Movements on All Sides

Hokage's Office.

"Third Hokage, the Uchiha Clan has returned the four detained Anbu."

"They were not subjected to any punishment, only locked up overnight."

"Is that so?" The Third Hokage took a puff of his pipe.

"Sarutobi, what do you plan to do?" Mitokado Homura asked from beside him.

The Third Hokage sighed. "Withdraw all the Anbu monitoring the Uchiha Clan. They won't need to go there anymore."

"Will that really be alright, Sarutobi?"

Mitokado Homura was still uneasy. Monitoring the Uchiha Clan had always been an order left behind by Tobirama.

They had not dared relax for even a moment, yet they had never found any evidence.

But the Nine-Tails' Rampage had clearly been caused by the Uchiha Clan's Sharingan.

"If we don't withdraw them, are you planning to let all the Anbu die there?"

The Third Hokage snorted heavily.

"Two of the Uchiha Clan are now Kage-level experts—Fugaku and Natsuki. Both are masters of the Mangekyō Sharingan, and Killer B is still lying in Konoha's hospital!"

Mitokado Homura sat down gloomily without saying a word.

Utatane Koharu said, "Then perhaps we should recall Jiraiya and Tsunade?"

Sarutobi took a deep drag from his pipe.

"Tsunade's whereabouts are uncertain. Have Jiraiya return."

Mitokado Homura and Utatane Koharu exchanged glances. How could Tsunade's whereabouts possibly be uncertain?

Wherever she went, the title of Big Spending Woman followed.

The reason Tsunade refused to return was that she had always been suspicious of Konoha's upper ranks.

Nawaki's death and Danzō's death had shown traces of human involvement far too clearly. Tsunade simply lacked evidence, so she had left Konoha.

Bringing Tsunade back now would likely not be easy.

Jiraiya's personality made him easier to control.

Utatane Koharu nodded.

"I'll make the arrangements."

After Utatane Koharu left, the Third Hokage asked, "How are things with Cloud Village?"

Mitokado Homura picked up the official document in his hands.

"After receiving emergency treatment at the hospital, Killer B is no longer in danger. With a Jinchuriki's physique, he'll be discharged soon."

"Yugito sent a letter back to Cloud Village. But they've been staying obediently in the embassy and haven't gone anywhere else."

The Third Hokage nodded. Cloud Village had truly been frightened by this beating.

They probably had not expected the Uchiha Clan to openly support Konoha.

Although Konoha could gain some benefits from these peace talks, the Hyuga Clan...

The Third Hokage had a splitting headache. How had the Uchiha Clan produced such a freak as Natsuki?

This series of changes within the Uchiha Clan had begun after Natsuki became Vice Clan Head.

Now their Hokage faction had also lost the Hyuga Clan as an ally. Recalling Jiraiya was an act of necessity.

If only Orochimaru were still here.

The Third Hokage understood Orochimaru's temperament well enough.

But whether it was research ability or intelligence, Orochimaru was among the very best.

If Orochimaru became Hokage...

For a moment, the Third Hokage was lost in thought.

"Sarutobi? Sarutobi?"

Mitokado Homura's voice pulled the Third Hokage back from his thoughts.

He shook his head. He really was getting old. How could Orochimaru possibly return?

The Third Hokage pulled himself together.

"Hmm, what has Danzo been doing lately?"

Mitokado Homura hesitated before answering, "Ever since Root entered the Police Force, Hizashi has only allowed them to handle public security work."

"Because too many people complained, Danzo had no choice but to personally straighten them out."

"It's unclear what he has been doing lately. However, he often sends Root members to wander around places under Uchiha Clan jurisdiction."

"Hmph. The Uchiha Clan is not so easy to bully now."

The Third Hokage both loved and hated Danzo. Not only had they once been teammates, but after reaching the leadership level, one became Hokage while the other handled the dirty work. They had worked well together.

But in recent years, Danzo's ambitions had grown day by day. Root's numbers had long exceeded their original size by far.

Even he, the Hokage, did not know how many Root members were buried deep underground.

Danzo had previously coveted Shisui's Mangekyō Sharingan.

As a result, Natsuki caught him with evidence and dealt him a severe blow, yet he still refused to give up.

"Hmm..."

The Third Hokage pondered for a moment.

"Pass this information to Natsuki. Let them fight it out themselves."

Mitokado Homura nodded in agreement.

He had also seen Danzo's ambitions in recent years. They had clearly once been teammates, yet Danzo now carried himself as though he stood above everyone else.

With the Uchiha Clan being this powerful now, Danzo would most likely suffer.

Land of Rice.

After many days of long travel, Itachi, Shisui, and their group finally arrived in the Land of Rice.

The Land of Rice was merely a small country, not even one-tenth the size of the Land of Fire.

Its resources were not as abundant as those of the Land of Fire, and its national strength was comparatively weak.

However, after spending days traveling through the wilderness, everyone only wanted a good rest.

And to gather some information while they were at it.

Inside a small city.

The Uchiha Clan group directly rented out the entire inn.

The innkeeper, who had nearly gone bankrupt, suddenly received such a large order and was so delighted that he could barely see straight.

He was extremely attentive toward Itachi's group and fulfilled every request.

After resting for a day, the group had recovered their energy.

Early the next morning, Takuya had already begun asking about the Land of Rice.

"Did your Land of Rice recently establish a ninja village?"

"Ah, you know about that too, honored guests?" the innkeeper asked in surprise.

"A few years ago, Otogakure was established here. Though it is a small village, it is quite capable."

"Many foreign ninja are in Otogakure, and Otogakure completes missions very efficiently."

"Our daimyo also strongly supports Otogakure. I heard he allocated quite a bit of funding to it."

Before setting out, Elder Takuya had already gathered the location of Otogakure and various details.

Once all the Uchiha Clan members had rested up, they quickly moved toward Otogakure.

The Land of Rice was very small, and they reached Otogakure's territory in only two days.

To avoid unnecessary casualties, Itachi arranged for the other Uchiha Clan members to remain in a small town while he and Shisui prepared to go in alone.

Otogakure's overall scale was rather shabby. Its grounds were not even as large as the Uchiha Clan compound, and only a few hundred people came and went.

However, when Itachi and Shisui entered Otogakure, they could clearly sense many powerful Chakra signatures hidden throughout the village.

Those were clearly jonin-level ninja.

Both Itachi and Shisui secretly remained on guard as they went to the mission center as if they were ordinary clients.

The mission center had only one reception window.

Behind it sat a plump Auntie, just an ordinary person.

Shisui stepped forward to speak with her. The Auntie wore a kind smile.

"Welcome to Otogakure, you two. What commission do you have?"

Shisui replied politely, "We need to find someone. He should be in Otogakure."

"Oh? May I ask who the guest is looking for?" the Auntie asked in confusion.

"They're here to find me."

A bespectacled man walked in from outside with a smile on his face. It was Kabuto Yakushi.

"Please follow me, you two."

Kabuto Yakushi greeted the Auntie, then led Itachi and Shisui toward the rear of the village.

Behind the village lay an offshoot of a mountain range. There were fewer and fewer people along the way, until only the footsteps of the three of them remained.

Before long, Kabuto stopped at the mouth of a mountain hollow.

"May I ask why the renowned Body Flicker Shisui and the Uchiha Clan's Young Clan Head have come to Otogakure?"

As he spoke, several figures landed beside them, each wearing a different forehead protector.

They were all followers Orochimaru had found from other ninja villages, all jonin-level ninja.

Every one of them stared at Itachi and Shisui with hostility.

Ignoring all their gazes, Itachi stepped forward.

"You are Kabuto Yakushi, right? Where is Orochimaru?"

Itachi's tone was flat, without the slightest fluctuation, but the several jonin seemed as though they had been provoked.

"You dare call my lord by name!"

They then lunged ferociously at Itachi and Shisui.