Chapter 41: 40: Reinforcement
"Sakumo requested to send additional reinforcement s. What are your thoughts on this?" Sarutobi, the Third Hokage, discussed in the conference room at the Hokage Building.
"With his strength, shouldn't he be able to handle the hidden enemies within the Land of Fire?" Koharu turned her head and furrowed her brow, clearly dissatisfied with Sakumo's request for additional reinforcement.
"The opponents consist of two elite jōnin from the Suna puppet army, along with three other jōnin, one of whom possesses wide-ranging earth style jutsus" Sarutobi replied, shaking the pipe in his hand.
"But there is no direct evidence to prove that they are ninjas from Iwagakure" Koharu argued.
Sarutobi sighed, "I can't dismiss this matter simply because there haven't been any mission changes from Iwagakure. I don't believe Ohnoki would remain idle during this time."
"As you mentioned, there are serious suspicions surrounding both Iwagakure and Kirigakure as well," Advisor Homura interjected, glancing at Sarutobi.
"That's why I stayed behind in the village when the third Kazekage left. I wanted to prevent other villages from intervening and further escalating the chaos on the battlefield" Sarutobi explained.
"What's your plan then? We can't fully trust the Uchiha police force. Danzo is currently leading the Root and carrying out secret missions outside the village. It's already incredibly risky to have only two Anbu teams remaining in the village in case something happens," Homura questioned, his eyes filled with questions.
"Homura is correct. In the past, we always had the Anbu from the three divisions staying behind. Now, with only two Anbu teams available, it's already a gamble," Koharu added, expressing her lack of trust in the Uchiha.
"The Uchiha are also members of Konoha. We shouldn't be prejudiced against them. They are an integral part of our village," Hiruzen chimed in, releasing a solemn smoke ring from his mouth.
The decision to entrust the police force to the Uchiha clan was made by his late teacher, the Second Hokage Senju Tobirama. T here were various reasons for this decision.
On one hand, it was out of fear, and on the other hand, it aimed to restrict the Uchiha's power to the police force alone. Only the Uchiha possessed the necessary skills for this task.
The Uchiha's work had been remarkable. Although there were some troublemakers among them, there were also Uchiha ninjas genuinely committed to maintaining internal security in Konoha.
Hiruzen believed that not everyone should be judged based on the actions of a few.
Furthermore, his teacher had wanted to fully integrate the Uchiha clan into Konoha, rather than excluding them. Unfortunately, his teacher died on the battlefield during the First Great Ninja War, which disrupted the plans for the Uchiha.
For all these years, progress had been slow. While Hiruzen's efforts as Hokage had improved relations, substantial progress had not been made.
"A mirror is a mirror, and an Uchiha is an Uchiha. They exist at different levels. Within the Uchiha, there are still many ninjas who embrace Uchiha Madara's radical ideologies. These individuals pose a potential danger," the advisors remained skeptical, not trusting the Uchiha, particularly those who possessed the cursed power and awakened the Sharingan.
"Let's make a compromise then. We'll divide the Anbu into two squads. Only by eliminating the rats within the Land of Fire can Sakumo proceed to the battlefield and launch a counterattack against the Suna" Sarutobi proposed.
"But..."
"If any abnormalities arise within the Uchiha, I will personally take action to resolve the situation. You can rest assured," a powerful aura emanated from Hiruzen's body, creating an unprecedented pressure that even Homura and Koharu felt.
In this way, Hiruzen indirectly conveyed to Homura and Koharu that as long as he, the Hokage, was present, regardless of what happened with the Uchiha, he would remain on site and ensure that the garrison duties were carried out properly, without any issues.
This deep-rooted self-confidence was clearly reflected on Sarutobi's face.
"Since you've put it that way, Hiruzen, we'll proceed accordingly" Homura conceded.
"But do not let your guard down when it comes to the Uchiha. They are born with evil potential, and precautions must always be taken" Koharu warned, reminding Sarutobi about Uchiha one final time before temporarily setting aside the matter.
"In addition, the supplies sent to the front lines are insufficient. Koharu and I need to go to Daimyo's Mansion to discuss with Daimyo and collect supplies there" Homura and Koharu exchanged glances, and as he spoke up.
"Are we running low on supplies again?" Hiruzen paused his smoking.
"Yes, medical supplies are particularly scarce, but we have enough food pills and ninja tools" Homura replied.
"Go early and return promptly" Hiruzen instructed.
Any ninja leaving the village required written authorization from the hokage. Even advisors like Homura and Koharu needed Hokage's handwritten permission before they could leave the village.
Having obtained the handwritten letters from Hiruzen that permitted them to leave the village, Homura and Koharu exited the conference room.
.....
A sentinel located in the northern part of Konoha served as a temporary supply station for Team Sakumo, with around twenty Konoha ninja guards stationed there.
Fortunately, the sentinel had a simple infirmary where Shiraishi brought the severely injured Konoha ninja from another sentinel earlier, allowing him to rest and recover. Though he appeared conscious, he was no longer in a critical condition.
Meanwhile, Ruri and Ayane negotiated with the Konoha ninja at the sentinel to secure supplies such as food, water, and medical provisions. Once the preparations were complete, Sakumo put away his scroll and announced some good news.
"Hokage-sama has agreed to send additional assistance—an expert in the field of investigation. However, we cannot afford to relax here. Now that we have our supplies, let's proceed immediately."
"Yes!" Shiraishi and the others responded in unison, following Sakumo to resume their mission.
Currently, they were situated in the south-central region of the Land of Fire, and their next route would take them eastwards. This area neighbored the country of Yuno, known for its hot springs. Although it would have been a pleasant destination under different circumstances, their current task took precedence.
For two days, they patrolled the area without encountering anything out of the ordinary, including no sign of Suna nins.
However, considering their location in the heartland of the Land of Fire, it was unlikely for the Suna to cause havoc here. Nevertheless, Sakumo, ever vigilant, wouldn't leave any area unchecked, just in case.
On the third day, when their supplies ran low, they made their way to a nearby Konoha Sentinel to restock.
"You kids are truly remarkable to embark on such a dangerous mission alongside Sakumo-san at such a young age," remarked the captain at the sentinel, a jōnin in his thirties. Observing the noticeably inexperienced faces of Shiraishi and the others, he sighed.
"Our contribution is actually quite minimal, and many times, we find ourselves being taking care of by Sakumo-san" Shiraishi humbly responded.
He understood Sakumo's character as a jōnin—unless he gave his approval, he would never involve them in such a perilous mission, sticking to his principles. In other words, their abilities had been recognized by him. Sakumo was a man who cherished his comrades.
Recalling something, the jōnin continued, "I have worked with Sakumo on a mission in the past. Back then, he may have seemed cold, but he was actually a gentle and rather shy person. To enemies, he was the ruthless Konoha White Fang, but to his own people, he was a trustworthy companion who had their backs."
"I never imagined Sakumo-sensei was like that in the past. It's hard to tell," Shiraishi remarked. Perhaps over the years, Sakumo had undergone significant changes, making it difficult for them to see his shy side.
The three of them could only speculate.
"Take, what kind of strange things are you teaching my students?" Sakumo interjected as he approached.
"Just sharing some ninja experiences as an elder" Take replied.
"Oh, and this guy is a bit of a pervert" Sakumo suddenly added.
Ruri and Ayane cast a vigilant glance at Take before taking a step back.
"Hey!" Take blushed.
"—especially when it comes to men" Sakumo added, causing Shiraishi's smile to freeze upon hearing it.
Ruri and Ayane breathed a sigh of relief, glad that the attention had shifted.
Just then, a Konoha ninja covered in blood emerged from the dense grass at the sentinel point, attempting to run. However, he collapsed from his severe inju
ries after only a few steps.
"Be careful... enemies..." he managed to utter before losing consciousness.
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