Chapter 24

Uchiha Kon's words held some validity, as the most influential power within Konoha now rested with the few individuals who had served during the reign of the Second Hokage.

Apart from the Third Hokage, the group consisted of Mitokado Homura, Utatane Koharu, and Shimura Danzo, all serving as advisors to the Hokage and involved in managing the village's affairs.

The Third Hokage had granted Danzo the authority to establish a covert assassination force known as Root, separate from the Anbu, which answered solely to Danzo.

Beneath the council, there existed the Konoha Elder Group, a collection of esteemed elders who had served in the early years and played a significant role in the founding of Konoha.

Although the Elder Group's influence was not substantial, they commanded great respect within the village. When they made a suggestion, the Third Hokage took it seriously.

The only ones capable of restraining the Uchiha clan were the Hokage and several council members. The Elder Group had neither soldiers nor generals, and they played a minimal role. Furthermore, the isolation and oppression of the Uchiha were carried out clandestinely. Proposing an open and transparent solution was impossible since the Uchiha remained an essential clan of Konoha.

Fugaku estimated that the Third Hokage and Koharu Homura were preoccupied with devising combat strategies for various nations and managing the allocation of resources.

As for Shimura Danzo, who held the most animosity towards the Uchiha, he was likely busy training spies. Danzo harbored great ambitions, and in times of war and upheaval, it was crucial to send spies to infiltrate other countries.

Fugaku recalled that during the Second Great War, Orochimaru had colluded with Danzo, protecting him while he dispatched spies to other nations.

With a quick glance at his two clansmen, Fugaku couldn't determine if the Third Hokage's "Will of Fire" indoctrination had affected them. He realized that whatever he said had little impact on his clansmen, as he was not yet the Uchiha Patriarch.

"Kon Yan," Fugaku contemplated, "The Uchiha clan had a tainted reputation in the village. However, there has been a slight shift lately. It would be wise for Otōsan to send more clan members to the Land of Rain. This would not only allow them to contribute to Konoha's wars but also enhance the Uchiha clan's reputation."

Fugaku understood that the higher-ups in Konoha would not willingly provide the Uchiha with such an opportunity to showcase their abilities. Nevertheless, if his father made a statement to the higher-ups, their disagreement would become inconsequential.

Nothing in the world is foolproof, and news of the Uchiha clan's involvement in battle would soon circulate among the villagers of Konohagakure. This would, at the very least, help restore the Uchiha's tarnished reputation.

Both individuals nodded, agreeing with Fugaku's suggestion.

"We should inform Lord Patriarch of this plan," Fugaku stated.

As a Uchiha clan prodigy, Fugaku believed he had enough trusted people to relay his message and bring it back to Konoha. However, Uchiha Homura, unlike himself, did not have the same level of trust.

Homura possessed the Summoning Jutsu, a skill exclusive to the Uchiha clan. Through summoning animals, information could be conveyed.

Uchiha Homura smiled and said, "You geniuses always look down on others and are reluctant to establish a psychic contract with the Ninja Cat family. This happened once with Senior Kagami, and it's happening again with you.

Rest assured, I will send a message to Lord Patriarch shortly."

Fugaku and Uchiha Kon then briefed Yan on the current situation in the Land of Rain, explaining the potential challenges they might face during their missions.

Sometimes, even the information provided by the village could be false. Spies might have betrayed them, or the village itself might be compromised. Only through personal experience could they truly grasp the situation at hand.

Fugaku and Kim didn't stay in Yan's tent for long. During this sensitive period, the higher-ups in Konoha were closely monitoring the Uchiha clan. It would raise suspicions if the three Uchiha Jonin spent too much time together.

Upon returning to their tent, they found only Satōmaru resting there, with Nozawa absent.

As soon as Fugaku entered the tent, he noticed a flicker of surprise in Satōmaru's eyes, quickly masked by normalcy.

"You're the only one here," Uchiha Fugaku remarked. "Don't you visit your old friends upon returning from a mission?"

Satōmaru smiled and replied, "None of my previous friends were in the Vanguard Camp. I was the only one selected. I'm not sure if that's lucky or unlucky."

Fugaku nodded, realizing he would have to put in more effort to uncover Satōmaru's true identity. Although Konoha was a sizable village, the number of its inhabitants was limited.

Satōmaru was just an ordinary Chunin, and few people truly took notice of him. Trying to determine his identity by investigating his friends and classmates would be too easy to uncover.

Checking with the Anbu was even more impossible. Anbu reported directly to the Hokage, and Uchiha's identity was too sensitive and prone to exposure.

However, the presence of a shinobi who appeared to be affiliated with the Anbu, at the very least, served as a reminder to exercise caution at all times.

Three consecutive days passed calmly and uneventfully, while the fighting in the Land of Rain intensified. Small-scale team reorganizations had taken place during these three days, and all the teams sent out on missions were part of the newly organized groups.

Just yesterday, Uchiha Homura, as the captain of a nine-member squad, had been dispatched for a mission.

In the morning, a shinobi informed Fugaku that they would meet in front of Hatake Sakumo's tent at 9 am.

Fugaku suspected that a large-scale team reorganization was about to take place, but he had no idea how many people would be assigned to his team.

Rain continued to fall from the sky, both heavy and light. After spending so many days in the Land of Rain, Fugaku had grown accustomed to it.

At 9 am, Hatake Sakumo emerged from his tent, followed by clerks carrying notepads.

His sharp gaze swept across the crowd as Hatake Sakumo spoke, "Today, everyone is present, as expected. You should all be prepared.

After suffering significant losses in the Land of Rain, the higher-ups in Konoha were somewhat disappointed with the Vanguard forces. However, all of you were carefully selected from Konohagakure's finest shinobi, and the village has high expectations for you.

Unfortunately, your performance fell slightly short. A few days ago, additional reinforcements were sent to Konoha. After thorough discussion and examination, the teams have been reorganized."

Hatake Sakumo signaled to one of the clerks, and a portly individual stepped forward, holding a notepad and began reading out the team assignments.

"Team No. 001, Captain Nara Fukado, Vice Captain Yamanaka Imura, Akimichi Okada, and team members Nagasawa Maru, Matsubara Nakamura..."

As the clerk continued reading, Fugaku listened attentively until his own team, Squad No. 009, was announced.

"Squad No. 009, Captain Uchiha Fugaku, Vice Captain Hyūga Tazumo, Inuzuka Maru, and team members Yamada Shinji, Koudamaru, Aburame Nozawa, Okasawa Ōno, Satōmaru, Genyaki, Yamamoto Isuke, Aida Maki ada."

Squad No. 9 consisted of one captain, two vice captains, and as before, one Jonin and three Chunin.

From the team reorganization, it was evident that each team now comprised a Jonin and three Chunin, a departure from the previous standard team composition of a Jonin with two Chunin.

It wasn't that the number of Jonin had decreased, but rather that a group of Chunin had been temporarily elevated from Konoha's support teams, based on a simple assessment.

Fugaku recognized some of the more outstanding Genin who were present.

Through the trials of war, these shinobi would be honed, and those who proved themselves worthy would survive to become qualified Chunin. As for the unfit, they would be laid to rest on the battlefield.

This was a preparation for a long and arduous war, ensuring that there would be no shortage of troops in the future.