Uchiha Hikaru quietly stared at the wooden clones reduced to ashes, an unreadable light flickering in his eyes.
Only after confirming that the clones had completely vanished did he withdraw his gaze and turn toward Tsunade and the others.
He carefully checked their conditions one by one.
Once he confird none of them had suffered serious injuries, the taut nerves finally relaxed.
He took a deep breath, as if to exhale all the worries and tension from his body.
Then, he gently helped Tsunade and the others to their feet and led them back to Konohagakure.
Upon entering the village, they saw Mito Uzumaki busily directing people to organize the scene.
Her face was full of concern and tension, but when she saw Uchiha Hikaru bringing Tsunade and the others back, a clear relief washed over her.
"Grandma Mito, Tsunade and the others are fine—just knocked unconscious."
At these words, Mito Uzumaki’s face broke into a relieved smile.
She gratefully looked at Uchiha Hikaru, and at that mont, the three won gradually regained consciousness.
They appeared sowhat dazed and confused upon waking.
But when they saw Uchiha Hikaru and Mito Uzumaki, their faces softened with reassurance.
"Grandpa..."
Just then, Uchiha Chiri suddenly shouted with a pale face.
The Sharingan appeared in her eyes—the second and third tomoe slowly forming, revealing the grief inside.
Hearing this, Uchiha Hikaru also noticed one person was missing.
His heart tightened imdiately as he activated his sensory abilities.
Through his perception, he clearly sensed Uchiha Ang’s chakra.
That chakra was stable, so he assud nothing serious had happened.
Relieved, he turned to Uchiha Chiri and said:
"Don’t worry, your grandpa is fine. I’ll go bring him back."
The mont Uchiha Hikaru’s words fell, his figure vanished instantly.
Uchiha Chiri’s expression, originally filled with sorrow over her grandfather’s uncertain fate, froze at that instant.
Her face first showed happiness but was quickly replaced by deep worry.
She knew that although Hikaru was coming to help, the battle was not yet over and Konohagakure might still face more crises. This complex emotion played across her face, evoking sympathy from onlookers.
anwhile, Uchiha Ang was desperately chasing after Uchiha Madara’s trail outside the village.
His eyes were filled with determination, his face resolute.
Suddenly, Hikaru appeared ahead of him.
Ang’s steps involuntarily stopped. He looked at Hikaru in surprise, as if recalling sothing, and hurriedly asked:
"How are you here?"
"Chiri is safe. She’s back in Konoha now," Hikaru said calmly.
His words finally eased Ang’s tightly wound nerves.
He exhaled deeply, as if releasing all his worries and tension.
Then, Uchiha Hikaru noticed that one of Ang’s eyes had turned a grayish-white.
"Your eye?"
Hikaru frowned and asked.
Ang unconsciously touched the eye, as if recalling sothing.
He then recounted his previous experience to Hikaru.
Back then, when Mito Uzumaki sent him and so children to evacuate, Uchiha Madara suddenly launched an ambush from the side.
In that situation, Ang couldn’t react in ti and was only barely able to survive by using the Uchiha taboo—Izanagi.
Fortunately, Madara did not linger to fight him further. Taking advantage of the ti Izanagi took to revive him, Madara abducted Tsunade and the other three.
After reviving, Ang imdiately tracked Madara’s departing trail.
When he said this, a bitter smile appeared on Uchiha Ang’s face.
That smile was full of disappointnt and helplessness, as if saying, ’I never thought the person I once admired so much would do sothing like this.’
Uchiha Hikaru looked deeply at Ang, understanding the aning behind that smile.
Uchiha Madara—the na had represented glory and legend within the Uchiha clan for decades.
Even after betraying Konoha and being killed by Hashirama Senju, his influence over the clan remained.
Especially for those who witnessed Madara’s peak strength firsthand, he was an irreplaceable idol and belief.
They once took him as a model and trained hard, hoping one day to reach his level.
But this ti, Madara’s actions utterly disappointed them.
An ambush might be understandable as a ninja tactic, but abducting children to execute so plan was completely beyond their moral bottom line.
Such behavior betrayed the trust and worship of those who believed in him.
Ang’s bitter smile expressed this disappointnt and helplessness.
Madara—the man he once envied and strove to follow.
To do such a thing was shocking and disheartening.
Moreover, the fact that Madara was still alive was itself stunning news.
Uchiha Hikaru chose not to comnt on this.
After all, Madara later even deliberately sacrificed Uchiha Obito to serve as his proxy for the plan.
So, in Hikaru’s eyes, Madara’s current actions were just normal.
Besides, he had a feeling this matter was far from over.
Thinking this, Uchiha Hikaru spoke:
"Let’s hurry back. Chiri is probably worried about you."
Hearing this, Ang nodded eagerly, agreeing.
Then, the two of them returned to Konoha together.
As soon as Chiri saw Ang return, she suddenly threw herself into his arms.
Tears stread down her face as she choked out:
"Grandpa, I was so worried about you."
Uchiha Ang gently stroked Chiri’s hair, comforting her:
"Don’t be afraid. Grandpa is fine, isn’t he?"
Chiri, with red-rimd eyes, said nothing more but hugged Ang tightly.
Chiri was just a child but had witnessed Ang die before her eyes today.
This filled her heart with unease and fear.
Ang knew well how much today’s events had hurt her.
He kept gently stroking her forehead, offering comfort.
After a while, Chiri rembered this wasn’t ho.
She looked up and indeed saw many people smiling at them.
Her face flushed red instantly, and she buried her head in Ang’s arms, unwilling to co out.
This scene drew warm laughter from those around them.
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