Saving the Uchiha clan starts with becoming the clan leader.

As for the rest of the Akatsuki organization...

Hidan has clearly fallen into Konoha's hands. Kakuzu seems to have escaped with a clone, but whether he actually made it out alive is, to be honest, too chaotic on the battlefield at the time to be sure of the situation. Orochimaru's fate is also unknown; it would be best if he were dead, rather than suddenly coming back to life.

And Konan... she will most likely fall into the hands of Konoha as well.

The operation to gather the remnants of Akatsuki was going nowhere and yielded nothing, so they simply came to Otogakure to keep watch and see if they could find any clues about Haku and the others. But just a few days later, Uchiha Shisui led a group of people and wiped out Otogakure again.

"I misspoke earlier, but Obito, just waiting like this isn't a good idea. We have to think of something. If we keep waiting like this, we might die of old age. Who knows if Haku really resurrected Orochimaru? That viper might be researching the Rinnegan somewhere right now!"

"Let's go to Konoha!"

Obito Uchiha suddenly said.

"Konoha?"

Black Zetsu rolled his eyes. "Are you planning to get involved in that so-called Chunin Exams?" Although they had suffered an unprecedented setback in Amegakure, Black Zetsu's intelligence channels had not been affected, and the White Zetsu were still reliably gathering intelligence.

He already knew that Konoha was going to hold an unprecedented Chunin Exam.

"Although it's still uncertain what opportunities we can take advantage of in this Chunin Exams, continuing to search for Haku or Sasori like headless flies will probably not yield any results. It would be better to try our luck in Konoha. All the ninja villages in the ninja world participate in the Chunin Exams, and there will definitely be all sorts of strange and monstrous people joining in the fun. Once the waters of Konoha become murky, there might really be a chance to fish in troubled waters."

Obito Uchiha spoke partly to Zetsu, and partly to strengthen his own resolve.

after all,

This sounds like it relies too much on luck and uncertainty, but he has racked his brains and can't find a better way. This is the only option he has left.

"Let's do it this way!"

Black Zetsu agreed to this solution, which was not a solution at all.

He also had to admit that he was completely out of options. Not only was Obito Uchiha helpless, but he was also at a loss. Nagato's Rinnegan had been taken away, the Gedo Mazo had been stolen, and all his trump cards had been used up. The remaining trump card had awkwardly lost the prerequisite for being played.

Such a predicament,

This was something he had not anticipated.

At this moment,

For Obito Uchiha, this was practically the only solution left. If he could instigate a new Shinobi World War between Konoha and the other four great ninja villages, perhaps he could seize Uchiha Sōgen's Rinnegan and simultaneously retrieve the Gedo Mazo, thus steer his shattered plans back onto the right path...

Ok!

He was just thinking about it; he knew the chances of realizing this idea were pitifully small, but it was still a thought, better than being truly desperate and having no hope at all.

"Let's go! There's nothing left to see!"

Obito Uchiha withdrew his gaze from the Hidden Sound Village below, and his figure vanished in the next instant.

"...Konoha, huh!"

Zetsu's figure slowly merged into the tree trunk, taking with him the kunai thrown by Obito Uchiha. Apart from the fresh wound on the tree trunk, there was no other evidence to prove that they had ever stayed here.

[Chapter 411. He's just like the old me]

"Konoha... Hmph, it doesn't seem like anything special." After entering Konoha Village, the boy looked around, taking in the scenery that was completely different from Sunagakure Village. He was utterly shocked by the bustling landscape he had never seen before.

of course,

As the saying goes, you may lose the game, but you shouldn't lose the battle.

How shocked you are in your heart is one thing, but you absolutely cannot back down in your words.

"Kankuro, shut up."

Hearing his disciple's mutterings, Maki glared at him fiercely. This disciple was good in every way: he was smart, diligent in his training, and his family background was first-rate in Sunagakure. The only flaw was that he couldn't control his mouth and always said inappropriate things. Whether it was the truth or a lie, it was definitely not pleasant to hear.

at the moment,

That's it.

Having just arrived, instead of being cautious in his words and actions, he directly commented on the merits and demerits of Konoha Village. He thought he was speaking very quietly, but the Konoha ninja in charge of guarding the gate was no pushover. Sure enough, the smile on the Konoha ninja's face, which had been speaking to him amicably just moments before, vanished, replaced by a cold indifference as if covered by a layer of frost.

Fortunately, all the necessary procedures have been completed.

There's no need to worry about being harassed.

But it's never good that this happened.

Maki hadn't forgotten the Kazekage's instructions before they set off: not to be the first to stick their neck out and clash with Konoha. Their Sunagakure village had already suffered enough from being the first to stick their neck out during the Third Shinobi World War, and they absolutely couldn't repeat the mistakes of the past this time.

and,

This sentence seems to have caused trouble beyond just the Konoha ninjas guarding the gate with their stern faces.

"Konoha is indeed nothing special, but the puppeteers of Sunagakure don't seem to be much better either!" Such blunt sarcasm sent chills down Maki's spine. He quickly looked in the direction of the voice, and when he saw the conspicuous flame fan crest on the boy's clothes, his expression—

A momentary distortion occurred.

Damn it!

How did I end up encountering the Uchiha?

This is incredibly bad luck!

"What did you say? Do you want to get beaten up?"

Kankuro was unhappy about being looked down upon. In Sunagakure, he was someone who could do whatever he wanted. Apart from his older sister and younger brother, he had never been afraid of anyone his age. Moreover, the other person's words not only looked down on him, but also directly belittled all the puppeteers in Sunagakure.

How could Kankuro, who had been obsessed with puppetry since childhood, tolerate this?

His eyes widened instantly, and he glared at her.

He discovered that the speaker was a boy who looked to be around the same age as him, with black hair, black eyes, and fair skin... Hmph, he could tell at a glance that he was all show and no substance. As for the family crest of the Flame Fan, Kankuro had naturally learned it, but a mere Uchiha who might not even have awakened his Sharingan was not worth his fear.

Even if you've opened your eyes, so what?

Puppet masters who excel at mid-to-long-range combat are not afraid of the Sharingan of the Uchiha clan.

"It's still uncertain who will beat whom!"

Sasuke chuckled.

Kankuro was furious at the utterly disdainful attitude of the man.

correct,

Standing opposite Kankuro at the entrance of Konoha Village was Uchiha Sasuke, who had returned from a mission with Naruto and Sakura. The young Uchiha was immediately displeased when he heard someone talking badly about the village, especially when he saw Kankuro's cat-eared cloak. He didn't even need to see his headband to confirm that Kankuro was a Sand Ninja.

Cat-ear cloak

This is the traditional attire of the puppeteers of Sunagakure.

Even in Sunagakure, only puppeteers would wear this kind of clothing. In addition, the long, bandaged object that Kankuro was carrying on his back was probably the opponent's puppet. Not to mention that the opponent's companions were also dressed in Sunagakure attire that was so distinctive that it was easy to spot them.

After realizing that the other party was a Sand Ninja

Sasuke was even more displeased. If a nobleman from a certain country said such a thing, it would be somewhat understandable. But you, a country bumpkin from Sunagakure, are putting on airs like this. Because Sakura was learning puppetry, he also put in the effort to understand puppeteers and puppetry in order to better coordinate their attacks.

otherwise,

He had no idea what a cat-eared cloak was before.

"Then let me see if your fists are as hard as your mouth."

Provoked and enraged, Kankuro raised his hand, ready to teach this Uchiha brat a lesson...

"Kankuro, stop right now!"

Maki delivered a powerful chop to Kankuro's head, causing the young puppeteer to instinctively clutch his head and crouch on the ground, screaming in agony.

"Alright, Sasuke, that's enough with the banter. Don't start a fight at the village gate, it's not a good look." Kakashi, who had been talking to the Chunin guarding the gate and pretending not to notice what was happening, stepped in, patted Sasuke on the shoulder, and calmed the Uchiha boy down.

Immediately,

Their gaze turned to Machi.

"I apologize; it was my disciple who spoke rudely," Maki said decisively.

"It's alright, it's alright, I understand. Aren't all young people like this? They all have such high expectations... Are you here to participate in the Chunin Exams?" Kakashi asked.

"Yes."

Maki nodded.

Pretend not to hear the other person's sarcastic remarks.

"But if I remember correctly, the Sand Village team that participated in the exam arrived three days ago, didn't they?"

Kakashi looked at the group of four with suspicion.

There's not much to say about Maki, the Sand Village Jonin wearing a headscarf; he's clearly a skilled fighter, but that's about it. His gaze shifts to the boys and girls. The blonde girl carries an iron fan on her back, suggesting she's proficient in Wind Release techniques. That kind of iron fan is a unique ninja tool of Sand Village, specifically developed and crafted to assist Wind Release ninjas.

Then there's the boy in the cat-ear cloak arguing with Sasuke. Just by looking at the paint patterns on his face, you can tell he's a puppeteer from Sunagakure with a legitimate lineage. He might not be an unknown figure in the future, but to be honest, he's nothing special either.

but,

When you see the last boy,

Kakashi's brow furrowed slightly without him noticing.

With short, bright red hair and a bright red "love" character etched on his forehead, the boy carried a large, earth-yellow gourd that was nearly a meter tall. He stood silently like a statue inside the entrance to Konoha Village. Despite the bustling noise around him, he exuded a deep sense of loneliness.

It seems,

It is as if you are in another empty and deserted world.

"There was a slight mishap on the way. Because I was afraid of missing the exam, the others came first. I was worried that I might not be able to participate in this unprecedented Chunin Exam. Fortunately, my luck wasn't too bad. I rushed as fast as I could and finally made it in time."

Without any hesitation, Maki fluently delivered the excuse he had prepared.

The truth that he was afraid of his other disciple and therefore dared not and was unwilling to act together, so he simply split into two groups and came to Konoha one after the other, must never be revealed. Once exposed, it would inevitably involve the identity of his other disciple.

If it escalates to that point,

Things could get very difficult to handle.

Although he had opposed bringing another disciple to the Chunin Exams from the beginning, fearing that things might get out of control and would be bad for Sunagakure, the Kazekage was determined to use this unprecedented Chunin Exams to showcase Sunagakure's strength to the outside world.

If we can successfully attract more mission requests, taking certain risks is entirely acceptable.

In the end, Maki, a Jonin, naturally couldn't go against the Kazekage.

He brought another disciple with him, who was also the youngest son of the Kazekage, to Konoha. Maki glanced at his most troublesome disciple out of the corner of his eye without making a sound. Fortunately, he was behaving himself and had not caused any chain reaction because of the trouble that Kankuro had caused.

Then--