The Uchiha and Anbu jointly escorted the group of women, children, and the elderly of the Uzumaki Clan, finally arriving at the gates of Konoha.

The gate guards immediately stepped forward to inquire about the situation.

Aoki said in a deep voice.

"The survivors of the Uzumaki Clan have been brought back, and we need to report to Hokage-sama immediately."

Aoki glanced at the Uzumaki clansmen behind him and turned to say to Mokume Kogatana.

"Thank you for your escort all the way here!"

Mokume Kogatana slightly frowned.

Just as the people of the Uzumaki Clan were brought back, was he going to make him take his men and leave?

Was he afraid that he would steal his credit?

Mokume Kogatana thought of Sakumo Hatake's instructions before coming.

He gave him an indifferent glance and said nothing more.

He vanished with the group of Anbu using the Body Flicker Technique.

Aoki didn't care about his attitude.

Hokage-sama had previously promised him that after entering the Anbu, he would specifically lead a squad.

Securing this mission concerned both Konoha and the Uzumaki Clan.

It was an excellent opportunity to perform meritorious service.

With such heavy sacrifices in this mission, he naturally couldn't share the credit equally with others.

"What happened to you guys?"

At that moment.

Five Uchiha patrolmen from the Military Police Force saw the situation here and walked over quickly.

Uchiha Aoki looked at the five members of the Military Police Force, a hint of vigilance flashing in the depths of his eyes.

"This mission was somewhat difficult, and quite a few clansmen sacrificed their lives."

Hearing this, the five of them wore solemn expressions.

"What should be done with these fallen clansmen?"

Uchiha Aoki swept his gaze across his team.

"Masaki, you and the brothers from the Military Police Force take the fallen clansmen back to the Clan, and by the way, inform the Clan Head of the outcome here!"

A dust-covered Uchiha stepped forward and nodded.

He looked at the dead clansmen, his face filled with sorrow.

"I still have a mission to go to Hokage-sama's place, I'll be leaving first!"

Uchiha Aoki didn't give the Military Police Force members a chance to refuse.

He directly ordered his subordinates.

"Let's go!"

Bringing the people of the Uzumaki Clan, Uchiha Aoki headed straight for the Hokage Building.

Inside the Hokage Building.

Hiruzen Sarutobi sat behind his desk, smoke slowly rising from his pipe.

When Aoki and the others entered the office, he raised his head, his gaze falling upon them.

Then he looked at the Uzumaki clansmen standing to the side, his brow slightly furrowed.

"Hokage-sama."

Aoki knelt on one knee and reported with his head lowered.

"There are a total of sixteen survivors from the Uzumaki Clan, and they have been safely brought back."

Hiruzen Sarutobi stood up and strode past him.

Walking up to the Uzumaki clansmen, a deep sense of emotion showed on his face.

He reached out to help up an elderly Uzumaki elder, his voice gentle and solemn.

"Welcome to Konoha, the Uzumaki Clan will always be Konoha's ally. Konoha will always be your home!"

Tears flickered in the eyes of the Uzumaki clansmen, and the elder said in a trembling voice.

"Hokage-sama... Thank you for your grace, Hokage-sama!"

Hiruzen Sarutobi patted his shoulder, then turned to tell the Anbu ninja at the door.

"Go inform Mito-sama and Uzumaki Kushina, and tell them that the members of the Uzumaki Clan have arrived."

The Anbu ninja acknowledged the order and left.

Before long, the office door was violently pushed open, and a red-haired figure rushed in like the wind.

"It really is you!"

Uzumaki Kushina's eye sockets were red, and tears flowed down uncontrollably.

She hurried over to the clansmen, grabbed and hugged the elder, her voice choked with sobs.

"That's wonderful... You're still alive..."

Seeing Kushina, the Uzumaki clansmen gathered around one after another, talking at once about their experiences over the years.

"Kushina, we have been looking for you all these years..."

"Thanks to the Uchiha Ninja, otherwise we would have..."

"..."

Hearing the three words "Uchiha", Kushina's body shuddered slightly, and Qianye's figure instantly flashed through her mind.

She had only told Qianye about this matter!

She suddenly raised her head, looking at Aoki and the others, her eyes filled with gratitude.

"Was it you... who saved them?"

Aoki nodded.

"We went to the coast to search, and didn't expect to actually find survivors."

Kushina's tears flowed even more uncontrollably.

She bit her lip. The last time she was abducted by a Ninja from the Kumogakure, it was Uchiha Chiye who brought her back.

Now he had even helped her bring some of her clansmen to Konoha. Her feelings for Qianye suddenly became burning hot, her eyes full of emotion.

Her mood rose and fell like a rollercoaster.

At that moment, the office door opened again, and Uzumaki Mito slowly walked in.

Her face wore a gentle smile, and her gaze swept across the crowd of the Uzumaki Clan as she let out a sigh.

"You're here!"

Her voice was calm and powerful, as if it could smooth away all unease.

Seeing Mito, the Uzumaki clansmen knelt down to salute one after another.

"Mito-sama!"

Mito gently raised her hand.

"No need for formalities."

She turned to look at Hiruzen Sarutobi and nodded slightly.

"Leave these people to me; I will arrange a place for them to stay."

Hiruzen Sarutobi nodded.

"Of course, whatever Mito-sama arranges is fine. They will certainly receive the best care."

Mito smiled, and then said to the Uzumaki clansmen.

"Come with me."

Kushina wiped away her tears, supported an elderly clansman, and left the Hokage Building together with Mito.

Aoki watched them leave, then said to Hiruzen Sarutobi.

"Hokage-sama, the mission is complete, this subordinate takes leave."

Hiruzen Sarutobi gave him a deep look.

"Wait!"

"Write a complete report of this mission and submit it."

"Good work, you guys go back and rest first."

After saluting, Aoki led the Uchiha Ninja to leave the Hokage Building.

After they left.

A trace of worry appeared on Hiruzen Sarutobi's face.

"Could this also be part of the Uchiha's scheme?"

...

Military Police Force Headquarters.

Qianye sat in front of his desk, his expression gloomy after hearing Uchiha Masaki's report.

"To bring back the Uzumaki clansmen, nine of my Uchiha elites died?"

Masaki lowered his head.

"During this period, we were ambushed by Ninja from another village."

Qianye's fingers tapped gently on the desktop.

"Ninja from another village? Were there people from Root?"

Uchiha Masaki wore a sorrowful expression on his face and remained silent for a moment.

"We encountered them!"

"Didn't I say before not to let you clash with Root Ninja? Everyone in my Uchiha who can leave the village to complete this mission is an elite, how could there still be so many casualties!"

Qianye's calm gaze, however, made Uchiha Masaki's heart shudder.

"It was Captain Aoki who ordered us to protect the Uzumaki clansmen! The people from Root are crazy; not only did they attack us, but they also attacked the people of the Uzumaki Clan. If the Anbu had not appeared in time, I'm afraid we wouldn't have made it back..."

Anbu?

Qianye's heart stirred.

No wonder!

"You guys really disappointed me too much!"

Qianye immediately spoke up to interrupt him.

"Before, when I held the clan meeting, what did I say? Aside from war, regardless of what mission is done, anything with danger should prioritize one's own safety. How did you guys do this time? For the sake of a scattered Uzumaki bloodline whose country was destroyed and wandering everywhere, you actually risked so many lives of my Uchiha clansmen? Are the lives of my Uchiha clansmen really less important than the old, weak, sick, and disabled of the Uzumaki Clan?!"

"Answer me!"

Hearing these words from Qianye, Masaki felt a slight wavering in his heart regarding this mission.

Could this mission possibly be more important than the lives of his clansmen?

Looking at the entangled Uchiha Masaki, a flash of mockery crossed Qianye's eyes.

The Uchiha Ninja who died this time were all supporters of the "Will of Fire".

Uchiha who could not be used by him might become obstacles to his leading the Clan forward in the future.

This batch of people would absolutely not receive any heartache from Qianye.

As long as the mission to rescue the Uzumaki Clan was completed, that was enough!

However, as the Clan Head of the Uchiha, things that needed to be done still had to be done.

The act that needed to be put on still had to be put on.

It was just right to make a fuss out of these dead Uchiha.

Whether it was uniting the Clan's will or raising prestige in the village!

These were all things Qianye needed to do nowadays.

Right now, this batch of brain-dead people possessed by the Will of Fire.

If it were during wartime, sacrificing oneself to protect the village would make them heroes of Konoha.

Their names would be engraved on the Memorial Stone.

But now, just to bring back a few more people from the Uzumaki Clan!

Aside from getting the Third Generation to praise them with a "good work", what else could it exchange for?

"Notify everyone, a clan meeting will be held tonight."

Qianye said in a cold voice.

"Some people do not cherish the lives of the Clan's clansmen, but we must cherish them! Tonight, we bid farewell to the fallen clansmen."

Yashiro and Fugaku at the doorway solemnly nodded for a moment.

"Yes!!"