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

Chapter 445 Struggle of Interests
This question struck the hearts of every ninja representative like a heavy hammer.

Danzo was right.

No matter how many reasons or how much dissatisfaction they have, they cannot change the undeniable fact that Danzo's Konoha army achieved an epic victory without their support.

Faced with such a brilliant record, any doubts about the arrangements for this battle seem pale and powerless, even somewhat laughable.

Should we deliberately miss opportunities and risk defeat so that they can bask in the credit?
The tent fell silent instantly. The once aggressive ninja representatives were now like ducks with their necks being choked, their faces flushed, speechless, unable to utter a single word in rebuttal.

With his truly astonishing military achievements, Danzo used the most forceful and direct approach to forcefully suppress all their questions and dissatisfaction.

Danzo felt an unprecedented sense of overwhelming pleasure, and a look of near intoxication flashed in his single eye. The feeling of having the right to rule was just too good.

Just as Danzo's momentum was growing stronger and he was about to crush all the ninja clan representatives, Hyuga Muneyoshi, who had been silent all along, suddenly let out a cold laugh.

His white pupils turned to Danzo, his voice low but all-knowing: "Elder Danzo, there is something I don't understand. As far as I know, in this decisive battle, from tactical planning to on-the-spot command, it seems that it was all the credit of Squad Leader Unno. How come, in Elder Danzo's mouth, this enormous credit has all been given to you alone?"

These words were sharp and hit the nail on the head.

The ninja representative, who had been intimidated by Danzo's imposing aura, suddenly brightened up upon hearing this, as if he had grasped a lifeline.

"That's right! Isn't it Umino Sasuke who's in command of the operation?"

"That's right! We've all heard about it. It was Squad Leader Umino who saw through Onoki's plot and set up the ambush!"

"Danzo, you're just using your position as commander-in-chief to steal credit from others!"

Suddenly, the blame was once again placed on Danzo, but this time, the focus shifted to who deserved the credit.

Faced with this sudden accusation, Danzo's face darkened, and he was about to retort.

At that moment, the ninth clone stepped forward, waved his hand, and had an almost "pedantic" righteousness on his face.

He said calmly, “Gentlemen, Elder Danzo is the commander-in-chief of the front line, and he is naturally in charge of all military operations. I, Umino Sasuke, have only fulfilled the duties of a Konoha ninja. The credit belongs to all Konoha comrades who participated in the war, and to Elder Danzo’s wise decision. How can it be attributed to me alone?”

His words were spoken in a grand and righteous manner, completely absolving himself of any responsibility, and portraying him as an honest man who was indifferent to fame and fortune and only knew how to be loyal to the village. He was just another version of Hatake Sagumo.

Seeing his posture, a glint of light flashed in Hyuga Muneyoshi's eyes. He originally thought that Umino Sasuke was young and impetuous, with outstanding military achievements, and would find it hard to tolerate having his merits stolen and his military power lost. He thought this would be a good opportunity to provoke him to fight against Danzo, so that the ninja clan could benefit from it.

Unexpectedly, Umino Sasuke was so pedantic and politically naive that he willingly relinquished his immense achievements and frontline command to Danzo!

'After losing his leg, did he also lose his will to live?' Hyuga Muneyoshi felt a slight sense of disdain. 'Or perhaps I've been overthinking things, and he's really like Hatake Sagumo, just a pure, perfect ninja who doesn't understand political maneuvering at all?'

Upon hearing Umino Sasuke's words, Danzo felt much more at ease and confident. He gave a cold snort to the ninja representative, his aura greatly increased.

The argument ended inconclusively amidst a tense and resentful atmosphere, but the conflict between Danzo and the various ninja clans of Konoha was now fully brought to the forefront.

More accurately, it was merely a test by the Konoha ninja clan to seize more power after Hiruzen Sarutobi's defeat, the loss of his direct forces, and the decline of the Hokage lineage.

In the eyes of these ninja clans, Danzo and Hiruzen Sarutobi formed the Hokage faction, and their ninja clan faction was naturally an enemy.

Although Danzo and Hiruzen Sarutobi have conflicts, they will definitely stand together when faced with factional struggles, just like the Hyuga and Uchiha clans. They are usually enemies, but they cooperate very well when facing pressure from the Hokage faction.

That's how political struggles are: there are no permanent enemies, nor permanent friends, only interests.

After the argument ended, Hyuga Muneyoshi dismissed everyone and found "Umino Sasuke" alone in the temporary barracks, fiddling with some scrolls and instruments, looking like he was busy with research.

"Squad Leader Umino." Hyuga Muneyoshi cut to the chase, his white pupils fixed on him. "Danzo is a wolf in sheep's clothing. Now, riding the wave of victory, he has seized control of the frontline troops. If we allow him to grow too powerful, he will surely become a thorn in Konoha's side, and a disaster for both of us! Your Umino clan will also suffer greatly! As long as you are willing to stand up and reclaim the military and command power that rightfully belongs to you, my Hyuga clan, and indeed all the major ninja clans of Konoha, will give you our full support!"

He paused briefly, then offered an even greater temptation: "Now that the Third Hokage has suffered a defeat and his prestige has been greatly damaged, the position of Fourth Hokage will inevitably be vacant once the war ends. With your ability to turn the tide, save the frontline army, annihilate Iwagakure, and your previous illustrious achievements, coupled with the full support of the Konoha ninja clans, your ascension to the Hokage position is practically guaranteed!"

Sasuke Umino simply raised his head, a bitter and helpless smile appearing on his face. He pointed to his cold prosthetic limbs and shook his head.
"Clan Chief Zongyan is joking. I am now crippled, and I need to rely on external objects to even stand. How can I lead a large army? How can I serve as the Hokage of a village? What will become of the reputation of Konoha and the Land of Fire if a disabled person becomes the Hokage? This matter should not be mentioned again."

Hyuga Muneyoshi frowned, unwilling to give up, and advised, "Strength and prestige are the fundamentals! How can a mere disability stop a true powerhouse? Did the First Hokage pacify the chaotic world because of his appearance?"

Umino Sasuke shook his head again, his tone filled with deep weariness and stubbornness: "I appreciate Clan Chief Muneyoshi's kindness, but... I really have no mind to think about anything else right now."

He picked up a scroll containing the preliminary concept of the forbidden Yang Release Body Regeneration Technique, and a hint of fervor and anticipation flashed in his eyes.

"Right now, I just want to focus on studying forbidden medical techniques, hoping to unravel the secrets of Yang Release as soon as possible and let these legs grow back. Only in this way can I... can I become a perfect ninja again."

As he spoke, he unconsciously adjusted his posture, making his prosthetic limbs more clearly visible to Hyuga Muneyoshi.

Hyuga Muneyoshi subconsciously activated his Byakugan. In his vision, the legs were indeed cold mechanical creations, but the strength of the life-active energy contained within the prosthetics and the ingenuity of their structure far exceeded his imagination.

This Sasuke Umino, his expertise in mechanical and biotechnology is so unfathomable.

He was shocked, but showed no sign of it on his face.

Sasuke Umino pressed his advantage, his face displaying just the right amount of pleading.

"Clan Chief Muneyoshi, your Hyuga clan has a thousand-year history, and your understanding of Gentle Fist and the human body's pressure points and meridians is unparalleled in the ninja world. You must also have unique insights into the Yang Release's life force. To be honest, although I have some ideas, I have always struggled to break through the key to Yang Release's ability to stimulate physical regeneration. If you could provide some ancient texts or research insights, Sasuke would be extremely grateful! In my heart, the Hyuga's understanding of Yang Release is by no means inferior to the Uchiha's mastery of Yin Release!" His words were clearly flattering, but to Hyuga Muneyoshi's ears, they were quite grating.

The Hyuga clan has a far greater number of Jonin with voting rights than the Uchiha clan, and with numerous allies and strong political influence, it is truly the number one ninja clan in Konoha.

"The mysteries of Yang Release are indeed profound and extensive. My Hyuga clan does have some knowledge of it. If it is of any help to Captain Umino's research, I will have someone make a copy and send it to him later."

"Thank you, Clan Chief Muneyoshi!" Sasuke Umino showed a look of "surprise" on his face, but then quickly regained his serious expression.

"If Chief Zongyan has any instructions in the future, please come to me. I will do my best to help. As for the matter of military power, please forgive me for being unable to devote myself to it. Since Elder Danzo was able to lead everyone to victory, it should be fine for him to continue to command. Everything should be based on the interests of the village."

Seeing that Umino Sasuke was so unyielding and determined to be a research geek, Hyuga Muneyoshi's last hope was shattered. He gave Umino Sasuke a deep look, said nothing more, and turned to leave the barracks.

Outside the barracks, representatives from various ninja clans immediately gathered around.

"Clan Chief Muneoshi, how did the talks go?" Fugaku Uchiha asked anxiously.

Hyuga Muneyoshi shook his head, his face showing undisguised disappointment: "Umino Sasuke's legs are crippled, and he has lost his will to fight. Now he only thinks about how to restore his legs. Like Orochimaru, he only wants to do scientific research and has no interest in power struggles. He is even less willing to fight against Danzo. We can't count on him."

"What?!" Fugaku Uchiha exclaimed incredulously. "Doesn't he even want to be Hokage at all?!"

The other ninja clan representatives also showed expressions of disappointment and anxiety.

Fugaku Uchiha even looked at Muneyoshi Hyuga with suspicion: "Clan Head Muneyoshi, this matter concerns our common interests. You wouldn't be trying to eliminate your strongest rival just because you want to become Hokage yourself..."

Hyuga Muneyoshi's face darkened: "Clan Chief Fugaku, don't talk nonsense! This is the time when we need to unite the most. How can we fight amongst ourselves because of suspicion? Everything I've said is true. If you don't believe me, you can ask me yourself!"

Seeing this, other ninja clan representatives also stepped in to smooth things over.

“Fugaku, Clan Chief Muneyoshi is right, now is not the time for infighting.”

"Yes, Danzo is powerful now and hostile to our ninja clan. We must join forces to deal with him!"

"With the Third Hokage's defeat and the weakening of the Hokage lineage, this is a golden opportunity for our ninja clan to regain control of the narrative. We must not miss it!"

Driven by shared interests and external pressure, the Hyuga and Uchiha clans temporarily set aside their historical grudges and competition and decided to unite against the rising power of Danzo and the Hokage's faction.

Their goal is simple: to establish an elders' council dominated by ninja clans, just like in Sunagakure, and to give them control over the fundamental power of Konoha.

At the front lines, undercurrents are swirling. Danzo and the Konoha ninja clans are on the verge of war due to their struggle for interests, while within Konoha Village, the situation is also changing rapidly.

The Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, finally returned to the village, having recovered considerably from his injuries.

Previously, he had exhausted his chakra while being pursued by Onoki and the Explosion Release squad. He only managed to escape to the Enma clan's territory by using the Reverse Summoning Technique, thus saving his life.

After recovering from his injury for more than half a month, and as soon as his condition stabilized, he rushed back.

However, what awaited him was not the villagers' concern, but the swarming questioning and infighting from the Konoha ninja forces led by Uchiha Hikaru.

The atmosphere in the Hokage's office was so heavy it was almost palpable.

Uchiha Hikaru's hair and beard were all white, but he was still vigorous, his old eyes gleaming with sharp light as he questioned Hiruzen Sarutobi without any politeness:

"Hiruzen Sarutobi! In the western front, as Hokage, you underestimated the enemy and advanced recklessly, leading to our army's crushing defeat. The Fire Release battalion was wiped out, and the Anbu suffered heavy casualties! With such a major setback, as Hokage, shouldn't you give the village and the families of all the fallen ninjas an explanation?!"

His voice was loud and his presence imposing.

Hiruzen Sarutobi sat in the Hokage's seat, his hands gripping the armrests tightly, his knuckles turning white from the force.

He could clearly feel the indifferent, scrutinizing, or gloating glances cast by the other ninja representatives in the office.

He wanted to refute, to explain how the battlefield situation could change in an instant, but defeat was defeat.

With the annihilation of the Fire Release battalion and the loss of its core forces, the interests within Konoha Village are limited. It's a matter of the West Wind prevailing over the East Wind, or vice versa. No wonder the various ninja clans would seize the opportunity to launch an attack.

"Clan Chief Fire Core! As the Hokage, I naturally bear the responsibility for the defeat in battle! However, I will explain the specific reasons to the elders and the entire village after the war is completely over! The most urgent task at present is to stabilize the situation on the front lines and handle the post-war matters!"

Hiruzen Sarutobi took a deep breath, trying to suppress everything with the authority of the Hokage, just like before.

"Stable?" Uchiha Fire Core sneered. "The front lines are quite stable right now! Elder Danzo and Squad Leader Umino fought a brilliant victory, annihilating the main force of Iwagakure! In comparison, Hiruzen's command this time seems... heh heh!"

That "heh heh" was filled with endless sarcasm, like a poisonous thorn that pierced Hiruzen Sarutobi's heart.

He looked around, his heart turning cold. Danzo was far away on the front lines, holding a large army and immense merit, yet his attitude remained ambiguous. His loyal follower, Mitokado Homura, was dead. Koharu Utatane, no longer wanting to take the blame, had become estranged from him and was now silent, her eyes downcast. Elder Ashina Uzumaki already harbored resentment towards him because of the destruction of his country…

For the first time, Hiruzen Sarutobi felt so clearly that his position as Hokage was so precarious, even more unstable than when he had just taken office and faced numerous internal and external pressures.

(End of this chapter)