The wooden figure that appeared for only a moment vanished, leaving behind a half-destroyed rock platform in the forest. Uchiha Obito, along with his severed hand, had disappeared, likely taken by Zetsu. Samehada, which preferred high-quality chakra over flesh and blood, only grabbed the Flame Fan.
Upon reflection, it was Obito's right hand that had been cut off, not the incomplete Sage Body on his left side. Even if he had obtained it, it wouldn't have been very valuable. Besides, even if Obito's left hand had been severed, in terms of the day's spoils, it wouldn't have ranked very high.
The true treasure from this battle was the Flame Fan he now held.
Standing atop the low mound of rock, Sōgen carefully examined the Flame Fan. It was shaped like a gourd, with black edges and a pale white fan surface. At the top, two sets of six tomoe Sharingan patterns adorned it. The long handle was wrapped with bands of cloth, ending with an iron clasp.
Aside from the iron clasp, which had clearly been added later, the entire Flame Fan was seamlessly made from a material neither metal nor iron—hard yet elastic.
"A branch of the Divine Tree?" Sōgen gripped the fan tighter.
His eyes gleamed with joy, a smile tugging at his lips that he could barely contain. He gently stroked the fan, a symbol of the Uchiha clan's thousand-year history and honor. It was the second time in his life he had handled something so carefully—the first being when he held Fujika, barely a hundred days old, after taking her from his mother's arms.
If not for the self-control he had developed over the years, he might have laughed out loud.
A branch of the Divine Tree—
This fan was crafted from the branch of the Divine Tree! Even the Tailed Beasts were merely portions of the Divine Tree's power. To put it in formula form:
Nine Tailed Beasts (Power) + Gedo Statue (Body) = Ten-Tails (Divine Tree).
Yet this Flame Fan was forged from a branch of the Divine Tree when it was still whole. Though small compared to the terrifying power of the Tailed Beasts, the Uchiha fan's essence was far more complete.
Though it seemed unassuming, the information and secrets it held were vast.
The moment Sōgen grasped the fan, he activated the power of "The Knight Does Not Die with Bare Hands," wiping away all the imprints left by previous owners and fully bringing it under his control. The result was a surprise beyond words.
The future might very well depend on this fan.
After admiring the fan for a while, Sōgen replaced Samehada with it, strapping the Flame Fan to his back. His red armor, custom-made by the clan elders in the style of Uchiha Madara's, even had a slot designed for carrying the fan. It seemed the elders had high expectations for him.
This made it convenient for Sōgen—he no longer had to seal the fan in a scroll or carry it around all the time.
As for Samehada, after releasing the summoning technique, it returned to the Konoha Police Force. Sōgen had already instructed his subordinates to regularly take Samehada to Konoha's prison to "feed." While the chakra quality there wasn't the best, the quantity was abundant and stable, which effectively replenished Samehada's chakra consumption.
Samehada wasn't a Tailed Beast; its chakra didn't generate on its own but was absorbed from external sources. If it kept consuming without absorbing more, even Samehada would eventually run dry.
The shadow of a figure fell on the desolate land, covering Yagura's body.
After being crushed by the enormous body of the Three-Tails, nothing grew on the barren land. Having reverted from his Tailed Beast form, Yagura lay there, unattended for some time. Black Zetsu had only taken Uchiha Obito, leaving the Fourth Mizukage, who was also the Three-Tails' Jinchūriki, behind.
Or perhaps it was out of fear of Sōgen's power that Black Zetsu dared not return for Yagura.
"The second spoil of war."
Sōgen grabbed Yagura and began walking toward the Kuroshio Castle. In truth, even he found the current situation confusing. This war with the Mist felt strange. The main armies hadn't even clashed yet, but the leaders had already fought each other.
Technically speaking, with Yagura, the Fourth Mizukage and Jinchūriki of the Three-Tails, now in his hands, there was little doubt about the war's outcome. The Mist couldn't stand against Konoha, but the war might not end so simply.
How to use Yagura was not Sōgen's field of expertise—it was the job of his advisors. There was no reason for the commander-in-chief to shoulder all the responsibilities while his subordinates had nothing to do.
So, after surveying the area one last time to ensure nothing was overlooked, he headed to Kuroshio Castle to meet up with his troops. By this time, the main forces should be arriving soon. He sighed at the thought of the trouble ahead. With the command center of the Eastern Border Defense Forces wiped out, there was still much for him to sort out.
Following the irregular path he had created during his fight with Yagura's semi-Tailed Beast form, he returned to the weathered Kuroshio Castle. Unlike when he left, the once desolate castle, home only to vultures and corpses, was now bustling with Konoha ninjas in green vests. They cleared away the debris from the collapsed gate and gathered the bodies of their fallen comrades in one corner, preparing for a collective burial later.
Among them, Sōgen spotted his only student sitting under the shade of a tree, reading a book.
Kurama Yakumo looked up from her book as the shadow fell over her, first startled, then breaking into a bright smile.
"Why are you sitting here reading? Where's Fujika? Isn't she with you?"
"It was stuffy inside, so I came out for some fresh air. As for Fujika, she's probably at the training ground practicing swordsmanship with Sister Chihaya. She asked me to join, but I wasn't feeling up to it today, so I stayed behind." Though young, she spoke clearly and answered all of Sōgen's questions one by one.
"I see! Don't worry, soon enough you'll be able to train in swordsmanship with her. I'll personally teach you both." Sōgen ruffled the little girl's hair.
At that moment, he heard a commotion and turned to see a large group of people approaching. Leading the way was his deputy, Hyuga Masayuki, an elder of the Hyuga Clan, followed by Aburame Shikuro, Yamanaka Mokuren, Akimichi Toudou, Inuzuka Kiba, and other high-ranking officers.
Hyuga Masayuki bowed in greeting, though there was a slight edge to his voice, as if he was upset. ᴜᴘᴅᴀᴛᴇ ꜰʀᴏᴍ NoveI-Fire.ɴet