Chapter 208: Let's Call it the Village Committee

Vermilion, Black, Heaven, Earth, Qilin, Azure, South, North, Jade.

Nine rings, nine codenames.

Among them:

Kakashi and Tenzō, the weakest, reached near-Kage level after transplanting the Sharingan and Byakugan.

In the middle are Fugaku, Tsunade, Itachi, Tetsuhi, Chiyo, and the yet-to-be-revived Shisui, all of whom can be considered of Kage-level strength.

As for the strongest, Dan, he surpassed the Kage level, standing in a league of his own.

However, besides these nine, there was one free agent.

With a snap, Dan beckoned.

"Big boss Dan, is it my turn now?"

A playful voice echoed as a sneaky head peeked from behind a door, grinning at everyone in the meeting room. It was Guruguru, the strongest of the White Zetsu.

Although sometimes unpredictable and whimsical, Guruguru's strength was undeniably of Kage-level. Moreover, he could merge with others to enhance their abilities. And the Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan cast on him by Shisui remained intact even after Shisui's death. Therefore, Guruguru's loyalty to the Uchiha remained unwavering.

"Keep Shisui's ring for now," Dan instructed, tossing a ring with the kanji for "Void" to Guruguru.

Guruguru, with childlike curiosity, examined the ring before carefully placing it on his right middle finger.

He then eagerly asked Dan, "Big boss, what's our organization's name? It's got to be cooler than Akatsuki, right?"

This reminded everyone that their newly-formed group lacked a name.

Many names, like "God Organization", "Feather Organization", or "Heaven Organization" came to mind, but it was best for Dan to decide.

Dan pondered briefly, "Since the Uchiha has established their own village, let's call it the Village Committee."

Hearing this plain name, there was a momentary pause.

Fugaku was the first to respond, "Typical of Dan, great choice! The Village Committee is about addressing the village's concerns, ensuring all villagers can live peacefully under the sun, providing justice and fairness, and protecting freedom and security. It's not ostentatious like Akatsuki but embodies a down-to-earth spirit."

As Fugaku spoke, the others nodded in agreement.

Dan smirked, appreciating the Clan Head's eloquence.

With the name established, the Village Committee's first order of business was to discuss tactics against the Ninja Allied Forces.

Everyone expressed their views. After deliberation, they unanimously agreed on the importance of understanding the movements of the Ninja Allied Forces and gathering intelligence.

The Committee decided to dispatch the "Heaven-Earth" duo and the "Azure Qilin" team for the task.

Tetsuhi and Chiyo, unfamiliar with each other, would need time to sync. On the other hand, Kakashi and Tenzō, both former ANBU of Konoha, were perfect for intelligence missions.

"Guruguru, accompany Kakashi's team. Just don't cause trouble," Dan directed, patting Guruguru's shoulder.

Guruguru excitedly accepted and introduced himself to Kakashi and Tenzō, "Elder Kakashi, Elder Tenzō, I'm Uchiha Guruguru. Nice to meet you!"

Both Kakashi and Tenzō exchanged glances but accepted their quirky new teammate, noting his evident strength.

Subsequently, the group exited the meeting room and headed to the docks, watching as the "Heaven-Earth" duo and "Azure Qilin" team embarked on their mission.

Feeling exhausted, Tsunade yawned, "I need some rest," and began to leave.

Samui approached, "Lady Tsunade, I've learned some massage techniques from the museum that can help alleviate fatigue. Let me assist you."

Hearing about a massage technique from the museum, Tsunade grew suspicious, recalling some misleading instances.

However, seeing Samui's genuine concern, she relented, "Thank you then."

She nodded, accepting Samui's offer, and the two women headed towards the health room together.

Fugaku was also exhausted, but as the leader of the Uchiha clan, he couldn't rest just yet. During the clan-wide transplantation of Hashirama's cells, over fifty clan members had died. Fugaku had to deal with the aftermath and console the grieving families.

"Father, let me accompany you," Itachi offered.

Now, he was slowly understanding the weight of responsibility on his father's shoulders and often helped Fugaku with clan matters. The gap between father and son was gradually narrowing.

As for Danzo, he remained, as always, detached from any responsibilities. His sole focus: becoming stronger.

Danzo wandered around Heaven's Island and, after some exploration, made a delightful discovery. Perhaps due to its isolation from the rest of the world, the island was rich in natural chakra. While it couldn't compare to the legendary three sacred places, it was certainly more potent than most places in the shinobi world. This made it an ideal location for Danzo to attune himself to natural energy and delve deeper into Sage Mode.

Thus, for the next while, Danzo would spend his days wandering the island, immersing himself in nature, absorbing its energy. When night fell and he had some free time, he practiced Jiu-Jitsu with Samui to relax.

Danzo showed no signs of the pressures of the impending war. Such was the calm demeanor of a powerful shinobi.

...

The Shinobi Alliance set out from Konohagakure, moving en masse toward the south. After half a month, they finally reached the southern coast of the Land of Fire and arrived at a coastal town. After learning that the Uchiha clan had stopped there, the Alliance immediately detained town officials for interrogation.

With the Shinobi Alliance's morale at an all-time high, they were confident. While they had faced minor setbacks, the Alliance had seen major successes, including the capture of Konohagakure. They had divided the Land of Fire among themselves and had taken over other minor nations and shinobi villages. The Alliance's might seemed unmatched.

However, they faced a logistical challenge. To launch a naval assault on the Uchiha's island, they needed more ships. Though shinobi could walk on water, navigating the vast ocean without ships was impractical.

Thus, while ships were being constructed, the Alliance decided to send out an advance party on the available ships to locate the Uchiha's whereabouts.

Among them, Kirigakure's squad was the fastest, soon leaving the other villages behind. Kirigakure shinobi, skilled in water jutsu and accustomed to the oceanic environment of the Land of Water, had an advantage.

Yet, their mission wasn't solely to find the Uchiha clan...

On the vast ocean, a ship bearing Kirigakure's insignia sped southward. The ship's deck was crowded with elite shinobi. Almost all of them had transplanted Byakugan eyes, courtesy of the Hyuga clan. With this and the jutsu they acquired from Konoha's repository, Kirigakure's overall strength had significantly increased.

Ao pulled out a map, studying it intently, then declared, "At this pace, we'll soon reach Crescent Moon Island."

Indeed, Kirigakure's true target was the Land of the Moon and its shinobi village on Crescent Moon Island. Hoping to annex this wealthy island as a forward base, Kirigakure was prepared to conquer it if diplomacy failed.

Two days later, Kirigakure's forces landed on Crescent Moon Island. As they disembarked, the bustling island's residents were thrown into a frenzy.

Escorted by a group of attendants, a lavishly dressed prince, Prince Tsukimi of the Land of the Moon, lazily approached the Kirigakure delegation. "What brings you to our shores?" he yawned, clearly uninterested.

The prince was infamously known for his laziness and lack of ambition.

However, upon understanding the intentions of the Hidden Mist delegation, the prince, Tsukimi, quickly became vigilant. With a stern demeanor, he informed them, "I will not permit the Hidden Mist to station their troops on Crescent Moon Island."

"In that case, we have no choice," said Zabuza, flashing a wicked grin that revealed his sharp teeth. Without hesitation, he drew his double-edged blade, Kubikiribōchō.

"What are you planning to do?" Prince Tsukimi's complexion paled as he stepped back, with his guards rushing to protect him.

But in a blink, cold steel flashed, and agonizing screams echoed. Several guards fell, clutching their bleeding throats, staining the ground red.

Zabuza's public execution was a clear message to the people of Crescent Moon Island—a display of the ruthlessness that the Hidden Mist was known for. Prince Tsukimi, horrified, blurted out, "Stop... I'll heed your demands. The Hidden Mist may station their troops here."

"It's too late," said Zabuza, swiftly approaching the prince and ending his life without hesitation. "You had one chance to save your life, but you squandered it."

Chaos erupted on the island.

"Zabuza, his death wasn't necessary," reprimanded Ao, one of the elite shinobi of the Hidden Mist. "He could've been a useful puppet."

Zabuza responded, "In the long run, it's better to remove threats like the Crescent Moon Village completely. Don't you think?"

Without waiting for Ao's response, Zabuza, driven by his mission, began leading the charge towards the Moon Country's palace. Ao sighed, realizing the inevitable, and ordered, "Engage."

Fierce battles broke out. The resistance from Crescent Moon's shinobi led to some casualties on the Hidden Mist's side, but it was short-lived. Within hours, the Hidden Mist dominated, taking control of the entire island. The prosperous Moon Country fell in just half a day.

As the Hidden Mist looted and the island's residents panicked, two individuals discreetly arrived. A man and woman, seemingly a couple, dressed like the locals and settled in an inn. They were Tetsuhi and Chishūko.

In their room, as the evening sun painted the sky a bloody hue, Tetsuhi remarked, "It seems the Shinobi Allied Forces have begun their operations."

Chishūko, always reserved, merely nodded. The room was filled with silence until Tetsuhi proposed, "We should capture a few of the Hidden Mist's elite shinobi. Using the Sharingan's genjutsu, we can extract valuable intel."

Again, she nodded.

As they were contemplating their next move, several shinobi from Crescent Moon Village dashed past their window, pursued leisurely by two of the Hidden Mist's elite, Hōzuki Mangetsu and Zabuza.

"That's our chance," murmured Tetsuhi.

The duo stealthily followed.

In their desperate escape, the Crescent Moon shinobi made their way through the town and into the forest. One of them glanced back, thinking they had evaded their pursuers. "If we can get through this forest, we can reach the other side of the island. There, boats are anchored, waiting to take us away from Crescent Moon Island."