Year 48 of Konoha, early in Year 20 of the Red Calendar...
Winter had not yet passed, the streets were still covered with thick white snow...
Only the Land of Whirlpools, because it had liberated its productive forces early, had no one starving or freezing to death in this cold weather within the country.
Although the higher-ups were panicked...
The news of Lord Jun's disappearance had not been sent back, the common people within the country still lived their lives as usual.
Only those who knew the inside story...
Felt uneasy!
You must know...
As long as Lord Jun was in the country to keep pressure on them, other ninja villages would not dare act rashly, especially during this important period of Red ideology reform...
Once war broke out, the Land of Whirlpools would face not just the Five Great Ninja Villages, but half the ninja world.
Even...
If the Red Alliance over there also learned of Lord Jun's disappearance, and were further incited by the Five Great Ninja Villages...
It was likely many would defect!
So...
The Land of Whirlpools did not dare send too many people out to investigate, because if they were discovered, it would mean the immediate outbreak of war!
Right now, many things within the country were not yet ready...
The Land of Whirlpools could not recklessly start a war!
"Black Zetsu?" Uchiha Fugaku looked at the lump of black that had suddenly appeared before him and said flatly, "What are you doing here?"
"Tsk tsk." Black Zetsu wore a smile on his face and said, "Don't be nervous, you should know I mean no harm."
Truly, they are all from the Uchiha clan...
All with that same unpleasant expression!!
"Have you considered my proposal?"
"Hmm?" Hearing Black Zetsu's words, Uchiha Fugaku immediately narrowed his eyes and muttered, "Do you know where Lord Jun went?"
Otherwise...
How would this rat dare to appear in the Land of Whirlpools at this time?
Then there was only one reason...
Uchiha Fugaku's black pupils began to shift, revealing the pair of eyes that felt familiar to the Black Zetsu before him...
Mangekyō!!
"Don't be rash, don't be rash!" Seeing this, Black Zetsu quickly said, "Have you forgotten your father's grudge?"
"Father!" Uchiha Fugaku was stunned, closed his eyes, the evil chakra around him fluctuating constantly, and said faintly, "What does that have to do with you?"
It seems...
Lord Jun's disappearance is not as simple as I thought!
Otherwise, why would this Black Zetsu dare to try and recruit him like this upon seeing his anger?
Could it be...
That Lord Jun cannot return?!
"It seems you still care!" Seeing the surging evil chakra from Uchiha Fugaku, Black Zetsu nodded with satisfaction and said, "You must know..."
"That red-haired brat is your father's killer, the enemy who slaughtered your clan!"
His face wore a pitiful expression...
"If it weren't for that red-haired brat, the Uchiha clan wouldn't be like this now, with only a handful of clansmen left."
The corners of his mouth turned up slightly...
He didn't believe the hard-headed Uchiha clan could really let go of hatred so easily!
"Think of your tragically killed father, your pitiful clansmen..."
"They were all killed by that Uzumaki Jun!"
Take revenge!
Be blinded by hatred!
This is what the Uchiha clan should be...
"Have you Uchiha all forgotten? Seeing Uzumaki Jun is too strong, you act like cowards, afraid to take revenge?"
As soon as the words fell...
"Damn it!!" Uchiha Fugau's eyes snapped open, those scarlet Mangekyō spinning constantly, the evil chakra around him surging forth, filled with hatred, he said through gritted teeth, "The Uchiha are not cowards!"
He still dares to sow discord among the Uchiha clan...
It seems this Black Zetsu before him has grand ambitions!!
"The Uchiha clan will definitely take revenge!"
However, looking at Uchiha Fugaku's hatred-filled expression, and those eyes...
Black Zetsu was excited...
This is it, this is it...
The Uchiha clan are all fools, fools prone to extremes!
And this...
This is the expression the Uchiha clan should have!
"Come with me!" Black Zetsu said temptingly, "I will give you great power, let you take revenge yourself..."
"And..."
Black Zetsu narrowed his eyes...
"Let us bring peace back to this dark world!"
"Red ideology cannot bring peace to the ninja world!"
Only the information he carved on the stone tablet in the Uchiha clan grounds...
Is the only way to save the ninja world!
Recycle chakra, turn everyone into White Zetsu, then wouldn't the ninja world be peaceful?
So...
He, Black Zetsu, Third Son of the Chakra Mother, younger brother of the Sage of Six Paths, the millennial stirrer... mastermind behind the scenes of the ninja world...
Was not lying!!
Thinking of this, Black Zetsu was moved by his own thoughts...
How noble!
He would both rescue his mother and save the ninja world...
Indeed...
He, Black Zetsu, is the hope of the ninja world!
"Come with me!"
"..."
Hearing Black Zetsu's words...
Uchiha Fugaku fell silent, stared intently at the lump of black before him, slowly closed his eyes, as if calming the hatred in his heart...
Feeling the evil chakra calming down, just as Black Zetsu thought he was about to refuse and prepared to run away...
Uchiha Fugaku's eyes snapped open, his black pupils looking faintly at Black Zetsu...
"Fine!"
...
"So, you are not a noble?" Chimiko, carrying her bamboo basket on her back, opened her sparkling large eyes and looked at Uzumaki Jun with curiosity, saying, "But your clothes are very nice!"
"My family just has some property, that's all." Uzumaki Jun said modestly, "We can still afford a few pieces of clothing."
Seeing that he had managed to persuade the silly girl before him, he sighed helplessly in his heart...
What a simple girl!
"By the way."
Uzumaki Jun seemed to remember something, pondered for a moment, and said, "Where is this place?"
He hadn't forgotten about finding his way home!
Otherwise...
Having been away for so long, Mikoto and the others would be worried...
"This place!" Chimiko blinked her eyes and said, "This is Orchid Village, don't you know?"
"Orchid Village..." Uzumaki Jun, upon hearing Chimiko's words, was stunned for a moment and said, "Where is that?"
Why hadn't he heard of it?
Could it really be a remote country that can't afford military weapons?
"Orchid Village is just Orchid Village!" Chimiko wrinkled her cute brow, seemingly not knowing how to explain, and said, "What else could it be?" She looked strangely at Uzumaki Jun...
Seemingly puzzled by Uzumaki Jun's question.
"Eh~, I'm asking which country this place is in?" Seeing Chimiko's strange look, Uzumaki Jun spread his hands helplessly and said, "I'm lost!"
"Oh oh, so that's what you meant!" Chimiko nodded in sudden understanding, thought for a moment, and said, "This is Orchid Village. Because it's a poor place, no country has taken in Orchid Village."
She lowered her head with a hint of regret...
"Actually, Qu Village is quite nice. Although the land isn't fertile, there are few rivers, and no minerals, the villagers are all very good."
"Why hasn't any country taken us in?"
"So it's a place no one claims jurisdiction over!" Uzumaki Jun nodded in understanding, pondered for a moment, and said, "Isn't that good?"
So free!
"It's not good at all!" Upon hearing Uzumaki Jun's words, Chimiko immediately puffed up her cheeks angrily and said, "Without a country taking us in, there's no national protection. Many bad people come to bully Orchid Village."
Her eyes dimmed a little...
"Grandpa Kōta's son, Uncle Tōya, was killed by bandits while protecting the village, and now..."
In an indignant tone...
"Those bandits still demand tribute from us, but the village is so poor..."
There simply isn't any extra food...
Chimiko lowered her head sadly...
"So, it would be so much better if we had a country's protection."
"So that's how it is..." Uzumaki Jun looked at Chimiko, who was feeling down and sad, nodded, thought for a while, then directly took out a few fruit candies from his system and said, "Here, have these. You'll feel happier after eating them."
Because last time he went to the moon, all his snacks were taken by Boss Madara...
Every time he went out now, he carried a large supply with him, it's just...
Now Boss Madara was gone...
"Hmm?" Chimiko took the few small round beads and said curiously, "Food?"
But such pretty things were actually food?
She brought them to her nose and sniffed...
They were really fragrant!
But she didn't know what they were...
"Tear off the outer layer of paper, and you can eat it." Uzumaki Jun, seeing the girl's action, said with a smile, "Just tear it open and put it directly in your mouth."
"Oh oh, okay." Chimiko snapped back to reality, her face blushing slightly, followed Uzumaki Jun's instructions, tore open the wrapper, and put it in her mouth...
Immediately...
"Mmm... so sweet!"
She let out a comfortable moan...
A moment later...
She suddenly opened her eyes, looked at Uzumaki Jun in surprise, and said, "This is candy!?"
And it wasn't ordinary candy either...
She quickly grabbed the remaining candies, took Uzumaki Jun's hand, and gave them back...
"I can't take these, they're very expensive!"
She had seen in the big city that such sweet things were very expensive.
Especially the one she just ate, so fragrant and sweet, it must be even more expensive!
Just as she was about to spit out the candy in her mouth and wrap it back up...
"Wait!" Uzumaki Jun quickly stopped her and said, "It's fine, I have plenty more here. Consider it my treat."
This Orchid Village is really too poor!
She even wants to spit out candy to return it to someone...
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