Watching the motionless Uchiha Obito sprawled on the ground, Yuzuru couldn't help but marvel, "Even after training to this level, you still insist on studying academics?"
"Obito, you jerk..."
At the remark, Obito hastily protested, "Yuzuru brother, I mean I won't ask you to train me anymore from now on. I feel training with the clan suits me better."
Yuzuru cut him off decisively. "Obito, you're not like the others. Don't waste your time on academics."
Obito opened his mouth to reply, but Yuzuru's face hardened and he said coldly, "Get up and train right now, or I'll stick you in the ground and use you as ginseng."
————
Days passed. Word spread through the shinobi world: the Uchiha clan had left Konoha and set up in the Land of Rice Fields.
Under the pressure from Danzō Shimura, Utatane Koharu, and Mitokado Homura, the Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, issued an order branding all Uchiha clan members as rogue ninjas.
That meant whatever chance of reconciliation between Konoha and the Uchiha was gone.
When the news broke, everyone across the ninja nations was stunned.
Not only the villagers of Konoha—even people in other parts of the Land of Fire were baffled.
The clan that founded Konoha had been declared Konoha traitors?
Did that make sense?
The Senju had long since vanished from the village. Now the Uchiha had left too...
Was that still Konoha?
Konoha's prestige in the shinobi world plummeted, and contracts for mercenary ninjas dried up almost overnight.
Even the daimyo of the Land of Fire personally intervened.
Hiruzen Sarutobi himself went to the daimyo's court to apologize, swearing that the Land of Fire's security would not be compromised. Only then did the daimyo relent.
He did, however, announce that future financial support for Konoha would be cut by thirty percent.
The people who felt this most immediately were Konoha's ordinary villagers and the lowest-ranking ninjas.
Many could no longer secure their basic needs.
Crime in Konoha soared at an outrageous pace.
Hiruzen was overwhelmed, but creating an organization to replace the Tokubetsu Jonin and police forces was no easy task.
Within a month of the Uchiha's departure, whispers began to question the Hokage openly.
Hiruzen sat in his office, smoking all day, still unable to make sense of it.
'It's just the Uchiha clan gone—how did the situation go this far?'
While Hiruzen scrambled to manage the village's crises, other shinobi villages began to stir.
————
Land of Wind.
Sunagakure.
The Third Kazekage, Lady Chiyo, Ebizō and others sat around a huge conference table.
After considering, the Third Kazekage said, "The Uchiha clan is in the Land of Rice Fields now. We could try to make contact."
"If we manage to win the Uchiha over to Sunagakure, our village's strength and reputation would reach a new high."
"Then many of the things we've wanted to attempt would become possible."
Lady Chiyo snorted and snapped, "Those Uchiha betrayed the village they built themselves—what loyalty do they have?"
"Instead of courting the Uchiha, we should take advantage and attack Konoha."
"Right now Konoha is in chaos—they won't be able to resist us."
The Third Kazekage frowned.
Chiyo had lost her son and daughter-in-law to Konoha shinobi; her hatred for Konoha ran deep. That was understandable.
But letting personal vendetta dictate matters of state was reckless.
Even without the Uchiha, Konoha still had Sannin like Orochimaru, Jiraiya, Tsunade, Hiruzen Sarutobi, Danzō Shimura, and Sakumo Hatake—powerful figures at shadow level. An assault on Konoha would cost far more than it would gain.
"Matters concerning Konoha require long-term planning," the Third Kazekage said coolly. "I'll send people to the Land of Rice Fields."
"By inducement or coercion, we must do everything possible to win the Uchiha."
"Until then, no one is to cause trouble."
Sensing the tension between the Third Kazekage and Chiyo, Ebizō quickly said, "Agreed. Sister, let's head back—Scorpion's child will forget to eat again."
At the mention of Sasori, Chiyo finally rose.
'One day, Konoha's shinobi will pay for this,' she thought.
————
Land of Lightning.
Kumogakure.
The Third Raikage summoned A and Killer B to his office.
"A, the Uchiha clan is in the Land of Rice Fields. Take a team and go."
"Go do what?"
"Ask if they'd be willing to come live in Kumogakure. If not, find an opportunity to capture a few Uchiha."
"Our village needs more kekkei genkai."
A nodded. "Understood."
He then punched the air toward Killer B. "B, this time you're coming out of the village with me."
Killer B waved his limbs energetically. "If you want to keep up with big bro's speed, train your legs. I don't just talk—when the Uchiha see my Eight-Tails, they'll scream 'ghost' so loud their heads fall off."
"Yo~ Eight-garou, Kuga-garou!"
After his chant, Killer B bumped fists with A and the two strode out of the Raikage's tower together.
When A and Killer B left, a dark-skinned man with white hair beside the Third Raikage asked, "Raikage-sama, shouldn't we try to recruit them first?"
The Third Raikage snorted coldly, "First see their strength. The weak don't deserve to stand before me."
Steal if you can, negotiate if you can't.
That had always been Kumogakure's style.
————
Land of Earth.
Iwagakure.
Third Tsuchikage Onoki stared at the intelligence on the table for a long moment and finally said, "Kōdo, do you think this is Konoha's scheme?"
He shook his head and laughed quietly.
If Konoha really intended such a move, he'd have to question the Hokage's intelligence.
Unlike the diminutive Onoki, Kōdo's voice rumbled. "Father, what are you going to do?"
Onoki thought a moment and said in a low voice, "You go make contact with the Uchiha. See if they'd be willing to come live in Iwagakure."
"If they agree, we can offer them some benefits."
"Remember: do not engage them in conflict."
————
Land of Water.
Kirigakure.
In a dim office, the scroll of intelligence lay open as Kōkitsu Yagura glanced at it, then casually tossed it aside.
The Uchiha clan defected from Konoha?
As expected, those clans with kekkei genkai were the worst.
If not for those clans, managing Kirigakure would be far easier.
One day soon, he thought, he would round up every kekkei genkai clan in Kirigakure and wipe them out.
T/n:
If you like the novel so far, please leave me a 5-star review
I'd really appreciate it if you could leave a Review—Power Stones
patreon.com/Hard_Worker +50 chapters