Preparation

Uchiha Zhuang returned home and sealed all the equipment and supplies he had gathered over the past few days into storage scrolls (funded by Genmu). After filling his ninja tool pouch, he scanned the room one last time to ensure nothing was left behind before stepping out. He took in the familiar sights of his home, slowly walked away, and locked the door behind him. He then dashed off toward the forest of the clan grounds.

"Dazhuang is heading out. I have to go out for a village mission in a few days too, so take care of yourself while I'm gone." "Don't worry, you need to watch out for danger while you're out there. There's no need to rush through missions; Dazhuang already has plenty of money, and we have more than enough to get by." "Mm!" A rhythmic sound then began to echo from the bed.

Uchiha Zhuang arrived at the top of a giant tree and activated his teleportation, vanishing from the vicinity of Konoha in an instant. When his vision cleared, he was already a great distance away from the village. Calculating his bearings, Uchiha Zhuang headed toward the border town base. By the time the night market was in full swing, Uchiha Zhuang had reached the town and returned to his detached house, which bore a sign reading "Zhuang's Home." Looking at the slight modifications he had made—the reinforced, heightened walls, and the way the garden's pond and greenery had been moved to the edges to clear a large training space equipped with wooden men, posts, and sandbags—he felt a sense of satisfaction. The dining room inside had been expanded to accommodate twenty or thirty people at once. Arriving just in time for dinner, he saw the house brightly lit, with everyone chatting, laughing, and enjoying their meal, holding plates and sipping soup. Uchiha Zhuang felt a warmth rise in his heart. This was what the early stages of an organization should look like: warm care and pure friendship, all of which would become the fuel for the organization's growth and development. He emerged from the shadows, and as he approached the house, several children spotted him—the training was clearly effective. Upon realizing it was their master, Samma, everyone's expression turned respectful, and they knelt to welcome him to the head seat.

Uchiha Zhuang walked in slowly and took his seat, gazing at everyone present. The sallow, gaunt appearances from before were gone, and the various ailments caused by malnutrition had gradually faded away. They were now a group of cute, innocent young girls growing up physically and mentally healthy because they had found friends in this new environment. Uchiha Zhuang felt a sense of fulfillment, like watching seeds sown in spring grow into lush green sprouts by summer. The older girls, Ootama and Tsugutama, had even begun to develop, their silhouettes starting to show. With a sense of gratification, Uchiha Zhuang said, "I am very happy to see you growing up healthy and carefree. I have seen children displaced by the flames of war and cruelly slaughtered; I am not like the other masters. I treat you as human beings, and you are my people. As long as I am here, you will always live under my protection." He paused, then added, "Of course, I do not raise useless idlers. I will assign you tasks, and each of you must complete them with a spirit of self-sacrifice for my sake. Use the knowledge, ninjutsu, and techniques you have learned to achieve success. Those who perfectly complete the tasks I assign will be rewarded. So, train hard and study hard! Earn my praise!" "Hai!" everyone knelt and bowed to Master Samma.

After enjoying a meal prepared by Hanako, whose culinary skills were improving daily, Hanako stepped forward to report on the progress and events of the recent period. During this time, everyone had been making constant progress under Setsuna's grueling training. The few girls with special abilities had improved the fastest, and under Setsuna's guidance, they had even begun to refine what was known as chakra. Furthermore, Hanako had followed Uchiha Zhuang's instructions to select the best prospects from all the slave traders at the border. Fifty or sixty of them were already recuperating at the second base, where they were being looked after by a tutor Hanako had hired named Tanaka Nonō. Upon hearing this name, Uchiha Zhuang's eyes widened. He knew that Yakushi Nonō, who was passionate about education, had already discovered his secret. This was not surprising; with an elite intelligence agent intentionally searching, no one could hide forever. The key now was that he could no longer hide; he had to make Nonō believe that he was a righteous person full of love, a great philanthropist who took in war orphans. Perhaps then she would spare the base he had just established. As for confronting or assassinating an intelligence agent? He didn't know if anyone in this world could "box with a shadow," but Uchiha Zhuang certainly couldn't right now. Thus, with the enemy strong and him weak, he had to develop in the shadows!

After praising Hanako, Uchiha Zhuang publicly produced a black-market gold voucher (gray) and handed it to her, saying, "Among all the servants, you have been with me the longest and have worked the hardest. Use this gold voucher to establish a base on the border between the Land of Earth and the Land of Snow, and another in the far north of the Land of Iron. Once they are built, you will be in charge of managing them. You know what I require, Hanako." Hanako immediately performed a dogeza to pledge her loyalty, thanking Master Samma for his benevolence repeatedly. Leaving Hanako behind, Uchiha Zhuang summoned Setsuna to bathe with him before heading to the bedroom. In the bedroom, Uchiha Zhuang activated his two-tomoe Sharingan and said, "Do you know what this is?" Setsuna looked astonished, finally saying, "I learned about it in the knowledge scrolls of the Snow Ninja Village; it is the Sharingan of the Uchiha clan." "Yes, I am a member of the Uchiha clan, and you are all the foundation for my future conquest of the world. I need you to train them ruthlessly—even harder. I want assassins and servants whose skills are perfected to the extreme. Can you do it?" Cutting off Setsuna's attempt to speak, Uchiha Zhuang said firmly. Setsuna trembled, then lowered her head and replied, "I can only do my best! Besides, the venue here is not suitable; we need a larger space and real weapons and equipment." "Very well, go to Hanako for all of that and have her cooperate. Let's turn the base on the border of the Land of Earth and the Land of Snow into a training facility! All training is left to you, Setsuna." Setsuna kept her head bowed in silence for a long time. Uchiha Zhuang watched her for a moment before saying, "Once the organization's power grows, the first thing I will do is wipe out the Land of Snow and bring peace to your people. I give you this guarantee, Setsuna." "Hai!" Setsuna replied in submission.

Uchiha Zhuang then took paper and pen and wrote dozens of pages of organizational philosophy, filled with brainwashing rhetoric about loyalty and obedience. He instructed Ootama and Tsugutama to require everyone to recite the first chapter in a low voice every morning, noon, and evening before they could eat. From then on, it was to be recited in full during every important event or holiday, and everyone who joined was required to devote themselves entirely to studying the Uchiha Zhuang Philosophy. Uchiha Zhuang had employed high-level techniques from Earth's own military academies; conquering everyone's minds was a trivial matter.

That night, served by Ootama and Tsugutama, Uchiha Zhuang meditated and fell into a deep sleep. In the basement, the girls were diligently studying the so-called higher "knowledge" of Uchiha Zhuang's supremacy, Uchiha Zhuang's world, and the necessity of loyal obedience to orders.