Someone Hands Over a Knife

If someone tells you to let go of the hatred for the death of your beloved friends and family, do not hesitate—give them a good, hard slap across the face.

A sword that is too sharp will hurt both others and oneself?

It does not matter; as long as it breaks after cutting down the enemy, it will not harm the wielder.

Since it was never one's own wealth to begin with, there is no pain in seeing it shatter.

Just as Sarutobi Hiruzen was nursing grand ambitions, planning to deal a heavy blow to those barbarians from the Cloud Village, two Anbu suddenly crouched down outside the door of the Hokage's office with a "swish."

The primary role of the Anbu is to protect the Hokage, but as the organization has grown increasingly bloated, they have been tasked with a myriad of other missions.

Despite their animal masks, Sarutobi Hiruzen recognized the two Anbu at a glance.

These were the two he had assigned to periodically check on and secretly protect Uzumaki Kushina.

"Has something happened to Kushina?"

Sarutobi Hiruzen took a deep drag from his pipe, feeling the tobacco linger in his lungs.

No matter how much anger or resentment he felt before, when it came to the Nine-Tails—a Tailed Beast capable of destroying Konoha—he had to keep a cool head.

"Uzumaki Kushina has gone missing," the Anbu replied swiftly.

Not long after entering Konoha, Uzumaki Kushina had become the second Nine-Tails Jinchuriki, but this information was top secret, known only to a few people present and the late Shimura Danzō.

The protective measures were not overly tight; after all, if they were too stringent, it would only expose the intelligence.

Yet, how could she have gone missing despite this?

"Arrange for a full-scale search by the Anbu immediately. Spare no cost, and find her as quickly as possible."

"Yes!" The two Anbu vanished with a "whoosh."

"Why did she have to go missing at a time like this?" Utatane Koharu's face seemed to wrinkle with worry. "The Uchiha clan just gave up their duties at the Police Force; isn't this too much of a coincidence?"

"I also feel it is too coincidental."

Gazing out at the night sky, he realized that, without him noticing, the night had already replaced the day.

Sarutobi Hiruzen shook his head slowly. "It wouldn't be the Uchiha."

"That clan only has a flexible mind on the battlefield, and given their personalities, they would never collude with outsiders."

The two of them were also anxious about Uzumaki Kushina, and with Sarutobi Hiruzen's prompt, they realized the truth.

If that group of proud Uchiha really wanted to kidnap Uzumaki Kushina, they would surely march in a crowd all the way to her house, then loudly announce that she had been taken by the Uchiha clan.

And with their pride, they would only sour relations with forces outside the village.

The situation would likely turn into: "You bunch of trash want to order our Uchiha clan around? Are you even worthy of allying with us?"

"Just drown in the genjutsu of our Sharingan with that arrogance of yours!"

Outside forces: ???

Mitokado Homura, a man of middle age who could never sit still, spoke rapidly, "Kushina is of vital importance and must not be lost. I will immediately contact the border defenses and nearby outposts."

"Then I will go visit the clan that possesses tracking abilities," Utatane Koharu said, not intending to remain idle.

With the borders of the Land of Fire in conflict and a large number of ninja dispatched, there were truly few people left in the village—so few that even the high-level advisors could not afford to be idle.

Sarutobi Hiruzen stroked his goatee, sat quietly for a moment watching the night, and then suddenly said, "Zero, go visit the Uchiha clan. Emphasize Kushina's original identity."

Although the Land of Whirlpools had been destroyed, Uzumaki Kushina's status remained; she was the princess of the Land of Whirlpools.

At least in the eyes of those who knew her identity, she was still that princess, just like Tsunade.

If a princess from another country were kidnapped within Konoha, Konoha would lose face completely.

"Also, tell Uchiha Yuji that the Uchiha will always be Konoha's Uchiha, and Konoha will always be the Uchiha's Konoha."

As long as it did not involve combat or tracking, the efficiency of the Anbu when it came to delivering messages was always reliable.

When Uchiha Yuji received the message from the Anbu, his first thought was that Sarutobi Hiruzen had grown senile before he was even old.

However, a second thought made him understand the man's intentions.

"Go back and tell the Third Hokage that the Uchiha clan understands."

The Anbu named Zero vanished with great speed.

Uchiha Yuji slowly stood up, his three-tomoe Sharingan connecting rapidly. "I won't say much more; you have all heard the intelligence."

"Move out immediately. Use their corpses to tell the other ninja villages: this is the price for trying to exploit the Uchiha clan."

The night was deep and the moonlight bright; inside the Uchiha clan's training hall, countless pairs of blood-red Sharingan bloomed with a crimson glow.

We just gave up our work at the Police Force, and you immediately came knocking to pull a stunt.

Are you slapping Konoha in the face, or are you using a chain of suspicion to make the Uchiha clan take the fall for you? Or perhaps the Uchiha clan is colluding with outside forces, planning to traffic a Kekkei Genkai ninja from Konoha?

Or perhaps it is both?

The bright moon emerged from the clouds, and under the silver radiance, countless shadows dispersed like ink into water. It took almost no time at all to find the idiots who had committed the kidnapping.

The path was littered with Uzumaki Kushina's crimson hair; she had almost been plucked bald, yet these simpletons hadn't even noticed her small actions.

"A bunch of amateurs, to let the hostage leave such obvious marks."

"Yashiro, take the clansmen and hold off the Anbu and the others."

"Leave that group to me."

Uchiha Yashiro did not question the order; he simply retreated silently to carry out Uchiha Yuji's command.

Having determined the direction, Yuji alternated between teleportation and the Body Flicker Technique, his exaggerated speed far exceeding the forced march of an average jonin.

By the time the Konoha ninja were still preparing their rescue plan, and by the time Namikaze Minato realized something was wrong, Uchiha Yuji had already encountered the barbarian Cloud ninja kidnappers.

Or rather, he had blocked their path.

"This way is one-way only, you Cloud barbarians."

His blood-red eyes were exceptionally striking and dazzling in the darkness, the extreme transformation of Yin-nature chakra causing the Cloud ninja to feel a simultaneous chill in their hearts.

"To think he found us so quickly?"

"There is only one Uchiha; we can take him."

"We still have the hostage in our hands."

In the ninja world, there was a widely circulated saying when encountering an Uchiha: [One-on-one, flee at once; two-on-one, strike from behind.] Now that they had such superior numbers, they were not afraid.

Yet, they possessed enough self-awareness to avoid meeting the Uchiha's gaze.

"Do you not think it is a bit too late to lower your heads now?"

"The genjutsu of my Mangekyo was activated the very moment I encountered you."

"It has already taken effect!"

Uchiha Yuji walked toward the Cloud ninja as if no one else were present, passing right by them, yet they remained frozen in place.

In the cool night breeze, a hint of warmth was transmitted from the embrace, and Uzumaki Kushina slowly opened her eyes, meeting that pair of Sharingan that seemed to symbolize evil.

The blood-colored, swirling Mangekyo presented an uncanny sense of beauty.

"So beautiful," the young girl whispered.