Chapter 97 : Conflict?

In the next moment, Kazuhiko returned to Konoha after numerous teleportations.

"The only downside of this teleportation is the sensation. It's like being tossed around in a washing machine for half an hour."

Kazuhiko stood up, rubbing his head, and surveyed his surroundings. To his relief, there were no teleportation errors. He found himself in the familiar setting of Konoha, with cherry blossoms and the Konoha Ninja Academy in view.

Checking the time, he realized there was no time difference between the Shikkotsu Forest and the Ninja World. 

During his stay in the forest, he had explored and soaked in its natural energy, and it was now approaching noon.

However, his body felt remarkably refreshed, brimming with vitality. Even after a whole morning, he didn't experience any hunger.

"It seems that the Fountain of Life also rejuvenates the body's energy. You can continue training without needing to eat or drink while inside. That's quite a bonus," Kazuhiko remarked as he sat on a nearby stone bench, pouring himself a cup of tea.

He was eager to test the results of his natural energy perception practice from the Shikkotsu Forest.

Kazuhiko realized that sensing natural energy in the lush Shikkotsu Forest was one thing, but doing so in the Ninja World was another challenge. It was akin to shopping for tools in a hardware store versus finding them on the street.

Many ordinary people couldn't even locate such tools; they were blinded by ignorance, without a guide.

But Kazuhiko had removed his blindfold and could now search independently. The challenge was to find the right tools quickly on the street.

Just as he was about to begin his experiment, he sensed someone rapidly approaching from outside.

"That's Fumito."

Kazuhiko immediately recognized the visitor as Uzumaki Fumito, who had traveled to Konoha with him. 

Among the Uzumaki ninjas on this trip, Fumito was the youngest. Nonetheless, Kazuhiko's status as the clan leader made everyone overlook his age.

Fumito had recently been promoted to Chūnin, displaying exceptional talent in the Uzumaki clan. As the grandson of the great elder, he was specially invited to Konoha to learn and possibly bring knowledge back to the Land of Whirlpools.

During their journey, the other Uzumaki ninjas had treated him like a child due to his age.

Kazuhiko wondered, "Why is he in such a hurry?"

The Uzumaki clan members knew that Kazuhiko lived alone in Tsunade's small courtyard, and they seldom bothered him. 

He had made it clear that he preferred solitude. They were confident in Kazuhikos safety, knowing that if he ever faced an insurmountable threat, they would be powerless to help.

Kazuhiko's inclination toward solitude was a personal choice, and no one dared to question it.

Fumito reached Kazuhiko's small courtyard, gasping for breath. He arrived at the entrance and called out, "Kazuhiko-sama, are you inside?"

"Come in."

Kazuhiko was sitting on the stone bench and spoke softly. Using the power of his Rinnegan, he opened the courtyard gate without physically touching it.

Fumito marvelled at the automatic gate but attributed it to Kazuhiko's unique abilities. He didn't dwell on it for long.

Fumito, catching his breath, said, "Kazuhiko-sama, I have urgent news to deliver."

Kazuhiko handed him a cup of tea and replied, "Take your time. What's the matter?"

"Kazuhiko-sama, we've been following your previous instructions. When we have some free time, our group was allowed to explore Konoha."

"This morning, as we were strolling around, we happened to be in a stall, and we ran into members of the Uchiha clan. They used offensive language towards us."

"They even had the audacity to claim that our Land of Whirlpools is merely a dog kept by Konoha. They receive our help when convenient and discard us when it doesn't suit them. It was infuriating."

Fumito recounted this with clenched fists and a visibly angered expression. Clearly, his earlier confrontation had deeply upset him.

Upon hearing this, Kazuhiko remained unfazed and had already anticipated what would unfold next.

With the Uzumaki clan's fiery tempers, it was best not to provoke them ordinarily. Deliberate provocation, especially without Kazuhiko's intervention, would not go unanswered.

When Kazuhiko first arrived in Konoha, he had urged them to explore the village without causing trouble intentionally.

"But if others deliberately provoke us, we won't back down. We'll handle it, and know that I, Uzumaki Kazuhiko, will stand by you," were the words of Kazuhiko back then.

As expected, the Uzumaki clan had a direct confrontation with the Uchiha clan in the streets.

"We fought them head-on. I was the youngest, and Elder Fumikazu insisted I stay back and observe."

Fumito appeared slightly embarrassed as he continued, "Initially, that group of Uchiha had no chance against us, but a significant number of Uchiha clan members arrived, totaling around fifty or sixty."

"The Uchiha clan truly bullies others. They provoked us first, and those who came here purposely claimed we disrupted Konoha's order, immediately charging at us all at once."

"With so many of them attacking at once, we stood no chance. Elder Fumikazu and the others are now held at the Konoha Military Police Force. They've demanded that you, Kazuhiko-sama, personally intervene to secure their release."

"Because I followed Elder Fumikazu's advice and didn't join the brawl, they didn't arrest me."

After recounting the events, Fumito even teared up, his eyes welling with tears, as he looked at Kazuhiko.

"Why are you crying? It's just that we suffered fewer losses. There's no need to cry!"

Kazuhiko shouted, and Fumito quickly wiped away his tears.

In reality, it's quite understandable, and many children behave this way. When facing others in a fight, they remain composed, but as soon as they return home and stand before their elders, they burst into tears when speaking about the injustice they endured. Tears flow uncontrollably, releasing all the pent-up grievances.

Fumito currently found himself in this state. He generally saw himself as strong, but the moment he opened his mouth in front of Kazuhiko, he couldn't control his tears.

After hearing this, Kazuhiko furrowed his brow. "So, you mean the Uchiha clan members demanded that I personally visit the Konoha Military Police Force Headquarters. Did you go see the Third Elder?"

Upon hearing Kazuhiko's question, Fumito nodded quickly. "Kazuhiko-sama, I immediately went to find the Third Elder. He had previously informed us that for minor matters, we should approach you directly, as he would handle them. Only when he couldn't resolve the issue would he involve you."

"But when I went to see the Third Elder, he was with the Third Hokage last night, and the other elders were also present."

"I heard they were concerned about the Third Hokage's condition. When I went there, the Konoha ANBU personnel wouldn't allow me inside."

"If it weren't for no other option, I wouldn't have come to you. I saw no other way, so I came to seek your help."

After hearing Fumito's account, Kazuhiko immediately sensed the complexity of the situation.

"I initially thought it was a simple scuffle, but it appears there's more to it than meets the eye!"

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