Uchiha's personal opinion

The fact that they are so happy to die is the tragedy of the tailed beasts.

"And what about the power you gave me?"

"Go ahead and refine the chakra tail, I won't stop you!"

Uchiha Tokumitsu, with some skepticism, flicked his Flame Release chakra towards the chakra tail that was wrapped around his body. Unexpectedly, the flame instantly ignited the huge chakra tail, turning it into a ball of Flame Release chakra.

Then, taking advantage of the influence of the Flame Release chakra 'Great Fireball', he condensed chakra in both hands and heavily reached out towards the Jinchuriki.

"Ahhh!" With a powerful chakra strike from Uchiha Tokumitsu, the Jinchuriki's body suddenly stiffened completely, and the power of the Tailed Beast within him began to dissipate.

Nothing unexpected happened.

Uchiha Tokumitsu breathed a sigh of relief.

The Uchiha Jonin felt a pang of regret, as they felt they had missed an excellent opportunity to control and command the Tailed Beasts.

Hatake Sakumo's gaze, however, was somewhat complicated, especially after Uchiha Tokumitsu secretly killed the Jinchuriki.

Chapter 50 Cleaning Up the Mess

The entire battle lasted for nearly an hour.

With an overwhelming numerical and combat advantage, even the elite ANBU of the two major ninja villages, Iwagakure and Kumogakure, were no match for them.

The most time-consuming task was besieging this unknown Jinchūriki.

As the Jinchūriki died, the Tailed Beast marks on his body gradually faded, revealing his originally handsome face.

Looking around, a group of Uchiha ninja were cleaning up the battlefield together with Sakumo's recalled subordinates.

“Tokumitsu-kun…” Hatake Sakumo stepped forward and asked with some inexplicable emotion, “Why must you kill this Jinchuriki?”

“Jonin Sakumo, if we capture this Jinchuriki alive…” Uchiha Tokumitsu straightened up, “what will the village do with him? Will they keep him in our Uchiha clan or take him to the Anbu's research lab?”

"...He basically spent the rest of his life in the Dark Side Research Institute." Hatake Sakumo pondered for a moment, "The identity of a Jinchuriki is too special. Even if the village takes him in, they will never reveal his identity."

“Yes,” Uchiha Tokumitsu sighed. “The policy of allocating tailed beasts is an important part of the balance of power among the five great nations established by Lord Hashirama. It cannot be disrupted.”

"Then... what does this have to do with killing him?" Sakumo Hatake was still a little confused. "Even if it's a research institute brought back to the village, what about the village..."

Sakumo Hatake suddenly paused, then realized what was happening.

"It seems you've figured it out, Jonin Sakumo," Uchiha Tokumitsu said quietly. "Sometimes, the interests of the village and the interests of the Uchiha clan are not necessarily aligned. For our clan, not actively harming the interests of the village is the greatest restraint; but the actions of the village sometimes harm the interests of the Uchiha clan and even most ninja clans at all times."

Sakumo Hatake could only shake his head and sigh.

"Quickly clean up the battlefield, we need to get out of here as soon as possible," Uchiha Tokumitsu shouted to the busy crowd. "Don't forget to retrieve my scabbard."

"Also, Toshiki-kun," Uchiha Tokumitsu turned to Hyuga Toshiki, "have you spotted any trace of Takigakure ninja around here?"

"No, there are no other ninjas within a five-kilometer radius." Hyuga Toshiki shook his head, scanning his surroundings with his Byakugan.

"Iwagakure and Kumogakure have found a good place." Uchiha Tokumitsu nodded slightly. "Letting them die here is a fitting end."

"I think they probably didn't expect to die here either," Hatake Sakumo said, somewhat amused.

"That's none of my business," Uchiha Tokumitsu said dismissively. "I'm only responsible for sending them to their deaths."

"However, since we killed all the mission targets due to the emergency, does that count as a mission failure?" Uchiha Tokumitsu suddenly thought of something. "Won't the village blame you, Jonin Sakumo?"

“Probably not.” Sakumo Hatake shook his head. “The lives of the Tsuchikage’s assistant and the Raikage’s secretary alone are a remarkable achievement. Add to that the record of killing a Jinchuriki, and the intelligence is no longer important in comparison.”

"Is that so?" Uchiha Tokumitsu stroked his chin, seemingly lost in thought.

"Young Master Deguang, the battlefield has been cleaned up." A Uchiha ANBU ninja appeared instantly beside Uchiha Deguang, knelt on one knee, and reported, "Please give your orders."

"What is the situation regarding our unit's battle losses?" Uchiha Tokumitsu asked.

"Five Jonin were lightly injured, all due to Jinchuriki injuries. After treatment by medical ninjas, their mobility is no longer affected," the ANBU ninja reported. "Seven Chunin were killed in battle, one was seriously injured, and twenty-one were lightly injured. All the wounded have been treated by medical ninjas and are currently out of danger."

"Seven men died in battle..." Uchiha Tokumitsu said with some melancholy.

Although I know that it is inevitable to suffer injuries on the battlefield, I still feel bad every time I hear the casualty figures.

After all, no matter how unfamiliar they were with each other in ordinary times, those who died in battle were still his people, blood relatives who were connected by blood through various aunts and uncles.

"Young Master Deguang, dying on the battlefield is the fate of the Uchiha!" the ninja guard comforted him. "To die for war, to bloom and wither like a night-blooming cereus in battle, is the best ending for us Uchiha. You don't need to blame yourself."

"Sigh..." Uchiha Tokumitsu was at a loss for words.

"Jonin Sakumo, what do you think is the best way for us to retreat?" Composing himself, Uchiha Tokumitsu sought Sakumo Hatake's opinion.

"Hmm..." Sakumo Hatake thought for a moment, "How about we retreat from the remote border areas of the Land of Earth?"

“No problem.” Uchiha Tokumitsu readily agreed, “But I’ll need to trouble Jonin Sakumo to guide me on the route.”

“No problem.” Hatake Sakumo readily agreed. “Even if it would be troublesome for you to have Hyuga ninja help scout the situation along the way.”

“No problem.” Uchiha Tokumitsu summoned Hyuga Toshiki. “Toshiki-kun, when you bring back the withdrawing troops, Jonin Sakumo is preparing to sneak back from the border of the Land of Earth. You will need to keep an eye on things along the way to prevent them from running into Iwagakure’s patrol forces.”

"Yes, sir. This is all within my duty." Despite having just gone through a fierce battle, Hyuga Toshiki still maintained his elegant demeanor.

Sakumo Hatake took out a map, worked out the route on it, and explained the key points to note when retreating and crossing the border to the ninja army commanders.

After listening, Uchiha Tokumitsu had to admire Hatake Sakumo's meticulous planning. From the advance scout team to the central army escorting the wounded and then to the elite rear guard, Hatake Sakumo assigned tasks to each unit, maximizing the spread-out formation to reduce the probability of discovery while ensuring that each unit could communicate and support each other effectively. This was a highly skilled task.

"Tokumitsu-kun, everything is arranged. Give the order." After arranging the ninja army's retreat, Hatake Sakumo turned to Uchiha Tokumitsu and said.

Uchiha Tokumitsu nodded slightly and added another advantage to Hatake Sakumo's list: he was a man of principle, had a sense of boundaries, and knew how to restrain himself.

This is a near-perfect template for a Konoha ninja.

Every leader wants a perfect subordinate like Sakumo Hatake.

"Gentlemen, retreat as ordered!" Uchiha Tokumitsu commanded.

"Swish, swish, swish..."

As soon as the words were spoken, figures instantly rose up and shot away towards the distant Land of Earth.

"Tokumitsu-kun, why are you so wary of the village?" On the way back, Hatake Sakumo asked hesitantly, "You're so young, you should..."

“Because I am a member of the ninja clan. The Uchiha are not only the Uchiha, but also the largest ninja clan in the village.” Uchiha Tokumitsu answered without hesitation. “For ninja clans, guarding against the encroachment and interference of village power on clan power is an innate instinct.”

“Clan rights…” Hatake Sakumo felt a pang of melancholy at the words Uchiha Tokumitsu used.

This is a man who truly embodies the Will of Fire as his personal creed.

Uchiha Tokumitsu held a high degree of trust and respect for Hatake Sakumo's character, but this did not prevent him from maintaining his usual vigilance towards the village.

“Sakumo Jonin, the village’s history is only thirty-odd years old, while most ninja clans have hundreds or even thousands of years of history.” Uchiha Tokumitsu continued, “Ninja clans like the Uchiha, Hyuga and Senju have more than a thousand years of history. In their long history, ninja clans have experienced countless bloody storms and near-collapses, but they have survived. It’s not so easy to change a ninja clan.”

Hatake Sakumo understood this principle, but he still couldn't help feeling melancholy and sighing.

“What I didn’t expect was that someone of your generation, like Tokumitsu-kun, would place the family above the village.” Hatake Sakumo sighed. “The family is important, but isn’t the village important too?”

"The village is important, but the clan is even more important," Uchiha Tokumitsu replied, mimicking Hatake Sakumo's words. "Even the Uchiha clan, who hold great prejudices against the Hokage lineage, fight with all their might for the village, don't they?"

"While fighting for the village, it's not unreasonable to criticize some of the village's bizarre and irrational actions, right?" Uchiha Tokumitsu continued, "If we're going to go into more detail, who truly represents the village? Is it the Senju clan, which is on the verge of extinction? Is it the four Sarutobi who are currently in power? Is it the Uchiha? Is it the Hyuga? Is it a ninja clan? Or is it a commoner ninja clan?"

“Representing the ninja village are every single person in it.” Uchiha Tokumitsu continued, without waiting for Hatake Sakumo’s response, “The ninja clans are also part of the village. If the ninja clans have grievances, has the Hokage ever tried to resolve them? The majority of the village’s ninjas are civilian ninjas, but has the village ever cared about their voices?”

Sakumo Hatake couldn't answer.

He was a sincere ninja with numerous battle achievements and a distinguished reputation. He had commanded countless ninjas and was naturally aware of the hidden thoughts and conflicts among the various groups within Konoha.

But so what?

No matter how powerful Sakumo Hatake is, he is not the Hokage and has no power to change anything.

"For example, our Uchiha clan's Police Department Preparatory Training Academy far surpasses the village's ninja academy in both faculty and curriculum. Why is that?" Uchiha Tokumitsu continued his tirade, "Because our Uchiha clan truly allows students to learn all types of D-rank and above ninjutsu. As long as the students at the Preparatory Training Academy are hardworking and talented enough, they can learn multiple C-rank chakra ninjutsu of the five elements. This means that the students graduating from the Preparatory Training Academy are far stronger than the genin who play ninja games in the village's ninja academy."

Sakumo Hatake had nothing to say.

The ninja army leaped forward through the jungle, silently retreating towards their destination.

For a moment, Uchiha Tokumitsu and Hatake Sakumo remained silent, focusing solely on their journey.

After a while, Sakumo Hatake took the initiative to start a conversation: "Tokumitsu-kun, if you were the Hokage, what would you try to do?"

"Me?" Uchiha Tokumitsu was taken aback; he hadn't really thought about that question.

Due to his young age and lack of influence, Uchiha Tokumitsu has always been perceived as a quiet but undeniably talented prodigy within the clan. His proposals, such as establishing a preparatory training academy for the police force and developing the Flame Release technique, were impulsive and lacked much personal planning.

"I haven't thought about that question. The title of Hokage is too far removed from my reality," Uchiha Tokumitsu replied after a moment's thought. "From my bedroom window, all I can see is the police department building, so I've only considered matters related to the police department."

"The police department has indeed done a good job all along." Sakumo Hatake did not comment on Tokumitsu Uchiha's intentions, but objectively evaluated the police department's work results.

"It's just that his style is consistently a bit rough," Uchiha Tokumitsu commented without a care.

Upon hearing this, Hatake Sakumo looked at Uchiha Tokumitsu, and the two of them burst into laughter.

Both of them understood each other's feelings, so there was no need for further words.

……

"It should take another ten years," Sakumo Hatake said seemingly out of the blue.

"Pretty much, provided you live to be ten years from now," Uchiha Tokumitsu said meaningfully.

"But speaking of which, Tokumitsu-kun, you deserve a lot of credit this time," Hatake Sakumo changed the subject. "Have you thought about what kind of reward you'd like?"

"Hmm... there's nothing in particular I need." Uchiha Tokumitsu thought for a moment, "It'll probably be recorded as a special merit but not announced to the public, and then I'll get some money or something."

"Don't you want to see the ninjutsu in the Book of Seals?" Sakumo Hatake asked, somewhat puzzled.

"Jonin Sakumo, do you think that's possible?" Uchiha Tokumitsu raised an eyebrow and replied, "As for the so-called secret techniques in sealing jutsu, would the Hokage lineage be willing to let the Uchiha clan see the catalog?"

"Hmm~ It shouldn't be that bad." Hatake Sakumo also raised an eyebrow. "For example, the first ninjutsu in the Book of Seals is the Multiple Shadow Clone Technique, which is also one of the forbidden techniques."

"Jonin Sakumo, have you seen the contents of the sealing technique?" Uchiha Tokumitsu asked, somewhat puzzled.

"Because of my accumulated merits, the Hokage had previously intended for me to select several more secret techniques with similar compatibility from among the sealing techniques," Sakumo Hatake replied. "However, I refused."

"why?"

“Because that doesn’t align with my ninja way,” Sakumo Hatake replied proudly. “I believe that with my sword and secret sword techniques, I can also reach the pinnacle of ninja achievement.”

"Because of his purity, fearlessness, and strength..." Uchiha Tokumitsu exclaimed, "He truly deserves to be called the renowned 'White Fang of Konoha'."

"Haha, Tokumitsu-kun is too kind," Hatake Sakumo replied modestly. "I am not very knowledgeable, so I can only hone my skills. Unlike Tokumitsu-kun, the power you used to kill the Two-Tails Jinchuriki, if I'm not mistaken, should be a bloodline limit power."

"It's just a half-finished product. It's only through a series of coincidences that we've managed to discover a glimmer of hope for its rise." Uchiha Tokumitsu naturally remained modest about this. "Currently, it's just a simple chakra fusion. The specific application in ninjutsu still requires the secrets provided by other senior members of the clan who can learn chakra fusion."

"That was absolutely amazing! You have to understand, this is a self-created bloodline power..."