Uchiha's personal opinion

“Uchiha…”

A soft whisper echoed in the Hokage's office...

……

On the other side, the Uchiha Preparatory Training Academy, which had been established for two years, was thriving, with its students full of energy.

After all, whether they were Uchiha police officers who had been "retrained" from the police department or newly recruited members, they had all learned a lot of novel and practical ninja skills in this police department academy, which was called a "training institution" but actually functioned as an "enhanced ninja academy".

The various Uchiha clans also broke down some barriers between different factions and relaxed restrictions on the inheritance of ninjutsu. Some low-level Uchiha ancestral ninjutsu, as well as a large number of ninjutsu of the five elements copied by generations of Uchiha clansmen using the Sharingan, were thrown into the police department's preparatory training school for them to learn.

Although it lacks the core ninjutsu passed down through the clan, the low-level Uchiha ninjutsu is sufficient for ordinary Uchiha clan members; although the ninjutsu copied by the Sharingan may differ from the original ninjutsu in terms of power, casting time, and chakra consumption, it is still better than nothing.

Based on the different educational content, if the Konoha Ninja Academy is at the elementary school level, then the Uchiha Police Department Preparatory Training Academy is at least at the vocational school level, and it is a complete ninja education system from elementary school to vocational school.

The Uchiha clan's actions and treatment truly made many commoner ninjas drool with envy, and even many other ninja clans felt extremely jealous.

After all, ninjutsu is the foundation of a ninja's survival.

In Konoha, someone like the Uchiha clan, who openly shared their ninjutsu lineage, was absolutely unique – a scorpion among them.

Even if many of the ninjutsu taught in the so-called Uchiha academy are copies of Sharingan techniques, for ordinary ninjas, having one more ninjutsu means one more chance to survive. Why bother with those irrelevant things? Besides, they can't even learn these techniques if they want to.

Therefore, even though the Hokage faction was still intentionally or unintentionally manipulating public opinion to attack the Uchiha's domineering style of the police department and the "split" behavior of the preparatory training school, the Uchiha clan's status in the hearts of ordinary ninjas had improved over the past two years. In order to obtain some insignificant ninjutsu leaked from the Uchiha, a large number of ordinary civilian ninjas tried various tricks to befriend the Uchiha clan.

At the suggestion of Uchiha Tokumitsu and under the instruction of Elder Setsuna, the Police Department's Preparatory Training Academy enrolled some children from affiliated minor ninja clans who had been on good terms with the Uchiha clan for generations. It also accepted some civilian ninjas who were friends with the Uchiha clan to receive "training." Although these people might not be able to work in the Uchiha clan's exclusive Police Department, they could still learn a lot of practical Five Elements ninjutsu.

Therefore, although the Uchiha were as arrogant, indifferent, cold, and contemptuous as ever, they couldn't resist the enthusiasm of the commoner ninjas—after all, the Uchiha had given so much!

During these two years, Uchiha Tokumitsu was not idle. He not only awakened his Sharingan to the double tomoe stage, but also greatly improved his chakra reserves and physical abilities as he grew older. Furthermore, he developed various mental attack techniques based on the Yin Release secrets passed down in his clan, combined with his powerful mental strength. At the same time, he served as an instructor at the police department's preparatory training academy, mainly to hone his combat skills as a training opponent. He also secretly participated in many combat missions issued by his clan. Therefore, although he was only eight years old, through tireless training and combat, Uchiha Tokumitsu's combat strength was already enough to easily defeat a senior Chunin and could hold his own against an ordinary Jonin. Within the Uchiha clan, he could be considered a prodigy.

Of course, the flourishing of the Uchiha clan at this time also made many people in the village increasingly displeased, among whom was the legendary "Nabekage" - Shimura Danzo.

However, the increasingly tense atmosphere of war in the ninja world and the constant outbreak of small-scale conflicts consumed most of Danzo's energy. In addition, his Anbu training department, which was also the Root, was newly established and weak. Compared with the current Uchiha clan, it was nothing more than a chicken and a dog. Although he was resentful and unwilling, Danzo could only endure it at this time. He secretly manipulated public opinion to isolate the Uchiha clan. But to the Uchiha clan, the words of ordinary villagers who were not even ninjas were worthless. They were like ants barking in front of an elephant. If they even glanced at them, they would lose.

Thus, while the Uchiha clan was gaining momentum and the situation seemed very favorable, the Second Shinobi World War quietly began...

Chapter 15 Prelude to War

From Konoha Year 28 to Konoha Year 30.

Over the past two years, the turmoil and conflicts in the ninja world have intensified. From exchanging a few words when ninjas from different factions met, to throwing shuriken and explosive tags at each other, to seizing opportunities to strike ruthlessly once a trace is discovered, the relationship between the major ninja villages has gone from being slightly tense to the brink of collapse.

Although Uchiha Tokumitsu was young, his strength was not to be underestimated. With his excellent ninja talent and extremely high chakra control, coupled with the unreserved cramming teaching of the radical Uchiha faction led by Elder Setsuna, Uchiha Tokumitsu became a "genius of his generation".

As a member of the Uchiha clan with some strategic acumen, and as a destabilizing element within the Hokage Building, Uchiha Tokumitsu was inevitably drawn into the impending Fourth Shinobi World War.

The clan needs a hero with outstanding military achievements to step forward and carry the banner, to make the Uchiha clan's reputation resound. In this way, both its prestige in the village and its influence in the ninja world can be revitalized, and the clan can take on more private jobs. Meanwhile, the Hokage faction is also looking for an opportunity to set up a decisive trap to throw the unstable elements into it and wear them down, thus eliminating the thorn in their side.

From the moment Uchiha Tokumitsu began receiving the clan's teachings and was intentionally or unintentionally regarded as a role model, he was prepared to stand up for the clan and act as a "cannon fodder," just like a gang's red stick who always had to step forward and fight a few fierce battles to gain the respect of the crowd.

Of course, as the face of the younger generation of the radical Uchiha clan, he naturally didn't need to team up with the other rabble from the village and throw himself into the meat grinder of the Fourth Shinobi World War. He might even be able to pick and choose a few crippled enemy Jonin under the protection of his clan members to boost his reputation.

……

At this moment, in the Hokage Building, the Konoha F4 were analyzing the intelligence they had just obtained.

"The ninjas from the Land of Rain have already been mobilized to the border?"

The Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, kept puffing on his pipe, his brow furrowed, and said, "It seems war is unavoidable."

"Yes, the ninja forces deployed by the Land of Rain on the border are now stronger than our border troops. If war breaks out, our border troops will probably be unable to resist."

"This is what Mitokado Homura, who is in charge of intelligence work in the Land of Rain, said."

Where is Hanzo?

"The old man with the ventilator is still in Amegakure. The one who led the team to the border is his trusted Jonin."

Danzo interjected.

"In the end, it's because you're too weak! You actually let a small Amegakure village dare to be so arrogant! Hiruzen, you should have listened to me a long time ago. If you had deployed in time, the border troops could have taken the initiative to wipe out this Amegakure rabble! And made them never dare to act rashly again!"

Danzo glared at Hiruzen Sarutobi with his beady green eyes and spoke sarcastically without any mercy.

"Where are we going to get people? The village is already overwhelmed with tasks. We can't just dump all your roots there, can we?"

The Third Hokage gave Danzo a sarcastic reply.

"What about Mimura Yomaki? With the troops he commands, he should be able to wipe out this group of Rain Ninja, right?" Advisor Utatane Koharu frowned, clearly not satisfied with the performance of the border troops' military commander.

“Some of the ninja under Jonin Mimura have been transferred to the Land of Rivers to assist Jonin Hakuun in setting up defenses. Recently, Sunagakure has been making some unusual moves.” The Third Hokage said, smoking his pipe, looking slightly tired amidst the swirling smoke.

"The Sand Village actually dares to get involved?" Advisor Koharu Utatane said with a mixture of disdain and apprehension.

"Hmph, if Hiruzen had listened to me and taken the initiative to defeat that old man from Amegakure, none of this mess would have happened. In the end, it's because you're too weak, Hiruzen!" Danzo was still indignant, feeling that Sarutobi was foolish, Mitomon was incompetent, and that it was really tiring for Konoha's F4 to be supported by him alone.

"The ninjas remaining in the village are sustained by missions. Once a large-scale mobilization is launched, the village must allocate funds in full to cover military expenses and ninja tools, which is difficult to sustain with the current funds." Koharu Utatane also felt somewhat helpless.

"Then let's go find the Daimyo! The Land of Fire is so rich, if they don't allocate it to us, wouldn't it just be left for those barbarians to rob?" Danzo still spoke in that indignant tone.

The third generation took a deep drag on his pipe, feeling a headache coming on from his outspoken old friend.

"Yan, go to the capital and talk to the daimyo."

The Third Hokage appointed another old friend and advisor, Mitokado Homura, ignoring the indignant Danzo.

The usually calm and composed Mitokado nods.

"Koharu, contact the clan leaders of each ninja clan and try to organize another 1000 elite ninja soldiers." Turning to the advisor, Koharu Utatane, he said. "Also, send out communication hawks to recall the Jonin who are out on missions, reduce the village's mission load by 20%, and gather about 2000 civilian ninjas. I will have Tsunade, Orochimaru, and Jiraiya lead this ninja army to support the border troops in the Land of Rain."

Koharu Utatane is in charge of the Konoha administration department and has a pretty good relationship with all the ninja clans, except for the Uchiha, of course.

"Should we transfer some of the established police forces from the police department to participate in the war? After all... after mobilizing so many clan ninjas, what will happen to the village's remaining forces..." When mentioning ninja clans, Koharu Utatane immediately thought of the Uchiha clan, which had always been at odds with the Konoha leadership, and she didn't hold back in trying to provoke them.

“The Uchiha clan is powerful and well-organized, so we can transfer them there,” Mitokado Homura said, seemingly fairly.

"I think it's feasible. Let's draw some Uchiha ninjas from here. I'll lead them myself." Danzo not only wanted to teach the Uchiha a lesson, but also wanted to seize command of the Third Hokage's students' troops.

The Third Hokage glanced helplessly at his three high-ranking friends. If the Uchiha were so easy to talk to, would they still be the Uchiha? Are the Uchiha clan's ninja and police forces so easy to mobilize? Especially Danzo, who is leading the Uchiha clan's ninja army. He might get his head chopped off and sent to the black market for a reward as soon as he sets off.

These teammates have no self-awareness at all! What would you do without me?

The Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, felt a sense of powerlessness.

"...The Uchiha are also comrades of the village, and we should still trust them."

After hesitating for a moment, perhaps realizing that even he himself didn't believe what he was saying, the Third Hokage added, "Appropriate trust... well, there should still be appropriate trust in the Uchiha."

"Hmph! The Uchiha clan is not trustworthy at all! Hiruzen, have you forgotten your teacher's teachings? Madara Uchiha's radical ideology still runs rampant in that cursed clan. The Uchiha are a potential source of disaster! If this clan stays in the village, they will cause a great calamity sooner or later." The old angry young man, Danzo Shimura, continued to vent his dissatisfaction with the Uchiha clan.

"The Uchiha are the Uchiha of Konoha, we shouldn't have too much prejudice against them." The Third Hokage felt that as the head of the village, he couldn't condemn everyone, so he offered a few words of explanation.

"Besides, Jing was once one of our companions."

"Mirror is different, but the radical Uchiha are indeed untrustworthy." The advisors still had differing opinions. Especially as the war continued to escalate, no one could predict what the erratic Uchiha might do.

"The Third Hokage's decision to put the Uchiha in charge of the police department is a wise one. 'What if the Uchiha wipe out the Land of Rain in one battle? How will we keep them in check then? Are we just going to let them command another ninja army?'"

What a bunch of useless teammates! Everyone knows the Uchiha's strength and their disloyalty, but what good solutions are there? If it weren't for the fact that there's absolutely no other way based on strength, which higher-up would be willing to tolerate those red-eyed lunatics?

Seeing that his teammates were still unconvinced, the Third Hokage only needed to state his plans.

"The Uchiha clan's main task is to protect the village, but if the war escalates, I will deploy their clan members to fight, but mainly towards major powers like the Lightning and Earth factions."

How many people will die in the war with Amegakure? If we don't throw the Uchiha into the battlefield of the great powers, how can we effectively weaken the Uchiha? If you don't even understand this, why are you hostile to the Uchiha?

The Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, secretly grumbled to himself.

The three advisors exchanged glances and tentatively accepted the third generation's explanation.

"And what about me? Hiruzen."

Danzo spoke up, having just finished his discussion when the topic of the Uchiha clan interrupted him, as his authority had not yet been determined.

"You'll be in charge of intelligence work in the Land of Rain, as well as the two great nations of Lightning and Earth. I'll assign an ANBU intelligence squad to you." The Third Hokage thought for a moment and then let Danzo continue doing his old job.

"Also, before the village's support troops are ready, have 200 more troops from the northern garrison of Sunagakure be transferred into the Land of Grass to establish a defensive line, and have Sakumo Hatake take over as the deputy commander of the Sunagakure direction." The Third Hokage was still a little worried about the course of the war, so he made one more arrangement.

“Very well, Sakumo’s strength and deterrent power are sufficient to guard the border of Sunagakure.” The three advisors nodded in unison.

"Well then, that's settled!"

The Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, sealed the deal.

……

Meanwhile, the Uchiha clan, which was eager to make a move, was greatly encouraged by the inevitable war. The radicals, in particular, were all itching to go to the battlefield and wreak havoc, intending to use the war as an opportunity to spread the name of the Uchiha through bloodshed and slaughter.

Although the Sharingan, the bloodline limit of the Uchiha clan, is slandered as a "cursed eye," it is also the source of the Uchiha clan's strength. For the Sharingan, the best way to evolve is to experience life-and-death dangers and hardships on the battlefield, in order to hone its greatest power.

The Uchiha are the most warlike clan. Managing the police department and handling the village's trivial matters, occasionally arresting spies, is tedious for the hot-blooded and warlike Uchiha, and it's not conducive to the growth of their personal strength. The evolution of the Sharingan still requires the tempering of blood and fire.

After all, the Uchiha are the strongest clan in the ninja world.

The entire clan firmly believed this.

Chapter 16 Blood, Fire, and Flowers

war.

A bloody war.

No one knows whether they will be devoured by the monster of war in the next moment.

The standoff in the direction of the Land of Rain, the unusual movements in the direction of the Land of Wind, and the petty actions of the two great nations of Lightning and Earth... all sorts of events caused a huge wave of news to flood into Konoha Village in a short period of time, overwhelming the people who were still indulging in revelry.

"What...is it going to be a war?"

For the civilians and ninjas in the village who have long enjoyed peace, the word "war" feels both unfamiliar and involuntarily brings a sense of fear.

……

As for the Uchiha clan, with the support of their intelligence network, the clan's higher-ups were already able to anticipate the arrival of war. Furthermore, they took advantage of the war to hoard goods and profit handsomely from the arms trade.

"Gentlemen, I love war!"

At a gathering of radical Uchiha, Elder Setsuna, who usually boasted of remaining calm even in the face of a collapsing mountain, was now glaring arrogantly with his Sharingan eyes, his face contorted with rage.

"Our Uchiha clan is the strongest clan! And only the battlefield, only the battlefield of blood and fire, is the best whetstone for every Uchiha clan member."

"There is great terror between life and death. Only those who fight against the blade and win can master the strongest power of their bloodline inheritance!"

"Every Uchiha ninja who has left their mark on history was a brave warrior in war, and only the brave can become the strongest!"