Konoha: The thirty-year-old Uchiha is not motivated.

Did they leave because the conditions were too harsh?

Upon hearing this, Uchiha Gin frowned, reached out and snatched the half-smoked cigarette butt from Xiaomeng's mouth, crumpled it, and tossed it into the nearby trash can.

"Ah! This is my last stock!"

Looking at the fake loli squatting by the trash can with tears streaming down her face, Uchiha Gin became even more certain that the Blood Pond Clan members who left had made the decision to leave because they could no longer endure the harsh environment of Hell Valley.

Do you know what kind of business those people are doing now?

"The Grand Elder forbids us from having any contact with them."

Dejected, Xiaomeng stood up, removed the bath towel from Uchiha Gin's back, and continued working.
"Then what about the 'flame' you mentioned before?"

"He came to me, not me who approached him first, so it doesn't count."

"You really know how to find loopholes in the rules."

Uchiha Gin stared speechlessly at the scumbag loli who was speaking so confidently. Sure enough, you can't judge a book by its cover. This kind of older loli who is greedy, blame-shifting, and a heavy smoker must be unique in the ninja world.

"But speaking of business, Yan seems to have mentioned something to me before. Let me think about it."

"Oh?"

Xiao Meng supported Uchiha's smooth, silver back with one hand and stroked his chin with the other, his face full of thought.

"I remember now!"

After a long pause, she suddenly slammed her fist against her palm and rattled off everything she knew.

"He said they had been doing odd jobs here and there, but recently they got a big job, and they plan to settle down after this one, start a business association, and make a fortune or something!"

Uchiha Gin narrowed his eyes upon hearing this. For clans like the Blood Pond Clan, which weren't affiliated with any ninja village, the most likely way they made a living outside was by doing illegal work, assassinations, or serving as bodyguards for minor nobles.

As for this so-called "big job," judging from the tone of that Blood Pool Clan member named Yan, the reward must be quite substantial; otherwise, he wouldn't have made such a boastful statement about getting back on shore after completing the task.

"Didn't they say it was some big job?"

"That wasn't mentioned, but I heard the employer was quite generous; those hidden weapons were provided to them by the employer for free."

The hidden weapons produced in the Land of Waves are not cheap; they cost several times more than those produced in the Land of Waterfalls. Ordinary ninja villages would never dare to purchase them in bulk. Yet, the employer who hired members of the Blood Pond Clan is so extravagant that his identity must be extraordinary.

"Since they're making a lot of money, why won't Manager Long allow you to have contact with them? Wouldn't it be better for everyone to get rich together?"

Although the Blood Pond Clan members at Hell Valley Resort aren't the strongest, they possess rare eye techniques and bloodlines, allowing them to perform at a level far exceeding that of ordinary ninjas with a little training. Going out and doing anything else would be a hundred times better than cooking hot spring eggs here.

"I feel quite comfortable here. Business at the resort is a bit slow, but everyone is happy cooking eggs together around the hot spring. Unlike Yan, who always smells of blood several times stronger every time we meet."

Xiao Meng silently rubbed her back, her calm tone tinged with a sigh, containing regret for her former companion.

As expected, factional strife is inevitable everywhere, and this is recorded in all the major ninja villages.
The Blood Pool Clan members who left back then were probably the so-called martial arts faction. They were unwilling to let their bloodline power go to waste in this secluded canyon, so they left as a group.

"That Yan, he came to you to persuade you to leave with him?"

"He just wanted to stab me."

"You're a young girl, can you please stop talking about chisels all the time?"

Upon hearing this outrageously absurd statement again, Uchiha Gin couldn't help but retort.
At the same time, he was also very curious. Xiaomeng had neither a good figure nor any strength, so why did the other party keep trying to seduce her? Was he really just a simple pervert?

"I want you to take care of it?"

Hearing Uchiha Gin's elder-like reprimand, Xiaomeng pouted and rubbed her hands even harder.
"All right!"

A few minutes later, she shook her aching arm and gave Uchiha Gin's bright red back a hard slap.
"Okay, then I'll..."

"It's not over yet! Come on, flip it over, I'll rub it a few more times for you."

"what?"

Uchiha Gin, who had already gotten up to leave, paused upon hearing this, turned back to look at the little cutie who had just reached his waist, and asked with a conflicted expression,
"Do we need to rub the front too?"

"Otherwise, do you not flip your pancakes when you make them?"

"."

"My family is well-off, so we only buy our pancakes from the store."

Politely declining Xiaomeng's offer to turn her over, Uchiha Gin put on a yukata, picked her up, and carried her, basin and all, out of the hot spring bath.
"Huh? The service isn't over yet!"

"Phew, finally some peace and quiet."

After seeing off the chattering fake loli, Uchiha Gin sat back down in the hot spring. To his surprise, after exfoliating and soaking in the spring, the viscous chakra within his body had subtly loosened.
In a more intuitive way,

Chakra +0.000001%

"Hey! This hot spring is pretty good!"

The truth is gradually becoming clear. Manager Long, who has been preventing Xiaomeng from contacting the runaway clansmen, definitely has more secrets to hide. Once he returns, I should be able to get the full truth by questioning him with reason and emotion.

On the other side, Ryu, who was selling hot spring eggs alone, was beaming with joy as he carried a large basket filled with fresh meat that he rarely bought. With such a big customer as Uchiha Gin, the members of the Hell Valley clan could finally have some meat.

"I never thought the Uchiha clan would actually sell their bodies."

I glanced away at the exposed half of the pig; the ping-pong paddle mark on its rump was particularly eye-catching.
To verify the truth of Uchiha Gin's words, he made a special trip to the butcher shop, and to his surprise, he actually found Uchiha pigs, and the price was very fair, several dozen taels cheaper than the Shimura pigs next door.

"Sigh, why did I still buy this?"

Pulling his thoughts away from the pork behind him, Long reached out and touched the hard, rectangular cardboard box in front of his chest, a faint hint of annoyance appearing on his rugged face.

"Fine, this is the last time."

"Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!"

As the outline of Hell Valley gradually came into view, Long's smile was about to bloom when it was interrupted by dozens of dark figures emerging from the darkness on both sides.
"What are you doing back here? You're not welcome here."

He slammed on the brakes, carving two deep furrows in the mud. Looking up at the dark figure blocking his path, his狰狞 (zhengning - ferocious/hideous) face was filled with displeasure.

"Long, what's the point of you guarding this wretched place?"

In the darkness, a gaunt young man slowly stepped out of the crowd, shaking his head with a sigh.

"Miyuki En, I should have told you not to bother us anymore, especially Xiaomeng, or I'll beat you every time I see you."

He brandished his fist, which was as big as a sandbag, and warned in a hostile tone.
"With your strength, if you come to us, I can give you the position of leader. From now on, we can eat meat together and drink wine together, and we will never have to live that kind of poor life again."

Faced with Ryu's threat, the young man known as Miyajo En did not show any fear. Instead, he sincerely extended an olive branch to him.

"Hmph! What about the tribesmen in Hell Valley?"

"The others will go together, of course. Once we finish this job, we'll have enough capital and we won't have to live at anyone's mercy anymore."

"Did you ask them what they thought?" Long coldly stared at Yan, who was making empty promises, his disdain growing even stronger.

"You looked down on them back then, which is why you didn't take them with you. Why would you come back specifically for them now?"

Yan hesitated for a moment upon hearing this. His expression was obscured in the darkness, but it was certainly not good.

"Well, times have changed. Back then, we needed people with fighting capabilities. Not taking them was also for their safety."

There was more to the story behind their departure back then. Not all members of the Blood Pool Clan had the right to leave; only those who had awakened their bloodline limit were qualified to accompany them.

"A lame excuse. From the beginning, all you wanted was for me and Xiaomeng to join you. You didn't care about the lives of the other tribesmen at all."

Long did not want to associate with these people. His greatest wish was to lead the people of Hell Valley to run the resort business well and make the name of Blood Pond Hot Springs resound throughout the entire ninja world.

"Don't misunderstand, Ryu, actually..."

"Yan! Why are you wasting so much breath on him? Even if he is the strongest in the clan, we have been fighting outside for so many years. Dealing with him is a piece of cake."

"Exactly, I've long disliked this muscle-bound bastard. Does he really think that just because he's become the Grand Elder, he can boss us around?"

"Hurry up and get started, Yan! Don't forget we haven't finished our mission in the Land of Rain yet!"

Just as Yan was trying to explain, a chaotic sound came from the crowd behind him, causing him to frown and his deep brown eyes to instantly turn blood-red.

"Shut up."

"Well!"

A cold gaze swept over him, and the people who had been spouting nonsense behind him instantly covered their mouths in terror, afraid that even the slightest sound would anger Yan.
"Your pupil power has increased again."

Long looked warily at the gaunt young man before him, whose eyes were bloodshot and whose hair was flying wildly. He felt a terrifying pressure emanating from the man.

"The path to evolution is nothing but slaughter."

Yan nodded slightly, his red eyes filled with intense killing intent. Long's repeated rejections had worn away all his patience.

Since you're not joining, then I can only ask you to die.

"open!"

A chilling aura washed over him, and Long's highly tense nerves reacted instantly. He activated his attack with zero frames, and a pair of equally crimson dragon eyes appeared in his sockets.
"boom!"

The two eye powers collided in mid-air. Long, who suffered damage from the rebound of the eye technique, staggered back a few steps, his face showing surprise.
"You want to kill me?"

He sensed genuine killing intent in Yan's attack; that last strike was clearly intended to kill him.
"Long, you're not as important as you think you are."

Yan rubbed his dry eyes and explained in a calm tone.

"As for those useless trash in Hell Valley, they are even less valuable. From beginning to end, all I wanted was..."

"not good!"

Attracted by Yan's words, Long looked bewildered, but fortunately, his Blood Dragon Eye was also quite developed. He quickly realized that the other party was preparing an illusion, and immediately widened his eyes, mobilizing the power of his pupils to counter it.

"What a hassle."

Seeing that Long was still putting up a stubborn resistance, Yan's expression gradually darkened. His eye power was evenly matched with his opponent's, and it would be difficult to determine a winner in a short time.

"I wanted to give you a dignified ending, but since that's how it is, don't blame me for being ruthless."

"on!"

In order to finish the battle quickly, he waved his hand, and the restless tribesmen behind him immediately lit up pairs of scarlet eyes, which were particularly eerie in the darkness.
"Hmph! A bunch of defeated wrestlers, this elder will let you have a good reminiscing about your childhood."

Faced with the overwhelming killing intent of his former clansmen, Long showed no fear. Instead, he sneered disdainfully. The foundation that allowed him to surpass the clan's geniuses and become the Grand Elder had never been the Blood Dragon Eye.

"Shh!"

After carefully placing the basket on his back and the cigarette he had hidden in front of his chest, he ripped off his shirt, revealing a muscular body like that of a wild bear.

Every bulging muscle was covered with a dense network of wounds, and the scabs that formed layers upon layers of scars, like a natural suit of armor attached to the body.

"Gudong~"

Perhaps intimidated by Ryuichi's imposing aura, or perhaps reminded of their shameful past, the Blood Pool Clan members, who had just been taunting him, froze in place, the sounds of them swallowing hard clearly audible.
"Yan, maybe we should just call it quits?"

The clansman who had been shouting the loudest earlier cautiously approached Yan and whispered his suggestion.

They may outnumber them, but anyone who's tasted Long's fists knows how formidable they are—they're truly formidable.
"You go first."

"what?"

Looking at Yan's bloodshot eyes, this clansman only regretted that he had talked too much. Wouldn't it have been better to just quietly fish in the back?
"If you don't make a move, I won't be polite."

Long stretched his cracking arms. He didn't have time to waste with these people; the people at the resort were waiting for braised pork tonight!
He's gone!

Someone screamed in terror, and everyone then realized that Long, who had been standing not far away, had vanished without a trace.
"Scatter!"

Yan An cried out in alarm. Long was a rare physical prodigy among the Blood Pool clan, and his physical development far surpassed that of his peers. By the age of thirteen, he already looked like an adult, and his iron fists were invincible throughout Hell Valley.
If it weren't for his gentle nature and dislike of pointless battles, the Daimyo of the Blood Pond clan would have long since revived the ninja world and become a sought-after figure by various ninja villages.

"Trying to run? Too late."

However, before they could scatter, Long's rough voice rang out from the crowd, followed closely by fists the size of sandbags.
"Oh!"

The first to be struck was Miyajo En, the leader. Ryu's enraged blow slammed into his vulnerable chin, and before he could react, he was sent flying into the air by the terrifying force.

This move.
How about we call it Haoyougen?

Glancing at the rising flames, Long clenched his fists, and a resounding name suddenly popped into his mind.

While he was pondering, a bold member of his tribe drew his long sword and slashed fiercely at his back.

"Bah!"

With a sharp crack, the tribesmen, whose hands were numb, were horrified to discover that the ninja sword made of fine steel had chipped.
"How is this possible? Are you even human?"

"Haoyougen!"

Before he could even mourn the loss of his broken weapon, Ryu's merciless Rising Dragon Fist had already descended, adding another unfortunate soul to the sky as it spiraled upwards.
"Oh!"

"Oh!"

"Oh!"

"."

"Damn it! How can this guy become so strong when there's no killing involved?"

Yan, who had fallen to the ground, rubbed his swollen chin and glared venomously at Long, who was recklessly flaunting his wealth in the crowd.
Suddenly, remembering that the other party had lingered in Hell Valley all these years and refused to leave, the resentment in his eyes quickly turned into a strange fanaticism.
"Could the family legend be true? Does the Blood Pool Hot Spring truly hold the ultimate secrets of the Blood Pool clan?" (End of Chapter)