Where Did You Go?

Kakashi spoke again, asking, "Third Hokage, may I go see Naruto?"

Hiruzen Sarutobi thought for a moment, then said sternly, "You may go see him, but don't say anything you shouldn't."

Kakashi replied seriously, "Understood, Hokage-sama." He immediately used the Body Flicker Technique and vanished from the Hokage's Office with a swish.

Watching Kakashi leave, Hiruzen Sarutobi thought to himself, He still suspects that I drove White Fang to his death. If I had stopped Danzo back then, Sakumo would not have committed suicide.

Walking down the street and looking at the dazzling array of goods, Kakashi said seriously, "Since it's my first time meeting a child, I should bring some sort of gift."

At the Uchiha Clan Compound, Kurenai, who was training in genjutsu, and Uchiha Sasuke, who was training in taijutsu, were both startled by the explosion at the Shimura Clan.

They hurried into the courtyard and looked at the billowing smoke rising over Konoha. Uchiha Sasuke asked curiously, "Sister Kurenai, was there an explosion over there?"

Kurenai Yuhi looked shocked and confused. "That's the Shimura Clan's territory. How could there have been such a huge explosion? Who attacked the Shimura Clan?"

Sasuke shouted happily, "Brother Qingcheng, stop bathing! Come out and watch the explosion! The Shimura Clan got blown up!"

The Shimura Clan was the Uchiha Clan's greatest enemy. They had often caused trouble for the Uchiha Clan in the past, and lately they had constantly mocked Qingcheng. Now that someone had blown them up, there was no telling how delighted Sasuke was.

Qingcheng had just returned from the Shimura Clan. As he received the memories transmitted by his Shadow Clone, he knew the Shimura Clan had been blown to pieces.

Inside the bathroom, Qingcheng took off his night outfit and the mask on his face, then quickly changed into a bathrobe.

Qingcheng emerged from the bathroom with a smile and asked, "Is the Shimura Clan holding some kind of party? As expected of Shimura Danzō's clansmen. Even when they set off firecrackers, they have to make sure every Konoha resident hears them."

Looking at Qingcheng's lazy appearance, Kurenai smiled. "You certainly know how to put things nicely. Were those firecrackers? The ground was shaking. That was a huge pile of Explosive Tags going off."

Looking delighted by their misfortune, Sasuke pointed at the thick smoke in the sky and laughed. "See that drifting smoke? That's all members of the Shimura Clan."

Sasuke cursed again, "They always bullied our Uchiha Clan. Good, they deserved to be blown up! This is so satisfying!"

Whenever the Shimura Clan had nothing better to do, they loved stirring up trouble for the Uchiha Clan. When it came to spreading rumors and slandering the Uchiha Clan in secret, the Shimura Clan was the main force. Sixty percent of the rumors came from them.

Qingcheng could understand exactly how satisfying it was for Sasuke to watch that black smoke drift through the air. When Uchiha Sasuke hunted Danzo down in the future, he would use Susanoo to brutally hammer Danzo—that was the hatred Uchiha Sasuke had built up since childhood.

Qingcheng scolded him with a dark expression, "Uchiha Sasuke, what nonsense are you talking about? The Shimura Clan is our Uchiha Clan's companion. That drifting black smoke must be from the Shimura Clan setting off firecrackers."

Qingcheng continued, "Our Uchiha Clan has always repaid resentment with virtue. We never hold grudges against them. Even toward clans that treat us badly, we will try to understand them and use love to move them."

The ANBU members monitoring Qingcheng and the others looked embarrassed and doubtful. "These Uchiha are practically cursing through gritted teeth. It's obvious they're all extremely happy that the Shimura Clan was blown up."

Kurenai Yuhi looked deeply moved and said admiringly, "Qingcheng-kun, you are truly great. Even toward people who treat you badly, you would try to move them with love. If I were you, I definitely couldn't do that."

For a moment, Sasuke had no idea what was going on. He could only nod helplessly, then say seriously, "But it really is satisfying."

Meanwhile, the Root ninja stationed at the Uchiha Clan Compound had already left and rushed straight toward the Shimura Clan's territory.

Watching the Root ninja leave, Qingcheng thought to himself, Why aren't you keeping watch anymore? Is Lord Danzo's home on fire? You're in such a hurry—are you rushing over for the funeral feast? I should have Yunye go promote our services.

Qingcheng thought to himself again, With so many dead, Uchiha One-Stop Service can finally open for business.

Qingcheng said, "Yamahuku, send someone to notify Yunye. Uchiha One-Stop Service can go to the Shimura Clan and promote our products, sending the deceased Shimura clansmen to paradise."

Yamahuku replied seriously, "Clan Head, there's no need to notify them. Yunye and the others are already here."

Qingcheng thought to himself, This Yunye is clever. He has already caught the scent of business.

Before long, more than a dozen band members followed Yunye into the Uchiha Clan Compound. Every one of them looked excited, feeling that this would be a major deal.

Yunye said ingratiatingly, "Clan Head, should our Uchiha One-Stop Service take this job?"

Qingcheng smiled. "Yunye, this is a big deal. Of course we're taking it. Raise the price and tell them we offer the Supreme Invincible One-Stop Service."

Qingcheng added, "Send their loved ones directly to heaven. Remember, charge two hundred Ryo for every Shimura Clan ninja."

After thinking for a moment, Yunye said nervously, "Wouldn't it be inappropriate for us to go over there now? What if the Shimura Clan gets angry and beats us up? After all, they lost so many clansmen."

Qingcheng realized that as well and said seriously, "Wait two hours before going. Then ask whether they want the one-stop service. If they get angry, apologize quickly and leave the Shimura Clan immediately."

Qingcheng warned them again, "In this line of work, getting beaten up is normal. Remember to speak tactfully and don't clash with customers."

Hearing Qingcheng's words, Yunye was instantly dumbfounded. He said awkwardly, "Maybe we shouldn't go? The Shimura Clan isn't easy to deal with. This money might not be easy to earn."

Qingcheng said seriously, "What are you afraid of? We agreed on a fifty-fifty split. This business is worth hundreds of millions at the very least. Do you want to get rich overnight or not?"

Yunye gritted his teeth and said seriously, "Then we'll try it later. If we get beaten up, Clan Head, you have to come save us quickly."

Over at the Root Base, every Root member mobilized and rushed toward the Shimura Clan like a swarm of locusts.

Like a furious beast, Danzo followed behind the Root ninja and roared angrily, "Who dared to attack my Shimura Clan? If I find them, I'll make them beg for death but be unable to die!"

After cursing, Danzo continued running with his cane. Unfortunately, he was not very fast, just like when Uchiha Sasuke had chased him.

Holding his cane in his right hand, he staggered toward the Shimura Clan, wanting to see his clansmen and Root's operating funds.

Hiruzen Sarutobi arrived at the Shimura Clan Compound and saw that the ANBU ninja had already extinguished the flames with Water Release.

The Third Hokage's face was grim as he said furiously, "Investigate this thoroughly. I want to see which bastard is taking revenge on Konoha's ninja clans."

Only a little over a hundred Shimura Clan members had survived, most of them women. A large number of corpses covered in white cloth lay on both sides of the ruins. The Explosive Tags had blown those bodies beyond recognition.

The destructive power of an A-rank Fire Release, combined with more than two thousand Explosive Tags, had exploded in the Shimura Clan like a cannonball. More than four hundred people had been killed instantly, over a hundred had been seriously injured, and countless wounded had been carried to Konoha Hospital.

The two Konoha Elders, Mitokado Homura and Utatane Koharu, arrived at the Shimura Clan's territory. Looking at the corpses strewn everywhere, they were filled with shock and fear. "Who is taking revenge on the Shimura Clan? This is unbelievably cruel."

Homura Mitokado asked the Third Hokage, "Hiruzen Sarutobi, did you and Danzo do something shameful? Will this bomber take revenge on Konoha's other clans?"

Utatane Koharu stared at Hiruzen Sarutobi and thought to herself, You and Danzo have been making secret arrangements behind my back without discussing them with Homura and me. Do the Konoha Elders have any feelings left at all?