Just imagining that scene was terrifying.
Under Seisui's calm gaze, Panda Wu turned into a puff of white smoke and vanished into the air.
The Grass ninja who saw the giant panda disappear all let out sighs of relief.
"Finally gone!"
"Damn those warmongers!"
"Those radicals should all just die!"
"Yeah! Kill the warmongers!"
None of them dared to blame Seisui.
So they turned all their fear and anger on the pro-war faction who had provoked him in the first place.
"I've hated those idiots for ages!"
"They act like lunatics every day!"
A Grass ninja climbed out from under a pile of rubble and shouted, "Let's kill all the warmongers!"
"Kusagakure doesn't need extremists like them!"
"Kill them!"
"Kill them!"
"Kill them!"
The shouts grew louder and louder, soon joined by the cries of nearby civilians.
Listening to the noise echo through the ruined village, Seisui exchanged glances with Minato and Uchiha Haru.
"This," Seisui said lightly, "is human nature at its ugliest."
"It's what you said before, right?" Minato asked softly. "That blaming others is always easier than blaming yourself?"
"Exactly." Seisui nodded, then looked toward Mina Uzumaki, who was now standing shakily beside him.
"For people far weaker than you, they'll never dare hold you accountable," he said. "Instead, they'll blame the ones who offended you."
"And when that happens, all you need to do is toss them a bone—just a small favor—and they'll treat you like a savior."
"Do it a few more times, and they'll follow your every command... maybe even worship you as their master."
"That's disgusting," Haru muttered, frowning. "Turning your enemies into your masters?"
"Isn't that completely twisted?"
"It is." Seisui nodded. "A kind of mental sickness. But it's also a weakness that can be used to control people."
He waved a hand dismissively. "Anyway, enough philosophy."
"That old geezer—did he bring the money?" Seisui asked, turning to Haru.
"He did." Haru pointed at a nearby chest.
Seisui walked over, flipped the lid open, and smiled in satisfaction at the sight of the chest filled with silver coins.
He quickly formed a few hand signs, and whoosh!—the money disappeared, stored safely within the Panda Clan's realm.
All of it was their spoils of war.
"You really are the clan leader?" Mina asked softly, gripping the hem of her clothes. Her fingertips had turned pale from tension.
It was obvious she was nervous—
so nervous that she'd probably spent a long time mustering the courage just to ask.
"Of course I am." Seisui smiled reassuringly.
"You've heard of Uzumaki Mito from Konoha, right?" he asked.
"I think... I've heard the name," Mina said hesitantly, nodding.
"She's the younger sister of the previous clan leader," Seisui explained, "and the strongest member of the Uzumaki clan today. It was she who appointed me as the new clan head."
As he spoke, he flashed another confident grin.
"But your hair..." Mina frowned in confusion.
In her memory, every Uzumaki had red hair.
Yet the man in front of her—though she remembered it being red before—now had black hair.
It made no sense.
"This hair color—I'll explain once we're back in Konoha," Seisui said lightly, avoiding the subject.
"Okay." Mina lowered her head again.
Whether he was truly the clan leader or not didn't matter much to her anymore.
As long as she could leave this cursed place, even the worst outcome couldn't be worse than what she'd already endured.
She just wanted to live peacefully somewhere—anywhere.
When the Uzumaki clan was destroyed, she should've died too.
But with her parents' help, she'd escaped... though they died protecting her.
She still remembered their last words: Live well. Find a quiet place where no one knows you. Be happy.
She had fled to Kusagakure, settled in a small village, and tried to live quietly.
But when someone got injured, she let them bite her to heal their wounds and a passing Grass ninja saw it.
That single act sealed her fate.
She was dragged to Kusagakure, where she felt nothing but coldness and hatred.
Coldness toward her as a person and hatred toward the unique power she possessed, one they lacked.
It was jealousy—pure, ugly jealousy.
Exactly like the faces Seisui had seen earlier.
Hearing Mina's story, Uchiha Haru couldn't help glancing at her with sympathy.
Annihilated clan, fleeing for her life, parents dead…
Then captured, tortured, and humiliated—all within three short years.
It was enough misery for several lifetimes.
"It's alright now," Seisui said gently. "Once we reach Konoha, no one will dare harm you."
He smiled faintly. "When I become Hokage, I'll rebuild the Uzumaki clan."
Mina didn't respond right away—
but Uchiha Haru's face flushed red in an instant, and she turned away quickly.
Even Minato, watching from the side, was speechless.
Seriously? You're blushing like a kettle just from that?
Meanwhile, Haru's thoughts were far less innocent.
If Seisui wants to restore the Uzumaki clan... that means he'll have to have lots of children, right?
How many... should I give him...?
Just imagining herself surrounded by little kids calling her "Mother" made her cheeks burn even hotter.
Watching her reaction, Seisui could only sigh helplessly.
"You okay?" he asked, resting a hand on her head.
Haru shook her head quickly, a look of pure bliss on her face.
If only this moment could last forever...
Every time Seisui patted her head, it brought back memories of their first meeting—
when he'd done the same thing in the dueling arena.
She couldn't explain it, but she was addicted to the feeling.
Nothing like a certain yellow-haired hedgehog, that's for sure.
Glancing sideways at Minato, she thought to herself,
You can forget it, Minato. I'm never giving up Seisui!
Sensing her faintly hostile gaze, Minato turned his head, puzzled.
When he met Haru's glare, his heart skipped a beat.
Don't tell me... Haru wants to hit me too?!
The idea alone made his scalp tingle.
Seisui had been beating him up for years and now Haru wanted to join in?!
What was the point of living anymore?!
"Alright, enough. Let's head back to Konoha," Seisui said finally, watching the two of them spiral into their own thoughts.
"If we don't hurry, I bet Elder Danzo's already labeling us as deserters."
"Huh?" Minato blinked in confusion. "Elder Danzo?"
"I thought the only thing he ever says is 'You'll regret this'?"
Seisui: "..."
In your mind, Danzo's entire vocabulary is just that line, huh?
"Minato!" Seisui snapped, straightening his face. "Don't slander Elder Danzo!"
"As the future Hokage, I order you to stop spreading rumors!"
"Damn you, Seisui!"
"I'm the future Hokage—you're just my advisor!"
"I swear you'll regret this!"
"Heh." Seisui smirked. "I'm the squad leader here, remember?"
"Team member Minato, please mind your rank."
"You bastard, Seisui!" Minato shouted, face turning red. "Just wait till I master Sage Mode—then we'll see who's stronger!"
Haru quietly inserted herself between them, expression calm.
Mina, watching from the side, couldn't help looking at the three of them with envy.
Once, she'd had friends like that too... but they were all gone now.
"Let's move out! Back to Konoha!"
Seisui called out, then dashed toward the Land of Fire.
Minato followed close behind, his speed remarkable.
Seisui had once joked that he just hoped Minato wouldn't always be this fast because if he was, Kushina definitely wouldn't be happy.
Trailing behind them was Haru, carrying Mina with her.
Her body flicker was fast, but carrying someone slowed her down.
Once they were gone, Kakuzu emerged from the rubble, his eyes gleaming with greed.
"That brat... really is loaded," he muttered.
"Wonder if he's the killing type..."
He had originally left, but the more he thought about it, the angrier he became.
Why should he suffer such a senseless disaster?
He couldn't rest until he figured out what caused that explosion!
Driven by that obsession, Kakuzu sneaked into Amegakure to investigate.
He soon learned what had happened—but the explosions still puzzled him.
After pondering for a while, he gritted his teeth and sprinted in the same direction Seisui's group had gone.
Meanwhile, up ahead, Seisui sensed Kakuzu's chakra trailing them.
A faint smirk curled his lips.
He'd noticed Kakuzu the moment the man entered Kusagakure.
That box full of silver? He'd left it open on purpose.
Because Kakuzu loved money and a hundred million ryō sitting out in the open was bait no miser could resist.
Of course, he wasn't the only one good with money.
Even back in Konoha, I knew how to manage funds.
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