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

Chapter 363 Directly Subordinate Dark Unit
"it is good!!"

"The Grand Elder is mighty!!"

"The Uzumaki clan! Their sealing techniques are unparalleled!!"

"Expand Konoha in one month!!"

Ashina Uzumaki's resolute promise and bold spirit instantly ignited the enthusiasm of the entire audience.

Cheers and shouts of approval resounded through the sky; the news of Konoha's expansion swept through everyone's hearts like a hurricane.

The clan leaders of the various ninja clans had burning eyes and had already begun to plan how to divide the spoils in the new district, while ordinary villagers were excitedly discussing housing price trends and the matter of taking out loans to buy land.

The entire village of Konoha seemed to have already envisioned an even larger and more prosperous future!

Hiruzen Sarutobi was speechless, and could only force a smile and clap along, but his heart was ice-cold. This old man, Ashina Uzumaki, had just taken over the reins and with a little effort, he was able to transform pressure and responsibility into enormous prestige and popular support. With this method and this courage, he felt that an opponent a hundred times more difficult to deal with than Danzo had already firmly taken root in the power center of Konoha.

Seeing that Uzumaki Ashina's reputation was growing, Hiruzen Sarutobi just wanted to end this welcoming ceremony that had made him lose face as soon as possible.

He quickly forced a smile and greeted them warmly, "Senior Ashina, fellow members of the Uzumaki clan, you must be tired from your journey. Please follow me into the village. Konoha has prepared a new clan estate for you. It is in a superior location, right next to the village center, and its area is second only to the Uchiha clan. The environment is tranquil and the facilities are complete. I am sure you will be satisfied!"

He pointed to an area slightly east of the village center, near the Uchiha clan's territory. That area was indeed in an excellent location and was vast in size. In Konoha, where land is now extremely valuable, it would definitely be worth more than 100 million ryo.

Hiruzen Sarutobi's move was also intended to use this "fat piece of meat" to shut up the Uzumaki clan, quell their resentment, and ease tensions.

However, his wishful thinking failed once again.

Within the Whirlpool Clan's ranks, a member who appeared to be in charge peered into the so-called "clan territory," curled his lip, and muttered in a voice neither too loud nor too soft, just loud enough for those around him to hear:

"That's it? This isn't even as big as the back garden of our Daimyo's mansion in the Land of Whirlpools. Sigh, back in the Land of Whirlpools, our clan's territory was nestled between mountains and the sea, covering thousands of acres. It had pavilions, towers, training grounds, sealing towers, and libraries—everything imaginable. Even the courtyards for our servants were more magnificent than this. Truly, it's hard to go from extravagance to frugality..."

His tone was full of "nostalgia" and "loss," and his voice was full of "reluctant acceptance."

Another clansman next to him immediately sighed in agreement: "Yes, the Ninja World War caused our country to fall. It's a blessing to have a place to live. How can we dare to hope for the glory of the past? It's just that the children are suffering. They'll probably have to live together in cramped conditions from now on..."

These words were like invisible slaps, gently striking the faces of Hiruzen Sarutobi and the Konoha leadership.

Their meticulously prepared, priceless "generous gifts" appeared so "shabby" and "aggrieved" in the eyes of the Uzumaki clan, who once possessed a nation. This was hardly an attempt to quell their resentment; it was a silent indictment of Konoha's "mistreatment" and the immense sense of loss caused by sacrificing the Land of Whirlpools. Hiruzen Sarutobi thought he could erase the mistake of sacrificing an ally with a piece of land? Not so easy!

Hiruzen Sarutobi's smile froze completely. His lips twitched a few times, but he couldn't utter a single word. What could he say? Could he say, "Your Land of Whirlpools is gone, so stop being so picky?" That would only make him seem more callous and ungrateful!
Sasuke Umino watched Hiruzen Sarutobi's fascinating expression and sneered inwardly.

He stepped forward and respectfully said to Uzumaki Ashina, "Elder, although the clan's territory is small, its location is acceptable. Rebuilding Konoha is not easy, and resources are limited. Please bear with us for now. Once Konoha is expanded and the new district is completed, we will definitely be able to plan a more spacious clan territory that is more in line with our status."

His words were both a reconciliation and a promise, and also a subtle reminder to everyone that whether the Uzumaki clan could live in a big house depended on whether Konoha could expand smoothly, and the key to the expansion lay in the Barrier Team led by Uzumaki Ashina.

Ashina Uzumaki understood and nodded slightly. It seemed that he had only reluctantly accepted this "small" clan territory out of consideration for Sasuke Umino. Leaning on his cane and supported by Karin Uzumaki, he took the lead and walked towards the gate of Konoha. His old but upright back carried a silent dignity and the weight of vicissitudes.

Although this new territory of the Whirlpool clan is mostly the former territory of the Thousand Hands clan, and its location is indeed excellent, being close to the center of the village and quite large in area, for the Whirlpool clan members who once possessed an entire country and whose territory was as luxurious as a palace, the buildings and spaces here can only be described as "simple" and "cramped".

Elder Ashina of the Uzumaki clan stopped in front of a somewhat dilapidated main house. His aged gaze swept over the rather desolate courtyard and the houses, which were far less grand than those of Uzushio Village. He sighed heavily, his voice not loud, but clearly reaching the ears of every Konoha high-ranking official behind him:

"Alas... In our haste to leave the temple, our home and country were lost. In our haste, most of the wealth, books, and ninja tools accumulated by our clan over a thousand years fell into the hands of those wolves from Kirigakure and Kumogakure. Now, all that's left are us old, weak, women, and children, penniless and living under the roof of others. How are we going to survive from now on..."

His tone contained no accusation, only a heavy sense of sorrow and helplessness.

Before he finished speaking, the Whirlpool Clan members behind him seemed to receive a signal and began to sob or complain in hushed tones.

"Yes, Elder, the little we brought isn't even enough to repair this clan's territory."

"What will happen to the children's training resources in the future? There isn't even a decent training ground!"

"Practicing sealing techniques requires a large amount of special materials. What can we do now?"

"Back in the Land of Whirlpools..."

These voices converged, forming a silent yet immense pressure that weighed heavily on Hiruzen Sarutobi and the Konoha leadership.

This is blatantly a case of feigning poverty and asking Konoha for compensation!

Hiruzen Sarutobi's face turned ashen, cursing inwardly these "stray dogs" for their insatiable greed. They had just acquired a large tract of prime territory and now they wanted money immediately!
However, he was in the wrong first. It was a fact that Konoha had sacrificed its allies. Now that the aggrieved party had come to collect the debt, and was even adopting such a "low" attitude, only asking for some "settlement fee," if he didn't give a single penny, he could forget about his reputation as Hokage. He might even be despised by all the ninja clans as mean and ungrateful.

He suppressed his displeasure, forced a "sorrowful" yet "generous" expression, stepped forward, and promised in a loud voice: "Senior Ashina, fellow Uzumaki comrades, Konoha deeply understands your difficulties. It is Konoha that has failed its allies, causing you all such great losses! Rest assured, Konoha will never stand idly by!"

With a wave of his hand, as if he had made a great decision, he declared: "In the name of the Hokage, I hereby allocate 30 million ryo immediately, specifically for the resettlement and reconstruction of the Uzumaki clan, so that all my fellow countrymen may feel the warmth of home in Konoha!"

Thirty million taels—that's an absolute fortune! It's equivalent to the total reward for completing dozens of S-rank missions. Hiruzen Sarutobi felt he had already suffered a huge financial loss.

However, the reaction of the Whirlpool Clan was not one of gratitude and tears, but rather a suppressed uproar and a more obvious sense of "loss".

"Only thirty million taels?"

“The cost of building a single main hall in our Wochao Village is more than that.”

"Yes, the dowry prepared for Aunt Mito alone was several hundred million taels."

"When Konoha was first established, our Land of Whirlpools contributed a great deal of effort, and now..."

The whispers, though low, were as piercing as needles, their meaning all too clear: Konoha sacrificed our entire nation, and you're offering this paltry sum to a beggar? Who are you insulting?
Although the heads of the various clans present had no expression on their faces, their hearts tightened. Thirty million taels! This was no small amount. It must have been squeezed out of Konoha's already meager public funds. It might even affect the clans' mission bonuses, the funding for the Ninja Academy, and the maintenance of border defense facilities. Although they understood the Hokage's difficulties, who would be happy to lose such a large sum of money that could be allocated?

Their gazes toward Hiruzen Sarutobi carried a hint of reproach, as if to say: It's all your fault for making such a bad decision!

Just as the atmosphere became awkward and delicate again, Umino Sasuke stepped forward at the right time.

His face held just the right amount of embarrassment and sincerity as he first bowed deeply to Ashina Uzumaki:
"Elder, my fellow Uzumaki brothers and sisters, Sasuke knows all too well that the Land of Whirlpools' millennia of accumulation was destroyed by war, and the losses are far more than a hundred million ryo. A mere thirty million ryo is indeed far from enough to make up for even a fraction of your pain, and it cannot even soothe the Uzumaki clan's losses in the slightest."

His words first acknowledged the "huge losses" and "grievances" suffered by the Uzumaki clan, which resonated deeply with them.

Then, he changed the subject, facing Hiruzen Sarutobi and the heads of the various clans, his tone heavy and mindful of the overall situation: "However, I also ask the Grand Elder to understand Konoha's difficulties. After years of ninja war, Konoha has also suffered heavy losses. We need money everywhere to compensate the wounded and the dead, rebuild our homes, and maintain our military. The one-time allocation of 30 million ryo is the greatest sincerity that Konoha can offer, even if it is just scraping together every last penny."

He cleverly changed "thirty million taels" to "a one-time grant of thirty million taels," implying that this was all Konoha could offer, and also blocking any possibility that Hiruzen Sarutobi might try to bargain or pay in installments.

Finally, he looked at Ashina Uzumaki again, his posture extremely humble, even pleading: "Elder, Sasuke is shameless. Please, for the sake of the generations-long friendship between Konoha and the Uzumaki clan, and also for the sake of my Umino clan's aid to the Land of Whirlpools, accept this offer for now and make an exception to help Konoha get through this most difficult period. I, Umino Sasuke, hereby assure you that once Konoha recovers, we will do everything in our power to make amends for the Uzumaki clan's sacrifices and grievances today!"

These words were spoken with compassion and righteousness, showing understanding for the Uzumaki clan's losses, explaining the difficulties of Konoha, and even putting himself and the Umino clan on the line as guarantors, showing utmost humility and giving the Uzumaki clan ample face.

The clan leaders, who were initially dissatisfied with the misappropriation of funds, instantly lost their displeasure upon hearing Umino Sasuke's words, replaced by deep emotion and agreement.

"Yes! The Uzumaki clan lost an entire nation, far more than billions in wealth! What's thirty million ryo? It's just a drop in the ocean! They're already being very lenient by not causing a huge uproar!" "Class monitor Umino is right. Konoha is indeed in a difficult situation right now. Giving this money is a difficult task, but we have no choice but to!"

"The key is that Squad Leader Umino knows how to handle people. Look at what he said! He appeased Uzumaki, protected Konoha's finances, and took the blame himself, giving Uzumaki a huge amount of face!"

'The Umino clan is truly loyal and righteous! For the sake of Konoha, they didn't hesitate to use their own reputation to vouch for the Hokage's mistake! Such a ninja clan is worth befriending!'

For a moment, the representatives of the various clans looked at Umino Sasuke with admiration and affection.

This incident has further solidified the Umino clan's motto of "protecting kindness and repaying debts," as well as Umino Sasuke's personal image of "putting the greater good first and valuing loyalty and righteousness," in people's hearts.

Almost all the families secretly decided to get closer to and cooperate with the Umino clan in the future. Who wouldn't want to deal with such a powerful and righteous ally who can stand up for them in critical moments?

Ashina Uzumaki looked at Sasuke Umino, a barely perceptible hint of approval flashing in his eyes, knowing that the time was almost right.

He sighed deeply, as if making a huge concession, and waved his hand wearily: "Fine, fine, Sasuke, I can't refuse your face. Hiruzen, our Uzumaki clan will accept this thirty million ryo. I hope you will remember the hardships Konoha faces today, and also remember the sacrifices and grievances our Uzumaki clan has made for it."

His words both accepted the compensation and reiterated the "sacrifice" and "grievance," nailing Konoha, especially Hiruzen Sarutobi, to the pillar of moral debt.

Hiruzen Sarutobi was so frustrated he almost suffered internal injuries. He had clearly bled, but the other party acted as if he was reluctantly suffering and had suffered a great injustice, while he had to be grateful to the other party for being "wise and understanding".

He could only force a smile and nod repeatedly: "Definitely! Definitely! Konoha will never forget the contributions and sacrifices of the Uzumaki clan!"

This turmoil was temporarily quelled thanks to Sasuke Umino's mediation.

In the following days, news of the Uzumaki clan's entry into Konoha continued to spread.

The historical ties between the Uzumaki clan and Konoha were constantly being explored and publicized. The headband of Konoha originated from the Uzumaki clan emblem, the Uzumaki clan was a distant relative of the Senju clan, the wife of the First Hokage came from Uzumaki, and the Land of Whirlpools was once Konoha's most steadfast ally... These stories quickly spread among the villagers.

Although the Uzumaki clan is far weaker than the Uchiha and Hyuga clans today, their profound historical heritage, powerful sealing techniques, and noble status as a royal family have given them a unique and transcendent position in Konoha. They are like another "fallen Senju," but with more cohesion and influence than the Senju who have completely integrated into the common people.

More importantly, after Ashina Uzumaki became an advisor elder, he took office the very next day and went straight to the barrier class.

Taking charge of the barrier class, there were almost no obstacles.

This was not only because it was within his authority, but also because it represented the earnest expectations of almost all the ninja clans and villagers of Konoha. Everyone hoped that the barrier would expand as soon as possible so that Konoha could be expanded and they could get a share of the benefits.

Hiruzen Sarutobi did want to sabotage things secretly, delay them, or plant people to hinder them, but without Danzo and Homura's help, and with Koharu heartbroken, he quickly realized in despair that he had no way to make a move. Although most of the ninjas in the barrier team came from small and medium-sized clans, they might have previously respected the Hokage's wishes, but now, the prestige of Ashina Uzumaki and the huge interests he represented, and more importantly, the efforts of the major ninja clans, had led most of them to side with the Grand Elder.

Anyone who tries to obstruct the work of the barrier team will be torn to pieces by the other covetous ninja clans without Ashina Uzumaki even having to say a word.

Furthermore, in order to "ensure the safety of the Grand Elder and the smooth progress of his work," various clans, including the Uchiha, proactively dispatched elite ninjas to form a temporary guard team. Ostensibly, they were at the behest of the Barrier Team, but in reality, they also had the intention of monitoring and obtaining information about the expansion as soon as possible.

Akimichi Torifu seized the opportunity and once again proposed at the high-level meeting: "Senior Ashina bears a heavy responsibility for the safety of Konoha's barrier. How can he not have a reliable force by his side? I think these good people sent by various families are quite good. Why not formally incorporate them into the Anbu sequence as the Grand Elder's direct Anbu force, specifically responsible for the security of the barrier team, as well as carrying out special tasks related to the Grand Elder's authority."

This proposal was immediately approved by all the high-ranking officials except for Hiruzen Sarutobi.

The Anbu is the Hokage's direct force, a symbol of power and status!
Previously, only the Hokage and his closest confidants could control a portion of the Anbu, and it was extremely difficult for any major clan to send someone in. Now, Ashina Uzumaki is going to have his own directly subordinate Anbu, and it seems that the quota is open to all major clans? Although the Grand Elder demanded that half of the quota be given to commoner ninjas, at least the quota has been opened to the major ninja clans.

This is a godsend!

Koharu Tsurugi was the first to agree to the proposal, thus dispelling some of the elder's previous misunderstandings.

Hyuga Muneyoshi also agreed without hesitation, seeing this as an opportunity to curry favor with the Hyuga clan.

With the full support of the Nara, Yamanaka, and Akimichi clans, entering the Dark Side was a rare opportunity.

Even Uchiha Hikaru, after a brief but intense internal struggle, slowly raised his hand: "The Uchiha clan seconds this proposal."

Akimichi Torifu seized the opportunity to humbly say, "The safety of the Grand Elder is a matter of great importance to Konoha, and he should be protected with sufficient strength. Moreover, Elder Utatane and I each have two squadrons of directly subordinate Anbu. Given the Grand Elder's status and responsibilities, it is reasonable for him to be assigned three squadrons."

Upgrading the organization to three squadrons already makes it a military force that should not be underestimated!
Hiruzen Sarutobi looked at the group of "traitors" in front of him, his heart bleeding. But without Danzo and Homura, he was isolated and helpless, and had no way to oppose this "reasonable" proposal that had the support of everyone.

He could only watch helplessly as Uzumaki Ashina easily acquired three entire squadrons, nearly thirty elite members of his direct ANBU force. Although this force was nominally part of the Konoha ANBU system, command was entirely controlled by Uzumaki Ashina. A significant portion of its members came from various clans and were bound to Uzumaki Ashina's interests, so they would not obey his orders at all.

In this way, Ashina Uzumaki not only gained control of the Barrier Team, a powerful department, but also possessed a strong private army. Furthermore, by allocating ANBU slots, he established direct ties of interest with the vast majority of Konoha's ninja clans, firmly establishing himself in Konoha and causing his power to expand rapidly.

Afterwards, Uchiha Hiko even personally visited Uzumaki Ashina to thank him for accepting an Uchiha ninja into the direct ANBU. This had been a long-cherished wish of the Uchiha since Uchiha Kagami. The two had a very pleasant conversation, and the previous estrangement caused by their different factions seemed to have melted away considerably.

At this point, the only remaining ninja clan in Konoha that still harbored significant hostility and fear towards the Uzumaki clan was perhaps the Sarutobi clan and its staunch vassals. With the three clans of fish, birds, dogs, and beasts also explicitly expressing their support for the Uzumaki clan's work, the Uzumaki clan's position in Konoha was now unshakeable.

The effect of the Uzumaki clan taking charge of the barrier class was immediate.

Under the personal guidance of Ashina Uzumaki and the Uzumaki clan's superb sealing techniques, Konoha's vast and complex barrier system began to operate with unprecedented efficiency.

In just over ten days, the barrier's defensive strength increased by more than 30%, and its sensing range expanded by nearly two times. The vast forests and wastelands that were originally excluded by the barrier were instantly brought into the safe zone, and even pushed to the edge of the Death Forest.

The expansion plan for Konoha was also put on the agenda.

Planning, surveying, bidding, and other work continued to be carried out. Konoha was like a machine that had been suddenly injected with a huge amount of fuel, running wildly.

Thanks to their close cooperation with the Uzumaki clan, the Umino clan had the advantage of proximity and a massive cash flow, allowing them to grab the biggest and most lucrative slice of the pie in this lavish feast and acquire development rights to a large area of ​​prime land.

Other major families also got a share of the pie, more or less, by virtue of their own strength and connections, and each of them made a fortune.

The entire village of Konoha was immersed in a frenzied atmosphere of construction.

The villagers cheered and talked about the new district's plans, housing price trends, and future business opportunities. Everyone praised the Uzumaki clan, saying that their addition made Konoha stronger and more prosperous.

Ashina Uzumaki's prestige was unparalleled for a time.

However, beneath this prosperity, something unpleasant happened that once again refreshed Umino Sasuke's understanding of Hiruzen Sarutobi.

Hiruzen Sarutobi initially promised to allocate 30 million ryo as resettlement funds to the Uzumaki clan, but when the funds finally arrived, only 10 million ryo were actually received.

It wasn't that anyone was so audacious as to embezzle the Grand Elder's funds; the problem lay with Hiruzen Sarutobi himself. He played an extremely "clever" word game and manipulated the funds.

His public declaration that "amounting 30 million ryo to the Uzumaki clan" was correct, but he secretly divided the 30 million ryo into two parts: 10 million ryo was allocated to the Uzumaki clan in Konoha; the other 20 million ryo was given directly to the Land of Waves through official channels under the name of "Konoha's aid to the remnants of the Land of Whirlpools"!

His reasoning was high-sounding: "The main body of the Land of Whirlpools has been destroyed, and most of the Uzumaki clan now live in the Land of Waves, where they are under the protection of the Land of Waves. As an ally, Konoha appreciates the Land of Waves' righteous act and is therefore allocating funds to provide assistance as a sign of friendship, to jointly shoulder the responsibility of raising the remaining Uzumaki clan. Moreover, the Land of Waves has a more mature commercial system, so these funds can be used more effectively and benefit more Uzumaki clan members."

This move is a prime example of "preferring to give to friendly nations rather than to domestic slaves"!

(End of this chapter)