To Repay My Debts, I'll Become Hokage!

He had no choice but to finish relaying the situation regarding Nagato Uzumaki before his eyelids fluttered shut and he fell into a deep slumber.

Hatake Sakumo hurriedly caught him, his expression grave as he muttered to himself.

"So, children of the Uzumaki Clan are being abducted here as well..."

On the other side, the fake Fuso Uzumaki brought Nagato Uzumaki behind a secluded hill.

She let out a low, raspy voice: "Take this child away."

No sooner had the words left her lips than the ground turned soft, and a White Zetsu emerged from the earth to receive Nagato Uzumaki.

Immediately, the White Zetsu activated the Mayfly Technique, sinking into the ground with Nagato Uzumaki and vanishing.

The fake Fuso Uzumaki's form shifted; her body turned pitch-black, and her bean-like eyes narrowed slightly.

This jet-black entity possessed a human shape, yet lacked any human features.

He likewise sank into the ground and headed in a different direction.

"There is one last person left. I hope these vessels can withstand the backlash of the Rinnegan."

Uchiha Chonhua opened his eyes, his vision still hazy with sleep.

This ceiling looks familiar.

It was indeed familiar; was this not the ceiling of the lounge on the warship they had boarded?

"Chonhua, you're awake!"

Mikoto Uchiha's voice, filled with pleasant surprise, reached him.

Uchiha Chonhua sat up, rubbing his throbbing head.

"How long have I been asleep?"

"You've been asleep for half a day." Understanding Chonhua's confusion regarding their current situation, Mikoto Uchiha quickly explained, "After you passed out, Lord Sakumo escorted us to the coast, and we boarded a warship. We are currently on our way back to Konoha."

"What about that child? How is he?"

Mikoto Uchiha's expression dimmed. She parted her small lips as if to speak, but a sigh escaped her first.

Seeing Mikoto Uchiha's expression, Uchiha Chonhua understood.

Nagato Uzumaki had not been saved.

Uchiha Chonhua fell into a heavy silence.

"Chonhua, according to the intelligence gathered by Lord Sakumo, it isn't just our group that has had Uzumaki children abducted; children have gone missing from other routes as well."

"Oh?" Uchiha Chonhua's expression turned solemn. "How many children are missing?"

"As of now, including Nagato, a total of eight children."

"Are the circumstances the same as ours?"

Mikoto Uchiha shook her head. "Six were taken by the Cloud Village and the Mist Village, and two were lost along the way."

Uchiha Chonhua did the math in his head; including Nagato, that made nine.

"Was one of them rescued?"

Mikoto Uchiha nodded and added, "It was Lord Sakumo. After fighting the enemy's main force, he encountered the captors while retreating toward the capital."

"After Lord Sakumo killed that enemy, it transformed into the same monster we encountered."

That monster was a White Zetsu.

Mikoto Uchiha recalled Hatake Sakumo's words: the sensory ninjas in the main force had not detected the enemy's true identity, and it was only after they died and turned into White Zetsu that everyone was left in shock.

This ability to disguise oneself was truly staggering; the techniques used by the enemy were so strange and eerie that even the well-traveled Hatake Sakumo found them unfamiliar.

These were definitely not techniques belonging to the Cloud Village or the Mist Village!

This situation filled Hatake Sakumo with a sense of unease.

On the battlefield of the Land of Whirlpools, beyond the Cloud Village, the Mist Village, Konoha, and the Uzumaki Clan, there was likely a third party fishing in troubled waters for their own gain!

He had begun an investigation and learned of the various escort missions for the Uzumaki Clan.

Realizing that Uchiha Chonhua's route was the most dangerous, Hatake Sakumo had immediately taken elite ninjas to provide support.

That was how he had arrived at the critical moment to save them.

"The senior arrived just in time; otherwise, I dare not imagine the consequences."

Uchiha Chonhua marveled at Hatake Sakumo's keen instincts and felt grateful in his heart—he had arrived at the perfect moment!

"Jonin Ono spoke with Lord Sakumo about the Cloud and Mist ninjas we encountered along the way."

Mikoto Uchiha couldn't help but tremble slightly, a trace of fear appearing on her face.

"Lord Sakumo has his own sources of intelligence and knows the identities of the enemy members. He said that some of the enemies we encountered should have been on the northern front at the time, while others were enemies that the main force had killed during recent battles—some of whom Lord Sakumo had even killed with his own hands."

"Lord Sakumo says a third-party force is interfering in the chaos of the Land of Whirlpools, though he does not know which faction it could be."

The forces of Uchiha Madara.

Uchiha Chonhua rubbed his brow, feeling somewhat stifled.

Those ninja from the northern battlefield who had no business being here, along with the enemy ninja killed in the previous skirmish, were likely all transformed White Zetsu.

Uchiha Chonhua felt a pang of annoyance; he should have inspected them more carefully.

In the previous battle, he had sought a swift resolution, dispatching enemies with a single Chidori through the chest and moving on without a second thought.

He covered his face, thinking, If only I had known...

Uchiha Chonhua sighed suddenly. Even if he had known, it would have been impossible to guard against; the opponent's transformation techniques were too potent. Even the elite sensory ninja of the Fourth Great Ninja War had been unable to distinguish the real from the fake.

Had their malice not been sensed and exposed by Naruto Uzumaki, the Allied Shinobi Forces would never have united. They would have been paralyzed by suspicion, attacking one another and descending into internal chaos.

With his current abilities... unless the opponent took the initiative to strike, like the fake Mikoto Uchiha had, it was truly difficult to discern the truth.

Chapter 40: Trouble Upon Disembarking

Fuso Uzumaki leaned against the railing, despondent and low in spirits.

Her beautiful eyes gazed sorrowfully toward the distance, where the Land of Whirlpools was no longer visible.

As the large ship parted the waves, grief welled up in Fuso Uzumaki's heart, and tears slid from the corners of her eyes, falling into the sea.

Uchiha Chonhua watched the heartbroken Fuso Uzumaki, unsure of what to say.

The appearance of the White Zetsu confirmed that Uchiha Madara had made his move.

With Uchiha Madara's interference, the hope of rescuing Nagato Uzumaki was slim.

The Rinnegan was destined to appear in Nagato Uzumaki's eyes, marking the beginning of a life spent being manipulated and tossed about by the winds of fate.

"Aunt Fuso, no news is the best news."

Uchiha Chonhua walked over to comfort her. "Perhaps you will have the chance to see Nagato again in the future."

Tears streaming down her face, Fuso Uzumaki asked, "Chonhua, tell me, can Lord Hatake save Nagato?"

"...It is possible."

Uchiha Chonhua could only say as much, though in his heart, he did not believe Hatake Sakumo could find Nagato Uzumaki.

"Please, take care of your health. The enemy went to such lengths to kidnap Nagato and no one else, which means he possesses some value that the enemy covets."

Fuso Uzumaki nodded. There had been constant attacks for days, along with that inhuman monster.

The Uzumaki Clan had indeed been targeted, but the enemy had singled out Nagato from among all the others.

Uchiha Chonhua was right, but... Fuso Uzumaki stared blankly. Why did it have to be Nagato?

"The enemy needs Nagato, so they will certainly keep him alive."

Uchiha Chonhua tapped the railing, producing a crisp sound.

He gazed at the ocean and said slowly, "Aunt Fuso will surely see Nagato again. For the sake of that day, you must take good care of yourself."

Fuso Uzumaki did not speak; her eyes were blurred with tears, her gaze unfocused as she stared blankly in the direction of the Land of Whirlpools.

When the ship sailed into the harbor of the Land of Fire.

As everyone walked off the ship and felt the solid ground beneath their feet, the expressions of everyone present relaxed.

The Jonin Ono wore a smile on his face. "Now that we've reached the Land of Fire, we don't need to rush the rest of the journey. Everyone can relax a bit."

"We are safe now that we are on our own soil."

He addressed the group, "Let us rest well in this coastal city for a day; we shall set off again tomorrow."

"Understood!" Hearing this, Mikoto Uchiha wore a serene smile as she extended an invitation to Uchiha Chonhua.

"Chonhua, let's go for a stroll."

They had departed from this very coastal city to reach the Land of Whirlpools. Mikoto Uchiha had only caught a fleeting glimpse of it then, but the scenery was beautiful and the atmosphere gentle.

Everything here felt novel to her; after all, the number of times she had left Konoha since childhood could be counted on one hand.

But at the time, they had been on an urgent mission, and that eager desire to explore had to be suppressed and left unsaid.

Now, although they were still on a mission, it was surely much safer here than in the Land of Whirlpools.

Jonin Ono was right; this was their homeland, so it was naturally safe!

More importantly...

Mikoto Uchiha's bright, picturesque eyes shimmered with shyness as she snuck a glance at Uchiha Chonhua.

The two of them going for a stroll together, this... this was... you know...

Mikoto Uchiha dared not think any further; her face began to heat up just from the thought.

She looked at Uchiha Chonhua with anticipation.

"Alright."

Uchiha Chonhua readily agreed, and no sooner had the words left his lips than the lovely girl opposite him rushed over, trailing a faint fragrance, and grabbed his hand.

Mikoto Uchiha tilted her head back, her eyes curving into crescent moons, her smile as radiant as a blooming flower.

"Heehee, let's go!"

Uchiha Chonhua watched her with a faint smile; that smile just now... was breathtakingly beautiful.

"There's so much seafood here."

Mikoto Uchiha looked along the street, where many vendors selling seafood were calling out to passersby.

"After all, this is a coastal city, and a significant portion of the population makes a living by fishing."

Uchiha Chonhua picked up a fish and checked the price.

"With so many people heading out to sea, the catch is plentiful, and when the supply is high, the prices drop; it's much cheaper than in Konoha."

"Should we buy some seafood to take back?"

Mikoto Uchiha pondered for a moment and decided it would be fine to buy some to prepare a seafood meal for her parents when she got home.

Hmm, and for Chonhua too, Mikoto Uchiha thought as she purchased the seafood, wanting to let Uchiha Chonhua taste her cooking skills when it came to seafood.

Previously, she had mostly cooked home-style dishes for Chonhua, and after a long time, it had become a bit routine.

Now, by getting some seafood, she could try something new.

Uchiha Chonhua stood to the side, smiling as he watched Mikoto Uchiha chat with the vendor.

There were some types of seafood Mikoto didn't recognize, and she asked about them with a puzzled look, her small mouth opening in surprise after hearing the vendor's explanation.

Seeing these lively expressions on Mikoto Uchiha's delicate face, he could never grow tired of watching her.

Thud.

With a soft sound, a man wearing a hat and keeping his head low, his face obscured, bumped into Uchiha Chonhua.