Uchiha's personal opinion

The third generation leader just kept his head down, puffing on his pipe, and remained noncommittal about what his old friends were saying.

Seeing this, Mitokado Homura and Utatane Koharu could no longer linger, so they took their leave without further ado.

The third generation leader didn't say anything, but simply waved goodbye to the two.

……

When Hatake Sakumo arrived at the police department, Uchiha Tokumitsu was boasting to a large group of police officers about his experiences in the border troops. Uchiha Makoto stood to the side, clutching the hem of Uchiha Tokumitsu's clothes with a slightly timid expression.

When Uchiha Nakagen walked in with Hatake Sakumo, he couldn't help but laugh and scold, "Little Deguang, don't brag. The police department is already short-staffed. If you were to recruit some of their personnel, that would be terrible."

Uchiha Tokumitsu just laughed it off; after all, he was his own father, so he couldn't really argue with him.

"This is Sakumo-kun. He's here on the Hokage's orders to deal with the spy attack. Besides the incident, he also wants to meet you, little guy," Uchiha Nakagen introduced with a smile. "Sakumo-kun is arguably the most upright person in the village."

"Hello, Jonin Sakumo." Uchiha Tokumitsu said solemnly.

“Jonin Tokuko, you’re too kind.” Hatake Sakumo scratched his head. “It’s nothing really, but since you were directly involved in the incident, I’ll just chat with you for a bit.”

"Please speak, Jonin Sakumo," Uchiha Tokumitsu said politely. "I will answer your question to the best of my knowledge."

Hatake Sakumo nodded slightly, then inquired about the details of the incident and how Uchiha Tokumitsu killed the attacker.

After the question and answer, Hatake Sakumo put away his notebook and said with a smile, "Jonin Tokuko, thank you for your support of my work."

"You're too kind, Jonin Sakumo," Uchiha Tokumitsu quickly replied. "You are the most famous Jonin senior in the village, and we juniors should learn from you."

Uchiha Tokumitsu was actually filled with curiosity about Sakumo Hatake, a tragic figure with a rather mysterious aura.

He truly didn't know what kind of rumors could break down a powerful Jonin, or what kind of desperate situation could drive a determined Jonin to commit suicide.

He couldn't understand why the Hokage lineage would allow the rumors to spread. Didn't they realize the harm this caused to an upright Jonin who was deeply attached to the village?

"...Tokumitsu Jonin?" Uchiha Tokumitsu was lost in thought when Hatake Sakumo asked with some doubt, "Are you even listening to me?"

"Oh~ Haha, sorry." Uchiha Tokumitsu came to his senses and gave an awkward smile. "Please speak, Jonin Sakumo."

"Hmm~ It's really nothing serious." Hatake Sakumo rubbed his chin. "I just wanted to know when you plan to return to the border troops. How about we go together then?"

“That would be perfect.” Uchiha Tokumitsu was overjoyed. He had long heard of Hatake Sakumo’s strength, and traveling together would be a good opportunity to learn from him. “I will be returning to the Northwest Border Force in three days, but I may have a lot of people with me then. I hope Jonin Sakumo doesn’t mind.”

"That would be perfect," Hatake Sakumo said with a smile. "That way, we won't have to endure hardship along the way, and it'll be a good opportunity for this poor Jonin to enjoy some nice treatment thanks to the Uchiha clan."

"Jonin Sakumo is being too modest..."

"Alright, alright~" Hatake Sakumo waved his hand, "Your little girlfriend is already very, very upset, so I won't add to your troubles."

Sakumo Hatake's words drew a few chuckles from the crowd.

Makoto Uchiha's face turned as red as a ripe peach, but her grip on Tokumitsu Uchiha's clothes did not loosen at all.

Chapter 46 Seeking Common Ground While Reserving Differences

Sakumo Hatake is really popular in the village.

When Uchiha Tokumitsu mentioned his conversation with Hatake Sakumo at the police department and his initiative to team up for the return trip, he received high praise from Elder Setsuna.

Elder Setsuna called Hatake Sakumo the true successor to the Will of Fire of Konoha, a powerful and upright ninja, and the most principled and powerful figure in Konoha... A series of effusive praises made Uchiha Tokumitsu wonder if there was something wrong with his ears.

The reason is simple—Sakumo Hatake never abandons his teammates or gives up on his partners; he always keeps his word and delivers results. In this way, his reputation and goodwill have been built up.

Some members of the Uchiha clan briefly teamed up with Sakumo Hatake, and their evaluation of him remained consistently high.

"Then...should we try supporting him in his bid for the Hokage position?" Uchiha Tokumitsu asked this question with some trepidation.

The position of Hokage is the obsession and inner demon of the Uchiha clan. However, in Uchiha Tokumitsu's view, unless the clan can produce one or two strong individuals comparable to the Kage level, and unless some unexpected event occurs in Konoha, the Uchiha clan has no chance.

Because no amount of Jonin can compare to the power of a single Kage-level ninja; the difference in quality cannot be compensated for by quantity. This is especially true in this era, after the Second Hokage was ambushed and killed, when the Kage of each village placed great emphasis on systematic defense.

As for Fugaku? It's better to hope that the Uchiha clan can successfully rebel than to rely on him.

Elder Setsuna fell silent upon hearing Uchiha's words. After a long while, he shook his head, saying that something was amiss: "No, Sakumo is an upright man. Running for Hokage would kill him..."

Uchiha Tokumitsu was equally speechless.

……

After a few days of rest, Uchiha Tokumitsu was ready to set off.

This time, in addition to the six guards that Uchiha Tokumitsu brought with him, there were also twelve ninjas from the Uchiha Anbu as attendants, as well as forty-two Uchiha ninjas who were the first to return to the village to rest and visit their families.

The presence of sixty ninjas from the Uchiha clan was quite a grand affair.

"Wow, Jonin Tokuko is here so early!"

Just as Uchiha Tokumitsu was leading his men to line up at the entrance of Konoha Village, Hatake Sakumo's characteristically lazy voice came from behind.

"Good morning, Jonin Sakumo." Uchiha Tokumitsu did not neglect this Jonin who was highly renowned in the village. Moreover, his attitude towards the Uchiha clan was particularly peaceful, without the arrogance of a strongman.

"Young Master Deguang is indeed of high rank and great power~" Hatake Sakumo teased with a hint of joking tone, "He can mobilize so many ninja troops under his command at any time, which makes me, a senior Jonin, quite ashamed."

“Sakumo Jonin is too modest,” Uchiha Tokumitsu replied politely. “Your achievements are known to all; numbers are meaningless to a strongman like you…”

After exchanging pleasantries, the two prepared to leave, but discrepancies were revealed in the registration procedures when leaving the village.

Uchiha Tokumitsu and his followers' travel permits were handled by the Uchiha ninjas on duty at the police department, while Hatake Sakumo personally registered his subordinates, chatting and laughing loudly with the Chunin guarding the gate, their arms around each other's shoulders.

Is this the so-called Sakumo Hatake, who has a kind heart beneath his capable and cold exterior?

Uchiha Tokumitsu silently observed.

He always felt that judging a living ninja's achievements and future based solely on so-called 'understanding of the plot' was insufficient. To truly understand a person, especially a strong one like Hatake Sakumo, close contact and communication were necessary.

At least, since he met Sakumo Hatake, he has never seen what the 'capable and ruthless' Sakumo Hatake looks like.

However, it is truly lamentable that a senior Jonin who made countless contributions to Konoha ended up committing suicide in the future due to ridiculous political strife.

Uchiha Tokumitsu also didn't believe that a strong person like Hatake Sakumo would commit suicide because of a setback in a mission. If that were the case, all ninjas with a mission completion rate of less than 100% would be dead, and Konoha would be practically empty of ninjas, big and small.

Sakumo Hatake only led eight ninjas with him this time. Although they were not particularly good-looking, they all had a sharp and capable air about them. If they were disguised, they would be the kind of people who would be hard to find in a crowd. Therefore, they should all be elite ninjas who are good at infiltration.

"Jonin Tokuko, I'm sorry to have kept you waiting. Let's get going." After completing the formalities, Hatake Sakumo, beaming with joy, called out to everyone to set off together.

Uchiha Tokumitsu remained silent, but with a wave of his hand, sixty Uchiha ninjas moved accordingly, forming five groups: left, right, front, back, and center, to escort Uchiha Tokumitsu and Hatake Sakumo's group as they officially set off.

"Tokumitsu-kun, there's a question I'm not sure if I should ask." As they traveled, Uchiha Tokumitsu and Hatake Sakumo walked side by side, with their subordinates keeping a distance in front and behind them, ready to engage the enemy at any moment, thus leaving the two of them enough space to talk.

"Jonin Sakumo, since you've asked me that, how can I say no?"

Sakumo Hatake gave an awkward smile. "Why is the relationship between the Uchiha clan and the village so strained?"

"This is a long story..."

"Then let's make this brief."

"Sakumo Jonin, do you know Uchiha Madara?" Uchiha Tokumitsu turned his head and looked directly at Hatake Sakumo.

“I know, but…” Hatake Sakumo hesitated.

"Madara and Hashirama jointly founded Konoha, but later betrayed the village due to ideological differences..." Uchiha Tokumitsu carefully considered his words, "Later, Madara used the Nine-Tails to attack the village, but was still defeated and killed by Hashirama. Hashirama also died from his injuries not long after. You should know about these past events, right?"

Sakumo Hatake nodded silently.

"When Lord Madara left the village, he summoned his clansmen to leave with him, but the Uchiha clan had long been tired of the endless fighting and killing, and only wanted to stay and enjoy the peace that they had longed for for thousands of years during the Warring States period. In other words, everyone, including our clan, abandoned Lord Madara..."

"But that doesn't mean the village trusts our clan. In some people's eyes, the Uchiha clan is burdened with original sin. No matter what we do, we are scrutinized with prejudice. So we are also labeled as an evil clan. Even the police department, which was tailor-made for us, seems to be all-powerful, but in reality, it is a cage for the clan, trapping the Uchiha clan inside and preventing them from making any progress..."

Sakumo Hatake remained silent as he listened.

"Including our clan's pride and joy, the Sharingan..." Uchiha Tokumitsu pointed to his eyes, "Sakumo Jonin, do you know the conditions for awakening the Sharingan?"

"I have some understanding..." Sakumo Hatake replied hesitantly, "Through intense emotional fluctuations?"

“Yes…” Uchiha Tokumitsu sighed, “The Sharingan’s power was forged by the blood and despair of the Uchiha clan. That’s why most Uchiha clan members, including myself, sometimes have such extreme emotional fluctuations that they’re practically like lunatics. That’s why the Sharingan is called the cursed eye…”

"Then why not give up on the Sharingan and look for other ways?" Sakumo Hatake couldn't help but ask.

"Sakumo Jonin, it's not terrible to be guilty, but weakness is the greatest original sin," Uchiha Tokumitsu said quietly. "If you give up the Sharingan, will the Uchiha clan still have so many Jonin? Will they still be able to maintain the limited power of the police department? Will they still be able to stand in the ninja world, or rather, in Konoha?"

Sakumo Hatake was speechless.

"Power brings fairness, and might makes right." Uchiha Tokumitsu gazed ahead. "Sakumo Jonin, what do you think of this statement?"

"...Can I interpret this as pursuing power by any means necessary?" Sakumo Hatake asked hesitantly.

"It's alright. As a ninja clan that has stood for a thousand years during the Warring States period, the Uchiha clan has some ways of doing things that cannot be changed overnight. It's just that the people in the village don't understand."

Whether he understands or not doesn't matter; strength will speak for itself. Uchiha Tokumitsu thought to himself.

"Sigh..." Sakumo Hatake sighed, "Hasn't the Uchiha clan tried to make any changes?"

“Change? Yes,” Uchiha Tokumitsu blurted out, “Uchiha Kagami was one, but he’s already dead.”

Sakumo Hatake's eyelids twitched.

"Kagami-senpai's death was suspicious, but it doesn't matter anymore." Uchiha Tokumitsu's tone was as cold as if he were talking to a complete outsider. "After Kagami-senpai's death, the relationship between the clan and the Hokage's line of success completely cooled down. And after being suppressed, the clan members naturally gravitated towards the radicals. As the radicals' strength increased, their relationship with the village naturally deteriorated..."

"Radical faction... Lord Deguang, is this the faction you belong to?"

“Yes,” Uchiha Tokumitsu answered affirmatively. “However, for the Uchiha, it doesn’t matter whether they are radicals, conservatives, or what other terms are used to describe them as hawks or doves. Everyone is just trying to compete for a position that matches their strength, nothing more.”

“Tokumitsu-kun… he’s really frank…” Hatake Sakumo was also surprised by Uchiha Tokumitsu’s bluntness.

"It's nothing. Even our radical elder Setsuna has a very high opinion of you."

"What did Elder Setsuna say?" Hatake Sakumo also became interested.

"Hmm...you're a good person." Uchiha Tokumitsu thought for a moment and said very succinctly.

Hatake Sakumo felt like he'd been hit with a blunt object.

"Haha, just kidding." Uchiha Tokumitsu chuckled. "Elder Setsuna's original words were that Sakumo-kun is the true successor to the Will of Fire, a powerful and upright ninja, and the most principled and powerful figure in Konoha..."

Uchiha Tokumitsu quoted Elder Setsuna's words at length.

"I'm grateful for Elder Setsuna's high regard..." Hatake Sakumo was also a little surprised. "So I actually have such a reputation within the Uchiha clan?"

"For the Uchiha, the strong are worthy of respect and must be respected." The Uchiha blinked. "After all, 'strength brings fairness, and power is justice,' isn't it?"

"If one day someone becomes stronger than the Uchiha clan, will the Uchiha submit to him?" Sakumo Hatake couldn't help but ask a pointed question.

"Yes, I will!" Uchiha replied very frankly.

His straightforwardness surprised even Sakumo Hatake.

“Jonin Sakumo, although the Uchiha are radical, they are not all fools. They can still distinguish between good and bad.” The Uchiha’s words were even more direct. “The one who can suppress the Uchiha clan with strength is none other than Lord Hashirama, right? We were able to abandon our own clansman, Madara Uchiha, for Lord Hashirama.”