"I didn't realize until you mentioned it, but the atmosphere here is indeed a bit strange. They all seem very confident." Jiraiya lowered his voice.
"Maybe it's because of that incident in the intel that they're so confident." The probing look in Orochimaru's eyes grew more intense.
Tsunade waved her hand in annoyance. "Why care about this? We just need to complete the mission."
The look in Orochimaru's eyes dimmed slightly. His mission was different from Jiraiya and Tsunade's.
His teacher had specifically given him a task: to investigate the various anomalies in the Land of Whirlpools as much as possible, especially to find out what exactly happened that time.
Because of Tsunade's special identity and Jiraiya's unreliable personality, this mission was assigned solely to Orochimaru.
While they were chatting, a figure suddenly appeared in front of them.
It was the Second Elder of the Uzumaki Clan, Uzumaki Rekito.
Uzumaki Rekito looked at the three with a disgusted expression. If it were before, he might have suppressed this disgust, after all, Kushina needed to survive in Konoha.
But now that the Land of Whirlpools was no longer at risk of annihilation, he didn't need to suppress his emotions anymore.
"Everyone, the Patriarch is waiting for you in the conference room."
Anyone could hear the disgust in his tone.
Tsunade didn't speak, just followed behind Uzumaki Rekito, who was leading the way.
Jiraiya wanted to say something to ease the atmosphere, but was scared into silence by Uzumaki Rekito's look, which was like looking at a bug.
Among the three, the first to speak was surprisingly the seemingly coldest Orochimaru.
"The Land of Whirlpools is indeed a great country. The people live happily, and there is no fear even before the war. It's truly admirable." Orochimaru praised the Land of Whirlpools plainly.
Uzumaki Rekito glanced at him and didn't answer, continuing to lead them to the conference room.
Seeing no reaction from Uzumaki Rekito, Orochimaru continued, "We all saw the changes that occurred in the Land of Whirlpools yesterday. Other villages will naturally notice the anomaly too. Be careful of outsiders in the Uzumaki Clan recently."
This time, Uzumaki Rekito finally spoke. His tone was still dissatisfied, but there was an added hint of arrogance. "Konoha doesn't need to worry about this. Besides, speaking of outsiders, there are three right in front of me."
"How can you say that? No matter what, our Konoha is your ally." Jiraiya couldn't hold back anymore. He immediately jumped up and shouted, not allowing anyone to insult the village he loved.
"An ally who refuses to save us from death? That's a first for me." Uzumaki Rekito looked at Jiraiya as if he were looking at trash!
For some reason, while being looked at like this, Jiraiya felt an inexplicable itch in his heart.
Just as Jiraiya wanted to retort again, they had arrived at the door of the conference room.
Uzumaki Rekito opened the conference room door and walked in first, completely ignoring the three behind him.
Under normal circumstances, this would be extremely rude. But now that the Uzumaki Clan had completely fallen out with Konoha, there was naturally no need to observe etiquette.
The three walked into the conference room, and what caught their eyes were the various Uzumaki clansmen sitting around, looking at them with indifferent eyes.
But what was strange to everyone was that the person sitting in the seat of honor was not the Uzumaki Patriarch mentioned in the intel, but a little girl holding another little girl, yawning sleepily.
Orochimaru instantly focused his attention on this little girl. He couldn't sense any chakra from her body.
Moreover, since arriving in the Land of Whirlpools, Orochimaru had been very puzzled. Not only did the gate guards have no chakra aura, but neither did the surrounding villagers.
If these could be explained away, then the fact that Uzumaki Rekito, the Second Elder of the Uzumaki Clan, also had no chakra on him was too ridiculous.
Now looking at the girl sitting in the seat of honor, Orochimaru strongly suspected that all these changes might stem from that girl.
Just then, Tsunade spoke.
"Konoha's Tsunade, here to fulfill the agreement as per the Hokage's order."
Milim, who was yawning, finally perked up upon hearing this voice.
She turned to the Uzumaki Patriarch sitting beside her and asked with a hint of sleepy laziness in her tone, "What is the agreement between you? I want to know too."
Hearing this crisp female voice, Tsunade and the others focused all their attention on this little girl.
They weren't fools. Although there was no information about this little girl in the intel, anyone who could sit in the seat of honor must be someone with great power.
Things turned out as Tsunade and the others expected. Uzumaki Ashina lowered his head slightly, adopting a very humble posture. "Lady Milim, before your arrival, our Uzumaki Clan was on the verge of extinction. To preserve the clan's bloodline, we agreed to send Kushina to Konoha to be raised."
Tsunade and the others' eyes widened instantly as they listened to the Uzumaki Patriarch's respectful words.
That was the Patriarch of the Uzumaki Clan! Someone whom even the Hokage needed to treat politely. Yet now, he was bowing and scraping to a little girl.
So, what exactly did this person named Milim rely on to achieve this?
"Eh!" Milim lowered her head in confusion, pulling the cheek of Kushina who was still sleeping, her tone carrying a hint of gloom.
"That won't do. Kushina is the little maid I've chosen. If she's given to Konoha, I'll have a huge headache."
Seeing Milim slightly dissatisfied, Uzumaki Ashina immediately spoke up. "That was the previous agreement. Now that the Uzumaki Clan is not at risk of extinction, there is naturally no need to send Kushina to Konoha."
After speaking, Uzumaki Ashina turned his cold gaze to Tsunade and the others. "Did you hear that? From now on, that previous agreement is completely void."
"How can you do this? Going back on an agreed matter so casually, and you call yourself a clan patriarch?"
"Shut up!"
Jiraiya shouted indignantly, completely ignoring Tsunade's voice.
Just then, Uzumaki Rekito appeared behind Jiraiya like a phantom, grabbing Jiraiya's head with one hand and pressing it onto the floor.
"How dare you be disrespectful to the Lord Patriarch. Kowtow properly as punishment."
This sudden movement also startled Tsunade and Orochimaru beside him.
What happened? So fast, completely invisible. Cold sweat broke out on Orochimaru instantly. His eyesight couldn't even clearly see that speed just now.
But he reacted quickly and immediately spoke up to defend Jiraiya. "Jiraiya was too rash. Speaking like that without knowing the truth of the matter, we are extremely sorry."
"Please spare him this time."
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