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Land of Fields, Hidden Sound Village

Three months had passed, and Natsuki had made tremendous progress.

He could now easily defeat Fugaku and Orochimaru in the dream space. For a while, he no longer needed to push himself so hard in training.

That day, after finalizing his next plans with Orochimaru and leaving behind some money, Natsuki decided it was time to leave.

Kabuto hadn't returned to the Hidden Sound Village in these three months, but since Orochimaru and Kabuto shared a summoning beast, they could confirm that Kabuto was still alive.

Kabuto was likely still training in Sage Mode and unable to return for now.

Since the Snake Sage techniques weren't obtainable at the moment, Natsuki decided to go find Tsunade instead. His plan was to convince her to join the Uchiha, and then continue with the rest of his objectives.

Because this was a search mission, Natsuki chose to travel alone this time.

"Kimimaro, stay here in the Hidden Sound Village for a while and let Orochimaru monitor your condition. We don't want any unexpected issues with your health."

Though reluctant to see Natsuki leave, Kimimaro understood that keeping himself healthy would allow him to better assist Natsuki in the future.

"I understand, Natsuki-sama," Kimimaro replied.

Natsuki reached out and gently touched Kimimaro's cheek.

"Be good and listen to Orochimaru, okay?"

Kimimaro's face turned slightly red as he nodded.

Haku, who had been traveling with Natsuki during this time, had also grown stronger. He was no longer as thin as before, thanks to having regular meals and proper clothing.

Standing shyly to the side, Haku also seemed unwilling to part with Natsuki.

Natsuki smiled and patted Haku's head.

"Study hard here. Orochimaru has some collected Ice Release techniques. It won't be long before we meet again."

Haku looked up with determination and nodded firmly. "Next time, I'll make sure I can help you, Natsuki-sama."

"Good, good. Next time, you'll help me," Natsuki said warmly.

The two young ones, having lacked emotional anchors in their lives, had developed a deep attachment to Natsuki during their journey from the Land of Water to the Land of Fields.

Fortunately, with Natsuki's next plans beginning soon, they wouldn't be apart for too long.

After reassuring Haku, Natsuki turned to Kisame and Kyoko.

"Kisame, you and Kyoko can take a long vacation for now. Your pay stays the same."

"Stay in the Hidden Sound Village for a while. When it's time for the next step, join Orochimaru and come find me."

Kisame had discovered how much he loved the Hidden Sound Village. Shisui and Itachi were skilled sparring partners, providing him with daily opportunities to fight.

The food in the area was excellent, and there were no backstabbing missions to worry about. He genuinely enjoyed his time here.

Plus, getting paid without working? Where else could you find such a great boss?

"No problem, boss. Thanks for the paid vacation," Kisame replied with his toothy grin, his expression full of cheer.

"Karui, Jugo, stay here and listen to Orochimaru," Natsuki instructed.

Both Karui and Jugo had been rescued at Natsuki's request, but since they hadn't spent much time together, they felt closer to Orochimaru.

Natsuki didn't give them too many instructions.

He then nodded at Itachi and Shisui, who had already been informed earlier, so there was no need for further words.

Orochimaru didn't show up—he never wasted time on such matters.

"Well, I'm off!" Natsuki waved casually, turning his back to them and walking away confidently.

Kimimaro and Haku stared in the direction Natsuki left for a long time before finally snapping out of it.

Once far enough away, Natsuki activated the gold sand skill he had obtained from Rasa.

Since skills obtained in the dream space couldn't be used there, Natsuki had waited until he left the Hidden Sound Village to experiment.

Although it could only be used once, there was no stated time limit.

"As long as I maintain my chakra output, it should work indefinitely, right? I'm so smart!" Natsuki thought with a grin.

Fine golden sand appeared in the air, combining into a cushion-like structure resembling fluffy cotton candy.

Natsuki stepped onto the cushion. It felt stable, and with more chakra output, the sand cushion expanded.

Satisfied, Natsuki lay down comfortably, letting the sand cushion float forward as if it were following his thoughts.

"Ah, flying is the best!" he exclaimed.

Although the sand cushion didn't fly very high or fast, the Uzumaki clan's chakra reserves made the small energy cost negligible.

The Land of Fields was sparsely populated in many areas. Maintaining a treetop height, Natsuki steadily flew in the direction of the Land of Iron.

The sand cushion wasn't designed for speed, so pouring in more chakra didn't make it faster.

Expanding the size of the sand cushion came with the risk of it collapsing, but even so, Natsuki was very satisfied. As he floated, a smug thought crossed his mind:

"Am I exploiting a glitch?"

Konoha Village, Uchiha Clan Grounds

Hyuga Hizashi had been given his first task during a Konoha council meeting.

The very next day, he sent a formal request for a meeting with the Uchiha Clan.

Hizashi wondered if they would refuse his request.

To his surprise, Uchiha Fugaku agreed almost immediately.

Fugaku didn't even meet Hizashi in the clan's official meeting room; instead, he invited him to his private courtyard.

When Hizashi arrived, the two sat opposite each other. Fugaku quietly poured tea without saying a word.

Unable to stand the silence, Hizashi spoke first. "Clan Leader Fugaku, I'm here today first to apologize for the recent leak incident, and second to discuss the vacant properties on Eighth Street."

Fugaku took a sip of tea and tapped the table lightly.

"The leak incident has nothing to do with you personally. An apology from the Hyuga Clan doesn't really show any sincerity," he said plainly.

Hizashi's heart sank. As expected, this wouldn't be easy. He forced a bitter smile.

"Clan Leader Fugaku, our clan leader has already removed Elder Haido from his position. He's currently under house arrest, awaiting your decision."

Fugaku laughed heartily. "Hizashi, look at you! You used to just call me Fugaku, but now it's 'Clan Leader Fugaku.' When did we get so formal?"

Hizashi was taken aback. In his mind, after what the Hyuga had done, the Uchiha should despise them. Why didn't Fugaku seem angry at all?

Seeing Hizashi's puzzled expression, Fugaku shook his head.

"Our clan's decision to leave Konoha was planned long before this. The incident had nothing to do with it."

"Planned long before?" Hizashi had suspected as much but hearing it confirmed left him uneasy.

"If not this, we would've found another reason to leave. This just happened to fit the timing," Fugaku explained.

Fugaku didn't see Hizashi as an outsider and openly shared this information. It wasn't blind trust in Hizashi's character but simply because the outcome was already set. Sharing the truth wouldn't change anything.

"Natsuki said it before he left: your main family would eventually hold you back. The fact they waited this long is already impressive."

"This…" Hizashi held his tea cup tightly, unsure of how to respond.

Fugaku squinted slightly. "What resources did the Third Hokage offer your clan in exchange for your cooperation?"

Although Hizashi was now an honorary elder, the official announcement hadn't been made public yet.

After the Uchiha's withdrawal, the clan's control over information within the village had weakened.

Hizashi lowered his voice. "The Third Hokage offered an honorary elder position, which was given to me by the clan."

Fugaku quickly pieced together the Hyuga Clan's internal situation and why Hizashi had been granted the position.

Noticing Hizashi's lingering discomfort, Fugaku said reassuringly, "Don't worry. We'll propose an alternative deal for the Hyuga Clan regarding this matter."

"As for how we'll handle your Elder Haido, that will be decided when Natsuki returns."

Hizashi felt a weight lift off his shoulders at the mention of a potential deal. If the Uchiha dismissed the matter too easily, it would be difficult for Hizashi to report back to his clan.

"And about the vacant shops on Eighth Street…"

Fugaku paused, thinking for a moment. "We're not planning to sell them for now, but we are open to renting them out."

"How would you like to manage the rentals, Clan Leader Fugaku?" Hizashi asked, feeling relieved. If the Uchiha wouldn't sell, renting was still a good alternative.

Fugaku stood up and retrieved a stack of property deeds from a nearby shelf, handing them to Hizashi.

"I'll leave these properties entirely in your hands. You handle the management and negotiate the rent. Just report the collected rent to me afterward."

"This isn't appropriate, Fugaku…" Hizashi said, stunned. Why was Fugaku entrusting him with such a responsibility?

Fugaku pretended to frown in displeasure. "It's settled."

Seeing Fugaku's determination, Hizashi had no choice but to agree. "Alright then…"