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

Chapter 38 Vortex Village

"But Crescent Moon, why are you deliberately sparing this guy's life?"

Looking at the Aburame Ryoma that Hozuki Shingetsu was carrying, Yukinagi's face showed a puzzled expression.

"This guy can't die; he's our 'welcome gift' to Uzushio Village!"

Hozuki Shingetsu smiled but did not give a direct answer.

After discovering the location of the Mirage, Aburame Ryoma realized that he might not be able to complete the mission. He decisively tried to detonate the "Reverse Four Symbols Seal" within his body, attempting to have an extreme one-for-one exchange with Hozuki Shingetsu.

This was indeed unexpected for Hozuki Shingetsu. Although this move couldn't take him away, the sealing technique was powerful enough to kill Mirage. With Mirage dead, he would no longer be able to use "Mirage," which was equivalent to crippling one of his arms.

So, instead of just playing around, he immediately ended the battle and took advantage of the fact that his figure was hidden in the mirage to defeat him.

"It can only be said that although Danzo is not a very good person, he is unparalleled in training his subordinates." If Konoha and even Kaguya had not been unaware that he had made a contract with Mirage and could use the Mirage Technique, this battle would have been quite difficult.

After tidying up their clothes a bit, the three of them didn't do much cleaning up of the battlefield and headed towards Uzushio Village with Aburame Ryoma.

Shortly after the three left, two figures quietly appeared.

"These are people from Konoha!" A ninja wearing a headband from Kumogakure concluded after examining the corpse of a Root ninja.

Although Hozuki Shingetsu took all the items that could prove the identity of the Root ninjas, as ninjas from different villages practiced different ninjutsu, and these differences could still be discerned from their physical appearance.

"This is... a trace of Ice Release!"

A ninja wearing the Iwagakure (Hidden Stone Village) mark on his head also drew a conclusion from the wounds on the corpse of another Root ninja.

"The people of Konoha and Kirigakure are fighting in the Land of Whirlpools..." Realizing that this was unusual, the two exchanged a wary glance and immediately chose to return to report to their leader.

-

Uzushio Village is located in the very center of the Land of Whirlpools. It is both the location of the ninja village of the Land of Whirlpools and the capital of the Land of Whirlpools. The daimyo of the Land of Whirlpools is also the leader of Uzushio Village. It can be said that the Land of Whirlpools is the only country in the current ninja world where military and civilian power are combined.

Because the Land of Whirlpools is located in the eastern part of the Shinobi World Continent and is backed by the Land of Fire, it had become a place of trade and commerce during the more than ten years of peace following the First Shinobi World War, sharing this prosperous maritime trade with the Land of Water.

After the Land of Water closed itself off from the world, the Land of Whirlpools became the largest trading hub in the eastern part of the ninja world. Merchants traveling between the Land of Lightning, the Land of Wind, and the Land of Fire transited and traded here, contributing to the Land of Whirlpools' unique prosperity. As the heart of the Land of Whirlpools, Whirlpool Village was naturally built in a grand and imposing manner, with a constant stream of people and merchants coming and going at its entrance.

"I never imagined that the Uzumaki clan alone could build such a prosperous village," Yagura Karatachi exclaimed in amazement upon seeing it. Uzumaki Village was naturally not as grand as Kirigakure, but considering that Uzumaki Village's current state was entirely due to the power of the Uzumaki clan, one couldn't help but feel a sense of awe.

"Yes! But whether this is good or bad for the Uzumaki clan is still unknown!" Thinking of the ending of Uzumaki Village in the original work, Hozuki Shingetsu couldn't help but show a strange expression on his face.

As in-laws of the Senju clan, the mark on the Konoha headband testifies to the close connection between the two. If the Uzumaki clan had chosen to join Konoha back then, given the relationship between the Uzumaki and Senju clans, it's uncertain whether the Third Hokage would have been Hiruzen Sarutobi. At the very least, they certainly wouldn't have ended up scattered throughout the ninja world, reduced to being human charging stations.

"People from Kirigakure?"

Noticing the headbands from Kirigakure on their heads, the guards from Uzushio Village sent someone to inform their superiors before leading the group to a rest room to settle them down.

"Who is this?"

Upon noticing the unconscious Ryoma Aburame, the gatekeeper's eyelids twitched at the sight of the Konoha headband on his head, but he still followed the rules and did not inquire further.

"An envoy from Kirigakure? Our leader has been waiting for you for quite some time."

Soon, a ninja wearing a tactical vest arrived and led the group to the political center of Uzushio Village, the castle tower.

"Does the leader of Uzushio Village seem to value his status as a daimyo more than his status as a ninja?" Hozuki Shingetsu wondered to himself after noticing that the political center of the village leader was the castle tower rather than the office building.

"Your Excellency, the envoy from Kirigakure has arrived."

The way the ninjas addressed their leader confirmed Hozuki Shingetsu's suspicions. However, there was no time to ponder the implications of this information in the current situation. He immediately led Yagura and Karatachi into the room and delivered Ren's letter to the daimyo of Uzushiogakure.

The current head of the Uzumaki clan, leader of Uzumaki Village, and daimyo of the Land of Whirlpools, Uzumaki Takumi, is about sixty years old. His hair has turned from red to white, he has a mustache on his nose, and a long beard on his chin. At this moment, he is wearing a loose robe and sitting in the main seat, casually flipping through Ren's letters.

"To exchange for the sealing technology of the Tailed Beast Jinchuriki..." Takumi Uzumaki gently put down the letter and turned to look at Shinju Hozuki. "Give me a reason for the exchange, how about it?"

"Your Excellency, before I answer, may I please introduce this person's background?"

Hozuki Shingetsu lifted the still unconscious Aburame Ryoma in his arms and said calmly.

The group present had long been curious about Aburame Ryoma's identity. Although they could tell from the headband he wore that he was from Konoha, they were more concerned about why an envoy from Kirigakure would bring someone from Konoha to Uzushio Village.

"His name is Aburame Ryoma, a Jonin of Konoha. Just a few hours ago, he led three Konoha squads to ambush us on the land of Uzushiogakure, but they were not skilled enough and were killed by us, leaving only this man alive."

At the same time, Yukinagi threw out a bloodstained Konoha headband, the iron headband clanging and jingling on the floor.

Upon hearing this, everyone's gaze swept over Aburame Ryoma, but after realizing they didn't recognize him, they quickly focused on Hozuki Shingetsu and his companions.

Three people fought against thirteen and still emerged unscathed. Kirigakure has really produced quite a few geniuses lately!

Before they could even reflect on their situation, Hozuki Shingetsu suddenly asked a question that left them speechless.

"Could I assume that Uzushiogakure is deliberately informing Konoha? Could I assume that this is a sign that Uzushiogakure has completely abandoned its independence and is joining Konoha? Could I assume that this is a signal that Uzushiogakure is declaring war on Kirigakure?"

(End of this chapter)