Chapter 203: Dan & Samui

Are the Five Great Ninja Villages planning to unite against the Uchiha clan?

Seems like things are about to heat up.

Resting his fingers on his chin, Mei's master, also known as Dan, allowed a momentary glint in his eyes.

I wonder where the Uchiha clan might be now. Have they found a new home across the vast oceans?

With the entertainment in Konoha coming to an end, it might be time to move on.

Such were Dan's thoughts as he made up his mind.

"Get up. No need to kneel," he instructed Samui, signaling her to sit on the couch. He then took some time to give her specific instructions.

Over an hour later.

The two left the inn, taking separate paths.

However,

Dan didn't immediately leave Konoha.

Before departing, he had someone to meet.

In her spare time, Samui had been investigating Dan's supposed demise.

She had privately interviewed many witnesses, all of whom claimed that Dan and Pain had both fallen during their battle, with Tsuchikage Onoki seizing an opportunity to launch a surprise Dust Release attack.

Under the overwhelming power of the Dust Release, both had been disintegrated to the point where not even ashes remained.

Following Pain's death, Amegakure had fallen, and the organization "Akatsuki" had been dismantled.

Dan's downfall seemed to foreshadow the fate of the Uchiha clan.

The more Samui investigated, the heavier her heart became.

Late at night, after a long day, Samui returned home, drained. She mindlessly took a bath and headed to her bedroom.

As she closed the door behind her, she sat by the edge of her bed, her gaze distant. Tears trickled down her cheeks, landing silently on the floor.

Suddenly,

The ceiling light flickered and went out, plunging the room into darkness.

What's happening?

Samui, alert, got up, trying to figure out the cause when the door burst open.

A shadowy figure stood at the entrance.

"Who are you?" Samui demanded, her heart racing.

The silhouette didn't respond, instead raising a hand to reveal an eye in its palm.

In the dim light, Samui could barely make out the familiar crimson of a Mangekyou Sharingan.

And then,

A spatial vortex emerged, engulfing Samui.

She felt an overpowering force, unable to resist as her body twisted and was pulled into the vortex.

Shortly afterward,

"Where's Lady Samui?"

A group of shinobi from Kumogakure rushed in, only to find the room empty.

Despite searching the entire building and nearby areas, they couldn't find a single trace of her.

Samui had vanished.

After some time,

Samui awoke with a throbbing headache, finding herself in a strange wooden room. It was eerily silent, and outside the window was an expanse of desolate darkness.

Could this be a genjutsu?

Just as she pondered this, the door opened.

She turned sharply to see a familiar face, one she never expected.

"Director, is that really you?" She whispered in disbelief, suspecting she was still under an illusion.

The man responded by revealing his Mangekyou eyes — unmistakable proof of his identity.

Realizing where she was, Samui quickly informed Dan about the Five Great Ninja Villages' plans against the Uchiha clan.

"I'm already aware," Dan replied calmly. But then, with a slight hesitation, he inquired, "How's the baby?"

Samui blushed, "Director, you're too confident. It's not that easy to conceive."

Dan's brows furrowed in thought.

He then said, "Then we should try again. And again, until it works."

Samui gasped, cheeks burning, "Here? Isn't that... inappropriate?"

However, actions spoke louder than words.

And so, after a long time, they reconnected.

Hours passed.

Swish.

Silently, Obito appeared within Kamui's dimension, approaching a cabin.

He heard noises emanating from within.

Could it be that Dan is truly residing here?

Obito looked perturbed.

Something's amiss.

His ears perked up, discerning not just Dan's voice but also a woman's.

Obito was stunned.

Dan not only brought a woman into his Kamui dimension but was also engaged in, well, intimate affairs.

In a split second, Obito oscillated between shock and rage before storming off.

He couldn't stand it any longer.

He needed to find Konan soon, retrieve the Rinnegan, and with its power, expel Dan from here.

Inside the cabin.

Samui's leg draped over Dan's body, her head resting on his chest, looking blissful and content.

"Don't return. Let's leave together," Dan declared. Though his tone was calm, it bore an authoritative edge.

After deliberation, he decided to keep Samui by his side, at least until she bore his child.

"Mhm."

Samui responded gently, putting her identity and allegiance behind her.

Because now, more than being a Cloud ninja, she yearned to be Dan's woman.

The next day.

Swish.

As the space twisted, Dan and Samui appeared in the forest outskirts of the Leaf Village.

The two journeyed south, embarking on a voyage to the ocean.

Back in the Leaf Village.

Word of Samui's disappearance spread, causing quite the stir.

The Fifth Hokage, Danzo Shimura, was infuriated, demanding Samui be found, dead or alive.

Rumors swirled – some believed she had been assassinated, while others whispered of her betrayal to the Cloud Village, speculating she fled to relay intel to the Uchiha clan.

Gossips were aplenty.

But this was a minor hiccup, bearing minimal impact on the grand scheme of things.

Within days, the combined forces of the Five Great Ninja Villages assembled.

Ten thousand from the Leaf, five thousand each from the Cloud and Stone, and two thousand each from the Sand and Mist.

Even with the Uchihas' renowned Sharingan, making them formidable one-on-one fighters, they couldn't take on ten at once.

Thus, to the higher-ups from the Five Great Ninja Villages, this twenty-thousand-strong army was more than sufficient to obliterate the few hundred Uchihas.

The Shinobi Allied Forces set out in grand fashion, moving south, preparing to cross the sea and confront the Uchiha.

In the depths of the Land of Fire, a secluded mountainous region.

Three days ago, a group arrived in haste, seeking refuge in a concealed cave.

Among them were the Daimyo and ministers of the Land of Fire, the Twelve Guardian Ninja, and familiar Leaf ninjas like Hiruzen Sarutobi, Jiraiya, Asuma, and Kurenai.

This group constituted the Land of Fire's exiled government.

The atmosphere in the cave was palpably tense.

Not long ago, the Sarutobi clan faced extermination due to a failed coup d'état. Despite Hiruzen's best efforts, only his youngest son and daughter-in-law survived.

The weight of this devastated the once Third Hokage of the Leaf, aging him considerably.

"Why? Why did it come to this?" pondered a distraught Hiruzen, drowning in self-blame, pain, and regret.

Jiraiya sympathized but lacked the words to comfort his teacher, only managing a sigh.

Suddenly, the Daimyo exclaimed, "I want to approach the Uchiha clan!"

This proclamation shocked everyone, and they sought clarification.

The Daimyo coldly retorted, "You all are ineffectual. My alliance with the Leaf was contingent upon the Senju and Uchiha clans. With the Senjus extinct, only the Uchihas remain."

"What alternative do I have?" he spat, clearly disappointed in Hiruzen and the others.

As they contemplated, the Daimyo's last ray of hope was seemingly extinguished with news of the allied forces' march against the Uchihas.

The realization crushed him.

Yet, Hiruzen saw an opportunity. He proposed a risky plan: resurrect the First and Second Hokages, along with prominent Leaf ninjas like Shikamaru Nara, Minato Namikaze, and Kushina Uzumaki, using the Reanimation Jutsu. With their might, the Leaf and the Land of Fire could be reclaimed.

The revelation of such a technique stunned everyone, especially the Daimyo, who pushed for its immediate use. However, Hiruzen cautioned patience, emphasizing the forbidden nature and complexity of the jutsu.

Regardless, it was their last hope, and Hiruzen was determined to master it, whatever the cost.