This small incident did not cause much of a stir in present-day Konoha. If anything, because of Kyoichi's remarks, the Third Hokage issued an order to clamp down on rumors and slander targeting the Uchiha clan within the village. This was effectively an indirect statement that he would not blame the Uchiha clan for the death of his eldest son, which immediately eased the tense atmosphere inside Konoha.
Afterward, during a conversation with Kirigakure's advisory elder Anjō Oniyuzu, the Third Hokage mentioned Koeda Kyoichi's inappropriate remarks.
However, before the Third Hokage could say much,
Anjō Oniyuzu took the initiative and enthusiastically stated that he had already severely punished Koeda Kyoichi for his reckless speech, adding that the Hokage need not worry about it and so on, leaving the Third Hokage with nothing more to say.
According to the strategy he had laid out,
Kirigakure was currently an ally that needed to be courted, the Uchiha were "allies" who required extra vigilance, and Kumogakure was an unquestionable enemy.
At a time like this, it really wasn't appropriate to fall out with Kirigakure over such a minor matter. After all, Kyoichi had merely said some unpleasant words and caused no actual harm to Konoha. It would be unreasonable to start shouting for Koeda Kyoichi's blood over something like this…
In the end, the matter was silently buried by time in the grave known as the past.
As for the side incident of a certain young master in Konoha having a fierce argument with his powerful father after returning home, then storming out of the village in anger…
Very few people paid attention. After all, the Hokage was not like a daimyō. The position was not inherited by bloodline.
Thus, after more than twenty days of twists and turns, negotiations between Konoha and Kirigakure finally concluded successfully. Konoha agreed to release the Kirigakure prisoners captured during the previous war, while Kirigakure provided a small amount of compensation whose symbolic value outweighed its practical worth. At the same time, the two sides signed an offensive and defensive alliance aimed at Kumogakure.
Of course, the negotiations had not gone smoothly in every respect. If nothing else, there was no progress whatsoever regarding the Byakugan that Kirigakure had seized. On this matter, Anjō Oniyuzu displayed an unshakable resolve, and in the end, it was the Third Hokage who chose to yield.
After all, in the Third Hokage's view,
What had leaked was merely a single Byakugan, not the Hyūga clan's bloodline itself.
There was no need to worry about Kirigakure using it to create a second Hyūga clan, and thus no need to fall out with Kirigakure over this issue.
As for the Hyūga clan's objections…
The Third Hokage let them go in one ear and out the other. A few soothing words were enough to brush the matter aside. The Hyūga were not like the Uchiha. They did not possess such destructive potential, and there was no concern that they might do something irrational.
Besides, the Hyūga main family would never willingly give up the comfortable lives they currently enjoyed.
All in all, both Konoha and Kirigakure were fairly satisfied with the outcome of the negotiations.
By the end of February,
The Kirigakure delegation, which had been in Konoha for nearly a month, finally set out on the return journey home. The prisoners Konoha had agreed to release did not leave together with Anjō and his group. Their mission had been to negotiate, and afterward Konoha would arrange for dedicated personnel to handle the handover of prisoners.
As a result, compared to their arrival, not only had their numbers not increased, they were actually down one person. One of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen, Mizushiro, had been exposed as a spy planted by Kumogakure. Once they returned to Kirigakure, there would likely be another contest over the Blastsword: Shibuki.
Oh, right—
Konoha ninja had recovered the Shibuki from the scene of Sarutobi Takeo's death and the others. After Konoha and Kirigakure signed their alliance against Kumogakure, the Third Hokage very generously returned the sword to Kirigakure.
At present,
The sword was being kept by Anjō Oniyuzu.
————
"Where has the Kirigakure delegation reached?"
In a room lit only by the dim glow of a single candle, the speaker sat beside it. By that faint light, one could see that he wore a beaked mask and a pitch-black robe. A chilling, deathly aura emanated from him, as if the Grim Reaper had taken human form.
"Hatoha, you really do look pretty intimidating like this!"
A peach-faced White Zetsu poked his head out of the wall, clicking his tongue in admiration.
The one wearing the beaked mask and black robe was none other than Uchiha Hatoha.
"Enough nonsense, Asu. Answer my question. Where is the Kirigakure delegation?" Hatoha ignored the teasing and asked coldly.
"Hatoha, what are you looking for the Kirigakure delegation for? That Mizushiro was a spy planted by Kumogakure in Kirigakure anyway… Alright, alright, I won't ask. The Kirigakure delegation is already close to Imoni Mountain. If nothing unexpected happens, they'll probably stay overnight at Kogaku Temple on the mountain."
Because of the beaked mask, Asu couldn't see the change in Hatoha's expression, but he could clearly sense the shift in Hatoha's aura. Detecting that sharp killing intent, he decisively stopped his chatter and answered honestly.
"Kogaku Temple…"
Uchiha Hatoha murmured the name.
Then,
He stood up.
"Then tonight, I'll go take a look at what that Kogaku Temple on Imoni Mountain, with its centuries-old heritage, is really like."
"Huh?"
Asu cried out in surprise. Completely puzzled, he asked, "Hatoha, are you really going to make a move against the Kiri ninja? Why? Is this what you humans call… lashing out?"
Hatoha shot Asu a sideways glance.
"This isn't lashing out. It's revenge."
"Revenge?"
Asu blinked in confusion.
But Uchiha Hatoha had no intention of explaining further. He headed straight toward the exit of the base. Seeing this, Asu muttered under his breath but still followed closely behind. Uchiha Madara was already dead, and Hatoha had inherited everything Madara left behind. In this base, everything was decided by Hatoha.
At least, on the surface, that was how it was.
Black Zetsu, long accustomed to operating from the shadows, continued to manipulate events behind the scenes and had no intention of stepping into the spotlight just yet. As the embodiment of the will Madara had created, he still had to obey Hatoha's commands in public.
Therefore, once Hatoha decided to pay a visit to Kogaku Temple on Imoni Mountain, no one could stop him or restrain him.
Even after Black Zetsu received the news, he chose to remain silent and did not interfere with Hatoha's decision. Although he also felt that Hatoha's choice to target Kirigakure was rather baffling, since logically shouldn't revenge be taken on Kumogakure instead?
But, the lives and deaths of those Kiri ninja were unimportant anyway. If Hatoha wanted to vent his anger on them, then he might as well let him do so freely first.