The world begins with refining skills

Chapter 383 Standoff! (Seeking monthly votes)
Southwest of Hokage Rock, in an area near Konoha Avenue.

The Sarutobi clan's residence is located here.

Since the Uchiha clan was relocated to the outskirts of Kimura, this vacated area has been divided up by the four major clans: Sarutobi, Shimura, Utatane, and Mito.

The Sarutobi and Shimura clans occupied most of the area near the center, while the smaller, more distant areas were reserved for the Utatane and Mito families.

The strong winds that had been blowing for nearly ten days were still howling outside the room, making the wooden doors and windows rattle and creak.

The irregular noise made Sarutobi Shiro feel irritated.

Ever since he was beaten up by that brat named Katsumi Kambara back in the Konoha camp for embezzling merit points.

He not only lost his lucrative position in the logistics department, but also faced punishment from his clan after returning to the village, and was sidelined for a long time.

He had finally managed to secure this opportunity to disrupt the Uchiha clan's scheme to gain the villagers' trust through the Rin family's food stall.

Sarutobi Shiro thought this would be an easy task, after all, the Uchiha clan had a bad reputation in the village.

With just a little trickery, he could shut down that Rin family's restaurant.

To my surprise, after several days, there was still no effect whatsoever.

It's really strange, just like this inexplicable strong wind.

"Why does this wind just keep blowing? It's so annoying!"

Sarutobi Shiro picked up the wine glass on the table and drank it all in one gulp.

The agitation in my heart subsided slightly under the soothing effect of alcohol.

"Akifu, go check on Rin's restaurant again later."

Sarutobi Shigeo gave instructions to his junior, Sarutobi Akio, who was sitting opposite him.

"Uncle Chengfu, I think we should try a different approach."

Sarutobi Akio picked up a peanut, tossed it into his mouth, and said while chewing, "I've been keeping an eye on things over there these past few days, and the number of customers at Rin's restaurant hasn't decreased at all."

"If you ask me, it would be more effective to just send someone to burn down his shop than to have his men cause trouble every day!"

Upon hearing this, Sarutobi Shiro immediately straightened his face and said, "Just go when I tell you to. Why all the nonsense?"

"Burn down the shops? That's Konoha's most bustling commercial street. If it really burns down, it won't just be trouble for the Uchiha, it will be trouble for Konoha and the Hokage!"
"I don't know if Rin's restaurant will still be open by then, but you and I will definitely be in trouble."

This idiot who only knows how to eat, drink, and have fun, what kind of bullshit ideas are these?

If the other person hadn't been his sister's only son, Sarutobi Shigeo would have kicked him away long ago.

The Sarutobi family are all incredibly clever, like monkeys. How could they have such a foolish descendant? Could it be due to the influence of the bloodline from the brother-in-law's side?

Sarutobi Shiro pondered for a while and thought it was very likely, after all, the head of the Mito family didn't seem very smart.

"Then what can we do? Didn't all your methods work? You even suggested finding someone to cause trouble and spread some rumors to force the Uchiha clan's restaurant to close down."

Sarutobi Akio retorted confidently, "Isn't it useless now? I see more and more people going there!"

Sarutobi Shigeo was already seething with anger because his plans hadn't been working, and now his nephew had bluntly exposed them.

He was so angry he wanted to smash the bottle over the other person's head, but he couldn't. His face turned bright red, making him look like a red-faced monkey.

"What do you know?" Sarutobi Shiro explained forcefully, "Doesn't this need some time to ferment? Let the rumors fly for a while longer, and it will have an effect soon."

Sarutobi Akio rolled his eyes, leaned back, picked up a few slices of meat with his chopsticks and put them in his mouth, mumbling indistinctly:

"If you ask me, we should just burn it down. After all, the clan leader is the Hokage. Would the Uchiha clan dare to cause trouble?"

In his opinion, his uncle was just too timid and hesitant.

No matter how powerful the Uchiha clan was, they were still banished to a corner of the village, to some godforsaken place.

Besides, the head of their Sarutobi clan is the Hokage, and the longest-serving and most powerful Hokage since the founding of Konoha.

It's one thing for a mere Uchiha to act tough in front of those villagers and civilian ninjas, but does he really dare to provoke them?

"Burn, burn, burn your mother's head! Who do you think you are?"

Sarutobi Shiro couldn't hold back any longer. He cursed, grabbed a folding fan from the table, and slapped it across his nephew's head.

Snapped!
"Ah!" Sarutobi Akio screamed, "Uncle, are you crazy? Why are you hitting me?"

"And another thing, I'm going to tell my mother about the things you just said to me, you're finished!"

Thinking of his doting older sister who was also unreasonable, Sarutobi Shigeo felt a headache coming on.

Upon hearing Sarutobi Akio's threat, his anger intensified, and he rose to teach his good-for-nothing nephew a lesson.

"Hey? Hey! What are you trying to do? Uncle, don't be impulsive!"

Upon seeing this, Sarutobi Akio also turned and ran away as fast as he could.

"Don't run! If I don't make you so badly that even your own mother wouldn't recognize you, then I'm not your uncle!"

Sarutobi Shigeo chased after his nephew and beat him mercilessly.

"Help! Something terrible has happened! Murder!"

"Oh no! Oh no! The Uchiha clan has attacked!"

"."

Sarutobi Shigeo, who was disciplining his nephew, felt that there might be something wrong with his ears.

He actually heard someone shouting that the Uchiha clan had attacked. How could that be?

"Oh no! Oh no! The Uchiha have attacked with their forces!"

"Shut up! What are you yelling about? Uchiha, my foot! Even the Hokage couldn't save you!"

While beating his nephew, Sarutobi Shigeo shouted at him sternly.

"Waaaaah, no, it wasn't me who called you 'uncle,' you must have misheard!"

Sarutobi Akio curled up, looking aggrieved.

He's having such a hard time. He suddenly started hitting people, and now he's being falsely accused. Even an uncle shouldn't bully someone like this!

"Outside?"

Sarutobi Shiroo stopped what he was doing and listened carefully; the sound was indeed coming from outside.

It sounds like someone is shouting that the Uchiha are attacking.

How can this be?

Although Sarutobi Shigeo did not approve of his nephew's suggestion to burn down the food stall and confront the Uchiha clan head-on, he also did not think that the Uchiha would dare to confront the Sarutobi clan directly.

To oppose the Sarutobi clan is to oppose Konoha.

But the sounds outside grew clearer, as if the person shouting was running towards them.

'Has something really happened?'

Sarutobi Shiro's heart skipped a beat. He took a few steps to the door, pushed it open with a bang, and strode out.

Just as he reached the middle of the courtyard, a young Sarutobi clansman rushed in anxiously. "Lord Shiro, something terrible has happened! The Uchiha clan has come to our door with their men, and they've specifically asked to hand you over!"

Upon seeing Sarutobi Shiroo, the young clansman hurriedly delivered some bad news.

"What? They've come looking for me?" Sarutobi Shiro was shocked.

Is it because he instructed people to cause trouble at the Rin family's food shop?

No way! He sent his nephew Sarutobi Akio to find those people. If the Uchiha clan wanted to find them, they should have asked his nephew.

Could it be
Sarutobi Shiro suddenly remembered something, turned around sharply, and saw Sarutobi Akio, who was trying to sneak away.

"Stop right there! Where do you think you're going?"

Sarutobi Makoto glared at Sarutobi Akio with a fierce look on his face. He strongly suspected that this matter was related to his useless nephew.

"Ha, haha." Seeing that his little trick had been discovered, Sarutobi Akio laughed awkwardly a few times.

"Well, I'm going back to put on some medicine. Uncle, don't you have something to do? Go ahead and do your work, don't worry about me!"

Sarutobi Akio touched his bruised and swollen face and said with a fawning expression.

He heard everything that the tribesman said.

Upon hearing that Uchiha had specifically named Sarutobi Shiroo, he knew that he could no longer hide the fact that he was working under his uncle's name.

Seeing his appearance, Sarutobi Shiroo became even more certain of his guess.

"Tell me, why did the Uchiha clan come after me?" Sarutobi Shiro asked, his face ashen.

Sarutobi Akio shuddered in fright and stammered, "Well...maybe, perhaps, maybe...it was those shady people who went to do the business who spread the word?"

Upon hearing this, Sarutobi Shiro took a deep breath and gritted his teeth as he continued to ask, "Why do those delinquents know my name?"

"Ah... um..." Sarutobi Akio stammered, unable to get the words out.

"Speak!" Sarutobi Shiro suddenly roared.

Knowing he couldn't avoid it, Sarutobi Akio had no choice but to explain the reason in detail.

After all, they were going to cause trouble for the Uchiha clan. If they didn't give them some confidence, those thugs wouldn't dare to do it.

"So you just revealed my name?" Sarutobi Shiro's eyes widened in disbelief.

"Well, I can't possibly say my own name, can I?" Sarutobi Shiro said, shrinking back.

Who would use their real name to commit crimes? He's not stupid!

"you you."

Sarutobi Shiro was so angry he couldn't speak. "You don't want to use your own name, so you exposed me?"
What a sin! What a sin!
How could he have such a brainless nephew!
"You've really ruined me!" Sarutobi Shiro said, exasperated.

As for the fact that he himself had pushed Sarutobi Akio forward as a shield, he had subconsciously ignored it.

But since things have come to this, let's go see what the Uchiha clan wants to do!

Then, Sarutobi Shiroto flicked his hand and strode toward the gate of the Sarutobi clan residence.

The Sarutobi clansman who came to deliver the message quickly followed.

As for Sarutobi Akio, seeing that no one was paying attention to him, he rolled his eyes and quietly followed to watch the show.

In his opinion, the worst that could happen was that he would be scolded by the family elders, which was no big deal.

Not only him, but even Sarutobi Seio felt that the worst that could happen was that they would only have to compensate the Uchiha for their losses.

Even more distressing than the trouble caused by the Uchiha clan was the fact that, regardless of the final outcome, the Uchiha's actions had caused such a disturbance.

His reputation among the clan's higher-ups will suffer; he can't even handle such a small matter, so he probably has no future.

'I was so stupid, really! I knew Akio wasn't very capable, but I never imagined he could be this dumb!'

'And what about those evil Uchiha clans? Can't they just stay quietly in some obscure corner? Why are they running a food stall?'

'Those villagers, all they know is how to eat? Is that rubbish really that delicious?'

Sarutobi Shiro didn't understand why something he thought was just delicious was so appealing.

If Maki knew his doubts, he would tell him that this is the power of ninjutsu!
That's right, that's why the villagers of Konoha are so fond of Rin's restaurant and are willing to queue up to eat there despite the rumors.

It's all because of Mu Sheng's unique illusion technique: pillow talk!
This pillow talk that lasted for more than ten days was not just for attracting customers to Rin's restaurant.

At the gate of the Sarutobi clan.

When Sarutobi Shigeo arrived, he saw hundreds of Uchiha ninjas gathered outside the clan residence, blocking the road completely.

I was instantly dumbfounded!

"No, no, did I kill the head of the Uchiha clan?"

He wasn't the only one with this question; the elders and members of the Sarutobi clan, as well as other ninjas attracted by the Uchiha's big move, all had similar questions.

"What are the Uchiha trying to do? A coup or a rebellion? If it's a coup, they should storm the Hokage Building. What are they doing coming to the Sarutobi clan?"

A large, obese Akimichi ninja was talking quietly with several of his companions.

"It seems they're demanding the hand over a ninja named Sarutobi Makoto. What did this guy do to provoke the Uchiha like this?"

"Who knows! But the Uchiha's actions today are probably not a spur-of-the-moment decision."

A Nara ninja with a pineapple-shaped haircut spoke with a somewhat solemn expression.

Through brief exchanges with other Konoha ninja, he had already discovered the problem.

These Uchiha ninjas did not come directly from the Uchiha clan's territory, but rather gathered at the entrance of the Sarutobi clan from all directions at a certain point in time.

This is also why the village failed to react in time.

Otherwise, these few hundred Uchiha ninjas would probably have been discovered by the Anbu ninjas as soon as they left the clan's territory, and the village would have already summoned ninjas to intercept them.

It's impossible to let them just gather outside the Sarutobi clan's gates like this.

What worried this Nara ninja even more was the high level of organization displayed by the Uchiha clan.

It should be noted that, due to the Nine-Tails' rampage, the surveillance of the Uchiha by the Anbu and Root ninjas was practically out in the open.

In this situation, the Uchiha clan was able to gather so many ninjas before anyone could react.

Either the Third Hokage didn't receive any prior intelligence, or he deliberately allowed the Uchiha clan to cause trouble.

The latter is clearly unlikely; he couldn't fathom why the Hokage would do such a thing.

Then it can only be the former.
"Hi~"

The Nara ninja gasped.

Has the Third Hokage lost control of the Uchiha clan?
Just as the Nara ninjas were filled with doubt and uncertainty, a figure wearing a Hokage robe and a Hokage hat appeared in their sight, surrounded by a group of Anbu ninjas.

The Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, has arrived!

(End of this chapter)