In the enigmatic underground base of Kirigakure (Hidden Mist Village), Rinjin sat cross-legged on the ground, staring at the distant and wary Samehada.
"Samehada, come here. I've got something good to show you!"
From afar, Samehada remained motionless.
"Come on, I'll even feed you some chakra!"
Still, Samehada didn't budge.
"Move it! Don't make me force you!"
Despite the stern tone, Samehada stayed rooted in place, showing no reaction whatsoever.
As Rinjin's patience began to wear thin, he quickly got to his feet and started walking towards Samehada.
But to his surprise, the sword suddenly sprang to life, bending its blade like a nimble worm, wriggling and darting away from Rinjin at an astonishing speed.
"Oh, you little bastard! You dare to run? Flying Thunder God Technique!"
The moment the words left his mouth, Rinjin's figure vanished. In the blink of an eye, he reappeared, his iron-like grip firmly clutching the hilt of Samehada.
Samehada, however, was not one to surrender quietly. The moment it was seized, its black spikes bristled and lashed out at Rinjin, while its blade squirmed violently.
Clang!
The sound of metal scraping against metal echoed through the room, accompanied by a shower of sparks scattering everywhere.
Looking down at his now tattered clothes, Rinjin's temper flared.
"So, you won't take the easy way, huh? Fine! Let's see how you like this!"
Ignoring the countless black spikes, Rinjin reached out and yanked one of Samehada's barbs clean off with a loud snap.
At that moment, Samehada writhed like a fish out of water, struggling desperately. Then, twisting its blade, it opened its gaping maw, ready to bite Rinjin.
As the massive mouth loomed closer, Rinjin's face contorted in disgust. Holding his breath, he muttered through gritted teeth, "When was the last time you brushed your teeth? It reeks!"
With that, he delivered a solid punch straight to Samehada's front teeth.
Crack!
A sharp sound echoed as one of Samehada's razor-sharp fangs broke off.
Samehada froze. For the first time, it understood the frustration its former master, Fuguki Suikazan, must have felt before his demise.
This guy's body… it's just too damn tough!
Its spikes couldn't pierce him, and now its teeth were breaking off.
Seeing the stunned and gaping Samehada, Rinjin wasted no time. With the dexterity of a seasoned fishmonger, he pinned Samehada down and got to work.
"Scrape off the scales, throw it into a volcano for a roast, and voilà—lava-grilled salted fish! Perfect gift for the cats!"
As he spoke, his hands moved swiftly, plucking off the black spikes one by one. The sound of spikes being ripped off filled the room.
Samehada writhed and thrashed in agony, twisting like a giant catfish caught on a hook. At this moment, it wanted nothing more than to die.
Since its creation, everyone who laid eyes on it had been captivated, dreaming of wielding it as their own. Its previous masters had treated it with the utmost care, even wrapping it in bandages to protect it from dust.
But now? This brute of a man not only disregarded its pride but also stripped it of all its spikes and even knocked out one of its prized fangs.
What's worse, his chakra tasted absolutely horrible—a disgusting mix of dirt and grass. Just one taste was enough to make it want to vomit.
After what felt like an eternity, the stubborn Samehada finally gave in.
By this point, it had been reduced to a plain, black, spike-less stick. Its once-proud spikes now littered the ground, and its sharp teeth were all but gone. It was no longer a weapon for slashing—just a blunt object for smashing.
Resigned to its fate, Samehada decided to submit to this devil of a man, hoping to avoid further torment.
Grabbing a random roll of bandages, Rinjin wrapped the now-bare Samehada and slung it over his back. Returning to Fuguki Suikazan's home, he found a mirror and carefully examined his reflection.
"Not bad. I actually look pretty cool," he remarked with a smirk.
Now, all that was left was to find an opportunity to test whether Samehada could increase his chakra reserves. At the same time, he planned to steadily accumulate achievements and climb the ranks of Kirigakure's leadership.
As night fell, the Hokage's Office in Konohagakure (Hidden Leaf Village) remained brightly lit.
Hiruzen Sarutobi sat at his desk, reviewing reports about the Uchiha Clan. His expression was one of utter exhaustion.
He had initially planned to head home and spend some quality time with Biwa Lake, but now? That mood was completely ruined.
The Uchiha problem had grown increasingly severe. If a solution wasn't found soon, the clan risked falling apart entirely.
And that was the optimistic scenario.
The Uchiha clan leader had already approached him multiple times, always bringing up the same topic: the vacant position of Konoha Council Advisor. The clan leader argued that leaving the position unfilled would harm the village in the long run.
Hiruzen knew exactly what the clan leader was implying—he wanted the role for himself.
But could he really be trusted with such a position? That was what worried Hiruzen the most.
If the Uchiha clan leader became a council advisor, it would undoubtedly consolidate his faction's power within the clan, overshadowing those loyal to the Hokage. While this might temporarily suppress internal conflicts within the Uchiha, it would sow the seeds for even greater problems in the future.
Sighing heavily, Hiruzen lit his pipe, took a deep puff, and exhaled slowly. The Uchiha issue was, without a doubt, the most challenging problem he had faced since taking office. It was a tangled web of complications, threats, and constraints.
As he pondered, a knock at the door interrupted his thoughts.
"Come in," he called, setting his pipe aside.
The door opened to reveal an ANBU operative escorting two battered and bruised children. Behind them were Rii and the Hyūga Clan Head.
A closer look revealed the two boys were none other than the Hyūga Clan Head's sons, Hiashi Hyūga and Hizashi Hyūga.
"What happened?" Hiruzen asked calmly.
The ANBU operative stepped forward and whispered into his ear, "Hokage-sama, Fugaku Uchiha caught the Hyūga brothers fighting on the street. He… well, he beat them both up."
"And then?" Hiruzen prompted.
"And then the Hyūga Clan Head came to intervene, but… uh…"
"But what?" Hiruzen pressed.
The ANBU hesitated, glancing at the Hyūga Clan Head's black eye before reluctantly continuing, "He got punched too…"
"…"
Hiruzen was speechless. Seriously? Was Fugaku some kind of self-appointed peacekeeper? Why did he feel the need to get involved in a sibling squabble?
After a moment of silence, Hiruzen asked, "Where is Fugaku now?"
"Uh…" The ANBU swallowed nervously. "He said he was going home… to gather reinforcements."
"That idiot!" Hiruzen slammed his hand on the desk. "Bring him to me immediately!"
What was Fugaku thinking? Starting a clan war? A full-blown conflict between two of Konoha's major families?
Suppressing his anger, Hiruzen turned to Rii, who was standing nearby, clearly struggling to contain her laughter.
"And you, Sōhō Rii? What brings you here?"
Caught off guard, Rii quickly composed herself and stepped forward with a cheerful smile. Clearing her throat, she announced, "Hokage-sama, I'd like to issue a mission!"
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