The setting sun descended over the horizon, casting slanting rays across the land.
A huge statue of a person seemed to be clad in a layer of golden-gradient armor.
That enormous statue was none other than Uchiha Kyu himself.
Uchiha Okamoto felt that he had done something truly magnificent. Squatting on the window, he proudly introduced his masterpiece.
"Clan Head, I completed this all by myself. Well? Are you satisfied?"
Uchiha Kyu could not bear to dampen his enthusiasm, so he awkwardly rubbed his nose.
"All right, leave it like this."
After a busy day, the first thing Uchiha Kyu did upon returning home was sleep.
Only by keeping a clear mind could he handle matters more effectively.
The defensive line where Konoha had resisted the Cloud Ninja's attack had already been utterly wrecked by the Fourth Raikage.
Konoha had no powerhouse like Minato Namikaze who could settle everything with one decisive blow, so the Cloud Ninja had forcefully invaded the Land of Fire.
Burning, killing, and looting were everyday practices for ninja.
Even Fourth Raikage A supported such behavior.
After all, if you wanted a horse to obey, how could you refuse to let it eat grass?
They had all come to the front lines with their heads tied to their belts. Now that they had entered the Land of Fire, refusing to let them line their own pockets a little would be far too heartless.
Fourth Raikage A personally sat in the command center. Beside him were only a secretary and a bespectacled man who loved rapping.
"Where did this intelligence come from?"
The Fourth Raikage repeatedly examined the intelligence in his hands before looking uncertainly at his secretary.
Mabui hugged the documents and respectfully replied, "We purchased it from an organization called Akatsuki."
"Akatsuki contacted us specifically, and I suspect they sold this intelligence to other ninja villages as well."
The Fourth Raikage smiled gleefully. "So the intelligence is authentic?"
Mabui hurriedly nodded. "I guarantee that it is absolutely genuine."
"Also, the intelligence about Minato Namikaze leaving the front lines was deliberately spread by Akatsuki. I only learned that from one of their members just now."
The Fourth Raikage was not concerned about Akatsuki. What caught his attention was the process by which Uchiha Kyu had seized power, as described in the intelligence.
Third Hokage Hiruzen Sarutobi had been accidentally killed by Fourth Hokage Minato Namikaze, and Uchiha Kyu, the Uchiha clan head, had become the Fifth Hokage.
Konoha had suffered heavy casualties internally. Perhaps this attack on the Land of Fire would bring them even greater gains.
Although Fourth Raikage A looked like a man with well-developed limbs but a simple mind, anyone who truly underestimated him would suffer a great loss.
"Pass on my order. Stop looting wealth. Everyone is to assemble and follow me into the heartland of the Land of Fire."
"I hear that place is practically overflowing with riches. I wonder if that's true."
"Hahaha!!!"
With such a good opportunity, the Fourth Raikage naturally had to give it a try.
He believed that a forceful sweep through the heartland of the Land of Fire would at least allow the village to develop peacefully for ten years.
Minato Namikaze had hurried to the front lines, but before he had time to catch his breath, he received news that the Fourth Raikage had launched a large-scale attack.
Minato Namikaze gazed ahead and murmured calmly, "I will make amends for the mistake I made."
On the second day after becoming Hokage, Uchiha Kyu already wanted to sleep in.
So he did.
He handed the affairs over to Hyuga Hiashi, his Hokage aide.
After sleeping a little longer, Uchiha Kyu made a special trip to the Scientific Research Department to find Orochimaru.
The personnel in the Scientific Research Department were basically all Orochimaru's former subordinates.
As the saying went, what kind of person, what kind of subordinates. It was indeed true.
Led by Kabuto Yakushi, Uchiha Kyu met Orochimaru.
At that moment, Orochimaru was incredibly serious, and even more excited than he was during battle.
"I will definitely kill you. Sarutobi really raised an ungrateful wretch. Hahaha."
"Where are the remains?"
"You will never find the remains of the First Hokage."
"I will not tell you. Give up on that idea."
"Looks like the dosage is a little too low."
"Sarutobi will definitely come to save me."
"Ah!!!"
"It hurts like hell."
Danzo still tried to put up a tough front, but Orochimaru directly injected him with a drug that doubled the sensation of pain. He immediately became obedient.
Uchiha Kyu came to Danzo's side, disgusted by the medicinal stench clinging to him.
"This guy still hasn't been killed by your experiments?"
Orochimaru let out a cold chuckle. "Until I dig out the information I want, he will find it difficult even to die."
Uchiha Kyu felt that this matter should be left to a professional. "Let me try."
As soon as he finished speaking, the Mangekyō Sharingan appeared in Uchiha Kyu's eyes, and its reflection surfaced in Danzo's eyes.
Uchiha Kyu asked directly, "Where did you hide the First Hokage's remains?"
Under the genjutsu, Danzo immediately answered.
"In... the waterfall at the Valley of the End. I hid the First Hokage's remains there."
"Done."
Uchiha Kyu clapped his hands. The problem that had troubled Orochimaru for so long had been solved.
The remains of Hashirama contained extremely active Sage Body cells.
They could be used not only to create White Zetsu, but also to delay the side effects of the Mangekyō Sharingan.
"As expected of the Sharingan."
Orochimaru cast a covetous glance at Uchiha Kyu, then concealed the thought.
This man was someone he could not afford to provoke.
Uchiha Kyu had long since seen Orochimaru's covetous gaze toward the Sharingan.
It seemed that even without Uchiha Itachi's stimulation, Orochimaru had still become enamored with the Sharingan. Thus, he chuckled and began drawing up a tempting promise.
"When your cloning-cell technology matures, how about I allow you to clone a baby with Uchiha blood?"
"It's a deal."
Orochimaru hurriedly expressed his thanks.
At present, Uchiha Kyu's credibility was still perfect, so Orochimaru had never suspected that he would deceive him.
At that moment, Danzo also awoke from the genjutsu. After realizing what he had said, he angrily cursed.
"Evil Uchiha Clan! Every one of you Uchiha should die!"
"Damn it! I actually fell under the Sharingan's genjutsu."
Orochimaru was in an excellent mood, so he generously told Danzo some good news.
"Oh, right. I forgot to tell you something. Your teacher has already gone ahead of you."
"What nonsense are you talking about? How could Sarutobi possibly be dead?"
Danzo still did not know that earth-shaking changes had taken place outside.
Orochimaru did not answer again. Instead, he cleanly slit Danzo's throat with a scalpel.
Using a technique similar to bleeding a chicken, Kabuto Yakushi hurriedly pressed a tube against the wound in his throat.
The tube released tremendous suction, violently drawing Danzo's blood into another container.
Uchiha Kyu asked curiously, "What use does this blood have?"
Orochimaru patiently explained.
"The First Hokage Cells in Danzo's body have already mixed into his bloodstream because so much time has passed."
"I need to extract the First Hokage Cells again. We cannot waste such excellent material."
"By the way, did you come to see me about something important?"
Orochimaru knew that Uchiha Kyu never came to him unless there was something important.
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