It was a shame that Fugaku Uchiha, currently hopping mad, didn't care about these factors. By the time he finally came to his senses, it was already too late.
What made the Uchiha clan members even more disheartened was that in subsequent meetings, Fugaku didn't demand an explanation from Danzo. Instead, he acted as if nothing had happened.
If Ronglin knew, he would probably die laughing. Maintaining such an even keel usually made Fugaku look stable, but now it only made people think he was cold-blooded!
His clansmen had suffered such heavy casualties, yet as the clan head, he didn't say a single word. He just maintained that poker face as if nothing in the world had anything to do with him.
If Fugaku had gone to Danzo in a rage at that moment to demand an explanation, Danzothough unhappywould have likely admitted his mistake and taken the responsibility. But Fugaku seemed to have been driven stupid by anger, showing no reaction at all. This left some Uchiha elders sighing and shaking their heads in disappointment.
If this continued, could the Uchiha really rise again?
More and more people began to question that very doubt.
On the other side, the Hyuga Clan was having a much better time than the Uchiha. Whether it was Sakumo Hatake, Jiraiya, or Tsunade, they all treated the Hyuga well. Furthermore, Sakumo and Jiraiya had grown wiser after suffering a setback; they would rather miss out on a mediocre opportunity than take an unnecessary risk.
While the Uchiha suffered heavy losses, the Hyuga were living quite comfortably, handling reconnaissance tasks on the front lines.
It seemed that wherever the Hyuga went, they were destined for recon. They wouldn't make major mistakes, but it was also difficult to earn great merit this way. To be precise, they were stuck in a cycle of scouting with no end in sight.
With the Hyuga scouting and Tsunade stationed in the logistics department, Konoha's war with Sunagakure could be said to be as steady as Mount Tai. No matter how the Sand Village struggled, Konoha remained unmoved, advancing slowly and giving Sunagakure no openings. The Suna high-ranking officials were furious, but there was nothing they could do.
The Puppet Brigade, which had previously caused the most damage to Konoha, found their poisons rendered useless because of Tsunade's presence in the rear. Since their poison couldn't achieve its intended effect, the strength of the Puppet Brigade was continuously weakened.
However, Sunagakure was surprisingly tenacious. Even though they were being beaten back, they absolutely refused to compromise, exhausting every means to resist Konoha to the bitter end.
While the front lines were ablaze with battle, time passed day by day.
A fleet of large ships departed from Kirigakure, sailing toward Konoha.
The cargo was mostly supplies obtained through compensation and negotiations, used to exchange for the Mist ninjas held captive by Konoha.
Aside from those supplies, there were two people who had also become "goods."
One was a girl of about twelve or thirteen, and the other was a young man who, despite his youth, had a face like a shark.
"Did you ever think there would be a day when you'd become cargo?"
On the deck, Mei Terumi hadn't smiled since she learned she was to be exchanged for the Three-Tails. The decision of the village higher-ups and her family's abandonment had left her lost.
She didn't even understand how Ronglin Uchiha, who was thousands of miles away, knew about her.
He had specifically designated her for the exchange, along with a "supplementary item"Kisame Hoshigaki, a man almost no one had heard of.
Compared to Mei's anxiety, Kisame didn't have much reluctance. Under the command of Fuguki Suikazan, he had always been carrying out dark, unspeakable tasks. Yet, no one ever remembered him. Coupled with Fuguki's harshness, Kisame had long been dissatisfied. Plus, he had been coveting the great sword, Samehada.
Thus, Ronglin bringing him over actually aligned perfectly with Kisame's wishes. He left his detestable boss, Fuguki, and obtained the Samehada he had always wanted. Kisame would never forget how furious Fuguki was when he learned of the village's arrangements.
Unfortunately, anger was useless. This was a decision made by the village. Who did Fuguki Suikazan think he was?
Did he dare to object?
He hadn't even been held accountable for his previous failure yet; did he still have the gall to complain?
Under various pressures, Fuguki was forced to hand over his weapon, Samehada, and his subordinate, Kisame.
"It's a bit of a surprise, but it fills me with anticipation."
Kisame grinned. Although his knowledge of Ronglin Uchiha was based mostly on hearsay, he was curious about the "number one man in Konoha." It was this man who had caused the total defeat of Kirigakure. On the battlefield, he was practically invincible. Being by such a person's side seemed much better than staying with Fuguki.
"You sure have a wild imagination."
Mei's lip twitched. She admired Kisame's ability to be hopeful at a time like this.
Ronglin Uchiha, why on earth did you trade the Three-Tails for me?
Mei had accepted her fate. When she first heard the news, she found it unbelievable. She had resisted and made a fuss, but it had no effect. The decisions of the village and the family were not to be changed.
I just hope I'm not being taken as some girl to warm his bed.
With Ronglin's reputation, it was natural for Mei to have such thoughts.
"We have to adapt, don't we? From now on, we no longer belong to Kirigakure. We belong to Konoha, to Ronglin Uchiha. I wonder if he really is in an invincible state. I'm truly looking forward to it."
Having a shark-like face made Kisame's smile quite terrifying. It wasn't just the face; he also had a mouthful of sharp, pointed teeth.
When he laughed, he looked like a shark, making those with little courage afraid to approach him.
Actually, aside from his confidence and impulsive love for battle, Kisame was quite easy to get along with in a calm statejust like a friend chatting.
"Compared to me, I'm more worried about whether you'll become his personal little maidservant."
"You!!"
Mei's eyes widened as she glared fiercely at Kisame, wishing she could tear his big mouth apart.
Of all the things to bring up!
Kisame just grinned, showing off his pointed teeth. He didn't care about Mei's anger. He took Samehada off his back and stroked it gently, as if he were caressing a lover.
"You're sick!!!"
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