Uchiha's personal opinion

Jiraiya gasped. That's it? He drew his sword against a fellow villager just because of this?

At the young age of eight, he awakened the three-tomoe Sharingan. Although he was handsome and tall, under the influence of the Sharingan's power, Uchiha Tokumitsu had a smile on his face, but the chilling killing intent he exuded was so strong that even Jiraiya, a fellow Jonin who had experienced countless battles, was terrified.

“Commander Tokumitsu… are you sure you want to disobey the Hokage’s orders?” Jiraiya’s expression gradually turned serious. He lowered his head slightly and no longer looked directly into Uchiha Tokumitsu’s eyes. “Those who disobey the Hokage’s orders will be considered rogue ninjas according to the rules.”

The surrounding Jonin stirred again, but still no one stepped forward to stop them.

This also surprised Jiraiya, who did not expect that the young Uchiha Tokumitsu had such a strong grasp of the ninja army.

"Tsk..." Uchiha Tokumitsu scoffed, "As expected, blocking someone's hat is a specialty of the Hokage lineage."

"Since the Hokage's order to cease hostilities has been sent with urgency, we have no choice but to obey." Uchiha Tokumitsu sheathed his sword. "However, I must remind Jonin Jiraiya..."

"As Jonin, we have the right to object to the Hokage's orders; at the same time, as military officers, we have full independent command authority to consider the war situation and the interests of our subordinates; as the saying goes, a general in the field may disobey the Hokage's orders, and I think Jonin Jiraiya should know this."

Jiraiya was taken aback, while the Jonin nodded in approval, agreeing wholeheartedly.

The rights of Jonin have always been a controversial topic in the ninja village.

In terms of ninja ranks, Jonin are the highest rank and are naturally members of the village's decision-making body. Major decisions of the ninja village must be reviewed and approved by the Jonin Council and the Ninja Clan Council before they can be implemented. This is to unify the will of the ninja village to the greatest extent possible.

Furthermore, Jonin are different from Chunin. While Genin need to pass the Chunin Exams to be promoted to Chunin, the requirements for Jonin are much more stringent. Not only are there specific requirements regarding strength, but one also needs recommendations from at least three Jonin and the Hokage's approval, as well as a strong sense of strategic vision and command ability. Therefore, before the war, in order to maintain control and balance the power of clan ninjas and commoner ninjas, the Hokage intentionally tightened the number of Jonin rankings, and the evaluation process favored commoner ninjas from the Ninja Academy, limiting the number of Jonin to around three hundred. This resulted in many strong members of clan ninjas failing to obtain the title of Jonin.

However, since the start of the war, the number of newly promoted civilian ninjas has been insufficient, especially Jonin. Therefore, the Jonin rating system was opened to recruit a large number of strong ninjas from various clans to supplement the manpower. Uchiha Tokumitsu was directly rated as a Special Jonin for this reason, and later he was promoted to Jonin by his merits in leading the clearing out of underground forces in the Land of Grass.

There is often a significant difference in attitudes towards the rights of Jonin (high-ranking ninjas) between clan ninjas and common ninjas. Clan Jonin place particular importance on these rights, while common ninjas tend to be less concerned. This difference in attitude is also related to the amount of benefit involved.

However, in the face of the highest-level urgent edict from the Hokage, even a high-ranking commander of a ninja army must obey the order. Even if there are objections, they can only raise them at the Jonin meeting to impeach the Hokage.

The Jonin acted with extreme efficiency, and the frontline command post in the Land of Earth was not well-prepared. After sealing away some important documents and personal belongings with a sealing scroll, a few Great Fireball Techniques burned the tents and other miscellaneous items to ashes. Thus, the frontline command post led by Uchiha Tokumitsu deep into the Land of Earth came to an end.

On the retreat, Uchiha Tokumitsu looked displeased. All the accompanying Jonin, whether they were from the Uchiha clan or ordinary civilian ninjas, were only concerned with getting on the road. Jiraiya tried to talk to him for a while but no one paid any attention, so he had no choice but to follow along in silence.

……

"Lord Tokumitsu!"

The figure rushing back from the Land of Earth was naturally spotted by the border troops stationed at the northern mountain city. After the Hyuga Byakugan ninja observed that it was the headquarters commander, a battalion of ninja soldiers hurriedly came to meet him fully armed.

"Yes! It's me!"

Uchiha Tokumitsu took out a seal from his pocket and tossed it to the leading Jonin, Uchiha Takanobu, saying, "Send the order back and gather the Jonin of headquarters."

"Yes, sir!" Uchiha Takashi took the seal, drafted a document on the spot, stamped it, and handed it to the messenger ninja. He then returned the seal to Uchiha Tokumitsu.

"Lord Deguang... this is..." Uchiha Sukinobu asked with a hint of trepidation.

Since Jiraiya went straight to the front lines from the garrison camp in the Land of Grass, the ninja forces left behind in Yamashiro were unaware of the withdrawal.

"The Hokage has ordered a withdrawal," Uchiha Tokumitsu said calmly.

"This..." Uchiha Takashi was somewhat surprised, "Headquarters is all ready, why withdraw the troops?"

"The Hokage has his own plans. As members of Konoha, we will simply follow his orders!" Jiraiya said with a frown.

He was particularly dissatisfied with the belligerent attitude and disregard for the Hokage displayed by the Uchiha ninjas, especially the subordinates led by Uchiha Tokumitsu.

"Lord Tokuko...we've already gathered intelligence on the Iwagakure Ninja Army!" Uchiha Sukinori ignored Jiraiya's words and argued anxiously with Uchiha Tokuko, "It would be such a pity to abandon such a promising opportunity!"

Uchiha Tokumitsu sighed, "It's too late to say anything more."

The ninjas from the border defense brigade looked at each other in bewilderment.

"Who knows whether this order was issued by the Hokage or the Tsuchikage!" Uchiha Tokumitsu said, then got up and ran towards the mountain city.

Jiraiya's face flushed red and then turned pale with anger, but there was nothing he could do. He had no choice but to continue to follow Uchiha Tokumitsu with a thick skin. After all, Uchiha Tokumitsu, as the deputy commander of the Northwest Border Defense Force, had not yet signed the official order for the ninja army to withdraw, and he had no way to explain himself.

Inside the castle tower of Yamashiro, a group of Jonin, having received the summons, rushed back from various parts of the border and were whispering among themselves.

The commander, who was originally directing the frontline squad raids within the Land of Earth, suddenly summoned the Jonin, leaving them bewildered.

After Uchiha Tokumitsu led his group back, the Jonin who had been whispering among themselves stood up and nodded in respect.

"Upon receiving the Hokage's decree, effective immediately, headquarters will cease all attacks on Iwagakure." Uchiha Tokumitsu, having settled into his seat, did not engage in pleasantries and directly announced the order: "Except for the First Border Detachment, the Uchiha Detachment and the Kusagakure Allied Forces shall withdraw immediately!"

"what!"

His words astonished everyone present.

The Grass Ninja Jonin, who was seated at the end of the table, panicked, saying, "Lord Tokuko, you can't abandon the Land of Grass!"

"This is the Hokage's decree, and there's nothing we can do about it," Uchiha Tokumitsu replied indifferently. "We won't abandon our allies; we're just following the decree to cease launching proactive attacks against Iwagakure."

"This..." The Grass Ninja Jonin was as anxious as an ant on a hot pan, but not because of the Hokage's edict. Rather, it was because once the troops were withdrawn, neither battle merits nor rewards would be so easy to obtain. He had finally obtained this position through a series of exchanges of benefits within the Grass Ninja Village. Wouldn't it be a huge loss if the troops were withdrawn before he had even had his fill?

"No need for further words!" Uchiha Tokumitsu roared.

The previously noisy meeting hall fell silent, and all the Jonin fell silent.

Such power secretly alarmed Jiraiya, who was watching coldly from the sidelines.

He never expected that a Uchiha boy who was not even ten years old would have such prestige, with dozens of Jonin bowing their heads and obeying his orders.

He originally thought that Uchiha Tokumitsu was just strong, but he did not expect that his prestige and reputation in the ninja army were so high.

"The Northwest Border Defense Force... is already in the Uchiha's hands..." Jiraiya sighed inwardly.

As a disciple of the Hokage, he naturally enjoys many special privileges, but despite several exceptional promotions, he is still only one of the commanders of the Rain Country Expeditionary Army. In terms of prestige, he is not as powerful as Uchiha Tokumitsu in the northwestern border defense forces.

This is precisely the difference between clan ninjas and commoner ninjas. Clan ninjas have their own units, and large clans can even form their own armies. Whether it is command authority or the ease of obtaining battle merits, they are far superior to commoner ninjas. In particular, the northwestern border defense forces consist of more than half of the ninjas from the Uchiha clan and their affiliated clans. Although Uchiha Tokumitsu is young, he has the aura of a large clan and is exceptionally strong. He has also awakened the three tomoe, making him almost the undisputed leader of the Uchiha clan, especially among the radical faction. In the war, he is remarkable in terms of pre-battle planning, on-the-spot charges, and post-battle relief. With the combined effect of multiple buffs, his control over the ninja army is naturally far superior to that of other border force commanders.

"...The decree has been issued, and there is no room for doubt among you all." Uchiha Tokumitsu raised the cessation of war decree signed by the Hokage. "This is a top-level urgent decree. Even if we use our Jonin right of objection, we cannot immediately reject it. Let us carry it out in order."

"Yes..." The Jonin reluctantly bowed their heads and obeyed.

Chapter 38 The Concept of Fire Release

The relationship between the ninja clan and the Kage is like that between shareholders and professional managers.

The ninja clan meeting, which involves the interests of powerful families, is equivalent to a shareholders' meeting; the Jonin meeting, which involves voting on key matters, is similar to a group executive meeting.

The establishment of Konoha was less the birth of a regime and more the formation of a military group.

During the first and second Hokage's reigns, the Senju and Uchiha clans, the two major "controlling shareholders" of Konoha, were in charge of specific affairs. The Senju clan was the most powerful and held absolute control at the time, thus securing the positions of two Hokage, essentially holding the dual roles of chairman and general manager.

During the First Shinobi World War, the Senju clan fought bravely and participated in all the battles of the war. The once mighty Senju clan, the largest clan in the shinobi world, was severely weakened by the endless attrition, with very few young and strong ninja left. Meanwhile, the Uchiha clan was kept within their village. Apart from the Uchiha Kagami lineage, which was able to participate in the war, most of the other members spent their youth in the police force, but this also preserved the clan's vitality.

The appointment of the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, was both the dying wish of the Second Hokage and the result of a compromise among the ninja clans.

The Uchiha clan, whose strength has been preserved intact, is too powerful, especially without the Senju clan's restraint. If a Hokage were to emerge from the Uchiha clan, Konoha would almost completely resemble the Uchiha clan.

Uchiha Tokumitsu was able to rise from a ninja boy to a border force commander not only because his clan entrusted him with the command of his people, but also because the village's higher-ups had long been plotting to weaken the powerful clans.

However, it is estimated that neither the Hokage nor the advisors expected that the Northwest Border Defense Force, which was in the most critical situation and had the most disparate strength, would sweep away the unstable factors in the Land of Grass in one fell swoop after being reinforced by the Uchiha clan ninjas. They even took the initiative to break into the Land of Earth and suppress the Hidden Stone Village, forcing it to hold its ground.

This is like a professional manager who originally intended to let the shareholder's foolish son take over a subsidiary on the verge of bankruptcy so that the shareholder's family would lose money and lose face. However, the shareholder's son unexpectedly showed great skill and turned the company around in one fell swoop, making the group's management lose face but they were helpless.

After withdrawing from the front lines and returning to the garrison camp, Uchiha Tokumitsu handed over all the general affairs to his advisor Nara Yukihira and began to think about ninjutsu training.

Since childhood, Uchiha Tokumitsu has been taught by Elder Setsuna, and his training is standard Uchiha ninja education. As a prestigious ninja clan with a thousand-year history, the Uchiha clan naturally has access to all kinds of training materials. In particular, as the next generation successor of the radical faction, he has access to almost all the ninjutsu manuals of the Uchiha clan. Coupled with his extraordinary mental strength and the comprehension ability brought by his past life's wisdom, his ninjutsu training can be described as progressing by leaps and bounds, far surpassing his peers.

The Uchiha clan's ninjutsu skills are undeniably profound, especially their Fire Release techniques, which are incredibly numerous. However, this presents a problem: if everyone followed the Uchiha clan's training path, Uchiha Tokumitsu's achievements would most likely only be equivalent to Uchiha Madara's younger brother, Uchiha Izuna—because he didn't have the amplification effect of Indra's chakra.

Uchiha Tokumitsu's greatest advantage lies in his absolute control over chakra and his exceptionally large mental strength. His disadvantage is that his physical attributes are not much different from those of ordinary Uchiha clan members. Since chakra is refined from the combination of physical abilities and mental energy, his relatively ordinary physical attributes naturally limit his chakra reserves.

His research direction is also very clear: to conceive a ninjutsu system based on fire-style techniques.

Fire Release techniques are generally characterized by high temperatures and explosive effects, but Uchiha Tokumitsu's concept was to refine and elevate the attributes of Fire Release.

Just like the cultivators and Qi refiners in the immortal cultivation stories I read in my previous life, they used the Samadhi True Fire as the true fire for refining their natal golden core, constantly sublimating themselves.

"First, you need a Golden Core..."

Uchiha Tokumitsu's idea was naturally a wild and whimsical concoction, but that wasn't a big problem. After all, Fire Release was the Uchiha's most proficient ninjutsu attribute, so they could salvage whatever trouble they caused.

There are many different accounts of the Golden Elixir in various historical records and biographies. In the Dharma-ending Age, all relevant cultivation materials have been lost, but they all share a common characteristic: the Golden Elixir is one of the products of cultivating both body and mind.

"Gold" refers to the immortal nature of gold, and "elixir" refers to its perfect shape, hence the name "Golden Elixir".

Immortal perfection was precisely Uchiha Tokumitsu's dream in this life.

Uchiha Tokumitsu gradually recalled past scenes and reviewed ninjutsu materials. The advantage of his strong mental strength was that he had an extremely strong memory. He could basically remember anything he had carefully read.

"The Golden Core is the result of cultivating both body and spirit..."

Therefore, in Uchiha Tokumitsu's body, it should be Fire Release Chakra + Yin Release Chakra - Fire Release Chakra represents the combination of physical ability and spiritual energy, while Yin Release Chakra represents the ultimate sublimation of spiritual power, which is 'life'.

He carefully circulated the chakra within his body.

"Qi flows from the dantian..."

But where is the dantian?

This question baffled Uchiha Tokumitsu.

I've heard and seen many terms like Dantian and Rendu, but figuring out how to locate them is a big problem.

Forget it, let's not dwell on it. In my past life, the heart belonged to the element of fire, so I'll first direct my chakra to the heart and concentrate it there.

As the chakra condensed, Uchiha Tokumitsu clearly felt his heart racing and his blood surging, as if he had been given an adrenaline shot, and then his body temperature began to rise rapidly.

He quickly extracted Yin Release chakra from his head and channeled it to his heart. The Yin Release chakra acted like a coolant, forcibly suppressing the explosive nature of Fire Release due to its inherent instability under the control of his will.

As he carefully sensed the gradually stabilizing Fire Release chakra, Uchiha Tokumitsu slowly adjusted the ratio of Fire Release to Yin Release chakra.

Under the influence of the two types of chakra, he clearly felt that the originally extremely violent fire chakra gradually became docile and began to exhibit the desired attribute characteristics according to his inner thoughts.

Finally, the ratio of Fire Release and Yin Release chakra remained at approximately two to one.

"Thump, thump..."

The heartbeat gradually became louder and faster, but the body temperature did not rise accordingly. Then the chakra circulation gradually stabilized, and the heartbeat gradually stabilized at a steady frequency.

In Uchiha Tokumitsu's inner vision, red Fire Release chakra and black Yin Release chakra swirled and merged in the shape of a yin-yang fish, producing a purple energy.

"The combination of two chakra natures... Is this considered the power of a golden core or a bloodline limit...?"

Uchiha Tokumitsu was starting to have doubts; he wasn't entirely sure what was going on.

Bloodline limits manifest in two forms. In the ninja world, the most common form is the fusion of two chakra nature transformations to create new ninjutsu, such as Scorch Release being Fire Release + Wind Release, and Ice Release being Water Release + Wind Release. The other form is the ability gained by a certain organ of the body that is different from ordinary people, such as the Sharingan of the Uchiha clan, the Byakugan of the Hyuga clan, and the Shikotsumyaku of the Kaguya clan.

As for the chakra power generated by the combination of Yin Release and Fire Release, shouldn't it be called 'Yin Fire Release'?

"Yin Fire Release is a bit awkward to pronounce; 'Flame Release' sounds better..."

Uchiha Tokumitsu showed great interest in this new type of chakra power, which was essentially developed through exploration, and didn't care whether messing with the chakra would have any effect on his body.