Saving the Uchiha clan starts with becoming the clan leader.

It's a miracle that the ninja world hasn't been ruined by ninjas until now!

"Not moving forward?"

Seeing Kazuma standing still and not moving, Murasaki looked puzzled.

"It shouldn't be necessary. If nothing unexpected happens, our target should appear soon... I don't believe he wouldn't know about the commotion here." Kazuma clenched his fist. He had accidentally destroyed the staff in a moment of carelessness. The spare staff was in the scroll, and it was too troublesome to take it out. He would have to make do with it for now!

"Are you sure that if they really saw what happened just now, they would still have the guts to come over? Instead of running away in the opposite direction from us?"

Murasaki was skeptical of this.

"It shouldn't be that bad, right?"

Kazuma said in an uncertain tone.

"Who knows? They don't dare to show themselves, they only know how to command those monsters to attack us, so they're probably not any powerful figures." Zi Zi shrugged.

only--

At this moment, Tianmu, who had been silent, suddenly raised his eyebrows and stared intently at the protruding rock in front of him.

"Young lady, isn't it a bit despicable to talk badly about people behind their backs?"

White hair, white robe, red eyes... just simple red eyes, not Sharingan. In short, the palace's master emerged slowly from the ground like a ghost. "Indeed, you have given me a great surprise, but I am braver than a rat, and I am not so easily scared away."

Despite being caught gossiping behind her back, Zizi didn't seem to care. Instead, she rolled her eyes dismissively and said listlessly, "Well, I'm really sorry!"

Sincerity

There really wasn't a single drop.

This apology only reveals a perfunctory attitude.

Clearly, the palace master had not expected the other party to be so shameless, and for a moment he did not know how to deal with it. After a two-second silence, he gave up the idea of ​​arguing with Zizi and asked in a deep voice: "Enough nonsense, tell me your purpose, you traitors of the Twelve Guardian Ninjas. I will decide what to do with you based on your answer."

[Chapter 291. Chess Pieces Don't Necessarily Have to Be All in Your Hands]

"Has it already been seen through?"

Kazuma reached up and adjusted his straw hat, looking up at the white-haired, red-eyed man. "May I ask how you saw through my identity? Was my disguise really that bad? Or has my reputation spread to the point that even you've heard of Hiruko?"

As his identity was revealed, he also called out the other party's real name.

Beiluhu,

Konoha's S-rank rogue ninja.

This is the true identity of the middle-aged man with white hair and red eyes, wearing a high-necked white robe.

Perhaps in his own eyes, he was clumsy, dull, and lacking in talent, as mediocre as a piece of trash. Looking up at his friends who were known as the "Three Ninjas," he tried his best but could not stand on the same level as them, and therefore felt deeply inferior.

In order to gain the right to stand shoulder to shoulder with his friends, he reached for the sealed forbidden arts.

However, fate seemed to be constantly working against him.

The forbidden techniques have not yet been fully understood.

His actions were discovered by the Third Hokage, who dispatched the Sannin to arrest him. Feeling that he was no match for his friends, Hiruko chose to defect, leaving Konoha as a rogue ninja and falling completely into evil ways.

"The forbidden technique of the Earth Spider Clan, Raging Heaven."

Hiruko answered Kazuma's question, saying matter-of-factly, "Since you know who I am, you should know that as a Konoha ninja, how could I not know this forbidden technique of the Tsuchigumo clan? In addition, the En no Gyoza was ambushed and killed five years ago, so... it's not hard to deduce your identities."

This statement is illogical.

Who says that all Konoha ninjas know the forbidden techniques of the Tsuchigumo clan? This kind of secret is known only to a few people in Konoha.

However, if we only look at Hiruko himself and carefully examine his past experiences, we will find that it would be really strange if this guy didn't know what the forbidden techniques of the Tsuchigumo clan were. After all, Hiruko felt that he was not talented enough, and in order to make up for this innate deficiency, he had tried his best to investigate all the forbidden techniques and secret techniques that could make him stronger, just like Kazuma.

The forbidden technique of the Tsuchigumo clan: Raging Hair Heaven.

Naturally, it was impossible for him to escape his notice.

Unfortunately, at that time, the warrior was still in his prime. Hiruko did not believe he had enough confidence to seize the forbidden technique of the Tsuchigumo clan. He did not plan to meet with his fallen comrades so soon and removed him from his shortlist without hesitation.

Five years ago,

Information about the assassination of the Enno Gyoza by the traitors of the Twelve Guardian Ninjas and the ambush by Ma and others has not yet been received.

Despite Hiruko's years of concealment—so secretive that even the Hidden Leaf Village's ANBU assassination squad speculated he might have killed himself while experimenting with forbidden techniques in some remote corner of the ninja world—how could they have gone so many years without finding a single clue?

Anyway,

The fact that Beiliu Huzang was good does not mean that he was truly isolated from the world.

On the contrary, it is precisely because he needs to evade the tracking of Konoha's ANBU that it is essential for him to keep up with the latest intelligence, lest he find out when someone has already reached his doorstep, which would be too late.

"I see."

Kazuma accepted this explanation, which seemed somewhat absurd at first glance, but upon closer examination, it actually made some sense. "I knew my disguise couldn't have been that bad..."

"I don't think wearing a straw hat is some kind of clever disguise... Forget it, stop trying to change the subject. Answer my questions: What is your purpose in being here? And how did you find your way here?"

Hiruko promptly steered the conversation back on track.

And then a new problem was added.

Just as Kazuma was confident in his disguise, Hiruko was equally confident in his ability to hide. There was more than one lair similar to Mount Miro, yet Kazuma and his group found him precisely. This made one wonder if he had given himself away somewhere.

"The purpose? Shall we say it here?"

"I've already said that I will decide what to do with you based on your answers."

So the words say,

However, Hiruko already had a vague premonition that these guys didn't seem to be there to cause him trouble. Otherwise, they wouldn't have needed to say so much. And because he was wary of the destructive power of the Earth Spider Clan's forbidden technique, he didn't immediately turn hostile. Instead, he wanted to see what they were going to say.

"Cooperation."

Kazuma took a deep breath of the cold air. "Hiruko, I've come here to seek cooperation."

"cooperate?"

Bei Liuhu remained calm and composed.

This answer... is not that surprising.

"What kind of cooperation is this? In my opinion, cooperation is about each getting what they need. You've come to me because I have what you want, but I don't need anything from you... This doesn't seem like a cooperative relationship."

"Don't worry, I dare to say such a thing because I have the corresponding confidence."

Kazuma remained calm.

His confident demeanor made Hiruko suspicious. This guy didn't seem to be talking nonsense... But the problem was, he really didn't have any needs! Even that forbidden technique of the Earth Spider clan, to be honest, he wasn't very interested in it now.

Having already established his grand plan, he no longer needed those superfluous things.

It's still quite interesting!

He wanted to see what kind of bargaining chips He Ma could come up with.

"Those monsters just now were created by the [Oni-Garra Technique], right?" Kazuma asked, bringing up something that seemed unrelated at this moment.

"Yes."

Beiliuhu readily admitted it.

He defected from Konoha because his research on the forbidden Oni-Garra technique was exposed. Although this matter was not made public, the reason on the wanted poster was that he harmed his fellow villagers... But since Maren was able to find his hiding place, it is not surprising that he would have mastered the Oni-Garra technique.

"I don't know much about the Oni-Garuru Technique. It seems that the essence of this forbidden technique is fusion? Fusion of different animals, fusion of animals and humans. However, your goal is not to transform yourself into a half-human, half-animal form. You are planning to use this forbidden technique to fuse the power of your bloodline limit, right?"

The moment the words fell,

The atmosphere suddenly became heavy and stagnant, like the biting frost of winter hitting us in the face.

Hiruko's face, mostly hidden by his high collar, lost all expression, leaving only a cold indifference like unyielding ice. His crimson eyes offered no warmth; instead, their icy gaze seemed to penetrate to the very marrow of one's bones.

"Where did you learn about these things?"

Beiliuhu felt a chill in his heart.

Using the power of the Oni-Garaku Technique to fuse multiple bloodline limits in order to reach the realm of immortality and invincibility is indeed his plan. However, this plan is still only on paper, and he has never revealed anything about it.

To be reasonable,

No one should know about this except him.

Unless... someone has been closely monitoring him without his knowledge, or someone has been reading his memories and thoughts without physical contact? However, such a conjecture seemed far too absurd to him.

But what's even more absurd is that this seems to be the only reasonable explanation for why outsiders would know about one's secret.

“Where I know this isn’t important; what matters is that I can offer something that will tempt you.” Kazuma formed a hand seal, bit his thumb, and used a summoning jutsu to summon one—

people?

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.

Konoha Village.

Spring is in full bloom.

Obito Uchiha sat on a cherry tree branch in the corner, his gaze, filled with complex emotions he couldn't quite define, silently watching the unfamiliar yet familiar school through the holes in his mask, observing the boys and girls sweating it out on the training field.

once Upon a time,

He was one of them.

Like these young boys and girls, he strives with hope for the future, all for the most beautiful moonlight in his heart!

Are you reminiscing about the past?

The pitcher plant poked its head out from the tree trunk beside it, and Black Zetsu's gloomy voice entered Obito Uchiha's ears.

"Hmph! What a boring and stupid question. What's there to miss about that past?" These were his true feelings. The memories of the past only brought him inescapable pain and despair, and the sadness that seeped into his bones has never faded.

"I was just saying! I'm here to tell you that Kazuma used a summoning technique, and he has already summoned the person there."

"Have you made contact already? You're moving quickly."

"It's quite efficient, but... isn't it too troublesome?"

Are you questioning my decision?

"I just think it's too much trouble to do it this way."

"But we have no choice but to do this. The Akatsuki needs cannon fodder with some value, and we also need people to help push the plan forward. If possible, I would like to recruit usable talent directly and leisurely. However, the problem now is that talent is hard to come by."