The Great Purge

The Tailed Beast Chakra erupting from his body was also pulled back within.

Karatachi Yagura finally appeared in a public setting, and Mei Terumi also cast a meaningful glance at Ao beside her.

Ao activated the Byakugan to investigate, but the result was unexpected, and he shook his head at Mei Terumi.

Mei Terumi frowned. This was not right. According to their deductions, Lord Mizukage should have been controlled.

Where on earth had things gone wrong? Or was Lord Mizukage truly senile and foolish, making one terrible blunder after another?

Seeing Mei Terumi's arrival, Karatachi Yagura also let out a slow breath. "All Jonins, come to the office for a meeting! I have important matters to announce!"

"Fifth!"

Seeing Takuya return, Nara Shikaku hurried to greet him.

Hyuga Hiashi was not to be outdone, following closely behind.

Konoha was about to undergo a drastic change, and anyone who could not read the situation clearly was a complete fool.

Uchiha Fugaku had risen to power. As previously agreed upon, he was the new Hokage Advisor!

"Fifth, are you finished over there?"

Nara Shikaku cast a puzzled glance at the small grove. How long had Uchiha Fugaku been inside that grove anyway? He had not even heard the sounds of any fighting. It was already over just like that?

Hyuga Hiashi also glanced at the grove, tempted to activate the Byakugan to take a look, but thought better of it and dismissed the notion.

"Mn, it's done."

Takuya was in a great mood right now, answering with a beaming smile.

"Everyone, I will have to trouble you with what comes next."

Nara Shikaku understood Takuya's meaning. He had already reported this when he came over: although the Sarutobi Clan and Shimura Clan had been wiped out, there were still quite a few fish that had slipped through the net in the village. Important locations like the Ninja Academy and Konoha Hospital all had people from those two clans.

Once these people stirred up trouble, it would deal a non-negligible blow to the village's stability.

He had proposed a full-village search and arrest right then and there to round all these people up, because one had to cut weeds by the roots.

However, Takuya told him to come over here and handle one thing first, leaving the hunt for the escaped fish for later.

Now that the business here was concluded, it was time for a full-scale purge of the village.

"Yes."

In fact, on his way back from the Sarutobi Compound, Nara Shikaku had already taken proactive measures, having the clan's Jonins go ahead of time to monitor those escaped fish. Not only that, but he had also left people lying in wait at the Sarutobi Compound. Since it had been right around quitting time, they would catch one for every one that came back.

"Then Fifth, I am off to handle it."

Having received Takuya's confirmation, Nara Shikaku hurried away with his men.

Hyuga Hiashi refused to miss out on this opportunity to shine either, and departed in a rush.

When Nara Shikaku had returned to report this matter, he had been present, so he naturally knew the meaning behind Takuya's mention of trouble just now.

"Fugaku, then what about us?"

Great Elder Uchiha Sihu and his clansmen stepped forward to greet them.

"You go as well. Tonight probably won't be very peaceful."

Takuya said.

Uchiha Sihu nodded; that was what he had been thinking as well.

Besides, leaving everything entirely in the hands of outsiders was something he felt very uneasy about.

"Then we are off."

Uchiha Sihu called out, dividing the roughly twenty elite members of the Uchiha who had unlocked the Three-Tomoe Sharingan into four squads of five, scattering in all directions.

After everyone had left, in the blink of an eye, only Takuya was left standing alone in place.

"Well, everyone is off doing their jobs, so what should I do now?"

Takuya mused for a moment, then headed toward the Uchiha Compound.

The troubles had mostly been dealt with, but the Kotoamatsukami in Uchiha Itachi's hands remained a hidden danger. Now that his hands were free, this ticking time bomb needed to be dealt with quickly.

Takuya strolled unhurriedly into the Uchiha Compound, leisurely walking through the streets and alleys. Uchiha civilians who caught sight of him greeted him warmly.

Takuya did not put on any airs as clan head either, smiling and nodding in response.

Several Uchiha civilians froze in place, feeling somewhat surreal. Was this still that dignified Lord Clan Head from ordinary days?

How come today he felt like a completely different person?

Or did Lord Clan Head have some kind of great joyous event? Could it be that the Clan Head's wife was expecting a third child?

These Uchiha civilians who had not unlocked the Sharingan and were no different from ordinary villagers had transformed into gossip spectators at this moment, all secretly discussing and guessing among themselves after Uchiha Fugaku walked past.

Right now, Takuya was walking down the path outside his own residence.

The courtyard gate was wide open. Takuya paused and stopped in front of the door. The lights inside the house were on, so Uchiha Mikoto should have returned.

Takuya glanced twice before continuing on his way, proceeding toward the Naka Shrine.

Coincidentally, at that moment, Uchiha Mikoto pushed open the inner room door, looking with a worried expression toward the empty front entrance.

Sasuke was sitting intently on the sofa watching television. Turning his head and seeing his mother standing at the doorway peering out into the yard, he scampered over, poking his head out as he asked: Are Dasan and Nii-san back?

"Not yet," Uchiha Mikoto sighed faintly, patting Sasuke's little head as she said, "Sasuke, it's time for you to go take a bath."

"No," Sasuke pouted. "I'm still waiting for big brother to come back."

"Your big brother is definitely coming back very late. Be a good boy, go take a bath first."

Uchiha Mikoto stroked Sasuke's little head gently as she spoke.

Sasuke raised his head and said, "But I still want big brother to teach me ninjutsu. Won't I just get sweaty and have to bathe again later?"

Uchiha Mikoto was speechless. She thought of her eldest son Itachi, who came home past eleven o'clock every night recently, looking thoroughly exhausted.

Her voice involuntarily raised a notch as she said sternly, "Nii-san is busy every day and gets very tired. Don't go disturbing Nii-san's rest, what ninjutsu are you still trying to learn in the dead of night? Be a good boy, hurry up and take a bath!"

Unable to win against Uchiha Mikoto, Sasuke could only go take a bath with a grievance-filled and obedient expression.

Meanwhile, far away in the Land of Hot Water's renowned hot spring streets.

Groups of three or five people were running frantically toward a casino at the end of the street.

"Hurry, hurry, hurry! I heard that legendary Big Fat Sheep is at the Cherry Blossom Casino, let's go win a huge pile off her."

"Heh heh, I heard the Big Fat Sheep loses every single bet. As long as you place bets opposite to hers, you win. Is that true?"

"I'm telling you, it's definitely true! My second brother's wife's younger brother's sister's husband sat at the exact same table as the Big Fat Sheep back then, and every single time he bet against the Big Fat Sheep, there wasn't a single time he didn't win!"

These people were local street urchins of the Land of Hot Water's hot spring street—they did no great evil, but were lazy and fond of gambling.

Hearing this time that the Big Fat Sheep had come to the Cherry Blossom Casino, each of them was so excited and thrilled that they wished they could instantly fly to the casino's gambling table.

After a burst of sprinting, they quickly dashed into the Cherry Blossom Casino at the end of the street.

"Where is the Big Fat Sheep? Where is she?"

Panting heavily, they couldn't wait to rest as they stared with wide eyes, searching the crowded casino for traces of the Big Fat Sheep.

"Boss! Found her!"

One person pointed excitedly at a gambling table and shouted.

The leading man looked over: pale yellow ponytail, wearing a loose sleeveless top, with the oversized kanji for Gambling printed on the back of her clothes.

That was right, it was her! The legendary Big Fat Sheep!