[A Few Days Later]
On the outskirts of Konoha Village's forest, Konan was leaping between the trees.
Behind her followed more than a dozen children, ranging from five to ten years old.
The older ones were helping the younger ones along, walking with some difficulty. One little girl with purple hair asked, "Angel-sama, are we almost there?"
Konan didn't look back, "Mm, it's just ahead."
At that moment, several figures dropped down. Judging by their attire, all of them were from the Uchiha clan, and at their head was none other than Rengoku.
"Just leave them to me," Rengoku said, pretending to be all formal.
Konan leapt down from the tree and gave the children a few final words, "You must grow up well in Konoha. Don't waste the great cost I paid to send you here."
"Thank you, Angel-sama!"
Though these children were still young, they understood well enough the huge difference between Konoha Village and the Amegakure.
Konan rose into the air, wings spreading behind her as she beat them once, creating a gust of wind that carried her away.
Rengoku's gaze swept across the group, and he immediately spotted the purple-haired Ajisai, as well as Suiren and Fuyo, who in the future would become her teammates.
"I am Uchiha Rengoku, clan head of the Uchiha, and principal of Konoha's ninja academy."
"Come with me."
The children looked at each other. In this strange environment, they were naturally a little nervous.
"Yes, Rengoku-sama."
The older ones were quick to act, moving over to Rengoku's side.
Once someone responded, the others followed suit and walked toward him.
Leading them forward, Rengoku said, "You paid a huge price to come to Konoha. How much you can learn now depends entirely on yourselves…"
As his voice faded into the distance, a Zetsu figure far away quietly sank back into the ground.
———
In another direction.
Kakashi was bringing back Tenzo, now awake, along with Susuki and Shion to Konoha.
Ever since being lectured by Rengoku, Kakashi hadn't come to see him again, probably still working through his own thoughts.
Upon returning to Konoha now, his first stop was to report to the Third Hokage.
Meanwhile, one of Rengoku's shadow clones escorted Shion and Susuki back to the clan grounds.
———
[Hokage's Office]
"What? Miroku is dead?", The Third Hokage was stunned. He had been counting on the priestess's sealing technique to seal the Nine-Tails.
And now things had ended up like this.
"How did she die?"
Kakashi shook his head, "We had already withdrawn beforehand. She must have died in battle against Moryo."
"Later, we were attacked, and Shirakumo Hayama-senpai was also killed."
"What? Shirakumo Hayama is dead too?"
The Third Hokage felt his head spin. Shirakumo Hayama had been assigned to guide Kakashi, and now he was dead as well.
"Who attacked you?"
"A masked Uchiha… but I don't know who."
At this point, Kakashi still refused to admit that the man was Obito.
"But Uchiha Rengoku suddenly appeared and saved us."
"Uchiha Rengoku?", The Third Hokage's face was full of doubt.
"What was he doing over there? Could it have been a shadow clone?"
Kakashi thought for a moment, then said, "The Uchiha accepted a commission to escort Miroku's daughter, Shion, to our Konoha."
Because Shirakumo Hayama had given Kakashi a warning beforehand, Kakashi no longer trusted the Third Hokage.
Now lies came as easily as breathing.
After all, no one else in the team would be reporting in.
The Third Hokage took a draw on his pipe, then slowly said, "Kakashi, is there something you're not telling me?"
Kakashi's heart skipped a beat, and his face showed obvious panic for a moment before he calmed down.
"Why does the Hokage-sama say that?"
Frowning, the Third Hokage said, "Before you returned, Rengoku dug up the graves of Uchiha Obito and Nohara Rin."
Kakashi jolted violently, his voice even changing, "What?"
Just as he was about to move, the Third Hokage pressed him back down.
"Rengoku was very angry at the time and told me to come back and ask you."
"So, speak! What else haven't you told me?"
A bitter smile crossed Kakashi's face, and his expression gradually turned bleak, "Rengoku said that masked man was Obito."
The Third Hokage: "???"
This abrupt, incomplete answer left the Third Hokage momentarily frozen.
Kakashi went on, "Rengoku also said he was the one behind the Nine-Tails incident. Uchiha Itachi accepted Danzo's mission because he planned to work with this man."
The Third Hokage pinched the bridge of his nose, 'How has things gotten so complicated?'
"Does Rengoku have any proof?"
Kakashi shook his head, "Rengoku didn't say, so I don't know if he has any."
"It's just that, when that man made a deal with Itachi, he was pretending to be Uchiha Madara—"
"And Rengoku saw through it."
The Third Hokage was surprised, 'How can anyone be stupid enough to impersonate Uchiha Madara in front of the Uchiha clan head?'
'That is like trying to impersonate someone's father right to their face, completely absurd.'
'How could an Uchiha not recognize Madara?'
For now, the Third Hokage set those thoughts aside, "That Miroku's daughter, Shion, can she use sealing techniques?"
Kakashi shook his head, "She's only seven years old and hasn't learned sealing techniques."
The Third Hokage was somewhat disappointed. The last possible method to restrain the Nine-Tails' jinchuriki was gone.
"Go to Rengoku first. If you get any information, remember to report back to me."
He knew Kakashi wouldn't just sit back while Rin's grave was dug up by the Uchiha.
As for Obito, since there was no body, that grave was only a cenotaph.
Kakashi acknowledged the order and immediately ran toward the Uchiha compound.
———
[Uchiha Compound]
As soon as this shadow clone returned, it called Rinjin over to arrange lodging.
Rinjin was long used to Rengoku bringing children back; he was no longer surprised.
After all, the clan had more than enough space to run a kindergarten.
He smoothly went to arrange their accommodations.
This shadow clone of Rengoku merged directly with the one over on Naruto's side.
Miroku, curious, was sensing Kushina's chakra.
"She's not a soul."
"That's right," Rengoku replied, "She's already dead, this is the chakra she left behind."
"Her soul is in the Pure Land."
"But we're already working on a way to call her soul back."
"Why bring her soul back?"
Rengoku sighed, "When she died, her child had just been born. She couldn't let go of her child."
Miroku felt a pang of sympathy. After all, she couldn't let go of Shion either.
"How long will it take for Moryo to recover from his injuries this time?", Rengoku didn't know much about Moryo, but from earlier, his combat power was clearly comparable to a tailed beast's.
And there was the chance he had already joined forces with Obito and the others, so naturally, Rengoku needed to be vigilant.
"You don't need to worry about that for now. I can sense Moryo to a certain extent."
"He's been badly wounded, and his body has been dismantled and sealed away. Without a body, his recovery will be very slow."
Just then, Rinjin came to report, "Clan head, Kakashi is here."
Rengoku made a sound of acknowledgment. It was probably about the main body digging up Rin's grave.
"Bring him to the meeting room."
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