They're promoting the "Konoha threat" theory, and spouting nonsense about the Hidden

Chapter 191 The Turmoil in Konoha (Happy Lantern Festival everyone!)

"Your Hidden Mist Village is truly the first to try and do business with my Uchiha clan."

As Uchiha Homura sized up the Mist Village envoy before her, she flipped through the letter in Hozuki Shingetsu's handwriting, her expression unreadable.

Compared to six years ago, Uchiha Homura has aged considerably and no longer looks like the Uchiha clan leader who once stood on the Hokage Rock questioning Hiruzen Sarutobi.

However, from the fleeting glint in his eyes, one could still see that only his appearance had aged; his inner strength remained as strong as ever.

However, he didn't understand why Hozuki Shingetsu would dare to send someone to do business with him. Wasn't he afraid that Hozuki Shingetsu would kill the messenger in a fit of anger?

Or perhaps he thought that the Uchiha clan had forgotten what Kirigakure had done, forgotten the "Uchiha Human Rights Report" and "thirty years of slavery"?

"Chief, you jest. As long as there's profit to be made, what difference does it make who we do business with? We wouldn't throw away a gain just because of a moment of anger, would we?"

As Hozuki Shingetsu had predicted, the Hidden Mist Messenger breathed a sigh of relief upon seeing Uchiha Homura's reaction and immediately began to persuade him, following Hozuki Shingetsu's advice.

"...Moreover, this is also a way out for the Uchiha clan, isn't it? After all, it's no secret how the village's higher-ups view you, is it?"

"Um?!"

Upon hearing this, Uchiha Homura's eyes snapped open, his crimson Sharingan glaring intently at the Hidden Mist Envoy, an overwhelming aura instantly filling the entire reception room.

"Leave yourself a way out? When did it become your Hidden Mist Village's place to teach us how to act, us Uchiha?"

A heavy atmosphere pressed down on the Mist Envoy's chest, making it hard for him to breathe.

The Mist Netherworld Messenger who came this time was a former member of the Foreign Affairs Department who worked under Hozuki Shingetsu. In the past, in addition to being eloquent and having a clear mind, he had another characteristic that made him a member of the Foreign Affairs Department—poor strength.

Otherwise, he wouldn't have worked in that peripheral Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the first place. Therefore, faced with the oppressive aura of the current Uchiha clan leader, he couldn't utter a single word for a moment.

Fortunately, it didn't take long for Uchiha Homura to retract that momentum.

"...Hmph, I'll let it go this time for Hozuki Shingetsu's sake. Next time you encounter the Uchiha clan, watch your attitude!"

In this situation, even the most eloquent words are useless. The Mist Envoy, who was sweating profusely, immediately took his leave and wanted to depart.

"etc!"

The Hidden Mist's back muscles tensed; he thought Uchiha Homura had changed her mind and wanted to keep him, but what she didn't expect was...

"When we get back, we'll tell Hozuki Shingetsu that we'll deposit a quarter of our clan's assets into Kirigakure Bank."

Perhaps noticing the surprised gaze of the Hidden Mist Envoy, Uchiha Homura opened her crimson eyes again.

"I'm punishing you simply because of your attitude. What does that have to do with normal business dealings? What, you won't allow it?"

Faced with this group of envious ninjas, the Hidden Mist ninja gave an awkward laugh, trying his best to hide his inner urge to complain, and left.

"Clan leader, are you really comfortable putting your assets in a bank belonging to a rival ninja village?"

The young genius of the Uchiha clan, the Eighth Hokage of Uchiha, stepped forward to inquire.

As rival ninja villages, even though Hozuki Shingetsu guarantees the safety and privacy of his money and accounts with his own reputation, once war breaks out, the true extent of Hozuki Shingetsu's credibility is truly a matter of opinion.

When confronted with Uchiha Yatsuhoshi's question, Uchiha Homura did not give a direct answer, but instead asked him an unrelated question.

"Yashiro, have you noticed that the number of casualties in the village has suddenly increased recently?"

"Are you referring to those recent incidents in the village where the deaths were gruesome, and the murder scenes resembled cult sacrifices?"

As the clan that controls the Konoha Police Force, the Uchiha clan is naturally very familiar with these recent cases.

In the past month, a number of heinous murders have suddenly occurred in various parts of Konoha, and the manner of the victims' deaths and the murder scenes are strikingly similar.

However, since most of the deceased were commoners, and the most distinguished among them were only some wealthy merchants, the village did not pay much attention to it and temporarily ordered the garrison to investigate.

"However, judging from the scene, isn't this just the work of some villagers who have been misled by a cult? Is there anything noteworthy about it?"

Uchiha Hachimoku didn't understand why Uchiha Homura was bringing this up at this time. What did it have to do with Kirigakure Bank?

Homura Uchiha scoffed at the Eighth Hokage Uchiha's words, "Ha! A simple murder case can't be solved in three days? Are you saying that our Konoha Police Force is a bunch of good-for-nothings?!"

With Homura's prompting, the Eighth Hokage also realized the strangeness of the matter.

As a powerful ninja clan that possesses the Sharingan, if it were a simple case of a cult villager being murdered, they would be unworthy of the Sharingan's reputation if they couldn't find the culprit within a day.

Therefore, the fact that the murderer could not be found within three days under these circumstances precisely proves the strangeness of the matter.

"Could it be the work of cult ninjas? But how did they infiltrate the village?"

Uchiha Hachimoku quickly came up with another answer.

"I hope so... If it really was a civilian who committed the crime, it would be more troublesome."

If he were a ninja, as long as he was careful and used some secret ninjutsu, it wouldn't be impossible for him to hide himself from the Sharingan's tracking.

But if it's an ordinary person... then it means that a powerful force in a ninja village is hiding it for them, otherwise it would be impossible for the Uchiha ninja to waste three days of their efforts.

Considering the village's aggressive questioning about whether any clan members had been separated from their families, the news about the Mangekyou Sharingan, and the series of murders that occurred at this crucial juncture, it was impossible not to have more to think about.

Depositing a portion of the clan's assets into the Hidden Mist Bank was merely a last resort as a form of insurance.

"Chieftain, something has happened!"

A voice suddenly came from outside.

"A member of the Hyuga branch family died in a secluded alley, and the manner of his death is the same as the previous cult incident!"

"The Hyuga branch family... seemingly ninja clan members, yet not actually from a proper ninja clan... the identities of the deceased are gradually being revealed, is this a test? Or a setup?"

"Regardless of who is behind this series of cases, they'd better not even think about targeting our Uchiha clan, otherwise..."

Uchiha Homura slowly closed her crimson Sharingan, concealing the fleeting octagonal pattern.

(End of this chapter)