At the time, Madam Mikota didn't think much of it, but looking back now, she only felt that the red-haired one was too much.
Originally, Mikota wanted to secretly visit Uchiha Yoichi at night and give it one last try, but hearing the news of the war and that Uchiha Yoichi was going on a mission filled her with worry and disappointment.
Her heart was now filled with three people: half with Uchiha Yoichi, another small part with Itachi, and the other half with the unborn Sasuke...
However, since the war broke out suddenly, even though Mikota was reluctant, there was nothing she could do but remind Uchiha Yoichi to be careful on his mission.
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After leaving Konoha, Uchiha Yoichi quickly made his way toward the Hidden Hot Water Village.
In fact, he preferred to head towards the Hidden Waterfall Village, but Sarutobi Hiruzen was already wary of him and found plenty of excuses to keep him away from the Seven-tailed Beast.
After Uchiha Yoichi had absorbed all the Star Stone Chakra, he considered other energy sources for replenishing Godzilla and immediately thought of the Tailed Beasts.
The Chakra nature of all nine Tailed Beasts is different, and Tailed Beasts can restore their own Chakra.
During the Fourth Great Ninja War, the Chakra of several Tailed Beasts was nearly drained by Obito to create an army of a hundred thousand White Zetsu, but they soon recovered and fought against the Jinchuriki of the Eight-tailed and Nine-tailed Beasts.
If he could gather all nine Tailed Beasts and have them provide Chakra at intervals, Godzilla could continue evolving indefinitely.
Uchiha Yoichi planned to start with the Two-tailed Beast. However, Tailed Beasts are very protective of their Chakra, and since Yugito has sided with him, he couldn't be as forceful as before and needed to persuade it.
"After the war, it should be time to change the Hokage, right..."
Uchiha Yoichi thought to himself. Actually, after the Chunin Exams, he had already discussed with the Land of Fire Daimyo to have Sarutobi Hiruzen step down.
Although the Land of Fire Daimyo has had a good working relationship with Sarutobi Hiruzen for over twenty years, he now favors Hatake Sakumo to become the new Hokage.
So, Uchiha Yoichi took the initiative, using newspapers, television, and other media to make Konoha's ninjas and villagers feel that Hiruzen had been Hokage for too long.
If it weren't for this war, rumors about Sarutobi Hiruzen's greed for power and monopolizing the Hokage position would have spread throughout Konoha Village within half a year.
But with the war starting, it didn't matter. Regardless of winning or losing, Konoha's strength would inevitably decline after the war, and Sarutobi Hiruzen would have to bear that responsibility.
Uchiha Yoichi thought that Sarutobi Hiruzen and the other two high-ranking members of Konoha were already old and lacked vigor, clinging to past achievements while resting on their laurels.
If Hatake Sakumo became Hokage, he might not listen to them much, but he would at least allow them to exist; but if Uchiha Yoichi took office, every one of them would be sent packing home.
If they dared to complain further, they might find themselves sent to the battlefield to carry out missions, making these old folks showcase the residual warmth of the Will of Fire.
Uchiha Yoichi's traveling speed was very fast; with his current Chakra, he could travel using the Lightning Release Chakra Mode for an entire day without issue.
With a flash of light in the forest, Uchiha Yoichi's figure darted by.
In less than half a day, Uchiha Yoichi arrived at the Hidden Hot Water Village.
The Hidden Hot Water Village had little presence in the Ninja World because a Ninja Village is a military organization that must participate in wars or complete commissioned tasks to maintain its existence.
However, during the previous two Great Ninja Wars, the Hidden Hot Water Village neither participated in the wars nor accepted many missions from outside. Were it not for the village housing war-oriented Evil God Cult followers, it might have just been a place for ninja living, hardly qualifying as a Ninja Village.
When Uchiha Yoichi arrived at the Hidden Hot Water Village, he noticed that Hidden Cloud Ninjas were present within the village.
In the Hidden Hot Water Building, a Hidden Hot Water ninja, bypassing the Yukage, obsequiously said to the Hidden Cloud ninja, "Dear emissary, please rest assured. We believe that Konoha will send us a message the day after tomorrow. No matter what decision Konoha makes, the Hidden Hot Water will stand with your village..."
The leading ninja of the four Hidden Cloud ninjas nodded and said, "It's good that you think this way. When the time comes, your Hidden Hot Water will also gain some benefits, possibly developing to a level no weaker than the Hidden Waterfall Village under the support of the Hidden Cloud Village..."
Even small Ninja Villages have their goals; the Hidden Rain Village aims to become the sixth great Ninja Village, while other small villages aspire to be the first villages below the Five Great Ninja Villages like the Hidden Rain Village.
The ninjas of the Hidden Hot Water Village, who believe in the Evil God Cult, hope that the Hidden Hot Water will join the war, giving them a chance to offer sacrifices to the Evil God on the battlefield.
"I didn't expect to run into the Hidden Cloud Ninja; that's a nice surprise!"
Sizzle!
With a crack of lightning, a figure suddenly appeared inside the room.
Upon seeing Uchiha Yoichi, the leading Hidden Cloud ninja's eyes widened in fear, instinctively showing terror, "Ko-Konoha Lightning Fang..."
"A Konoha ninja? Who are you... dear emissary, what did you say? He's the Konoha Lightning Fang?"
The Evil God Cult ninja of the Hidden Hot Water just wanted to question Uchiha Yoichi's identity, but then he heard the Hidden Cloud envoy beside him heard the name of Konoha Lightning Fang.
Even without having been on the battlefield, these people had heard of Konoha Lightning Fang, nearly killing the next Raikage, slaying hundreds of Hidden Cloud ninjas, and battling the Eight-tailed Beast to a draw...
"Run!"
The Hidden Cloud Jonin shouted. In their village, even though it wasn't stated outright, it was known that when encountering Konoha Lightning Fang, temporarily avoiding conflict or even abandoning the mission was acceptable, as long as you returned alive, the village would not punish you.
All four Hidden Cloud ninjas almost simultaneously used Instant Body Jutsu to escape, but Uchiha Yoichi's reaction was quicker.
Instantly moving, drawing his blade, and thrusting all in one go.
The Hidden Cloud ninja leading the team had just drawn a shuriken when his heart was pierced by the Lightning Fang.
Uchiha Yoichi did not pause, drawing out the Lightning Fang and flicking ten Lightning Release Chakra-infused shurikens towards the other two Hidden Cloud ninjas, while he appeared before the third one almost at lightning speed.
"I'll fight you to the death..."
Pounce!
The bravado shout was not finished when this Hidden Cloud ninja's throat was cut by the Lightning Fang.
The next second, Uchiha Yoichi transformed into a lightning flash, with a speed that the Hidden Hot Water ninjas inside the building couldn't react to, he rushed out of the building and killed the last two Hidden Cloud ninjas.
"Four people in around four seconds... a bit slow."
After the killings, Uchiha Yoichi estimated in his heart, then returned with a calm expression to the top floor room inside the Hidden Hot Water Building.
"Now, let's talk about who was asking for compensation from Konoha? Was it you, or you?"
Uchiha Yoichi looked at the Evil God Cult believer ninja and the Yukage wearing a Kage Kasa in the room.
"Konoha Lightning Fang, this is the Hidden Hot Water Village, there are over a thousand ninjas in our village, and you're alone..."
Before the Evil God Cult believer finished speaking, he suddenly noticed a dark purple light wall rising at the village's edge outside the window from the corner of his eye.
This light wall, rising to twenty or thirty meters, connected with the other three purple light walls around, forming a barrier surrounding the Hidden Hot Water Village—the Four Purple Flame Array.
"Now you are surrounded by me, outside is the Four Purple Flame Array; before I'm satisfied, none of you can escape..."
Uchiha Yoichi showed a devilish smile, then with a swing of the Lightning Fang, directly sliced through his arm.
"Aaah... my arm! The Evil God will give me strength, I won't die..."
Though the Hidden Hot Water believer in the Evil God Cult lost an arm, little blood spurted out. The ninja only knelt on the ground, wailing in pain.
"Konoha ninja, please spare us. We didn't intend to be enemies with Konoha."
At this moment, the Yukage sighed, took off his Kage Kasa, put it on the table, and continued.
"I don't agree with the Hidden Hot Water joining the war, but the cultists in the village disagree, they privately contacted the Hidden Cloud and made a decision, and by the time I found out, the Hidden Cloud was already in the Hidden Hot Water Village."
"Please, considering we were unaware, spare most of the Hidden Hot Water ninjas."