Preparing for Impure World Reincarnation, Grave Robbing

In the days that followed, Feng appeared to everyone else to be studying the Third Hokage's Will of Fire at home every day. From time to time, he went to the Heroes' Section of Konoha Cemetery to pay respects to the heroes who had sacrificed themselves protecting Konoha and learn from their spirit.

For example, the Second Hokage, Tobirama Senju, who had stayed behind to cover for his subordinates; the Fourth Hokage, Minato Namikaze, and his wife, who had sealed the Nine-Tails with their lives; Might Duy, who had opened the Gate of Death to protect Konoha; and Uchiha's hero, Obito Uchiha.

In reality, Feng spent every day at home studying the Impure World Reincarnation Jutsu, strengthening its control as much as he could.

Will of Fire? He had randomly scribbled a few lines on every page with a pen, making others think he had marked key points. In truth, he had not seriously read a single page.

As for going to Konoha Cemetery to pay respects to heroes? Heh heh, naturally, he had gone there to scout the area and determine whose graves to dig up.

Then, after half a month of living between home and the cemetery, during which he did nothing else and spoke to no one.

Along with the village's constant stream of new gossip, the villagers' attention had mostly been drawn elsewhere. Far fewer people were paying attention to or talking about Feng now.

Thus, with only one week left until the Third Hokage inspected his understanding of Will of Fire.

And seeing how the other Konoha shinobi, who had completed part of the reconstruction and were once again coordinating the relocation of Nine-Tails Night refugees, were run ragged these past few days.

With Feng having already scouted Konoha Cemetery, found several graves he wanted to dig up, and determined which ones he could safely target, he was finally ready to flee Konoha.

On a new day, he once again watched the other shinobi personally coordinate the relocation work, busy beyond measure.

He went to Konoha Cemetery again and checked whether there was anyone around the graves he intended to dig up, making sure nothing unexpected had happened.

He waited quietly through the entire day until the dead of night, when the clock on the wall reached three in the morning.

At this hour, those who had gone to sleep were at their deepest slumber.

Those who were still awake would also be drowsy at this time, when their vigilance was at its weakest.

And Feng's plan to escape Konoha officially began at this moment.

He quietly moved along the route to Konoha Cemetery that he had mapped out long ago.

Following the order he had planned beforehand, he first dug up Rin Nohara's grave beside Obito Uchiha's. After uncovering her remains, he took a section of her arm bone and placed it into the pack he had prepared in advance, then swiftly restored the grave.

Next came the grave of someone named Uchiha Mikio. He was an Uchiha who had died in the Third Shinobi World War. Records showed that he possessed the Three-Tomoe Sharingan and was exceptionally skilled in genjutsu. To Feng, he was an extremely important part of his future plans.

Then came the grave of the Second Hokage, Tobirama Senju.

As for the grave of the First Hokage, Hashirama Senju, not far from Tobirama Senju's, Feng wanted his corpse but did not dare dig it up.

As far as was known, Tobirama Senju had dug up that grave, Orochimaru had dug it up, and Danzo had dug it up. There might have been others whose identities were unknown.

Feng had no idea what state that grave was currently in. To be safe, it was better to keep his distance.

After that came Minato and his wife's grave. They had only been dead for a little over two months, so their bodies had not fully decomposed and gave off waves of corpse stench. Still, Feng suppressed his nausea and took one arm from each of them.

Of course, Minato's soul was still inside the Death God's stomach. So although Feng had taken body parts from both Minato and his wife, his target for Impure World Reincarnation was Minato's wife, Kushina Uzumaki. Minato was merely an extra.

After digging up and restoring all four graves he had selected in advance, Feng had still spent nearly two hours despite a shinobi's physical abilities far surpassing those of ordinary people.

It was already around five in the morning. Although it was winter and dawn would not arrive until seven, the sky was still dark, and most people were still asleep.

(Minato died on October 10th of Konoha Year 51. It was now more than two months later, around early January of Year 52. Based on real-world Japan, where winter generally lasts from December to February of the following year, Konoha was also in winter at this time.)

However, some people struggling for their livelihoods and those training diligently had already begun to get up.

Therefore, for the sake of safety, although there were still three graves he wanted to dig up—Might Duy, Hatake Sakumo, and Kagami Uchiha, who might have awakened the Mangekyō Sharingan—Feng still cleaned up after himself and hurriedly left.

After returning home, it was not yet time to rest.

Feng took out the two scrolls for sealing items that he had bought at great expense. He sealed the chest containing the belongings he had packed beforehand into one, and sealed the pack containing the corpse parts into the other.

Then, he placed the sealing scrolls into a backpack he had prepared beforehand, beneath a set of clothes and a simple map of the Land of Fire. He wrapped them in various barbecue ingredients, disguised them, and placed the pack by the door.

Finally, he put on his usual clothes. Though excited inside, his expression remained perfectly normal as he prepared breakfast, ate it quietly, then picked up Will of Fire and flipped through it casually.

It was not until seven in the morning, when quite a few people had begun moving about outside.

Feng once again suppressed his excitement, slung the backpack over his shoulders, tucked his katana at his waist, hung the pouch containing shuriken on the other side of his belt, and held Will of Fire in one hand. He took several deep breaths to compose his expression.

Then he slowly opened his front door and headed toward the Konoha Military Police Force headquarters with an indifferent look. Whenever he encountered acquaintances along the way, he smiled and greeted them as usual.

Not long after, Feng found his squad captain at the Military Police Force headquarters and spoke naturally.

"Captain, I want to leave the village and make a trip to the Valley of the End."

"Leave the village? That probably won't be possible. The village has been strictly controlled lately, and no one is allowed to leave without special circumstances.

"Even if I approve a pass for you, I doubt you'll be able to get out."

Uchiha Yosuke, the captain of Feng's Military Police Force squad, responded after hearing this.

"Can't? But I'm going to the Valley of the End so I can better comprehend the Will of Fire."

Feng raised the copy of Will of Fire in his hand and spoke calmly.

"???" Uchiha Yosuke stared at Feng with a head full of question marks, unable to understand what going to the Valley of the End had to do with comprehending the Will of Fire.

"Heh heh, just tell me whether you'll approve it or not. But let me tell you this: if I can't go to the Valley of the End, and the Third Hokage summons me in a few days to question why I don't understand the Will of Fire thoroughly enough, I'll blame you."

Feng curled his lips with a smile and spread his hands.

"Uh... fine, I'll approve it. But let me make this clear beforehand: if you still can't leave the village, don't blame me." Uchiha Yosuke paused, then answered with an unconcerned expression.

"Of course. If the Third Hokage reprimands me, I'll blame whoever won't let me go to the Valley of the End," Feng replied casually.

After Feng finished speaking, Uchiha Yosuke handed him the permit to leave the village. It was only a matter of signing it, so naturally it was quick.

"Thanks, Captain." The moment Feng received the permit, he thanked him and left.

He had no intention of staying in Konoha any longer. The sooner he escaped Konoha, even by a second, the better.

Although he had dealt with things and cleaned up after digging the graves last night, how could two hours possibly erase every trace? Uchiha Feng was not that meticulous of a person.

Therefore, something could happen at Konoha Cemetery at any moment. And with even a cursory serious investigation, they would find plenty of clues directly pointing to Feng as the criminal.

So he had to run immediately. Every second he delayed increased the chance of being discovered.