After leaving the seaside, Xuandou headed straight to the Ninja Academy and walked toward the office building.
Arriving at the principal's office, Xuandou pushed the door open and entered.
Zongyan, the Uchiha Elder, stood before the floor-to-ceiling window, watching a group of little children practice the Transformation Technique on the playground without taking his eyes off them.
A loving smile hung on his face.
He wore a black crested haori and hakama over a plain kimono. He looked several years younger, completely free of the bitter, burdened sense of urgency he had carried back in Konoha.
Xuandou also noticed that, aside from various documents, the most abundant things on Zongyan's desk were, surprisingly, colorful candies.
These were all gifts Zongyan had prepared for the students.
Seeing Xuandou enter, Zongyan immediately greeted him with a smile, and the two sat down on opposite sides of the desk.
Zongyan served Xuandou a cup of plain tea and said with a smile,
"Lord Xuandou, what brings you here?"
Xuandou got straight to the point. "I want to know the exact location of Lord Izuna's resting place."
Lord Izuna?
Uchiha Izuna?
Thinking of Hashirama Senju, Madara... and Hiruzen Sarutobi, who had been brought back to life one after another, Zongyan immediately understood Xuandou's intention. He wanted to resurrect Lord Izuna.
The ninja who had offered up his sight for the entire clan, a cornerstone of the Uchiha Clan.
Joy rose in Zongyan's heart, but then he recalled the Uchiha's history and said awkwardly,
"Lord Xuandou, you give me too much credit. I don't know where Lord Izuna's resting place is either!"
"Wasn't he buried at Naka Shrine?"
Xuandou asked in confusion, "I remember the clan records saying that our ancestor Izuna was laid to rest and enshrined at Naka Shrine. To prevent grave robbers