Hidden Sand Village.
The Third Kazekage's face was ashen, staring at Chiyo and Ebizo without a word.
After a long while, he slowly exhaled a turbid breath and said, "I miscalculated. I will bear the responsibility for the Village losing five Jonin this time."
Chiyo snorted coldly and said, "Talking about these things now is meaningless. This matter absolutely cannot be settled so easily."
Hearing this, the Third Kazekage asked, "Chiyo-sama, this time, I'll listen to your opinion."
"The Uchiha are Konoha's Ninja. Our losses must be borne by Konoha."
"Make them pay compensation, or we'll declare war!"
"And from today onwards, we will put pressure on Konoha's border."
Ebizo, who was standing nearby, asked with some concern, "Sister, the Uchiha Clan are already rogue Ninja. Will Konoha really agree to such a demand?"
Even as her younger brother, Ebizo felt that Chiyo's idea was too outlandish.
"Moreover, our strength still has a considerable gap compared to Konoha."
Chiyo sneered a few times, confidently saying, "The Uchiha Clan's mass defection means now is Konoha's weakest moment."
"We just need to start the fight, and others will naturally follow."
"Don't forget how the previous two Ninja World Wars started."
"This fat piece of meat, everyone has never given up on it."
The Third Kazekage and Ebizo simultaneously perked up, a glint of excitement flashing in their eyes.
Makes sense!
——
Konoha Village.
Danzo Shimura pushed open the door and walked in, getting straight to the point with Hiruzen Sarutobi: "Hiruzen, my Root was attacked by Ninja from Hidden Cloud Village at the border."
"This matter, we must demand an explanation from them."
Hearing this, Hiruzen Sarutobi frowned: "Why was your Root at the border instead of staying in the Village?"
Danzo Shimura replied perfunctorily: "Just investigating some intelligence, and seeing if we could plant some spies in other Villages."
"Never mind that for now, those guys from Hidden Cloud Village are too arrogant. I think we should teach them a lesson."
Hiruzen Sarutobi took a few puffs from his pipe, then finally sighed: "Internal strife within the Village is normal. If your subordinates died, you can only blame their lack of strength."
"If we start a war over such a small matter, it will only bring greater casualties to the Village."
Danzo Shimura angrily said, "They're practically defecating on your head, and you're still backing down!"
"Danzo!" Hiruzen Sarutobi slammed his hand on the table, "Watch your tone."
"What? Is Hokage-sama going to hit me?"
"You..."
Hiruzen Sarutobi glared at Danzo Shimura, then finally conceded: "You can draw some Ninja from the Village to replenish the Root's diminished numbers."
"Hmph." Danzo Shimura didn't continue to make a fuss, but instead began to seriously consider what kind of secret technique Ninja to absorb this time.
Just then, an Anbu flashed into appearance: "Hokage-sama, this is a scroll from Hidden Sand Village."
"Hidden Sand Village?" Hiruzen Sarutobi, somewhat puzzled, took the scroll, glanced at it a few times, then angrily threw it onto the table.
"This is practically bullying an honest person!"
Seeing Hiruzen Sarutobi's furious expression, Danzo Shimura curiously picked up the scroll and glanced at it, then was amused by its contents.
The Uchiha Clan killed Hidden Sand Village's Jonin, and now the Third Kazekage is demanding compensation from them... He had never heard of a Village taking responsibility for a rogue Ninja's actions.
Those guys living in the desert must be crazy for money, right?
"Hiruzen, should we teach Hidden Sand Village's Ninja a lesson?"
Hiruzen Sarutobi shook his head: "Let's tolerate them for now. Those guys just want some money, so let's pay them."
Danzo Shimura admitted that people really do laugh when they are extremely speechless.
"What a 'patient bear,' truly an eye-opener." Danzo Shimura sneered a few times and strode out of the Hokage Office.
If he stayed there any longer, he feared he would die of anger.
Hiruzen Sarutobi felt very innocent.
If it weren't for the Uchiha Clan's mass defection, would Hidden Sand Village and Hidden Cloud Village dare to take advantage of the situation?
Ultimately, all the blame lay with the Uchiha!
——
One month later.
Under the escort of Kumogakure Ninja, all Uchiha clansmen arrived at Hidden Cloud Village.
At the Village entrance, a huge banner was hung, and various silk ribbons fluttered in the wind.
The Third Raikage personally stood at the Village entrance, coming to welcome the Uchiha Clan who had traveled a long distance.
"Yuzuru, nothing happened on the way, did it?"
"Thanks to the Raikage sending people to protect us, you've gone to great lengths."
"Hahahahaha..."
After the Third Raikage and Uchiha Yuzuru chatted briefly, they walked into the Village.
The Uchiha clansmen followed closely behind.
Inside Hidden Cloud Village, there were towering peaks everywhere. Even the height of the clouds only reached halfway up the mountains.
The villagers' residences were located around the foot of the mountains.
On the mountain peaks were large office buildings.
The Raikage Building was located in the very center, looking incredibly imposing.
Seeing this terrain for the first time, all the Uchiha clansmen were filled with curiosity.
In Konoha, apart from some small hills, it was all flat forests, which was like two different worlds compared to here.
"Wow! Is this the Uchiha Clan? As expected of a prestigious Ninja clan, there are so many people."
"So many handsome guys! I heard Hokage-sama say that the Uchiha Clan is also willing to intermarry with outsiders. Our women in Hidden Cloud Village will be blessed in the future."
"Is that the leader of the Uchiha Clan walking at the very front? He's so young! And his looks are too striking!!!"
"I really want to spar with their Ninja and see how strong the Sharingan, which shakes the Ninja World, truly is..."
"So fair, so tender... Completely different from those fierce women in our Hidden Cloud Village. I'm practically begging, let me marry in."
"You'll have to queue to beg!"
Listening to the discussions around them, all the Uchiha clansmen showed excited expressions on their faces.
Their initial anxieties about the future vanished at this moment.
They never even dreamed that the Uchiha Clan would be so popular!
"So our Uchiha Clan actually has so many advantages in the eyes of other Ninja."
"That's right, unlike those Konoha bastards who roll their eyes at us, I've only dreamed of a scene like this."
"It's too enthusiastic. Quickly, check if I'm under a genjutsu."
Uchiha Fugaku, who was beside Uchiha Yuzuru, couldn't help but exclaim: "Yuzuru, the welcoming ceremony is so grand, even I'm a bit overwhelmed."
"Third Raikage-sama, you are too thoughtful."
Hearing this, the Third Raikage shook his head: "This is a welcoming ceremony spontaneously organized by the villagers. A crude person like me wouldn't have thought of arranging these things."
"Eh? Is that so?"
Looking at Uchiha Fugaku's surprised expression, Uchiha Yuzuru patted his shoulder.
"Fugaku, don't let past experiences affect you. Learn to see the world with open eyes."
"In Konoha Village, those people ostracized us and were full of dissatisfaction towards us, but in the eyes of villagers from other Villages, as a prestigious Ninja clan with thousands of years of Legacy, we Uchiha come with our own Protagonist Halo."