Saving the Uchiha clan starts with becoming the clan leader.

"What? Isn't that right? Or is there something you can't say?"

He looked at Zongxian and asked.

"I just heard some rumors in the village."

"But you're taking the rumors to heart, aren't you? Doesn't that mean you want to know about your parents? There's nothing strange about that. It's normal for a child to want to know who their parents are, what kind of people they are... There's nothing to be ashamed of."

Naruto fell silent.

Even after Zongxian said that, he didn't ask any further questions about his parents.

"Naruto, you really are a smart kid."

Seeing Naruto's reaction, Sogen sighed softly, "Was it that Yagura Kaguchi leaked the truth to you before? Or did you already have a suspicion from the beginning?"

Naruto lowered his head.

They remained silent.

The chopsticks kept stirring the rice grains in the bowl.

Fujika stared wide-eyed, completely bewildered. Yakumo looked thoughtfully at Naruto, thinking that the rumors seemed to be true. He never expected that Naruto was actually the Fourth Hokage's child. This was truly... astonishing!

"Once a mirror is broken, it can never be restored to its smooth, flawless state. The truth revealed after a lie is exposed cannot be ignored just because you want to. Self-deception may give you temporary peace of mind, but some things you have to face sooner or later."

"Moreover, your special characteristics mean that even if you wanted to escape, it would be impossible."

Zongxian's words were like a sharp blade, mercilessly dissecting the cocoon that Naruto had wrapped around himself.

"But even if we know the truth, what good will it do?"

Naruto's voice was high-pitched and sharp.

While in the park, he naively thought that if he were the Fourth Hokage's child, perhaps people wouldn't hate or despise him. However, when he discovered that he might really be the Fourth Hokage's child, he wasn't overjoyed; instead, he felt increasingly pained.

I really am the child of the Fourth Hokage.

He is the child of a hero.

Then,

Why was I called a 'fox demon' by everyone in the village?

He couldn't use the meager words he'd learned at the ninja academy to describe the pain and anger.

This is why he vehemently denied his connection with the Fourth Hokage in front of Yakumo and Fujika. The pain was so unbearable that he tried to deceive himself, ignoring the reality that was already close at hand, and immersing himself in the illusion of the past.

"There's nothing we can do."

Zongxian calmly replied, "Your deceased parents will not come back to life, nor will the malice you have endured since childhood become as if it never happened. These are things you cannot change. However... you can decide your future. Only the future is in your own hands."

"future?"

Naruto stared at him, bewildered.

“Yes, the future!” Zongxian nodded. “Of course, not everyone has the ability to grasp their own future. Most people are just drifting along in the torrent called fate. Taking control of one’s own future is not something that can be done by simply talking.”

Naruto lowered his head again, and started moving his chopsticks once more.

For this,

Zongxian was not disappointed at all. It takes time for the seeds planted to take root and sprout. Patience is an essential step to enjoying the fruits of one's labor. He was eager to see whether what would sprout from the soil would be fragrant flowers, deadly fungi, or just ordinary weeds.

What will Naruto's future hold?

This is a research topic that is well worth observing!

He was looking forward to seeing a different Naruto Uzumaki.

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.

An unnamed island.

The island's forests are dotted with tents, and thousands of Mist Ninja have gathered there. Unlike other ninjas who need to spread out their forces to defend the long coastline, the Mist Ninjas only need to set up camps at a few key points, and their attack range naturally covers most of the eastern coastline of the Land of Fire.

Besides this place, there are two other bases where troops are stationed.

"Mangetsu, do you know about that rumor?" In a corner of the camp, Hozuki Mangetsu, Momochi Zabuza, Hoshigaki Kisame, Ringo Ameyuri, and others who had just returned from a mission were eating when Momochi Zabuza suddenly asked.

"gossip?"

Hozuki Mangetsu looked over in confusion, "What rumor?"

"The rumor is that the Fourth Mizukage has been captured by the Konoha ninja." Zabuza Momochi mumbled, sipping miso soup and munching on a hard rice ball.

"Oh, this? I've heard of it. Someone mentioned it a few days ago, right? Then I remember the Fourth Hokage came out to inspect the camp, and the rumors were dispelled... Zabuza, why are you bringing this up? You don't still think the current Fourth Hokage is a fake, do you?" Hozuki Mangetsu teased his companion with a grin.

Why is it impossible?

Zabuza Momochi's face showed no smile, even though he had always been a serious person.

"If the Fourth Hokage currently located in the center of the camp is a fake, then wouldn't those recent muddle-headed tactical commands that sent people to their deaths make sense? Moreover, based on my observations, the Fourth Hokage's lifestyle and behavior have undergone significant changes recently, and these changes were quite sudden, appearing around the time the rumors started spreading..."

Zabuza Momochi put down his empty bowl, took out a notebook from his vest pocket, and continued to share his observations at a rapid pace, seemingly oblivious to the changing expressions on his companions' faces.

As for,

The reasons why he was observing the Fourth Hokage were not explained.

But in fact, it goes without saying that they are all native Kirigakure ninja. Assassinations, rebellions, and coups are commonplace in Kirigakure, so there is nothing surprising about them. The Fourth Mizukage, Yagura Karatachi, has already survived many assassination attempts, and even Hozuki Mangetsu is considering whether to kill the Fourth Mizukage.

Kisame Hoshigaki's eyes flickered, but he remained silent.

Ringo Ameyuri, the lightning release genius, didn't care what her companions were saying at all. As long as she could enjoy the thrill of battle, she didn't care whether the Fourth Mizukage was real or fake. At least she still had a concept of the village and a bottom line. But who knows, heaven knows if she would betray them in pursuit of a more exciting battle.

The number of rogue ninja in Kirigakure is absolutely the highest in the ninja world.

In contrast,

Unable to gain an advantage in numbers, Konoha had to rely on quality to win; Orochimaru alone was worth more than a hundred Mist Ninja.

"So what are you planning to do?"

Hozuki Mangetsu also put down the empty bowl in his hand and stared at Momochi Zabuza diagonally across from him.

"I······"

Zabuza Momochi put away his notebook and was about to invite Mangetsu Hozuki to discuss important matters when he suddenly fell silent, pricked up his ears, and listened carefully. He caught the faint sound of an explosion coming from afar, and his expression changed instantly. He stood up along with Mangetsu Hozuki, Kisame Hoshigaki, and Ameyuri Ringo.

[Chapter 113. The Technique of Concealing Fog and the Technique of Silent Killing]

The western side of the nameless island was originally a mudflat. After the Mist Ninja arrived on the island, they gathered many Mist Ninjas skilled in Earth Release techniques and used them to transform the surrounding terrain into an artificial port, making it convenient for the Mist Ninjas to enter and exit. From here, they could directly attack the eastern coast of the Land of Fire.

"A barrier?"

Zongxian stood on the deck, calmly gazing at the nameless island before him.

Smoke rises from an island nestled under a clear sky and on a vast ocean. Through the Sharingan's vision, a blurry, illusory barrier covers the entire island. It is clear that this is a fairly traditional sensory barrier, completely abandoning defensive capabilities and only maximizing sensory abilities.

Infiltrating the island without triggering the barrier is virtually impossible.

"So······"

Zongxian turned around and asked, "Who will lead the charge?"

This problem caused internal strife within the Uchiha clan. The eager clan members almost fought each other before even starting the war with the Mist Ninja. In the end, everyone involved suffered a beating, which led to an unexpected person taking the lead.

Yagura, the leader of the Yagura tribe, took the lead in battle.

This is no joke. The Fourth Mizukage was indeed the first to make a move. He submerged underwater and approached, calmly passing through the barrier that he knew so well he could break it with his eyes closed. He took down the sentry ninja with just a few punches and kicks. He was very heavy-handed.

The fallen Mist Ninja had broken bones in his forearm and lower leg.

It's like losing the ability to act and fight, turning into a helpless prey.

From Yagura's perspective, breaking a few bones and recovering for a few months was better than being slaughtered like a pig by the Konoha ninjas. If possible, he hoped to end the war by avoiding any unnecessary casualties, but he also knew that such thoughts were nothing short of wishful thinking.

What war doesn't result in death?

After eliminating three squads of Mist Ninja, Yagura Karatachi couldn't keep his whereabouts a secret forever. The Mist Ninja weren't so weak as to be easily defeated. The loss of contact with the forward outposts alerted the Mist Ninja at the rear. Without even a second's hesitation, they flung out kunai with explosive tags attached.

The sound of an explosion is the most obvious signal.

"You bastard!"

Yagura was furious.

Are you in such a hurry to die?

The force of the attack increased threefold, and the arms and legs of the Mist Ninja who threw the explosive tag were broken by Yagura Karatachi.

While the Village of Bloody Mist did acquire its name after Obito Uchiha manipulated Yagura Karatachi, this naturally baby-faced man was by no means a kind soul. In fact, it was quite surprising that such a delicate flower as Chojuro could emerge from that godforsaken place of Mist Ninja!

Before being manipulated by Obito Uchiha, Yagura Karatachi maintained an iron-fisted rule in Kirigakure. His cute appearance and gentlemanly manners were just a facade. In reality, Yagura Karatachi and the previous Mizukage were just as ruthless. Soft-hearted people would not have a good end in Kirigakure.

"You, you, you... Lord Mizukage?"

The fallen Mist Ninja was also a tough guy; even with his limbs broken, he didn't faint. Looking at Yagura Karatachi, whose face was no longer concealed, he was so shocked that he almost lost the ability to think. As a Sentinel, he was, after all, a sensory ninja.

Others might think it's some kind of magic trick like a transformation.

However, he confirmed Yagura's identity by using his close-range chakra sensing ability.

This is the real Mizukage. The Transformation Technique only changes appearance; it cannot change a person's chakra nature.

"Lord Mizukage, what exactly is going on? Why are you with the Konoha ninjas?" When this Mist Ninja saw the Konoha ninjas appearing beside Yagura Karatachi, he was completely dumbfounded. His own Mizukage had colluded with the Konoha ninjas to launch a sneak attack on his base?

and many more,

If I remember correctly, the Mizukage seems to have stayed on the island these past few days without leaving, but the aura of Yagura Karatachi in front of me is genuine; he doesn't look like a fake at all...

"I don't have time to waste with you. If you don't want to die, lie still. You'll have a chance to learn the truth." Yagura Karatachi stepped over the Mist Ninja at his feet and advanced into the island at top speed.

but,

At this point, it was no longer his solo performance time.

"Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique!!"

Uchiha Akitarou stood in front of the forest and spat out a burst of fire. The blazing fireball burned away a large area of ​​the forest and several Mist Ninja hiding in the woods. This was just the beginning. As experts in playing with fire, the Uchiha were not intimidated at all, even when facing the Mist Ninja, who were masters of playing with water.

"Fire Release: Phoenix Flower Technique".

Uchiha Hokuto leaped into the air, showering down flames like rain.

"Wind Release: Great Breakthrough".