I, Naruto Uzumaki, don't need your approval.

"The old patriarch's eyes are indeed sharp..."

Naruto first praised him, then began his self-introduction: "That's right, I'm not Menma, my real name is Uzumaki Naruto, my mother is Kushina of the Uzumaki clan, I was raised by Konoha to be a Jinchuriki from a young age, and I have now left Konoha."

"As for why I left Konoha, that's an unpleasant memory. Now I just want to find some decent ninjas to build up my forces and deal with those troublesome enemies. After thinking it over, I decided to make Uzushiogakure my base."

Ashina Uzumaki gave Naruto a deep look, then said:

"If you're unwilling to say anything, how can I believe you? Besides, as the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki, you possess strength comparable to my prime, enough to protect an entire village. Why would you specifically summon me?"

"Because the Uzumaki clan's lineage has been broken, I need the Uzumaki clan's secret techniques to be passed down, and I also need an experienced senior to manage the village while I am away to prevent problems from arising in the village."

Facing Ashina Uzumaki, who had been dead for many years, Naruto did not hide his true thoughts.

With his hands folded over his chest, Ashina Uzumaki said meaningfully, "What benefit can I gain from teaching you the Uzumaki Secret Technique and assisting you in managing the newly built village? I'm already a dead man; worldly things are useless to me."

This was a bit of a headache for Naruto, as he couldn't offer enough benefits to persuade Ashina Uzumaki.

Is the only option to forcefully send the opponent back to the Pure Land, or to forcibly control them with Kotoamatsukami? But Kotoamatsukami has a very long cooldown time. Even if he has White Zetsu cells, transplanting White Zetsu will still take time, and there are unknown risks involved.

Seeing Naruto's expression, Ashina Uzumaki laughed and said:

"You have the blood of the Vortex clan flowing through your veins, so you are naturally qualified to learn the Vortex Secret Techniques. I am not one to be stingy with my inheritance, but the Vortex Secret Techniques are extremely difficult, and my body cannot be maintained for long. Are you confident that you can learn all the Vortex Secret Techniques in half a year?"

At this point, Ashina Uzumaki's expression turned serious, as if he were speaking of something sacred.

Naruto nodded slightly. It was certainly a good thing to be able to learn the Uzumaki clan's secret techniques. After agreeing to the other party's conditions, he could also ask them to leave a written record of the Uzumaki clan's sealing techniques.

After the deal was struck, Ashina Uzumaki released the sealing jutsu, and Naruto regained control of the Edo Tensei.

After that, Naruto reverted to his Menma disguise and had Ashina Uzumaki remove the sealing jutsu from Himon, who showed a lingering fear in his eyes.

"Senior Mianma, did you persuade the old clan chief? Grandpa said that the old clan chief is very stubborn."

Naruto nodded slightly. Although strength played a role, he had largely used persuasion to reach a deal with the clan elder.

At that moment, Ashina Uzumaki approached Himon and suddenly said, "Who are you calling stubborn?"

Whirlpool Fire Gate broke out in a cold sweat and quickly explained, "It's my grandfather. My grandfather is stubborn and unreasonable. He's an old scoundrel who always speaks ill of the old clan chief behind his back."

Upon hearing this, the old clan chief's expression softened somewhat. He snorted and continued to follow behind Naruto.

After Ashina and Naruto left, Himono wiped the sweat from his brow and hurriedly followed, finally feeling relieved.

Although being sealed away by the old patriarch was very uncomfortable, there was also a strange sense of peace...

Perhaps this is what family feels like.

Chapter 92 The Truth About the Water Shadow

After the White Zetsu sent to monitor the Uchiha clan went missing one after another, Obito finally took notice.

Obito didn't take the Uchiha remnants who escaped Konoha under Shisui's leadership too seriously. He only sent White Zetsu to monitor them, just to observe Shisui's movements.

After all, the existence of this group of Uchiha could both restrain the disobedient Uchiha Itachi and, at the right time, send messages to Konoha, drawing the attention of Konoha's higher-ups to the remnants of the Uchiha clan. It was a win-win situation.

However, the repeated disappearances of White Zetsu forced Obito to focus his attention on them.

Although White Zetsu is not very intelligent, it has the ability to use Wood Release. After transplanting it into a White Zetsu's body, it can reduce the consumption of its eye power. If Shisui, who has awakened the Mangekyou Sharingan, were to master this technique, it would be a considerable threat.

However, Obito has not yet figured out exactly how to deal with Shisui.

A direct attack would be too risky, and if he were to fight alongside Itachi Uchiha, he was unsure whether the two had truly broken ties or might turn against him and join forces against him for causing the Nine-Tails' chaos.

With this in mind, Obito abandoned the idea of ​​continuing to send White Zetsu to monitor them and decided to share the information with the Akatsuki organization.

Besides him and Itachi, there must be many others in the organization who have designs on the remnants of the Uchiha clan, especially Orochimaru, who is particularly keen on human experimentation, and Sasori of the Red Sand, who modifies puppets. Kakuzu might also be mobilized to earn the bounty.

Pulling back his wandering thoughts, he stood in the Mizukage's mansion, gazing at the Hidden Mist Village shrouded in gloom.

Whenever he had free time, he would come to Kirigakure and, as the Fourth Mizukage, issue all sorts of cruel orders. He also incited the Kirigakure ninja to carry out a purge of the bloodline clans of the Land of Water.

One reason for this is to pass the time, as a pastime when waiting for something boring.

On the other hand, it was to weaken the power of Kirigakure and prepare for the future collection of the Tailed Beasts. After all, the Tailed Beasts were the foundation of the Five Great Nations, and he and Nagato's Akatsuki organization could not face the siege of multiple great nations at the same time.

In addition, it also contained some personal venting, after all, he could not forget that rainy night when he activated his divine power.

Even if the real world is a lie, he wouldn't mind making Kirigakure pay the price.

At this moment, Zetsu, who was active in Kirigakure, emerged from the ground and said to Obito, "Obito, the Kirigakure ninja you were watching has completed his mission. He killed Suigetsu Hozuki, one of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist, and returned to Kirigakure."

Upon hearing this, Obito nodded and manipulated the Fourth Mizukage, whose eyes were vacant and lifeless, to leave the mansion.

Inside the dark and damp Kirigakure ANBU base, Obito met Kisame Hoshigaki, a young Kirigakure Jonin whom he valued.

Kisame carried a sack in one hand and the large sword Samehada in the other, his eyes filled with excitement.

The sack contained the head of his former superior. Samehada was one of the Seven Swords of the Mist, and possessing it granted one the title of one of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist. Since he had gained the Mizukage's approval, he became a new member of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist.

The reason he killed his superior, Suigetsu Hobutsuki, was also very simple.

This old Jonin, who had once made great contributions to Kirigakure, betrayed the village, sold information to the enemy country, and plotted against the Fourth Mizukage.

"Lord Fourth Generation, this is the head of a traitor..."

As they spoke, Kisame began to discreetly observe Yagura, a ninja who looked like a child but was actually the Jinchuriki of the Three-Tails and the Fourth Mizukage of the village.

He had heard far too many arguments in the village about this water spirit.

The Fourth Mizukage ended the Blood Mist policy established by the Third Mizukage, but then turned his attention to the bloodline clans in the village, increasing the voice of commoner ninjas while significantly weakening the village's overall strength.

Those ninjas who dared to criticize the Mizukage's policies were either dismissed from their posts or imprisoned, and ultimately, they could not escape death, causing panic throughout the village.

But so what? He's a ninja. A ninja only needs to complete the mission; he doesn't need to know the reason behind it.

Sometimes he wondered why the Fourth Mizukage would issue orders so casually, and why he stayed in his mansion and the Mizukage Building all year round, unwilling to meet with the other Jonin in the village.

Could it be that the village already has a Jonin who can threaten the Fourth Mizukage's life?

Just as Kisame was pondering, Obito stepped out from behind Yagura, staring at him expressionlessly, the red light of his Sharingan flashing beneath his mask.

The moment Kisame saw the Sharingan, he understood everything.

Why did the Fourth Hokage issue a series of incomprehensible orders? Why was he unwilling to meet with the Jonin of the village? It turns out that Yagura Karatachi, the strongest ninja of Kirigakure, was nothing more than a puppet of the person in front of him.

This world has always been a lie; what is the truth? Kisame was lost in confusion.

Kisame quickly frowned: "Who exactly are you? How did you manage to control the Fourth Hokage?"

Obito smiled without saying a word, then slowly removed his mask and said, "I am the one who manipulates Kirigakure from behind the scenes, the former Asura of the Ninja World, Uchiha Madara."

"Uchiha Madara?" Kisame muttered the name over and over again, completely losing his composure.

Just then, Obito's voice rang out in the corridor: "How do you feel after seeing the truth of the Village of Blood Mist? Do you want to attack me, or do you want to search for the truth of the world together?"

Kisame fell silent. If Madara had only recently taken control of the Mizukage, he could still convince himself to take action against Madara.

But Madara is an old monster who survived the Warring States period. Kirigakure may have been under his control for the past few decades. So the real Mizukage is actually a puppet, and the person he has always been loyal to is Uchiha Madara in front of him.

After realizing the absurdity of the world, Kisame was unsure of what to do.

……

The process of subduing Kisame went smoothly. Obito easily gained a Jonin subordinate and gave him the mission of assassinating the Daimyo of the Land of Water.

The mission to assassinate the daimyo was, of course, doomed to fail.

If the mission fails, Kisame will become a rogue ninja, and then we'll try to get him to join the Akatsuki organization as a member.

Over the years, he used his position as Mizukage to recruit many Jonin and also sent Juzo Biwa into the Akatsuki organization.

However, Kisame was showing signs of getting out of control and was getting closer and closer to Nagato and Konan, so he chose Kisame as his new protégé and planned to infiltrate the Akatsuki organization as his spy in the future.

After watching Kisame leave, Obito picked up the list recorded by the Hidden Mist Anbu. The list contained Jonin who were dissatisfied with the Mizukage. These Jonin seemed to be secretly forming a society and intending to launch a coup against the Fourth Mizukage.

Obito glanced at the names on the list, crossed out Zabuza and Hozuki Mangetsu, and a smile appeared on his lips.

He planned to instigate a coup, which would give him a reason to kill these two rising stars of Kirigakure, weaken Kirigakure's fighting power, and reduce it to a second-rate ninja village even worse than Sunagakure. This was one of Obito's few sources of enjoyment.

Chapter 93 The Vajra Lockdown and Historical Legacy

The territory of the Land of Whirlpools.

Naruto is practicing the Uzumaki clan's sealing techniques under the guidance of the old clan leader.

Unlike ordinary ninjutsu, sealing techniques are ninjutsu created to seal chakra. Like the Three Body Technique, they do not require a specific chakra attribute; all that is needed is a large amount of chakra and talent for training.

As a descendant of the Uzumaki clan and the Nine-Tails' jinchūriki, Naruto naturally has no problem with chakra reserves.

However, talent in cultivation is unpredictable. He found the theories of many sealing techniques obscure and difficult to understand. It took him nearly two months to learn only a few sealing techniques, and he didn't even fully master the Vajra Sealing Technique.

After listening to the old clan leader's theory, Naruto turned his attention to the White Zetsu he had captured earlier.

He then had the old patriarch remove the seals on the White Zetsu, using them as practice subjects for his sealing techniques.

As the training began, Naruto gathered chakra, and golden chains suddenly appeared behind him, flying around in the air and aiming at the White Zetsu who had lost his shackles.

Logically, after repeated capture practice, White Zetsu should have completely given up resistance and become a helpless, laid-back creature.

However, White Zetsu seems to be a single-threaded creature that only acts according to commands. While using Wood Release to intercept the golden chains, it used the Mayfly Technique to dive underground, attempting to escape the territory of the Land of Whirlpools in this way.

White Zetsu's resistance was futile; on the hard rocky ground, the Mayfly Technique was completely ineffective.

In just half a minute, the King Kong Lockdown had caught all the fleeing White Zetsu, but due to a lack of control over the force, one White Zetsu accidentally died.

Upon seeing the death of White Zetsu, the old clan chief felt a pang of regret: "Naruto, where did you find these strange creatures? They look like humans, but they are not human. If we had these sparring partners back then, the clan's training speed would have been much faster."

"I'm not quite sure either, maybe it respawns automatically in the wild."

Naruto casually brushed it off. Of course he knew the origin of White Zetsu. White Zetsu were humans who were trapped in the Infinite Tsukuyomi a thousand years ago. Their souls and chakra were absorbed by the God Tree, and their bodies were assimilated into White Zetsu.

In other words, the existence of White Zetsu is more like that of puppets implanted with programs.

"Automatic respawn in the wild?"

After pondering for a moment and understanding the meaning, the old clan chief smiled and shook his head, not pursuing the origins of the White Zetsu, just as he wouldn't ask Naruto why he left Konoha.

It's enough to confirm that Naruto is a descendant of the Uzumaki clan and that he has the Uzumaki bloodline flowing through his veins.

After successfully changing the subject, Naruto looked at the old clan leader and asked, "I should be considered to have mastered the Adamantine Sealing Technique, right? When will you learn the next sealing technique?"

The old patriarch's expression changed slightly, and he gently shook his head, saying, "Young man, don't be too hasty. Your sealing technique is not yet fully developed. If you go out with such a level of sealing technique, it will bring shame to Wochao Village."

The problem is that Wochao Village died out long ago, and the new Wochao Village has not yet been rebuilt.