing?
"All right."
Mito finally spoke. Her voice was soft, yet it seemed as though she had used all her strength.
"I'll find an opportunity to bring this matter up to Tobirama soon, but..."
She paused, emphasizing, "But I truly don't know whether it will work. Tobirama has his own considerations. I can't promise anything."
"Thank you, Lord Mito!"
Longya's voice cracked with excitement as he heavily kowtowed. "Everyone in Uzushiogakure will be eternally grateful!"
The several Uzumaki clansmen who had come with him also kowtowed in thanks, tears of excitement gleaming in their eyes.
"Get up. All of you, get up."
Mito waved her hand, looking even more exhausted.
Although Tobirama was very courteous to her as his sister-in-law, she understood in her heart that when it came to major village matters, Tobirama would usually not yield.
But for the sake of her clansmen, she could only do her best and try.
If it really doesn't work, then I'll do it myself...
Ugh...
Mito let out a muffled groan. The Nine-Tails inside her seemed to sense her unrest and began acting up within her again.
The information Kinkaku and Ginkaku had received was indeed accurate. Ever since Hashirama's death, her condition, maintained by herself alone, had worsened year after year. In order to keep the seal stable, she had recently rarely even left her room.
What should I do?
With my current condition...
At that moment, the paper door was pulled open once more. Moonlight poured in from outside, and a tall figure stood silhouetted against it.
The newcomer wore a blue-and-white robe. His crimson eyes glinted coldly in the darkness as he swept his gaze over everyone in the room before saying coldly,
"No need to look for me. I came myself."
Before you continue