Fugaku has gone mad; he's going to create a new Uchiha clan in Kirigakure.

East of the ruins of Uzumaki Ninja Village in the Land of Whirlpools.

The sea breeze, carrying a salty, damp scent, swept over the broken walls and ruffled Mitokado Yan's graying hair.

He stood on a relatively flat high ground, with busy Konoha ninjas behind him, methodically setting up camp on the west side of the ruins. Somewhere on the other side, out of sight, the people of Kirigakure were probably doing the same thing.

This change was made by the entire ninja world after learning from the lessons of the attack on Tobirama Senju by Kinkaku and Ginkaku of the Cloud Village.

Negotiations require sufficient support.

Kakashi Hatake stood silently beside Homura Mitokado. As the only survivor, he had personally experienced Fugaku Uchiha's abilities, so he naturally became Homura Mitokado's bodyguard.

"You haven't said much along the way."

Mitokado Yan didn't turn around; his voice was calm, as if he were stating a fact.

"I've always been like this; I don't talk much."

Kakashi responded.

Mitomon En nodded, not pressing for further questions, but instead turned his gaze to the distant ruins that had once witnessed glory.

"Time flies! This place used to be so lively..."

"I've never seen it, but my teacher's wife mentioned it. Speaking of which..."

Kakashi Hatake looked at Yanagi Mito.

Do you know the truth behind the destruction of the Land of Whirlpools?

After asking the question, he habitually glanced around and added another sentence.

"I mean, can I say?"

"There's nothing that can't be said; it's an open secret among the top officials of major countries."

Mitokado Yan, with his hands behind his back, slowly recalled.

"The official explanation is that the various countries were wary of the Land of Whirlpools' sealing techniques, so during the Third Shinobi World War, taking advantage of Konoha's preoccupation with other matters, the Land of Whirlpools was destroyed by a coalition of forces. But this is only part of the truth. The real truth is that the Land of Whirlpools' destruction was, to some extent, self-inflicted."

"You asked for it?"

"At that time, the Land of Whirlpools was thriving, and their powerful sealing techniques gave them unparalleled confidence."

Mitokado explained.

"The leaders of the Land of Whirlpools at that time were unwilling to remain vassals of Konoha forever, so they wanted to have their own tailed beasts and their own jinchūriki."

"At that time, the Three-Tails Isobu, although nominally belonging to Kirigakure, had been in a wild state due to Kirigakure's lack of top-tier sealing techniques. Uzushiogakure took a liking to it, which gave Kirigakure the most legitimate excuse. Of course, Kumogakure also had an involvement. Kirigakure contacted Kumogakure and agreed to split the Uzumaki clan's sealing technique manuals afterward. Otherwise, with Kumogakure's lousy sealing techniques, how could they possibly perfectly seal the Eight-Tails..."

Kakashi was silent for a moment, then asked.

"So, Konoha actually knew about it? But they didn't do anything about it?"

"Know."

Mitokado admitted it very readily.

"The high-ranking officials at the time unanimously believed that the Land of Whirlpools, which wanted to break free from control and even attempted to master the power of the tailed beasts, posed a greater threat than it was as an ally. Our attitude was to ignore it. However, considering the needs of the next generation of Nine-Tails Jinchuriki, we still saved the princess of the Land of Whirlpools, Kushina Uzumaki, at the last moment."

Kakashi thought of his teacher's wife, who had red hair and a fiery personality, and a ripple of emotion stirred within him.

"So, what was Lady Uzumaki Mito thinking at the time? She was also a member of the Uzumaki clan."

"Mito Uzumaki back then."

Mitokado Yan shook his head slightly.

"Her body was on the verge of collapse; she didn't have the energy or the ability to deal with these things anymore."

"How could that be? She's a Jinchūriki, her life force should be..."

"The Nine-Tails is different."

Mitokado interrupted Kakashi.

"Lady Mito Uzumaki was more like an experiment. It was through countless attempts and modifications by the First and Second Hokage that the 'Diamond Sealing Technique,' specifically designed to suppress the Nine-Tails, was finally stabilized on her. However, the price was that her body had already been riddled with holes by that violent power and complex sealing techniques. It was a miracle that she was able to hold on until she could pass the Nine-Tails to Kushina."

The sea breeze seemed a bit colder.

Mitokado Homura looked at Kakashi, a half-smile suddenly appearing on his face.

"So, is there anything else you'd like to ask? Like... about your father?"

Kakashi's body stiffened almost imperceptibly, and then a look of realization flashed in his exposed right eye.

What seemed like a casual remark, what seemed like a heartfelt revelation of history, ultimately led him to this destination. He took a deep breath, suppressing the surging emotions in his heart, and his voice returned to its usual indifference, yet carried a hint of sharpness.

Why...are you willing to bring these things up with me now?

"Because Fugaku Uchiha is a master at manipulating people's hearts."

Mitokado Haru made no attempt to hide anything; on the contrary, he was quite frank.

"That person's words have unsettled the entire Hidden Leaf Village. You've been silent all this way, and I knew you were troubled by it."

"I don't want to be stabbed in the back by my own people at a crucial moment. After thinking it over, the best way to deal with someone like him is not a more sophisticated lie, but to be more sincere."

As he spoke, he looked at Kakashi Hatake.

"Politics is accompanied by filth and compromise, that's a fact. Just like your father's case, no one could kill 'Konoha's White Fang' Sakumo Hatake with a sword except himself. The source of those rumors in the village at the time that slandered him and questioned his choice to prioritize his mission over his comrades was Danzo, and the Third Hokage tacitly approved of it."

Why?

Kakashi's voice finally trembled slightly. Despite his best efforts to control it, his knuckles were already white from his clenched fists. The rain on the day his father committed suicide seemed to fall coldly on his memory again.

"Because a group of people, a large but loose force, passively surrounded your father. This may not have been your father's original intention, but they used your father's reputation to continuously seize benefits from the village and promote reforms. For example, the system of 'exchanging merit for ninjutsu' was promoted when your father's reputation was at its peak."

"Isn't this a good thing? It gives ordinary ninjas a chance to acquire advanced ninjutsu!"

Kakashi couldn't help but retort, saying that was one of the few times his father's eyes would light up when he mentioned it.

"That's a good thing."

Mitokado nodded.

"Unfortunately, it touched the fundamental interests of the traditional ninja clans. At that time, the Konoha ninja clans were the main body and the foundation. In order to appease them, Danzo spread rumors, and Hiruzen tacitly approved of it. His original intention was just to suppress your father's arrogance and weaken the influence of the people around him. But none of us expected that your father would choose such a ruthless way."

Looking at Kakashi, who stood like a statue, Mitokado Homura adjusted his glasses.

"Of course, I'm not telling you these answers to shirk responsibility or say that your father couldn't handle it, or that three generations of people did nothing wrong. I just want you to know that what we did was done, and what we didn't do was not done. Right or wrong, you can judge for yourself."

"Or, to put it more simply, Konoha is a house. If I remove the windows and doors first, Fugaku Uchiha can only watch helplessly. Because I believe that most people, faced with the reality that only the doors and windows are removed, may feel dissatisfied and cold, but they are unlikely to personally demolish the house that can still provide shelter from the wind and rain."

"Phew~~"

Kakashi let out a long sigh of relief. At this moment, he was somewhat convinced. The last bit of anger in his heart had nowhere to go because of Mitokado Homura's honest words. His father loved Konoha, which was why he committed suicide in a fit of pique.

For this reason, he would hate Danzo, the Third Hokage, and even Mitokado Homura, but he wouldn't destroy Konoha...

"Speaking of which, Advisor Mitomon, is it really alright for you to tell me this? Would the Third Hokage allow it?"

"Haha, he's going to take the blame and step down anyway, so what's a little more dirt on him? Besides..."

Mitokado Yan took out a cigarette, snapped his fingers to ignite it, took a puff, and then spoke.

"He tricked Danzo, so I'll trick him. That makes perfect sense."

"..."

"Well, let's end our conversation here."

Mitokado Homura suddenly raised his head, his sharp gaze turning to the dense shadows of the forest to one side. Kakashi instantly snapped out of his reverie, his body tensing slightly, his right hand instinctively pressing on his ninja tool pouch.

"You've been listening for so long, come out now."

Mitokado Homura spoke to the shadows, his voice not loud, but carrying an undeniable authority.

The trees swayed, and a figure slowly emerged.

At first glance, he appeared to be a thin man, wearing a hood and walking with a steady gait.

But as he drew closer, his face began to undergo a strange change—his cheekbones lowered, his jawline softened, his skin turned fair, and even his gait took on a feminine rhythm.

Finally, standing before Mitokado Homura and Kakashi was a gentle-looking blonde woman wearing round-framed glasses.

"The Walking Witch".

Mitokado En accurately called out her code name: a top-tier infiltrator of the Root, possessing a unique bloodline limit that allows her to perfectly mimic anyone's appearance, voice, and even subtle habits. Unless it's an extremely urgent situation, such a shadow would never willingly step into the sunlight.

"It is I, Lady Mitomon."

Yakushi Nonou bowed slightly, her movements gentle, her voice melodious, giving off a soft and sweet feeling.

"With the entire Root army wiped out, I have no choice but to contact you directly and inform you of the most urgent intelligence I have gathered."

"What intelligence?"

Yakushi Nonou did not answer Mitokado Homura, but simply stood there quietly, her slightly raised gaze calmly fixed on Mitokado Homura through her round-framed glasses.

"Phew~~"

Exhaling a puff of smoke, Mitokado Yan nodded.

"So, what do you want?"

"Money, money to keep the orphanage running, at least... for three years."

Yakushi Nonou held up three fingers.

"One year."

Mitomon Yan bit down on the cigarette butt and moved the corner of his mouth slightly.

"I understand your predicament, Nono, but your orphanage is in the 'Void Zone.' In essence, the Void Zone is just an interface for Konoha to the outside world. The orphans there come from all over the world, and many of them don't even know their origins. According to Konoha's rules, let alone welfare funding, they even have to pay for a stable environment. (Note 1, please refer to the author's notes.)"

"Two years."

Yakushi Nonou's voice remained gentle as she took a step back.

"I was coerced by Lord Danzo into continuing to serve Root. In the end, our relationship is just that of an employer and employee. Theoretically, I am not even a formal member of Root."

"All right."

After a moment, Mitokado Homura nodded. He observed for a while, and based on his own experience, he believed that the woman in front of him had not betrayed him. Yes, this was his real purpose. Otherwise, why would a dignified advisor of Konoha bargain at this time? This was also a way to confirm the authenticity of the information.

Yakushi Nonou seemed to breathe a sigh of relief, her tense shoulders relaxing slightly.

"The town where the Hidden Mist is stationed on the east coast is in turmoil."

"reason?"

"Uchiha Fugaku used 'Kotoamatsukami' to control Terumi Mei and gave her that eye. He then used her identity to control the other members of the Shinobi Alliance. This was the previous news. But yesterday, the first person to be controlled appeared. It was the head of the Minazuki clan, Minazuki Kiriko."

"Fugaku Uchiha's plan is to take advantage of the three or four days after the negotiations begin to seize control of the high-ranking members of the Hidden Mist Ninja Alliance one by one."

"How is that possible?"

Mitokado En's facial muscles twitched, and the cigarette butt in his mouth kept spinning as he bit it.

Because he was one of the few high-ranking officials in Konoha who knew some of the core information about "Kotoamatsukami". Uchiha Shisui said in person that the cooldown period for each use of the left eye was as long as fifteen years. Even with the cell nourishment of the First Hokage to shorten it, it was impossible to achieve the efficiency of controlling Kirigakure in just a few days.

However, on the other hand...

Mitokado Homura recalled Fugaku Uchiha's abilities, those kaleidoscope-like eyes that rivaled Eternity. To be honest, even he wouldn't dare to guarantee that the news was false. What if it was true?

"Any other news?"

"Yes, all the members of the Ninja Alliance have arrived at the Hidden Mist Camp, but their subsequent actions are uncertain. What is certain is that this matter will cause great chaos. There is also another piece of information whose source is uncertain."

Tell me about it.

"One of my subordinates is a fisherman. Yesterday evening, when he was hauling in his nets, he inadvertently saw a figure carrying a huge cleaver coming ashore from a very remote, rocky beach near the east coast. The figure quickly disappeared into the woods."

"Carrying a large sword..."

Mitomon Yan walked slowly in place, his hands behind his back.

"Kisaki Suizawa himself is at the port outside the market, so this person can't possibly be him. It must be one of the other members of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist, part of the Hidden Mist assassination squad. In other words, they sent Kisaki Suizawa openly, but they also have a ninja assassination squad in the background. Heh, it seems the Fourth Mizukage also has his eye on that eye..."

finally...

I don't know how many times it spun around.

Mitokado Yan looked at Hatake Kakashi and Yakushi Nono.

"I personally cannot judge the veracity of Kotoamatsukami's information, but if I cannot judge it, the people of Kirigakure are even less likely to be able to. They will most likely adopt a 'better safe than sorry' attitude. The whole situation is probably like a bomb that could explode at any moment, and this is our opportunity."