Chapter 338: A Plucked Phoenix Is Worse Than a Chicken
"Hehe, is this your first day knowing him?" Inuzuka Hana sneered coldly.
"After the Uchiha Massacre, has Uchiha Yasushi done even one normal thing?"
After hearing this, everyone immediately fell silent.
Back during the Uchiha Massacre, Kiba's group were actually quite young—not fully understanding the situation.
But after so many years passed, even the stupidest person would eventually figure out why that damned Uchiha rogue ninja kept relentlessly targeting the village.
As members of ninja clans themselves, they naturally harbored instinctive revulsion toward clan extermination matters.
In fact, as Uchiha Yasushi grew increasingly powerful, the village actually gradually developed many secretly admiring ninja—only the village environment prevented anyone daring to speak openly.
But discussing this now held no meaning. Their own clans had quite a few people die in Uchiha Yasushi's revenge actions. Whether directly or indirectly caused, hatred was hatred—unrelated to right or wrong.
After a long while, someone finally spoke:
"Discussing this now serves absolutely no purpose. We came here to see whether we can return to Konoha Village, continue being Konoha ninja."
"Clan Leader Inuzuka, do you think Uchiha Yasushi will accept us returning?"
After carefully recalling, Inuzuka Hana sighed:
"Returning definitely poses no problems. The village currently desperately needs people most. Even rogue ninja can be received—naturally they can accept us too."
"After all, strictly speaking, our clans weren't originally major clans anyway. We can't enter the village's decision-making layer."
"Moreover, our clans aren't like Ino-Shika-Cho families—so intimately close with Lord Third Hokage, belonging to the Hokage faction's diehard supporters."
"Speaking bluntly, our clans are just small fry. We lack qualifications for feuding with shinobi world powerhouse clans like the Uchiha."
"This time we came—speaking nicely, to investigate intelligence, see whether we can return to Konoha Village. Speaking harshly, we want seeing whether surrendering to the Uchiha clan now—they'll still accept us."
Inuzuka Hana's speech left everyone present red-faced with shame and extreme discomfort. Yet not one person foolishly jumped out opposing her.
Even hot-tempered guys like Inuzuka Kiba merely maintained gloomy silence, saying nothing unnecessary.
Previously wandering everywhere throughout the shinobi world, suffering various oppressions—those days had thoroughly made these ninja recognize reality, understand the saying "a plucked phoenix is worse than a chicken."
Throughout the shinobi world, organized ninja and unorganized ninja were fundamentally two different species—their images in people's eyes often vastly different.
Unorganized ninja were often linked with bandits and robbers.
For identical missions—even when they charged less money and possessed greater strength—those merchants still wouldn't trust them.
Inuzuka Hana's gaze swept across everyone's faces. Secretly nodding approvingly at everyone's reactions, she supplemented:
"My personal judgment—as long as we're willing abandoning clan feuds generated during previous wars, presumably the village would be willing receiving us."
"However, clan property, land, shops—probably all cannot be recovered. Whether ninja technique scrolls and such can be retrieved also remains uncertain."
"Huh?" This time many people immediately startled, hastily asking: "Material possessions aside—but land and shops, those are physically there. How could they not be recoverable?"
Inuzuka Hana sighed:
"I deliberately observed earlier. Our clan locations have now been occupied by unfamiliar ninja."
"I carefully inquired around. Heard these people originally came from Takumi Village. Now Konoha Village swallowed them—their entire population relocated here."
"The current Lord Hokage rewarded them by letting them freely select clan lands. They chose our family's location."
"Ah!" Now many people panicked. "Does our family's clan land still exist? Surely it wasn't confiscated too?"
"After returning, where would we live?"
"Don't tell me we'd need selecting new clan lands for reconstruction?"
"Well..." Inuzuka Hana scratched her head, unable answering this question. "Perhaps Lord Hokage will redistribute locations separately!"
"Oh right, I also heard—Orochimaru-sama, one of the Legendary Sannin, apparently will return too. Bringing Otogakure people together."
"So personally, I believe if truly wanting returning to the village, might as well quickly spreading news back—having clans there decide swiftly."
"Later there might be many more immigrants to Konoha Village. The village's prime locations probably follow 'early bird gets the worm'—quick hands get, slow hands don't."
After the group whispered consultations for a long while, they all produced their respective clan's unique communication methods, beginning to dispatch messages homeward.
Within moments, insects, birds, cats, dogs and such swarmed from the forest, rapidly departing toward distant locations.
After these people reported news, they exchanged glances before collectively approaching Inuzuka Hana.
"Clan Leader Inuzuka, let's return to the village now as advance scouts. If any changes appear in the village, we can promptly send warnings to our clans."
"Good, let's go together then!"
Inuzuka Hana immediately led the group from the forest, running toward Konoha Village's direction.
Very quickly, Yasushi's side received reports about this group.
"Inuzuka clan, Aburame clan... Such small numbers—coming to test the village's attitude?"
"Fine. Mizuki, check whether their respective clan lands still exist."
"If they exist, return them. If they don't exist, let them select locations themselves."
"As long as locations are currently ownerless, they can freely choose."
"Incidentally, copy and return those secret technique scrolls and such confiscated from their homes originally. However, gold, silver, food, supplies—those things won't be returned."
"We're rebuilding Konoha Village—we need them. Consider this their contribution to the village. Give verbal commendation once."
"Hmm, issuing certificates or medals works too. Arrange it yourself."
Previously when Konoha Village dissolved, because the village was occupied by massive numbers of Enlightened, all village supplies weren't transported away—all remained behind.
These supplies were now uniformly confiscated by the village. Precious items and resources were stored in the village's secret vaults. Ordinary gold, silver and material supplies were all used as village reconstruction funds.
Yasushi specifically had people thoroughly plunder all ninja clan strongholds, completely confiscating those families' years of collections—all seized.
Even if these ninja clans returned later, expecting Yasushi spitting out swallowed meat proved impossible.
But secret technique scrolls—copying them for village secret archives while returning originals to them posed no problems.
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