Naruto: I'm in Konoha, my name is Uzumaki Menma

Chapter 197 The mastermind behind it all is Danzo!
The biting autumn wind swept across the desolate southeastern coastline of the Land of Lightning, whipping up salty, icy waves that crashed against the jagged rocks.

The air was thick with the lingering smell of gunpowder and blood, as if the atmosphere of that earth-shattering battle in Hell Valley had traveled a great distance to reach this place.

On the coast, a group of figures shivered in the cold wind.

They are the last remaining members of the Blood Pool clan, numbering no more than twenty men, women, and children combined.

Many people still had scratches and bloodstains left from their hasty escape, and their faces were filled with the fear and exhaustion of surviving the disaster, as well as the deep grief of losing loved ones and homes.

Silence is like a boulder, weighing heavily on everyone's heart.

Several young children clung tightly to their mother, their wide eyes still reflecting the shadows of fear.

Miyajo En held his still unconscious and unresponsive daughter, Chino, wrapped in a large brown coat, trying to shield them from the sea breeze.

Beside him, the clan chief, Miya Shiro, was hunched over, his former majesty in front of his clansmen gone, leaving only desolation and bewilderment in his eyes.

Kakuzu's face, covered in stitches, wore its usual indifference as he toyed with the heart of a Cloud Village Jonin in his hand, preparing to replace it with a new one after finishing his business here.

Kisame, on the other hand, expressionlessly wiped the bloodstains off the ordinary ninja sword in his hand.

Not far behind them, nine masked summoning beasts stood like loyal guards, protecting the Blood Pool Clan, whom Menma considered his private property, in the center, deterring any potential pursuers.

suddenly!

A blinding white light, unlike sunlight, shot into the sky from the direction of Hell Valley!

Even though they were far apart, the light still pierced through the thin mist between the sea and the sky, clearly reaching the eyes of everyone on the shore!

Immediately following was a muffled, thunderous roar, faintly heard, as if a painful groan emanating from the depths of the earth.

"What...what is that light?" a Blood Pool Clan member exclaimed in shock, his voice trembling.

“What terrifying power… even more so than the previous explosion…” Another person covered their mouth, their eyes filled with horror.

Miya Shiro suddenly looked up at the direction of the white light. His hunched body trembled violently, and his lips quivered, but he couldn't utter a single word.

That light…

Miyajo En instinctively tightened his grip on Chino's arm, his eyes behind his diamond-shaped sunglasses filled with intense seriousness.

Kakuzu and Kisame Hoshigaki were also seeing an explosion even more powerful than the Tailed Beast Ball they had just witnessed for the first time. However, they guessed that Lord Shura had displayed an even more terrifying power, which also meant the end of the battle.

Just as everyone was stunned and unsettled by the soaring white light, a figure appeared silently in the sky above the coast.

His black robes fluttered in the wind, and the white three-eyed fox mask gleamed coldly against the gloomy sky.

It's exactly the kind of pockmarked face.

He descended like a god, slowly landing on the ground, his dark red chakra cloak quietly disappearing.

"My lord!" Kakuzu and Kisame immediately bowed in respect.

Without the slightest hesitation, Miyajo En, holding his daughter and pulling his wife along, knelt down on one knee in front of Menma, bowing his head deeply.

Miya Shiro Jin was stunned for a moment. He looked at Miya Shiro Yan's actions and then at the terrified and confused eyes of the clansmen around him. In the end, all his struggles and resentment turned into a heavy sigh.

He trembled, and led the remaining twenty-odd Blood Pool clan members to kneel heavily before the black-robed figure.

"The Blood Pond Clan... Thank you, Lord, for saving our lives! We... we wish to follow you for eternity!" Miyajo Jin's voice was hoarse, filled with resignation after humiliation, but also with a sliver of hope for the future.

"I am willing to follow you, sir!" Miyajo En's voice was even more resolute.

“We are willing to follow you, sir…” Sparse, fearful, and confused voices echoed from the tribespeople.

Menma's gaze swept over the Blood Pool clan members kneeling on the ground, finally landing on Miyajo Jin and Miyajo En, and he nodded slightly.

He raised his hand and formed a simple hand seal.

Amidst the buzzing sound, the figures of the nine spirit beasts faded and disappeared.

Then, Mianma instructed Kado: "Contact Kado, and have the fleet meet you along the pre-arranged route."

"Yes." Kakuzu immediately began transmitting information through the markings on the back of his hand.

"Miyajo Jin, Miyajo En." Menma turned to the two: "Take your people and head southeast into the sea. About thirty nautical miles away, there is an uninhabited island. Go there to take refuge and wait for the fleet to arrive."

Although the Blood Pond Clan was grieving and exhausted, they still maintained the basic qualities expected of a ninja family.

Except for a few young children who needed to be carried by adults, the rest of the clan members with Chunin-level strength, including the women, immediately sprang into action.

They channeled their chakra into the soles of their feet, carefully stepping onto the sea surface, and struggling forward on the undulating waves in the direction indicated by Menma.

Kakuzu and Kisame followed closely behind, responsible for covering the rear and keeping watch.

Soon, a sparsely vegetated, rocky islet came into view.

The group landed on the island, where they were given a temporary respite.

Without pausing, Mianma raised his hand, and several sealing scrolls appeared out of thin air in his palm.

With a few soft "thumps," a large number of tents, food, water, medicine, and some basic living supplies were released and piled up on the open ground.

"Wait here. Once the fleet arrives, it will take you to your new home." Menma's voice remained calm, yet it brought a sense of reassurance to the anxious Blood Pool people.

"Kakuzu, Kisame Hoshigaki, you are responsible for protection until the fleet arrives."

"Understood." Kakuzu looked at the supplies, his eyes gleaming as if he were assessing their value.

"Yes," Kisame replied curtly, his shark face revealing no emotion.

Without another word, Mianma transformed into a streak of dark red light, soaring into the sky and disappearing into the horizon.

About two weeks later, under the secret transport of the Kado Group's massive fleet, and after several days of sea voyage and careful land transfer, the twenty-odd surviving members of the Blood Pool Clan finally arrived at the capital of the Star Kingdom.

When the outline of the Star City appeared on this plain, the members of the Blood Pool clan held their breath.

Towering, peculiar buildings stand side by side, gleaming with the luster of metal and glass; wide, clean streets teem with people, dressed in all sorts of different clothes, ninjas, merchants, and commoners living together in harmony; and massive railway trains, like steel dragons, shuttle through cities all over the Star Kingdom.

The city was bustling yet orderly, with merchants from all over the ninja world calling out their goods, and the loading and unloading machinery emitting a low rumble...

Although Menma has only held this country for three years, it has already become the most stable country in the western part of the ninja world.

The ninjutsu, in turn, aided in infrastructure and agricultural development, transforming the plains of the Star Kingdom into a land of plenty; the stable environment also attracted merchants from various countries, even those who took risks.

Non-chakra-related civilian technologies also flourished in the Land of Stars, and railway lines connected major cities across the Land of Stars, promoting the prosperity of transportation and commerce...

The Blood Pool Clan looked at everything before them, a world apart from the barren Hell Valley where they had been imprisoned for generations, and from the traditional towns of the Land of Thunder that they knew!

A bustling, advanced, and vibrant modern city!
"This...this is the Star Capital?"

"Wow...what a huge city! It's even more magnificent than the capital of the Land of Thunder that I saw in the book!"

"What are those things running on the ground? And why are they spewing thick smoke?" The tribespeople exclaimed in uncontrollable amazement, their eyes filled with shock and disbelief.

China peeked out from her father, Miyajo En, and curiously looked around the city.

Miyajo En and Miyajo Jin, whose expressions were complicated, were also deeply shocked by the scene before them.

They originally thought that "Shura" was just a terrifyingly powerful rogue ninja leader whose stronghold might be hidden and powerful, but they never expected that he would rule such a vast, prosperous and orderly country!
After all, since the coup in the Land of Bears and the establishment of the Land of Stars, Menma has always remained behind the scenes, and his shadow clones scattered throughout the country are all named after numbers.

Aside from the core members of the Star Country and the organization, only Konoha knew that Shura was the mastermind behind the Star Country after accompanying Uchiha Hikaru on his visit to Uchiha Fugaku.

After all, in the ninja world, the collection and transmission of intelligence is extremely difficult.

For example, it wasn't just Onoki who hired the Akatsuki; other countries also hired the Akatsuki to do things they couldn't do themselves, and even wiped out some small countries.

However, before the Five Kage Summit, Onoki and the others probably only knew about Konan, the mastermind behind Akatsuki. Neither the mysterious masked man (Obito) nor Nagato should have known about her.

“The Star Country…it’s actually Lord Shura’s territory…” Miyajo En muttered to himself. As a businessman, he knew all too well how extraordinary this country, which had recently risen in the western part of the Ninja World Continent, was.

The last trace of resentment and humiliation in Miyajo Jin's heart was quietly transformed by the impact of this magnificent city.

He looked around at the remaining members of his tribe, and seeing the curious glint in the children's eyes for the first time, a fighting spirit that had been dormant for many years was rekindled like a spark in the ashes.

"A prosperous and powerful nation, a terrifyingly strong leader, and countless ninja clans surrendering to us... In the next Ninja World War, the Star Country will surely rise! Become the sixth great nation! My Blood Pond Clan... will definitely restore our prestige on this new land!" He clenched his fist, and his back seemed to straighten a bit.

Soon, they were led to the futuristic alloy gate of the Star City military district.

Three figures walked out slowly.

Besides the adult they knew, there were two women.

The woman on the right is wearing the dark uniform unique to Star Ninjas, with long, flowing red hair and a gentle, beautiful face; she is none other than Uzumaki Vanilla.

On the left is a woman with a cool and aloof demeanor, black hair and black eyes, wearing a blue high-necked clan robe. A clan emblem shaped like a ping-pong paddle can be faintly seen on the collar. This is Uchiha Hikaru.

"Welcome to the Land of Stars, Kisame Hoshigaki, and all of you from the Blood Pond Clan." Vanilla Uzumaki greeted them with a gentle smile, her voice as warm as a spring breeze, instantly easing the nervousness of the newcomers.

"You must be tired from your journey. I am Vanilla Whirlpool, and I will be in charge of your subsequent arrangements."

Uchiha Hikaru, standing next to Vanilla, simply nodded slightly, calmly scanning the crowd, his gaze lingering briefly on Miyajo En and the little girl Chino he was holding.

Menma didn't exchange many pleasantries and went straight to Miyajo Jin and Miyajo En, saying, "Xiangcao will register your information and take you to the designated clan territory. There are basic housing and facilities there. How you develop and build it afterward is up to you. The Star Kingdom will provide the necessary resources and support, but the Blood Pond Clan needs to send five ninjas to join the Star Ninja Army, and your children will also enter the Ninja Academy for training."

"Thank you, sir!" Miyajo Jin and Miyajo En bowed deeply in gratitude.

Menma's gaze shifted to Kakuzu and Kisame Hoshigaki.

"Kakuzu".

“Yes, sir.” Kakuzu stepped forward.

“I know you don’t like the environment of the Anbu, so from today onwards, you will leave the Anbu and follow Gato, responsible for organizing the business network and financial operations throughout the ninja world.”

Kakuzu's dark green pupils lit up instantly!

For the first time, a genuine and undisguised smile of satisfaction appeared on his face, which was covered in stitches.

make money!

This is what he is best at and most passionate about!
He preferred to make waves in Cardona's vast business empire and amass astonishing wealth rather than train those greenhorns in the shadows. That was much more to his liking!

"Yes, sir!" His voice was tinged with excitement.

“Kisame Hoshigaki.” Menma’s gaze fell on the shark-faced ninja.

"Yes," Kisame replied in a deep voice.

"You will take charge of the Star Kingdom's Dark Side." Menma's words were concise and powerful: "Integrate existing forces and establish a more efficient intelligence network and operational system. Your experience and abilities are perfectly suited for this position."

Kisame Hoshigaki was slightly taken aback.

He never expected that he, a "newcomer" who had only recently joined the organization and was a rogue ninja from Kirigakure, would be given such an important responsibility.

To take charge of the ANBU of a ninja village!

The weight of this trust touched his heart, which had long been accustomed to betrayal and being betrayed, for the first time with a profound sense of unease.

A sharp glint flashed in Kisame Hoshigaki's shark eyes, and he, who was not good with words, solemnly said, "Leave it to me!"

Just then, a familiar figure emerged from the military area and jogged toward Mianma.

She wore the Star Ninja uniform, had long, smooth brown hair, a beautiful face, and a gentle yet resilient temperament.

It was Zhao Meiling!
She quickly approached the faceless figure and first respectfully bowed, saying, "Lord Shura."

Then, her gaze turned to Kisame Hoshigaki, who was standing next to Menma, and a warm and sincere smile appeared on her face.

“Kisame-senpai,” Terumi’s voice flowed like a clear spring, “Do you remember our promise? I said I would treat you to a meal last time. There’s a nice new restaurant that opened in Hoshino Capital, shall we go and try it together?”

Kisame Hoshigaki looked at the woman who had once stirred a ripple in his cold heart, now standing here unharmed, with a bright smile.

The usual cold lines on his shark-like face seemed to soften slightly. After a moment of silence, he nodded: "Mm."

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Konohagakure, the Village Hidden in the Land of Fire.

The atmosphere in the reception room on the top floor of the Hokage Building was as heavy as frozen frost.

The Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, sat in the main seat, his brows furrowed, his pipe long since extinguished, the wisps of smoke dissipated.

Beside him, advisors Mitokado Homura and Utatane Koharu also looked somber, while Shimura Danzo was resting with his eyes closed.

Sitting opposite them was a special envoy delegation from Kumogakure, led by Tsuchida, a senior Jonin from Kumogakure known as the "Strategist".

At this moment, Tu Tai's face lost its usual composure, and his single eye was filled with suppressed anger and sorrow.

On either side of the earthen platform, Xi's sharp eyes scrutinized the Konoha high-ranking officials opposite him, while the other two Cloud Village ninjas displayed undisguised hostility.

"Third Hokage!" Tsuchida's voice broke the suffocating silence, carrying a strong sense of accusation: "You must give Kumogakure an explanation!"

Hiruzen Sarutobi frowned, his brow furrowing beneath his Hokage hat.

Another explanation!

You Cloud Ninja are quite the troublemakers!

Tsuchikage slammed his hands heavily on the table, his gaze piercing Hiruzen Sarutobi like a knife: "After our Hidden Cloud Village's thorough investigation at all costs, we have obtained conclusive evidence! That Asura's true identity is none other than your Konoha's Nine-Tails Jinchuriki!"

"And the mastermind behind all of this is none other than Shimura Danzo of Konoha!"

(End of this chapter)