"Lord Hui, please follow me," a curious yet respectful voice rang out. It belonged to a red-haired girl in her late teens, her voice clear and ethereal.
The girl was Uzumaki Mina, daughter of the current leader of the Uzumaki Clan, and thus a princess of the clan. She was leading Hui to the Uzumaki Clan leader's office for a meeting.
Hui had not attempted to conceal his arrival when he led his subordinates to Uzushiogakure.
After all, the relationship between Konoha and Uzushiogakure was solid, and Hui's mission was to assist the Uzumaki Clan with their current troubles. There was no need for secrecy in this case.
In fact, given the strong alliance between Konoha and Uzushiogakure, even though Uzushiogakure had imposed strict restrictions on entry due to the recent disturbances, Hui's status as the Vice Captain of Konoha's Anbu made him an exception.
While other villages' Anbu were still struggling to find ways to breach Uzushiogakure's defensive barrier, Hui had already entered the village and was now about to meet with its leader.
The current leader of Uzushiogakure was Uzumaki Suihei, the younger brother of Uzumaki Mito. Despite his age, he still carried himself with energy and authority.
Upon Hui's arrival, Uzumaki Suihei greeted him warmly. "So, you are Vice Captain Hui? Indeed, a prodigious talent. Both my sister and Lord Tobirama have spoken highly of you."
Hui responded humbly, "They are too kind." While speaking, he quietly observed the man before him.
Despite Suihei's friendly demeanor, Hui sensed that this man was no ordinary figure. In fact, he could tell that Uzumaki Suihei was immensely powerful. Being a member of the Uzumaki Clan, with his strong and pure bloodline, Suihei's chakra reserves were easily three to four times greater than those of an average Kage-level ninja.
His body language and movement suggested formidable skill in taijutsu. As for ninjutsu, while Hui hadn't seen it firsthand, anyone who could rise to the position of Uzushiogakure's leader surely possessed powerful jutsu.
However, these abilities weren't what truly caught Hui's attention. What made him wary was the dangerous aura that emanated from Uzumaki Suihei—a presence that set off all of Hui's finely tuned instincts.
Over the past few years, as Hui's mastery over natural energy deepened, his intuition and perception had sharpened considerably.
This feeling of danger was a sign Hui had learned to trust, and he suspected it was linked to Suihei's expertise in advanced sealing techniques—a skill the Uzumaki Clan was renowned for.
Truth be told, Hui had always been envious of sealing techniques. Throughout the entire "Naruto" storyline, sealing jutsu had proven to be an indispensable force.
The potential of sealing techniques seemed limitless, whether it was restraining the most powerful beings like the nine tailed beasts or even the Ten-Tails, or sealing away someone as indestructible as Kaguya Otsutsuki.
Sealing techniques, without a doubt, were a force to be reckoned with.
Moreover, Hui had a particular idea in mind—one that required mastery over sealing techniques.
Breaking the small talk, Uzumaki Suihei shifted to the matter at hand. "Lately, we've encountered numerous unidentified ninjas within the borders of the Land of Whirlpools. I assume you must have encountered them on your way here. Do you have any insight into their identities?"
Hui nodded before speaking, "Indeed, we encountered several groups of unknown ninjas. Judging from their behavior and methods, it's highly likely that they are Anbu operatives. Furthermore, it appears they aren't from just one village, but from several."
Suihei's pupils contracted upon hearing this. He had suspected the presence of Anbu but had assumed they were from a single village.
The revelation that multiple villages were involved brought to mind memories of the Cold War three years ago—a dark time for all small nations and villages.
He glanced at Hui, the refined young man who had risen to prominence during that very war. Hui's title, "Konoha's Ghost," had become synonymous with power and death, spreading across the entire ninja world.
"So many Anbu from different villages converging on the Land of Whirlpools… What could their purpose be?" Suihei furrowed his brows, deep in thought, unable to grasp why his land had become the focus of so many foreign powers.
As the leader of Uzushiogakure and a native, Suihei found it difficult to see the broader picture, unlike Hui, who had a more objective view.
Still, even though Hui had a good idea of why these Anbu were in the Land of Whirlpools, he decided not to reveal his suspicions just yet. He needed evidence, and more importantly, he needed time to set his plans in motion.
Tobirama's directive had been simple: investigate the situation in the Land of Whirlpools. But Hui had grander ambitions.
He wanted to do more than just gather information; he had a much bolder goal in mind. He wanted to see if it was possible to… take control of the Land of Whirlpools!
As mentioned in the original story, the Uzumaki Clan's immense strength in sealing techniques had made them a target for the other nations, ultimately leading to their destruction. Hui, too, recognized the fearsome power of these sealing techniques.
Sealing techniques were dangerous because they were largely unknown. Hui himself had little knowledge of them, which only fueled his desire to learn more. And the best place to study the most authentic, most powerful sealing techniques? Uzushiogakure.
In the original story, Konoha had gained many of the Uzumaki Clan's sealing techniques thanks to Uzumaki Kushina, who taught them to Minato Namikaze.
Some may also have come from Uzumaki Mito. However, there was no doubt that Uzushiogakure still held the most extensive and powerful collection of sealing techniques.
Hui wanted to acquire these techniques. However, this would be no easy task. As an outsider, gaining access to all of Uzushiogakure's secrets was nearly impossible—unless he became one of them, at least partially.
There was another way: wait for Uzushiogakure to fall, then collect all of its secrets without restriction.
But Hui had no intention of allowing the Uzumaki Clan to be destroyed. In fact, he hoped to bring the entire clan into Konoha.
Therefore, careful planning was necessary. Hui needed to maneuver strategically if he was going to achieve his aims this time.
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