Chapter 68: Chapter 68: Yagyu and Kurenai Yuhi
Just like the aftermath of the Nine-Tails attack, the atmosphere in Konoha after the collapse plan was oppressive and filled with sorrow. Fortunately, thanks to the lessons learned from the Nine-Tails incident twelve years ago, Konoha reacted quickly, minimizing the number of civilian casualties. Most of the deaths were from the shinobi who fought against the Sand and Sound ninjas.
However, the snakes summoned from Ryuchi Cave by the Sound ninjas still destroyed a large number of buildings. Without the aid of ninjutsu, it would take quite some time to repair the damage.
Yet, these damages were not the greatest loss. The biggest blow to Konoha in this incident was the permanent loss of their Third Hokage.
The five Kage are the pillars of the five great ninja villages. The death of any Kage deeply impacts the village's morale, sinking it to its lowest point.
If a new Hokage isn't chosen quickly, the village could easily descend into chaos. Clients would begin doubting and losing trust in Konoha's strength.
So, as soon as the collapse plan ended and word spread throughout the Land of Fire, the Daimyo quickly sent envoys to Konoha's council to discuss whether they had a candidate for the Fifth Hokage.
But that's a matter for later.
The next day, dark clouds loomed over Konoha, with flashes of white lightning flickering within the heavy clouds. The rumble of thunder occasionally echoed in the sky.
The rain was on its way.
At Yagyu's home, he stepped out wearing a black long-sleeved shirt and matching pants.
Outside, waiting for him, were Hinata and two other girls, also dressed in black shirts and pants. Each of them held a white chrysanthemum in their hands, and their faces were solemn, lacking the smiles they usually wore.
Together, the four of them made their way to the location of the memorial service.
Along the way, Yagyu noticed many others dressed similarly to them. There were men and women, both shinobi and civilians.
All were heading to pay their respects to the Third Hokage and the fallen shinobi.
Suddenly, a flash of lightning illuminated the sky, followed by a torrential downpour accompanied by thunder.
Rain began to engulf Konoha.
After lining up to offer their white chrysanthemums, Yagyu and the others stood at the back of the crowd, silently mourning. Some people were bowing their heads, sobbing quietly, while others remained expressionless.
The rain drenched everyone, making it hard to tell whether the water on their faces was rain or tears.
The sorrowful atmosphere weighed heavily on everyone's hearts. Even Yagyu, who didn't feel sad, was affected by the mood, feeling a deep heaviness in his chest.
Thankfully, the memorial service ended soon after, and Yagyu and his companions dispersed to return home.
Due to the solemn atmosphere and the heavy rain, Ino and the others didn't invite Yagyu to hang out or visit his home. It seemed it would take a few days before they could recover.
After the service, villagers began rebuilding the damaged parts of the village. The higher-ups also discovered the situation at the Hokage Tower and with Yamato, and they were actively investigating the mysterious intruder. However, since nothing important had been stolen from the forbidden jutsu vault, and the most valuable item—the Scroll of Seals—hadn't been taken, they had to temporarily set the matter aside.
Right now, choosing the Fifth Hokage was the most pressing issue for Konoha.
Koharu Utatane and Homura Mitokado immediately approached Jiraiya, hoping he would take on the role of the Fifth Hokage.
As a student of the Third Hokage and the teacher of the Fourth Hokage, Jiraiya was both powerful and had the ideal background to be the next Hokage.
Of course, Jiraiya declined.
But in this situation, it wasn't as simple as just saying no.
Just like in the original story, when Koharu and Homura pressured him, Jiraiya mentioned someone even more suitable to become Hokage—Tsunade.
When they heard that Jiraiya could find Tsunade and convince her to return to take up the mantle of Hokage, Koharu and Homura were silent for a few seconds before nodding.
In the current Konoha, the only person more suited to be Hokage than Jiraiya was Tsunade, the granddaughter of the First and Second Hokage.
Once Jiraiya and Tsunade's names were submitted to the Daimyo, it was certain that Tsunade would be chosen.
It was simply the power of Konoha's lineage.
That very day, Jiraiya prepared to leave the village with Naruto to find Tsunade.
On that same day, Yagyu woke up early, ate breakfast, and went to the front door of Kurenai Yuhi's house.
Knock, knock, knock…
The sound of knocking echoed, and Kurenai soon opened the door.
Seeing Yagyu standing there, Kurenai, who seemed to have just woken up, yawned and said, "Oh, it's Yagyu. Come on in."
She then turned and headed toward the living room.
However, she didn't notice Yagyu rub his nose awkwardly.
It couldn't be helped—Kurenai didn't treat him as an outsider at all.
Perhaps it was because she had just woken up, but Kurenai was only wearing a red camisole nightgown, leaving her shoulders, collarbone, and slender back exposed. The hem of her skirt barely covered her hips, and her ivory-white long legs were like magnets, drawing his eyes.
Cough, cough…
Yagyu closed the door, changed into the guest slippers at the entrance, and sat down on the sofa in the living room. Glancing at Kurenai in the kitchen, he cleared his throat and reminded her, "Kurenai-sensei, don't you think wearing something like that in front of a guy might be a little inappropriate?"
"Ha… When did a twelve-year-old kid like you become a man?" Kurenai teased, holding a glass of milk and deliberately shaking it in front of Yagyu. "Besides, don't you remember the nickname for our Team 8? When you turn twenty and can have a drink with your teacher, then we'll talk about you being a man. For now, drink your milk, kid."
Yagyu's face twitched slightly as Kurenai, clearly amused, headed into the bathroom to wash up and change clothes.
Although Yagyu was nearly as tall as Kurenai, only a few centimeters shorter when she wore heels, his age was still an undeniable fact, and he couldn't argue against that.
Taking a sip of his milk, Yagyu found it surprisingly unappealing, despite his usual habit of drinking milk every day to grow taller.
"So, what's the reason for coming to see your teacher so early in the morning?" Kurenai asked after finishing her wash-up and changing into her usual ninja attire. She poured herself a glass of milk and sat across from Yagyu.
Yagyu straightened up and replied, "I'm here today to ask if you would be willing to act as a sponsor to help someone join Konoha."
Hearing this, Kurenai's expression turned serious. She looked at Yagyu and asked, "Is this someone you met during the Chunin Exams from another village?"
"Yeah," Yagyu nodded, then explained Karin's story. "She's a Genin from Kusagakure that I met during the second stage of the exams. She's also a descendant of the Uzumaki Clan."
"A descendant of the Uzumaki Clan? Are you sure?" Kurenai's eyes widened in surprise as she looked at Yagyu.
"Yes, I'm sure. I'm good at history, and I remember reading about how the Uzumaki Clan were Konoha's allies both during the Warring States Period and after the founding of the village, and that they were distant relatives of the Senju Clan."
Yagyu continued, "I felt an inexplicable sense of familiarity with her. When I rescued her, she was unconscious, and while treating her injuries, I noticed many bite marks of various shapes and sizes on her arms. That's a unique healing ability of the Uzumaki Clan—Vitality Healing."
"Is her hair red?" Kurenai asked.
"Yes, it is."
"Then it's quite likely she's a descendant of the Uzumaki Clan."
Kurenai nodded and then said, "I can be her sponsor, but you should know that any outsider wishing to join Konoha must undergo an interrogation by the Torture and Interrogation Force to ensure they're not spies. Even if she is a descendant of the Uzumaki Clan, she won't be exempt from this."
"I understand, and she's willing to accept that."
"Looks like you two have kept in touch regularly. Is she in Konoha now?"
"No, she's currently in Tanzaku Town in the Land of Fire."
Yagyu shook his head and explained, "Kusagakure has been using her as a medical tool. They even brought her to the Chunin Exams for that purpose. When I realized she was a descendant of the Uzumaki Clan and learned about her circumstances, I secretly helped her escape from Konoha and had her wait for me in Tanzaku Town to avoid causing any diplomatic trouble for the village."
"Smart move," Kurenai didn't criticize Yagyu for his actions. Instead, she praised him.
Matters involving diplomacy weren't something they, as shinobi, could decide.
If they found an Uzumaki Clan descendant outside, that would be a different situation.
As allies of the Uzumaki Clan, Konoha had a responsibility to assist the clan's descendants. As long as it was proven she was indeed an Uzumaki, and if she passed the Torture and Interrogation Force's scrutiny, bringing her back to the village would be seen as a commendable act.
Kurenai then asked, "So, are you here today because you want me to go with you to find her?"
"Yes. As a Genin, it's difficult for me to get permission to leave the village."
"Come on, with how close you two seem, you've probably been sneaking out to see her regularly over the past month, haven't you?"
Kurenai rolled her eyes and teased, "That Phantom Body Flicker technique of yours—didn't you practice that during your secret trips?"
"What Phantom Body Flicker technique?" Yagyu feigned ignorance.
"The one you used to defeat Shikamaru Nara."
"Oh, that? It's actually a combination of the Naraku Clone technique you taught me and the Lightning Chakra Stimulation Method."
"I almost believed you. Last time, you said you immobilized Raiga with your Binding Technique, but you panicked when I mentioned bringing his head back."
"Uh…"
Seeing Yagyu's speechless face, Kurenai suddenly burst into laughter. "Alright, alright, I know you're careful about your identity. Ninjas shouldn't easily reveal their secrets. It's good to be cautious."
"Hehe… So, would you mind coming with me?" Yagyu scratched his head and smiled.
"Sure. We can't take missions for a while anyway, so a trip will be a nice change of pace."
Kurenai stood up, her eyes filled with anticipation.
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