Eyes Bleeding Tears of Blood

Konan held Chiba in her arms. She naturally knew that Chiba did not view Katsuzuki as a romantic interest. Although it was somewhat despicable to think so, Konan felt a flicker of relief upon realizing that Chiba was not attracted to the type of woman Katsuzuki was. Yet, at this moment, she was mired in deep self-reproach. If only she were a ninja, she wouldn't have been captured, none of what followed would have happened, and Katsuzuki would not have died...

Hum!!!!!!

Uchiha Chiba raised his head, looked at Konan, and said, "Let's go home."

"Brother Chiba, your eyes..." Konan said in surprise.

It was clear that Uchiha Chiba's Double Tomoe Sharingan had just evolved into a Three Tomoe Sharingan! Through the killing of Blank and Weeper, the amount of chakra in his body had officially reached Kage Level. In less than half a year, he had advanced from a Chunin to a Kage!

The Second Hokage, Senju Tobirama, once said that the Uchiha Clan's love was deeper than that of any other, which was why they sealed that love away.

Once a member of the Uchiha Clan understood love, the emotions that had been suppressed for so long would be released in an instant. At that moment, a power surpassing the love of the Senju Clan would awaken, but this overly intense love carried the potential to spiral out of control at any time.

Once an Uchiha who had understood love lost that love, the affection in their heart would be replaced by an even more intense hatred. Because of this, their entire temperament would change. During this process, special chakra would manifest in the Uchiha's brain, causing their eyes to change—this was the reason for the awakening of the Sharingan, which was why it was known as the Eye of Reflecting the Heart.

The Sharingan synchronized with the power of the Uchiha's heart, allowing them to grow stronger rapidly in a short period, but this came at the cost of the power of hatred within. Furthermore, since most Uchiha were naturally sensitive and deep-thinking, those who awakened this emotion were essentially swallowed by darkness and led astray.

And at this moment, the frenzied rotation of the three tomoe signaled that Uchiha Chiba had also become a true Uchiha who understood love.

The next day, Amegakure held a funeral for Katsuzuki of the Salamander...

Inside Katsuzuki's mourning hall in Amegakure, her remains lay in a coffin, surrounded by flowers and offerings. The Rain Ninja wore black mourning clothes, their expressions sorrowful, tears glistening in their eyes.

As the leader of Amegakure, Hanzo the Salamander received news of his daughter's death immediately. He rushed back to the village and pushed open the door.

Katsuzuki's broken body came into Hanzo's view.

"I'm sorry," Uchiha Chiba said, head bowed, his fists clenched tight.

Hanzo the Salamander did not speak. He simply walked to the coffin, reached out, and touched Katsuzuki's cheek. Heavy, labored breathing echoed from beneath his mask.

No one knew what Hanzo the Salamander was thinking at that moment.

After a long while, Hanzo slowly turned his body. He let out a breath, his tone seemingly as flat as ever: "Everyone, leave. Tomorrow is the battle against the Konoha forces; you should rest. Chiba, you stay..."

After everyone had filed out, Hanzo the Salamander's hoarse voice rang out: "Who killed her?"

"Danzo's Twelve Root Members," Uchiha Chiba said, his lips trembling slightly. He did not want to speak of them.

"Very well. Danzo, you killed my daughter, so I will dismantle your Twelve Root Members... Aside from the ones you killed, how many are left?" Hanzo the Salamander said coldly, a terrifying aura of chakra radiating from his body.

"Excluding the five already killed, there are seven of those so-called Twelve Root Members remaining," Uchiha Chiba replied.

"Good. Good, good, good. Chiba, you need not blame yourself. I know this girl's personality better than anyone. She felt it was meaningful, so she threw herself in the way to take that blow for you," Hanzo the Salamander said, walking toward the hall door.

Watching Hanzo's retreating back, Uchiha Chiba didn't know what to think.

"Oh, and Chiba, as the condition for my daughter saving you: one day, if I require your life, you must give it. Do you understand?" After saying this, Hanzo the Salamander placed his hand on the door, seemingly waiting for an answer.

Left behind, Uchiha Chiba only murmured: "Sister Katsuzuki wanted me to live on well."

Hanzo the Salamander said nothing more and pushed the door open to leave.

On the front lines, Jiraiya, Orochimaru, and Tsunade were directing the Konoha ninja in setting up traps—some were explosive tag arrays, some were kunai spikes, and others were lethal poisons.

"Jiraiya, have you gathered the intelligence?" Orochimaru asked, looking at the map in his hands without even turning his head.

Jiraiya sighed. "Hanzo the Salamander's only daughter is dead," he said, shaking his head.

"What? How did she die so suddenly?" Tsunade asked, surprised. She glanced at Orochimaru and then shook her head; she knew her partner wasn't the type to kill someone's child.

Orochimaru naturally sensed the gazes of Jiraiya and Tsunade. He sighed again: "Don't look at me like that. I am not capable of such underhanded deeds."

"We know. We aren't accusing you. Jiraiya, tell us exactly what happened. Don't let Hanzo the Salamander vent his rage on the Konoha forces," Tsunade said, spreading her hands.

Jiraiya rubbed his chin and shook his head: "I don't know. I only know his daughter is dead, apparently for the sake of someone else. I don't know the specifics; after all, I'm not a mind-reader, so it's normal not to know the details."

"Indeed. No need to ask further. However, regarding that question of yours, Tsunade—no, that wasn't a question, it was a foregone conclusion. I only hope that tomorrow, fewer lives will be lost," Orochimaru said, putting the map away and looking up at the sky.

On the same day, Kato Dan's squad received a special mission: to destroy a secret training ground in Amegakure and kill all the genius ninja there.

The next morning, Hanzo the Salamander led a force of thousands of Rain Ninja from the coast of the Land of Rain. Beneath the sea swam a giant salamander. Incidentally, Uchiha Chiba had been grounded by Hanzo and could only obediently practice his kusarigama techniques in the forests of the Land of Rain, a command Chiba accepted readily.

"Lord Hanzo, please accept my condolences," Hanzo's Right Hand said, bearing the weight of immense grief as he comforted his leader.

"Hmm..." Hanzo the Salamander only stared ahead, saying nothing.

Yet, it was Hanzo's Right Hand who was truly the most heartbroken.

Katsuzuki was a little girl he had raised from a tiny child to the present day—his most outstanding disciple...