Saving the Uchiha clan starts with becoming the clan leader.

As Hozuki Mangetsu's younger brother, and like his older brother who is known as a 'prodigy,' this kid is also exceptionally talented and has been remarkably intelligent since childhood. This makes the patriarchs and elders of the various families in the village extremely envious of the Hozuki brothers, who are considered prodigies. Compared to the good-for-nothings in their own clans, they feel so bad that even their sake tastes unpleasant.

"You shouldn't be at home practicing today... Never mind." Hozuki Mangetsu, finding it troublesome, was too lazy to say anything more. "You figure it out yourself! Anyway, I won't interfere if the old man wants to punish you."

"I learned the Water Whip Technique a long time ago."

As they were speaking,

Hozuki Suigetsu swung a long, winding whip of clear water in his hand.

Watching his younger brother showing off his skills, Hozuki Mangetsu rolled his eyes, too lazy to say anything more. What was so great about the Water Whip Technique? It was as if no one knew it. He had learned the Water Whip Technique in just half an hour when he was five years old.

only--

I made rapid progress when I was a child.

Now, however, he has hit a bottleneck. His progress in practicing the secret techniques left by the Second Hokage is so slow that he wants to curse. Thinking of this, he has no interest in wasting time talking to his younger brother and focuses on his current work in the Shadow Guard, escorting the Mizukage and the Master into the Konoha ninja's camp.

He has now joined the Shadow Guard.

However, protecting the Fourth Hokage was only a side job. His main purpose in staying by the Fourth Hokage's side was to facilitate receiving the Fourth Hokage's teachings. He wasn't the only one; Kisame Hoshigaki and Zabuza Momochi were also recruited into the Shadow Guard by Yagura Karatachi. He was truly prepared to contribute as much as possible to the village before he died, and he taught Hozuki Mangetsu and others everything he knew.

"Lord Mizukage, my sister was rude, I am truly sorry."

Zongxian stood at the door to greet Yagura's arrival.

However, as he said this, his gaze fell on Yuan Shi. Looking at the old man who needed a cane to walk but was subtly protected by others, he instantly understood the old man's identity. This was Yuan Shi from Kirigakure.

"It's okay, it's normal for kids to play around."

Yagura Karatachi didn't care about such a small matter at all, and reached out to introduce Sōgen, "Clan Chief Uchiha, allow me to introduce you, this is Master Genji, the highest-ranking elder in our Kirigakure."

"I had heard of your name before I came to Kirigakure."

While greeting the old man, Zongxian openly looked him up and down.

However… after glancing at it twice, he raised an eyebrow slightly, “Shadow Clone?”

Generally speaking, shadow clones are extremely difficult to detect, but they are not without flaws. The amount of chakra a clone possesses is the best way to distinguish them.

"Clan Chief Uchiha is indeed discerning. Please forgive my timidity. Your Sharingan is far too terrifying, so I had to resort to this little trick to put my mind at ease. I hope Clan Chief Uchiha will not take offense." Master Yuan frankly admitted that he was just a shadow clone.

"Huh?"

Kwon Hyung-e was the first to be affected.

At this moment, the guards protecting Yuan Shi were completely unaware that what they saw was just a shadow clone of Yuan Shi. Yagura Karatachi also cast a surprised glance, but then remembered his own experience and felt that Yuan Shi's choice was not surprising.

Words,

That damned one-eyed man manipulated him with illusion magic, but not Yuan Shi... Could it be that Yuan Shi has been using shadow clones to move since a long time ago? That's why that one-eyed man has never been able to find an opportunity to control Yuan Shi, or even kill him.

I couldn't help but sigh inwardly, "Old ginger is indeed spicier!"

If I had been this careful and cautious back then, I wouldn't have ended up in such a predicament.

"It's alright! I'm not very interested in using illusions to control people, and whether it's the real body or a clone, as long as we can communicate normally, it's fine." Zongxian gestured for him to speak, as it wasn't practical to stand at the door to talk. Even though it was just a shadow clone, it looked quite old, and it would be really tiring for it to stand there and talk like that.

[Chapter 141. The Main Family's Disdain]

The pain transmitted back to his brain from his right eye stimulated his consciousness, and the darkness constantly reminded him that he had lost the trophy he was once so proud of; his eyes could no longer see that wondrous and distant scenery.

"green."

The ward door was pushed open.

Wearing a gray ninja hat that concealed her head, which had unfortunately lost all its hair, Bi strode in.

"Qing, are you alright?"

"He's still alive!"

"You bastard!!!"

Bi breathed a sigh of relief; she still had the energy to joke around, so it seemed the situation wasn't too bad.

However, when he saw Qing's right eye wrapped in bandages, he still felt a lump in his throat. As a comrade-in-arms who had gone through life and death together on the battlefield, he might not be as smart as Qing, but his wisdom was enough for him to understand how much Qing valued and cherished the white eye he had captured.

To protect his Byakugan, he even spent a lot of time studying sealing techniques and created two talismans to hang by his ears to protect his Byakugan.

Unfortunately, the two talismans are still hanging by Qing's ears.

But that white eye no longer belonged to Qing.

"What's wrong with your right eye now?" Bi sat down on the stool next to the hospital bed.

"They found a prisoner in jail whose eye color is the same as my left eye, and transplanted his right eye into me. According to the doctor, it will take about half a month for everything to be normal. Although I think I can leave now, I'm used to walking with only one eye anyway." He reached up and touched the bandage on his face, muttering complaints, but he always remembered the doctor's orders and did not touch the area where his eye was.

"Half a month?"

Bi muttered to himself for a moment, looking at Qing who seemed quite relaxed. He didn't know what to say next. He didn't know if he should comfort Qing, or if doing so would remind Qing, who seemed indifferent, of that unpleasant feeling.

I haven't figured out what to do.

So they fell silent.

"Bi, have you finished the task that Master Yuan assigned to you?" Knowing her partner's personality well, Qing took the initiative to start the conversation.

"It's over."

Bi nodded.

"I won't be able to carry out missions for a while. If there's anything you need, Master Yuan, I'll have to trouble you and Quan Bingwei to make a few trips." Even while lying in a hospital bed, Qing Ai's tendency to worry remained unchanged; she was still preoccupied with missions and operations.

"This is hardly a problem at all,"

Bi shook his head, a helpless smile appearing on his lips, but the smile only lasted for a few seconds. He looked at Qing lying on the hospital bed and asked hesitantly, "Um, Qing, you...aren't you willing to just give up your white eyes like this?"

"Not reconciled?"

Qing looked up, her intact right eye staring at the pristine white ceiling.

"Of course I'm not happy about it!"

Those were spoils of war that he had risked his life on the battlefield and paid a heavy price to obtain. Now they were being returned to the Konoha ninjas without a word. How could he possibly be willing to accept that?

"But even if we're unwilling, there's nothing we can do. We're no match for Konoha. Even the Mizukage lost. We have no choice but to bow our heads and admit defeat. We're handing over the Byakugan... It's for the village. If it can make the village prosper again, I'm willing to give up my life, let alone just a Byakugan."

Yes,

As long as it's for the village, I don't care how great the price is.

Qing thought to herself.

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

Reception room.

Zongxian entertained two distinguished guests. One was naturally the Fourth Mizukage and the Three-Tails Jinchuriki, Yagura Karatachi, and the other was an elder from the village who was said to be a comrade-in-arms of the First Mizukage and was revered by the Kirigakure as the Master.

"...You've made a decision so quickly? I thought I'd have to wait another ten days or two weeks for a reply." Zong Xuan smiled broadly. "Then, could you tell me your answer?"

Yagura glanced at Master Yuan with a slight sidelong glance.

Master Yuan, unmoved by wind and rain like an old pine tree, showed no intention of speaking.

He had no choice but to bite the bullet and say, "The village has already made a decision to send reinforcements to support Konoha. Of course, we also hope that the Uchiha clan head will consider the great price our village has paid and temporarily postpone the compensation..."

“No problem. The village is short of troops right now, so if anyone can help at this time, the more the better.”

According to the latest intelligence received by Sogen, the situation in Konoha can still hold on. Jiraiya, one of the Legendary Sannin, has returned to the village and did not say he would leave the next day. It seems that he intends to stay in Konoha for a long time. It is possible that the Iwa and Kumo ninja have collected intelligence from the spies.

They also received news of Jiraiya's return home, which temporarily calmed down a few of the Cloud and Iwa ninja who were initially restless. A person's name is like a tree's shadow; even though the so-called Sannin are now in disarray, no one will underestimate any of them.

Anyway,

The great war surrounding Konoha has not yet broken out.

However, how long Jiraiya's reputation will keep the Cloud and Iwa ninja wary is a completely uncertain unknown. If the Raikage and Tsuchikage are determined enough to attack, then war will come sooner or later. In order to guard against the surprise attack of the Cloud and Iwa ninja, a large number of people have to be stationed in the northeast and northwest directions.

The statement that the village is short of manpower is no exaggeration. The mission issuing department of Konoha Village is now afraid to take on more missions because the village lacks enough ninjas to complete them.

"This is something that was ordered and will be delivered soon."

Seeing that Yagura and Uchiha Sogen's conversation had come to an end, Genji reached out with trembling hands and took out a small bottle from his sleeve. The bottle was filled with a semi-transparent nutrient solution, in which a pure white eye floated up and down.

"Clan Chief Uchiha, it... is returned to you."

Yuan Shi pushed the small bottle closer to Zong Xian.

It's a white eye—

Zongxian stared at the pure white eyes bobbing up and down in the bottle, a flash of scarlet light appearing in his eyes. He confirmed that the Byakugan in the small bottle was genuine, and a perfect Byakugan that had not been affected by the "Caged Bird". To be honest, he was a little surprised at the moment. He did not expect that the Mist Ninja would return the Byakugan so quickly.

It's unclear whether Ao did it voluntarily or was forced to, but having this item means that Sogen can finally give the Hyuga clan an explanation.

[Chapter 142 Joint Investigation Department]

"I did receive the items."

Zongxian fiddled with the glass bottle, looking at the Byakugan soaking in the nutrient solution. "I have also felt your village's sincerity. I also have some good news to tell you. The Hokage has replied to me. If Kirigakure is willing to support Konoha, then... the war reparations can be reduced or postponed as appropriate."

As for how much to reduce?

How long will the delay last?

It all depends on how generous the Mist Ninja are in their actions and the outcome of the negotiations between the two sides. Once the general policy is determined, the specific details will naturally be refined by the subordinates, and finally a satisfactory solution will be presented.

There's no need for the bigwigs above to argue until they're red in the face.

"That's good, that's enough."

Yagura, the tachibana vendor, breathed a sigh of relief.

If he can properly handle the numerous problems brought about by this defeat and firmly shoulder the blame for being weak, incompetent, and betraying the village's interests, then he can almost step down and yield to the people's will, allowing the fifth generation leader, who is spotless and will bring hope and a future to the village, to take the stage.

To be honest, the Anbu have reported several times these days that some ninjas in the village are secretly gathering in private, and unsurprisingly, these ninjas are discussing assassinating the Mizukage.

The assassination of the Mizukage,

Since Yagura Karatachi came to power, this has almost become a routine activity in Kirigakure.

But this time,

Yagura did not go on a killing spree. Even though the Anbu had collected a list of those who had acted carelessly in the gathering, the Fourth Mizukage, who was of a clear mind, restrained his anxiety and killing intent. He no longer wanted to turn his blade against his fellow villagers.