Yakumo Kurama's weak body limited her daily activities. After talking with Sougen for a short while, she started yawning from exhaustion and was escorted to rest by Kurama Rin. This left Kurama Sōgyun and Kurama Unkai to stay with Sougen.
"Hey, Sougen, what you said earlier... that was a joke, right?"
Sougen shot a sideways glance. "Do you think I'm not qualified to take on a disciple?"
"S-Sougen, I'm not joking with you," Kurama Sōgyun replied, feeling a headache coming on.
"I'm not joking either," Sougen said seriously. "To be honest, aside from me, I doubt Konoha has anyone else capable of helping Yakumo realize her potential. To put it bluntly, leaving that child in your clan would be like burying a precious gem in the dirt."
"Also, Sōgyun-senpai, you should already know what's wrong with Yakumo, right? There's no way you'd come to me just by chance. Your clan must have some records related to Yin Release, don't you?"
Kurama Sōgyun shook his head helplessly. "You found out, huh? As expected, I couldn't hide it... You're right. Our clan has some records left by our predecessors who awakened our bloodline limit. They indicate that our bloodline originates from Yin Release, similar to the Uchiha's Sharingan."
"During the meeting four days ago, I noticed that your spiritual energy had increased significantly! I thought that if it was you, Sougen, maybe you could help solve Yakumo's issues... but I didn't expect you to offer to take her as your disciple!"
"Four days ago?" Sougen wasn't too surprised.
In the years following the Third Great Ninja War, Sougen had maintained a low profile, rarely revealing his abilities. Any enemy who had witnessed his power was long gone, taken by the King of Hell. It was only during that large event four days ago that there were enough witnesses.
Perhaps Kurama Sōgyun wasn't the only one who noticed something about Sougen. But as long as his strength remained unshaken, it didn't matter if certain secrets were known.
He dismissed the thought and said, "Sōgyun-senpai, I don't want to repeat myself a third time. Yakumo is a rare talent, and I don't want to see her gifts wasted. When it comes to Yin Release and genjutsu, no one in Konoha can rival me. As for her issues... that's for me, as her teacher, to resolve."
Kurama Sōgyun was speechless.
What else could he say?
On reflection, Yakumo becoming Sougen's disciple might not be a bad thing. While the Uchiha weren't the easiest clan to deal with, especially given the attitudes of some of the police force members, the fact remained: as long as Uchiha Sougen stood strong, the Uchiha clan was unshakable. The power of the Mangekyō Sharingan was well documented in Kurama clan records.
Not to mention, even aside from the Sharingan, Sougen himself was impressive. With him as a mentor, they wouldn't need to worry about Yakumo straying down the wrong path...
While Sougen had just accepted a new disciple, far across the seas in the mist-covered village, a lingering scent of blood tainted the air. Bodies flowed through the water channels that led out of the village.
Last night, one of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist, Jūzō Biwa, finally launched his rebellion after delaying it multiple times. He attempted to assassinate the Fourth Mizukage but failed and was wounded before fleeing the village.
Instead of pursuing Jūzō, the Fourth Mizukage began a new round of purges within the village, staining the waters of the Mist red with blood.
"Obito, aren't you going a bit overboard?"
In a hidden chamber, a yin-yang-faced figure resembling a pitcher plant emerged from the ground, glancing at the pile of Anbu corpses. The white half of the face exclaimed in awe.
"Not enough Mist ninja can die!"
Uchiha Obito, wearing his orange-striped mask, sat atop the pile of corpses. His cold, icy gaze pierced through the single eyehole of the mask. "Every last person in this village... deserves to die!"
The bloody heap beneath him was no joke—it was a testament to his murderous intent.
"Zetsu, what's going on? Didn't I tell you not to bother me unless it's important?" Obito asked.
"It's about Konoha," Black Zetsu's harsh, gravelly voice grated on the ears.
"The Uchiha clan has a new leader."
"...Fugaku Uchiha stepped down?" Obito blinked. This was interesting news.
"That's right!" White Zetsu jumped in eagerly. "There was a gathering in some secret room under that shrine of theirs. Fugaku's been ousted as clan head. The new leader is someone called Uchiha Sougen, apparently only fifteen!"
The familiar name stirred long-buried memories in Obito.
Unlike himself, who had been the dead last in the Ninja Academy, Uchiha Sougen, though younger, was one of the Uchiha clan's twin stars, alongside Uchiha Shisui—someone from a completely different world.
Who would have thought that Uchiha Sougen would rise to become the clan head?
"Oh, and there's more!" White Zetsu added. "That sword, Samehada, is now in Sougen's possession. And during Konoha's high-level meeting, he fought with Danzo Shimura, leaving him in a coma, completely paralyzed. Based on my observations, it seems he's unlocked the Mangekyō Sharingan." The source of thɪs content is novelFirｅ.net
The rapid-fire revelations were overwhelming, even for someone like Obito. He took a moment to process everything.
Obito rested his chin on his hand, pondering.
"So, Obito, this Sougen seems like an unstable factor. Should we take him out?" White Zetsu suggested, always eager for action.
"The Mangekyō... It's too risky to act without knowing more." As a Mangekyō user himself, Obito understood its power better than anyone. In his eyes, tailed beasts and their hosts were far less of a threat compared to someone who wielded the Mangekyō.
"By the way, Zetsu, you said Samehada is with Uchiha Sougen?" Obito suddenly asked.
"My clones saw it with their own eyes," White Zetsu confirmed confidently.
"Samehada, huh... Maybe we can still put that to good use." Obito turned his gaze toward the lifeless Fourth Mizukage standing in the corner like a puppet.