Two Rivals; Connections Make Things Easier

Uchiha Makoto hid beneath the leaves, his eyes slightly widened. All he could see was a sea of green, branches swaying in the breeze.

At that moment, the sight before him made Uchiha Makoto feel as though he had fallen under a genjutsu.

He blinked, staring at the scene before him in astonishment, then sharply sucked in a breath.

He had found Kaguya Takeori!

It was the figure before him that sent chills down his spine.

Beneath the shade stood a young girl, likewise sheltering from the slightly scorching sun. Though still young, her white kimono-clad figure already possessed a budding charm. Coupled with her cool, elegant bearing, she was exceptionally eye-catching.

But that was not what shocked Uchiha Makoto. The most crucial detail was her hair color. Unlike ordinary members of the Kaguya Clan, her hair was pure white!

Under the sunlight, her entire body seemed to emit a pure, luminous glow!

Along with her pale white pupils and the two milky-white dots above her eyebrows.

She was practically a replica of Ōtsutsuki Kaguya!

If this girl was not Kaguya Takeori, then he truly could not imagine what Kaguya Takeori would look like, or just how monstrous her strength was.

Since ancient times, the purity of a Kaguya Clan member's bloodline had been directly related to the whiteness of their hair.

Among Kaguya ninjas in their prime, the more white strands they had and the lighter their hair was, the stronger their Shikotsumyaku would be.

Setting everything else aside, her hair color alone showed that she was a Kage-level powerhouse comparable to Kimimaro Kaguya from the original work!

Even if she was only fifteen or sixteen!

After calming his surging emotions, Uchiha Makoto stealthily approached Kaguya Takeori.

"Kaguya Takeori?"

Uchiha Makoto's voice carried both doubt and certainty.

Kaguya Takeori paused, startled by his sudden appearance, then nodded.

"Uchiha... Makoto?"

Kaguya Takeori scrutinized Uchiha Makoto and asked hesitantly.

"That's right. It's me."

Uchiha Makoto smiled, his tone relaxed.

A trace of confusion flashed through Kaguya Takeori's eyes. She did not understand why Uchiha Makoto had appeared here.

Uchiha Makoto saw through her thoughts and explained, "Don't worry, I mean no harm. I only came to thank you for showing mercy to those border ninjas."

Kaguya Takeori remained vigilant and countered, "The person who released that chakra earlier was you, wasn't it?"

Uchiha Makoto nodded. "It was me."

Kaguya Takeori did not doubt him and nodded. "You're strong. If you had wanted to, you could have crept up beside me earlier without being noticed."

Before she finished speaking, Kaguya Takeori raised a hand and pointed toward the harmonious crowd not far away. "Your idea?"

Smiling, Uchiha Makoto nodded. "There are one hundred million ryō in that scroll. Think of it as the price of friendship. Let's be friends."

Kaguya Takeori's expression twitched for a moment, as though she had not expected the Uchiha to be so extravagantly wealthy.

No wonder both sides were acting like sworn brothers. So it was the power of money!

Uchiha Makoto seemed not to notice her silence and explained, "The ninja war has only just begun. Both camps have distant relatives among one another, so there is no need for us to cause unnecessary casualties."

"We hope to create a more peaceful and stable environment along the border."

"This is a small token of our sincerity. I wonder what you think?"

Kaguya Takeori frowned slightly. After thinking for a moment, she said, "Our Kaguya Clan naturally has no objections, but I cannot guarantee what will happen in the future."

Uchiha Makoto was not surprised. He nodded in understanding.

"However..."

Kaguya Takeori changed the subject. "That all depends on whether you survive."

Uchiha Makoto's gaze shifted slightly. Was she warning him that the ninja alliance was coming to surround and kill him?

Was she really being this kind?

"You mean Ōnoki of the Stone Village proposed sending an allied force to eliminate me?"

Seeing Kaguya Takeori's startled expression, Uchiha Makoto's smile became a little more genuine.

"Take a guess. Why do you think the Konoha reinforcements under our command have been marching so slowly?"

Uchiha Makoto's words left Kaguya Takeori somewhat silent. He answered his own question. "I'm waiting for them to gather!"

Seeing Uchiha Makoto's smug expression, Kaguya Takeori could not help feeling dissatisfied. She provocatively asked, "Are you really that confident in yourself?"

"The Third Mizukage has assembled several thousand elite ninjas!"

Kaguya Takeori's words successfully wiped the smile from Uchiha Makoto's face. Looking at the girl before him, his gaze settled on her snow-white hair, and a hint of provocation entered his voice.

"You don't think you're the only one whose bloodline has reverted to its ancestor, do you?"

Meeting Kaguya Takeori's pale eyes, Uchiha Makoto said word by word, "After the Kaguya Clan's bloodline reverts to its ancestor, they can use the Shikotsumyaku more skillfully and on a larger scale."

"Isn't the Sharingan the same? Before the Mangekyō Sharingan, what are a few thousand ordinary ninjas worth?"

Seeing Uchiha Makoto's disdainful expression, Kaguya Takeori grew agitated and could not help asking, "Can your body withstand using your bloodline limit to that extent?"

Uchiha Makoto slowly shifted his gaze to meet her lively eyes, his expression solemn and earnest.

"But it will still be enough to deal with them, won't it?"

Facing Uchiha Makoto's gaze, Kaguya Takeori awkwardly looked away and gave a soft "Mm," as her response.

She also felt a little disappointed.

Sure enough, the Uchiha had no way to prevent their bodies from collapsing from overusing their bloodline limit.

"So, what do you say, Miss Kaguya Takeori?"

Uchiha Makoto asked again.

"I can represent the Kaguya Clan in temporarily agreeing to peace along the border, but the specifics will depend on how things develop afterward."

After a moment of silence, Kaguya Takeori gave the same answer.

"Of course. That is what I hope for as well," Uchiha Makoto said with a smile. "After all, war only brings destruction and harm."

"Besides, I need to display strength worthy of my words."

The two looked at each other, seemingly reaching a certain understanding.

"Then let us work together and fight for peace."

Uchiha Makoto smiled, then extended his right hand. "Then it's settled."

Kaguya Takeori looked at his hand, hesitated for a moment, but ultimately reached out and shook it.

"I hope our cooperation goes smoothly," Uchiha Makoto said.

"Mm."

Kaguya Takeori replied softly.

The two reached an agreement, defusing the conflict along the Mist Ninja border and bringing peace to the region.

At that moment, Uchiha Makoto's smile became increasingly genuine.

Sure enough, bringing the Hyuga Clan along had been the right choice.

See? The fighting on the Mist Ninja front had eased considerably.

Connections really did make things easier!

Thinking this, Uchiha Makoto completely overlooked the role played by the power of his one hundred million ryō.