Uchiha Seiryu [145-150] (Patreon)

Chapter 145: Blond vs. Blond

When Uchiha Seiryu finished speaking, the Daimyo of the Land of Grass’s face turned red in anger, while Onoki beside him also looked a bit awkward.

“I’ve heard that the new Grand Minister of Fire is a young hero. Now that I see you today, your reputation is well-deserved,” said a robust, middle-aged man in ornate ceremonial attire, walking over with a smile.

Onoki bowed respectfully upon seeing the newcomer. “Your Highness, Daimyo.”

Seiryu also smiled, bowed, and said, “Greetings.”

“No need for such formality.” The Daimyo of the Land of Earth nodded, then stepped forward to warmly shake Seiryu’s hand.

This Daimyo and Onoki were known as a model pair in the shinobi world. The Land of Earth owed much of its current prosperity not only to Onoki’s efforts in Iwagakure but also to the Daimyo’s strong support. Among the five great nations, this Daimyo—Uesugi Hideyoshi—was considered the wisest.

So, Seiryu didn’t mind showing him some respect. After all, by rank, he was on par with the Fire Country’s Daimyo.

After Seiryu bowed, the Daimyo of Grass’s face turned from red to purple.

“Ikezawa, why are you still here? The matches are about to start,” Uesugi Hideyoshi said, looking at the Grass Daimyo. “By the way, why didn’t any ninja from your country participate this time?”

Seeing this, Seiryu also wore a faint smile; it was clear that the Grass Daimyo wasn’t well-liked among his peers.

“Oh, look at my memory—I almost forgot,” Uesugi Hideyoshi laughed. “Your Grass Village probably can’t put together a proper team now, right? Honestly, that’s your own fault. The Hokage already issued a statement to the whole shinobi world, but Grass Village insisted on going its own way. You can’t blame anyone else for this.”

“That’s right,” Seiryu replied with a smile. “Besides, Konoha has already given Grass Village plenty of chances. Unfortunately, some people just don’t understand the significance of a great nation.”

“In that situation, Iwagakure would have made the same decision,” Onoki added.

The three laughed together, leaving only the Grass Daimyo standing alone, the biggest laughingstock under everyone’s gaze.

“The matches are about to begin—does Konoha have any geniuses participating this time?” Uesugi Hideyoshi asked with a smile.

“I wouldn’t call them geniuses—just two clan members who aren’t very promising,” Seiryu said.

“Hokage, you’re strict with your clan members. A Uchiha with a double tomoe Sharingan, if skilled enough, would already be a Jonin in our village,” Onoki remarked. “I suppose the championship will go to him.”

“He just got lucky and awakened his eyes,” Seiryu waved his hand. “He’s still far from being a true powerhouse.”

“Hearing you say that makes me look forward to it even more,” Uesugi Hideyoshi chuckled. “After you, Grand Minister.”

“You are the Daimyo; you should go first,” Seiryu replied with a smile.

Chatting and laughing, the three made their way to the VIP area. The arena was already set up, and the matches were about to begin.

After sitting down, Seiryu suddenly spoke up. “Tsuchikage, before the matches start, how about a little warm-up show?”

Onoki looked at Seiryu, a bit puzzled. “Does Hokage have a suggestion?”

“Not so much a suggestion,” Seiryu smiled, “but our disciples are about the same age. How about a friendly spar before the main event, for the audience to enjoy?”

Onoki narrowed his eyes, studied Seiryu for a moment, and then said, “If Hokage wants it, Iwagakure can’t deny our guests some fun.”

Onoki called over an ANBU and instructed, “Bring Deidara here.”

“Understood,” the ANBU replied and left.

At that moment, Deidara and Kurotsuchi ran into Naruto and his friends in the arena.

“Big bro!” Naruto waved excitedly at Deidara. That day, Deidara’s bold move to take the blame for him had really earned his respect for this fellow blond big brother.

“Little bro!” Deidara was also happy to see Naruto. After all, growing up, Naruto was the only one willing to explore art with him and even gave him a great suggestion for the firework explosion, which Deidara was very satisfied with.

So, upon meeting, the two immediately clustered together and introduced each other to their companions.

“Sasuke, Neji, this is big bro Deidara,” Naruto introduced.

“Kurotsuchi, this is my newly acquainted little bro…” Deidara started, but then realized he didn’t know Naruto’s name. “Oh right, what’s your name again?”

“Big bro, I’m Naruto—Uzumaki Naruto!” Naruto replied cheerfully.

Sasuke and Neji eyed Deidara, suddenly understanding why these two hit it off so well—there was a certain foolishness about this new blond.

At the same time, Kurotsuchi sized up Naruto, secretly thinking:

‘So Konoha has idiots like Deidara too?’

“Naruto, later come with me—I’ll get you a good spot to watch the match,” Deidara said, thumping his chest.

“Thanks, Deidara big bro!” Naruto beamed.

But before Deidara could find them a spot, Iwagakure’s ANBU appeared before Deidara. “Deidara, Tsuchikage-sama wants to see you.”

“Old man wants me now? I’m not going,” Deidara waved dismissively. “Can’t you see I’m busy?”

This stubbornness gave the ANBU a headache. It wasn’t just because Deidara was the Tsuchikage’s personal disciple—he was notorious for holding grudges. Anyone who offended him had their house blown up. If you really got on his bad side, he’d even bomb your toilet!

Just then, a Konoha Genin who’d failed the survival test found Naruto’s group. “The Hokage wants to see you three.”

“Sorry, Deidara big bro—my teacher wants me,” Naruto scratched his head. He couldn’t be as defiant as Deidara; if he misbehaved, both Kakashi and Seiryu would beat him up for real.

Seeing his little bro leave, Deidara lost interest and said to the ANBU, “Alright, I’ll come with you to see the old man then.”

The ANBU breathed a sigh of relief. Deidara being cooperative was always best.

Then, the two blond kids realized they were heading to the same place.

“Old man, what do you want?” Deidara asked bluntly on arrival at the VIP area.

Onoki’s face twitched, but, seeing all the dignitaries, he held back from scolding the brat and said patiently, “The Hokage wants to see your strength, so he’d like his disciple to spar with you.”

“Hokage-uncle, you want your disciple to spar with me?” Deidara turned to Seiryu.

“Kid, I’m only eight years older than you. No need to call me uncle,” Seiryu’s face twitched too, making a mental note to focus more on the kids’ manners in the village.

“Eh, that’s not important,” Deidara waved it off, glanced at Naruto’s group, and said, “Let’s skip the spar. They’re all younger than me—it’d be a waste of time. We’d be better off discussing new art.”

In Deidara’s eyes, if Naruto as a disciple could inspire him, how much more could Seiryu as a teacher? Given the chance, he’d rather discuss art than bully kids.

Sasuke and Neji, hearing this, narrowed their eyes. Did he just underestimate them?

“Deidara! Don’t be rude to Konoha’s guests!” Onoki scolded.

“Hehe, it’s fine,” Seiryu said with a smile. “You want to discuss art? How about this: if you beat my disciple, I’ll tell you what ultimate art really is.”

“For real?” Deidara’s eyes lit up—ultimate art sounded awesome.

“For real,” Seiryu nodded.

“Sensei, let me do it,” Sasuke said coldly, volunteering.

“No, sensei, I’m only a year younger than him. Let me,” Neji said.

Seeing both disciples eager to fight, Seiryu smiled and waved at Naruto. “Naruto, you go this round.”

“Huh? Me?” Naruto asked in disbelief.

“Yes, you,” Seiryu smiled. “Aren’t you two friends already? Treat it as a friendly match between friends.”

“Alright, I’ll do it!” Naruto nodded confidently.

Onoki’s eyes narrowed, brows furrowed. He really couldn’t figure out what Seiryu’s goal was.

…

Soon, the two blond kids stood at opposite sides of the arena, drawing everyone's attention.

“Little bro, if you can’t hold on, just say so,” Deidara said after they formed the seal of confrontation.

“Don’t underestimate me, big bro!” Naruto said, working up his fists.

Chapter 146: Battle Instinct

As the two exchanged friendly words below, Onoki, up in the VIP seats, began probing Seiryu.

“Hokage, since this is a match between our personal disciples, how about a little wager?” Onoki suggested.

“What did the Tsuchikage have in mind?” Seiryu asked lightly.

“Recently, Grass Village was heavily damaged and can’t fulfill their original mission quota. The extra tasks should be split between our two great nations. I’m sure you’ve noticed an increase in commissions from Grass recently?”

“That’s true,” Seiryu nodded.

“So, how about each of us put up 20% of those extra mission quotas as the stakes?” Onoki proposed.

“If Tsuchikage wants to play, Konoha will join in,” Seiryu agreed.

“I’ll act as witness for the two of you,” the Earth Daimyo chimed in.

“Of course,” Seiryu smiled and nodded.

Their conversation made the Grass Daimyo’s face turn green—here they were, using another village’s mission quotas as a wager for a kids’ match!

Once the bet was settled, the referee announced the start of the match.

As soon as it began, Naruto quickly formed hand signs.

“Multi Shadow Clone Jutsu!”

Bang bang bang bang…

With a series of smoke explosions, more than thirty blond Narutos appeared on the arena, leaving the audience stunned.

“That’s the Second Hokage’s signature Multi Shadow Clone Jutsu, right? This kid already mastered it at his age?” Onoki marveled.

“He’s far from mastering it,” Seiryu replied. “He’s just using raw chakra to force out numbers. If he could control the chakra distribution for each clone, he could easily double this.”

“This kid’s chakra reserves are abnormal,” Onoki said.

“He’s got Uzumaki blood—having lots of chakra is normal,” Seiryu explained.

“Is it just Uzumaki blood? I doubt that’s all,” Onoki said, hinting at more.

“Of course not. He’s also inherited his father’s incredible battle instincts,” Seiryu said.

“Is that so? Then I look forward to seeing it,” Onoki replied, seeing that Seiryu refused to admit Naruto was a Jinchuuriki.

“I’m coming, Deidara big bro!” shouted over thirty Narutos, all swarming forward.

Deidara, seeing this, took out some clay and started chewing, mumbling, “Little bro, you’re not bad—I’ll have to get serious!”

Deidara spit out a flying bird, and Naruto braced himself. He knew he couldn’t take the blast from one of Deidara’s fireworks.

But Deidara just jumped onto the clay bird’s back and soared into the sky.

Naruto was dumbfounded: “You can fly?!”

“Hehe, give up, little bro—you can’t reach me!” Deidara laughed, pulling out a handful of kunai tied with explosive tags.

Deidara didn’t care for mass-produced explosive tags. He’d stopped using them two years ago. Now, he only used them to go easy on Naruto.

Flying above, Deidara shouted “Art is explosion!” and rained explosive kunai down, not bothering to aim—all he saw below was a dense mass of blonds.

Naruto’s clones dodged the blasts, shouting, “That’s not fair!”

“That’s why, little bro—you can’t hit me, so just give up!” Deidara laughed, never stopping his attacks.

“Tsuchikage’s disciple is impressive,” Seiryu praised. “At this age, mastering a flying jutsu with such strategic value is incredible.”

“Hehe, Hokage flatters me. I’d be grateful if he’d just cause less trouble,” Onoki replied, unable to hide his pride.

“Hokage, you don’t look worried. Does your disciple have an anti-air move?” the Earth Daimyo asked, seeing Seiryu so calm.

“I haven’t taught him anti-air jutsu yet,” Seiryu shook his head. “But I trust he’ll find a way.”

“Really?” the Daimyo was curious. “You have that much faith in your disciple?”

“Of course,” Seiryu nodded. “His battle instincts even impress me.”

On the arena, Deidara seemed to have the upper hand, but Naruto handled things well: over thirty clones dashed around, only losing a handful so far. After figuring out the blast range of Deidara’s tags, each clone managed to dodge before the explosions.

“Hokage’s disciple’s taijutsu is excellent,” Onoki commented. “I heard the Fifth Hokage became famous on the Water Country battlefield with wide-range Lightning-style and lightning taijutsu. Your disciple seems to have inherited that talent. But if he only dodges, he’ll lose once his stamina and chakra run out.”

Naruto realized this too and began throwing shuriken in return. Unfortunately, his technique was laughable—his throws were straightforward, relying on brute force.

Deidara, flying above, could dodge them with his eyes closed.

In the stands, Sasuke couldn’t help but cover his face. Having learned Uchiha shurikenjutsu since childhood, he thought Naruto’s technique was just a waste of ninja tools.

Meanwhile, Neji, watching with his Byakugan, commented, “He probably only has as many shuriken as he can carry in his pouch. His sealing skills aren’t good enough for scrolls.”

Then, suddenly, a Naruto clone threw a kunai at Deidara.

Same brute force as before. Deidara instinctively steered his bird aside. But after changing direction, the kunai burst into smoke in midair—Naruto appeared, threw another kunai, and burst again.

“He used a shadow clone plus transformation to get airborne. Clever tactic,” Onoki noted. “But he still needs to work on basics. If his shurikenjutsu were better, he might’ve succeeded.”

But then, the flying Naruto transformed again—three times in a row, closing the distance to Deidara.

“Isn’t this chain-dispelling of shadow clones mentally exhausting? Can he handle it?” Onoki asked.

Even Iwagakure’s Earth Clone Jutsu, when released in quick succession, could overwhelm Jonin with the rush of memories and sensations. Shadow Clones were even worse.

“He’s simple-minded, so the feedback isn’t too much for him,” Seiryu explained.

Not only Onoki but also Deidara in the air was shocked. He could use solid clones, too, and had dreamed of using one to skip class while he stayed home to study art, but after trying once, the flood of memories nearly broke him.

But in that instant of surprise, a kunai reached Deidara—poof! Naruto appeared and grabbed him, pulling both off the bird.

Deidara swung his free arm, elbowing Naruto’s back, thinking it was a clone. But after two hits, Naruto didn’t budge.

“Crap! You’re the real one?” Deidara panicked.

“Yep!” Naruto grinned, holding on tight.

“Are you crazy?! Let go!” Deidara yelled as they plummeted from nearly fifty meters up.

In the stands, Seiryu and Onoki both jumped up—one flashing forth as lightning, the other using Light-Weight Boulder Jutsu to speed up.

Onoki used his jutsu to lighten their weight, and Seiryu caught both kids, one in each hand.

Chapter 147: The Fire-Earth Non-Aggression Pact

Seiryu set the two kids down, and Onoki landed, eyeing Seiryu in surprise. His Light-Weight Boulder Jutsu was fast, but Seiryu’s speed had far surpassed his expectations.

“Tsuchikage, how should we judge this match?” Seiryu asked with a smile.

“Let’s call it a draw, shall we?” Onoki replied.

“Very well, a draw,” Seiryu agreed. Onoki grabbed his disciple by the scruff and headed to the podium.

With both returning to the VIP area, the referee announced the draw, and the crowd erupted in applause.

Though neither kid had graduated from the Academy, their match was as exciting as a Chunin fight.

With this warm-up, the Chunin Exam matches got even livelier.

Contestants entered the main rounds one after another.

But as the matches below grew exciting, Seiryu and Onoki turned their attention to dividing up the extra mission quotas left by Grass Village’s decimation.

The negotiations were smooth—Konoha and Iwagakure split the B-rank and higher missions more or less evenly. For either village, it was a drop in the bucket, so both sides were happy to be flexible.

But for Grass, with their missions gone, unless one of the two great nations fell, their village would never rise again. After all, it takes missions to train new Jounin, and they would never get high-level assignments now.

When it came to handling a meddlesome village like Grass at their border, Onoki and Seiryu silently agreed to never give them another chance.

“The Fifth Hokage really does get things done,” Onoki laughed after the deal. “Negotiating with you is way better than with that old monkey Sarutobi.”

“Hehe, Tsuchikage is too kind. Both you and the Third Hokage are role models for me,” Seiryu replied smoothly.

By now, the matches had reached the semifinals. Uchiha Shingetsu, who had just awakened his second tomoe, was handling his Iwa opponent with ease—victory was just a matter of time. Uchiha Masato, with only a single tomoe, had lost in the previous round due to chakra depletion after tough matches.

“Looks like the championship will go to your Uchiha clan this time,” Onoki laughed.

“Just luck. If Shingetsu hadn’t awakened his second tomoe, he’d have been out already,” Seiryu replied.

“Hokage, you’re too modest,” Onoki said, then paused before asking, “What do you think of the current situation in the shinobi world?”

“The shinobi world?” Seiryu smiled, realizing this was Onoki’s real probe.

“In my view, even though peace prevails on the surface, there are dark currents beneath. Everyone’s just licking their wounds from the Third Great Ninja War. When the situation changes, the Fourth War could break out at any time. The world is on the verge of unprecedented upheaval,” Seiryu said, looking at Onoki.

“Hokage and I see things much the same,” Onoki replied. “So Konoha is ready for coming changes?”

“Who can claim to be fully prepared before the day truly comes?” Seiryu said. “All we can do is make arrangements to help our village survive the storm. Haven’t you been doing the same in Iwa all these years?”

“You’re right, Hokage,” Onoki nodded. “As Kage, it’s our responsibility to guide our nations through the storms.”

“But in Hokage’s eyes, in this vast shinobi world, who can influence the entire situation?” Onoki then asked.

“The world is so big; I can’t say for sure who can influence it all,” Seiryu replied.

“Hanzo of the Rain, the demi-god of the shinobi world, once fought three nations alone. Though defeated, he was still honorable. Could he influence the world?” Onoki asked.

“All his strength relied on external things. Once the poison of the salamander is countered, he’s just a skeleton in a grave,” Seiryu said.

“The Fourth Kazekage Rasa of the Sand?” Onoki asked.

“A Kage who has to personally mine gold dust to keep his village afloat? A joke,” Seiryu scoffed.

“The Fourth Mizukage Yagura of the Mist?” Onoki asked.

“The Mist’s self-destructive policies mean it only survives thanks to the sea’s protection. Without that, I could destroy it alone,” Seiryu replied.

“What about the Fourth Raikage A of the Cloud?” Onoki pressed.

“He’s just a reckless brute—not worth worrying about,” Seiryu said.

“If none of them, then who do you think can influence the world?” Onoki asked, frowning.

“Those qualified and able to influence the world… aren’t they sitting right here?” Seiryu said with a smile.

Just then, Uchiha Shingetsu and his opponent reached a fever pitch in the finals. The field was ablaze, and as his opponent accidentally met Shingetsu’s gaze, it was over.

Seiryu smiled at Onoki, eyes shining. “Honestly, the only ones truly able to influence the world are you and me.”

Onoki narrowed his eyes and fell silent.

After this round of probing, Onoki still couldn’t see through Seiryu, but he was certain—Seiryu’s ambition was far from simple.

“Hehe, seems the Hokage and I think alike,” Onoki said at last. “In that case, why don’t our two great villages form an alliance to face the changing times together?”

“I figured Tsuchikage’s public invitation to this Chunin Exam had an ulterior motive,” Seiryu replied. “But your suggestion fits perfectly with my own thoughts. If our villages work together, we’ll surely accomplish much in the coming era.”

“I’m glad you think so,” Onoki smiled. The final battle had ended—Shingetsu’s opponent, caught in a genjutsu, was unable to continue. Shingetsu took the championship for Konoha.

“As for the details, let’s discuss them at tonight’s banquet,” Onoki suggested.

“You’re the host—I’ll follow your lead,” Seiryu replied.

…

That night, after the banquet celebrating the successful joint Chunin Exams, Seiryu and Onoki talked late into the night.

Soon, a new treaty—the Fire-Earth Non-Aggression Pact—was drawn up between them, signed and sealed.

With everything done, Seiryu set off for home.

Before leaving, Onoki personally saw him off at the village gates.

Meanwhile, Naruto and Deidara, the two blonds, said a lingering goodbye.

“Take care of yourself, little bro. Don’t use that rapid clone-dispelling trick unless you have to,” Deidara said. “And here, take this.”

Deidara pulled out two clay figurines and handed them to Naruto.

“What’s this?” Naruto asked curiously.

“I made these with the inspiration you gave me: portable explosive clay. Pour chakra in, and they’ll explode within five seconds, with the power of three explosive tags and a burst of colored light to blind your opponent,” Deidara explained.

Naruto stared at the clay dolls, stunned.

“Take care of yourself, little bro. I’ll come find you soon, and we’ll share new artistic ideas,” Deidara whispered.

“Huh? What did you say?” Fireworks for the Hokage’s farewell drowned out his words.

“Nothing—take care,” Deidara said, seeing Onoki glancing over.

“You too, big bro!” Naruto replied.

After their farewells, the group officially set off on their journey home.

…

A day later, just as they crossed the border out of the Land of Earth, Naruto suddenly clutched his stomach and said, “Sensei, my stomach hurts!”

“I told you not to eat cold popsicles and then hot ramen last night. Now you see the consequences,” Seiryu said, giving him a side glance.

Still, Seiryu fished out a wad of paper from his pocket and handed it to Naruto. “Go deal with it far away. Remember to clean up after yourself.”

“Yes!” Naruto, desperate, grabbed the paper and dashed off.

“Sensei, wasn’t that paper…” Sasuke stared at Seiryu in disbelief.

Chapter 148: Reactions from All Sides

“There wasn’t any other paper at hand, so I had to give him that to wipe with,” Seiryu said with a shrug.

“But Sensei, wasn’t that the treaty you signed with the Tsuchikage?” Neji asked.

“That’s right, it was,” Seiryu nodded. “Strange, isn’t it?”

Both students looked at Seiryu with puzzled expressions.

“The moment these so-called treaties are signed, their fate is already to be torn up someday. So, they’re not really worth much in themselves,” Seiryu said with a smile.

“Do you know why there have been three previous Great Ninja Wars?” Seiryu asked his two disciples.

Sasuke and Neji thought for a moment before Sasuke answered, “Because other countries covet our Land of Fire’s fertile land?”

“Exactly,” Seiryu nodded in satisfaction. “That’s it. The root cause of all three Ninja Wars was the other countries coveting our land. Every time, it was Konoha alone against multiple nations.”

“So, do you really think a piece of paper like this can keep the Tsuchikage in check and make him set aside his greed to be friends with us?” Seiryu asked with a smile.

“I understand now,” Neji and Sasuke both nodded.

“That’s why this treaty is no different from toilet paper—in fact, it’s not even as good as toilet paper for wiping,” Seiryu said.

Just then, Naruto returned to the carriage, grumbling, “Sensei, that toilet paper you gave me was way too rough. My butt hurts.”

Hearing this, the three others in the carriage burst out laughing.

Naruto, not knowing what had just happened, thought they were all laughing at him and complained, “What are you laughing at? That paper was really hard!”

“Hehe, Naruto, do you know that was probably the most expensive trip to the bathroom you’ll ever take?” Neji couldn’t help but tease.

Indeed, how could it not be? After all, the paper he’d just used was, in name, the symbol of peace between two nations.

After the group returned to Konoha, news of the non-aggression pact signed between Uchiha Seiryu and Onoki quickly spread throughout the shinobi world.

Reactions varied. Some, like the simple-minded Daimyo of Grass, privately called Seiryu and Onoki a pair of fools—after all, Fire and Earth didn’t even share a border, so what was the point of signing a non-aggression pact?

But the Damimyo and village leaders of the two smaller countries between them—Rain and Waterfall—were not so optimistic.

In the Rain Village’s high tower, Nagato stared at the map of the shinobi world, deep in thought. Two non-adjacent great nations signing such a seemingly pointless treaty—clearly, the ones who needed to watch out were the small countries caught in between.

“Seiryu and Onoki probably already worked out how to carve up us small countries,” Nagato muttered. “Looks like the plan needs to move faster.”

Rain Country stayed quiet because Nagato believed he could control the situation with his own power. But Land of Waterfall was less calm.

As a small country, Waterfall did have a ninja village, but their strength was negligible. Their only asset was the foresight of their first leader, who’d paid a huge price to obtain the Seven-Tails from Hashirama Senju. But their current Jinchuriki hadn’t matured yet, so against Konoha or Iwa, Waterfall was like an ant before an elephant.

Grass Village’s fate was a warning, and aside from the Seven-Tails, Land of Waterfall wasn’t much stronger.

“Looks like our only hope is to pick one of the two sides and become their vassal,” said Waterfall’s current leader, Iwata Zeki, at a high-level meeting.

“So, should we choose Iwa or Konoha?” his advisor asked.

The room fell silent. Either way looked grim.

“Fire Country,” the leader finally answered, voice heavy.

“Fire? But Uchiha Seiryu seems hard to deal with,” the advisor said.

“At least he can win. Onoki is getting old—if anything happens, does Iwa even have a capable successor?” Iwata Zeki said.

“True,” everyone nodded at that reasoning.

“Send someone to contact Uchiha Seiryu,” Iwata Zeki ordered.

…

Back in Konoha, Seiryu first checked on official business.

“You did a great job. Why don’t you come help out at the Hokage’s office more often?” Seiryu joked as he poured tea for Kakashi.

“Give me a break!” Kakashi replied with his trademark dead-fish eye. “Between the police force and your office work, I haven’t even had time to read!”

“Alright, alright.” Seiryu smiled. “By the way, the four Genin chosen by the police force did well in the exams. They didn’t become Chunin officially, but I think they’re qualified. Promote them when you get a chance.”

“Understood,” Kakashi nodded.

As they chatted over tea, the office door was knocked.

“Come in,” Seiryu called.

Gato entered, bowing politely.

“Hokage-sama, Assistant-sama.” With a greasy smile, Gato set down a gift on the desk. “This is Yukihara rock tea from the Land of Snow—only thirty produced a year. It’d be wasted on me, but in your hands, Hokage-sama, it’s a true collector’s item.”

“You’re thoughtful,” Seiryu nodded, accepting the gift.

Gato then produced a stack of exquisitely bound books for Kakashi.

“What’s this?” Kakashi’s eyes lit up.

“I’ve heard you’re a fan of Jiraiya’s works, so I went to great lengths to collect a first edition set of Icha Icha Paradise for you. I wanted to get Jiraiya-sama’s autograph, but he’s missing lately, so I hope you don’t mind.”

“Very good,” Kakashi said, putting the set away. These first editions were limited to only ten sets in the whole world; Kakashi had missed out back then, so this was a real treat. The autograph could wait.

Seiryu watched with satisfaction—Gato really knew how to curry favor.

“How’s the task I gave you coming along?” Seiryu asked.

“Rest assured, Hokage-sama. The ninja tool factory is built and ready to begin production as soon as the materials arrive,” Gato reported.

“Good. Wait for my word to start,” Seiryu instructed.

“Understood. By the way, I’ve opened a high-end restaurant here in Konoha. If you and Assistant-sama are free tonight, I’ve arranged a banquet. Would you honor us?”

“A banquet?” Seiryu looked at Kakashi.

“I’m free. Bring Naruto and the others?” Kakashi agreed.

“Alright. Go make the arrangements—we’ll be there soon,” Seiryu told Gato.

“Yes!” Gato replied, leaving with a huge smile to prepare the feast.

Chapter 149: Contact with Akatsuki

With Gato’s arrangements, Seiryu, Kakashi, and Naruto’s team enjoyed a lavish meal at the finest restaurant in Konoha.

Gato had closed the restaurant for the evening, dedicating all staff to their service.

After the meal, Kakashi took the three kids home, leaving Seiryu behind.

Gato signaled a server to bring Seiryu hot tea.

“So, what’s this big show for?” Seiryu asked, glancing at Kado.

“Nothing escapes you, Grand Minister,” Gato fawned, waving the staff away. “While procuring supplies, Granny Cat and I received a warning from Calvin, the arms dealer from the Land of Lightning.”

“A warning?” Seiryu raised an eyebrow. “What did that old fox say?”

“He said the ninja tool market is saturated, and we’re not welcome. If we insist on pushing in, we’d better beef up security at the factory,” Gato explained, watching Seiryu’s reaction.

Seiryu’s face darkened. “What, that thug from Lightning thinks he can tell the Land of Fire what to do?”

“What should we do?” Gato asked nervously.

“Do what needs to be done!” Seiryu said coldly. “You told me that Calvin’s backed by Kumogakure?”

“Yes,” Kado replied, sweating.

“Does the Fourth Raikage really think I’m Sarutobi Hiruzen?” Seiryu sneered. “Where’s his factory?”

“East side of the Land of Lightning, in a military-industrial town,” Gato said.

“Good. Keep pushing ahead; don’t worry about security, I’ll send elite Uchiha Jonin. And right now, bring me five hundred million ryo in cash.”

“Right now?” Gato was stunned. All company funds had gone into the factory—unless he used his own money.

“Is that a problem?” Seiryu asked, eyes cold.

“No, please wait.” Gato gritted his teeth and left to arrange it.

Half an hour later, Gato returned with two sealed scrolls.

Seiryu checked the gold inside, nodded, and said, “Good. Prepare yourself—Konoha’s new city expansion is going to you. Work with Dragon Construction’s boss.”

“Yes!” Gato was ecstatic. Partnering with Dragon Construction, a state enterprise run by Seiryu and Kakashi, was a massive opportunity.

‘I knew it—show the Hokage my loyalty, and he’ll never be stingy.’

“Get ready, and finish what I asked,” Seiryu said, pocketing the scrolls and heading out.

“I understand. Let me see you out,” Gato said, walking Seiryu to the door.

After leaving, Seiryu went straight to the Naka Shrine.

Black Zetsu, having received word that Seiryu was on his way, hurriedly got into position.

As soon as Seiryu entered the shrine basement, Black Zetsu emerged from the stone.

“You’re here,” Black Zetsu said in a low voice.

“Ancestor,” Seiryu bowed slightly. “How’s Kirigakure lately?”

“As you instructed, the controlled Yagura has subtly encouraged the ordinary ninja to oppose the bloodline clans. The conflict is more intense than ever. The Hozuki and Yuki clans are nearly wiped out—only two children survived, taken by Orochimaru,” Black Zetsu reported.

“I see,” Seiryu raised an eyebrow, surprised that even with all the world hunting him, Orochimaru was still abducting children.

“But recently, a new group has formed in Kiri, recruiting bloodline clan survivors and some discontented ordinary ninja, trying to overthrow Yagura. Their leader is the woman you met at the tavern. I’m planning to have Yagura send ANBU to suppress them,” Black Zetsu said.

“Why suppress them?” Seiryu smiled. “Wouldn’t a coup cause even more chaos?”

“What do you mean?” Black Zetsu asked.

“We want Kiri in chaos. Nothing creates more chaos than a coup,” Seiryu replied.

“How do you plan to do it?” Black Zetsu asked, having realized after the last Kiri visit that Seiryu was a master at stirring trouble.

“Can White Zetsu forge me an identity to infiltrate the rebels?” Seiryu asked.

“Yes,” Black Zetsu nodded.

“Then leave it to the professionals,” Seiryu grinned.

“Understood,” Black Zetsu nodded, catching on.

“By the way, Ancestor, can your contacts reach Akatsuki?” Seiryu asked.

Black Zetsu was startled, breaking into a cold sweat.

‘Why is he asking this? Did he find something out?’

Seeing Black Zetsu’s reaction, Seiryu smiled faintly. After a pause, he said, “Never mind, I’ll try other channels.”

Black Zetsu relaxed a little, then said, “Why do you want to contact Akatsuki? I can get in touch.”

“Really?” Seiryu feigned surprise. “I didn’t expect you to have a way.”

“That group was closely tied to Uchiha Madara, so it’s normal to have contact methods. But what do you want with them?” Black Zetsu asked.

“I have a mission for them. Confidential, of course,” Seiryu said.

“I understand.” Black Zetsu nodded. After a while, White Zetsu, Tobi, emerged from the ground.

“Salute to Hokage-sama!” Tobi shouted, saluting.

Seiryu’s mouth twitched, but he returned the salute out of courtesy.

Seiryu then sent a shadow clone with Tobi, who wrapped around it, transforming its appearance and chakra. Seiryu and Black Zetsu then slipped underground together.

…

Half an hour later, near an underground exchange in the Land of Hot Water, Black Zetsu and the disguised Seiryu clone surfaced.

“Here?” the clone asked.

“Yes, an Akatsuki team is active nearby. If you want to hide your identity, post the mission here,” Black Zetsu replied.

“Got it.” The clone strode into the exchange.

Disguised as a rich fool, Seiryu immediately drew the attention of everyone present.

He calmly approached the counter. “I have a mission. The reward is five hundred million ryo.”

Chapter 150: Konoha Strongly Condemns This

“Five hundred million?”

The moment Seiryu spoke, the entire underground exchange erupted. Even a ten-million-rank mission was rare here, but a five hundred million job? Even the great ninja villages rarely got such huge commissions.

At once, all the rogue ninjas stared greedily at Seiryu.

But Seiryu’s face turned cold, and he released a wave of killing intent.

The room went silent—anyone bold enough to walk in here with so much cash must be terrifying.

“Um… sir, what mission would you like to post?” the clerk stammered.

“Who’s your best bounty ninja here?” Seiryu asked.

“The strongest around is ‘The Undying Heart’—a ninja with a 100% completion rate.”

“Him, then.” Seiryu nodded, placing Gato’s two scrolls on the counter.

“Count it,” he said.

The clerk opened the scrolls, channeling chakra, and was stunned by the mountain of gold inside.

“Five hundred million, right?” Seiryu smiled.

“Yes… yes, that’s right,” the clerk stammered.

“The mission is this—” Seiryu took out a map, pointing to Calvin’s ninja tool factory. “Within a week, I want it completely destroyed.”

He left the map and walked out with Black Zetsu.

He wasn’t afraid the exchange would steal his money—if they tried, the next visitors would be Konoha’s elite.

When it came to dealing with the reckless Calvin of Lightning, Seiryu chose the simplest, most direct way—his own factory needed to start making money, so he had no time for business wars.

That’s why he used Gato’s private funds, not Konoha’s public accounts.

Why the rush? Because upon returning home, Seiryu immediately received a diplomatic note from Waterfall.

“Seems that treaty really put the pressure on,” Seiryu chuckled, drafting an official invitation for Waterfall’s leader to visit, and sent it off overnight.

…

Three days later, Waterfall’s leader, Iwata Zeki, set out with his guards for Konoha. But while he was still en route, a major incident shocked the shinobi world.

The largest ninja tool factory in the world—Calvin’s—was bombed in Lightning Country. The entire warehouse of explosive tags was detonated, turning the site to rubble. Fortunately, it was after hours, so no one was killed. No organization claimed responsibility, but witnesses saw suspicious figures in black cloaks with red clouds near the scene.

The moment news broke, Seiryu, on behalf of Konoha, issued a statement expressing deep condolences for the victims and strongly condemning the attack.

Onoki and the Fourth Kazekage Rasa soon followed with their own statements.

In the Raikage’s office, the Fourth Raikage pounded his desk in fury. Calvin, the victim, stood beside him, face dark.

“Raikage-sama, I think Konoha is behind this. They just built a new ninja tool factory, we warned them, and within a week, our factory is bombed!” Calvin fumed.

“How shameless, issuing statements like that,” the Raikage growled.

“What do we do now?” Calvin asked.

“If they dare hit us, we’ll hit back! I’ll send an ANBU squad to blow up their factory!” the Raikage shouted.

“Raikage-sama, sending ANBU to attack Fire’s factory now isn’t wise,” C, one of his advisors, cautioned. “They’ll be expecting it, and if we’re caught, it could mean war.”

“Then how did Konoha do it? There’s no sign of Fire ninja crossing the border,” the Raikage wondered.

“Our informant at the Hot Water exchange says there was a five hundred million ryo bounty posted—probably for this job,” C said.

“Five hundred million?” Both the Raikage and Calvin were stunned. “Wouldn’t such a huge withdrawal leave a trace?”

“No—neither Konoha nor Iwa moved any public funds. It was private money,” C replied.

“Uchiha Seiryu is that rich?” The Raikage was incredulous. “I’ve been Raikage for years and don’t have that much!”

“He’s ruthless,” Calvin growled. Even he would be hard-pressed to produce that much cash.

Wanting to retaliate in kind was impossible—Calvin needed money to rebuild, and their private funds weren’t enough to pay for a similar job.

“Damn it!” The Raikage smashed his desk. “Do we know who took the job?”

“No,” C shook his head. “The exchange is very secretive. Our spies can’t get that info. But survivors said the attackers wore black cloaks with red clouds.”

“Red clouds…” The Raikage pondered. “Is there any group with that symbol?”

“Not that we know of. But Konoha’s rogue ninja Orochimaru was seen in similar clothes during the recent assassination attempt on the Fire Daimyo,” C said.

“So there’s a mysterious organization operating in the world? Full of strong ninja?” The Raikage frowned. “Keep an eye out for any news of them.”

“Yes, sir,” C replied.

“As for you, Calvin, focus on rebuilding. I’ll make sure this grudge is repaid,” the Raikage promised.

“Thank you.” Calvin nodded.

…

Rain Country.

Konan counted the hundred million ryo that Kakuzu had just handed in and nodded, then looked at him. “You’ve done well lately, Kakuzu. But care to explain why your partner died on the job again?”

“He was useless,” Kakuzu said. “He failed a simple infiltration and almost dragged me down.”

“Is that so?” Konan frowned.

“Of course,” Kakuzu replied expressionlessly.

“How much did you get for turning him in?” Konan asked coldly.

Kakuzu: …

He tried to stay silent, but under Konan’s stare, he finally confessed, “Thirteen million.”

“Hand it over,” Konan ordered.

Sighing, Kakuzu handed over another scroll.

“No more of this next time,” Konan warned.

“Yes,” Kakuzu replied, though it wasn’t the first time he’d heard it—and wouldn’t be the last.

Afterward, Konan returned to the tower and met Nagato.

“Was the Lightning tool factory bombing Kakuzu’s work?” Nagato asked.

“Yes, that was his reward,” Konan said, placing the scroll on the table. “A hundred million.”

“A big job,” Nagato sneered. “Did Kakuzu see the client?”

“No, just got the money and left,” Konan replied.

“No matter. Blowing up a war profiteer’s factory is a good thing,” Nagato said.

“But witnesses saw our cloaks. We should lay low for a while,” Konan said.

“Agreed. Recall anyone tracking Orochimaru for now,” Nagato ordered.

“Understood,” Konan replied.

…

A week passed since the bombing, but no group claimed responsibility, so the incident remained an unsolved mystery.

Meanwhile, Gato’s new ninja tool factory began operations as the first materials arrived.

And on this very day, Waterfall’s leader Iwata Zeki and his party arrived in Konoha.