Masanobu couldn't help but give an awkward smile upon hearing this.
Gento stopped teasing and immediately turned serious:
"Get up. From now on, this place is my fief. Cloudspring Harbor has been renamed Cerulean Harbor. You will remain in your position as magistrate and govern this place on my behalf."
Masanobu nodded repeatedly:
"Yes! Please rest assured, my lord. I will devote myself wholeheartedly to governing Cerulean Harbor for you!"
Gento continued:
"In addition, I need to establish a new ninja village near the city. Help me find a large open area."
Masanobu's eyes turned, and he immediately said:
"My lord, please follow me. I happen to know an excellent location!"
Masanobu led Gento to an open area within the city.
The terrain here was flat and spacious, with ample room as far as the eye could see.
It was adjacent to the main street, making transportation convenient, and not far from the harbor docks, allowing goods to flow easily.
There were no dense buildings around, ensuring quietness while also making future expansion convenient.
Compared to the cramped Uchiha clan district in the Hidden Leaf Village, this place was like heaven and earth.
Gento was very satisfied, though somewhat puzzled:
"This place is excellent. So excellent that it makes me feel like you prepared it specifically for me."
Masanobu forced a smile:
"My lord, you may not know, but this land was originally intended for city expansion."
"In recent years, Cerulean Harbor has developed more and more rapidly, and the original urban area is no longer sufficient, so I planned this area in advance."
He paused, his smile becoming even more attentive:
"And then you arrived, just in time to make use of it."
"This shows that this land was destined for you, my lord!"
Gento nodded and asked again:
"Will my occupation of this land affect your city planning?"
Masanobu waved his hands repeatedly:
"Oh my, my lord, what are you saying!"
"It is my honor that you can make use of this land!"
"This land was originally ordinary, but with your arrival, it has become a treasured place!"
"Furthermore, I will replan the city's expansion. It will absolutely not affect the city's development."
Listening to this flattery, Gento felt an inexplicable sense of comfort.
As the head of the Uchiha clan, he usually dealt with those straightforward clan members.
They spoke their minds directly, never beating around the bush, and no one would flatter him like this.
Suddenly encountering someone skilled at flattery was actually quite pleasant.
He did not expose it and instead turned to Shisui:
"You should return to the Hidden Leaf Village immediately and use the Anbu to ensure the relocation of the clan members."
Shisui showed a troubled expression:
"Clan Head, relocating all clan members at once… the Anbu manpower may be insufficient…"
Gento smiled and shook his head:
"You only need to ensure that all clan members stay inside their homes. I have my own method for the rest."
"I will use a Forbidden Jutsu to relocate the entire clan along with their houses in one go."
Shisui was stunned.
Even with his usual composure, he couldn't help but open his mouth in shock.
Relocate even the houses together?
All at once?
What kind of ninjutsu was this?
He had never heard of such a technique in the world.
Even so, he still chose to believe.
"Yes!"
Shisui's figure flashed and disappeared from the spot.
Gento looked in the direction Shisui had left, anticipation rising in his heart.
Once he used the Clan Relocation Card and successfully established the ninja village, he would receive that SSS-rank reward!
...
Meanwhile, in the Hidden Leaf Village.
Inside the Hokage's office.
Koharu Utatane stood before Hiruzen, her tone sharp:
"Hiruzen, have you seen it? In the past two days, the Uchiha ninjas who were out on missions have been returning to the village one after another!"
Hiruzen sat behind his desk, smoking his pipe, taking a troubled puff without speaking.
Koharu continued:
"The Uchiha say they are leaving the village, but I haven't seen any sign of them actually departing."
"Who knows whether they are truly preparing to leave, or using this as an excuse to gather their strength and prepare for a coup?"
She stepped closer and lowered her voice:
"Why don't we strike first and take them down in one move while they are gathered together?"
Upon hearing this, Hiruzen's face instantly darkened.
He recalled the scene that day when he had nearly been beaten to death by Gento's punch.
That cold gaze, that terrifying Susanoo, still left lingering fear in his heart even now.
He said coldly:
"Since the Uchiha have already declared their departure from the Hidden Leaf Village, there's no need to provoke them further."
"What? Are you saying the humiliation from that day wasn't enough for you?"
Koharu argued unwillingly:
"How can that be the same?"
"That day, you only brought a few hundred Anbu."
"If we recall all the ninjas currently out on missions, we'll have nearly ten thousand!"
"Combined with the support of the major ninja clans, dealing with a mere few thousand Uchiha would be more than enough!"
A trace of greed flashed in her eyes:
"How many high-level missions have the Uchiha taken over the years? How much money have they earned?"
"It would be such a waste to let them leave with so much wealth."
Hearing this, Hiruzen immediately understood Koharu's true motive.
It wasn't fear of an Uchiha coup… it was jealousy over their wealth.
Regardless, this plan had no feasibility at all.
Setting aside whether the village's ninjas would be willing to follow orders and fight the powerful Uchiha to the death, even if they were willing, the Hidden Leaf Village would inevitably suffer heavy casualties afterward.
At that point, how would they face the other ninja villages watching like tigers eyeing their prey?
This Koharu was someone who neither thought things through nor possessed intelligence; both foolish and greedy.
If not for being a disciple of the Second Hokage, she would never have qualified to sit in the advisor's position.
Anyhow, after so many years, he was already used to it.
He exhaled a puff of smoke and said coldly:
"Since you're so eager…"
"Why don't I send you instead?"
Koharu was taken aback:
"Me?"
She recalled that terrifying Susanoo from that day and shook her head repeatedly:
"How could that work!"
"What could I possibly do if I went?"
What she thought in her heart was:
If I were capable of doing it, would it still be your turn, Hiruzen Sarutobi, to sit in the Hokage's seat?
Hiruzen waved his hand impatiently:
"If you're not going, then shut up!"
Hiruzen slammed the table, his voice echoing throughout the office:
"The most important thing right now is how to get through the Hidden Leaf Village's period of weakness before the next generation of ninjas grows up after the Uchiha leave!"
His brows were tightly furrowed, his tone full of concern:
"After losing the Nine-Tails, the ninja villages of the other great nations will not sit idly by."
"The Hidden Cloud, Hidden Stone, and Hidden Mist… none of them aren't watching the Hidden Leaf Village like hungry wolves!"
Upon hearing this, Koharu showed a look of disdain and let out a soft scoff:
"Tch! Just how much combat strength did the Uchiha actually provide to the village?"
"Do you really think that without the Uchiha, the other ninja villages would dare to attack us?"
She crossed her arms, her tone full of self-assurance:
"Besides, how long has it even been since the Third Great Shinobi War?"
"The major ninja villages must also be in a weakened state right now."
"After the Uchiha leave, the village won't need to constantly guard against them. Our combat strength might even rise!"
Hearing this, Hiruzen closed his eyes.
He no longer had the patience to say anything more.
Faced with Koharu's naive words, he didn't even have the desire to refute her.
What did she mean by "combat strength rise"?
Had she not witnessed the terror of those three Susanoo?
All she did was sit here spouting irresponsible nonsense!
Hiruzen suddenly found himself missing Danzo.
Although many of Danzo's methods were extreme and ruthless, he was someone who truly took action!
He would push him forward when he hesitated, step up when dirty work needed to be done, and present solutions when the Hidden Leaf Village faced threats.
Unlike Koharu beside him, who could only talk big; sounding better than anyone else, yet more cowardly than anyone when it came to action.
The office fell into silence.
Suddenly, Homura Mitokado, who had remained silent all along, slowly spoke:
"I happen to know of a ninja clan that can certainly fill the gap left by the Uchiha's departure!"
"With their help, even without the Uchiha, there will be no impact at all!"
...
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