Uchiha Hikari

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After a while, Hashirama managed to suppress his anger and asked Kaito, "So, what's the situation with Sarutobi and Danzo right now? Why didn't anyone stop their actions from the start?"

Kaito smiled and replied, "The Third Hokage and the four clans backing him were already subdued and detained by Lady Mito and my mother a few days ago. They're being held in custody, waiting for the frontlines to calm down. Once the war is over, we'll conduct a public trial."

"As for Danzo, he colluded with Hanzo of the Rain Village on the frontlines, planning to ambush and kill me, Tsunade, and the elite forces of the Uchiha, Senju, and Uzumaki clans."

"But we saw through the plot early, turned the tables on them, and directly executed him."

"Well done!" Hashirama clapped his hands, clearly pleased. "Traitors conspiring with enemies to harm their comrades deserve nothing less."

Kaito continued, "As for why Lady Mito and my mother didn't stop the Third Hokage's earlier schemes, it's because their health wasn't great back then, and their strength had declined. They weren't at their peak."

"At that time, the situation wasn't in their favor, so they had to retreat step by step and bide their time."

"Three years ago, with my help, they were able to resolve their health issues and extend their lifespans. Over the past few years, their strength has even made a qualitative leap, which allowed us to gradually turn the tide."

"To avoid unnecessary turmoil and internal conflict in the village, we used the war as an opportunity to expose their flaws and seize them all at once. That's how we changed the situation in the village."

"Some things just can't be rushed."

"I see now!" Hashirama nodded in understanding. "You've done well! People who betray their comrades and harm the village should be dealt with. When I get back to Konoha, I'll make sure to give Sarutobi and the others a proper lesson!"

He paused, mulling something over. He even seemed inclined to reprimand Tobirama when the time came.

— — —

Inside the Four Red Yang Formation, Kaito had left behind over ten thousand White Zetsu clones. Most of them didn't have a chance to take action and were captured and sealed into the Space-Time Gate.

Afterward, Kaito and his team searched the area and unexpectedly found a treasure trove of scrolls and research materials Uchiha Madara had taken when he left Konoha, along with highly important ancient texts and the legendary artifact: the Uchiha fan.

"I never thought we'd recover these! Even I was certain they were lost forever," said Kaito with a grin. "It seems Madara was caught off guard by our sudden arrival, and Black Zetsu didn't have time to move these items. Lucky for us!"

"Keep them safe and return them to the clan's library," suggested Uchiha Naori. "We should also copy a few sets, just in case. Include all the clan's scrolls and records—store a copy in your spatial storage to prevent further losses."

"And the Uchiha fan—take it and use it yourself."

"Got it!" Kaito nodded with a smile.

Suddenly, something in his hand caught his attention. "Hmm?"

"What's wrong?" Uchiha Naori asked.

Mito and Hashirama also looked over curiously.

"Mom, take a look at this," Kaito said, handing an ancient text to his mother. "It records how, centuries ago, our Uchiha clan created a weapon through extreme means."

"Its name was Uchiha Hikari. A tragic creation. This weapon was eventually sealed away by the Senju and Sarutobi clans."

"As for the seal's location, this book doesn't specify. It might only be recorded in the ancient texts of the Senju or Sarutobi clans."

"Let me see!" Uchiha Naori took the text and scanned it carefully, her brows furrowing. "It's true. And it's possible she isn't dead yet!"

"If we can find and rescue her, we might be able to guide her toward the right path and bring her back to the clan."

"She shouldn't be trapped in tragedy forever. Times have changed."

Uchiha Hikari, a Mangekyō Sharingan wielder with incredible talent, had her fate twisted. Whether out of compassion or for the clan's benefit, Uchiha Naori was determined to save her.

Turning to Hashirama and Mito, Naori asked, "First Hokage, Lady Mito, can I search the Senju archives for information on this seal?"

If the Senju didn't have records, the Sarutobi archives would be the next option.

"Of course," Mito replied warmly. "Feel free to search our archives. If you find nothing, it should be easy enough to access the Sarutobi's records. Their entire clan is under supervision now."

"This girl's life story is indeed pitiful. She shouldn't remain sealed forever. Let's give her a chance at a new life."

"If you locate the seal, let me know. I'll help you unseal her and guide her toward happiness."

"What about you, Hashirama?" Mito asked.

Hashirama's expression turned serious. "No objections here. The tragedies of the Warring States era should have ended long ago."

"Count me in. I'll help you find and unseal her."

"Thank you both!" Uchiha Naori smiled and turned to Kaito. "It seems we should thoroughly review all these ancient texts to see if there are other similar cases."

"Agreed," Kaito said. He was reminded of certain fragments of lore and felt that saving Hikari could lead to a brighter future for her.

Her Mangekyō abilities might even be useful for him in the long run. If he could deduce methods for mastering Mangekyō abilities, it would be a valuable asset.

After securing all the scrolls, records, and the Uchiha fan into his spatial storage, Hashirama remarked, "This storage technique is incredible. Mito, can I learn it too?"

Hashirama, ever the curious type, couldn't hold back.

"Uh... you'd have to ask Kaito about that!" Mito Uzumaki said, gesturing toward Kaito.

"This isn't really a jutsu or sealing technique," Mito explained. "It's a special ability Kaito shared with us. But there are certain conditions to qualify for it!"

"Really?" Hashirama scratched the back of his head and turned to Kaito with hopeful eyes.

Kaito, grinning slyly, replied, "Yeah, I don't mind sharing the ability with you, First Hokage. But like Lady Mito said, you'll need to meet some conditions before you can form the contract."

"What kind of conditions?"

"Don't worry about it for now," Kaito reassured him. "As we spend more time together, you'll naturally fulfill the requirements. Once you're ready, I'll let you know. Then you can decide whether to sign the contract."

"Fair enough," Hashirama said with a nod, though he was visibly eager. "How long will it take to meet the conditions?"

Kaito checked Hashirama's bond score—65 points. Not bad at all, especially for having only met earlier that day. Hashirama's trusting nature and their current camaraderie had clearly worked in Kaito's favor.

"Shouldn't take too long," Kaito said thoughtfully. "It might be as quick as a couple of weeks, or at most a few months."

Hashirama's eyes lit up. "That's great! Then it's settled!"

Looking around, Hashirama asked, "Is everything here wrapped up? Where are we heading next?"

Mito responded before Kaito could: "Hashirama, you'll come back to Konoha with me. And as for you, Kaito, head back to Amegakure and gather everyone to return to the frontline camp."

"Check on the Sand Village situation while you're there," Mito continued. "If possible, negotiate a peace treaty—or even an alliance—with them. But if they refuse, don't waste time. Leave Tsunade, Orochimaru, or Sakumo in charge with a portion of the forces, and bring the main troops back to the village. The matter of you officially taking over as the Fourth Hokage cannot be delayed any longer!"

Mito's voice took on a sterner edge as she added, "We also can't afford to let other villages like Kumogakure or Kirigakure exploit Konoha's current power transition. Hopefully, the victory in Amegakure will give them pause, but if not, we might have to deal with them as well."

Kaito nodded. "Understood. I'll take care of it."

With that, Kaito deactivated the Four Red Yang Formation and bid farewell to the others before teleporting away.

Mito grabbed Hashirama's arm and teleported them back to Konoha, while Uchiha Naori stayed behind for one last sweep of the area.

Confirming that Black Zetsu still hadn't returned, she sighed with regret and departed.

— — —

At Amegakure

Kaito found that Tsunade and the others were still waiting for him, even though the peace talks with the Rain Village had already concluded and the supplies were packed.

The group lit up as soon as Kaito appeared.

"Kaito! You're back!" Tsunade exclaimed, rushing over. "How did it go? Is Uchiha Madara dealt with? What about Black Zetsu? And where are Grandma and the others?"

Kushina and Mikoto joined in, fussing over Kaito and checking him for injuries.

"I'm fine, really!" Kaito said, a little flustered.

Once the commotion died down, he explained, "Madara has been completely eliminated. As for Black Zetsu… he managed to escape. But without Madara, he won't pose much of a threat for now."

He added, "Lady Mito and the others have already returned to Konoha. How's everything on your end? When can we move out?"

"All ready!" Tsunade replied with a big smile. "We were just waiting for you."

"Good," Kaito said. "Let's head back to the frontline camp. I want us there by nightfall."

Though some wondered if they'd use mass teleportation, Kaito decided against it to conserve chakra.

After a couple of hours on the road, the troops finally reached the frontline camp. Orochimaru and the camp's ninja, mostly Uchiha, came out to greet them.

"Looks like a solid victory!" Kaito said, glancing at the troops' high morale and the wealth of spoils they carried. "So, who's going to brief me on what happened?"

"Let's take this to the command tent," Orochimaru suggested. "We also need to discuss the Sand Village situation."

The group gathered in the tent, where Kaito and Tsunade recounted the events of their mission.

They described how they took down the Kazekage and numerous Sand ninja, crushed the Rock Village forces, forced Iwagakure's surrender, and even eliminated Madara and revived Hashirama.

Orochimaru was thoroughly impressed. "This changes everything," he said, a sly smile forming.

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