Starting with rogue ninjas, building the insect kingdom.

Chapter 113: The First Battle Ends, the Uchiha Flee

"Fire Release: Susanoo Soars!"

He grabbed the two remaining members of his tribe, flapped his wings, and soared into the sky.

The dragonfly messengers who rushed to the scene tried to intercept him, but he forced them back with a single sword strike.

"Stop chasing," Aburame Shisei said calmly.

The dragonfly messengers stopped, watched the fleeing ninjas, and cheered loudly, "Haha, so these are the two so-called great ninja clans? They don't look like much at all!"

On the other side, Kakuzu looked up at the departing fiery figure and smiled slightly, "You're just going to let him go like that?"

Aburame Shisei nodded and said, "What else?"

"He exhausted all his chakra and ocular power to escape this time. Even if he can return to Konoha, his eyes will be almost ruined."

Aburame Shisei's lips curled slightly: "But you probably don't know what those eyes symbolize for the Uchiha clan. With him around, I'm sure Konoha will soon be bustling with activity."

"So a pair of half-crippled kaleidoscopes are more valuable than a dead person?" Kakuzu looked at him, then suddenly laughed and said, "I didn't expect you to be even more cunning than I thought."

"Same to you."

Aburame Shisei looked around at the wounded Takigakure ninjas, the once fearless lone wolves, now changed.

He knows how to use others as cannon fodder to coordinate with others. Although his strength has not improved dramatically compared to the past, in terms of survivability, he is probably better than his two past selves.

"By the way, what are you going to do next?" Kakuzu suddenly asked.

"There's not much to do, of course we'll go to the Rain Country Alliance."

"Actually, I really dislike killing, but sometimes sacrifices are inevitable." Aburame Shisei changed the subject: "So let the killing between ninjas remain with the ninjas."

"The Hidden Grass Village will definitely be at the center of the war next. The nobles will leave, and the ruling order of the major cities will be disrupted. Once the common people are out of control, coupled with the war, they will probably start to fall into chaos on their own."

"Alas! Human nature is most vulnerable to temptation. How many young and middle-aged men can maintain their integrity when faced with starvation? They might become bandits just to survive, and once they start killing, their nature completely changes. After that, many of them might no longer be human."

Kakuzu pouted, "Why does it feel like you've experienced it firsthand?"

"Aren't you the same? Actually, I think all ninjas are probably the same."

"So, what do you want?"

Kakuzu didn't know why Aburame Shisei suddenly shifted the topic to ordinary people, but he was now very curious about what he wanted to do.

"Immigration! We'll need your help again. The people affected are terrified; relocating them all to Taki no Kuni is the best outcome."

"You want us to accept refugees?" Kakuzu's face showed regret. Compared to accepting commoners, he would rather accept nobles, at least he could receive money. After all, he was already past the age of being kind-hearted.

"No, you're wrong," Aburame Shisei continued. "Actually, money comes from people. Without people, no matter how much money you earn, it's useless. Besides, Takino Country is currently undergoing construction and needs a large number of people, doesn't it?"

Kakuzu was silent for a moment, then smiled and said, "What you said makes some sense. Well then, I'll trouble you. But let me make it clear beforehand, I want 30% of the wealth of all the nobles who immigrated here."

During the conversation, all the flames in the surrounding valley had been completely extinguished.

Those Konoha ninja who weren't burned to death were killed one by one by the Dragonfly Messengers. A few who were blown into a corner by the wind and escaped the flames were also killed with a single strike—the Grass Ninja had no habit of taking prisoners.

Aburame Shisei stood in the center of the ruins, looking at the corpses scattered all over the ground. There were more than 700 corpses from Konoha, plus the corpses collected from other places, making it probably over a thousand.

With a wave of his hand, he ordered all the corpses to be moved into the deep pit. When no one was around, he would send insects to clean it up. It was just unknown how much energy over thousands of years could be accumulated this time.

After this great battle, the total number of ninjas in Kusagakure was reduced to only 127. Of course, if you include him and Hozuki Castle and his son, the total number is 130.

In Konoha, Fugaku Uchiha escaped with two clansmen. Tenjin Hyuga was killed, and the remaining Jonin were all wiped out.

He spread his hands, revealing perfect white eyes, white eyes that hadn't been sealed by the caged bird technique—this was a treasure.

"Clean up the battlefield." He stood up. "Take everything usable with you."

The dragonfly messengers responded to the call and sprang into action. Aburame Shisei raised his head and looked up at the sky. In that direction was Konoha.

"Hiruzen Sarutobi, how will you respond to this great gift?" he murmured, a faint smile playing on his lips.

In the distance, on the hillside, Gen'an Cao Wu sat slumped on the ground, covered in blood.

Watching the dragonfly messengers hover in the air, watching his remaining soldiers being rescued one by one.

A grass ninja beside him also looked on incredulously.

More than 700 Konoha ninjas, a force of nearly 1,000 people from the Uchiha and Hyuga clans working together, were decimated by them?

"Chief, it looks like we've won!"

"Did we win?" Negishi Kusanagi murmured.

"We won! Long live Kusagakure! Long live the independence movement!" Cheers echoed across the hillside.

The wounded Grass Ninja huddled together, weeping bitterly. Some knelt on the ground, kissing the earth beneath their feet. Others roared to the sky, venting their pent-up frustration.

Seeing all this, Negishi Kusanagi suddenly burst into laughter: "Hahahaha!"

But as I laughed, tears started streaming down my face, because this battle was just too brutal.

"Strategist Bai Mu, you're fucking inhuman."

Konoha, Hokage's office.

"Uchiha Fugaku escaped severely wounded, Hyuga Tenjin was killed in battle, and over a thousand ninja perished!"

Hiruzen Sarutobi sat at his desk, reading the reports that had been sent back, when suddenly everything went black.

"Hiruzen, take care of yourself!" Koharu Utatane hurriedly stepped forward and said.

"It's okay, let me have some peace and quiet."

He waved his hand, and everyone fell silent and left the room.

The moment the door closed, Hiruzen Sarutobi coughed up a mouthful of blood.

The Land of Earth, Hidden Rock Village.

Onoki looked at the intelligence report in his hand and remained silent for a long time: "Kusagakure, the Seven-Tails, the Dragonfly Messenger..."

If the intelligence hadn't been accurate, he would have thought someone was joking with him. "Could it be another Hanzo the Salamander? No, I have to think about this carefully."

In the valley of the Land of Water, Zetsu emerged from the ground excitedly and exclaimed, "Lord Madara, the Grass Ninja Village has won!"

Madara opened his eyes: "Oh?"

"Fugaku Uchiha awakened the Mangekyou Sharingan, but was defeated. Tenjin Hyuga was killed in battle, and almost the entire Konoha was wiped out."

Madara Uchiha sighed, "Hashirama, without you, Konoha has truly declined."