Naruto's civilian cannon fodder starts with the three-body technique

Chapter 323 The Shadow of Konoha
Compared to puppetry and air force, which require specific equipment, ninja beasts are a more universal and closer supplement to the traditional combat power of ninjas. Coupled with the magical effects of "Beast Spirit Elixir", they are incredibly attractive.

Hiruzen Sarutobi watched as the Inuzuka clan head nodded in confirmation, and he was pleased to see the Inuzuka clan voluntarily contribute some of their core secret medicines. After all, this would enhance Konoha's overall strength; the only remaining issue was the funding for expanding the ninja beast breeding base...

"Expanding the Ninja Beast Breeding Base is indeed necessary!"

Hiruzen Sarutobi expressed his support, but then changed the subject, saying, "However, Konoha's finances are tight, and all expenses are fixed. The construction costs of the new base will be supported by a portion of the special military funds allocated to the Air Force. The initial scale will need to be determined according to our capabilities."

Hiruzen Sarutobi once again demonstrated his cautious and meticulous nature.

Sasuke Unno had no objection to this; taking things slowly and methodically was the best approach.

Once the new ninja beast breeding base is established and the effects of the secret medicine are verified, ninjas who have tasted its benefits will naturally flock to it, and the huge demand will naturally drive the base to expand continuously.

Moreover, ninja beast breeding is a highly profitable business. Any ninja who can afford to raise and use summoning ninja beasts must be wealthy.

The base has no worries about making a profit.

Seeing the enthusiastic responses from the representatives of various clans who were already planning what kind of ninja beasts they would cultivate, Umino Sasuke was overjoyed. In this way, the Inuzuka clan, by controlling the ninja beast breeding base and the "Beast Spirit Secret Medicine" shared by the fish, bird, and dog clans, would become the absolute authority in the field of Konoha ninja beast breeding, and their power would inevitably increase greatly.

With the upcoming formation of the Desert Falcon and its future core position in the air force, Tekuya will also control the newly formed air force.

As for the Umino family, which is at the center, they firmly control the technological lifeline and logistical channels of the puppet army. They also possess multiple versions of "Beast Spirit Elixir" and the aircraft manufacturing plant in the Land of Waves, directly controlling the lifeline of the air force. Coupled with the monopoly of the Konoha Fish Market and the economic support of the high-end catering industry, their position will only become more and more stable.

If the plan succeeds, the three clans of "Fish," "Bird," and "Dog" will each command an army. The puppetry, air force, and ninja beast breeding will be mutually supportive and deeply intertwined. Their combined power, influence, and future development potential will be enough to rival the established powerful clans of "Pig, Deer, and Butterfly."

With vigorous development, surpassing the three races of Pig, Deer, and Butterfly would not be a problem.

As the representatives of the various ninja clans praised the Inuzuka family for sharing the "Beast Spirit Elixir," a chorus of praise arose. Only the representative of the Nara clan, whose eyes always held a hint of languor and clarity, had a knowing glint in their eyes.

He knew Umino Sasuke too well. He didn't even need Nara Shikasa and Nara Shikaku to remind him. Just from their in-depth cooperation over the past two years, he knew that this man's style of doing things was far more complicated than it appeared on the surface.

Nara's representative thought to himself, a glint of shrewdness in his eyes: "This isn't about getting the Inuzuka clan to sacrifice themselves for Konoha; it's clearly throwing out bait to reel in the future rise of the entire Inuzuka clan. They want to use Konoha's resources to build a foundation strong enough for their allies to establish their clan!"

He then recalled Umino Sasuke's earlier suggestion to push for an air force, and suddenly all his thoughts clicked: "An air force?! It seems like it's for Konoha's air superiority, but in reality, it's for the Teku clan to seize a crucial military force for the future! The deterrent power of the Desert Falcon once it reaches adulthood, combined with the aircraft unit, makes it almost certain that the Teku clan will control this new army!"

"What a profound plan! What a long-term strategy!"

Nara's representative inwardly praised and admired him immensely, "Umino Sasuke is indeed a man worth befriending! He just took office as the leader of the Jonin squad, and he has already planned two huge, lucrative opportunities for the Teku and Inuzuka families, which can serve as the foundation for their clans! The air force and the ninja beast breeding base, although not as high-ranking and powerful as the Uchiha's security forces, are simply unparalleled foundations for a second-rate ninja clan to become a first-rate one!"

Such a substantial foundation is the envy of even the Nara clan. Unfortunately, both the air force, which requires the core combat power of the Desert Giant Falcon, and the ninja beast breeding base, which relies on the core secret medicine of the Inuzuka family, are tailor-made for the fish, bird, and dog clans. Outsiders simply cannot penetrate the core.

The most the Nara clan can do is make their moves early to reserve a spot.

"However, being able to secure a spot in advance and obtain one or two powerful Jonin positions is still a decent gain."

The Nara representative quickly considered the situation, especially the ninja beast breeding base. This kind of logistics and technical support department would definitely need a large number of auxiliary and management personnel, without requiring top-notch combat talent. This was perfect for the Nara clan to utilize their wisdom and coordination skills.

A position as a base supervisor or technical advisor at the Jonin level should not be difficult to obtain.

The Nara clan and Sasuke Umino already had a good relationship and cooperated a lot. It is likely that Sasuke Umino would be happy to see the Nara clan involved in these new departments, as he could both benefit from Nara's wisdom and deepen the bond of mutual interests.

It shouldn't be difficult to simply inform Umino Sasuke privately and ask him to reserve one or two Jonin positions with Hokage voting rights in this new department.

This is a Jonin seat with the right to vote for the Hokage. It is of great significance in the political ecology of Konoha and directly determines the clan's voice at the top. Small and medium-sized ninja clans often rely on one or two Jonin like this to support themselves. In fact, these ninja clans use all their resources to support the genius ninjas in the clan, just hoping that each generation can produce a Jonin and avoid the decline of the clan!

The Nara clan is considered a large family not only because of its industries and the number of ninjas, but also because of its secret shadow techniques, with many Jonin (high-ranking ninja) surviving in each generation.

Although the Nara clan boasts one of the highest numbers of Jonin in Konoha thanks to the Ino-Shika-Cho alliance, its logistical support, and years of dedicated effort, no one would complain about having too many Jonin who hold voting rights.

The Uchiha clan is a prime example. They have dozens of ninjas with combat strength of Jonin level or above, but the number of captains of the Konoha Police Force is limited. There are fewer than ten Jonin who actually have the right to vote for Hokage, which is not much more than the Nara clan.

The combined number of Jonin from the Ino-Shika-Cho clans is actually slightly more than that of the Uchiha clan.

During Konoha's peaceful times, it is extremely difficult to promote a Jonin who has real power and voting rights.

Konoha's job system is basically one person per position.

Unless one possesses overwhelming strength and achievements like those of Hatake Sagumo, Umino Sasuke, or the legendary Sannin of Konoha, it is virtually impossible to be promoted to Jonin and gain core power during peacetime.

Most of the Jonin promoted during peacetime come from the Anbu system, which is also an important way for the Hokage to control the power structure of Konoha.

This has led to different opinions about the Ninja War. The Hokage and ordinary lower-ranking ninjas hate the Ninja War the most because it means sacrifice. However, the powerful elite ninjas and the powerful ninja clans with deep roots look forward to the Ninja War.

Without war, even with strength, elite ninjas simply cannot accumulate enough merit and prestige to be promoted to Jonin and gain real power and status.

The major ninja clans thus lacked opportunities to seize profits, such as eliminating smaller ninja clans or merging their businesses.

Unless they are as unlucky as the Kurama clan, suffering heavy losses and depleting their strength in the war, the great ninja clans, with their ability to recover, can usually seize a large piece of the spoils after the ninja war ends.

Of course, this is on the premise that Konoha cannot be defeated.

However, given Konoha's current strength and resources, the possibility of defeat is still very low unless it is besieged by the other four great ninja villages.

The Nara representative saw through Umino Sasuke's plan but made no attempt to expose it, instead deciding to go along with it.

He was already making plans in his mind. By securing a spot in the air force in advance, he could at least ensure that the Nara clan would have one more Jonin with voting rights. As for the ninja beast breeding base, even if it couldn't immediately provide an additional Jonin, operating a special Jonin-level position with real power, such as a supervisor or technical director, would still be a profitable deal.

With this in mind, the Nara representative immediately supported Umino Sasuke's proposal. Although the Akimichi and Yamanaka representatives were unaware of the Nara clan's intentions, they followed suit and strongly supported it.

The only concern regarding the expansion of the ninja beast breeding base was the initial funding. With the enthusiastic support of the Ino-Shika-Cho clans and the advance payments from various ninja clans, Umino Sasuke felt reassured.

The initial funding is already in place; all that's left is for the Daimyo to allocate military funds for the construction of the Konoha Air Force, from which a portion will be set aside as the base's "official start-up capital."

Umino Sasuke proposed a flexible solution: the ninja beast breeding base doesn't have to be built all at once. It can be operated as a "joint-stock company" first, and its main business can be expanded beyond just training high-level ninja beasts for the military. For example, it can expand its business scope to include the "pet" market for Konoha villagers and even the nobles of the Land of Fire.

"Gentlemen, the Ninja Beast Breeding Base can initially operate two lines of business simultaneously."

Sasuke Umino said confidently, "Firstly, we will cultivate ninja beast seeds with combat potential to provide partners for the air force and ninjas."

Secondly, we can use our advanced breeding technology and environment to breed docile, intelligent, and pleasing-looking low-level ninja beasts or special creatures as pets.

Pet healthcare, grooming, care, and training – this is a huge untapped market!

Then, he continued to describe the business prospects: "Think about it, which of the noble ladies and young women in the Land of Fire wouldn't want to own a snow-white ninja cat with eyes like jewels? Or a ninja bird with gorgeous feathers that can learn to speak?"
Even a tiny, exquisite ninja mouse that can find treasures and explore?

These pets are no less valuable than ninja beasts of the same level! Their profit margin is even greater!

While the various ninja clans were optimistic about the commercial potential of this "pet" business, during times of war, their funds and energy were more inclined towards their core combat capabilities.

Therefore, apart from the Ino-Shika-Cho clans, who invested a considerable amount of money out of trust in Umino Sasuke and for long-term planning, most other clans only invested symbolically or were still observing.

Only the three clans of fish, birds, dogs, ninjas, and beasts knew that this was a revenue-generating function that Umino Sasuke planned for the base, and they invested a large sum of money without hesitation.

Ultimately, thanks to the core investment of the three clans and the strong support of the Ino-Shika-Cho trio, the Ninja Beast Breeding Base successfully completed its "angel round" financing.

Just when everyone thought that Sasuke Umino's three major initiatives as a new official were over and the matter was about to come to an end, he surprised everyone once again.

"Lord Hokage, clan leaders, in order to improve the overall combat strength of Konoha, in addition to developing new forces, it is also crucial to recognize and promote the existing meritorious individuals."

Sasuke Umino's voice was steady and powerful. He took out a thick scroll from his pocket and presented it with both hands.

"This is a list of nominees for the Jonin rank evaluation. The list contains eighteen people, all of whom are special Jonin from the front-line legions of our Land of Wind, who have made outstanding contributions, met the required strength, and whose merit points have long been sufficient to meet the standards for promotion to Jonin!"

These words silenced the entire room once again.

Nominating eighteen Jonin at once—isn't that a bit too extravagant?!

Sasuke Umino glanced at Hiruzen Sarutobi and Koharu Utatane, whose expressions instantly turned grim, and continued, "The first eight on the list are former members of the Mobile Support Force. They followed me through the Land of Rivers, the Land of Dragons, and the Land of Wind, experiencing hundreds of battles, large and small, and killing quite a few enemy Jonin and even renowned strongmen."

The S-level mission merits I've earned far exceed the promotion standards!

Their achievements can be verified by detailed battle reports from the frontline command and by prisoners captured by Sunagakure!

Then, he paused, his voice taking on an undeniable sharpness: "The last ten on the list are special Jonin who performed exceptionally well in the subsequent battles against Sunagakure after the legion's reorganization!"
They made outstanding contributions in key battles such as defeating the Sunagakure army, annihilating the remnants of Sunagakure, consolidating occupied areas, and blocking the infiltration of Sunagakure ninja!

His mission merits were also rated as S-level!
His combat performance was witnessed firsthand by Lord Torifu, Jonin Hatake Sagumo, and numerous Jonin on the front lines; it is absolutely true!

"Eighteen people?!" Koharu Utatane could no longer contain herself and suddenly stood up, interrupting Sasuke Umino with a sharp voice, "Class President Umino! This list of yours is far too frivolous!"

Leaving aside the merits of those who were originally in the mobile support force.

Where did these ten newly reorganized special Jonin get so many S-rank mission merits?!

Is it even possible to complete so many highly difficult tasks in such a short time? Are you perhaps planning to abuse your power and install your cronies in power?!

Her questioning immediately sparked whispers among some conservative high-ranking members and representatives of the ninja clan.

Promoting so many Jonin at once is indeed unprecedented, and most of the people on the list are from Sasuke Umino's direct subordinate unit.

Hiruzen Sarutobi frowned as he looked at the list, his gaze deep and thoughtful.

Once this list is approved, it means that Sasuke Umino's power on the front lines will instantly expand by more than a dozen Jonin with voting rights, which will be a huge challenge to his authority as Hokage.

Despite Koharu Utatane's stern questioning and the scrutinizing gazes of everyone present, Sasuke Umino remained unmoved, as if he had expected this all along.

He calmly pulled out an attachment from the scroll and said loudly, "The dormitory consultant's doubts are understandable."

But facts speak louder than words!
This is a detailed record of battle achievements jointly signed and confirmed by the frontline command, Lord Toki, and Jonin Hatake Sagumo. Every achievement corresponds to a specific battle, includes which famous Sunagakure ninja was killed or captured, what important target was destroyed, and what crucial reconnaissance or blocking mission was completed—all are clearly recorded and verifiable!

His gaze was sharp as lightning, fixed on Koharu Utatane, and his voice was firm and resonant as he began to give examples one by one:

"For example, the Special Jonin on the list, Mimura Yozaki! On the 28th of last month, he led the Earth Release Joint Ninjutsu Team and used the Earth Release: Joint Earth Mountain Ninjutsu to successfully suppress and delay the actions of the One-Tailed Jinchuriki, Bunpuku, creating a crucial opportunity for me to finally capture him! In this battle, the Sand Village Jinchuriki was captured, and his merit is rated as S-rank. What's wrong with that?!"

"For example, Haruno Mori, the deputy commander of the puppet army, controlled two puppets in the great battle against the main force of Sunagakure. He cooperated with my explosive tag trap tactics to help me kill a total of fourteen Sunagakure Jonin. His precise control and battlefield adaptability are outstanding, and he has long met the standards for promotion to Jonin!"

"And then there's Uzuki Tamama. During the decisive battle at the border of the Land of Wind, she led an elite squad, fighting alongside my mecha puppet, to launch a strong attack on the right flank of the Sand Village's defenses. She broke through numerous blockades, creating an opening for the main force to follow up. Her contributions were immense; it wouldn't be an exaggeration to rate her achievements as S-rank..."

Umino Sasuke cited dozens of examples in succession, speaking with absolute certainty, with the joint endorsement of Akimichi Torifu, Hatake Sagumo, and the frontline merit assessment department, making it sound truly irrefutable.

In reality, the merits from S-rank missions on the front lines are limited, and there is definitely a lot of exaggeration in the number of these special Jonin. However, because Umino Sasuke's mecha puppet killed far too many Sand Village Jonin, even far more than Hatake Sagumo, he didn't need these merits and distributed them to the special Jonin who played support roles.

Of course, while the merit records were given to them, the merit points were not. They were all transferred back privately. In fact, these special Jonin felt bad about getting these S-rank mission merit records for nothing, so they borrowed a lot of merit points from their teammates and transferred them to Umino Sasuke. It was as if they bought these S-rank mission merit records, a win-win situation.

It was precisely because of this crucial point that Koharu Utatane keenly grasped this key element. She interrupted sharply, "Wait! Class Monitor Umino, you keep talking about 'support' and 'cooperation,' but in the end, you're the core figure behind all these so-called S-rank achievements. They're just helping out on the sidelines! These mission achievements were clearly completed by you; you just distributed the achievement records to them!"

As if she had grasped a key piece of information, her voice suddenly rose as she questioned, "More importantly, how did the Sand Ninja die in that battle that annihilated two thousand of the Sand Village's main force? Others may not know, but I know it all too well. It was clearly you who used the Mitokado clan's smuggling channels with the Sand Village to get problematic explosive tags into the Sand Village's front lines, and then detonated them on the battlefield, blowing thousands of Sand Ninja to pieces. Most of the survivors were seriously injured, which allowed my Konoha army to easily annihilate the enemy."

"boom--!!!"

Koharu Utatane's words were like a bolt from the blue, instantly exploding in front of the Konoha gates.

In her desperation to suppress Umino Sasuke, she revealed a feat that the Konoha leadership had deliberately concealed—a feat even more terrifying than Madara Uchiha's battlefield prowess.

"Two thousand Sand Ninja were killed?!" "Oh my god! Is this true?!"

"No wonder the Sand Village's main force collapsed so quickly!"

"One person single-handedly slaughtered over a thousand ninjas?! That's even more terrifying than the Leaf Village's Shura!"

"Konoha's Demigod! This is the true Konoha's Demigod!"

After a brief silence, a deafening roar of exclamations and discussions erupted.

All the villagers, including many unsuspecting ninjas, looked at Umino Sasuke with utter shock, awe, and even a hint of fear!
He's a one-man army!
And in such a cold-blooded, efficient, and almost genocidal way!
This achievement instantly elevated Umino Sasuke's image to an unprecedented level in the hearts of the Konoha villagers.

In their simple understanding, this was almost the work of a ninja god. Some even began to think that the young Iron Wall Lord's battlefield deterrence and actual killing effect might have surpassed that of the current Third Hokage!

The title of "Konoha's Demigod" completely replaced "Konoha's Iron Wall" at this moment, along with the exposure of this astonishing achievement, and was deeply imprinted in everyone's hearts.

Sasuke Umino's prestige soared again like a rocket, reaching a point where even Hiruzen Sarutobi felt strongly threatened.

Hiruzen Sarutobi's face instantly turned extremely ugly. He glared at Koharu Utatane and cursed inwardly for this stupid woman who, in order to suppress Sasuke Umino, actually revealed such news in public that could cause panic and excessive worship. She was practically building up the opponent's momentum!
Koharu Utatane realized her slip of the tongue, but since things had come to this point, she could only grit her teeth and continue attacking Sasuke Umino's "merit distribution" issue in an attempt to salvage the situation.

"Umino Sasuke! Do you admit that you were the core of the destruction of those two thousand Sand Ninja? Those so-called S-rank achievements were all earned by you alone. You forcibly distributed these achievement records to those special Jonin, letting them benefit from them, and used this to install your cronies and control the voting rights of the Jonin teams! Isn't this favoritism and corruption?! The frontline command was deceived by you, and Akimichi Torifu and Hatake Sagumo were also manipulated by you, weren't they?!"

Her words sharply pointed out the core contradiction: these S-rank merit records were indeed the results of Umino Sasuke and his puppet army, while the special Jonin were merely carrying out orders, providing assistance, or simply "teammates" who happened to be present.

According to standard assessments, the main merits and S-rank mission records should rightfully belong to Sasuke Umino.

Faced with these accusations, Sasuke Umino remained calm and composed. The cleverness of his actions lay in the fact that everything was within the rules of Konoha.

Faced with this accusation that was almost a complete breakdown in relations, he instead revealed a calm smile.

He surveyed the entire room, and with the amplification of his voice, it clearly reached everyone's ears: "Advisor, you are mistaken. When ninjas carry out missions, it is inherently a process of teamwork. What is the main force? What is the support? The boundaries are inherently blurred."

I admit that I took on the main tasks of attacking and breaking through the stalemate in those key battles, but without Mimura Yoru's Earth Release squad suppressing the Jinchuriki, how could I have captured such a powerful enemy? Without Harano Mori's puppets restraining the enemy Jonin, how could I have focused on dealing with the core target? Without Uzuki Tamagotchi's team's fearless assault that tore through the Sunagakure right flank defense, how could my mecha puppets have advanced unimpeded?
On the battlefield, every link is indispensable!

When evaluating merits, we should not only look at who killed the final target, but also at who provided indispensable support at critical moments and who took huge risks!
These elite Jonin played crucial roles in those S-rank missions, made tremendous efforts, and even risked their lives. Why shouldn't they be recognized as one of the main contributors to the missions and awarded S-rank mission merit records?

As for sharing my achievements with them—”

He paused, a hint of amusement in his voice, "My S-rank mission merit records are already piled up like a mountain. A few more or a few less are just numbers to me."

But for them, it is the stepping stone to being promoted to Jonin rank, exchanging for advanced ninjutsu, and proving their own worth!
I choose to give this recognition to my trustworthy comrades who fought alongside me on the battlefield, so that they can receive the honor and promotion they deserve. Isn't that just human nature?

Shouldn't capable and contributing colleagues receive the rewards they deserve?

Then, he glanced at the representatives of the various ninja clans and said meaningfully, "I ask the clan elders here, when completing high-difficulty missions, have the clan elders or the Jonin leading the team ever given the key merit records to the younger members to help them grow quickly?"
Isn't this Konoha's tradition of nurturing the next generation, a manifestation of the Will of Fire?

I, Umino Sasuke, am merely following the will of fire and using this 'training' on my comrades on the battlefield.

What's wrong with that?

These words directly hit the core interests and unspoken rules of the major ninja clans.

Yes! Which major clan doesn't do this? They send their clan's geniuses to run high-level missions with powerful Jonin, while giving the crucial merit records to the younger generation, helping them quickly accumulate the necessary qualifications for promotion.

Sasuke Umino simply extended this "benefit" to the members of the unit he led, and he conducted the evaluation openly and legitimately under the name of "team contribution," with the endorsement of the frontline command. The procedure was completely legal and compliant!

Representatives from various ninja clans, especially those from smaller clans, had their eyes light up instantly.

Their previous opposition stemmed from concerns that such a large increase in the number of Jonin positions would diminish the prestige of their clan's Jonin ranks. However, they now see an even greater opportunity: Umino Sasuke is a veritable S-rank mission achievement record generator!

This is an S-rank mission record!

It's the most stringent requirement for being promoted to the rank of Superior Ninja!

It's the key to unlocking advanced ninjutsu, or even S-rank forbidden techniques!
It is a symbol of family heritage and influence!

Previously, obtaining one required family elites to risk their lives to complete such a difficult task, or to spend a huge amount of money to smooth things over.

And now, Umino Sasuke is actually mass-producing S-rank mission merit records, and he doesn't seem to mind "transferring" them!
Look at the Ino-Shika-Cho trio. Being in a close position, they have the advantage of being the first to benefit. The list clearly shows the names of one special Jonin from each of the three trios. This means that the Ino-Shika-Cho trio have instantly gained another Jonin with voting rights. The temptation is just too great!

Although the Uchiha Fire Core and the Hyuga Clan Chief appeared reserved, their hearts were also stirred. Although the Uchiha were powerful, the number of Jonin who actually had voting rights was limited due to the limited number of positions in the Security Force and the suppression by the Hokage lineage.

If we can "trade" some S-rank mission records from Umino Sasuke, allowing the elites within the clan who meet the strength requirements but lack sufficient merit to be promoted, the clan's power will be genuinely enhanced.

The situation is similar for the Hyuga clan.

Koharu Utatane herself was speechless. Her clan's power was far inferior to that of the Uchiha and Hyuga clans, and they were more eager to increase the number of Jonin positions. Her earlier accusations, driven by her own clan's interests, now seemed pale and powerless.

She even began to regret her actions, wondering if she shouldn't have opposed it so vehemently. Perhaps she could have spoken to Umino Sasuke privately?

Hiruzen Sarutobi's expression was uncertain. He fully understood what Sasuke Umino was doing. He was using the rules to openly "wholesale" Jonin, and no one could find any fault with him. Instead, it made the various ninja clans uneasy.

At this moment, Hiruzen Sarutobi was quite conflicted. Letting Sasuke Unno take the title of "major contributor" to these glorious achievements would indeed weaken the aura of Sasuke Unno's personal heroism and reduce the threat to his personal prestige, which was undoubtedly beneficial to him.

He could promote a large number of new Jonin, which would dilute the power of the existing Jonin group, especially his ability as Hokage to control the Jonin group by controlling the promotion channels, which would be greatly weakened.

This is extremely detrimental to his control of power.

However, most of the people on the list are frontline veterans with real mission achievements. However, Orochimaru has already gone to the frontline to serve as a commander, and Akimichi Torifu and Umino Sasuke are far away from the frontline. If handled properly, it is not impossible to win over these newly promoted Jonin.

More importantly, public opinion and the attitudes of the major ninja clans have completely sided with Umino Sasuke. Forcibly rejecting him would not only confirm his reputation for suppressing meritorious individuals and being narrow-minded, but would also completely offend those ninja clans that are eager to obtain S-rank mission records, including allies like the Ino-Shika-Cho trio.

Weighing the pros and cons, Hiruzen Sarutobi took a deep breath, forcibly suppressing his displeasure, and forced a "fair" smile onto his face.

"Alright, Xiaochun, there's no need to be too harsh. What Squad Leader Haiye said makes sense. On the battlefield, teamwork is crucial. When evaluating merits, it's only right to fully acknowledge the contributions of key support personnel. I trust the character of Qufeng and Zuoyun, so their jointly confirmed merit records are naturally valid."

He picked up the list, glanced at it, and said loudly, "Since the merits are genuine and the procedures are compliant, I approve this promotion nomination! Effective immediately, the eighteen Special Jonin listed here are officially promoted to Konoha Jonin! I hope you will continue your efforts and make new contributions to Konoha!"

"Hokage-sama is wise!"

Congratulations to all the newly promoted Jonin!

"Lord Iron Wall is so generous and righteous!"

Cheers erupted again, especially from the colleagues and members of the units to which the eighteen nominees belonged.

The representatives of the various ninja clans looked at Umino Sasuke with eagerness and a desire to make friends.

They were all plotting how to get in touch with Umino, the "Jonin-producing machine," and secure a valuable promotion opportunity for their own protégés.

As Hiruzen Sarutobi watched the noisy scene and Sasuke Umino being fawned over, alarm bells rang in his mind, and a deep sense of exhaustion welled up inside him.

Fearing that Umino Sasuke might come up with another surprising suggestion, he immediately announced loudly:
"Today's business is done! Mitomon Homura has been executed, the new advisors and elders have been appointed, the Jonin class leader has taken office, and many important matters have been agreed upon!"

Your Excellency the Chancellor of the Exchequer must be well during your journey and need not wait any longer.

The heroes of Konoha also need rest. Everyone, you may all leave!

He waved his hand, his tone carrying an unquestionable authority, and the secret service immediately began to direct the crowd.

This upheaval that shook the entire Hidden Leaf Village finally came to a temporary end with Hiruzen Sarutobi's forceful conclusion.

The commotion in front of Konoha's gates finally subsided, and the lights in the Hokage Building gradually went out.

Discussions about this earth-shattering event are like ripples stirred up by a boulder thrown into a calm lake, spreading at an astonishing speed to every corner of Konoha.

At the heart of this storm is not the downfall of Mitokado Homura, but rather the terrifying battle record of Umino Sasuke, the "half-god of Konoha," and his legendary story of generously "sharing" his S-rank mission achievements to help others advance to Jonin.

These stories spread like wildfire throughout every corner of Konoha.

Countless Chunin and Special Jonin stationed in their village, yearning to make a name for themselves but lacking the opportunity, felt a burning flame in their hearts. As long as they followed Lord Iron Wall, they would have a visible future and the path to becoming a Jonin within reach!

"Have you heard? Tekudo from the original Mobile Support Force, the guy who used to be at the bottom of our class, has now become a Jonin!"

"More than that! Ehiko, who works as a private tutor for others every day, used to be only a Chunin. But after going to the front lines with Lord Iron Wall, he came back as a Jonin and even became the Guardian Ninja of the Daimyo of the Land of Rivers. His future is limitless!"

"The most outrageous thing is the puppet army. Most of those three hundred ninjas weren't even Chunin before they went in, and now, in such a short time, they're all at least Chunin! Commander Harano Mori is practically a Jonin-level fighter! Several of his deputies have even been Jonin!"

In Konoha's teahouses, training grounds, mission posting areas, and even in ordinary people's izakayas, all the conversations revolved around Umino Sasuke and his troops.

The eyes of countless Chunin and Special Jonin who were stationed in their village and carried out monotonous C-rank patrol missions day after day were red with envy.

They watched as those "old acquaintances" who had once stood shoulder to shoulder with them, or were even far inferior to them, now walked proudly down the street in brand-new Jonin vests, receiving the villagers' awe-inspiring gazes. The flames of envy and jealousy in their hearts almost burned through their chests.

"A Jonin! That's a Jonin!"

A middle-aged special jonin with a scar on his face took a big gulp of cheap sake, his voice hoarse and even growling, "I've been risking my life at the border outpost for over a decade, completing twenty-two A-rank missions and one S-rank mission. I've long had enough merit points, just missing one S-rank mission merit record! I'm stuck on that one mission merit record! But now, those logistics ninjas under Lord Iron Wall, who even clean up the battlefield for the mecha puppets, can get S-rank mission merit records and be rated as jonin, it's infuriating!"

He slammed his fist on the table, causing the wine bowl to jump.

“Who says otherwise!” A younger Chunin standing nearby had longing and fervor in his eyes. “I heard that Lord Ironwall takes special care of his subordinates. It doesn’t matter if you’re not talented. As long as you’re willing to work hard, dare to fight, and follow orders, he’ll find a way to lead you to do ‘big things’!”
Weren't those guys from the original Mobile Force just patrolling cannon fodder and ragtag troops at the beginning? And now? Even the worst of them are top-tier Chunin! There are tons of Special Jonin!

Following Lord Iron Wall isn't about going to your death, it's about gaining prestige! It's about earning merit and paving the way for a brighter future!

"To become a Jonin and establish a ninja clan!" In a corner, a taciturn special Jonin with remarkably pure chakra fluctuations muttered to himself, his eyes gleaming with unprecedented ambition.

Becoming a Jonin is not only a recognition of strength, but also means having real status and a voice in Konoha.

The temptation to make enough contributions, become a Jonin, create your own ninja clan, and leave your name in the history of Konoha is quite fatal for any ninja with strength and ambition!
As the discussion continued, Sasuke Umino's generosity was gradually amplified and mythologized.

"Have you heard? Lord Umino doesn't care about those S-rank mission records at all. He's killed so many Sand Ninja Jonin that he has more merit records than he can use. So he's willing to 'distribute' these merit records to his subordinates who helped him at crucial moments. What do you call that? That's called mentoring younger generations. That's true leadership!"

"Yes! Think about those Jonin lords in the past, which one of them didn't hold onto all the credit tightly, afraid that his subordinates would surpass him? But what about Lord Iron Wall? He's afraid that his subordinates won't have enough credit!"

"If you follow a superior like this, as long as you have real skills and are willing to put in the effort, he can promote you! He'll let you see a real future!"

This image of "sharing rewards based on merit" and "promoting younger talent" stands in stark contrast to the practices of certain factions within Konoha's upper echelons who suppress dissent and monopolize promotion channels.

In the eyes of ordinary ninjas, Umino Sasuke was practically synonymous with "enlightened ruler".

Not only is he a brilliant warrior with unparalleled strength, earning him the title of Konoha's demigod, but more importantly, he can also help those who follow him achieve great success!

For a time, "to join the ranks of Lord Iron Wall" became the most fervent desire in the hearts of the lower and middle-ranking ninjas of Konoha.

"Hey, have you heard? It seems the Jonin team is recruiting a new batch of subordinates?"

"Really? Lord Ironwall has just been transferred to be the leader of the Jonin team, so he definitely needs manpower!"

"We have to sign up! Even if we can't get into Lord Iron Wall's direct department, it would be great to be transferred to a department under his jurisdiction! Puppet Technique Training Class? Air Force? Even Ninja Beast Breeding Base? As long as we're under his nose, we have a chance!"

(End of this chapter)