Who goes there!
Uchiha Inabi's pupils contracted sharply, and her right hand instinctively pressed down on Kunai.
Three Special Jōnin immediately shielded the child, and a tense atmosphere instantly filled the air.
"Relax," Hoshino's gentle voice came slowly.
"Let me reintroduce you... Sunagakure Hoshino! From now on, you'll be following me!"
Hoshino?
Uchiha Inabi murmured this name.
Before leaving, Yashiro had already told him everything, including Hoshino and Sunagakure.
What he didn't expect was that the other person was so young.
"Uh..." Uchiha Inabi opened her mouth, unsure of how to address the other person.
Master? Impossible, the Uchiha will never be slaves.
"Sir? Indeed, in the Shinobi World, strength reigns supreme."
If even a puppet is this strong, then the real body must be comparable to the Third Hokage.
Hoshino seemed to sense what the other person was thinking and smiled, "Don't be shy, I'm easy to talk to. You can call me 'sir' or 'boss', whatever you prefer."
"Boss..."
Uchiha Inabi finally chose this form of address, nodded, and asked, "Where are we going next? To Sunagakure?"
Hoshino nodded slightly and said, "We definitely need to go to Sunagakure, but we'll have to take it slowly, about half a month."
Upon hearing this, Uchiha Inabi nodded in understanding.
Although during the battle, besides the Uchiha clan members, there were only Ice Release ninjas and Swift Release ninjas.
However, this does not mean that the Konoha High Command is completely unaware.
The past two weeks have likely been spent dealing with the aftermath of the Uchiha defection.
If they can successfully navigate the questioning from Konoha, they can go ashore and truly become members of Sunagakure.
"Thank you..." Uchiha Inabi opened her mouth, "Once we reach Sunagakure, I will give you the remaining Sharingan."
"It's alright, no rush!" Hoshino said with a gentle smile.
The situation has developed to this point, and even if they wanted to run, it would be too late. They might as well be more magnanimous.
And he really wasn't in a hurry.
The Sharingan in my hand is enough for now, and there are still so many ninja corpses on the ship, plus Izanagi.
That's enough for him to study for a long time.
After a few words.
Hoshino returned to the cabin, the Swift Release puppet guarded the deck, and Uchiha Inabi went to take care of the children.
It's normal that we can't reach an agreement right now.
They had just ended their escape and were uncertain about the future; they also needed time to build trust with each other.
Hoshino doesn't blame them.
After all, everyone knows the Uchiha's thought process is a bit flawed; they managed to stage a coup that everyone knew about, so how could you expect them to be adept at interpersonal relationships?
Back in his cabin, Hoshino gently closed the door.
The gentle smile on his face gradually faded, replaced by a hint of weariness.
"This is really... tiring."
The main body remained inside the ship, while two Shadow Clone controlled the puppets.
After the clone dissipated, a flood of memories rushed into his mind.
He manipulated the Swift Release puppet to outmaneuver Kakashi several times, commanded the Ice Release puppet to intercept pursuers before being burned to death by Amaterasu, and witnessed the shock of Uchiha Izumi and Itachi perishing together at the last moment...
I almost couldn't recover.
Fortunately, the operation achieved its main objectives, and we'll have to keep things quiet for a while now.
After all, he was definitely being watched by Hiruzen Sarutobi and Shimura Danzō, so it was best to be careful. He would use a puppet when going out in the future.
It's just a bit troublesome.
A control range of ten miles is nothing to a ninja, and Shadow Clone are very weak, practically shattering at the slightest touch.
If one day we could control puppets across two planets like with the Tenseigan, that would be so much more convenient.
However, there is another compromise: Shadow Clone can use Transformation Technique to attach themselves to the puppet.
This solves the problem of control distance.
Shadow Clone can remain inside the puppet for extended periods, continuing to perform their missions as long as they are not destroyed.
However, in the event of a high-intensity battle, or encountering a ninja with Dōjutsu, the disguise is likely to be exposed.
That would be troublesome.
It's like giving away a treasure-delivering child; Human Puppet with multiple Kekkei and magical artifacts is given to someone all at once.
Even if the other party cannot use it.
"Perhaps... we could make some improvements."
But that's something for when we get back.
Hoshino walked to the table, sat down, and took out an exquisite scroll from a hidden compartment.
Once unfolded, it was covered with detailed information about the operation.
"Eighteen Uchiha, five pairs of Mitsudomoe... plus the corpses of those ninja clans, the haul is pretty good."
But soon, his brows furrowed again.
Uchiha Inabi's wary gaze and the child's terrified expression were both reminders of him.
These proud Uchiha will not easily submit.
"Take your time..."
Hoshino closed the scroll and looked out the porthole at the deck.
Sunlight spilled onto the sea, turning the waves golden, while several seagulls skimmed across the water in the distance, emitting clear cries.
thump thump thump--
A soft knock on the door interrupted his thoughts.
"Come in."
Hoshino put away the scroll and adjusted his posture.
The door was carefully pushed open, and a small, thin figure stood in the doorway.
It was that little girl who had just opened her eyes; she was holding a steaming cup of tea in both hands.
"Master Inabi asked me... to bring you tea..."
Her voice was barely audible, and her eyes remained fixed on the floor.
Hoshino's gaze softened.
He noticed that there were still some bloodstains on the little girl's sleeves, indicating that she hadn't had time to change them.
Thank you, please come in and have a seat.
Hoshino deliberately lowered his voice and moved the scroll on the table to the side.
The little girl hesitated for a moment, but finally took small steps and came in.
She gently placed the teacup on the table, but her gaze was involuntarily drawn to the various exquisite puppet parts inside the cabin.
"What's your name?" Hoshino asked casually, picking up his teacup.
" Misaki... Uchiha Misaki."
Hoshino put down his teacup and took out an exquisite wooden box from the drawer.
"Would you like to try some Sunagakure?"
Opening the box reveals neatly arranged candies of various colors, glistening in the sunlight.
A flicker of longing flashed in the little girl's eyes, but it quickly turned into wariness.
Hoshino didn't urge her, but simply pushed the box towards her.
Before long, she carefully picked up a piece, quickly popped it into her mouth, and the moment the sweetness melted on her tongue, her tense shoulders visibly relaxed.
This is for you.
Hoshino took out a palm-sized Spirit Puppet doll from his waist.
The doll is dressed in Sunagakure -style outfit, so finely crafted that even the folds of the clothing are lifelike.
He gently pressed the doll's back, Chakra light shone in the doll's eyes.
The Spirit Puppet lightly hopped onto Misaki's shoulder and affectionately nuzzled her cheek.
Hello, Misaki.
The little girl opened her eyes wide in surprise, and cautiously reached out a finger to touch the Spirit Puppet's cheek.
He immediately withdrew his hand as if burned, but soon couldn't resist touching it again.
The Spirit Puppet obediently twirled in her palm, finally eliciting a faint smile from her.
"Go."
Hoshino ruffled her hair. "Remember to tell Inabi that I have something to discuss with him after dinner."
Misaki nodded, holding the Spirit Puppet, and skipped towards the door, but suddenly stopped in front of it.
She turned around, bowed deeply to Hoshino, and then ran away as fast as a startled rabbit.
Watching the little girl's departing figure.
Hoshino picked up his teacup and took a small sip; the tea was bittersweet with a hint of sweetness.
Outside the window, the sun painted the sea golden.
The ship was slowly heading towards Sunagakure.