Naruto: Mikoto and Tsunade, don't let either of them go.

Just as Konan opened her mouth to speak, suddenly, with a bang, Konan disappeared from Uchiha Kakuzan's sight, leaving only wisps of white mist.

If we push the timeline back a little,

Suddenly, the Hell Path and the Preta Path of Pain grabbed the Animal Path who was standing with them, and then the two of them exerted their strength to throw the Animal Path towards the direction of Amegakure.

Even the most aloof Pain, the Deva Path, raised his hand the instant the Animal Path was thrown into the air, and used Shinra Tensei on her, pushing her even further away.

Accelerated and thrown high into the air, the Animal Path instantly moved away from the battlefield. After drawing an arc in the air, the Animal Path, having already adjusted its posture, formed a hand seal in mid-air—the Summoning Technique.

As the Animal Path used its summoning technique, with a bang, her summoned beast—the Yatagarasu—was summoned beneath her.

The Animal Path, which had gained a foothold on the Yatagarasu, looked back at the battlefield behind it, took a deep breath, formed hand seals, and then pressed its palms down—Summoning Technique.

After the Animal Path used the Summoning Technique, six familiar figures appeared on the Yatagarasu: Pain and Konan.

After the animal realm was freed from the battlefield, they used a spirit summoning technique to bring the remaining people from the battlefield back to them, thus freeing them from there.

After all, finding the bodies of these six Paths clones on the battlefield was quite troublesome, especially since there was also Yahiko's body and Konan. Therefore, the Animal Path summoned them all as soon as it left the battlefield.

Chapter 234 Hostility and Goodwill

Chapter 234 Hostility and Goodwill

At this moment, Konan also realized what was going on and finally understood why Uchiha Kakuyama had said those things for no apparent reason.

He actually figured out Payne's intention just from that one gesture.

In other words, if Uchiha Kagami had wanted to stop them at that time, Pain wouldn't have been able to escape the battlefield so easily.

This made Konan deeply wary of Uchiha Kakuyama.

At this moment, Pain, who was standing next to Konan, also noticed her unusual behavior. While Pain was engaged in battle with the wood clones, he had actually noticed Uchiha Kakuzan standing next to Konan.

This discovery also made Pain very anxious. Although Uchiha Kakuzan was standing next to Konan and did not do anything to harm her, Pain knew very well that although Konan's ninjutsu was good, she could use paper ninjutsu at will.

However, they were still no match for Uchiha Kakuzan, this uninvited guest.

Therefore, for Nan's safety, Payne made the decision to retreat.

Of course, this is only one of the reasons. The main reason is that Pain discovered that even if he could defeat the Uchiha clan leader, he would not be able to capture them.

Moreover, there are two uncertainties on the battlefield: the two Uchiha clansmen who are currently receiving treatment.

Given their skill level, if they recover to a certain extent and join the battlefield, Payne feels it will be even more troublesome.

Therefore, he decided to leave the battlefield. If those Uchiha clan members tried to pursue him, his Akatsuki members wouldn't be easily defeated. Furthermore, although Amegakure was a small ninja village, it still had some ninjas.

If they really catch up, Payne and his team still have the home-field advantage. Moreover, he still has many trump cards up his sleeve.

Therefore, Pain, who was now standing on the Yatagarasu, immediately noticed Konan's unusual behavior and asked with some concern:

"Konan, what's wrong? Did that Uchiha Okayama hurt you?"

Konan was still pondering the credibility of Uchiha Kakuyama's words when she suddenly heard Pain's words. She immediately snapped back to reality, shook her head, and said...

"It's alright. That Uchiha Kakuyama didn't lay a hand on me, and I feel that the head of the Uchiha clan doesn't seem to have much hostility towards us."

When Pain heard Konan's words, and after recalling Uchiha Kagami's actions earlier, he somewhat agreed with what Konan said.

Pain was still somewhat self-aware. Although Uchiha Kakuzan was very protective of his clansmen, when they actually fought, he was all bark and no bite, only using the Wood Clone technique and not even activating the Uchiha clan's famous Sharingan.

Therefore, in Pain's view, Uchiha Kagami's behavior did not show much hostility towards them; otherwise, they would not have been able to leave the battlefield so easily.

Moreover, given Pain's cautious nature, although he was talking to Konan, his other clones were looking in different directions. Behind them, in the direction where Uchiha Kakuyama was, there was no sign of them pursuing them. You see, in Pain's view, it would be very easy for them to give chase, since Uchiha Kakuyama also had flying ninjutsu.

Pain was also prepared. If Uchiha Kakuyama pursued them, he would send the strongest Deva Path Pain to stop them, because the Deva Path Pain was not only the strongest clone, but also had the ability to fly.

However, Uchiha Kakuzan did not pursue them.

Pain paused for a moment, then agreed, “There isn’t much hostility, but we still need to be careful. After all, who knows what that Uchiha Kakuyama is plotting? Besides, the Uchiha clan is from Konoha. When our plan to collect the tailed beasts begins, we will still have to confront Konoha, which has the Nine-Tails. So, the head of the Uchiha clan will eventually become our enemy.”

When Konan heard Pain's words, she suddenly remembered the news that Kakuzu from the Akatsuki had brought back from the black market a few days ago.

Konan glanced at Pain and said leisurely, "I received some information about the Uchiha clan from Kakuzu a few days ago."

Pain was still quite sensitive about the Uchiha surname. After hearing Konan's words, he looked at her, waiting for her to continue.

"According to the news brought by Kakuzu from the black market, the Uchiha clan left Konoha a few months ago and even moved their clan territory away from Konoha. Therefore, we may not necessarily encounter the Uchiha clan when we collect the tailed beasts in the future."

Pain paused for a moment after hearing Konan's words, then said, "Although Uchiha Kakuzan doesn't seem to be hostile towards us for the time being, we can't ignore the fact that those two members of the Uchiha clan have secretly infiltrated our base. Moreover, the person who can command these two Kage-level shinobi should be Uchiha Kakuzan."

Konan fell silent after hearing Payne's words.

After hearing Pain's words, she realized that she was being too naive. Even if Uchiha Kakuzan had no hostility towards them, he certainly had no good intentions.

For a moment, silence fell upon the Yatagarasu, with only the sound of its flapping wings and the whistling wind in the air.

While Konan and Pain remained silent, Uchiha Kakuzan had already begun cleaning up the battlefield.

Actually, it wouldn't be accurate to call it cleaning up the battlefield, because after the Animal Path summoned the remaining Six Paths of Pain and Konan, all that remained was a chaotic battlefield and the numerous wood clones of Uchiha Kagami.

Uchiha Kakuzan is not an environmentalist, and besides, since it has been raining continuously, the flames on the battlefield have long been extinguished, so there is no risk of forest fires or anything like that.

Since Uchiha Kakuzan wasn't in a hurry, he leisurely collected all the chakra from his wood clones before arriving at the battlefield. He had previously used Wood Release to protect Uchiha Shisui and the other person.

Actually, Uchiha Shisui's injuries weren't very serious. The main problem was his Sharingan; the excessive use of it in a short period of time had caused a burning sensation in his eyes.

Uchiha Kagami's clone could only be treated to the best of his ability; the rest was up to him to recover slowly.

Itachi Uchiha's injuries were quite serious. He was already young, and awakening the Mangekyou Sharingan at such a young age was a huge burden on his still-developing body.

Chapter 235 After the War

Chapter 235 The Post-War

In the battle just now, he overused the Mangekyou Sharingan, straining his body. Then, the Preta Path absorbed his chakra. Although Shisui saved him in time, the excessive loss of chakra increased the burden on his body.

This resulted in Itachi Uchiha's injuries being quite severe, meaning that Uchiha Kagami's clone has not yet stabilized his condition.

After sending Pain and Konan away, Uchiha Kakuyama arrived at Uchiha Shisui's place. He casually dismantled the small wooden structure formed by Wood Release: Wood Wall, revealing Shisui, Itachi, and his wood clone inside.

Seeing that Itachi's injuries were still not stable, Uchiha Kakuzan looked up at the rainy weather, immediately formed hand seals, and used Yamato's exclusive skill.

"Wood Release - Four Pillars Family"

As Uchiha Kakuzan used his Wood Release, a complex wooden house sprang up from the ground. Ignoring the somewhat stunned Uchiha Shisui, Uchiha Kakuzan's wood clone carried the unconscious Uchiha Itachi into the house.

As the wood clone moved, Uchiha Shisui also came to his senses and followed it into the house.

Because Itachi Uchiha's injuries were too severe, it was only through the combined efforts of Uchiha Okayama and his wood clone that his condition was stabilized.

As for what happens next, that's up to Tsunade and Itachi to handle.

After Uchiha Kyuuyama stabilized Itachi's injuries, Uchiha Shisui asked with some concern, "Clan Head Kyuuyama, how are Itachi's injuries? Are they serious?"

For Uchiha Shisui, he would rather be the one who gets hurt than Uchiha Itachi.

He regarded Itachi as his own younger brother. In this mission, he was not seriously injured, but his brother almost died, which made him feel guilty and sorry for Itachi.

Uchiha Kakuyama also saw through Uchiha Shisui's thoughts and patted him on the shoulder to comfort him, "Don't worry, Shisui-nii, I've stabilized his condition. I'll take you back in a bit and have the current Fifth Hokage, Tsunade, take a look. She's a medical genius and will definitely heal Itachi."

Uchiha Shisui, who had been away from home for some time, was unaware that Konoha had a new Hokage. It was only after hearing Uchiha Kakuzan's words that he realized the change of Hokage.

Uchiha Shisui had heard of Tsunade's reputation, but knowing her background, he still said with some concern, "Lady Tsunade's medical ninjutsu is indeed the best in the ninja world, but she comes from the Senju clan and is a disciple of the Third Hokage."

Even if she inherits the Hokage position and becomes the Fifth Hokage, would she heal the Uchiha clan? Moreover, our Uchiha clan has now separated from Konoha, so she has even less obligation to heal our members.

When Uchiha Kakuyama heard Shisui's worried words, he smiled and patted him on the shoulder again, as if to assure him, "Don't worry, I was the one who brought Tsunade back from outside. We have a very good relationship, better than you can imagine."

Tsunade is practically the mother of my child now, so how could our relationship be bad? However, it's best to keep our relationship a secret for now, otherwise it could cause some trouble and be bad for Tsunade's reputation, since she's now the Fifth Hokage of Konoha.

When Uchiha Shisui heard Uchiha Kakuyama address Tsunade as "Tsunade-nee" instead of the respectful title of Fifth Hokage, he understood their relationship and finally felt relieved. With Lady Tsunade's help, he believed Itachi's injuries would be healed.

After calming down Uchiha Shisui, Uchiha Kakuzan put away his remaining wood clone. Without wasting any time, he used 'Takamagahara' to take Uchiha Shisui and Itachi back to the village.

Since Itachi's condition was still unstable, Uchiha Kagami did not hesitate and took them directly to the place closest to Konoha Hospital, and then took them to the hospital.

Tsunade, who had already been notified by Uchiha Kakuyama, arrived shortly afterward.

······

After handing Itachi and Shisui over to Tsunade, Uchiha Kakuzan left, as there was someone waiting for him at his home.

As for Konan, she can't arrive this early. Besides, Uchiha Kakuzan left a wood clone there to entertain Konan when she comes.

When Uchiha Kakuzan returned to his home in Konoha through the spatial imprint, he only saw a beautiful figure sitting at the table in his bedroom, her right hand supporting her head, looking at a vase in front of her. On it were daffodils that she had just picked, and the sunlight outside shone on the flowers, with glistening water droplets sparkling on them.

Uchiha Kakuzan quietly gazed at the beautiful scene before him, feeling a sense of temporal dislocation. One second he was fighting Pain in the pouring rain, and the next he was reunited with his loved one, experiencing the beauty of peaceful times.

Perhaps this is another charm of space-time ninjutsu.

Just as Uchiha Kazuyama was quietly watching Kurenai Yuhi, as if sensing something, Kurenai Yuhi slowly turned her head and saw Uchiha Kazuyama behind her. Her expression changed from calm to surprise, and then she jumped barefoot into Kazuyama's arms.

Kurenai first examined Uchiha Kakuyama's body. After finding no obvious injuries, she secretly breathed a sigh of relief and then hugged him tightly, as if she never wanted to let go.

After Kurenai hugged him, Uchiha Kakuzan returned the hug. However, although Uchiha Kakuzan was not injured, he was soaked to the bone by the heavy rain in the Land of Rain. Therefore, he felt a little awkward when Kurenai, who was completely dry, threw herself into his arms.

Uchiha Kakuyama patted Kurenai Yuhi on the back and said gently, "Kurenai, come down first. I'm going to take a shower, and then I'll take you out for a free meal."

Kurenai noticed Okayama's awkwardness and reluctantly kissed him on the cheek before letting go.

After all, Kurenai Yuhi only got together with Uchiha Kazuyama last night, and they are still in the honeymoon phase. She was reluctant to part with him when he went out on business, and as soon as he returned, she quickly snuggled up with him.

Chapter 236 Basics and Cheating

Chapter 236 Basics and Cheating

Seeing that Kurenai Yuhi seemed reluctant to let go of him, Uchiha Okayama raised an eyebrow and teased, "What's wrong? You don't want to part? How about we shower together?"

When Kurenai heard Uchiha Kazuyama teasing her, she immediately blushed and shook her head. Because Kazuyama had been too cruel yesterday, and she had refused his treatment, she was still in pain.

If I were to take a bath with Qiu Shanjun right now, how could I possibly bear it?

Uchiha Kakuzan was just joking with Kurenai Yuhi. After being intimate with her for a while, Uchiha Kakuzan went to take a quick shower.

When Uchiha Kakuzan brought Kurenai Yuhi out of the house, the two of them were already dressed and ready.

Uchiha Kakuzan originally wanted to hold Yuhi Kurenai's hand and walk together, but the shy Yuhi Kurenai refused. So, the two of them are now standing very close together and behaving intimately.

After being brought out by Uchiha Kagami, Kurenai asked with some curiosity:

"King Qiu, where are you taking me?"

Uchiha Kakuzan turned to look at Kurenai Yuhi and said with a wicked grin, "Meeting the parents."

Upon hearing this, Kurenai was immediately startled, a blush rising to her face. She stammered, "Meeting the parents? Isn't that too fast?"

Seeing Kurenai's shy expression, Uchiha Okayama shook his head and explained, "My parents both sacrificed themselves during the war. The person I'm taking you to meet this time is my older sister. She's the kindest person to me in the Uchiha clan."

Uchiha Kakuzan has been focusing on Sage Mode training lately, so he hasn't been visiting Mikoto much. Although she has maids to take care of her, she is still pregnant and has to look after Sasuke, so Uchiha Kakuzan is a little worried. Therefore, he wanted to take this opportunity to see Mikoto.

Actually, in the sparsely populated Uchiha clan territory, Uchiha Okayama and Mikoto's families are not far apart. So, just after Uchiha Okayama finished introducing himself to Yuhi Kurenai, the two of them arrived at the door of Mikoto's rather spacious house.

The arrival of Uchiha Kakuzan not only delighted Mikoto, but also excited young Sasuke who was standing nearby.

After Uchiha Kakuzan introduced Kurenai to Mikoto, Mikoto quickly invited them to sit down.

Thanks to Uchiha Kakuyama's expert experience in freeloading meals, the two arrived just in time for lunch. After chatting with the heavily pregnant Mikoto for a while, they started eating.

At the dinner table, in order not to make her unusual attitude towards Okayama-kun too obvious, Mikoto mainly chatted with Kurenai Yuhi.

Meanwhile, Uchiha Kakuyama was observing Sasuke's usual behavior while eating.

At this point, young Sasuke became even more enthusiastic.

Because he is currently ranked first in the entire grade, not only in academic subjects but also in practical subjects. With the first stage of 'Lightning Release Armor' in his body, Sasuke is not only no match for his own grade, but even upperclassmen several years above him might not be able to defeat him.

After all, this Lightning Release Armor is not just a combat technique, but also a training technique. With the help of the Lightning Release Armor, even if one is only at the first stage, this person's achievements will not be lower than those of an elite Jonin.

Moreover, Uchiha Sasuke was born into the Uchiha clan. Not to mention the daily training and upbringing he received from the clan, even just casually practicing some of the clan's secret techniques and ninjutsu would have made him far superior to ordinary people.

The group finished lunch amidst their laughter and conversation.

When Uchiha Kakuyama was about to leave, after some thought, he decided not to tell Mikoto about Uchiha Itachi.

After all, Mikoto is pregnant, and if her emotions fluctuate too much, it won't be good for her or the baby. Anyway, Itachi Uchiha has already been saved, so let's wait until his condition improves before making any decisions.

Before leaving, Uchiha Kakuzan used his eye technique on young Sasuke one last time.

"Illusion—A Fleeting Moment in Time"

In this illusion, Uchiha Kakuyama gave Sasuke some more guidance on his training.

Previously, he was taught Lightning Release Armor, but this time his taijutsu, ninjutsu, and genjutsu were reviewed to solidify his foundation and prepare him for future strength improvements.

Keep in mind that when Sasuke and Naruto fought their final battle against Kaguya Otsutsuki, he was only sixteen years old, which is about ten years away from now.

That's why Uchiha Kakuyama is so dedicated to guiding Sasuke. When the time comes, he can let Sasuke and Naruto lead the charge, while he himself will just be a bystander with the Uchiha clan.