"Where are you going?" Zetsu asked with a blank expression, looking at Tobi, who was dressed differently and seemed ready to leave. "Where is Lord Madara?"
"Lord Madara is resting inside," Tobi pointed to the nearby room and said hurriedly. "I've already prepared the food. Now I have to go to work."
"Tell Lord Madara later."
If he didn't hurry, his perfect attendance bonus for the month would be gone.
Then, he rushed off, leaving a confused Zetsu behind...
"What did he just say?" Black Zetsu asked. "Doesn't he need to take care of Lord Madara?"
"I don't know," White Zetsu replied. "Something about a job, who knows?"
"Should we check on Lord Madara now?"
"Forget it," Zetsu glanced at Lord Madara's room and shook his head. "Let's go find that red-haired kid instead. Lord Madara might be asleep for a while."
"What about Konoha..."
"Let's see what that kid actually plans to do."
He still remembered the task the kid had given him—to incite war among the Five Great Shinobi Villages...
"What about the food?" White Zetsu asked after a pause. "Should we tell Lord Madara?"
"..."
Tell him what?
Since when does Lord Madara eat?
He's been living off dirt in that cave all this time!
Black Zetsu sighed helplessly. "Just leave a note."
Who knows when Lord Madara will wake up? We have missions now and no time to waste. Plus, there's still a lot to arrange for the Ōtsutsuki Religion...
"We need to speed up urbanization," Uzumaki Jun said, looking at the documents submitted from below, then turned to Uzumaki Hibiki beside him. "By now, all roads in Uzushiogakure should have been repaved, right?"
With the outside world at war, Uzushiogakure could use this time to focus on development.
As for Kakuzu...
A few days ago, he had taken three airships out to play the role of an arms dealer.
A peace-loving arms dealer...
"Except for the undeveloped mountainous areas, all cities and ports have been repaved," Uzumaki Hibiki said, checking his notes. "Riki-sama has already started planning the development of the mountains."
"So fast?" Uzumaki Jun frowned. A country couldn't turn every area into a city. He wasn't sure if this world had issues like soil erosion, but...
Thinking of Sunagakure, he had a bad feeling.
"We still need to protect the environment," Uzumaki Jun sighed. "Tell my father to hold off on developing the mountains for now. Finish building the designated cities first. As for the rest..."
Uzushiogakure was still too small. The current island was no longer suitable for its growth.
It seemed they needed to start experiments on land reclamation.
Uzumaki Jun stroked his chin, looking at the map on the table. For now, they could only expand upward or toward Kirigakure. But the land reclamation techniques from his original world might not suit the shinobi world, so...
They would have to wait for the research team to investigate and see if there was a shinobi-appropriate method. After all, Uzushiogakure didn't yet have the equipment for traditional land reclamation.
"Understood," Uzumaki Hibiki noted it down and then asked, "The research team reported that they've run out of chakra crystals and gold dust. They need more soon."
"I'll notify Gato," Uzumaki Jun nodded helplessly. "No progress yet on chakra glass research?"
Gold dust wasn't a problem—he could handle that himself. But chakra crystals...
There was no other way!
And relying on imports long-term wasn't sustainable!
"There seems to be some progress," Uzumaki Hibiki frowned, as if trying to recall something. "But every time they store chakra in it, it disappears after a while."
Hearing this, Uzumaki Jun nodded in satisfaction. Progress was good—the worst-case scenario would be no progress at all. Going from being unable to withstand chakra to holding it temporarily was a huge step forward!
Maybe soon, glass could replace chakra crystals?
"Keep researching. Don't worry about waste," Uzumaki Jun tapped the table. "The glass scraps can always be recycled and remelted."
"Got it," Uzumaki Hibiki nodded. "One last thing—the Kiri-nin prisoners. Kirigakure sent a message saying they didn't send anyone to invade Uzushiogakure. They want us to return the prisoners so they can investigate and give us an explanation."
"..."
Kirigakure had the nerve?
Uzumaki Jun was speechless. Did they really think he was just some naive kid?
"Then tell Kirigakure that Uzushiogakure has already investigated and confirmed these aren't their shinobi," Uzumaki Jun smirked coldly. "No need to trouble them. Uzushiogakure will handle the prisoners ourselves."
Trying to be slick, huh?
Fine, these jōnin would stay in Uzushiogakure for re-education!
"Also, have the ethics teachers extend the Kiri-nin's lessons by two hours every night," Uzumaki Jun narrowed his eyes. "And assign them ten extra exams every night!"
If this kind of education didn't reform their worldviews, nothing would!
"Yes!" Uzumaki Hibiki gave a strange smile and nodded. "I'll arrange it immediately."
"And..." Just as Uzumaki Jun was about to say something else, he suddenly paused and smiled. "That's all for now. You can go."
"Yes, Jun-sama," Uzumaki Hibiki nodded and respectfully turned to leave.
He could tell Jun-sama had more to say but was dismissing him on purpose.
But...
As a shinobi, he would strictly follow Jun-sama's orders, no matter what they were.
Once he sensed Uzumaki Hibiki had left, Uzumaki Jun narrowed his eyes and smiled. "Come on out. Welcome, branch manager!"
Uchiha Clan
"Gather the clansmen tonight," the Uchiha Clan Leader stood in his training ground, his eyes blank as he looked at the sky. "It's time."
When people in the village began rejecting war and resisting it, the Uchiha Clan's time in Konoha was up.
After all, how else could they ensure no more Mangekyō Sharingan would appear?
The only way was for the Uchiha Clan to perish.
Uchiha Fugaku opened his mouth as if to say something, but seeing his father's sharp gaze, he sighed and said, "I understand."
He knew his most important task now was to ensure the Uchiha Clan's survival. As for his father...
They would sacrifice themselves for the clan's future.
"Later, I'll contact Uzushiogakure's leader," the Uchiha Clan Leader said calmly. "I'll speak directly with him and the Uzumaki Clan Leader."
"As for you..."
"Just lead the Uchiha Clan forward."
"But remember," the Uchiha Clan Leader stared coldly into Fugaku's eyes. "The Uchiha are not dogs!"
"We will not live like mindless servants!"
"No one can disgrace the Uchiha name!" Uchiha Fugaku straightened his back and declared. "I will protect the Uchiha Clan's honor."
"Go," the Uchiha Clan Leader nodded in satisfaction. "From now on, you are the Uchiha Clan Leader. Take care of our people."