Uchiha's personal opinion

Although Uchiha Shiina was not considered outstanding among the Jonin of the Uchiha clan, he was the cousin of Uchiha Tokumitsu, and this identity served as a shield, which made his career extremely successful. Not only did he become the chief of the Northern District Police Station at a young age, but he was also appointed by Uchiha Tokumitsu as the commander to wipe out Jiraiya's rogue ninja gang.

However... although this crackdown appears to be a large-scale operation, involving a large number of elite ninja forces, it is highly likely to be a fruitless effort.

Uchiha Shiina himself was well aware of this.

Although the intelligence department discovered that Jiraiya had stayed in this impoverished town in the Land of Rain for a period of time, and even appeared in the local market with a light blue-haired ninja who had once been his master, this happened before the massacre in the east. Given Jiraiya's intelligence and experience, there was no reason why he wouldn't have made arrangements for his affairs before planning the massacre.

"Let's begin then."

Uchiha Shiina took out his pocket watch, glanced at it, nodded, and gave the order.

"As ordered!"

The Uzumaki ninja immediately used the Body Flicker Technique to return to his battle position, and organized his sealing squad ninjas to activate a barrier to seal off Earth Release: Burrowing and Summoning Technique: Space Travel.

"Attack!"

As the ripples of the two barriers spread, the four ninja forces immediately released the shielding barriers and pounced on the deserted mansion like hungry wolves released from their cages!

"One team is under control!"

"Second Division is under control!"

"Report! No biological traces were found at the target location!"

As expected, the final result was that the hiding place of Jiraiya's gang, which the intelligence department had discovered, was already deserted, and the organization's elite ninja army also came up empty-handed.

"Although I knew this would happen, it's still really disappointing..."

Uchiha Shiina said to his subordinates with some disappointment.

"Lord Shiina, please don't worry. We'll definitely catch that traitor Jiraiya next time..."

The subordinate immediately replied sensibly.

However, if they were confident they could catch Jiraiya, who committed the bloodshed, here, Uchiha Tokumitsu would probably have personally gone to fight.

Uchiha Shiina was well aware of his own strength.

"Compile a report and send it back to the village, then move your troops to the border of Taki no Kuni!"

……

The reaction of various factions in the ninja world to the attack by the Greninja of Mount Myōboku on the conservative Uchiha ninja army was far beyond Jiraiya's expectations.

Contrary to his initial expectations, the various ninja villages that were implicitly hostile, especially Iwagakure, Kumogakure, and Takigakure, which called itself the sixth ninja village, all sent condolences to the Uchiha clan and unanimously expressed their strong condemnation of the so-called Summoning Beast Holy Land's outrageous behavior of interfering with the ninja world!

In particular, the Third Raikage of Kumogakure publicly declared that Mount Myōboku was the most important enemy of the Land of Lightning and Kumogakure, claiming that whether it was the summoning beasts of Mount Myōboku or Jiraiya and his vassal group, they would be attacked by the Kumogakure ninjas if they appeared. At the same time, he also sent the next round of defeat reparations to the Nakagawa Stock Exchange in Konoha as a gesture of goodwill.

Onoki, the Third Tsuchikage of Iwagakure, also declared that Mount Myōboku's attempt to interfere with the direction of the ninja world was unacceptable. He demanded that no ninja in his village sign summoning contracts with the Mount Myōboku lineage and ordered a thorough investigation into whether any ninja in his village possessed summoning beasts similar to toads. If so, the summoning contracts would be terminated.

As for Amegakure, which has always been on good terms with Uchiha Tokumitsu, that goes without saying.

After the attack and bloodshed were exposed, the Rain Ninja, who were originally confronting the Iwagakure army in the Land of Birds, were outraged. A group of Jonin rushed to the central command tent of their leader, Hanzo the Salamander, and requested to return to the Land of Rain to eliminate the remnants of Jiraiya's gang from Mount Myōboku, so as to contribute to their ally's revenge.

As for the minor matter of one or two Chunin-level recruits going missing from the expeditionary ninja forces of Amegakure, the Jonin of Amegakure, who were eager to curry favor with the Uchiha clan, naturally wouldn't take it to heart.

Although among the missing conscripted ninjas was a popular young ninja named Yahiko...

As for Sunagakure, the Third Kazekage and Regent of the Land of Wind declared that he was irreconcilably opposed to Mount Myōboku, stating that the Land of Wind was a desert country and would not have any summoning beasts like toads. Furthermore, he stated that the Land of Wind had an unbreakable alliance with Konoha and would not do anything that would "hurt those close to them and please their enemies." In addition, he dispatched Sunagakure's Grand Elder, Ebizo, to Konoha to offer condolences.

This is completely different from what Jiraiya initially imagined!

Why has the art style suddenly changed so much?!

Isn't the attack and annihilation of the Uchiha conservative ninja army a symbol of the Uchiha clan's declining influence over the various countries of the ninja world?

Wasn't he also the hero who fired the first shot in the ninja world's rebellion against Uchiha Tokumitsu's tyranny?

Why are you all chickening out?

The Uchiha clan hasn't even started causing trouble yet! You haven't even made a move! You surrendered without firing a single kunai and are trying to curry favor. Won't the ancestors of the ninja village who died weep for this at the Nine-Dan Slope in the underworld?

Jiraiya scratched his head for a whole day and night, but he still couldn't figure it out.

……

For Iwagakure, Kumogakure, and Takigakure, the annihilation of a conservative Uchiha ninja army was something to celebrate, but they also understood that it was not actually a very serious loss for the Uchiha clan.

But what they were most concerned about was the Uchiha clan's reaction after the attack.

This is also the reason why "friendly nations are alarmed".

Even within the Uchiha clan, the conservative faction was a completely marginalized and declining faction. Their losses were not considered severe for the Uchiha clan. Furthermore, conservative ninjas were not conscripted to participate in the Second Shinobi World War or the Kirigakure Expedition. Therefore, for the Tokugawa Shogunate and the United Company, which were mainly composed of radical Uchiha ninjas, the conservative faction was actually a dispensable entity.

The Uchiha clan's attitude toward the attack and bloodshed was less about revenge and demonstration after losing strength, and more about blood feud.

At such a sensitive time, to challenge the Uchiha clan's vast power that is entrenched throughout the ninja world... Although the Third Tsuchikage and the Third Raikage privately expressed their delight at the attack and hoped that Jiraiya would continue his efforts, they outwardly maintained their usual rationality.

They were even more respectful to the shogunate and Konoha than before.

Rather than using this opportunity to challenge Uchiha Tokumitsu and Konoha's dominance, Iwagakure, Kumogakure, and Takigakure were more worried that the shogunate would use this as a pretext to attack.

……

Murphy's Law is absolutely true.

The thing Takishinobu feared most has come to pass.

Under the leadership of Uchiha Shiina, an elite ninja army, with Uchiha ninjas as the main force, was stationed on the border between the Land of Fire and the Land of Waterfall; meanwhile, the Himon Shogunate stationed in the northwest began to order the conscription of Kusanagi ninjas and to assemble ninja armies in the border cities of the eastern part of the Land of Grass and the Land of Waterfall, as if it were ready to invade at any time.

The entire Takigakure village was immediately thrown into chaos.

Don't come any closer!

We are innocent!

Compared to the early days of the village's founding, Takigakure has declined considerably after the Kakuzu Rebellion. The village can hardly find any decent strong individuals. In the Chunin Exams, which were jointly organized with Iwagakure and Kumogakure, Takigakure only maintained its basic presence by relying on a few "genin" who deliberately suppressed their levels.

The Takigakure of today has been reduced to maintaining a "seemingly powerful" state by closing itself off from the world and intimidating people with the existence of tailed beasts.

However, the arrival of the two Uchiha ninja armies exposed the bluffing facade of the powerful Takigakure.

Uchiha Shiina didn't even need to launch an attack. He simply ordered his ninja army to open up a battle line on the Fire Country side of the border. The Takigakure border troops originally stationed on the Takigakure side immediately withdrew nearly 100 kilometers, giving up the defense line and all the border cities.

This left Uchiha Shiina, who was commanding the ninja army for the first time, completely bewildered. After careful and repeated reconnaissance, he confirmed that the Takigakure ninja had not laid any traps. Only then did he send the United Company's combat column to take over the border city of Takigakure under the guise of "peacekeeping".

"...This is way too easy!"

Uchiha Shiina was somewhat incredulous.

Could it be that I am an unparalleled general of the Uchiha clan?

Could I possibly subdue the enemy without a fight?

Thinking of this, Uchiha Shiina, whose thoughts were always wandering, couldn't help but laugh out loud.

"Lord Shiina, please give the order!"

The Jonin under his command were all eager to fight, shouting, "We can definitely strike while the iron is hot, and advance straight in to the gates of Takigakure!"

"The day to make a name for yourself is now! Lord Shiina, don't hesitate!"

"……Do not!"

Uchiha Shiina was moved but refused.

Before being ordered to leave the village to lead the ninja army, Uchiha Tokumitsu had already given him instructions.

Uchiha Tokumitsu had already explained to him very clearly the specifics of the encirclement and suppression within the Land of Rain and the strategic objectives of this deployment of troops to the border of the Land of Waterfall.

"Military bases, concessions, special tariffs, free circulation of currency, the right to guard and investigate, the right to freedom of action, extrajudicial powers..."

Uchiha Shiina silently recited the key words from the negotiation conditions in the speech draft given to him by Uchiha Tokumitsu.

……

The panicked leaders of Takigakure were completely unable to muster any thought of resistance.

Especially after news of the border troops fleeing without a fight reached the Takigakure headquarters, the high command was thrown into chaos.

Let alone resist, the fact that the Takigakure leaders didn't pack their valuables and flee to the Land of Earth to live as recluses already shows how bold they are.

Although the higher-ups were in a state of panic and unable to organize any effective response, every ninja village had a group of martial arts factions that refused to be outdone, and Takigakure was no exception.

At the call of a Jonin from Takigakure, the Takigakure militia at the village headquarters organized a loose ninja force of over 800 men. After some deliberation, they chose to target the Hidden Blade Shogunate and the Kusagakure ninja forces in the direction of the Land of Grass as their targets for defense.

Of course, the outcome of the battle was uneventful and unsurprising.

The Takigakure fighting faction couldn't even withstand the first wave of attacks from the Hidden Shogunate, which had already deployed two elite detachments. In less than ten minutes, they were easily defeated by the Uchiha ninja army commanded by Hidden Uchiha.

More than 800 Takigakure troops fled for over a hundred miles. Even the Kusanagi, who were best at pursuing and killing, could not keep up with the Takigakure's escape speed. In order to avoid stretching the battle line too long and exposing a weakness, Uchiha Himon ordered his ninja army to stop their offensive. After hastily sweeping through a few county towns, they stopped advancing and simply waited for the arrival of the Takigakure peace envoy.

Now, even the high-ranking members of the Takigakure ninja who had turned a blind eye to the militant faction's proactive attack were completely bewildered.

After another round of arguments, Taki Shinobu finally made his final decision—

While the ninja village was clamoring to use tailed beast weapons and carry out a "Gyokusai" (honorable death) decisive battle against the evil Uchiha bullying ninja army, the Takigakure leadership sent two delegations to the ninja army command centers where Uchiha Himon and Uchiha Shiina were located to seek peace, their main purpose being to create a split personality.

In response, Uchiha Himon simply stated that the headquarters ninja army was inexplicably attacked by the Takigakure ninja forces during an exercise, and thus took appropriate countermeasures.

In addition, Uchiha Himon demanded that Takigakure pay for the expenses of the ninja army's deployment and provide war reparations, among other things.

...So, all you need to do is pay money! You should have said so earlier!

The Takigakure envoy sent to the Fire Gate Shogunate wiped away a cold sweat and breathed a sigh of relief.

For Takigakure, as long as there is no real war, any problem that can be solved with money and the amount is within the village's ability to pay is not a problem.

However, when another delegation arrived at the ninja army headquarters led by Uchiha Shiina, the Takigakure envoys did not receive such favorable treatment.

……

"Lord Shiina, Takishinobu is innocent!"

Upon hearing Uchiha Shiina's claim that Jiraiya's group might have established a secret base within the Land of Waterfall, the Waterfall envoy immediately protested his innocence.

Whether or not Jiraiya has set up a secret base within the territory of the Land of Waterfalls, this must be firmly denied!

Otherwise, the decades-long foundation of Takinin will be destroyed in an instant! The hard work and accumulation of wealth by the higher-ups will also vanish into thin air!

"Do you think I don't know whether you've been wronged or not?"

Following the script provided by Uchiha Tokumitsu, Uchiha Shiina frowned very seriously and rebuked, "The dignified Sixth Ninja Village, dares to do it but not to admit it?"

As for where Jiraiya was hiding, whether he had actually set up a secret base in the Land of Waterfall, and how the Uchiha clan obtained the information, none of that matters.

"Lord Shiina, Takigakure is a legitimate ninja village, and it absolutely cannot tolerate the existence of rogue ninja!"