"I'm just an obscure civilian student, yet Senior Heiyan entrusted such an important mission to me."
Young Minato felt greatly honored.
"Minato actually knows Senior Heiyan?"
All the other children turned their eyes toward Minato, their faces showing admiration, surprise, and envy.
Nara Shikaku, Yamanaka Inoichi, Akimichi Choza, Aburame Shibi, and Uchiha Mikoto—children of Konoha's most powerful clans—exchanged uneasy glances.
Heiyan had chosen a lowly civilian student over them! Deep down, they felt a sense of disappointment.
This Minato must be something special.
Otherwise, why would Senior Heiyan trust him so much?
They all thought along these lines simultaneously.
"Follow me."
While the rest of the kids were still lost in thought, Minato was already prepared. He pulled out a kunai and took the lead at the front of the group.
He had to clear a safe route and make sure everyone made it back to the village alive. Only then would he have truly justified Heiyan's trust.
Minato thought this to himself, his expression gradually hardening with resolve.
Thus, under Minato's lead, the kids sprinted through the woods, racing toward safety.
On the lake surface.
Plop!
Heiyan surfaced from underwater, carrying the unconscious Pakura in his arms.
At this moment, she lay with tightly shut eyes and a pale face. The wound on her shoulder where Wood Release had pierced through was still bloody and horrifying to look at.
Carefully, Heiyan laid her flat on the ground.
Then, he performed Medical Ninjutsu to heal her injuries.
Whoosh—a thick white glow burst from Heiyan's palms, sending a large quantity of Yang Release chakra, warm as sunlight, flowing into Pakura's body.
Her wounds healed at an observable speed. Her complexion regained its rosy color, and her breathing slowly steadied.
However, to fully recover, she still needed some time for careful recuperation at the hospital.
Therefore, Heiyan once again scooped up the sleeping Pakura into his arms.
Swoosh!
With several swift movements like a leaping hare, he left the Valley of the End behind, rushing straight toward Konoha Hospital.
Not long after Heiyan had left.
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!
Dozens of Anbu ninja arrived at the Valley of the End. Each wore grey-armored vests, and animal masks of all sorts covered their faces.
They had come en masse.
Leading this group was none other than the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi.
"What exactly... happened here?"
Hiruzen looked over the completely ruined landscape of the Valley of the End, his pupils constricted in shock—he could not hide his astonishment.
Less than ten minutes prior,
After receiving intelligence from Hatake Sakumo that Nagare—the woman who had wreaked havoc on the police force—was here in the Valley of the End, he immediately sensed something dire and led the top Anbu elites here without hesitation.
Unfortunately, he had arrived too late.
Looking around, the entire area lay in shambles. Most strikingly noticeable was the side of the waterfall, where the hundred-meter-tall stone statue of Pakura had once towered—now only its body remained; its head had vanished without a trace.
The three geniuses who had agreed to meet here — Heiyan, Fugaku Uchiha, and Hiashi Hyuga — had all vanished without a trace.
"Tsunade?!"
At this moment, Hiruzen Sarutobi noticed a familiar figure kneeling on the ground not far away, her back facing the group.
He hurried over and found Nawaki's body cradled in Tsunade's arms.
"Hisss!"
Hiruzen was shocked, drawing in a sharp breath.
After hesitating for a moment, he was about to ask Tsunade what had happened when Sakumo Hatake appeared, his face pale.
Earlier, Black Zetsu had detonated numerous Explosive Tags. Sakumo had rushed around frantically, saving many lives, but had been wounded again in the process and now looked extremely weak.
"Hokage-sama…"
Despite the severe pain from his wounds, Sakumo gave a detailed account of everything that had happened at the Valley of the End.
From Heiyan defeating the two of them in succession, to the sudden attack by the mysterious blue-haired woman who summoned the Three-Tails and used the First Hokage's Wood Release to sweep through everyone present, then Heiyan sealing the Three-Tails with Adamantine Sealing Chains, fighting against the Susanoo of the blue-haired woman, and finally killing her using Storm Release.
The entire account was breathtaking and stirring.
Hiruzen Sarutobi and the gathered Anbu ninja listened in stunned silence.
Everyone was immersed in the scenes described by Sakumo, leaving an eerie silence that enveloped the entire area.
"Phew~"
Hiruzen took a deep breath, slowly exhaling to calm himself before issuing rapid commands to the group.
"You, go treat the injured. You, escort Tsunade back to the village. The rest continue investigating the area in case the enemy attacks again."
"Two of you, come bandage Sakumo's wounds and then take him to the hospital."
"And also, send someone to contact Heiyan, Fugaku Uchiha, and Hiashi Hyuga immediately and have them report to the Hokage office as soon as possible."
Under Hiruzen's leadership, the elite members of the Anbu swiftly sprang into action, each carrying out their assigned tasks efficiently.
As for Hiruzen himself, he wasted no time returning to Konoha and heading straight toward the Hokage office.
He planned to call an emergency meeting with Konoha's high-ranking elders regarding this incident!
...
Meanwhile, in a secret underground facility dozens of kilometers away,
"Cough... cough..."
Madara Uchiha, his hair completely white, leaned against a tall stone chair, coughing violently until his back curled forward.
Suddenly, he let out a loud "Urgh!" and spat out a large mouthful of blood,
Staining the floor beneath him bright red.
"I really am… getting old after all."
Gasping for breath, sweat pouring from his forehead, Madara sighed bitterly, filled with regret.
The death of the sacrificial clone had taken a far greater toll on his original body than he had anticipated.
"Are you alright, Lord?"
Black Zetsu appeared like a ghost, cautiously asking.
"Hmph."
Madara snorted coldly, casting a sharp glare at Black Zetsu.
Thinking back now, if it hadn't been for this guy constantly egging him on earlier, he should never have left this place at all.
According to Madara's original plan, all he needed to do was remain hidden safely underground until he unlocked the Rinnegan — then he'd become invincible.
But now, his aged body had deteriorated even further due to this reckless trip to Konoha.
Madara Uchiha was furious, and the consequences would be dire.
For a moment, he even felt murderous intent toward Black Zetsu.
Yet, that killing intent was quickly suppressed.
Because he needed someone to carry out his orders.
Though this fellow beneath the straw hat had always been mysterious, after all these years together, he had proven loyal and reliable.
Thinking this, Madara Uchiha ordered Black Zetsu:
"I'll be entering a long sleep to recover my ocular power. Do not disturb me during this time."
Black Zetsu nodded immediately upon hearing this.
"Also..."
Madara Uchiha coldly added, "When I wake up, I want to see Fugaku Uchiha's corpse before me."
"My lord, but..."
Black Zetsu hesitated slightly and asked in confusion, "Wasn't our plan to control Fugaku Uchiha and use him as a pawn?"
"What good is there keeping a backstabbing pawn like him?"
Madara spoke coldly, his single eye beneath his white hair locking onto Black Zetsu as he said word by word, "You know that I, Madara Uchiha, hate nothing more than betrayal. Anyone who betrays me must die."
Black Zetsu shivered involuntarily and dared not say another word.
Moments later, Madara Uchiha leaned back in his chair and began pretending to sleep, appearing almost lifeless at first glance.
Only the faintest breath revealed that this frail old man was still alive.
Black Zetsu looked deeply at the sleeping Uchiha Madara before turning to leave.
He surfaced from below.
"Kill Fugaku Uchiha? Who'd have thought it—I'm playing both sides too."
He sneered coldly, clearly unconcerned about Madara's command.
In fact, Black Zetsu had already decided—he wouldn't eliminate Fugaku, but instead protect and nurture him carefully.
The reason was simple.
He believed Madara wouldn't last much longer, so it was time to find a backup...
And Fugaku Uchiha was the perfect candidate.
"This old fool Madara has already seized control over the world itself, yet still can't unlock the Rinnegan. At this rate, he'll probably just die of old age."
"Looks like this plan's just another waste of time."
"If Madara dies before awakening the Rinnegan, I'll take his Eternal Mangekyou Sharingan and transplant it into Fugaku Uchiha."
Black Zetsu murmured quietly.
Come to think of it, the current stagnation of the Uchiha clan—without new talent rising—was actually Madara's doing.
After all, he had taken away many scrolls and secret techniques back then, causing their decline.
It wasn't until now that a true genius finally emerged.
In Black Zetsu's eyes, Fugaku Uchiha was destined to become the next clan head.
Based on past experiences, Indra's chakra reincarnates every few decades. Even if Madara died, the next reincarnation of Indra might not necessarily be Fugaku himself, but more likely one of his sons.
That was why Black Zetsu had decided to invest in Fugaku.
It was wiser to plan for both outcomes, ensuring a seamless transition — after all, all he needed to do was redirect his influence from Madara Uchiha to Fugaku.
Whoosh!
With that thought, Black Zetsu dove deep beneath the earth once more, making his way toward the Uchiha clan.
Madara Uchiha, deep in slumber, would never have imagined that a traitor had been right beside him all this time.
In fact…
If you added Orochimaru and Danzo — both recently brought into line — then not a single one of his underlings wasn't playing both sides.
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