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There is a special area in the southern part of the Land of River.
It's called a special area because it's located at the junction with the Land of Wind. It is uninhabited, the land is severely desertified, and there is very little rainfall all year round, making it almost unsuitable for any species to survive.
Four days later, Hyūga Iroha left the Land of Fire and rushed here. He hadn't rested well on the way, but he felt in good spirits.
From this, he knew that the special potion that Ishigami Hara gave him had begun to take effect, and his body's various abilities began to be supplemented or developed. At least in Hyūga Iroha's opinion, in just about four days, his own chakra had increased by nearly 10% compared to before.
Don't underestimate this improvement.
As a member of the Hyūga clan, his bloodline is pure, and the purity of his Byakugan is high.
He already possessed a chakra level far exceeding that of his peers.
In addition, he had awakened the Tenseigan, and his own chakra had been greatly enhanced, reaching levels several times or even dozens of times higher than that of an elite Jōnin.
On this basis, if his chakra increased by 10%, it would likely equal the chakra reserves of a typical Jōnin. This was just a change in four days. Hyūga Iroha didn't know how much his chakra would increase once fully developed.
After a short rest, Hyūga Iroha found a cave. Despite being in a desert area, the cave held a lot of moisture. Not only was it dark and damp, but even the moss emitted a faint glow, giving the entire cave an inexplicable sense of gloom.
When he arrived, Hyūga Iroha walked straight to the depths and saw a small pool of water at the deepest point.
"So it's here."
It was Hyūga Iroha's first time here. He had only heard about it before, and only upon seeing it could he feel the uniqueness of this place.
He could sense faint fluctuations of time and space from the pool. After a moment's thought, he jumped into it without hesitation.
The expected sound of water did not occur. Instead, there was a silent change. Hyūga Iroha felt a shift in space similar to that experienced when performing Flying Thunder God. It seemed as though everything around him changed in an instant.
The darkness around him disappeared, replaced by a transparent brightness. Looking up, he saw an endless expanse ahead.
It wasn't entirely accurate to call it an expanse. It was actually a flat, empty area, but if one looked further, there was an upward curve in the distance on the horizon. Looking up, there was an inexplicable sense of grayness in the blue sky, an unusual contrast.
"This place... is so strange."
Hyūga Iroha frowned and carefully sensed his surroundings. He always felt something peculiar about this place, but he couldn't pinpoint what was odd.
While muttering to himself, he took out a map from his robe, checked it carefully, and then compared it with his surroundings. He then selected a direction and quickly moved forward.
About half an hour later, Hyūga Iroha finally saw a city in front of him.
The city was extremely majestic, with traces of time showing in its structures, giving it a sense of weightiness, yet there were very few people around.
At first, Hyūga Iroha was very vigilant, but after quietly moving deeper into the city, he realized it was more than just sparsely populated—he hadn't seen a single person in half a day, making it feel as though the place was completely abandoned.
However, the area was exceptionally clean, with no signs of disorder or decay. Instead, there were traces of recent cleaning everywhere, which felt strangely out of place.
With heightened caution, Hyūga Iroha continued deeper into the city, eventually coming upon a huge palace. Here, he finally sensed faint chakra fluctuations.
It wasn't that the chakra couldn't be sensed from a distance, but rather that the fluctuations were intentionally concealed. Hyūga Iroha noticed traces of sealing techniques, leaving him curious about what was hidden within.
Footsteps echoed from a distance. Hyūga Iroha frowned, watching as several tall, thin figures emerged from the palace.
These figures wore identical attire, moved lightly with an odd swaying motion, and gave off an eerie vibe, seeming unlike living beings.
"Puppets?"
Upon closer inspection, Hyūga Iroha immediately recognized the clues. The figures weren't alive; they were special puppets that emitted chakra, which struck him as very unusual.
The leading puppet didn't speak but gestured an invitation to Hyūga Iroha, then turned and led the other puppets back into the palace.
After a moment of thought, Hyūga Iroha saw no reason to hesitate and followed them inside.
The palace was vast, with lights illuminating the walls and pillars, casting a glow over the surroundings and the various ornate furnishings.
The place exuded a solemn and imposing atmosphere, with each detail reflecting a sense of respect and dignity.
After several twists and turns, Hyūga Iroha was led to a large gate. The puppets opened the gate and stepped aside.
Hyūga Iroha cast one last careful look at the puppets before stepping inside.
The room was a grand hall, and at the far end, on a raised platform, sat a throne-like chair, occupied by a person who observed him quietly, awaiting his approach.
Hyūga Iroha's gaze grew intense, and he took a deep breath before kneeling on one knee as he neared.
"Lord Madara."
On the throne, Uchiha Madara leaned back, resting his chin on his fist, a faint smile on his lips as he looked down at the young man before him.
"It seems your mission to Konoha was unsuccessful?"
At this moment, Uchiha Madara looked nothing like an aged man. He was in his prime, appearing to be in his early thirties, showing no signs of decline but radiating an intense sense of authority.
And his eyes—neither Sharingan nor Mangekyō, but the Tenseigan with its rings of purple circles. Being watched by such eyes, even a Hyūga could feel the weight of his gaze.
Taking a deep breath, Hyūga Iroha responded in a steady voice, "Yes, my apologies, Madara-sama. Shortly after infiltrating Konoha, I was discovered and subsequently besieged by Konoha's elite. I had to abandon my attempt to capture the Nine Tails Jinchūriki."
"I see."
Uchiha Madara replied, "Then, let's put the matter of the Nine Tails aside for now."
As he spoke, he gestured to the side. "Come out."
Under Hyūga Iroha's watchful eyes, several men and women in gray and white robes emerged from the back of the hall.
"Get acquainted. These individuals are your kin."
Sure enough, Hyūga Iroha noticed similarities among them—they all bore a pair of white eyes, and the purity of those eyes was exceptionally high.
"This…?"