Torifū was almost completely confident about this matter. After all, it was highly likely that Tobirama would adopt the suggestion he put forward. Moreover, having the Chinoike clan join Konoha Village would, for one, increase Konoha Village's overall strength. Although the Chinoike clan members currently had almost no combat power, after one or two generations of rest and reproduction, they could certainly leap into the ranks of top-tier clans. Their inherent talent was undeniable; although the Ketsuryūgan was somewhat weaker than the Sharingan, it was still a very powerful dōjutsu. It was unknown whether the Ketsuryūgan could evolve, and this could only be slowly verified in the future.
Furthermore, allowing the Chinoike clan to join Konoha Village could effectively spur the Uchiha clan's growth. Since it was fair competition, there would undoubtedly be a sense of urgency. For the Uchiha clan, Konoha's top noble clan, if the new generation of youngsters lost to an obscure small clan, they would likely become the laughingstock of Konoha. This would effectively prevent the growth of arrogance and complacency. Thus, a relatively healthy competition would be formed, which would be beneficial to both sides.
Naori was initially reluctant about Torifū's plan, but after hearing his explanation, she also thought it was indeed good. When she returned home, she would repeat everything Torifū said to her father. She imagined her father would agree.
"Alright, go ask your clan members for their opinion. An hour should be enough time."
Tsuki nodded, then turned and left. The Oyashirō clan currently numbered only about a hundred people. Compared to the various clans in Konoha, they would probably only rank ahead of the Kumotsuru clan.
Watching his father's figure disappear behind the rock face, En let out a sigh of relief. "Lord, why did you save our clan?"
"All under heaven bustle for gain, all under heaven rush for gain. I expended such effort to save your clan primarily because of your clan's unique dōjutsu, which can make Konoha Village stronger." Although Torifū spoke very directly, En felt much more at ease after hearing it. After all, compared to all sorts of flowery deceptions, these words sounded the most genuine.
"What kind of place is Konoha Village? Is it like Kumogakure?" Regarding the unknown future, En was still a bit nervous. If the ninja of Konoha Village were like those of Kumogakure, it would just be another hell for his clan members.
"The people of Konoha Village are generally peaceful; you don't have to worry too much about others bullying you. You'll experience it directly once you get there."
"As outsiders, your initial interactions with everyone might not go smoothly. You should be prepared for that." En understood this. It was somewhat unrealistic to expect an outsider clan to be immediately accepted. After all, they didn't know each other. However, as long as they spent some time together and passed the adjustment period, they would quickly integrate. Unconsciously, En seemed to have already started imagining life after joining Konoha Village. He had lived in this valley for six years, and besides snatching others' wallets, he had basically never interacted with outsiders. He never imagined that merely exchanging a wallet could change his life.
An hour later, Tsuki returned, a slight smile on his face, indicating that things had gone relatively smoothly. "Lord, the clan members all agree to join Konoha Village and will abide by your words of fair competition with the Uchiha."
Receiving such a reply, Torifū was naturally in high spirits: "Very good. Then you can continue to stay here for a while. After I report back to the village, we should be able to come and pick you up."
"Good, good. We're not in a hurry." Tsuki agreed wholeheartedly, then said, "Then we will await your good news, Lord."
After giving Tsuki some instructions, Torifū and Naori prepared to depart. After all, they still had intelligence to deliver. Now that they had been delayed for about a day and a half, they had to speed up their return journey. Compared to the sky full of red mist on their way here, the return path would be much easier, and they wouldn't accidentally step on skeletons due to poor visibility.
With En leading the way, they quickly reached the cave entrance. Tsuki couldn't leave the valley, so he just stood at the entrance to bid farewell to Torifū and Naori, then En led the two out of the valley. Although the valley had changed dramatically, the cave remained rugged, damp, and full of twists and turns. After walking for about ten minutes, they finally emerged. Naori took deep breaths of the fresh air. Although the red mist in the valley was gone, it didn't mean the air was completely fresh. Without the sulfurous cover of the red mist, a slightly decaying smell, though faint, lingered, and Naori was still unaccustomed to it.
"Alright, En. We'll be back in about seven or eight days. We'll need you to lead the way again then." En also smiled: "Yes, Lord. Leave it to me."
After patting En's head, Torifū and Naori quickly departed. According to the map, this place was quite far from the border of the Land of Fire. If they traveled by foot, it would likely take five or six days to return to Konoha Village, which would cause them to miss their appointed time. However, with the help of Aokumo and Ryūfū, this journey would be very easy. Torifū summoned two cranes. The two wasted no time, mounting the cranes and immediately heading back to Konoha Village, instructing Aokumo and Ryūfū to speed up.
"This mission was truly an eye-opener. We gained quite a lot, didn't we?" Naori remarked from Ryūfū's back. Originally, it was just about a stolen wallet, but it ended up involving such a major event. If Torifū hadn't been there, she really wouldn't have been able to handle it alone.
"Indeed. It was a worthwhile trip. I wonder what Hokage-sama will reward us with?"
Naori covered her mouth to chuckle: "I bet it'll be a verbal reward. Hokage-sama loves praising people verbally."
Hearing this, Torifū also remembered that Tobirama's verbal rewards seemed to be his standard practice. Hiruzen and the others apparently hadn't received any physical rewards over the years. Thinking of this, Torifū no longer held any expectations.
The two chatted leisurely on the cranes' backs. Aokumo and Ryūfū's backs were wide enough that they could even lie down. And to return to Konoha Village faster, after getting Aokumo and Ryūfū's consent, they decided to travel day and night. However, it was only the two cranes that would travel continuously. Torifū used crystal vines to tie himself and Naori to Aokumo and Ryūfū's backs, so they wouldn't have to worry about falling off while resting at night.
The two pairs, human and crane, traveled like this for two days before finally returning to Konoha Village. Being cranes, their physiques were truly extraordinary; two days of sleepless flight had no effect on them. After eating a large amount of food, they flew off to who-knew-where again.