"Home at last…"
Uchiha Ren looked at Konoha in the distance, his mood lifting instantly.
After being away for so long, even though Yugakure's hot springs were pleasant and the scenery was nice, nothing compared to home. Yugakure didn't have a proper bed—and certainly didn't have the charming sisters waiting on it.
This time, returning with him wasn't just Konoha's delegation. Chiyo had come leading Sunagakure's envoy, along with the remnants of the Chinoike Clan he had brought out of Hell Valley.
At the gates of Konoha, Nara Shikaku had already been waiting since early morning with a full welcoming party. The return of the Hokage demanded a proper ceremony.
Firecrackers, red carpets, banners, flags—everything was prepared.
As Chiyo stepped onto the red carpet, the sound of firecrackers rang out around her. A hint of envy flashed in her eyes.
Konoha truly was wealthy… to spend money on such displays.
Nara Shikaku stepped forward warmly to greet them. Ren had already informed him in advance—Sunagakure's delegation would be visiting, and Konoha needed to present its best face.
"Let's not stand around. Please, everyone—enter the village."
"Look at all these people…"
"The ground is so smooth… is that electric lighting? Even outside the village?"
"That building is huge…"
"The air smells so fresh!"
From the moment they entered, exclamations never ceased. The Sunagakure shinobi looked like country folk entering a grand city for the first time, their worldview shaken by everything they saw.
As for the Chinoike Clan, there was no comparison at all. Even being sent to Sunagakure would've been an improvement for them—let alone Konoha.
They walked along wide, clean concrete roads lined with greenery. On both sides stood neat, newly built two-story houses with clean walls and well-crafted windows.
The Sunagakure shinobi couldn't stop looking around.
This… was how Konoha's people lived?
No sandstorms.
No choking dust.
No endless winds.
Even the ground was spotless.
Whispers of amazement and envy spread through the group, and the Konoha shinobi mixed among them unconsciously straightened their backs.
This impressed already?
Was Sunagakure really that miserable?
Good thing we were born in Konoha.
After a few minutes, they reached a bustling district. Security personnel had already cleared a path for the Hokage's procession.
"Hokage-sama!"
"Hokage-sama!!"
Villagers lined both sides of the road, cheering enthusiastically.
Uchiha Ren raised a hand in acknowledgment, and the response surged like a tidal wave.
Chiyo followed behind, listening to the cheers. The scene before her stirred something deep inside.
In just one year—
Uchiha Ren had gained this level of prestige?
What exactly had he done?
She observed the villagers carefully.
Their expressions were fervent.
Loyal.
Their faces full of vitality.
This…
She had never seen anything like it.
Konoha is unbeatable.
The thought surfaced suddenly.
In the past, Konoha's invincibility came from Senju Hashirama's overwhelming strength. The other villages had only behaved because they feared him. Once he died, their ambitions resurfaced.
But now—
It was different.
Konoha no longer relied on a single individual.
It had become something greater.
Chiyo's gaze sharpened as she walked.
This wasn't luck.
This wasn't just fertile land.
There was something else.
Something fundamental.
Commerce?
She recalled Ren's words at the banquet.
"Develop commerce… strengthen the economic foundation…"
The terminology had been unfamiliar. As an old-school shinobi, she had never considered such ideas. Letting shinobi engage in business—it sounded absurd.
But now—
The answer was right in front of her.
Whether she understood it or not didn't matter.
It worked.
If it could strengthen Sunagakure—
If it could improve people's lives—
Then it had to be learned.
Yet even as she thought about it, she quickly realized the problem.
Sunagakure had nothing.
Who would risk crossing a desert just to do business?
Even something as simple as roads would be impossible to maintain under constant sandstorms.
They wanted change—
But didn't even know where to begin.
Did they really have to spend twenty years planting trees?
Too slow…
By the time she came back to her senses, they had already reached the Hokage Building.
The Konoha delegation dispersed, each returning home. After such a long mission, it was time to rest.
The Sunagakure delegation and the Chinoike Clan were arranged by Nara Shikaku to stay in guest accommodations. The Chinoike Clan would need time to be resettled—land allocation, housing, everything had to be arranged.
Only their clan leader, Chinoike Kōen, followed Uchiha Ren into the Hokage's office.
Ren finally sat back in his chair, pouring himself a glass of ice-cold cola.
Chiyo and Kōen sat in separate rooms, both visibly restrained. The Hokage Building had been completely renovated—comfort prioritized without concern for cost.
Ren had never been stingy when it came to quality of life.
"Koen," Ren said casually, "does your clan have any requests?"
"The past is the past. People should look forward."
Kōen immediately lowered his head. "Everything will be as Hokage-sama arranges."
Ren nodded, satisfied.
"In that case, I'll settle your clan near the Uchiha district. It'll make things… easier to look after you."
"The children will attend the Academy starting soon."
He laid out a series of plans, and Kōen simply agreed to everything without hesitation.
Ren didn't mind whether the hatred between their clans truly disappeared. That could be handled over time.
Education.
Benefits.
Intermarriage.
With Konoha's current strength, absorbing a small clan like the Chinoike was only a matter of time.
Perhaps one day—
The Chinoike Clan and the Uchiha would become one.
The Blood Dragon Eye and the Sharingan…
What would they create together?
After finalizing the arrangements, Ren had Kōen escorted away and instructed the Finance Department to allocate funds to help the clan settle in.
Then—
He went to meet Chiyo.
After a brief exchange of pleasantries, they quickly moved to business.
The chakra trade.
At its core—
The One-Tail.
Ren was surprised to learn that Sunagakure had successfully sealed Shukaku into a jinchūriki.
Without Uzumaki vitality or sealing mastery, such a feat should've been nearly impossible.
Chiyo glossed over the details.
"After many trials… a monk named Bunpuku successfully became the jinchūriki."
But Ren could tell—
Many had died in the process.
Chiyo's expression made that clear.
"Hokage-sama," she said, "the seal is unstable. Extracting chakra could risk releasing the One-Tail."
That concern was valid.
A tailed beast rampage would cause devastation far beyond any profit.
Bunpuku himself barely slept, constantly suppressing Shukaku.
Ren understood the problem.
But he didn't specialize in sealing techniques.
That meant—
There was only one option.
Senju compound.
When Uzumaki Mito heard that Uchiha Ren had come to ask for her help—
Her eyes lit up.
At last.
The day had come.
"You finally came to me," she thought with satisfaction.
She composed herself, ready to enjoy the moment—
To hear him say something flattering for once.
But—
Ren didn't indulge her.
His tone remained calm.
"If you won't help, someone else will."
"Uzumaki Yōgetsu can do it."
"So can Uzumaki Ashina."
"Yōgetsu can stay at my place. I'll need her help anyway."
Mito's expression froze.
Ren snorted lightly.
"You're not the only one who knows sealing techniques."
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