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

Sunlight streamed through the blinds.

Tsunade stared quietly at the crystal ball. After a long while, she slowly raised her hand, and the light and shadow inside the crystal ball completely disappeared, restoring its original crystal-clear appearance.

She shifted her gaze from the crystal ball to Hiruzen Sarutobi, who was sitting opposite her.

"So, old man."

Tsunade's voice was exceptionally clear in the quiet office.

"Are you here as a mediator?"

"No, no, I just came to deliver the crystal ball and ran into Danzo. However, I do know why he came back to find you. He mentioned it to some of us before, but it's just like I said."

Hiruzen Sarutobi shook the pipe in his hand.

"I am no longer the Hokage, and I will not interfere with your behavior. Of course, you can consult my opinion if you wish."

"snort."

Tsunade snorted and leaned back in the large Hokage chair, the back of which creaked slightly. She stopped looking at Hiruzen Sarutobi and turned her gaze to Danzo in the shadows.

"You make a good point."

Tsunade spoke, but her voice was devoid of emotion.

"Konoha is currently on the brink of its most dangerous moment. We must utilize every available resource, including Orochimaru, but have you considered the cost behind this?"

"Only the living are entitled to bear all the consequences."

"I said calmly."

"If it weren't for that idiot Jiraiya concealing the Rinnegan, Konoha wouldn't be in such a passive situation. There's Fugaku Uchiha, the Akatsuki, and several major powers that were already eyeing us covetously. Even during the First Shinobi World War, Konoha had never been in such a predicament. Moreover, as I said, the cooperation with Orochimaru will not take place within the village. I will establish a laboratory outside the village to eliminate any behavior that could harm Konoha at its source."

"Furthermore, any problems that arise will be my responsibility. I have a lot of experience with this kind of thing. If you don't believe me, you can ask Hiruzen."

"Cough cough."

"What are you doing, old man?"

"N-nothing, it's just that my throat is a little itchy, you guys continue..."

"So."

Tsunade looked at Shimura Danzo again.

"What about those whose children, husbands, and wives were kidnapped by Orochimaru? They're still living in Konoha. How do they view Konoha?"

"How can we view this?"

Danzo Shimura retorted, a hint of mockery flashing in his one eye.

"When Hiruzen took pity on Orochimaru and let him go, did they say anything? No, their voices were insignificant."

"Now that you're in this position, some things require stripping away the emotions of ordinary people. Under the circumstances, those people are nothing. Their sadness, their anger, their demands are all negligible costs in the face of the village's survival. Sacrificing a few to save the majority for the future of Konoha is the most basic arithmetic."

"But."

Tsunade crossed her arms in front of her chin, hiding half of her face behind her arms.

You've overlooked someone.

"Who?"

"If Fugaku Uchiha knew about this, he would definitely make a fuss about it. You should all know how that feels. In fact, I should thank him for his sharp tongue for sitting here, shouldn't I?"

She paused, a sarcastic smile curving her lips.

"I can even imagine what he would say: 'Today, the higher-ups in Konoha are willing to sacrifice these innocent villagers and low-level ninjas for the sake of so-called righteousness. What about you tomorrow? In peacetime, this kind of thing doesn't matter. Konoha has the ability to control it.'"

"But if it comes to war, do you think it will shake the foundation of Konoha? Will some ninjas defect in the face of battle? Will some clans outwardly comply but inwardly defy? After all, the old man has always promoted the Will of Fire, and the whole village knows about it."

"Where the leaves dance, the fire will never die."

"Protecting the village, protecting our comrades, protecting the next generation—this motto has given Konoha a large number of brave warriors who are willing to sacrifice themselves for the cause. But what if one day, the ninjas of Konoha discover that the higher-ups can easily abandon them for their own benefit, and that the so-called Will of Fire is nothing but a deception..."

"The more benefits you've enjoyed from the Will of Fire in the past, the more blood you'll have to cough up when Fugaku attacks you."

The office fell silent again. After a long while, Danzo Shimura spoke.

"I am willing to become a rogue ninja, and all cooperation with Orochimaru will be conducted in my personal name."

No wonder.

Tsunade sighed.

"Naruto said you're short-sighted. Konoha spent 10 billion ryo to ransom you, only to have you come back as a rogue ninja? Don't you think Konoha is shameful enough already?"

"you!!"

"Alright, alright, Danzo only wanted to protect Konoha. However, Tsunade, what you said makes sense. So, do you have any good ideas?"

Hiruzen Sarutobi stepped in as a peacemaker.

"What should we do?"

Tsunade leaned back and stretched languidly.

"Didn't that little brat say I wasn't shameless enough? Fine, then I'll be shameless and show him."

---Divider line

Ruins of the Land of Whirlpools, East Coast Market

As evening fell, the setting sun bathed the entire East Coast Market in a golden-red hue.

The waves crashed against the rocks, making a rhythmic splashing sound.

The group of people came from the direction of the market and headed towards the camp, looking travel-worn.

The three leaders were tall and fierce-looking; they were the original members of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist: Suigetsu Hozuki, Biwa Juzo, and Kurosuki Raiga.

"Good morning, sir!"

"Captain Xiguashan, you've worked hard!"

Along the way, the ninjas greeted the three of them one after another.

Because at this moment, their identities are no longer those of the Mist Shadow Assassination Squad, but rather the patrol captains of the East Coast Marketplace Security Department!

The three walked all the way to the captain's dormitory deep in the camp. Pushing open the door, Pipa Juzo casually threw the guillotine on his back into the corner with a thud. He collapsed onto the bed and let out a long sigh.

"Even assassinations aren't this tiring. I'm called in for every little thing. Was this how the Uchiha clan used to handle things? How could they stand it?"

"So, the Uchiha clan only recently betrayed us, they're really good-natured, haha..."

On the next bed, Raiga Kurosuki was also slumped over.

"Hey, rotten watermelon, why aren't you saying anything?"

"There's nothing to say."

On the other bed, Suigetsu Hozuki sat down as well. He was actually quite tired; as an elite ninja, his feet ached from walking so much. His Samehada, the greatsword he never parted with, even felt like a burden...

However, he didn't want to complain.

After defeating Konoha, everyone thought that Fugaku Uchiha would immediately lead his men back to the Land of Water and Kirigakure. However, he said that going back now would only result in a meaningless civil war. After all, everyone had been deceived. The right choice was to rely on the East Coast Market to send messages to Kirigakure and tell them the truth.

Based on those words alone, he was willing to give his life for Uchiha Fugaku.

"Knock knock knock~~"

There was a knock on the door.

"Enter."

The door was pushed open, and a young Uchiha clansman walked in.

"Captain of Watermelon Mountain, Captain of Loquat, Captain of Black Hoe."

The Uchiha clan members bowed respectfully.

"The Ministry of Finance has finally been established today. As per regulations, salaries are paid daily. Here is your salary for the three of you!"

As he spoke, he pulled three thick envelopes out of his satchel.

"Please check the quantity."

"No, no, no."

Pipa Juzo quickly waved his hand, a rare look of unease appearing on his face.

"We trust Lord Fugaku's reputation, there's no need to investigate further, take care."

The Uchiha clansman smiled but did not leave. He took out three more slightly thinner envelopes from his satchel.

"This is the meal allowance for the three of you. Lord Fugaku said that people need to be well-fed to have the energy to work. He recommended the Sea Kingdom Seafood Restaurant at the night market. The blue lobsters there are imported from the Sea Kingdom and are very fresh. Take this meal allowance envelope with you and you can get a 50% discount. Well then, I won't disturb your rest any longer. See you tomorrow."

After saying that, he turned and left, gently closing the door behind him.

The room fell silent again.

"that..."

After a long while, Pipa Juzo swallowed.

"Let's go on patrol, or maybe catch some pirates at sea?"

Suigetsu Hobutaki and Kurosuki Raiga looked at him.

Pipa Juzo scratched his head.

"Otherwise, I wouldn't feel comfortable taking this money..."

...

Outside the camp, in the shadows.

Hozuki Mangetsu stood silently, his body completely hidden in the shadows of the building.

He watched quietly.

A similar scene happened to every ninja.

Whether they were members of the bloodline faction, the commoners faction, or even the cold-blooded assassins of the assassination squad, the expressions on their faces subtly changed when they received the thick envelope.

It can be viewed horizontally or vertically.

He could only glean two words from her expression.

loyalty...

In fact, it's not just them.

In the past few days, as the Uchiha clan has fully integrated into the East Coast City and resumed their old profession as a security guard, the entire East Coast City seems to have been completely transformed.

The vendors were tumbling and rolling as they ran this way, all because of the Uchiha clan's defining characteristic: fairness, fairness, and more fairness!

No matter who you are, you will receive this kind of treatment when you come to the East Coast Market. The Uchiha clan is really stubborn. They don't care about taking bribes or demanding favors. They not only don't allow others to ask for them, but they also don't ask for them themselves. Anyone who dares to give a bribe to the Uchiha clan can expect to be punished.

No wonder the Uchiha clan has such a bad reputation in Konoha; they're so stubborn and unyielding...

However, it was precisely this straightforwardness that made the Uchiha clan so popular with merchants. After all, in the past, they were exploited at every turn, and many times, even when they risked going to sea, they ended up working for the ninjas.

Now that they can reap even greater profits, how could they not go crazy?

And, most importantly, the daily wages paid by Uchiha Fugaku just now meant that the Kirigakure ninja, who had lost the opportunity to exploit others, not only didn't lose money, but actually earned more and more justified income. In fact, because they maintained order, they gained the respect of the merchants and the people living there...

And so, it only lasted three days.

This East Coast market town seems to have quietly changed hands to the Uchiha clan, creating a world where everyone benefits—except, of course, Konoha...

...

Hozuki Mangetsu slowly closed his eyes and took a deep breath.

The night breeze, carrying the salty smell of the sea, brushed against his cheeks.

He could feel a stinging pain in his lungs, a sign that the bloodstain disease was slowly eroding his body. With each breath, it felt like tiny needles were pricking his alveoli.

His blood disease was exposed in an unexpected way. He had been targeted by a mysterious person for a long time. He thought he could hold on for a few more years, wait for his younger brother to rise to power, or solve the problem through some means.

pity...

As this incident came to light, the bloodline ninjas who had once surrounded him began to distance themselves from him, both openly and secretly.

Of course, he didn't blame these people. Including his mother, there were only three members of the Hozuki clan.

His mother was quite capable, but not enough to support a clan. His younger brother, Hozuki Suigetsu, was still a snotty-nosed kid who kept yelling that he wanted to be one of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist.

On the day he dies, the Hozuki clan, once a powerful and prestigious family in Kirigakure, may truly disappear.

Therefore, those families began to turn to Mei Terumi and Fugaku Uchiha, and letters were constantly being sent back to the Land of Water and Kirigakure, informing their clansmen of the situation and hoping that the two factions would end their conflict and work together to deal with the Fourth Hokage who had been controlled.

However, these letters are also accelerating the marginalization of the Hozuki clan.

That's just how politics is.

When you still have value, everyone will revolve around you.

When you lose your value, no one will even glance at you.

"So, Chief Hozuki, are you still hesitating?"

A voice suddenly rang out from the shadows.

This is an "ordinary" ninja, who looks to be in his thirties, with an average appearance, the kind of person you wouldn't notice if you threw him into a crowd. But Hozuki Mangetsu knows that the soul living in this body is not the original one.

It's that monster, or rather, a clone of the monster. Fugaku Uchiha captured it; this thing is called White Zetsu.

"If this pace of development continues..."

White Zetsu's voice was very soft, carrying a strange sense of pleasure.

"You won't even have to wait for your illness to manifest before the Hozuki clan will be completely marginalized."

"At that time, will your mother and your brother be able to protect the family fortune that your father and you have built up over the years?"

"Kirigakure is a place that eats people without spitting out the bones. Especially in these years as a core member of the Bloodline Clan, how many commoners have you offended? I think you know better than me how those guys who once groveled before you will pounce on you like hyenas and tear the Hozuki clan to shreds once they know you're about to die?"

Finally, Hozuki Mangetsu slowly turned around and quietly looked at the monster in front of him.

"So, what do you want me to do? Be your spy? Or deal with Uchiha Fugaku?"

Hozuki Mangetsu slightly parted his lips, revealing the sharp teeth unique to the Hozuki clan.

"The person who controlled the Fourth Mizukage, and the leader behind you who possesses the legendary Rinnegan, were both defeated by Uchiha Fugaku. You don't think I'm qualified to assassinate him, do you?"

"If he can't do it, then... what about others?"