In Konoha, aside from a few low hills, it was all flat forest. Compared to here, it was like two different worlds.
"Wow! Is this the Uchiha clan? As expected of a noble clan, so many people."
"So many handsome guys. I heard from Lord Raikage that the Uchiha clan is willing to intermarry with outsiders. The women of our Cloud Village are in luck."
"Is that the Uchiha leader walking in front? He's so young! And that face... he's too handsome!!!"
"I really want to spar with their ninja and see how strong the Sharingan that shook the shinobi world really is..."
"So white, so tender... completely different from those tough women in our Cloud Village. I'm begging, please let me marry in."
"Get in line!"
Hearing the discussions around them, the faces of the Uchiha clansmen showed excitement. The anxiety they originally felt about the future vanished in this moment. They never dreamed the Uchiha clan would be so popular!
"So our Uchiha clan has so many merits in the eyes of other ninja."
"Yeah, unlike those Konoha bastards who rolled their eyes whenever they saw us. I've only seen this kind of scene in my dreams."
"Too enthusiastic. Pinch me, let me see if I'm under a genjutsu."
Uchiha Fugaku, following beside Yuzuru, couldn't help but exclaim, "Yuzuru, the welcome ceremony is so grand, even I'm flattered. Third Raikage, you are too thoughtful."
Hearing this, the Third Raikage shook his head. "This is a welcome ceremony organized spontaneously by the villagers. A rough man like me wouldn't think of such things."
"Eh? Is that so?"
Seeing Fugaku's surprise, Yuzuru patted his shoulder. "Fugaku, don't let past experiences affect you. Learn to open your eyes and see the world. In Konoha, those people ostracized us and were dissatisfied with us, but in the eyes of villagers from other villages, as a noble shinobi clan with thousands of years of heritage, we Uchiha come with our own main character aura."
As a gesture of goodwill, the Uchiha clan's residential area was arranged next to the Yotsuki clan's compound.
As the largest shinobi clan in Kumogakure, the Yotsuki clan's status was self-evident. Since the founding of Kumogakure, every Raikage had come from the Yotsuki clan. Naturally, the Uchiha clansmen expressed their gratitude for this.
People lift those who lift them.
And so, the Uchiha clan settled down in Kumogakure.
Another month passed, and the news of the Uchiha clan joining Kumogakure had spread throughout the entire shinobi world. Although there were no ripples on the surface, the structure of the shinobi world, frozen for so long, had begun to change quietly.
Kumogakure. Raikage Building.
Led by the Third Raikage, Uchiha Yuzuru toured the building. Looking at the portraits of past Raikage on the wall, the Third Raikage introduced them one by one, explaining the history of Kumogakure along the way.
When mentioning the founding of the village, a look of yearning appeared on the Third Raikage's face.
"Yuzuru, back then, Uchiha Madara relied on the Mangekyo Sharingan and Senju Hashirama to pacify the chaotic Warring States Period. There were many strong people in the shinobi world, but none were their match. Relying on their powerful strength, they made everyone bow in submission... Although I am the Raikage of Kumogakure, I admire the two of them greatly. My biggest dream is to be like Senju Hashirama and Uchiha Madara, making my village the strongest shinobi village in the world..."
Having said this, the Third Raikage looked at Yuzuru. "Now that the Senju clan has disappeared, with our Kumogakure and the Uchiha clan joining hands, is it possible to reach the heights of Senju Hashirama and Uchiha Madara back then? When that time comes, as the strongest village, Kumogakure will no longer be troubled by survival resources and war, right?"
Hearing this, Uchiha Yuzuru said indifferently, "It is inevitable that Kumogakure will become the strongest village, but relying on that alone to avoid the troubles of war is completely impossible."
"Oh?" The Third Raikage looked at Yuzuru with curiosity. "What are your thoughts?"
"Back then, Konoha, possessing Senju Hashirama and Uchiha Madara, was the strongest village, but the First Shinobi World War broke out immediately after they died. To achieve true peace, we must break the current structure. When all the land in the shinobi world has only one ruler, will such a thing as war still exist?"
After hearing Yuzuru's words, the Third Raikage's eyes went wide.
Did he mean unifying the shinobi world?
Even though he was recognized as a radical in Kumogakure, he had never thought of something like unifying the shinobi world. No matter how he thought about it, wasn't it a bit too crazy?
Furthermore...
"People living on fertile land will still be coveted by those living in barren regions."
"Secondly, resources can be distributed. Just as the village takes care of poor families, after unifying the shinobi world, all resources can be uniformly allocated by the village."
The Third Raikage felt as if a door to a new world had opened. Ideas he had never had before began to flash through his mind. Finally, his gaze toward Yuzuru became complicated.
"Yuzuru, I don't know if letting you come to Kumogakure was right or wrong..."
Yuzuru's ideas were a bit too crazy, but for some reason, they made his blood boil. If they could really achieve what Yuzuru said, he would surely become an existence surpassing Senju Hashirama and Uchiha Madara, right?
Just then, a white-haired, dark-skinned middle-aged man walked over.
"Mabushin, what is it?"
"Lord Raikage, you truly are the greatest manipulator in the shinobi world. After the Uchiha joined Kumogakure, employers from all over have been lining up. Our mission revenue... has gone crazy!"
Hearing this, the corners of Yuzuru's mouth lifted. "To answer your previous question: at least for now, letting our Uchiha join Kumogakure was the right decision for you."
Kumogakure.
In the mission assignment hall, the staff were sweating from their work, but the line at the window still had no end in sight. The faces of the Cloud ninja were beaming with happiness. For so many years, they had never fought such a rich battle!
There were endless missions. Simply endless.
And the one who brought about all this change was the Uchiha clan who had recently joined the village.
"How dense must those people in Konoha be to push a noble clan like the Uchiha out of their village?"
"Yeah, a bunch of shortsighted guys. The Uchiha built Konoha, yet they don't know how to be grateful at all."
"But if they weren't so stupid, our Cloud Village wouldn't have had the chance to get the Uchiha clan's support, right?"
"Hahahaha... I really want to see the expressions on those Konoha guys' faces right now."
Konoha Village.
The mission hall was deserted. Even though the hiring fees for ninja had been lowered, the situation had not improved.
Although it attracted some small employers to issue tasks, most were C-rank missions with pitiful remuneration.
Ninja did not engage in production, but their expenses were huge. They needed to eat a lot of meat to replenish physical energy and buy various ninja tools to ensure their combat effectiveness. Daily training, medicinal baths, and treatment for injuries all required money. Therefore, the number of missions was crucial to a shinobi village.
Jonin began to take B-rank and C-rank missions, Chunin took C-rank and D-rank missions, and Genin could only wait at the end of the line. After all, for the same money, who wouldn't want to hire a stronger ninja?
Under this intense competition, a large number of Genin couldn't get any missions at all. Many newly graduated Genin even had to rely on village relief funds to survive.
For a time, the originally thriving Konoha presented a desolate scene. In the streets and alleys, public opinion began to quietly shift.
"If the Uchiha clan were still in the village, we wouldn't be worried about not having missions, right?"
"I didn't feel it before, but it turns out the name of a noble clan like the Uchiha is so important in the eyes of those employers."
"If Lord Third doesn't think of a solution, I won't even be able to eat, let alone support my family!"
"Speaking of which, even if there were irreconcilable contradictions, did Lord Third really have no solution at all? Now it's come to this—the Uchiha clan joined Kumogakure, who killed the Second Hokage, making our Konoha Village the laughingstock of the shinobi world!"
"The Third must take responsibility! Are we supposed to starve to death?!"
When the Uchiha clan's departure actually affected their own interests, most ordinary people no longer had the excitement and disdain they had at the beginning. Compared to those clan ninja or powerful Jonin, the ninja at the bottom of Konoha began to regret it.
No matter what, at least when the Uchiha clan was in Konoha, they didn't go hungry.
Autumn passed and winter came; three months slipped away quietly. Wrapped in silver, a heavy snow turned the shinobi world white.
Kumogakure.
Uchiha Yuzuru and Uzumaki Kushina walked side by side on the street. Kushina's face was brimming with a smile, her whole being full of youthful vitality.
Yuzuru glanced at Kushina and asked, "Kushina, I'm having dinner with Mikoto tonight. Do you want to come?"
Kushina stuck out her pink tongue in embarrassment. "Yuzuru, maybe next time. I still have a mission."
Yuzuru could only sigh helplessly at this. Since coming to Kumogakure, Kushina had completely let herself go. She immersed herself in missions every day, unable to extricate herself, unwilling to rest for even a single day. But Yuzuru could understand. Having been locked in a cage for too long, now that she finally experienced the feeling of freedom, she definitely had to vent.
Seeing Yuzuru sigh, Kushina actively took his hand.
"Yuzuru, you're not mad at me, are you?"
"Of course not." Yuzuru poked Kushina's forehead, amused. "Didn't I bring you out of Konoha just so you could live the life you like?"
Hearing this, Kushina smiled until her eyes narrowed into slits. She hugged Yuzuru's arm affectionately and said nothing more. No longer being watched in every move, doing whatever she wanted... This feeling is truly wonderful.
"Big Brother Yuzuru, Big Sister Kushina!"
A cheerful voice sounded from behind. Yuzuru and Kushina turned around just in time to see Uchiha Obito bowing to a white-haired old lady before running toward them.
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