The Arrogant Uchiha

"Promotion mission issued by the Hokage Building?"

"Because of wartime conditions, there's no Chunin exam, so it's been replaced with a practical assessment. The promotion test requires me to form a team with Nawaki and head to the battlefield in the Land of Rain where Orochimaru is stationed?"

Namikaze Yoru, who had slept straight through until the next morning, received this surprising mission.

On second thought, the Second Shinobi World War was nearing its end. Konoha held an overwhelming advantage on the main battlefield, so the risk of heading to the front lines was greatly reduced. The war might end soon.

Sending Nawaki to the battlefield was likely an arrangement made long ago, a form of training. After all, a calm greenhouse couldn't nurture a towering tree.

As for himself, it was probably because he had revealed part of his strength in front of Tsunade yesterday, and she had conveniently stuffed him into the team as a "safety net."

Of course, it wasn't out of the question that Hiruzen Sarutobi had finally remembered this "Genin" idling at home.

Since the mission was issued, he had to carry it out. Departure was tomorrow, so he had today to prepare.

Originally, Yoru had planned to contract a summoning beast, but now that he was heading to the front lines, there might be better options.

Both Mount Myōboku's Toad Guild and Ryūchi Cave's Great Snake Collective were targets for Yoru, not to mention the coveted Sage Mode.

Before leaving, he checked his body, which had fully recovered. The aftereffects of opening the Eight Gates had completely faded in just one night, and his physical strength had even improved significantly.

In terms of pure physique, he might be slightly inferior to the Senju Wood Style, but when it came to vitality and recovery, the Uzumaki Clan was far ahead.

After all, recovery ability relied on abundant life force. Think about it—the God of Shinobi, Senju Hashirama, had died young from excessive combat.

Meanwhile, his wife, Uzumaki Mito, who suppressed the Nine-Tails within her—a debuff—was still alive and well. She didn't rely on so-called "mutual understanding" but on absolute suppression with the Adamantine Sealing Chains.

As soon as he stepped onto Konoha's main street, the usual hustle and bustle greeted him. Yoru didn't stop, heading straight to the famous "Ninja Tool Full Point Hall."

The moment he entered, the owner greeted him warmly, showing no neglect even though he was just a child:

"Ninja-sama, what do you need?"

Yoru scanned the shop. He rarely came here before—partly due to tight funds, partly because standard-issue tools were enough. The only time he had made a special trip was to buy Explosive Tags, which he had exhausted in the Land of Whirlpools battlefield.

Now, heading to the battlefield again, with his funds relatively ample, it was best to stock up properly.

"Boss! Got any good ninja swords?"

"Yes, sir. How about this one? It contains quite a bit of Chakra metal, excellent durability and sturdiness!" The owner eagerly picked up a sword and recommended it.

Yoru reached out, took it, and felt its weight. Though not as precious as the longsword "Nuibari," it had a good feel. He decided to buy it.

"How much for this sword?"

"Fifty-five thousand Ryo." The shop owner's tone was casual.

"Fifty thousand Ryo work?"

"Deal." The owner replied with a grin.

Yoru immediately felt he might have overpriced it, or else why would the owner be so agreeable?

But the words were already out, so he let it go. He added some Kunai and Explosive Tags, totaling seventy-one thousand Ryo. The owner "generously" dropped the odd amount, accepting only seventy thousand.

No wonder it was Konoha's largest ninja tool shop—money vanished in an instant, yet the owner's attitude made you want to come back.

Just as he stepped out of the shop, he heard a commotion of arguments.

Drawing closer, he saw a man with a simple, farmer-like face confronting two Uchiha Police Force members, shouting his innocence:

"How can the Police Department wrong an honest man! I didn't do anything."

"You're under major suspicion. Come with us." The police member said coldly, ignoring his protests, and moved to arrest him.

The surrounding villagers dared not intervene, but their eyes were full of hostility, clearly dissatisfied with the Uchiha's methods.

Even as the man kept shouting "Abuse of power!" and "The Uchiha bully the honest!", the two Uchiha remained expressionless. After all, the proud Uchiha never bothered to explain themselves to outsiders.

Just as the honest-looking man was about to be taken away, someone finally couldn't stand it. Stepping forward, they blocked the two Uchiha members and said, "Akita-kun isn't that kind of person! If you're taking him, you need evidence!"

The lead Uchiha member merely glanced at the speaker. His eyes instantly turned into crimson Two-Tomoe Sharingan. Even without using any technique, those ominous blood-red eyes were enough to force anyone back.

"I'm Uchiha Yashiro. If you have objections, come find me at the Police Department Building." His tone was flat, but carried an undeniable pressure.

The crowd instinctively parted a path for him. He walked forward without looking sideways, while the other Uchiha member silently escorted the so-called "Akita-kun" behind him.

Yoru watched from the side, understanding dawning. He finally knew why the Uchiha Police Force had such a bad reputation.

These were all Konoha villagers, but whether it was the Uchiha's pride or the need for case confidentiality, such cold and forceful behavior, even if justified, easily bred resentment.

Not to mention that since the Second Hokage's administration, the higher-ups had repeatedly suppressed the Uchiha, isolating them and worsening their reputation. By the time the main plot began, they were at odds with the village.

The villagers might be ignorant and easily led, but Yoru, observing closely, noticed something off.

Uchiha Yashiro hadn't actually wronged the man. If he were truly a simple farmer, his hands should have thick calluses from years of using tools. But this man's hands were not only callus-free but also unusually pale and nimble.

A ninja disguised as a farmer—his intentions were obvious. He was likely a spy from another village or someone with ulterior motives.

Having witnessed the Uchiha's cold and rigid handling of problems, and then recalling Nawaki, the Senju heir, who looked like a "rich family's simpleton son," Yoru couldn't help but shake his head. No wonder the Uchiha were unpopular.

After buying the sword, Yoru planned to head to the Training Ground to test its feel. Though he had already "exchanged" for sword techniques from Kushimaru Kuriarare, he felt it was better to practice personally.

Just as he reached the edge of the training ground, two familiar figures came into view.

"What the hell." Yoru's heart jolted. He turned, intending to leave before they noticed him.

But the moment he turned, he felt his collar tighten. Tsunade had appeared behind him like a ghost, speaking calmly: "Kid from the Namikaze clan, just the person I was looking for."