Hiruzen opened his eyes and looked at his longtime partner, curiosity flashing in his gaze.
"Which shinobi clan?"
A mysterious smile appeared on Mitokado Homura's face.
"The Chinoike Clan."
Hiruzen frowned, confusion showing in his eyes.
He had never heard that name before.
Seeing this, Mitokado Homura explained unhurriedly.
"The Chinoike Clan possesses a kekkei genkai: the Ketsuryūgan."
"Like the Sharingan, the Ketsuryūgan can cast powerful genjutsu, but its focus is different."
"The Sharingan excels at perception and copying, while the Ketsuryūgan is better at manipulating the blood in the human body."
He paused, a measure of admiration in his voice.
"In my opinion, the Chinoike Clan has potential that is in no way inferior to the Uchiha's."
"If we can recruit them, they will be enough to fill the void left by the Uchiha's departure."
Hiruzen's eyes gradually brightened at his words.
"Are you confident you can win them over?"
Mitokado Homura smiled.
"Of course. They would probably jump at the chance."
Hiruzen grew even more puzzled.
Mitokado Homura explained.
"In ancient times, the Chinoike Clan was as renowned as the Uchiha Clan, known as the Eye of Ten Thousand Guests of the Land of a Thousand Guests."
"Both clans were employed by the Daimyo of the Land of Lightning, and they intermarried and maintained close ties."
He paused, his tone shifting.
"Later, a certain incident caused a conflict between them."
"The Chinoike Clan was exiled by the Uchiha and sealed in Hell Valley in the Land of Hot Water. Trapped for generations in that sunless place, they harbor a deep hatred for the Uchiha Clan."
"Now, they can completely replace the Uchiha for us here in Konoha. Even better..."
A sharp gleam flashed in Mitokado Homura's eyes.
"We can use the Chinoike Clan's hatred of the Uchiha to