Saving Chūnin Yakumo

Whirlpool Tide Village.

Senju Hashirama had gone out shopping with Uzumaki Mito.

Senju Tobirama had taken no interest in any of the three women who had just arrived—Shino, Uori, and Nagetsuki. His words were icy, keeping everyone at arm's length.

But Uchiha Yan was different.

Tobirama might not have taken a liking to them, but Uchiha Yan liked them all.

Not for himself, of course, but for Madara and Izuna. Although Shino, Uori, and Nagetsuki were not Uzumaki Ashina's daughters—titles like "princess" were whatever one made of them. If Uchiha Yan said they were Uzumaki princesses, then they were Uzumaki princesses. When emperors sent daughters away in political marriages, few of them were actual princesses anyway.

That Uori in particular kept glancing at Izuna.

The Uchiha Clan might have been prone to mental instability, but when it came to looks, they produced handsome men in abundance. Sasuke from the original story had been a great beauty, and Izuna looked remarkably like him—sharp brows, bright eyes, immense strength, noble status, and the younger brother of Konoha's Hokage. He was undoubtedly one of Konoha's top stars.

When a man pursued a woman, it was like crossing a mountain; when a woman pursued a man, it was like a veil away.

When Uori's gaze landed on Izuna once or twice, it might have been coincidence. Three or four times meant intention. At first, Izuna had not paid much attention to it. Matters between men and women had never interested him much. But Uori's stare was too fervent, like the afternoon sun in summer—impossible to evade.

Izuna's face began to flush.

The Uchiha Clan's Sharingan was a Yin Release bloodline limit, representing the power of spirit and soul. The Uzumaki Clan's Sage Body was a Yang Release bloodline limit, representing the power of life and flesh. The bloodlines inherited from the Sage of Six Paths' two sons—Indra and Asura—seemed to produce some wondrous resonance at that moment.

Yin Release and Yang Release had always been one.

Seeing Izuna looking so lovestruck, Uchiha Yan immediately came up with an idea.

He rose to his feet, walked before Uzumaki Ashina, and gave him a respectful bow.

"Lord Ashina."

"On behalf of the Uchiha Clan, I request a marriage alliance with the Uzumaki Clan."

The entire reception room fell silent.

Uchiha Yan straightened, his voice clear and forceful. "Lord Izuna has reached the age to know love and is deeply devoted to Lady Uori. In the name of the Uchiha Clan, I respectfully ask Lord Ashina to grant them his blessing."

"Yan!!!" Uchiha Izuna abruptly shot to his feet, his face crimson. He had known Lady Uori for less than half a day and had barely exchanged a few words with her. How had Yan gone and torn away the veil so directly?

"Lord Izuna, men should marry when they come of age, and women should wed when they come of age." Uchiha Yan turned toward him with an utterly serious expression. "I have seen your feelings for Lady Uori with my own eyes."

"When did I—"

"Lord Izuna, there is no need to be embarrassed."

The atmosphere in the reception room became subtle.

"Hahahaha!" Uzumaki Ashina suddenly burst into laughter.

"Good! Good! Good!"

On the road back to Konoha, in addition to Uzumaki Mito, who had originally been part of the group, there was now one more person: Uzumaki Uori.

One was to marry Senju Hashirama, and the other was to marry Uchiha Izuna.

Tobirama's eyes were full of disdain.

For all those years, he and Uchiha Izuna had fought each other to the death on the battlefield. They had battled from their youth into adulthood, amid flashing blades and deadly clashes. Before Uchiha Yan appeared, Tobirama had always regarded Izuna as the enemy of his life—that man possessed strength equal to his own, an equally calm mind, and the same resolve to sacrifice everything for his clan.

Tobirama had once thought Uchiha Izuna was an opponent worthy of respect.

But now?

He had willingly sunk into depravity!

Addicted to women!

I, Senju Tobirama, am ashamed to associate with him!

Konoha, inside the Hokage's office.

Uchiha Madara sat upright at his desk, a thick stack of documents spread before him.

After becoming Hokage, what he had found hardest to adjust to was reviewing documents every day. Fortunately, Uchiha Yan had set up a Three Departments Secretariat for him, diverting most administrative affairs elsewhere.

"Lord Yan, intelligence has arrived."

Uchiha Yan accepted the letter.

The supplies being transported to Konoha had been robbed by rogue ninjas from the Land of Grass. More importantly, a Konoha chunin had been detained by those rogue ninjas, who demanded that Konoha pay a ransom.

Detaining a ninja and demanding ransom from their clan was common during the Warring States period. It was not easy for a clan to train a ninja. If they could retrieve one merely by paying ransom, it was worthwhile no matter how one calculated it, and kidnappers generally did not demand much. Of course, those abducted were usually from small clans.

"Yan, has something happened?"

Uchiha Yan raised his head and handed over the letter.

"Lord Madara, a Konoha chunin has been kidnapped by rogue ninjas from the Land of Grass."

"Outrageous!" Uchiha Madara roared.

"Yan, Konoha must spare no expense to rescue him."

"Please rest assured, Lord Madara. Not only must we rescue him, but ideally, you should personally lead the rescue."

Madara paused slightly. "I should go myself?"

"Yes. Not only must you go, you must go openly and aboveboard."

Uchiha Yan continued, "Let everyone in Konoha know—no matter which corner of the ninja world you may be in, mighty Konoha will always be your steadfast support. The Hokage stands with you."

This was called winning the people's hearts. This was shaping public opinion. Konoha currently needed this kind of positive publicity. The Hokage needed it too.

Madara fell silent.

Since becoming Hokage, he had spent his days reviewing documents, holding meetings, receiving the heads of various clans—handling nothing but trivial affairs. Yet he understood what Uchiha Yan meant.

The people's hearts. Public opinion.

Two hours later, Uchiha Madara and Uchiha Yan headed straight for the Land of Grass.

Under Uchiha Yan's deliberate arrangements, the news that the Hokage had personally left the village to rescue someone spread through every corner of Konoha like the wind.

"Hey, did you hear? Lord Hokage personally went to rescue that kidnapped Chunin."

"Really? Lord Hokage went himself?"

"Of course it's true. I saw Lord Hokage leave through the north gate with my own eyes."

"Tsk, tsk. Who is that Chunin? Even Lord Hokage has been mobilized."

"I heard he's a Chunin from a small clan, with no real background."

"I think his name is Kamizuki Yakumo."

"Lord Hokage truly loves the people like his own children. Long live Konoha! Long live the Hokage! Long live the Uchiha..."

"Lord Hokage is telling everyone that Konoha will not abandon a single companion."

"I have no regrets entering Konoha in this life; in the next, I'll still be a Konoha man."

"Those who offend Konoha shall be punished, no matter how far away they are."

When Senju Tobirama received the news, he was secretly researching his ninjutsu within the Senju clan grounds.

"Uchiha Yan..."

Senju Tobirama knew at once that it was Uchiha Yan's doing.

The Hokage personally going to save someone—regardless of whether the hostage could be rescued, the gesture alone was more than enough. What would Konoha's ninja think? They would feel that this village was worth being loyal to, that this Hokage was worth following.

And what would those with ill intentions think? They would have to weigh carefully what they would be facing if they laid hands on someone from Konoha.

He had to admit that Uchiha Yan was even more difficult to deal with than he had imagined.

A Hokage personally setting out to rescue a hostage was almost unheard of in the original story—the Hokage of every generation remained in the village and would not leave lightly. Yet precisely because of that, this move was all the more impactful.

This was exactly the effect Uchiha Yan wanted.

He wanted every person in Konoha to know that the Hokage was not some lofty figurehead, but someone who would brave fire and water for them.

This was winning the people's hearts.

The Uchiha needed this kind of popular support.