Konoha Drunkard

On their way back, the ninja world had gone mad.

"Kanpakuto sought revenge for Senju Konoha's death. He single-handedly stormed Kirigakure with his sword, killing the Three-Tails Jinchuriki, the Three-Tails Isobu, and the Six-Tails Saiken. He severely injured the Mizukage and cleaved Kirigakure in two with a single sword strike. He publicly swore that he would no longer be a Konoha ninja, but merely a villager, and would no longer carry out missions for Konoha!"

In the underground of the ninja world, a middle-aged man who looked to be in his forties had tubes inserted into his body, which were connected to a huge, grotesque monster behind him. The man's eyes were the most striking feature; they were purple and contained a circle.

"Lord Madara, another monster has appeared in Konoha!" A white object emerged from the ground and said in a strange voice.

"Oh? What kind of monster?" Madara asked indifferently, after all, there was nothing in the ninja world that interested him after Hashirama Senju's death.

“A member of the Uzumaki clan, but he grew up in the Senju clan. His name is Uzumaki Shanks,” the white object said.

"So it was him. Is he very powerful?" Lord Madara exclaimed in realization.

"Incredible! To avenge Hashirama Senju's son, he single-handedly cleaved Kirigakure in two with just one sword, killing two of Kirigakure's tailed beasts in just a few strikes! The weakest members of Kirigakure were stunned by his aura!" the white object said.

"Oh? But that's interesting. What ability does he have? I don't remember the Uzumaki clan having this kind of ability," Lord Madara asked.

"This... I don't know either. My clones all fainted before they even got close to him. But I heard he awakened a special talent of the Uzumaki clan, the ability to sense ki that others can't detect. It's amazing; he was unharmed even carrying the Eight-Tails' Tailed Beast Ball, and he can hear the thoughts of all things, knowing what others are thinking. His swordsmanship is also incredible; the sword aura that finally cut Kirigakure in two was over a thousand meters long. Most importantly, his body is simply monstrous; he swam from the Land of Fire to the Land of Water in just three days. My god!" The information gathered by the white object was undeniably accurate.

"Oh? I didn't expect that good-for-nothing brother of Mito would have a son like this! Do you think he can serve as our replacement?" Madara asked the black object this time. The white object was good at gathering information, but when it came to using their brains, the black object was more reliable. Sometimes he even seriously suspected that the white object was Hashirama Senju's will, and the black object was his true will.

"No, he's too strong, and we can't get close to him. He can also hear other people's thoughts. It's best to eliminate him, but not now, we have to wait until we find a replacement," the black figure said grimly. He was the most frustrated of all. How could such a freak appear in the ninja world? He was clearly not the reincarnation of the Six Paths' two sons, but he seemed even more powerful than them, especially with that aura. Even from a distance, he felt a chill run down his spine, and his heart felt heavy.

"Moreover, he has now sworn off being a ninja and won't interfere with our plans for now," the black object added.

"Ah, then there's no need to rush. However... the current Mizukage of Kirigakure doesn't seem to be very good. He's far inferior to that old man Byakuren!" Lord Madara recalled.

"Lord Ban, are we just going to ignore that kid for now? He seems more interesting."

The white object said.

"Ignore him for now, and don't let him find out about you. I'll deal with him myself later. I've waited more than ten years, a little more time won't make a difference," Lord Ban said firmly.

If Shanks were here, well, you'd be in for another ten years or so. By then, how could a frail old man like you possibly fight a tanky, high-damage mage like me?

Furthermore, Shanks sensed the White Zetsu as soon as he left Kirigakure, but he simply ignored him and knocked him unconscious.

71. Soy Sauce Guest, starring Mitokado En.

When Shanks and Sakumo Hatake returned to Konoha, the news had already spread throughout Konoha, no, throughout the entire ninja world.

Red-haired Konoha is invincible! He single-handedly took on an entire village with just his sword and even split the village in two.

"Lord Shanks is amazing! Haha, he actually cleaved Kirigakure in two with a single sword strike!"

"Ah, yes, it's a pity that Lord Shanks is no longer a ninja, otherwise our village could have returned to the era of the First Hokage."

"What do you know? Lord Shanks didn't want to cause trouble for the village, so he stopped being a ninja. But he's still a member of Konoha, and other villages still won't dare to mess with us!"

Shanks, disguised as a black-haired man, was on his way to the Hokage Building with Sakumo Hatake. He overheard people discussing him. Normally, he would have felt a surge of satisfaction, but not now. Although he had avenged his brother Koma, he felt a profound emptiness. Another loved one had died, and he couldn't save him; this sense of powerlessness filled him.

After the two entered the Hokage Building, Shanks deactivated his transformation and returned to his original form. A ninja named Itachi, passing by, looked over with admiration.

"Hokage-sama, we're back." This time, Shanks didn't break down the door to the Hokage's office, where all four of Konoha's leaders were currently present.

"Sakumo, you've worked hard. You should go back and rest now," Hiruzen Sarutobi said to Sakumo.

"No, not at all," Sakumo Hatake said, disappearing without a trace. He knew that the denunciation meeting was about to begin, and it wouldn't be appropriate for him to be present.

"Shanks, do you know that if you act impulsively again, it will lead to a world war? How will you explain that to the First and Second Generations then!" said Mitokado Homura, his face stern.

"Yes, I know I was wrong," Shanks pouted, not wanting to argue with him.

"What's the use of knowing you're wrong? It's already done. It's a good thing you didn't kill the Mizukage, otherwise the Second Hokage would have sacrificed himself in vain." Mitokado Homura, a minor character, was perhaps one of the few lines he had, trying his best to show off.

“Yes, I know I was wrong,” Shanks repeated.

"You only killed the Three-Tails Jinchuriki and two Tailed Beasts this time?" Mitokado Homura, the soy sauce guest, continued his performance.

"Yes, I know I was wrong," Shanks repeated.

"I'm asking you a question!" Soy sauce customer Mitokado Yan got angry.

"Yes, I know I was wrong," Shanks repeated.

“You…” Mitokado En, the soy sauce customer, pointed at him angrily.

"Alright, shut up, Shanks. Brother Menyan is asking you a question." Koharu rolled her eyes at Shanks.

"I've already said it publicly, I'm no longer a ninja. Let them come after me if they want, what does it matter?" Shanks said.

"Did you really say that?" Hiruzen Sarutobi asked him seriously.

"It was me who said that my joining Kirigakure to kill people and tailed beasts was a personal vendetta, and I will never be a ninja again. I just didn't expect the Kirigakure ninja to be so weak, and the two tailed beasts to be so easily defeated." Shanks finished speaking and shrugged.

"You think you can just say you're not going to be a ninja and that's it? Do you know how much pressure we have to bear for you?" Danzo couldn't hold back any longer. Things were going well as he had imagined, but then they inexplicably changed again. Now that he wasn't going to be a ninja, the war was obviously none of his business. Did he dare send the villagers to the battlefield? The other three leaders would be the first to not let him off the hook.

"Aren't you going to reconsider?" Hiruzen Sarutobi asked regretfully.

"No need to consider it. I'm just not suited for the ninja profession. I'm emotional, lazy, lack ambition, and have no desire for power. So, I'd rather just be a villager! I eat and sleep all day, and spend my free time with my wife and kids. It's much more comfortable than being the Hokage. Plus, it'll save Konoha some trouble," Shanks said nonchalantly, shrugging his shoulders.

"Hey! You should go back and rest first. Haruko has been very worried about you these past few days," Koharu said to him.

"Well, I'm off then! Village Chief, the three giants!" Shanks waved his hand.

"What do we do now? Shanks really can't be a ninja anymore, otherwise our Konoha's reputation will be ruined." Koharu Utatane asked the three of them. Shanks' decision not to be a ninja solved the problem for the Land of Water, but it also brought some unnecessary trouble. For example, these past few days, when the Sand Ninja and Iwa Ninja encountered each other on missions, they always fought each other. Unlike before, when they could avoid each other, or if they couldn't avoid it, they wouldn't cause trouble. After all, even the Tailed Beast Ball couldn't hurt this man. They just didn't know if Onoki's Dust Release would work.

Now that you're no longer a ninja, it's none of your business. As long as we don't provoke you, it's not a personal grudge!

"Let's leave it at that for now, we'll think of something later." Hiruzen Sarutobi was also at a loss. Joining the Anbu wasn't an option either; Shanks's trademarks were too obvious—sword aura, his entire body turning black, the massive water-style techniques he used with his left hand—each one was unique. If word got out, the embarrassment would be even greater. Face is sometimes more important than life, let alone the face of an entire village.

In the Senju clan's ancestral land, Tsunade and her sister-in-law Miho knelt beside the coffin in the wooden room, while Haruko and Mito held Nawaki on the other side.

"Sister-in-law, I've already avenged Brother Mujian, so don't worry!" Shanks had been feeling a bit better, but now his nose started to sting again. It's true that the longer you're in this world, the deeper your feelings become.

“Ah, thank you, Shanks! Cough cough!” Miho said.

"Well, we're family, no need for thanks. Sister-in-law, are you alright?" Shanks asked.

Meihui shook her head and said, "What's wrong? I'm just a little tired these past few days."

"Tsunade, are you alright?" Shanks ruffled her hair.

"I'm fine. I promised my father I would stay strong!" Tsunade said firmly.

Shanks walked over and sat down next to Mito. "You did the right thing, but it's not what we wanted to see," Mito said.

Shanks nodded without saying anything; he knew what Mito meant.

They said he did the right thing by seeking revenge in a personal capacity and then leaving the Konoha ninja. What they didn't want to see was that Hashirama Senju, Tobirama Senju, and she all hoped he could protect Konoha, but now it seems he can only protect it within the village; going to war is out of the question.

"Aunt, some members of our Uzumaki clan have just moved to Konoha," Shanks suddenly said. Although he now has a good relationship with the Third Raikage, and it's unlikely that Kumogakure and the other three villages will join forces to destroy Uzushiogakure in the original story, it's hard to say. The will of the world is the most unpredictable thing.

Moreover, he really offended Kirigakure this time. They wiped out Uzumaki Village as ninjas, and Shanks was powerless to stop them. Asking Hiruzen Sarutobi for help would have taken time, but now he doesn't even know the exact time. He only remembers that Minato Namikaze was around 8 years old when it was destroyed. He had only searched the village before, and there was definitely no child named Minato Namikaze there. Minato Namikaze was only a year or two younger than the Konoha 12's father. Even with this calculation, he only knows roughly which year, not the exact time. What's the point of saying anything?

“Alright, I’ll write a letter tomorrow, and you can go to the clan.” Mito knew what he was worried about.

Shanks nodded. Looking at Haruko, he noticed her eyes were red as she looked at him, and playfully winked at her.

Haruko rolled her eyes at him; what could she do? This man had flirted with her when she was only five years old.

72. The Uzumaki Clan's Escape Route

The next day, Shanks, carrying Mito's letter, flew to Uzushio Village using the Thunder God.

He appeared in a study, where several books about sealing lay on the table. However, Shanks didn't read them; now wasn't the time for reading. He activated his Observation Haki, sensing that his clan elder uncle was in the training grounds.

Shanks walked toward the training ground. Along the way, some members of the Uzumaki clan looked at Shanks with curiosity, as if they couldn't remember that there was such a person in Uzumaki Village.

However, some ninjas clearly recognized him. With his red hair and three scars around his left eye, the entire ninja world knew who he was based on these distinctive features.

"Lord Shanks, what brings you here..." one of the bolder ones asked Shanks. Although Shanks was now famous throughout the ninja world, his clan members weren't too afraid of him.

"Well, I've come to see the clan leader about something," Shanks said with a smile.

“The clan leader is at the training ground. Let me take you to him,” said the member of the Whirlpool Clan.

"That would be troublesome!" Since the other party was so diligent, Shanks couldn't very well refuse, lest he be accused of forgetting his roots after becoming so powerful, which wouldn't fit his character.

The person from the Uzumaki clan, seeing that Shanks was easy to talk to, relaxed. "Lord Shanks, I heard that you cleaved Kirigakure in two with a single sword strike, is that true?"

"Haha, that's about right. I just wanted to cut off the Six-Tails, but I went too far," Shanks boasted.

"Wow, that's amazing! Can you tell us what sword technique you used? We've been practicing swordsmanship lately, but we can't seem to create that kind of sword energy," another friend asked.

In the past few days, the Uzumaki clan members have heard that their clansman in Konoha has become famous, and this time the fame is even greater than his previous fight with the Raikage! He single-handedly stormed into Kirigakure, not only slaying two tailed beasts but also splitting the village in two, creating a large river in the middle. So they've started practicing swordsmanship, but no matter how hard they practice, they can't produce any sword energy; the power is just average.

"Haha! I've awakened a special talent of our clan, so I can sense a special aura. I guess you guys haven't awakened it yet," Shanks laughed, attributing everything to his special talent.

"Really? Our clan can have special talents?" The eyes of the children around them lit up. They only knew that their clan had a lot of chakra and strong vitality before, but they didn't expect that they had special talents.

"Well... I think there should be some. Didn't the First Hokage awaken Wood Release? We're related to the Senju clan, so it should be possible for one or two of us to awaken it." Anyway, with Hashirama Senju leading the way, there's no fear of others not believing it.

"You should master the family's sealing techniques first before talking about anything else," Shanks's patriarch uncle said to the young men of the Uzumaki clan as he approached.

"It's Chieftain, we'll head out now." The little friend saw the chieftain and ran away like a mouse seeing a cat.

Seeing that his friends had all run away, Shanks took out Mito's letter and gave it to his uncle, saying, "This is a letter from my aunt."

The clan elder opened the letter, read it for a long time, and then looked at Shanks. "What my elder sister said makes sense. However, this is, after all, our clan's ancestral land. We can't all go to Konoha. So I will hold a clan meeting tomorrow. I will send those who agree to go. I will also send Ichinozuki. Sigh! The seal of our Uzumaki clan has already frightened many villages in the ninja world. Now, with the emergence of a talented and powerful ninja like you, my elder sister is right. Sending some clan members to Konoha is a way to preserve a way out."

"Then I'll head back to Konoha first to inform Hiruzen Sarutobi to prepare. I'll come back tomorrow to escort them. Haha! This might be my last mission as a ninja," Shanks laughed.

"You did a good job, but there were still some oversights." The clan elder was clearly praising him.

"Well, I'll go back and inform the Hokage then," Shanks said.

←↓→↑←↓→↓→, a series of actions.

......

"Lord Hokage, may I come in?" Shanks asked gently outside Hiruzen Sarutobi's office.

"Ahem!! Come...come in." Hiruzen Sarutobi was asking the crystal ball which Konoha beauty had the best figure when he suddenly heard a gentle voice. Regardless of how strange it sounded coming from its owner, it was still a bit eerie.

Shanks knew that Hiruzen Sarutobi was showing concern for the Konoha girls again when he saw him covering the crystal ball with his sleeve. He said disdainfully, "Take it easy. Big Sister Biwako even complained to my aunt that your time has become shorter lately."

"Cough, nonsense! Speak, what is it?" Hiruzen Sarutobi didn't want to waste time on that topic.

“My aunt plans to have some members of the Uzumaki clan move to Konoha. As you know, I was originally the most suitable person to be the next Jinchuriki, but now that I’m no longer a ninja, we have to find someone from the Uzumaki clan. My uncle’s son will also be moving here tomorrow,” Shanks said.

After hearing this, Hiruzen Sarutobi's face broke into a wide grin. The Uzumaki clan, even the First Hokage couldn't manage them, but today he accomplished it.

Hiruzen Sarutobi knew the importance of the Uzumaki clan. Putting aside sealing techniques and such, just the fact that they had a special physique that could suppress the Nine-Tails made raising the entire clan worthwhile.