In the Country of Frost, night had fallen deeply in the scattered woods.
Hiroki Hyuga and others set up a simple tent.
Then they sat on the ground chewing their own dry rations.
"I've realized something," Hiroki said after taking a sip of water. "I hate living like this — always on the move, never feeling like I belong anywhere."
Hidekazu Ueno, sitting calmly on a tree trunk, replied indifferently, "Kumo has three warriors whose power rivals that of a Kage. Capturing people is easy for them. Actually, it's safer to stay in the Country of Frost than on the battlefield, especially with Itachi involved."
Seeing that the other three remained silent, Hidekazu sighed to himself before purposefully changing the topic. "Fine then, what are your plans from now on?"
"I'll probably become a veterinarian or join the village patrol team like others from my clan," Hana Inuzuka responded.
"I will follow my father's advice," Itachi Uchiha answered quietly after a moment's hesitation.
"I... someone is coming this way." Hiroki looked toward a certain direction.
Hidekazu leapt down from the tree trunk and vanished from their sight.
Moments later, he appeared again. "It's our allies."
Soon afterward, rustling sounds emerged from the forest as eight figures of varying heights approached. They wore Konoha forehead protectors and stepped forward to face the group.
After introductions, Hiroki figured out the personnel composition.
In total, including Hidekazu Ueno, there were three jonin, five chunin, and four genin — twelve in all.
Hidekazu took a package from one of them and pulled out over a dozen worn Kumogakure forehead protectors, saying to everyone, "Starting tomorrow, you all must switch the protectors on your heads. Also, better use Transformation Jutsu and stop using your original identities."
"Teacher, how should we identify each other then?" Itachi Uchiha asked.
"Just create a set code or cipher."
"Understood."
Inside the Kumogakure camp.
A Kumogakure ninja handed a kunai along with a letter to Dodai. "Lord Dodai, this was shot into the camp earlier."
Dodai opened the letter and read it. "This message comes from the Uchiha clan... dispatch an operative at once."
Outside the camp.
Four members of the Uchiha clan faced off against six Kumogakure ninjas. Both sides held weapons, carefully watching their enemies opposite.
"We're here to ransom someone. Is Yusui Uchiha still alive?"
"If you'd come half an hour later, she would've been dead already. Did you bring the ransom money?"
The Uchiha demanded to see the hostage first, and the Kumogakure ninjas agreed without hesitation.
They had no concerns about the Uchiha trying any tricks since this was their territory and many eyes were watching.
About ten minutes later, a young girl wearing an eye covering and having her ears plugged was pushed forward by the Kumogakure ninjas and presented before the Uchiha representatives.
One Kumogakure ninja ripped the blindfold away from Yusui Uchiha's eyes. Her vision cleared, and seeing the familiar faces of her clan, she felt surprised and delighted.
Still, deep within her heart, some worries lingered.
"Can we really trust Kumogakure ninja to keep their word?"
Then came another cautious exchange.
An Uchiha clan member tossed the money chest toward the Kumogakure ninja. After verifying the amount, the Kumogakure ninja shoved Yusui Uchiha forward.
Shielding Yusui behind them, the Uchiha asked again, "How many more Uchiha are there? Just tell us directly, and we can redeem all of them together."
A Kumogakure ninja snorted coldly, "Don't get too greedy. Wait until the next list is released."
Including Yusui Uchiha, five Uchiha clan members helplessly watched as the Cloud ninja slowly walked away. As the wind messed up their hair, they felt speechless inside.
Who exactly was being greedy here? Did those extortionists even have the right to say that?
They took the bindings off Yusui's body.
"Sulfur, are you alright?"
"Nothing too serious—just some chakra instability. The effects from Orochimaru's injection haven't worn off yet."
"What about your eyes then?"
"...My eyes are fine too, though they took a few vials of blood from me."
"Did Orochimaru do that?"
"Besides him, Kumo also took some blood before taking me out."
Instantly, the Uchiha felt his blood pressure rising slightly.
With many shocked eyes watching them, the group of five returned to the Konoha camp.
Seeing Yusui Uchiha's return, many Leaf ninja couldn't help but feel dissatisfied.
He came back—so where was the other comrade?
When learning she had been ransomed by her own clan, they remained silent, feeling inevitably melancholy.
Did those without a family or powerful backing really deserve nothing? Were they destined to be forgotten, their lives and deaths meaningless to anyone...
Who were they fighting for? Who were they sacrificing themselves for? And who would protect them?
Danzo Shimura glared at the group of Uchiha clan members with a frown, his expression darkening by the second.
These people actually dared act on their own initiative!
He sensed the atmosphere within the camp had changed slightly, but didn't know how to handle it properly.
When it came to winning people's trust, uniting the masses, and building connections, Danzo fell far short compared to Hiruzen Sarutobi.
Not to mention he managed his Root division through the simplest and crudest methods—brainwashing combined with cursed seal control.
But Hiruzen Sarutobi would always go on about the Will of Fire, chatting comfortably with everyone from elderly folks in their sixties down to toddlers barely three years old.
"If you encounter Kakuzu, Orochimaru, or Sasori of the Red Sands again, Chunin-rank and below may retreat immediately," Danzo Shimura ordered.
"Yes." The response came back in low tones.
Half an hour later, the young Hei's head was thrown into the Konoha camp by the Kumogakure ninja.
Soon afterward, that familiar male voice reached everyone's ears once again.
Dodai announced the identities of two more captives.
Once again, a strange atmosphere descended upon the Konoha encampment.
Meanwhile, inside the Kumo encampment, a large group of ninja displayed high morale.
"It won't be long now before we can go home."
Inside the Hokage's office in Konoha, Hiruzen Sarutobi, Koharu Utatane, and Homura Mitokado continuously browsed messages coming in from the front lines.
"Although Danzo's methods are ruthless, his approach is correct. With Orochimaru's help, it'll be hard for our ninja to destroy their camp — that means we won't be able to stop their plan."
"And besides," Homura Mitokado said, "given their strength, capturing a few hostages would be too easy. If you compromise once, you'll be forced to keep compromising. Konoha doesn't have anyone at that level, so we'd be taking a huge risk if we tried the same thing."
"But we can't keep letting the Kumogakure ninja use hostages as threats forever. If this drags on too long, Danzo might lose control over those ninja," Koharu Utatane added. "Hiruzen, we must defeat them soon, or…"
She left her sentence hanging, but all three of them knew exactly what she meant.
Or… capitulate, admit defeat, hand over money and supplies, and 'politely' ask that Kumogakure squad to leave...
Hiruzen Sarutobi took a deep breath and turned slightly before asking, "Has the message been sent to Sunagakure?"
"It's already been sent, but we haven't received any reply," an Anbu member answered.
"What about Jiraiya?"
"No news yet."
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