News Reaches Konoha

The smoke over the Kannabi Bridge Battlefield gradually cleared. After briefly cleaning up the wreckage, the Konoha ninja placed the still-injured Kakashi, Obito, and Rin on stretchers and hurried toward the Hidden Leaf Village. The entire team remained deathly silent along the way. No one spoke first, yet everyone kept replaying Lin Chen's heaven-defying performance on the battlefield—the scarlet, terrifying Eternal Mangekyo Sharingan, the ease with which he wiped out Hidden Stone jonin with a flick of his fingers, the dominance of a single move sweeping away hundreds of enemies, and the overwhelming force with which he casually suppressed the mysterious shadow. Those scenes had branded themselves deeply into every participating ninja's heart, impossible to erase.

After less than half a day's journey, the group entered the territory of the Hidden Leaf Village. When they appeared in the village covered in dust and smoke, news of the great victory at Kannabi Bridge instantly spread through every street and alley of Konoha as if it had grown wings. The once-peaceful village exploded into uproar. Discussions filled the streets, and villagers and the ninja left behind gathered in clusters, their faces full of shock and disbelief.

"Did you hear? Kannabi Bridge was a huge victory! The hundreds of elite ninja Iwagakure sent were all wiped out by one person, and not a single one of ours died!"

"One person? How is that possible? That was Iwagakure's main force, led by several jonin! Even Konoha's elite jonin might not have won so easily if they joined forces!"

"It's absolutely true! The ninja who fought there said so themselves. That person was from the Uchiha Clan and had an unbelievably terrifying Sharingan. With a slight movement of his finger, Hidden Stone's jonin vanished without a trace. He was practically a god!"

"Someone from the Uchiha Clan? I've lived in Konoha for so many years, but I've never heard of anyone like that in the clan. What is his name?"

The discussions rose and fell without end. Everyone's curiosity had been pushed to its limit, and their gazes turned toward the Hokage's office building, hoping for more news. Yet inside the Hokage's office, the atmosphere was so oppressive it was hard to breathe, completely opposite to the lively clamor outside.

The Third Hokage, Sarutobi Hiruzen, sat behind his desk with his pipe clenched in hand, yet he had not lit it for a long time. His brows were tightly furrowed, the wrinkles at the corners of his eyes pressed together, and his expression was grave to the extreme. He listened intently as a participating jonin reported every detail of the Kannabi Bridge Battlefield. Whenever he heard a crucial point, his fingers unconsciously tightened, and the shock in his eyes grew clearer.

"You are certain that the young man, by himself, killed every Hidden Stone ninja, saved Nohara Rin, returned the Sharingan to Uchiha Obito, and even dealt with a mysterious shadow hiding in the darkness?" The Third Hokage spoke slowly, his voice carrying an almost imperceptible tremble. Even with all his experience, he found it hard to believe such a heaven-defying ninja could exist.

"Lord Hokage, every word is true. There is not a single lie!" The jonin bowed respectfully, lingering shock still in his tone. "That young man called himself Uchiha Lin Chen. His strength was unfathomable. He possessed the legendary Eternal Mangekyo Sharingan and wielded space-time ninjutsu. None of us present could summon even the slightest thought of resistance before him. After dealing with every enemy, he did not linger. He left the battlefield alone, saying only that he was returning to Konoha."

Homura Mitokado and Koharu Utatane, standing nearby, looked equally grim. After exchanging a glance, both saw deep wariness and concern in the other's eyes. Homura spoke first, his voice low and heavy. "The Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan, and Dual Kamui with a space attribute... This level of strength has already surpassed the Kage level. It rivals the God of Shinobi, Senju Clan Hashirama, and Uchiha Madara in their prime. This man appeared out of nowhere. His identity is unknown, and his intentions are impossible to predict. Whether he is a blessing or a disaster to Konoha cannot be foreseen."

Koharu hurriedly agreed, her tone full of anxiety. "Exactly. We searched through the Uchiha Clan's genealogical records, yet there has never been a name called 'Lin Chen.' He appeared as if from thin air. It is far too strange. Moreover, he acts decisively and kills without mercy. If he harbors ill intent, then with his strength, no one in all of Konoha could stop him. He is an enormous hidden danger!"

The two had always been conservative in their actions and were naturally wary of unknown powerhouses, especially when this powerhouse was an Uchiha clansman. Konoha's upper ranks had long been suspicious of the Uchiha Clan, fearing that its growing ambitions would threaten Konoha's rule. Now that such an overwhelmingly powerful Uchiha clansman had suddenly emerged, they were even more restless and fearful.

The Third Hokage let out a deep sigh and slowly extinguished his pipe. "It is too early to draw conclusions. This time, he rescued Konoha ninja and resolved the crisis at Kannabi Bridge. He did not harm a single person from Konoha. For now, he does not appear to bear any ill will."

Even so, the Third Hokage's worries did not lessen in the slightest. He knew too well the power of the Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan, and he understood that anyone with such power, once beyond control, could bring catastrophic disaster upon Konoha. Moreover, this Uchiha Lin Chen's identity was a mystery, and his actions were detached and unreadable. To someone devoted to maintaining Konoha's stability, he was an uncontrollable and extreme variable.

Just then, the office door was gently pushed open. Kakashi, Obito, and Rin slowly entered with the support of medical ninja. Their injuries had not yet healed, their faces were still pale, and their steps were somewhat unsteady, but their mental states were fairly stable. Upon seeing the Third Hokage, all three bowed.

"Lord Hokage."

The Third Hokage quickly rose and walked over to them. "How are your injuries? Are your lives in danger? Have the medical ninja treated you with all they have?"

"Thank you for your concern, Lord Hokage. The medical ninja have already treated our wounds. Our lives are not in danger. We only need some time to rest and recover," Kakashi replied respectfully, lifting his head slightly.

The Third Hokage nodded. Then his expression turned serious as he looked at the three of them. "Regarding Uchiha Lin Chen at the Kannabi Bridge Battlefield, do you have any further information? His background, identity, and purpose—did you notice anything unusual?"

Kakashi pondered for a moment before answering sincerely, "Lord Hokage, I could sense that Senior Lin Chen bore no ill will. He simply could not stand the atrocities committed by the Hidden Stone ninja, so he saved us. He even deliberately returned Obito's Sharingan and completely changed Obito's fate. He is not a bad person, and he has no intention of harming Konoha."

Nohara Rin's eyes reddened slightly as she hurriedly nodded. Her voice was soft but firm. "Yes, Lord Hokage. If Senior Lin Chen had not saved me, I would have died on the battlefield. He is our savior. Although he may seem detached, he is actually very gentle. He would never act against Konoha."

Uchiha Obito clenched his fists, his eyes filled with gratitude and determination. Stepping forward, he said, "Lord Hokage, Senior Lin Chen is the strongest person I have ever seen. He told me to take control of my own life and not become someone else's pawn. He stopped me from falling into darkness. I believe in him. He will never harm Konoha!"

The words of the three children plunged the Third Hokage, Homura Mitokado, and Koharu Utatane into silence again. From their accounts, they could determine that Lin Chen bore no ill will for the time being. Yet the more that seemed to be the case, the more wary they became. A powerhouse of heaven-defying strength, mysterious identity, and impossible to control would always be a ticking bomb within Konoha.

"Obito, you said before that he called himself an abandoned child of the Uchiha Clan?" The Third Hokage suddenly recalled a crucial detail and pressed further.

Obito hurriedly nodded. "That's right. Senior said it himself—he was an abandoned child of the Uchiha Clan. From his tone, it seemed he suffered a great deal of bullying in the clan when he was young."

The Third Hokage's brows furrowed even more deeply, and the doubts in his heart intensified. An abandoned Uchiha child, yet possessing such terrifying strength—what secret was hidden behind this? Was he a secret weapon secretly cultivated by the Uchiha Clan, or truly an orphan abandoned by his family who had stumbled upon a heaven-defying opportunity?

"Enough. Your injuries have not healed, so go back and rest properly. As for Uchiha Lin Chen, do not spread the matter any further. We must avoid causing panic in the village." The Third Hokage waved his hand, signaling for them to leave. Only after the ward door closed did he turn to the other two and say gravely, "Issue an order immediately. Discussion of Uchiha Lin Chen within the village is forbidden. At the same time, secretly send people to investigate his whereabouts and origins. Remember, do not approach him proactively, and do not provoke him rashly. Observe the situation for now."

"Yes!" The two answered in unison.

At the same time, a massive uproar had erupted within the Uchiha Clan compound. Clan head Uchiha Fugaku sat at the head of the assembly hall, his face so dark it seemed water could drip from it. Several clan elders sat below him, their expressions solemn as they discussed the suddenly appearing clansman, Lin Chen.

"Clan Head, the news has been confirmed. The clan truly has a powerhouse with the Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan. He swept through the Kannabi Bridge Battlefield alone and killed every Hidden Stone ninja!" An elder spoke excitedly, though there was also a trace of fear in his voice.

Fugaku slowly nodded, his voice low and hoarse. "I know. His name is Uchiha Lin Chen, and he calls himself an abandoned child of the clan."

"An abandoned child? His name does not exist in our clan records at all. What is going on?" Another elder looked completely confused. "If he is a member of our clan, why has no one ever known of him? If he was abandoned, then how did he obtain such heaven-defying power?"

"No matter his identity, he is ultimately an Uchiha clansman. Such strength should be a blessing to our clan. But he calls himself abandoned, which clearly means he holds resentment toward us. If he bears a grudge against the clan, the consequences will be unimaginable!" An older elder said worriedly.

Fugaku closed his eyes as thoughts surged through his mind. As clan head, he knew better than anyone how difficult the Uchiha Clan's current position in Konoha was. They were suspected by the upper ranks, alienated by the villagers, and forced to tread carefully at every turn. Lin Chen's appearance was both an opportunity and a crisis. If they could win him over, the clan could rise again. If they became enemies, the clan would face utter destruction.

"Pass down the order. No one in the clan is to discuss Lin Chen. No one is to approach him on their own, and no one is to show him even the slightest disrespect. We will decide what to do after I learn his intentions." Fugaku slowly opened his eyes and gave the order.

Meanwhile, in a remote cottage on the outskirts of Konoha, Lin Chen stood quietly before the window, looking outside with a calm, unruffled expression. He had long expected that after the battle at Kannabi Bridge, he would inevitably draw the attention of every force in Konoha. The Third Hokage's suspicion, Fugaku's fear, and Danzo's greed would soon follow one after another.

But he was not afraid in the slightest.

Before absolute strength, every scheme, calculation, suspicion, and fear was utterly fragile. He had returned to Konoha not to hide, but to rewrite regrets and end tragedies. Danzo's Root, the Uchiha Clan massacre, the Nine-Tails Rebellion, Itachi's sacrifice... He would personally turn around every unresolved sorrow of the shinobi world.

At that moment, within Root's dark underground base, Danzo sat in an icy chair and listened to his subordinate's report. Extreme greed and malice burst from his single eye. His fingers gripped his cane so hard that his knuckles turned white.

"Eternal Mangekyō Dual Kamui... Such perfect eyes have fallen into the hands of an abandoned child. What a waste!" Danzo snarled in a low voice, greed practically spilling from his words. He had spent his life obsessed with the Sharingan and sought to control Konoha. Now that he had learned of such heaven-defying eyes, he could no longer restrain himself. "Someone, mobilize all of Root's forces. Find Uchiha Lin Chen. No matter the cost, capture him alive. I want his eyes!"

With that single command, Root's ninja silently moved out like venomous snakes. A conspiracy against Lin Chen began to brew quietly in Konoha's shadows, while Lin Chen had already seen through everything and calmly waited for his enemies to come knocking.