Chapter 92: Chapter 92 : Setting Sail! Spreading the News!
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Almost at the same time, news reached the Hidden Leaf Village.
Usually, shinobi would report updates to the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, or Danzo via special channels every few days.
But this time, the reporting day came and went without any word.
Noticing the unusual silence, Hiruzen immediately ordered a reconnaissance mission.
They found that the once-dense forest was nearly razed to the ground—only faint traces and vague outlines hinted at its former appearance.
After an exhaustive search, they barely uncovered a few remnants of bodies.
From this, it was clear a brutal battle had taken place.
The Leaf shinobi who had accompanied the Uchiha clan on their protection mission had all been killed—no survivors remained.
Among the survivors who later emerged from the Uchiha clan were two unfamiliar faces.
One was recognized as the perfect Jinchūriki Killer B from Kumogakure.
The other was Samui, who had shined during the Chunin Exams several years prior.
When this news reached Konoha, Hiruzen and Danzo convened to discuss it.
The two seasoned leaders quickly grasped the general situation.
The complete devastation of the forest was no accident.
There was no doubt it had been caused by Uchiha Haru and Killer B.
The outcome was equally obvious.
Uchiha Haru had defeated Killer B.
This result did not shock Hiruzen or Danzo.
During the recent Uchiha Clan massacre, Uchiha Haru had faced five Kage-level shinobi simultaneously—and held the upper hand.
This included the first and second Hokage, Hashirama and Tobirama Senju, who had been resurrected through the Impure World Reincarnation technique—immortal, indestructible, and brimming with chakra.
It wasn't that Killer B was weak.
A perfect Jinchūriki might dominate most opponents.
But facing Uchiha Haru was a different matter.
It would be strange if Killer B emerged unscathed.
From what was known, Uchiha Haru had completely shattered the plans of Kumogakure and captured both the perfect Jinchūriki Killer B and Samui.
This outcome was deeply satisfying.
Konoha and Kumogakure had always been rivals.
Especially in recent years, Konoha's strength had waned due to various setbacks.
Meanwhile, Kumogakure had grown stronger and long coveted the title of the strongest ninja village.
Now, seeing Kumogakure suffer such a significant blow, Hiruzen and Danzo allowed themselves a rare moment of smug satisfaction.
Though they lost some shinobi during the mission, it was negligible compared to Kumogakure's losses—it was an acceptable cost.
However, this incident could not be overlooked.
Konoha's shinobi had been killed on Land of Fire territory.
If they failed to demand an explanation, Konoha's reputation would be irreparably damaged.
So on the day the news arrived, Danzo and Hiruzen agreed to send one of Konoha's most famous "copy ninja," Hatake Kakashi, to Kumogakure to confront the Raikage.
The Hidden Cloud Village had just suffered a major setback and, having been the aggressor initially, probably lacked the confidence to challenge Konoha now.
As for why Kakashi was chosen, the reasons were simple.
First, Kakashi's abilities were outstanding.
Whether in personal combat or strategy, he was more than capable of handling such a delicate mission.
Second, Konoha wanted to taunt Kumogakure.
The Hidden Cloud Village had gone to great lengths to discover that an ordinary ninja could transplant the Sharingan and thus wield its terrifying power.
Was that why they had tried so hard to obtain a pair of Sharingan?
Konoha intended to send Kakashi to show the Fourth Raikage what it truly meant to possess the Sharingan.
...
Elsewhere, in a dimly lit cave, only a flickering candle illuminated the space.
A masked man stood with his back turned, hands behind him.
White Zetsu was reporting the recent conflict between Kumogakure and the Uchiha clan.
Since witnessing the Uchiha Clan Massacre, the masked man had become increasingly aware of how extraordinary Uchiha Haru was.
Beyond his immense strength, Haru always seemed unpredictable.
Such a shinobi, if recruited, would be a tremendous asset.
But if turned against him, Haru would become a significant threat.
Unfortunately, Haru was not someone easily controlled.
The masked man could only try to win his favor slowly.
Using force?
Only as a last resort, the "trump card" would be employed.
This was the masked man's greatest headache.
Therefore, he ordered White Zetsu to gather detailed intelligence on the Uchiha clan but hold off for now.
There was still much time before his plan's implementation—no need to rush.
"Understood," the masked man replied in his low, majestic voice.
After hearing White Zetsu's report, he said nothing further on the matter.
The feud between Kumogakure and the Uchiha clan was irrelevant to him.
What truly caught his attention was another matter.
"Are you saying the Eight-Tails Jinchūriki is now in Uchiha Haru's hands?" the masked man asked.
"Yes," White Zetsu confirmed.
"Go negotiate and see if we can retrieve the Eight-Tails Jinchūriki. This is of utmost importance to us!"
The masked man's voice was firm and authoritative.
His Akatsuki organization was still in its infancy, assembling personnel and suffering from a shortage of manpower.
Next came the accumulation of resources and power.
Only after these stages would they move to the final objective: capturing the tailed beasts.
Though that step was still far off, securing the Eight-Tails now would be a considerable advantage.
"Understood," White Zetsu replied.
After a brief pause, the masked man asked again, "The Uchiha clan is heading to the Land of Water?"
"Yes," White Zetsu confirmed.
From the route the Uchiha clan had taken, their destination was clear.
"The Land of Water..."
The masked man muttered under his breath, frowning beneath his mask as a vague sense of foreboding settled over him.
Long ago, he had used his Mangekyō Sharingan to manipulate the Mizukage, thereby exerting control over the entire Land of Water.
Now, in the early stages of Akatsuki's formation, the Land of Water was the largest territory he controlled.
If Uchiha Haru entered that domain, wouldn't it ruin all his efforts?
The masked man pondered silently.
From one perspective, it would be best to simply prevent Uchiha Haru from entering the Land of Water.
But what if there was another way?
What if, under his influence, the Land of Water accepted the Uchiha clan—just like Konoha had once done?
He could turn the Uchiha clan into a family of the Hidden Mist Village.
Though some obstacles existed, controlling the Mizukage made it feasible.
By doing so, he could control the entire Uchiha clan—and Uchiha Haru himself—through the Mizukage's influence.
Indirectly, he could bend Uchiha Haru to his will.
If all went smoothly, he might succeed in recruiting Haru to his side.
But the idea was quickly dismissed.
No—it wouldn't work, not even as a long shot.
It was far too difficult to keep such a scheme hidden from Uchiha Haru.
After all, Haru possessed a pair of eyes identical to the masked man's own Sharingan.
If careless, the plan would be exposed immediately.
The ideal scenario was simply impossible.
Moreover, the masked man recognized that Uchiha Haru was ambitious, unwilling to bow to anyone.
Allowing such a person to reside in the Land of Water was akin to planting a bomb in his own house.
Too dangerous.
It could not be allowed.
Having made his decision, the masked man said to White Zetsu, "Additionally, inform the Land of Water that Uchiha Haru must not be allowed to enter their territory."
"Yes!" White Zetsu acknowledged the order, then let out a grim chuckle.
Slowly, he sank into the ground, disappearing without a trace.
...
After the Raikage's forces withdrew, Uchiha Haru resumed his journey with the Uchiha clan toward the Land of Water.
A day later, they entered the Land of Whirlpools—the final land before reaching the Land of Water itself.
From here, they would have to rely solely on waterways, drifting across the sea.
So preparations were necessary.
Along the coast of the Land of Whirlpools, merchants frequently traveled for trade.
Here, anything could be purchased for the right price.
Having amassed considerable funds from Konoha and Kumogakure, the Uchiha clan was far from short on money.
Shopping along the way cost a fortune and wasted precious time.
Yet, the journey remained peaceful.
Except for occasional shadows spying from afar, no one dared attack them like before.
This was thanks to the previous devastating battle between Uchiha Haru and Killer B.
Even the perfect Jinchūriki of Kumogakure had fallen.
Others, no matter how brave, would think twice before challenging them.
Thus, Uchiha Haru safely brought the Uchiha clan members to the Land of Whirlpools' port.
Without hesitation, Haru spent a huge sum to purchase a large wooden ship—enough to carry all clan members aboard.
Since they had the means, they might as well enjoy it.
Additionally, Haru hired experienced sailors and captains to navigate the vessel.
After all, the Uchiha clan had long lived in Konoha—an inland village far from the sea.
Few among them were familiar with the ocean, let alone sailing.
Without skilled navigators, they would be lost at sea, unable to find the Land of Water.
Therefore, hiring captains and sailors was essential.
With everything ready, Uchiha Haru led the clan out to sea...
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