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Uchiha Haru, along with Yuhi Kurenai and the others, escorted Hinata back home.
Afterward, Haru immediately returned to his own residence.
What had happened today had been completely outside of his expectations.
Because of it, he was forced to step out and expose himself to the public.
But it was Hinata who had been kidnapped — not just anyone.
Even if it meant risking exposure, he had no choice but to save her.
He was well aware that his account of the events was full of holes and would surely raise suspicion.
Fortunately, the Uchiha Clan Downfall Night was fast approaching, and he wouldn't be in Konoha for much longer.
He doubted anything too serious would happen before then.
And even if something did happen… so what?
With his current power, there was no one in Konoha who could truly stop him from leaving.
After a night of focused training, Haru woke up the next morning expecting to continue the missions he hadn't completed the day before.
But because of the chaos from the night before, all mission schedules had been thrown into disarray.
Early in the morning, Haru received word that his assigned task was being considered complete, and he was granted a full day of rest.
Which meant only one thing: he now had an entire day to begin his fourth simulation.
That alone was good news.
He was eager to test himself — now that he possessed the Ōtsutsuki bloodline, Wood Release, Mangekyō Sharingan, and the Eighty Gods Vacuum Attack. Could he stand toe-to-toe with the First and Second Hokage, revived by Impure World Reincarnation in their non-peak forms?
Time ticked by.
Haru immersed himself in training again, steadily improving his abilities.
And during this process, he clearly felt someone watching him.
It wasn't the masked man, and it wasn't Orochimaru.
People of that level wouldn't be so sloppy in their surveillance.
No — it was the Third Hokage's forces.
The Anbu.
As expected, even if things appeared calm on the surface, the higher-ups had already sent shadow operatives to monitor him behind the scenes.
Not that this surprised him.
After all, the moment he took action, suspicion was inevitable.
It couldn't be helped.
But Haru didn't do what he'd done before — he didn't drag these people out of the shadows like he had with Orochimaru and the masked man. Instead, he ignored them completely, treating them as if they didn't exist.
Because unlike Orochimaru or the masked man, these people posed no real threat to him.
And more importantly, to clash with them now would be to declare war on Konoha.
That was not a path Haru wanted to take.
His system was built around simulating the Night of the Uchiha Clan's Downfall.
If he rebelled against Konoha before that night came, he'd be branded a traitor and hunted by the entire village, without having gained the benefits of his next simulation.
How could he safely complete his fourth and fifth simulations under those conditions?
No — that was a risk he could not afford to take.
So even with his strength, he chose to endure. For now.
After all, training wasn't a secret. Let them watch if they wanted.
And once the doors were closed and the simulation began — who would be able to see anything then?
But while Haru was deep in training, the rest of Konoha was in turmoil over last night's events.
The attempted kidnapping of Hinata Hyuga — the daughter of Hiashi Hyuga, patriarch of the Hyuga Clan — by shinobi from the Hidden Cloud Village had sent shockwaves through the village.
Fortunately, the operation had been foiled by Uchiha Haru, Asuma, and a few others who had returned from their mission just in time.
The Cloud's plan had failed.
Their envoy had been killed.
And Hinata had been rescued.
At first, the villagers erupted in celebration.
Mocking the Hidden Cloud's failed attempt — they had tried to steal a chicken but ended up losing the rice instead.
Many praised the bravery of Asuma, Might Guy, Yuhi Kurenai, and the others who had taken part in the rescue.
Most of the credit, of course, went to Asuma and the others — the loyal shinobi of Konoha.
Haru's name, intentionally or not, was overlooked.
Even though confirmed reports stated clearly that it had been Uchiha Haru who defeated the Cloud shinobi and saved Hinata — the narrative remained the same.
His role was diminished. His presence, nearly erased.
Stranger still was the reaction of the Hyuga Clan.
Logically speaking, since the person rescued had been the heiress of the Hyuga — the future successor of the clan — this should have been viewed as an enormous debt of gratitude.
But there wasn't even a single public expression of thanks.
It was downright bizarre.
Even if the rescued had been a minor clan member, this silence would've been inappropriate.
But this was Hinata — the pride of the Hyuga.
The village's leadership was just as quiet as the Hyuga.
As word of the event spread like wildfire, the upper echelon remained uncharacteristically silent, as if nothing had ever happened.
And those involved in the incident — Haru, Asuma, Might Guy, Hayate, Yuhi Kurenai, and Uzuki Yugao — were nowhere to be found.
The development of events became increasingly strange.
Some in the village began to sense that something was off.
And then, suddenly, the entire atmosphere shifted.
The conversation turned from celebration… to consequences.
The ramifications of killing a diplomatic envoy from the Hidden Cloud inside Konoha's borders could not be ignored.
War was no longer just a whisper. It was now a looming possibility.
While it was clear Konoha had reason on its side, those who knew the Hidden Cloud and its current Raikage were well aware — reason wasn't their strength.
If there were two words to describe the Raikage, they would be: battle maniac.
Hot-tempered, impulsive, prone to violence — indifferent to death and destruction.
If slighted, he wouldn't hesitate. He'd attack first and worry later.
Especially since relations between Konoha and the Cloud had never been warm.
The Second Hokage, Tobirama Senju, had been killed by the Gold and Silver Brothers from the Hidden Cloud.
A few years ago, Hidden Cloud shinobi had tried to kidnap Kushina Uzumaki.
And now, they'd targeted the Hyuga clan — one of the most influential families in the village.
Given the Cloud's longstanding ambition to surpass Konoha as the dominant Hidden Village, this incident could be just the pretext they needed to launch a war.
Konoha was no longer the powerhouse it once was.
The Fourth Hokage, Minato Namikaze, had died in battle.
Of the Three Legendary Sannin, one had defected, and the other two were missing.
What strength remained?
The Third Hokage — aging, weary — could hardly be expected to face off against the might of the Cloud.
As the specter of war loomed overhead, many villagers began to despair.
And when fear sets in, people begin to look for someone to blame.
Someone had to take responsibility.
The entire village couldn't suffer for the actions of one.
And so, eyes turned to Uchiha Haru.
After all, tensions with the Uchiha clan were already running high.
No one liked them.
No one trusted them.
Letting them bear the blame seemed like a simple, guilt-free solution.
long, the consensus across the village was clear:
Uchiha Haru had killed the Hidden Cloud's envoy.
And he would bear the consequences alone.
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This Week Bonus Chapter - 200 Power stones
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