Saving the Uchiha clan starts with becoming the clan leader.

By this time, her good mood had almost completely vanished due to the sudden deterioration of her physical condition.

However, the responsibilities of the Hokage forced him to stay focused, but unfortunately, he couldn't keep up and deal with the problem at hand, so he had to hand it over to someone else.

In those few short seconds,

One candidate after another flashed through his mind, and the image that finally settled on was that young man from the Uchiha clan. Considering everything from status to ability, Uchiha Munen was the best and most suitable candidate.

This has nothing to do with his personal preferences.

Rather, it was the most reasonable decision made based on the perspective of Naruto.

In those few seconds of thought, he felt that tormenting, throbbing pain again. Without giving it any more thought, he simply and decisively passed the matter on to Uchiha Mugen.

Jiro silently bowed to Akimichi Torifu again, without saying anything more. Every family has its own troubles, and Konoha obviously has its own problems. As an outsider, he should be careful with his words and actions. As long as he can achieve his purpose for coming here, the rest... are none of his business.

He left the Hokage's office with Nara Shizuku and arrived at another office that was very clean but temporarily empty and unused.

He was then told that the Hokage's assistant was not at the Hokage Building at the moment and that he would have to wait a while until he could contact the Hokage's assistant to find out what to do next. In response, Riku could only thank the other party for their help and wait patiently.

I pray that things will go smoothly from here on out.

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.

Tonight's dinner at the Zongxian family is barbecue. Fujika has been nagging about wanting to eat barbecue lately, and finally, unable to resist his granddaughter's whining, Grandpa Uchiha Genji agreed to open his beloved courtyard for a group of kids to have a self-service barbecue. So, after the ninja academy let out, the kids flocked in in droves.

Uchiha Fujika, Kurama Yakumo, Uzumaki Naruto, Uchiha Sasuke, Inuzuka Kiba, Akimichi Choji, Nara Shikamaru, Yamanaka Ino, Haruno Sakura, Hyuga Hinata, and a bunch of other kids were making such a racket that they almost blew the roof off. The old man's ears hurt from the noise, and he didn't like eating barbecue, which was hard to digest, so he simply turned around and went out to find someone to play chess with.

Zongxian doesn't mind. As long as it's not this noisy every day, it's nice to have some fun occasionally!

and,

Looking at the kids in the courtyard, who weren't exactly strangers, Zongxian was in a good mood. Watching these kids playing happily together, he could clearly feel the changes in Konoha. You know, last year, apart from their own family, the Uchiha clan's territory was practically deserted, with hardly any outsiders in sight all year round.

But look at now,

The Uchiha clan is no longer the isolated, ostracized, and nominally powerful clan of Konoha.

Furthermore, with the recent reforms of the police department, the social circles of the Uchiha clan members have visibly expanded, and everything is changing in a positive direction. All of this... is the result of his efforts.

After dinner, the group of kids ran out to play again, and Zongxian didn't bother with them anymore, since someone was following them anyway!

Don't worry about anything going wrong.

Ignoring the brats, he went straight back to the training room to continue his daily practice. He sat cross-legged on the tatami mat, with the banana leaf fan lying across his lap. This fan, which had exhausted the five nature transformations of chakra, was a treasure trove, and as time went on, he felt this more and more deeply.

If the Flame Fan, this branch of the divine tree, allowed him to clearly see the path leading to the end of the Samsara Eye, this eye technique...

Then the banana leaf fan was the bridge that helped him cross that deep ditch.

Without the help of the Banana Leaf Fan, he would have needed to spend a great deal of time practicing the Five Nature Transformations to lay a solid foundation for the awakening of the Rinnegan. Madara Uchiha only awakened the Rinnegan when he was very old. This was partly because he stumbled and groped in the dark, but it is undeniable that the process of 'reversion' is inherently quite long.

Fortunately,

Zongxian has a clever way of doing things.

The ninja tools left behind by the Sage of Six Paths are shortcuts, fast passages that can save him a lot of time.

The Flame Fan cleared away the fog ahead, letting him know what obstacles and troubles he would encounter on this path, and what preparations he needed to make to overcome them. Meanwhile, the Samehada, the Banana Fan, and the Amber Purification Bottle... these ninja tools were precisely the tools to pave the way through mountains and build bridges over rivers.

Just as Zongxian was immersed in his cultivation,

The noise from outside made him open his eyes. He turned his head to look at the tightly closed door with considerable displeasure. Outside the door, a masked member of the Dark Guard was kneeling on one knee. It was the arrival of this Dark Guard member that had interrupted his cultivation. However, he quickly suppressed his emotions. These Dark Guard members were just following orders. There was no point in getting angry with them; it would only make him appear petty.

"Hokage Assistant, the Hokage has orders for you."

"what's up?"

"Chiriku, one of the Twelve Guardian Ninja, has come to see the Hokage. He says that someone in the Daimyo's residence is trying to bewitch the Daimyo and sow discord between the Daimyo and our Konoha. He hopes we can lend a hand, but the Hokage is not feeling well, so he has entrusted this matter to you."

The secret agents outside the door didn't go into too much detail, but it was enough for Zongxian to understand what had happened.

"Is the Hokage unwell?"

Sogen didn't care about the Twelve Guardian Ninja. Compared to the minor skirmishes at the Daimyo's residence, he was more concerned about the Fifth Hokage's health, as this could potentially affect the succession of the Sixth Hokage. After all, if the situation was serious, Konoha would probably have to select a new Hokage again.

How serious is the situation?

Zongxian put away his banana leaf fan, strode to the door, opened it, and stared at the Anbu member kneeling on one knee in front of the door. "Where is the Hokage now?"

"The Hokage is not in mortal danger, but his health is slightly impaired. The medical ninja advised him to rest and avoid excessive mental and physical exertion. This is what Secretary Nara told me. Also, Secretary Nara asked me to pass on a message from the Hokage to you..."

Information such as that concerning the Hokage's physical condition is normally classified and should never be leaked casually.

However, the concept of secrecy is always relative.

The Hokage's assistant is undoubtedly the second most important person in Konoha, holding a position second only to the Hokage. These secrets are no secret to Sogen. Moreover, the most crucial point is that this is the second time Akimichi Torifu has occurred in this situation, which means that there may be a third, a fourth, and even more times in the future.

It's very difficult to keep a secret forever.

Don't say anything else,

Jiraiya witnessed Akimichi Torifu's unhealthy state firsthand. They couldn't just kill Jiraiya to keep it a secret, could they?

Since it can't be hidden, it's better to be upfront and clear things up to avoid any misunderstandings.

"Is work the priority?"

Zongxian muttered something.

This is what Akimichi Torifu relayed to him. The meaning is clear: prioritize dealing with the Jiraiya matter before considering anything else... It seems that there's no need to worry about the succession of the Sixth Hokage for the time being. The Fifth Hokage should be able to hold on for a while longer.

“I understand. Where is the Land of the Earth now?” he asked.

"Right in the Hokage Building."

"Let's go then!"

Soon, Zongxian's figure disappeared into the slowly descending night.

[Chapter 272. The Traveler Under the Moonlight]

While Akimichi Torifu was receiving treatment from Konoha's best medical ninjas, Sogen met with Jiraiya. After a very short conversation, he immediately made the decision to use force. He didn't hesitate or waver at all, and he didn't care whether doing so would anger the Daimyo or create a deep rift between the Daimyo's mansion and Konoha.

If anyone were to say something like this to Zongxian at this time,

He will definitely receive Zongxian's merciless ridicule.

When did Konoha and the Daimyo become as close as family? Perhaps when the First Hokage was still alive, everyone was quite satisfied with this hard-won peace, unlike the endless wars of the Warring States period. At least most people were satisfied.

However, people's desires change with the environment.

During the Warring States period, many people longed for peace, believing that being able to live a peaceful life would be the greatest happiness. However, after a long period of peace, they would inevitably want better food, more beautiful clothes, and... greater power!

According to Zongxian, the relationship between the Daimyo and Konoha was distorted from the beginning, and their differences and conflicts were irreconcilable. Nominally, the Fire Daimyo was the highest leader of the Land of Fire, but he had no real control over Konoha, the strongest violent group in the country.

This is absolutely hilarious.

What kind of leader is someone who cannot control the country's strongest military force?

He understood some of Huo Daming's demands.

If he were Huo Daming, he would also find ways to consolidate power.

However, the idea that one's position determines one's perspective is not uncommon at any time or place. As the Hokage's assistant and with the ambition to succeed the Sixth Hokage, Sogen couldn't possibly be looking at things from the Hokage's perspective; he would only consider the future from Konoha's point of view.

then,

Zongxian decided to take matters into his own hands.

He took two guards with him, plus Di Lu, making a total of four people. They set off under the moonlight, without waiting for dawn.

The bodyguards were Hayate Gekko and Kurenai Yuhi, whom Sogen himself had chosen. He approached Shikaku Nara, the leader of the Jonin squad, to request them. Although he could find people from his clan to do the work, as the Hokage's assistant, he couldn't just focus on his clan. It was necessary to broaden his horizons. In the future, when he competed for the Sixth Hokage title, he couldn't rely solely on his clan to cheer him on.

In a thick list provided by Nara Shikaku,

He selected these two Chunin.

Yes,

That's right, Hayate Gekko and Kurenai Yuhi are only Chunin at the moment. To be honest, when Nara Shikaku saw the two names that Sogen had chosen as his bodyguards, his expression was quite interesting. Who the hell is protecting whom?

However, putting aside this minor, harmless issue, Nara Shikaku quite understands this seemingly comical choice.

The Moonlight Clan is considered one of the leading small and medium-sized clans in Konoha, ranking alongside clans such as the Shiranui Clan, the Yamashiro Clan, and the Shingetsu Clan. Hayate Gekko holds a very special position within the clan, being the only son of the current clan leader. If nothing unexpected happens, he should be the next clan leader of the Moonlight Clan.

And there's also the crimson sunset.

Kurenai's clan has a very short recorded history, ending only at her grandfather's generation. However, Kurenai's father, Kurenai Yuhi, was a very powerful ninja, but because he was of the same generation as Sakumo Hatake, his brilliance was overshadowed by the renowned Sakumo Hatake, so his fame was not prominent.

However, Kurenai Yuhi still enjoyed immense popularity among ordinary ninjas. Even though he sacrificed himself on the night of the Nine-Tails' attack, this popularity did not simply vanish. Instead, it was passed down to his only descendant, Kurenai Yuhi.

"What did you say?"

In the Hokage's office, Akimichi Torifu lay back in his large chair, tilting his head slightly as he looked at Nara Shikaku standing in front of his desk. "Sōgen-kun went there in person? Is he planning to make a big scene? Didn't you stop him... Ouch!" A severe headache made him stop mid-sentence.

"We can't stop them, and there's no way to stop them."

Nara Shikaku replied helplessly.

He was just the class leader of the Jonin class, and he had no say in what the Hokage's assistant should do. Moreover, the Hokage had already entrusted this matter entirely to Uchiha Sogen, and it was entirely up to Uchiha Sogen to handle it as he pleased. There was nothing to criticize about it.

"Lord Hokage, if you ask me, it would be best to leave this matter to your assistant, the Hokage. The Daimyo's forces have indeed become increasingly active lately, and it is necessary to give them a good talking-to. Since your assistant is willing to play the villain, there is no need to worry about who to send to handle this matter."

"As for whether the Hokage might go too far in assisting you... I don't think there's any need to worry about that happening. Although the Hokage is young, he's not the kind of reckless young man who can't handle things properly. Compared to this matter, your health, Hokage, is more important."

If it were at a different time,

Nara Shikaku probably wouldn't be so comfortable entrusting such an important matter to Uchiha Sogen. What he said earlier wasn't a lie. Based on his observation, Uchiha Sogen was indeed a young man who knew what was important and what was urgent. However, the problem was that if Uchiha Sogen deliberately wanted to make things worse, then there would be no reasoning with him.

only,

He simply didn't have the energy to think about the affairs of the Daimyo Prefecture. Akimichi Torifu's health was the most important thing. The Ino-Shika-Cho clans were closely connected, and their fates were intertwined. Akimichi Torifu's health would affect not only the Akimichi clan, but also the Nara and Yamanaka clans.

"My body..."

Akimichi Torifu gently rubbed his temples, sighed, and slowly said, "Even medical ninjas can't do much. These are all effects of old injuries. If they could be cured completely, they would have been cured long ago. In the past, we could suppress them because we were young, but now... Shikaku, Inoichi, Choza, don't waste your energy anymore. You should think about what to do next!"

The village's best medical ninja has already examined him.

To be honest, his illness is not a rare or incurable disease. The full name of the disease is "chronic bodily dysfunction syndrome," which is a sequela of recklessly exploiting one's body when young. It's not just Akimichi Torifu; to be precise, there are many elderly ninjas in the village who have similar symptoms.

Without exception, all the patients had abused their bodies without restraint when they were young, consuming countless forbidden and secret medicines like "soldier's ration pills" like eating melon seeds. The Akimichi clan, for example, had three secret medicines: curry pills, vegetable pills, and chili pills. Akimichi Torifu obviously relied on the power of these secret medicines to break through desperate situations when he was young.

This disease is quite complex, with different patients exhibiting different symptoms. According to records from Konoha Hospital, some patients experience a collapse of their immune system, while others experience gradual muscle atrophy and weakness. Akimichi Torifu's symptoms are somewhat similar to elevated systemic arterial blood pressure.

Currently, there are no effective treatments for this condition.