Shi Yu's "Greed" Was Exploited

Throughout the journey, everyone remained silent. The atmosphere was as oppressive as the sky before a storm, dark clouds piling up and weighing heavily on their hearts, threatening to crush what little hope remained.

Xingtu finally could no longer contain his resentment. His face flushed as he complained, "Someone must have carefully set us up! Being falsely accused without even knowing why is unbearable! All our efforts have gone to waste, like bubbles bursting at a touch!" Ōnoki's brows were tightly furrowed, his expression as somber as mountains shrouded in dark clouds. He said gravely, "Talking about it now won't help. We need to return as soon as possible and discuss a strategy with our teacher. We cannot let the situation deteriorate any further, or the consequences will be unthinkable."

Uchiha Inabi's furious gaze kept flashing through Ōnoki's mind, along with the nightmarishly terrifying Susanoo. Its enormous form had blotted out the sky, as though it possessed the power to swallow him whole. He knew full well that this incident had driven relations between the two villages to the brink of war like a sharp blade. Whoever was manipulating everything from the shadows was surely gloating over the success of the scheme. That smug delight almost seemed to seep through the stifling air, strand by strand, sending chills down his spine.

After returning to the Hidden Stone Village, Ōnoki wasted no time in going to see Mū, the Second Tsuchikage. He told Mū every detail of what had happened in Konoha, holding nothing back. From the mysterious injured ninja's identity and background to Uchiha Inabi's furious reaction, he laid out every piece of information clearly and thoroughly.

As Mū listened, his expression grew darker, as oppressive as a heavy slab of lead that made it hard to breathe. He paced