The Avengers of the Uzumaki Family

The Sharingan is ultimately too limited, and most importantly, there isn't enough material available now. There are still some eyes left, as Orochimaru took quite a few from Danzo, but there are only two or three living people left, and only two of them are 100% certain. Whether the other one is the real one remains to be seen.

But the Byakugan is different. The Hyuga clan is arguably the largest ninja clan in the ninja world right now, with the main family and branch families together numbering in the thousands. There are plenty of materials for Orochimaru to capture.

The purity of bloodline? The purity of the white eye?

Don't worry, if one isn't enough, we'll have ten, a hundred, a thousand!

Moreover, in terms of rejection, the Byakugan is much milder than the Sharingan, a fact Orochimaru himself confirmed in his early research.

Therefore, while the Sharingan is still the top priority, the importance of the Byakugan has also increased dramatically. Once Orochimaru makes a substantial breakthrough in this area, it remains to be seen which eye technique he will choose in the future.

Or perhaps he's even more greedy and wants to have his cake and eat it too—that's up to Orochimaru to choose.

"Then it's up to Orochimaru-san to decide. And then you can tell me where the Three-Tails and that other guy are, right? Orochimaru-san?"

Mianma waited a moment before speaking.

"Hehe, please excuse my rudeness, Menma-kun. The location of the Three-Tails is now 100% confirmed. It's in the northwestern region of the Land of Water. I will send my most capable subordinate, Guren, and another little guy to assist you, Menma-kun. As always, the Three-Tails can belong to you, Menma-kun, but you still need to provide me with a portion of its chakra. As for the other target, we can only confirm that it is active in the Land of Rivers. The exact location still needs to be clarified. I can also have Kabuto assist you, Menma-kun."

Orochimaru's eyes flickered slightly. He casually closed the scroll, swallowed it in one gulp as usual, and said with a faint smile.

"The Three-Tails' chakra is of course not a problem. As for the assistants, there's no need for them. I can locate them myself. However, we do need Kabuto's help to pinpoint the exact location of that one. Once the location is confirmed, I will personally take action."

Mianma replied with a smile.

No help is needed; I'll do it myself.

Upon hearing Menma's words, Orochimaru's eyes narrowed slightly, but only for a second before he smiled and replied, "Well, since Menma-kun has said so, let's settle on that. Then, I won't bother Menma-kun any longer."

Having said that, Orochimaru stood up and turned to leave.

"Oh, by the way, may I ask you something? Why did Menma-kun go looking for that guy? It seems like there's nothing about him that Menma-kun could be optimistic about. Even that secret technique has very high limitations."

Orochimaru asked casually, as if it were nothing out of the ordinary.

"Hmm? Oh, it's just an experiment involving the bloodline of our Uzumaki clan. Orochimaru-san, are you interested in this too? Well, I can tell you, Orochimaru-san."

Menma paused for a moment, seemingly for a very subtle second or two, then smiled and said slowly and softly.

A gentle and calm tone.

A calm and composed expression.

Unlike the imposing aura he had displayed before, Mianma was now so harmless and reassuring.

But it was at this very moment.

Orochimaru felt a chill run through his body, and alarm bells rang in his mind. In the instant he met Orochimaru's gaze, he could sense the aura of 'death'.

Orochimaru's pupils involuntarily contracted.

"No, I was just asking casually. Menma-kun, please don't mind. Well then, I'll take my leave now. I look forward to our next meeting, Menma-kun."

It seemed to last only a second.

It seems as ancient as eternity.

In the blink of an eye.

Orochimaru also smiled, as if it were a casual question. After uttering this sentence lightly, Orochimaru bowed slightly.

"Buzz!"

As soon as you step into a shady spot, your figure involuntarily blends into it and disappears in an instant.

Menma also stared calmly in the direction Orochimaru had gone. His senses, which had spread out, clearly detected that Orochimaru's chakra aura had completely disappeared and was beyond his perception range.

Mianma couldn't help but let out a soft hum, a hint of contemplation appearing between his brows.

Looks like I need to speed things up!

(End of this chapter)

Chapter 347 Unexpected Visitor

Each of the major ninja villages entered into a period of silence.

Menma is currently engaged in the intensive preparations for the merger of the ninja villages. Other major ninja villages are also frequently exchanging information on their own important matters, especially Konoha Village. During this period, there have been many people coming and going, both openly and secretly, including but not limited to the other four major ninja villages and the officials of the Land of Fire.

Some smaller ninja villages couldn't help but secretly send people to negotiate with other ninja villages. In a battle between major powers, a single misstep could bring devastating destruction to these smaller ninja villages.

The ninja world is now shrouded in an eerie silence.

How can we prevent these small ninja villages from feeling fear and suspicion? If we don't try our best to figure out what the current situation is, the leaders of these small ninja villages will not be able to feel at ease. Even if they have to choose sides, they should choose the right 'master', right?

And it was under such circumstances that...

Just as Yu Mianma had made preliminary arrangements for matters in the village and received further news from Yakushi Kabuto, and was preparing to leave the village, Takigakure welcomed the first delegation from a foreign ninja village.

Upon receiving the message, Menma was initially taken aback.

"What? It's an envoy from Kumogakure? Doran, are you sure?"

Menma was discussing important matters after leaving the village with Shibuki, Ajun, Karin, and others when she suddenly heard the information that Dorashi had come to report. A strange look appeared in her bright eyes.

"Yes, Lord Menma. The leader claims to be acting on the orders of the Fourth Raikage. He is an older Cloud Ninja named Tsuchida."

Dolan replied softly, still with a respectful expression.

'Tutai? '

Upon hearing this name...

His pockmarked brows immediately lifted.

This is one of the truly high-ranking figures in Kumogakure. Although his position in Kumogakure is almost the same as Shikaku's position in Konohagakure, in terms of qualifications, Tsuchida, who served the Third Raikage, can stand up to the Fourth Raikage in many matters. Shikaku obviously does not have that qualification or ability.

Tsunade is definitely Shikaku's senior.

Even Minato and Shikaku were of the same generation back then.

Therefore, in Kumogakure, Tsuchidae can represent the Fourth Raikage in many situations. The fact that Tsuchidae personally led the delegation on this trip is enough to show how much Kumogakure values ​​this trip.

However, after thinking about it again, Menma realized that there were still a small number of prisoners in Kumogakure, and most importantly, the Two-Tails Jinchuriki was still in their hands, so he was not too surprised by Tsuchida's arrival.

'So the pressure on our own ninja village's western border just decreased and then it all came back? They're really in a hurry...'

Mianma smiled inwardly.

"Then please invite this Tutai Sang to the government hall."

Mianma paused for a moment, then looked at Duolan and said.

"Yes, Lord Menma."

Duolan immediately responded in a deep voice, then turned and left to make arrangements for the group of people who had arrived at Tutai.

"Menma-kun, is the Hidden Cloud Village sending an envoy at this time to negotiate peace with us?"

After Doran left.

Shibuki, sitting to one side, frowned and looked at Menma with a hint of suspicion, asking him a question.

"Well, most likely. First of all, after suffering heavy losses from us and Iwagakure, Kumogakure is no longer able to continue the war. Just the nearly one hundred Kumogakure prisoners still in our hands, as well as the crucial Two-Tails Jinchuriki, mean they don't have much autonomy to negotiate with us. That's inevitable. The only difference is the timing and the conditions."

Mianma nodded slightly in reply.

"So what is our stance this time?"

"The Cloud Ninja prisoners can be returned. There's no use keeping them around anyway. As long as the other side is sincere enough, that's fine. As for the Two-Tails Jinchuriki, that's absolutely impossible."

Mianma sneered and said decisively.

Not to mention that he had already reached an agreement with Youlv, and that he would greatly need Youlv's assistance in his future plans.

Even without that.

Is it possible to easily return a Jinchuriki?

Do you really think he's from Konoha?

After winning the war, why would you spit out the fat you've already eaten? How brain-dead do you have to be to do that?

Mercy to the enemy is cruelty to one's own people.

How terrifying power can a tailed beast unleash on the battlefield?!

Just put it back like that?

How can it be!

Shibuki nodded in agreement. Indeed, sending back ordinary Cloud Ninja was one thing, but how could they easily send back the Two-Tails Jinchuriki? No one, not even a fool, would do that!

"I'll trouble you to follow up on what we just discussed. In a moment, I'd like to ask you to come with me to meet this Raikage's strategist from Kumogakure."

Menma stood up and said in a calm tone.

"Yes, Master Menma (I understand, Menma-kun)"

Shemu and Ajun responded in unison.

Negotiations between the national ninja village.

It often comes down to individual strength; the strong have the right to speak, while the weak can only listen respectfully in a subservient manner. In past ninja clashes, whether it was Takigakure or Kusagakure, they only had a tiny bit of say when the five great ninja villages were confronting each other. At other times, they almost always had to act according to the whims of the five great nations.

And now.

With Menma's strong leadership, and after overthrowing attacks from several major ninja villages, the Takigakure-Kusa Alliance has firmly established itself in the ninja world.

A change in atmosphere that is visible to the naked eye.

As Tsuchida followed Doran into the village, it was immediately apparent that not only the Takigakure ninja, but also the ordinary residents walking along the main street and in the houses on both sides, all held their heads high and looked down at the arriving Kumogakure ninja with an air of 'looking down'.

This is the confidence and composure that only victors possess.

The foundation of the five great nations was built up little by little in this way. Tsuchidae can foresee that as long as Takigakure does not suffer too much damage in the future, it will not take too long, just one or two decades, until the next generation grows up, and Takigakure can truly lay the foundation for a great nation's ninja village.

Even if Menma Uzumaki dies in some accident by then, Takigakure's position will remain unshakeable.

Almost all of the five major powers have gone through this process.

The earthen platform is all too familiar.

Therefore, the sense of apprehension in Tsuchida's heart became even stronger. He originally thought that Tsuchida was just a talented young man with strong personal strength, which was nothing special. Even the Third Raikage, who was strong, eventually died in battle.

Unless one is as strong as those two true 'terrorists' from Konoha back in the day, individual strength will still seem somewhat powerless in the face of a major ninja village.