It's normal to get a kaleidoscope as a first deposit of six yuan, right?

Zhi Xue took the Kusanagi Sword out of her virtual ring, held it in her hand, and then quickened her pace to run towards the suspicious location provided by Pain.

hoo hoo hoo!

Before Zhixue even entered the designated area, she heard a monster's low growl. It seemed to be a warning from the creature to others invading its territory. It seemed that there was indeed something here.

From the bushes behind Zhixue, a pair of scarlet eyes gradually became clear. A humanoid creature with dry fur and thick limbs slowly approached from behind Zhixue, then stretched out its sharp claws and pounced.

Roar!

puff~

Zhi Xue extinguished the flames burning on the Kusanagi sword, then looked at the monster on the ground that was still crackling and burning.

"This thing isn't white either. Could it be some other monster? It does look a bit like something Orochimaru created."

Zhi Xue sensed her surroundings and, after finding the right location, quickly entered a nearby cave with the Kusanagi Sword. She thoroughly dealt with the scourge left behind by Orochimaru, burning it all away with flames. However, as Zhi Xue continued deeper and saw the White Zetsu draped over the monster, her lips twitched.

You guys are afraid I won't recognize you.

Upon seeing White Zetsu, Zhi Xue did not hold back, burning him to ashes with the Kusanagi Sword. She then used chakra to force out the spores clinging to his body and used the Kusanagi Sword to destroy them one by one.

An hour later, Zhi Xue demonstrated a wide range of abilities: Fire Release, Sharingan, swordsmanship, Body Flicker Technique, explosive tags, and even the use of kunai and wire shuriken. Even though these were just basic abilities, their skillful combination and application demonstrated at least Kage-level prowess. Clearing out these monsters and White Zetsu was as easy as cutting melons and vegetables. But this was not what Obito wanted to see…

"You're probably at the Eternal Mangekyou Sharingan by now, I hope that the power of Kotoamatsukami doesn't remain in your hands..." Obito murmured, looking at Shiseido who was still searching for the missing little fish.

Chapter 136, Departure, The Journey Home

"This is the mission reward. Isn't it quite fast to do the mission by yourself?" Payne handed 50 taels to Zhixue.

You've completed the quests so quickly, and I haven't noticed the problem with Kakuzu frequently slacking off that he mentioned. Or is it because the holidays are approaching?

After taking a leave of absence from Pain's house, Zhixue returned to her residence, packed her things, and prepared to go back to Konoha to see Shisui.

The fact that Zhixue was able to return to Konoha already shows that Nagato was quite tolerant and trusting of her.

"Aren't you afraid that she'll go back to Konoha and tell Konoha all the information about Akatsuki?" Black Zetsu appeared at the feet of the Gedo Mazo, looking at Pain who was sitting idly on the palm of his hand, secretly grieving.

"Xiaoxue wouldn't do that..."

Black Jue:......

Hearing such a casual remark, Black Zetsu's expression twisted in disgust.

Why are you all like this? What is there to trust about that kid besides being quite in line with your human aesthetic standards?

Outside Amegakure, Konan handed an oil-paper umbrella to Zhixue. Hearing that Zhixue was going to reunite with her brother who had taken care of her for a long time, she nodded understandingly.

So that's how it is. It seems that Xiaoxue has a good older brother in the world who takes care of her in every way, just like Nagato.

"Girls, you must protect yourselves when you're out and about, you know?"

"Don't worry, Sister Xiao Nan, no one can harm me. If anyone tries anything against me, I'll just open the door and let the fox bite him!"

Nine-Lama: ? ? ?

Why are you connecting me with such unrelated things again?

After saying goodbye to Konan, Zhixue set off on her journey back to Konoha. However, while she was happily trying to sneak back to reunite with Shisui, she was completely unaware that Konoha had changed its stance and was eager to keep Zhixue firmly in the village, forbidding her from leaving.

Konoha Village...

In the Hokage's office, three elderly men stood with their heads bowed beside the table, while Tobirama Senju sat in a chair, quickly flipping through the history of Konoha Village's changes over the past few years.

"Ahem..." Koharu Utatane coughed and secretly glanced in Hiruzen Sarutobi's direction, seemingly wanting the old man to explain what was going on. Homura Mitokado also looked at Hiruzen Sarutobi's old face.

You old codger, summoning the teacher at this crucial moment! Do you want to turn Konoha upside down?

They were well aware of how much Konoha had declined over the past few years, and it was precisely because they understood this that they felt fear towards Tobirama Senju, whom they had been separated from for most of their lives.

After placing the documents in his hand on the table, Tobirama Senju couldn't help but cover his forehead.

Unexpectedly, so many years have passed since the deaths of myself and my elder brother. Although there was a period of great prosperity, the ninja world gradually declined in the end.

However, according to the information, there is even a hint of Madara Uchiha. But judging from the information and behavior known from the data, Tobirama thinks it is impossible that it is Madara Uchiha himself. But the Sharingan with such power is probably a genius that has emerged from the Uchiha clan in the last ten years or so. What has the monkey been doing these past few years in power?

After thinking it over, Tobirama decided to put all these things out of his mind. His body would collapse in the ninja world in just a few days, so he should leave these trivial matters to his juniors. His main task now was to figure out how to keep that brat Uchiha Shiyuki firmly bound to Konoha during the New Year period.

"Alright, I am now a dead man, and it is no longer appropriate for me to govern you living people in this world." Tobirama sighed and looked at the three old men standing below.

The three of them breathed a sigh of relief upon hearing Tobirama's words, but what Tobirama said next surprised Mitokado Homura and Utatane Koharu.

"However, although I am dead, as long as I am still conscious and exist in this world, I cannot just stand by and watch Konoha decline. So we must seize this opportunity. That brat Uchiha Shiyuki will probably return to Konoha to reunite with her older brother in the next few days. When that time comes, you must do everything you can to keep her in Konoha!"

"Huh?" Mitokado Homura was the first to utter a questioning sound.

What does the revitalization of Konoha Village have to do with this suspicious little girl, Uchiha Zhixue?

“Teacher, I understand that you want to revitalize Konoha, but Uchiha Shisue…” Koharu Utatane was also wondering what to say, but Tobirama immediately stopped her.

"I know you're probably wondering why we're keeping her in Konoha, but you'll gradually see her amazing talent. I can tell you with certainty that with that kid's aptitude, it wouldn't be surprising if she grew up to become the second Madara Uchiha."

Tobirama had thought things through very clearly. Regardless of whether Uchiha Shiyuki loved Konoha Village or not, he should keep her here first. They could cultivate their feelings and bonds later.

As long as she grows up smoothly and her heart is with Konoha, *snap*! Konoha's plan to create "Madara" is already more than halfway done.

As long as Konoha doesn't cause trouble in the future and Shiyuki doesn't die, Konoha can quickly recover to its peak state within at least a hundred years by relying on its resource and human advantages.

After giving a final instruction to the old men, Tobirama Senju quickly ran towards the Uchiha clan's territory.

Not only Konoha, but also the Uchiha clan needs to maintain a facade of respectability.

Seeing Tobirama Senju run off, Hiruzen Sarutobi hurriedly gave chase. After all, someone who had been dead for so many years suddenly coming back to life and running around in the street like that would make anyone who didn't know better think it was a ghost in broad daylight.

10 minutes later...

Itachi and Shisui stood in the guard headquarters hall, watching the two Hokage of Konoha talking with their father around a table. Itachi asked Shisui, "Is that the Second Hokage of Konoha? I never thought we would see him in person after so many years."

Seeing Itachi's surprised expression, Shisui awkwardly scratched his head.

Although he didn't know how the Second Hokage knew about Shisui, he was still very happy to see that Konoha wanted to take the initiative to welcome Shisui back. As for whether Shisui herself wanted to stay in Konoha, Shisui still wanted to see her own opinion.

If Zhixue still yearns for the outside world, he will do everything in his power to send her out. If he truly loves his sister, he shouldn't restrict her freedom through blood ties. This is also one of the ninja principles that Shisui believes in.

after one day…

Zhi Xue has already arrived deep in the heart of the Land of Fire, very close to Konoha. After such a short separation, she already misses her older brother's cooking.

"Going home requires sneaking back and then sneaking away again. Sigh, life..." Zhi Xue shook her head, rested in the guest room, and then left.

Chapter 137, Zhixue Returns Home

After a long flight, Zhi Xue landed in a secluded forest near Konoha. After walking for half an hour, she finally saw the outer walls of Konoha Village.

"Hehe, I, Uchiha Shiyuki, am back. This time, I won't be as foolish as before, jumping into a barrel of wine." Shiyuki sensed the crowd of people walking around her and was just about to sneak over and use the power of the Void Ring to get away with it when she suddenly noticed that the barrier of Konoha seemed to have changed back to its previous form.

"Huh? Why has the barrier changed back?" Zhi Xue asked in confusion as she went around to the outer wall of Konoha and flew up to gently touch the barrier with her hand.

Yes, it's the same one as before. It seems we don't need to go through the main gate anymore; we can just use the old hand seals to enter.

Zhi Xue recalled the common barrier hand seals from her time in the Dark Division, easily passing through them. With a roll, she landed smoothly in a clump of trees nearby. After glancing around, she used the Body Flicker Technique to hide in a narrow alley.

"Huh? Did something just flash by?" A Konoha ninja who was standing guard by the roadside pointed to the spot where Shiyu had flashed by.

"You must have mistaken it for something else. Maybe it's just a kitten?"

……

After navigating a winding and circuitous route through Konoha Village, Zhixue quickly transformed into an ordinary passerby using her transformation technique and walked openly on the streets of Konoha.

"Ah, it still tastes the same as before, but it seems to have a colder feel to it." Feeling the gusts of cold wind blowing, Zhi Xue tightened her clothes and quickened her pace as she walked towards the surrounding area of ​​the Uchiha clan's territory.

In Uchiha Shisui's house, Itachi stood on a stool, hung several lanterns he was carrying at the door, and then turned on the power switch connected to the circuit. A festive, fiery red light emanated from the lanterns.

"Nii-san!" Sasuke stood on tiptoe and handed Itachi several items woven from bamboo and pine needles.

"Sasuke did a good job." Itachi gently rubbed Sasuke's head with his hand, then revealed a faint smile.

This year is probably the happiest year he's had in over a decade. The conflict and crisis that the Uchiha clan couldn't resolve for years has finally been resolved. Even though life in the Anbu is tough and busy, everything is moving in a positive direction, which is very worthwhile.

Looking at the smiling face of the seven opponents, Sasuke handed his brother a paper crane he had folded himself.

"Is this a gift for me?" Itachi asked, his pupils widening as he looked at the exquisite little trinket in his hand.

"Of course, I learned this from Teacher Iruka in class. How about it? Isn't it beautiful? Of course, this is only for you, Mom and Dad, and Sister Zhixue. That big bad guy who lives here and always tries to steal my brother from me won't give it to him, hmph."

Inside the house, the water was still being repaired and the room was being decorated: ...

"Alright, Shisui is a very good person too. Sasuke will realize that when he grows up." Itachi flicked Sasuke's head, making Sasuke wince and clutch his forehead.

Does the Uchiha clan all have this bad habit of flicking foreheads? That must have been taught to them by that big bad guy in the house, damn it…

"It looks like the setup is pretty good, but there are too many people. I'll remind them to clear the surrounding roads later, but make sure it looks natural and that brat doesn't notice anything." Tobirama Senju stood on the roof of a nearby building, looking at the setup of Shisui's house through binoculars, and spoke to the several tense-looking Anbu members around him.

"Yes, Second, Second Hokage!" Seeing that everything was proceeding naturally, Tobirama Senju put down his binoculars.

There are only two days left until the New Year. This brat will probably arrive either today or tomorrow. Time is too tight. I wish he could be resurrected sooner.

In reality, the attitudes of Konoha and the Uchiha clan are only supporting factors; the final decision depends on the actions of Uchiha Shisui, his older brother.

"Are both siblings geniuses? They're actually descendants of that brat Kagami. Heh, it's a pity you left too early. Otherwise, you would be very happy to see them grow up step by step now, right?" Tobirama Senju's lips curled into an unintentional smile.

Although he did harbor some prejudice against the Uchiha clan, he cared deeply for Kagami. He was an outstanding inheritor of the Will of Fire, a philanthropist who abandoned the narrow-minded familialism of the Uchiha clan.

Unfortunately, this Will of Fire seems to have been passed down only to his older brother, Uchiha Shisui, while Shiyuki did not seem to inherit it. This may be related to her childhood experiences and undeveloped talents.

"The ultimate loser, regarded as a mere ornament and a disgrace by the Uchiha clan? Ha, what an evil clan. They don't even have this much insight. If my Senju clan had produced such a heaven-defying ninja when Konoha was founded, we would probably be in a unified era by now, right?"

As an outstanding inventor and politician, Tobirama actually harbored ambitions to rule the ninja world. Unfortunately, he was preoccupied with researching forbidden techniques against the Uchiha clan, and given his older brother's appearance, he probably wouldn't have agreed to it.

After taking a final look and seeing that Itachi and Sasuke had left Shisui's house, Tobirama finally used the Flying Thunder God Technique to return to the Hokage Building and await good news.

……

While most families in Konoha were still decorating their homes for the New Year, Shiyu had already infiltrated the Uchiha clan's territory. Strangely, she found that there were very few Konoha ninjas or Uchiha ninjas patrolling the area. Was it because they were all at home packing up?

Without thinking much, Zhi Xue followed the route she remembered to her home. Just as she got close, she suddenly sensed something familiar. She looked at a balcony a few hundred meters away, but there seemed to be nothing there. She then continued running towards Zhi Shui's home.

"Huh? That chakra just now... never mind, I must have sensed it wrong. Didn't that guy already return to the Pure Land? How could he still be in the village?" Zhi Xue shook her head, then used the Body Flicker Technique to jump up the stairs. In just a few leaps, she arrived at the second-floor balcony.

Zhi Xue opened the balcony window, gently pulled up the curtains, and then deactivated the transformation spell, returning to her original appearance.

Exhaling a breath of stale air, Zhixue interlaced her fingers and stretched comfortably, showing off her smooth figure with no curves whatsoever.

"Emmm... Actually, if you look closely, you can still see a little bit. In the system's words, it's like the future is promising. It will definitely grow in the future, probably..." Zhi Xue happened to see her reflection in the glass, gently pinched it with her hand, felt the soft touch, thought for a moment, and said.