"Just walk around for now. Someone will give you a tour later. They started the same way you did, so they'll know exactly what's going through your head."
Zixu spoke slowly and calmly. He had done this plenty of times before and was used to it by now. Before long, someone arrived to show Zabuza and the others around, leaving him with nothing else to worry about.
"I've got things to take care of, so you guys go and get familiar with the village. I'll be off." Zixu quickly bid them farewell. His priority now was figuring out what had happened.
Riding at full speed, he rushed to the village office and handed over daily affairs to Hyuga Neji. Not only was Neji an exceptional fighter, but he was also skilled in handling intelligence and had a good temperament. He could always make calm and rational decisions. Zixu had complete trust in him.
At that moment, the acting village chief, Neji, was rubbing his temples while assessing the village's losses. Though the Akatsuki hadn't entered the village, the real problem wasn't just their actions—it was the fact that they were being targeted at all. The village had already been exposed to the outside world, and continuing its isolationist policy would only backfire.
Maybe it was time to open the village to the world. Keeping the shinobi confined would only create more internal strife. It would be better to allow them to infiltrate other villages and engage in battle elsewhere—it was a way to release their pent-up aggression.
Still, Neji couldn't make that decision alone. He needed Zixu's input before taking any action. Right now, he was discussing the matter with Karin and Hyuga Chinano.
Squeak.
The door swung open from the outside. Chinano frowned in irritation. Didn't they realize they were in the middle of something? At least knock first!
"Please knock before entering," Karin reminded in advance. She knew Chinano might lash out, so she stepped in to prevent a harsher scolding.
The person at the door hesitated, perhaps realizing their mistake. Without a word, they stepped back, shut the door, and knocked.
Zixu sighed. He had to knock before entering his own office. Where was the justice in that?
Just as his fingers were about to rap against the wooden door, a pair of slender hands covered his eyes from behind.
A voice—soft and teasing, neither distinctly male nor female—whispered near his ear, sending a cold breath down his neck.
"Guess who?"
Zixu sighed. "Aburame Hatsuizumi, if you want to play hide-and-seek, at least suppress your Sage Mode. The moment you sensed me, I passively sensed you in return."
Though he wanted to humor the game, Zixu's body instinctively reacted to the other's chakra signature. Not only did he recognize them immediately, but he could also feel the disordered chakra swirling in their body—it was obvious they were in high spirits.
Realizing the trick had failed, Aburame Hatsuizumi stopped pretending and immediately jumped onto Zixu's back.
"Finally free!" they cheered. "I wanna have some fun! I feel like my power's at its peak—I can't let Chinano outshine me!"
Hearing the familiar voice from outside, Karin and Chinano set aside their discussion. It had been a while since Aburame Hatsuizumi had returned. As their close friend, it was only right to welcome them properly.
"Hatsuizumi! Welcome—"
Karin threw open the door, beaming with excitement, and rushed forward for a bear hug. But as soon as she got close, she hesitated. Something felt… off.
Wait. Did training in Ryūchi Cave make you grow this much taller?
Looking up, she saw Zixu staring at her in confusion. A flicker of embarrassment crossed her face, but her joy at his return overpowered it. She grabbed Zixu's hands a little tighter.
Chinano also blinked in surprise before recovering, her voice level but tinged with something else.
"Welcome back. So, how was the mission, you busy man?" Though her tone carried some warmth, it was mostly laced with resentment. Zixu had been gone for years, dumping all the village's responsibilities on them without even a proper explanation.
"Haha… yeah, I'm back. You must've had a tough time." Zixu scratched his head, awkwardly laughing off the situation. Then, he dropped the bombshell.
"I'm going to establish a new nation."
The room fell into silence.
Even Aburame Hatsuizumi, who had been giddy with excitement, slid off Zixu's back, now paying full attention.
"You mean founding a country, not just a village?" Neji, who had been seated, immediately stood up.
Zixu gestured for him to sit back down.
"That's right. I plan to rebuild the Land of Whirlpools."
"The Land of Whirlpools?" Neji frowned. "Establishing a country is no small matter. It'll draw the attention of the great nations, especially given the history of the Uzumaki Clan. The very reason the Land of Whirlpools was destroyed was because of its sealing techniques. If we try to—"
Neji suddenly cut himself off, realizing that two members of the Uzumaki Clan were in the room. Of course, they already knew all this.
"That's true," Zixu admitted, "but our village's current state and system don't fit into the existing framework of the world. With the technology we have, keeping to ourselves will only make us a target. If we don't take the initiative, the outside world will come for us first."
"Then why not remain isolated or just announce ourselves as a village?" Neji was still skeptical. "Why go as far as founding a whole country?"
"To demonstrate power. Absolute strength brings absolute deterrence. If we show our might, fewer fools will think of testing us. We need to establish our position and let the world know what we're capable of."
Zixu's voice was calm and resolute. He had already made up his mind. If they were going to make a move, they would go all the way—eliminate hidden threats in one sweep and, at the same time, send a clear message to the world. Publicizing their advancements would also allow them to lure in talent from other nations. It was a win-win strategy.
After hearing this, Chinano and the others understood his logic. But how exactly would they showcase their strength?
"Are we just going to kill anyone who tries to test us?" Aburame Hatsuizumi snapped his fingers, smirking. "That sounds kind of inefficient."
Karin, still overwhelmed by Zixu's plan, suddenly blurted out, "I don't mind! If it's for the revival of the Uzumaki Clan, I'm in! Let's get started—I'll prepare some strengthening medicinal food right now!"
Before she could get carried away, Chinano promptly delivered a well-placed correction punch, bringing her back to reality.
Zixu ignored their antics and continued.
"Of course not. We won't deal with challengers one by one. Instead, we'll invite the leaders of the great nations and the five major villages to witness our power firsthand. We'll hold a grand martial arts tournament—similar to the Chunin Exams. And to make things interesting, we'll offer some prizes as rewards."
With that, the room fell into thoughtful silence.
The message was clear: They would put on a display of power. A tournament, open to all, would be the perfect stage to prove their strength and stake their claim.
It wasn't just about survival—it was about making a statement to the entire shinobi world.
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