Immortality begins with the ninjas of Konoha.

Fugaku Uchiha fought very hard in the two battles in the Land of Rain, and as the clan leader, he insisted on fighting on the front line.

After the war, Fugaku Uchiha did not forget to care about his fellow villagers. He accompanied Osamu Furukawa on a patrol of the camp and even brought some better food to the wounded.

The wounded were being fed better than the Uchiha clan members. Uchiha Inaho didn't say anything, but she was secretly annoyed.

As the clan leader's confidant, Uchiha Yatsuho naturally noticed the slight dissatisfaction among his clansmen. After dinner, he immediately summoned several young men and solemnly instructed them:

"Don't bring your guard habits here."

"This war will make the Uchiha clan great again!"

A young man with his left arm in a sling grimaced as he heard his senior's advice and muttered complaints about his past experiences:

"The reward the village gave us last time was rather perfunctory; everyone is still working in the guard team."

"No other department invited us, and as for the funding, that's something the village should do anyway."

"madness!"

The Eighth Hokage cursed under his breath. He hadn't expected his clansmen to be so concerned about such "petty gains." He glared at them and whispered a reminder:

"Do you still want to hold important positions under the Third Hokage?"

"The Roots even want to infiltrate the clan to monitor us!"

"Everything will change after the war ends, and a new Hokage will inevitably lead the village."

Although Uchiha Inaho knew this information, he still didn't understand why the clan leader was being so obsequious. He muttered to himself, head bowed:

"Clan leader, is there any need to do this? Lady Tsunade is the Hokage; given her magnanimity, she shouldn't make things difficult for us."

Uchiha Yatsuho gave a wink to his two trusted men at the entrance of the camp, then lowered his voice and whispered a reminder:

"The new Hokage is important, but even more important is the medicinal herbs she possesses!"

"We've tested a new drug recently that can activate brain cells, thereby generating a different kind of chakra that enhances the transmission of nerve signals."

The young people looked at each other, muttering something under their breath.

Unexpectedly, his clansmen were so stupid that the Eighth Hokage had no choice but to speak frankly and say directly:

"Sharingan!"

Upon hearing "Sharingan," the group's eyes widened in unison. Uchiha Inahi instantly connected it to the effects of the drug and, barely managing to control her excitement, replied:

"Can it increase the chances of opening one's eyes?"

Uchiha Hachimoku smiled and nodded, confirming the news. The young man's breathing became somewhat heavy. This was extremely important; awakening the Sharingan was incredibly difficult, and now there was a drug that could assist in it!

"But doesn't the new drug have side effects? They say it can cause mental confusion!"

A long-faced Uchiha youth whispered a reminder, but the others around him all seemed unconcerned. Uchiha Yatsuho even forced a smile and replied:

"To gain power, one must always pay a price!"

"A ninja with unwavering will will not be affected. Are you questioning the bloodline within you?"

"Moreover, the medicine is still being optimized, and the clan will allocate some resources for its development. Once we can awaken our Sharingan like the Hyuga clan, becoming Hokage will only be a matter of time!"

A fanatical look appeared in Uchiha Inahime's eyes. He was filled with excitement at the thought of the day when all his clansmen would awaken their Sharingan.

The group discussed excitedly in hushed tones, and finally, Uchiha Yatsuho crossed his arms and sighed:

"The Uchiha clan will surely rise to power this time!"

-

The Konoha ninja split into two groups in the Land of Rain: Orochimaru led a team to launch a blitzkrieg against the Iwagakure ninja, while the other major ninja clans cooperated to encircle and annihilate the Sunagakure.

In mid-November, both sides achieved significant results, successfully completing the strategic objectives set by the top leadership before the weather turned cold.

Orochimaru's direct deployment to the Land of Rain, pushing the battle lines forward, drew strong criticism from the Rain Village ninja, but Hanzo remained silent.

The news that Iwagakure Jonin, Koto, was seriously injured and escaped back to the village with only a dozen or so people caused a huge uproar. Furukawa Osamu's efficient killing spree also attracted the attention of Iwagakure.

Furukawa Osamu was unaware that he had a bounty on his head in the black market. For the past two weeks, he had been having nightmares every day, but the results of his "gathering" were quite gratifying.

In a dry room at the camp, Orochimaru looked at the pale-faced Furukawa Osamu and praised him:

"An astonishing rate of progress! Your mastery of stealth techniques is becoming increasingly proficient!"

"There's not much more to teach in swordsmanship; killing is the best form of training, and you've done a great job in that."

Furukawa bowed to express his gratitude, this time sincerely. Orochimaru's teachings, which combined elements of killing, were absolutely top-notch.

"Orochimaru-sensei, is there any new progress in the experiment?"

"Severing some of the meridians can theoretically delay the release of the strange vitality from cells."

Orochimaru nodded, recalling the recent experimental results, and summarized in a hoarse voice:

"Thanks to your medical ninjutsu, we have made a great breakthrough in transplantation, but the best way to control this power is still to start with the soul."

"It's a pity that cultivating Sage Mode is too difficult. If I had Sage Chakra, perhaps I could solve my current predicament."

Furukawa Osamu sighed and nodded in agreement. Orochimaru had no doubts either; cultivating Sage Mode was indeed extremely difficult, and he had only just begun to grasp the basics.

"Tsunade seems to have gotten herself into big trouble this time. Unlike the Akimichi clan's secret medicine, her new medicine can be used by anyone."

"This kind of external force can be addictive, and even false 'power' can be used."

"Tsunade and Jiraiya are still a bit naive. At this time, the village won't care about the side effects. What Sarutobi-sensei is worried about is the production rate."

Orochimaru routinely mocked his "old and frail" teacher. Furukawa Osamu, already aware of the herbs' influence, changed the subject and asked:

"Teacher, does your physical modification also involve Yang Release?"

Orochimaru liked Furukawa Osamu's curious nature about all ninjutsu, and after a low chuckle, he simply replied:

"Shu, if you want to understand my ninjutsu, you still have a lot to learn!"

"Time is the greatest enemy of geniuses like us..."

Furukawa Osamu looked at Orochimaru, who had activated his "talk-no-jutsu" mode, with a sense of helplessness. It was clear that the other party would not easily hand over his most treasured ninjutsu to him.

-

Kakashi, who was recuperating at the camp, recently noticed a strange phenomenon: the Uchiha clan ninjas were in high spirits and greeted every wounded soldier with a smile.

Might Guy, oblivious to anything amiss, didn't notice anything wrong, but Kakashi firmly believed there was a problem and made a note of it.

Late at night, a young nurse took the scroll from Kakashi and then solemnly relayed his message:

"Lord Danzo is very satisfied with your performance on the battlefield."

Kakashi nodded to acknowledge, watching the departing figure, his impression of Root ninjas was further refreshed. Thinking of Danzo shrouded in darkness, he silently thought to himself:

"My father will not abandon me; I will find out the truth."