Returning to the Village

After staying in the camp for a few days, Haori's squad finally received new orders; he could now return to the village.

Haori had been doing quite well in the camp over the past few days, though the enthusiasm of the other ninjas in the camp was a bit much for him and his team to handle.

Whether it was because Haori had taken down Gari of the Explosion Corps—a guy whose hands were stained with the blood of countless Konoha ninjas—

Or because he had assisted in completing the mission to destroy the bridge, making the war situation exceptionally clear and bringing the dawn of victory within reach.

These were all heartening events, and they were the reasons why everyone held Haori in such high regard.

Therefore, their excitement and enthusiasm were perfectly normal, and even when they learned that Haori could leave the battlefield and return to the village, they didn't think there was anything wrong with it.

Haori and his team had already done so much behind enemy lines, arguably laying the foundation for victory, so the rest could just be left for them to handle.

It had to be said that ordinary ninjas were truly adorable, and it also had to be said that the propaganda efforts put forth by Jiraiya were truly immense.

However, when Haori first learned he could return to the village and that Kakashi and Rin were also on the list, he was still stunned for a moment.

Wait, we're just leaving like this?

What about Obito?

But after some thought, Haori realized that everything didn't seem to conflict.

"How long has it been since Obito was injured? Half his body was practically crushed; even with White Zetsu cells, he needs time to recover properly."

Haori recalled the situation during the time Obito was recuperating, which meant that Rin's death did not happen immediately after the war in the Land of Grass ended.

After all, Obito couldn't even move; no matter how elaborate the scheme, it couldn't be executed under those conditions.

"And I remember, there seemed to be negotiations between Konoha and Iwagakure, and this time it was a unilateral concession from Konoha."

Although it had been a while since he transmigrated and his memory wasn't perfectly clear, he remembered the negotiations to some extent.

Konoha acknowledged all of Iwagakure's actions and waived the right to demand reparations; such terms seemed utterly ridiculous.

It was also because of these terms that Danzo had lashed out at Sarutobi Hiruzen, which eventually led to a very important event.

"The Third Hokage takes responsibility for the war and chooses to abdicate." (The content of the negotiations comes from Episode 569 of the anime; I didn't make it up.)

It wasn't strange that Haori could recall these things, as he was deeply mired in the war himself.

Looking at it now, it was likely that many things happened during these very negotiations.

For instance, the secret of Orochimaru's first human experiments was exposed, causing him to lose his eligibility as a candidate.

Besides that, Madara might have used the pretext of disrupting these negotiations to mobilize Kirigakure, ultimately completing Obito's transformation.

And Iwagakure, due to the deterrent power of Namikaze Minato and the dire straits of their own current situation, had no choice but to sit at the negotiating table, which ultimately cemented Namikaze Minato's fame.

"It seems I still have time to do a lot of things."

Haori thought silently to himself; he hadn't forgotten his main quest, nor had he forgotten that he still had a side quest left unfinished.

Haori would absolutely not stop until he took down Uchiha Fugaku.

After all, this concerned his main quest and his own life; no matter what, he would not allow this guy to continue as he was.

However, to take him down, Haori had to be fully prepared.

It was hard to say if this guy also had the Mangekyo Sharingan, and nominally, he was still the clan head.

Solving him was truly no simple matter.

And what Haori wanted to do wasn't just as simple as "Bi Ke Qu Er Dai Zhi."

If you're already the clan head, why not make the entire clan listen properly?

But wanting to achieve that wasn't so simple either, as there were two major factions within the Uchiha clan.

"Power, indeed."

Haori sighed softly, and at the same time, he couldn't help but curse Uchiha Fugaku for being a waste.

With that kind of power to handle these matters, yet doing absolutely nothing—it would truly be a travesty if this clan didn't perish!

"Haori, what's wrong?"

Just as Haori was deep in thought, Rin's voice suddenly sounded from behind him.

"Everyone is ready; how are things on your end?"

"Oh, I'm ready; I was just thinking about some other things."

Although his mind was full of rambling thoughts, Haori quickly shook off those emotions.

Turning around, he saw that Kakashi, Might Guy, and Aoba were already waiting for him outside the door.

"Let's go."

Haori stood up and then said to Rin with a smile.

"By the way, what about Jonin Minato? Is he not planning to return?"

"The teacher said he still needs to stay for a few more days to confirm the situation here, and then he will return."

Rin shook her head, then, as if thinking of something, she said with a smile.

"But the teacher said to pass on that if Haori is in a hurry, you can just go find Kushina-sensei directly."

"After I return, I will also pay a visit to your home."

"Is that so? Then I thank you in advance."

Hearing this, Haori nodded happily.

He had been thinking about the ancestral home of the Uzumaki clan for a long time, wanting to see if there was anything worth digging up inside.

Namikaze Minato had kept this matter in mind, which made Haori quite grateful; he really was a genuinely good person!

[Side quest completed: Assisted Team Minato in destroying Kannabi Bridge]

[Reward obtained: Mount Myoboku Sage Mode and training methods]

"Madara-sama, they have already started their return journey to Konoha."

In an underground chamber within the Land of Grass, Madara was still conceptualizing the method for Obito to awaken his eyes in the future, but just then, a White Zetsu appeared.

Although Madara already had a very clear line of thought—that is, to utilize Obito's love and transform it.

Ultimately, he would make Obito fall completely into darkness and ensure he could never escape his control.

However, many details within this required careful consideration to construct a perfect plan.

Madara knew he could not afford to be careless about something like awakening eyes; if handled poorly, the entire game would be lost!

"Returned to Konoha? That is fine as well; that brat Obito still needs to recover."

Although Madara was somewhat displeased by the sudden appearance of the White Zetsu, he merely nodded.

"If nothing unexpected happens, Konoha and Iwagakure should begin negotiations; this war is coming to an end."

"Uh, why would they want to negotiate?"

The White Zetsu blinked, his intelligence unable to grasp what Madara was saying.

"No need to think so much; just do your own job. I need some quiet."

Madara glanced at the White Zetsu, then closed his eyes, ignoring the creature.

He had long been accustomed to the White Zetsu's consistently low intelligence, and he was not at all surprised that it could be so foolish.

After all, it was cultivated using the cells of Senju Hashirama; it was no surprise that its intelligence was about the same as that old friend of his.

"Rin... Rin..."

Just as Madara wanted some peace, he was constantly interrupted by unexpected events.

He had finally managed to make the White Zetsu shut up, but when he turned his head, Obito, who was still in a coma, started up again.

"Stop calling out; no one cares about you."

Madara frowned, finally speaking with some impatience.

His words seemed to have some effect, and Obito paused, indeed stopping his calls for Rin.

However, this silence did not last long before he spoke again.

And this time, what he said made Madara truly unable to keep his composure.

"Kakashi... Kakashi..."

"..."