Uchiha's personal opinion

As the Hokage, visiting a senior member of a ninja clan, especially the widow of the First Hokage, involves a rather complicated process in terms of both procedures and etiquette.

The three of them temporarily put aside the topic of the Uchiha clan and chatted and laughed in the office.

Once the Dark Guard reported that everything was ready, the three of them headed to the Whirlpool Clan's territory under the escort of the Shadow Guard and the Dark Guard.

……

Although she was somewhat dissatisfied with Hiruzen Sarutobi's negligence in the battle to rescue the Land of Whirlpools, Mito Uzumaki felt that after a round of reprimands, Hiruzen Sarutobi's attitude had softened considerably, so she stopped giving him attitude.

Mito Uzumaki received Sarutobi and his two companions in the main hall of the Senju residence, accompanied by Tsunade and Kushina Uzumaki.

Perhaps it's because of her granddaughter's recent companionship or the fact that the Uzumaki clan has settled down, allowing Mito Uzumaki to feel at ease, that her complexion looks much better than before.

After chatting for a while, Mito Uzumaki signaled Tsunade to take the somewhat sleepy Kushina Uzumaki away. Hiruzen Sarutobi understood her meaning and also let Jiraiya, who was already eager to go out, and Orochimaru, who was sitting coldly to one side, go out for a stroll as well.

“My days are numbered.” After a moment of silence, Mito Uzumaki spoke up: “Perhaps it won’t be long before I go to the Pure Land and meet Hashirama.”

"Lord Mito..." Hiruzen Sarutobi was also somewhat taken aback upon hearing this.

As the most renowned figure among the village's founders, Mito Uzumaki was a figure who dominated the ninja world in terms of both personal prestige and strength.

In terms of prestige, as the wife of "God of Shinobi" Hashirama Senju and the eldest princess of the Uzumaki clan, she commands respect from everyone in the ninja world.

In terms of strength, as a powerful woman who awakened the power of the Uzumaki clan's bloodline, she was the strongest and only one among the Uzumaki clan during its heyday, not to mention that she also had the power of the Nine-Tails at her disposal.

Although Mito Uzumaki was getting old and frail, no one dared to underestimate her. It was with her support that the Konoha F4 were able to successfully succeed her and lead the Konoha ninja to victory in the second half of the First Shinobi World War.

Now, hearing this terrible news coming from Mito Uzumaki herself, how could Hiruzen Sarutobi not panic?

“Hiruzen… I’m very old and tired.” Mito Uzumaki waved her hand, stopping Hiruzen Sarutobi from saying what she was about to say. “Although I’m already in my eighties, I’m not senile. I know what I’m saying, but don’t panic.”

Just like scolding a child, Mito Uzumaki silenced Hiruzen Sarutobi with a few words.

“There are three things I’m most concerned about, and I will arrange them before I go to the Pure Land,” Mito Uzumaki continued.

"The first thing is about Tsunade and the Fly Tree. They are my juniors, and they are Hashirama's bloodline... Hiruzen, you must teach them well, just like Tobirama did for you guys back then."

“I understand, Lord Mito,” Hiruzen Sarutobi replied solemnly.

"The second thing is about the Senju clan." Mito Uzumaki sighed. "The Senju bloodline can't withstand any more turmoil. In the future, let's continue the policy that Tobirama had when he was still alive, and let the surviving members of the clan go into seclusion. The Senju clan... let it become a historical name from now on."

Hiruzen Sarutobi nodded silently.

"The third thing is about the Nine-Tails." Mito Uzumaki looked up and glanced at Hiruzen Sarutobi, who was clearly tense. "Do you have anything to say?"

“Lord Mito… if we extract the Nine-Tails ahead of time, wouldn’t that be…” He didn’t finish his sentence, but Mito Uzumaki knew what he was trying to say.

“I should still have a few years to live,” Mito Uzumaki said slowly. “During this time, I will train Kushina well. In the future, she will take over from me as the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki and continue to protect the village…”

Hiruzen Sarutobi's lips moved a few times, as if he wanted to say something but didn't.

"Just say what you have to say, don't keep it bottled up." Mito Uzumaki glanced at him. "Don't be like that brat Danzo, hiding a whole host of wicked thoughts."

"I wouldn't dare..." Hiruzen Sarutobi smiled wryly and bowed to Mito Uzumaki, "It's just that the relationship between the Uzumaki clan and the Uchiha clan is a bit too..."

"I can't interfere with Ashina's affairs; he has his own ideas, but..." Mito Uzumaki changed the subject, "Hiruzen, have you ever thought about why Ashina and the Uzumaki clan would be willing to align themselves with their millennia-old rivals, the Uchiha?"

"We're both from the same ninja clan... so we can still protect each other."

"It's because I'm an incompetent Hokage..." Hiruzen Sarutobi sighed with a wry smile.

“You did nothing wrong, and Ashina did nothing wrong either.” Mito Uzumaki squinted slightly, seemingly a little tired. “It’s normal for the ninja clan’s stance and the village’s interests to conflict, but as Hokage, you need to manage the relationship between the two. What the village needs is balance…”

Hiruzen Sarutobi nodded in agreement.

"What you're worried about is that Kushina will side with the Uchiha clan, right..." Mito Uzumaki saw through Hiruzen Sarutobi's thoughts.

Hiruzen Sarutobi also smiled wryly and remained silent.

"Kushina will be raised at the Senju clan's estate..." Mito Uzumaki leaned back in her chair. "Once she's a bit older, I'll send her to the Ninja Academy. As for the clan, I'll also instruct them to cut off all contact with Kushina..."

"But... the Uchiha clan is still a..."

In front of Mito Uzumaki, Hiruzen Sarutobi couldn't be too direct.

"Although the Uchiha are arrogant, they are reliable partners and comrades-in-arms..." Mito Uzumaki slightly raised her eyelids, staring at Hiruzen Sarutobi, "...You...you haven't forgotten about Kagami, have you?"

“No…” Hiruzen Sarutobi answered, bowing his head, “It was me…”

"You're the Hokage!" Mito Uzumaki decisively interrupted Hiruzen Sarutobi. "As the leader of the village, you must do what others cannot do! You must endure what others cannot endure!"

"Yes!" Hiruzen Sarutobi replied in shock.

"You're keen on your disciple Orochimaru, aren't you? I think Uchiha Tokumitsu would be a perfect whetstone for your skills..."

Hiruzen Sarutobi was speechless upon hearing this.

"Hashirama suppressed Madara, Tobirama killed Izuna..." Mito Uzumaki glanced at Hiruzen Sarutobi again, "Sarutobi... you're doing well too..."

"But if Orochimaru can subdue that Uchiha Tokumitsu, wouldn't that prove your choice was right?"

"Lord Mito...you're right..."

Chapter 73 Reorganization! Sakumo's Ambition and Orochimaru's Vision

Orochimaru's probing and spying did not bother Uchiha Tokumitsu much.

At least on the surface, things are still very calm.

Orochimaru at this point is far from the cold-blooded, fully-fledged version he became after the two Fourth Shinobi World Wars. Although there wasn't much contact or communication, Uchiha Tokumitsu still managed to evoke noticeable emotional fluctuations in Orochimaru through persuasive language and genjutsu.

Orochimaru's reaction was like that of a person burdened with worries whose deepest pain had been touched. His reaction was intense, and if the Anbu hadn't happened to arrive by chance, a fight would have been inevitable.

But this also proves that Orochimaru at this stage still has some humanity left.

Although the "humanity" of this extremely intelligent venomous snake will weaken in the future as the negative effects of war such as death, bloodshed, and slaughter accumulate, at least for now, Orochimaru is not a threat in terms of strength alone.

But Uchiha Tokumitsu was then entangled with his "good partner".

After slamming the door and storming out of the Hokage's office, the newly drafted plan for replenishing and strengthening the Mobile Force personnel ultimately did not force the addition of a deputy commander to provide checks and balances. However, some adjustments were made to the organizational structure based on Sakumo Hatake's suggestion.

The original structure of the mobile unit consisted of 21 operational Jonin and 18 support ninjas, which is based on the traditional Konoha three-person squad structure, with seven operational squads and six support squads.

However, the heavy casualties suffered by support ninjas during the war in the Land of Whirlpools also exposed a problem that, while not a major one, was that the support ninjas were not very capable in combat. In high-intensity, sustained combat, they were prone to large-scale casualties, which would affect the mobile forces' ability to sustain combat operations.

Meanwhile, during continuous operations, the Mobile Force, whose commanders Uchiha Tokumitsu and Hatake Sakumo are both important spearheads in the assault, often finds it difficult to coordinate or neglect the command of the ninja army and the defense of the ninjas during the penetration operations. Therefore, Hatake Sakumo suggested that the Mobile Force be expanded with the addition of guard squads and dedicated staff officers.

When Hatake Sakumo presented Uchiha Tokumitsu with the Mobile Force Reorganization Plan, this part of the plan made Uchiha Tokumitsu's forehead turn black with disbelief.

In particular, the Hokage made a comment on Sakumo Hatake's proposal, drawing a thick red line under the clause about adding guard squads and full-time staff officers to the mobile force, with a red "Insightful" comment next to it.

Isn't this just the same old routine of adding flour when there's too much water, and adding water when there's too much flour?

What kind of insightful ninja army reorganization plan is this?

"Sakumo-kun... if that's the case, won't the number of support ninjas and guard ninjas be more than the number of Jonin responsible for combat missions?"

Uchiha Tokumitsu had some thoughts on this reorganization.

The expansion of personnel was thought to bring in more people to share the pie. The Uchiha clan, the main combat force of the mobile unit, had just gained some benefits by chance in the battle to rescue the Land of Whirlpools, and other ninja clans rushed over to get a share of the pie.

Was it that Sakumo Hatake's sword was no longer sharp, or that the Uchiha clan's infamy had faded?

“Tokumitsu-kun, the expansion of the mobile force is a good thing.” Sakumo Hatake began to try to persuade him.

“Instead of adding a new deputy commander to share the power, we’re bringing in a staff officer to oversee practical matters and check and balance things…” Uchiha Tokumitsu didn’t explicitly say he disagreed with the reorganization plan, but simply stated his opinion: “This means that our control and voice in the mobile force are at risk of being divided or weakened… Sakumo-kun, the clan will have objections.”

The clan that Uchiha Tokumitsu was referring to was naturally the Uchiha clan from which he himself came.

As the Uchiha clan members who draw the most Jonin and undertake the most dangerous frontline combat missions, they place great importance on the Mobile Force, a combat unit that exists outside the police department system but can legitimately maintain the ninja army's structure, and are extremely sensitive to the distribution of power within it.

Uchiha Tokumitsu wasn't too worried about how much the newly added dedicated staff officer and guard squad would affect his power in the mobile force. Since more than half of the combat Jonin were drawn from the Uchiha clan, he, as the deputy commander who was also from the Uchiha clan, naturally had more than half of the authority. The newly arrived dedicated staff officer wouldn't be able to find a breakthrough with the Uchiha clan members.

But what Uchiha Tokumitsu was more worried about was that his subordinate Uchiha Jonin would find the village-appointed personnel a hindrance and would secretly carry out acts of insubordination by assassinating the strategist...

In other words, the one most likely to suffer losses in the restructuring plan is actually Sakumo Hatake, the initiator and first commander of the mobile force.

"No, it won't," Sakumo Hatake said confidently. "The rights and interests of the Uchiha will not be interfered with in any way, and the full-time staff can only exercise a portion of the on-the-spot command authority within the scope we have stipulated. As long as we continue to work together, no one can shake our position."

“Sakumo-kun…you can’t be unaware of the reasoning I’m talking about…” What Uchiha Tokumitsu was worried about was not the clan’s so-called say in this ninja army.

In his view, the power of this so-called standing elite ninja army, which is dedicated to risking its life and putting out fires everywhere, is actually of very low cost-effectiveness. It is not as valuable as the command of a border defense force or the garrison rights of a small vassal state.

However, in the deeply ingrained village mindset of the Uchiha clan and other Konoha ninja, the ninja army, which was permanently deployed in the ninja village and possessed extremely strong combat capabilities, was far more important than the defensive forces that endured years of hardship on the border.

Hatake Sakumo naturally understood the meaning behind Uchiha Tokumitsu's words.

“Tokuko-kun, the interests of the ninja world cannot be swallowed up by a single clan,” Hatake Sakumo said meaningfully. “But if everyone can unite, then both ninja clans and common ninjas will have the opportunity to get what they want.”

"Explain in detail," Uchiha Tokumitsu said, intrigued.

"If I am elected as the Fourth Hokage, I will unite all the major ninja clans and civilian ninjas in the village, uphold the fair rights of everyone, accomplish the great task of suppressing the four great nations, and re-establish the order in which Konoha commanded all the major ninja villages in the era of Lord Hashirama."

"I even led a team to the moon!"

Hatake Sakumo ignored Uchiha Tokumitsu's complaints. He knew that the idea was somewhat naive, but it was the only solution he could think of in the face of Konoha's current predicament.

If you can't stand it, then go and change it!

This is Sakumo Hatake's creed.

The biggest internal problem in Konoha is the conflict between the village's ninja clans, especially the Uchiha clan, and the Hokage's faction. To put it bluntly, it's a conflict between the village's limited interests and the ninja clans' insatiable appetite.

If you compare Konoha to a cake, then the Hokage is the one responsible for dividing the cake.

In the past, in order to balance the interests of the villages, the Hokage lineage adopted a policy of suppressing ninja clans and supporting commoners. Among the ninja clans, the ones whose interests were most severely affected were naturally the powerful and well-equipped Uchiha.

While other ninja clans also had their grievances, most of them remained behind the scenes and watched the rivalry unfold when the Uchiha clans stood up for them. Some ninja clans even went so far as to completely align themselves with the Hokage's faction, such as the Ino-Shika-Cho trio and the Aburame clan.

Sakumo Hatake's idea was to make the pie bigger, and then distribute more to whoever contributed the most in making the pie, in order to divert the village's conflicts.

It is clear that the current policies of the Third Generation Leader and the route envisioned by Sakumo Hatake are completely opposite.

"Well... Sakumo-kun, how many people agree with your idea?" Uchiha Tokumitsu thought about it again and felt that it was somewhat feasible.

“The support of the Uchiha clan is enough.” Sakumo Hatake gave a rare sly smile.

Upon hearing this, Uchiha Tokumitsu couldn't help but chuckle.

In my previous life, I could only be an unknown, low-level researcher in the financial industry. I never expected that now that I've become a ninja, I would have the opportunity to be a venture capitalist.

"Sakumo-kun, there are still many problems with your idea..."

Uchiha Tokumitsu deliberately frowned as he spoke, and Hatake Sakumo's expression also became somewhat tense.

"But since it's Sakumo-kun, then this project... I, Wang Duo... I, Uchiha Tokumitsu, am in!"