Uchiha's personal opinion

"Well, it's a good opportunity to let the monkeys see the strength of our clan!"

Chapter 30 First Battle Arrangements

After the news of a large number of ninjas from the Iwagakure village heading south was sent back to Konoha, the village reacted quickly. The supplies needed by the frontline border defense forces were immediately allocated, and the Hyuga Byakugan ninjas who requested reinforcements were immediately dispatched. Along with the supplies came a Hokage's order.

"...We must not provoke conflict on the border? What does the Third Hokage mean by this?"

Uchiha Tokumitsu glared at the ANBU messenger with an unfriendly expression. "The intelligence has been sent back for two days, and this is the reply you get?"

The Hokage's edict was made public to the Jonin, so Uchiha Tokumitsu summoned the Jonin of the Northwest Border Defense Force to gather in the central command tent of the garrison camp to hear the edict.

The content of the Hokage's edict was quite unexpected—did it mean that the Iwagakure should not provoke any border conflicts without retaliation? Did it mean that the Hokage should be allowed to provoke them without fighting back?

"Commander Fire Gate, Special Jonin Tokumitsu, this is an edict issued by the Hokage. Please execute it accordingly!" The ANBU messenger ignored Uchiha Tokumitsu's question and directly retorted, intending to end the conversation.

Inside the tall and spacious central command tent, Uchiha Himon, Uchiha Tokumitsu, and Nara Yukihira sat high in their positions. Three Anbu members and six Hyuga ninjas who had come to provide support stood in the middle of the tent, while more than forty Jonin from the border defense forces' camp sat around them.

The Jonin inside the tent exchanged bewildered glances. The content of the Hokage's edict always gave them a strange feeling. They could ignore the official jargon and platitudes, and they would not even mention the material support for the time being, but what did it mean to "not arbitrarily start border conflicts"?

When have the proud ninjas of Konoha ever suffered such humiliation? When have they ever been allowed to suffer such humiliation?

The Jonin of the Uchiha clan, in particular, stared with displeasure at the three ANBU messengers standing in the middle of the central command tent, their left thumbs already crossed over their katana, ready to deliver a swift and deadly strike.

"Commander Homon, Special Jonin Tokumitsu." The messenger, unfazed, repeated his earlier words, "This decree was personally signed by the Hokage. Please accept this document and execute it accordingly!"

Uchiha Tokumitsu was so angry that his veins bulged. It wasn't just because of the vague and easily blamed order of "not to start border conflicts," but also because the ANBU members kept calling him a "special Jonin," which infuriated him.

"Which department of the Anbu are you from?" Uchiha Tokumitsu asked, his face contorted with rage and murderous intent, each word dripping from his mouth.

"The affiliations of all Anbu members are village secrets, so it's best if Special Jonin Tokumitsu doesn't inquire about them recklessly." The order to the Anbu gave a firm but firm reply.

The thirty-odd Uchiha Jonin inside the tent had already locked onto the Anbu's aura. Once Uchiha Tokuko or Uchiha Himon gave the order, these Uchiha Jonin would not hesitate to kill these Anbu messengers.

The commoner ninjas in the central tent were also somewhat at a loss, not knowing what to do.

"Hmph..." Uchiha Tokumitsu snorted coldly, "Does the Hokage think he can just retreat without a fight? Where is this so-called border? In the northern part of the Land of Grass? In the Daimyo's residence in the Land of Grass? Or should we abandon the Land of Grass and retreat back into our own territory?"

Another commotion erupted inside the tent.

"Deputy Commander Deguang, this is the Hokage's decree, and it is absolutely not something we Anbu can interfere with." The messenger spoke in a calm tone, "Please accept the order and carry it out!"

"This is a chaotic order!" Uchiha Tokumitsu suddenly roared in fury, activating his three-tomoe Sharingan as he stared at the ANBU messenger. "Is Hiruzen Sarutobi trying to annihilate this border defense force?!"

His chilling tone and the blood-red three-tomoe jade pendant exuded a cold and murderous aura. In his rage, Uchiha Tokumitsu displayed a different kind of Asura aura than usual.

The commoner Jonin inside the tent all lowered their heads, not daring to look directly at him.

The messenger, still speaking in the same tone, said, "We are unaware of the specific details or the Hokage's arrangements. Please follow the decree and regroup."

"Take this edict back. Please have the Hokage explain the mission, content, and specific measures of this edict. Also, why couldn't the Anbu Intelligence Bureau intercept the Iwagakure's troop deployment information? Is the Anbu just supporting a useless person like you who knows nothing? Is it because they've wasted too much money and are now short-handed?" Uchiha Himon, who had been silent for a long time, finally spoke up and questioned.

The order was given to the Anbu to survey the central command tent. The Uchiha were menacing and filled with murderous intent, while the civilian ninjas either had unfriendly expressions or lowered their heads to avoid eye contact.

"Chief of Staff Yukihira, are you also going to disobey the Hokage's orders?" The ANBU officer turned to Nara Yukihira, who was standing silently with his head down.

Nara Yukihira, who couldn't escape being caught in the crossfire even while sitting down, opened his mouth but didn't know what to say.

The position of staff officer should have been the third-highest in the border troops, with a certain amount of say. However, the Northwest Border Defense Force was quite special. More than forty Jonin from the Uchiha clan arrived at once, and a considerable number of the original border defense force ninjas were transferred back. As a result, the entire Northwest Border Defense Force had been gradually infiltrated and controlled by the Uchiha clan. As a result, his position as staff officer had become completely empty, and he no longer had the strength to compete with the commander and deputy commander of the troops.

Nara Yukihira was quite certain that if he dared to say anything against the will of the Uchiha clan now, he wouldn't be killed on the spot, but he would definitely be forced to go on patrol the next day and suffer dozens of stab wounds to his back and "commit suicide."

"The Hokage's decree, although... but... may have other deeper meanings, but after all, the intelligence of the battle situation is ever-changing. Please ask the Anbu to report back to the Hokage and explain the specific strategic plan of the headquarters to deal with Iwagakure, so as not to make our execution unsuccessful..." Nara Yukihira stammered, sweating profusely.

Out of the corner of his eye, Nara Yukihira noticed that Uchiha Tokumitsu and the others looked slightly more relaxed upon hearing this, and he felt a sense of relief.

"Since it is a unanimous decision by the Northwest Border Defense Forces, then I will report back to Lord Hokage." The ANBU member bowed slightly, "These six are elite Hyuga clan ninjas dispatched by Lord Hokage to support border reconnaissance. From this day forward, they will be incorporated into your unit's organization."

This secret unit is quite interesting; they are principled yet flexible, shrewd yet dignified, and can be considered a talented individual.

Suppressing his anger, Uchiha Tokumitsu glanced at the ANBU messenger with interest for a few moments before turning his gaze to the six Hyuga Byakugan ninjas in the arena.

"Welcome, elites of Hyuga..."

"Commander Deguang, you are too kind. By order of the Hokage and our clan chief, we will be transferred to the northwestern border defense forces starting today."

"Jonin Hyuga Toshiki has come to report."

"Jonin Hyuga Seiji has come to report."

"Chūnin Hyuga Kyoichi has come to report."

"Chūnin Hyuga Keiichi has come to report."

"Chūnin Hyuga Maaya has come to report."

"Chūnin Hyuga Toshiya has come to report."

Two Jonin and four Chunin, and from the renowned Hyuga clan. The addition of these two squads significantly enhances the combat and reconnaissance capabilities of the northwestern border defense forces.

But what Uchiha Tokumitsu and the rest of the Uchiha clan truly appreciated was the polite behavior of the Hyuga clan.

"A warm welcome to all the Hyuga elites! Their arrival is a great joy for our Northwest Border Defense Force. With the help of these Byakugan elites, even the Earth Rat of Iwagakure will have nowhere to hide from now on!"

After exchanging pleasantries in the tent, the meeting was adjourned, and everyone went about their business. The Anbu hurriedly returned to the village to report on the Uchiha's disobedience.

Uchiha Tokumitsu left the newly transferred Hyuga Toshiki and others behind to discuss tactics and combat plans.

"...According to current intelligence, the advance team of the Iwagakure ninja army has arrived in the northern border area of ​​the Land of Grass. Its main force is expected to arrive around noon tomorrow. Based on this, we can conclude that the last favorable opportunity is before the main force of the Iwagakure ninja army arrives. If we can quickly eliminate this advance team, we can definitely crush the arrogance of Iwagakure and make them dare not act recklessly in the future!"

Uchiha Himon said with great pride.

"Commander, what kind of mission do we need to perform here?" Hinata Toshiki asked directly, quite astutely.

"I plan to dispatch three combat detachments and one support battalion, totaling about 320 ninjas, this afternoon to infiltrate the northern border of the Land of Grass and seize the opportunity to encircle and annihilate the Iwagakure advance force at dawn; however, headquarters currently only has three sensory ninjas on reconnaissance missions, and their reconnaissance range and details are inferior to those of your clan's Byakugan, therefore... although you and the Hyuga elites are newcomers, I still want to trouble you to carry out the reconnaissance mission for this operation..."

Uchiha Tokumitsu explained.

The Hokage's edict has been rejected, which means that the current northwestern border defense forces are still in a state of readiness. No matter what tricks the Uchiha Tokumitsu and his ilk play, they will not make such good progress as long as they are not defeated.

“Commander Deguang, our transfer to the northwestern border defense forces signifies that we are now under your command; carrying out our missions is only natural.”

“Alright! Let’s proceed accordingly.” Uchiha Tokumitsu was very satisfied. With the assistance of the Hyuga Byakugan, the reconnaissance weakness of the border defense forces was officially compensated.

"Yukihira-kun, please guide Jonin Toshiki and all the Hyuga elites to their respective camps. They can rest for a while in the morning and then set off in the afternoon!"

"Yes!"

"Thank you, Commander Deguang..."

Nara Yukihira and Hyuga Toshiki were ordered to step down and proceed with the placement of new recruits and the preparation of combat supplies.

“Tokumitsu-kun…” As an elder, Uchiha Himon was clearly still somewhat hesitant about Uchiha Tokumitsu’s solo attack on Iwagakure.

"Uncle Fire Gate, it's alright." Uchiha Tokumitsu smiled confidently. "Besides, you can't raise an eagle to soar through the sky by keeping it in a cage. Without experiencing a real ninja village war, you can never transform into a true strongman."

"Alright... Be careful on the battlefield." Unlike his usual spies planted in the Land of Grass when he went out to sweep through various villages, Uchiha Himon was still cautious about the war, and his face still showed some tension.

"With the enemy's intentions being exploited by the unsuspecting, and with the Byakugan of the Hyuga clan already in charge of reconnaissance and concealing our movements, there shouldn't be any danger," Uchiha Tokumitsu said confidently.

"Alright, let me explain to you the key points of command and deployment for ninja army marches and surprise attacks..."

"Okay~"

Chapter 31 Strike First

Uchiha Tokumitsu did not intend to obey the Hokage's edict.

Although Uchiha Himon rejected the edict on the grounds of "insufficient reasons" and demanded that the Hokage provide a necessary explanation of its contents, it was clear that the Uchiha, who had always acted recklessly, had never taken the edict and its aftermath seriously from the beginning.

Although the Hokage's rule is "not to start border conflicts without authorization," as long as one wins alone, everything will be dealt with by simply drinking a few cups of wine as punishment and laughing it off.

Ultimately, this stems from Konoha's governing system, which employs a "Jonin Republican System." Theoretically, Jonin are the highest-ranking officials in the village, including the Hokage. Each Jonin possesses the right to vote in the Hokage's election and the right to impeach him. To better maintain the village's operation, the Jonin transfer a portion of their power to the village, selecting individuals from among them to wield this authority. However, this power exists only theoretically in practice. For example, the appointments of the Second and Third Hokage were not directly nominated by the Jonin Council; instead, a system similar to designating a successor was used to determine the next Hokage.

The Hokage election system was undermined by reality, and the election terms and the rights of Jonin were shelved. Naturally, the ninja clans that contributed the vast majority of Jonin seats were unhappy. In the implementation of the ninja village's decisions, in order to protect their own interests, although not every ninja clan dared to confront the Hokage's faction head-on like the Uchiha clan, it was common for them to outwardly comply but inwardly defy them.

As the most powerful clan in Konoha and even the entire ninja world, it would be a miracle if the Uchiha clan obediently listened to the Hokage.

"Strike first, strike hard!"

Uchiha Tokumitsu, leading a ninja army organized into four detachments, was rapidly advancing towards the northern border of the Land of Grass. Although he was filled with turmoil, his face remained calm. This was the first time he had led a ninja army on a long-distance expedition alone. Although Uchiha Himon generously imparted his experience and key points of ninja army combat, the connection between theory and practice still needed to be put into practice.

The target of this exercise was naturally the Iwagakure advance force that was about to arrive. In order to annihilate them in one fell swoop, two of the four detachments dispatched by Uchiha Tokumitsu were elite ninja forces composed of Uchiha clan ninjas. Another detachment was also composed of veterans from the border defense forces, with Uchiha clan and affiliated ninja clan ninjas planted in to infiltrate the Sand Village. The detachment had been firmly controlled by the entire organization. The last detachment was a support detachment, responsible for logistical support, battlefield medical care, and other administrative tasks.

These four squads totaled over four hundred people, all of whom were Chunin. In addition, six Hyuga ninjas took turns using their Byakugan to scout ahead, in order to prevent the ninja army's operation from being discovered by others.

"Commander Tokumitsu, we are about 20 kilometers away from the border mountain town! It is estimated that it will take another 20 minutes!" Hyuga Toshiki, who was in charge of reconnaissance, reported to Uchiha Tokumitsu.

Although the Uchiha and Hyuga clans, two powerful ninja clans, often had conflicts and friction in the village, they were now comrades-in-arms on the battlefield, relying on each other for life and death, so they naturally wouldn't be careless or perfunctory.

“Okay!” Uchiha Tokumitsu nodded and said to Uchiha Nobuhiko, the Jonin in the guard squad beside him, “Nobuhiko Jonin, pass down the order to take cover on the spot.”

Uchiha Nobuhiko nodded calmly, took out a whistle with his right hand, and put it in his mouth.

"Whoosh, whoosh whoosh..."

The short, sharp whistle blew quickly, and soon after, birdsong filled the air around the forest as the various ninja squads completed their concealment.

At this moment, the only ones still brazenly appearing in the forest are Uchiha Tokumitsu and his two Uchiha guard squads and two Hyuga reconnaissance squads.

Uchiha Tokumitsu surveyed his surroundings and found that the concealment of each squad was quite good; at least no one had made the basic mistake of focusing on one's own position while neglecting their own.

"Kensuke Jonin, Seiji Jonin." Uchiha Tokumitsu turned his gaze to Uchiha Kensuke and Hyuga Seiji, who were among the accompanying ninjas. "I hereby order you to lead your squad of ninjas as an advance team to conduct close reconnaissance of the border mountain city. If the city is safe, send a report immediately. If there is any abnormality, send someone back here to report."

"As ordered!"

According to intelligence stolen by the Ninja Cat Clan, about 200 of the 3,000 ninja troops assembled by Iwagakure were selected as the vanguard. Their mission was to act as Iwagakure's vanguard, clearing a path for the army and seizing the border mountain fortress of the Land of Grass.

Based on the marching speed of the Iwagakure advance force and the Iwagakure main force, there is about a half-day time difference in the distance. In other words, the ninja army led by Uchiha Tokumitsu must quickly annihilate the Iwagakure advance force and withdraw in time during this period.

To avoid alerting the enemy, Uchiha Tokumitsu planned to deploy the ninja army 15 kilometers away from the border mountain city, and then launch an attack from within 3 kilometers of Iwagakure after Iwagakure entered the city. Although this would consume more time for infiltration and advance, the gradually tightening encirclement would better cut off the communication of Iwagakure's advance troops, so as to achieve the goal of a silent annihilation battle.

The forest was quiet, and the Konoha ninja army patiently lay in ambush all around. Although Uchiha Tokumitsu knew that nothing bad would happen at this time, he was still somewhat nervous.

At that moment, three high-pitched eagle cries came from the direction of the mountain city.

"Commander Deguang, Yamashiro is confirmed safe!" Uchiha Nobuhiko listened intently and translated the message based on the coded message from the messenger hawk.

"Alright!" Uchiha Tokumitsu nodded. "All captains, assemble!"

"Shh-"

Four figures flashed out of the forest and knelt on one knee in front of Uchiha Tokumitsu.

"Commander Deguang, please give your instructions!"