"This is the legendary Sharingan, isn’t it?" Jinghang held up a small transparent vial to the sunlight, examining it closely. Ihe vial, soaked in formalin solution, floated a pair of eyes with three tomoe encirg their pupils. The two eyeballs swayed slightly with Jinghang's movements, their mesmerizing crimson hue exuding an almost soul-stirring power.

  "Yes, it beloo someone named Kagami Uchiha. He tried to cast a genjutsu on Shamen, but Shamen was faster and gouged them out first. By the time I arrived, Shamen was gravely injured—his kidneys pierced—yet he g tightly to these eyes, refusing to let go. Luckily, I had a colle vial with me, so they’re retively fresh. Want them? I could install them for you," Chiyo said casually.

  "No rush, no rush. Just put them in cold ste for now. I haven't decided how to use them yet," Jinghang replied, handing the vial back to Chiyo.

  As a transmigrator, Jinghang naturally uood the value of the Sharingan. It was undoubtedly a treasure, but he also knew how si could be. Awakening the Sharingan, evolving it to the Mangekyō Sharingan, and then to the Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan—each stage was more plicated tha, often involving severed bonds a-wreng sacrifices. It was mentally taxing, turning people iional wrecks. Sure, the abilities were incredibly powerful, culminating in the summoning of the Susanoo, but the durability of these powers was questiohe eyes would eventually go blind with overuse. And finding a sibling with a Mangekyō Sharingan for aranspnt? How ve would that be?

  Still, ever since he began learning ninjutsu, Jinghang had been p how to deal with the Uchiha battle. The Susanoo didn’t scare him—he had his own termeasures, which he had tested on tailed beasts with great success. The real headache was genjutsu, his weakest area. He had no mastery over it at all! To pensate, he had undergoei-genjutsu training. However, the Uchiha 's genjutsu was notoriously insidious and nearly impossible to guard against. Fortunately, after Madara Uchiha, that old schemer, faked his death a into hiding, the Uchiha 's talent pool had dried up. Currently, there didn’t seem to be any notable figures among them. The only oh some reputation, Kagami Uchiha, had already been killed by Shamen. Jinghang had just been pying with his eyes moments ago. As fies like Shisui, Obito, and Itachi, they wouldn’t be born for decades. For now, the threat was minimal.

  Reining in his wandering thoughts, Jinghang sat up straight and addressed Chiyo with a serious tone, "a, there’s something I o discuss with you."

  "Is it about this war?" Chiyo asked, her expression turning somber.

  "Yes."

  "Go on."

  "After defeating Danzo, I want to form an alliah Konoha!"

  Chiyo fell silent, her face darkening. But Jinghang pressed on, speaking with vi.

  "I’ve reviewed the intelligence reports submitted by the spies stationed in variio days ago, the Hidden Cloud Vilge secretly began mobilizing their shinobi for an unknown purpose. Six days ago, the Hidden Waterfall Vilge experienced a rebellion, with nearly all its high-ranking officials sughtered by rogue ninjas. The major s have siurned on each other. Five days ago, the Sed Tsuchikage of the Hidden Stone Vilge issued a full mobilization order, and three days ago, they ahe Crystal Hidden Vilge along with three nearby small vilges without shinobi forces. Two days ago, a rge number of Hidden Mist Vilge shinobi nded in the Land of Fire, though their exact objective remains unclear..." Jinghang spoke steadily, p a cup of tea for Chiyo as he tinued. Chiyo's previously cold demeanor shifted to one of deep ption.

  "This is no longer a series of small skirmishes. This is a Ninja World War!"

  As the leader of the militant fa in the Hidden Sand Vilge, Chiyo had always sought to secure the vilge's greatest is through war, striving to create a brighter future for the vilge's children and to gain a stronger voi the power struggles among the Five Great Nations. However, she was not a simple-minded warmonger like the Kaguya or a schemer like Bck Zetsu, who incited wars for personal ambition.

  Having experiehe chaos of the First Ninja World War, Chiyo uood all too well what such a flitailed. Rocks could be ground to dust, vilges reduced to ashes, hard-earned wealth turo naught, and living beings transformed into piles of bohe current situation bore an uny resembo the First Ninja World War. After months of fighting against Amegakure and Konoha, both the militant and servative fas of the Hidden Sand Vilge had suffered signifit losses. Resources, manpower, and food supplies were all stretched to their limits. If not for Jinghang's decisive victories on the western front against Konoha's White Fang, the Hidden Sand Vilge might have ceased to exist. It was worth noting that Jinghang’s st mobilization had even drawn upon the vilge's ANBU forces and ninja academy students. Meanwhile, Konoha had likely only used half of its strength, with heavyweights like Hiruzen Sarutobi still sitting idly in the vilge.

  "The Hidden Sand Vilge must withdraw from this war, focus on recovery, develop its ey, and use the flict to attract scattered talents and increase its popution. Only by emerging as the final victor we cim true victory! Otherwise, if we get dragged into this furnace of war, the Hidden Sand will either perish or be gravely weakened!" Jinghang decred with unwaveriermination.

  Looking at the young man she had watched grow up, Chiyo sath of strategy and vi in him that left no room for doubt. In that moment, the shadow of her te husband, Rettō, seemed to overp with this youth. Slowly, Chiyo's gaze grew equally resolute.

  "How long do you think this war will st?"

  "Four to five years."

  "Are you certain Konoha will emerge victorious?"

  "Konoha has deep reserves, numerous elites, and a leader like Hiruzen Sarutobi—decisive, perceptive, and rarely proo mistakes. They will win."

  Chiyo closed her eyes in thought.

  "What do you his old woman to do?"

  Sensing an opportunity, Jinghang quickly leaned in, p her another cup of tea with a sycophantic smile.

  "a, you’ve watched me grow up. I know my own limitations. I’ve just bee Kazekage, and my authority isn’t solid yet. Making such a decision will likely face resistance from some s..."

  As the leader of the militant fa, Chiyo’s support would naturally carry more weight than Jinghang relying solely on his title as Kazekage.

  "What’s there to resist? Fighting and dying otlefield will make them uand? You were nominated by Shamen and approved by the elders of ea. Who dares disobey your orders? Don’t worry, this old woman will speak up wheime es!" Chiyo decred, smming the table with authority. With that, the matter ractically settled.

  "What are your ces of defeating Danzo Shimura?"

  Jinghang fidently downed his tea and smiled.

  "Not ten out of ten, but at least nine-point-nine."

  "Ow! That hurts!" Jiraiya winced, his face torted in pain.

  "Stop whining. You’re lucky this iron sand wasn’t poisoned, or you’d be dead by now," Tsunade retorted, holding a massive mago extract the iron sand embedded in his flesh.

  Danzo squinted, pig up a small pinch of the extracted iron sand. He rubbed it between his fingers and s thoughtfully.

  "He was alone?"

  "Alone," Orochimaru firmed.

  "Have you entered him before?"

  "I’ve heard of him, but never met him."

  "This defeat isn’t your fault," Danzo sighed.

  "Our ANBU’s intelligehering is sorely g. For su important enemy, we only have records of his achievements and background. There’s no information on his jutsu or bat habits. How we call this intelligence work?" Danzo scolded a masked ANBU operative.

  "How much of this iron sand do you think he brought?"

  Orochimaru pondered for a moment. "Based on that so-called Steel Garden jutsu... at least ten tons."

  "Order all forces to retreat to the Night-Singing Sand Sea. Notify logistics to purchase rge quantities of mags from the Land of Rain and surrounding towns and vilges. Prepare at least thirty tons—no, fifty tons!" Danzo anded, raising five fingers for emphasis.

  "It seems Danzo-sama is preparing te a massive beast cage," Orochimaru remarked with a sly smile, lig his lips.

  AnnouMy Patreon has been updated to Chapter 70. Feel free to visit, and happy reading, everyone!"

  patreon./DarkGolds