Your Regret, My Shadow, Takada Squad's First Gathering!

The next day, noon.

After resting at the inn for a night, everyone returned to Konohagakure. After submitting their return permits, they re-entered the village.

"Everyone go to the barbecue restaurant first, I'll head to the Hokage Building to submit the mission!"

"Tonight's dinner is on me."

After saying that.

Takada Fujiwara flickered and headed towards the Hokage Building, while Uchiha Jin and the others went ahead to the Akimichi House's barbecue restaurant.

In the Hokage's Office.

Sarutobi Hiruzen's eyes were deep. He took puffs from his pipe, smoking clouds, and quietly listened to Takada Fujiwara's report. After a long period of contemplation, he casually asked, "How did you get along with the youngsters?"

"Quite well!" Takada Fujiwara replied.

Kneeling on one knee, his eyes flickered as he recalled the moments they spent together.

He knew very well what Sarutobi Hiruzen wanted to know. However, thinking about the large sum of money he had in his pocket, and how his family had become almost empty in order to support him in becoming a ninja...

Without hesitation, he chose to conceal the truth!

Yes.

It was too difficult for a civilian ninja.

It's important to know that the Ninja Academy only taught the most basic Chakra Refining Technique and the Three Body Techniques. Besides that, it was kunai throwing, traps, reconnaissance and counter-reconnaissance, battlefield survival, and other minor skills. True Ninjutsu was not taught at all.

There were only two ways to acquire Ninjutsu.

If a guiding Jonin took a liking to you, they might teach you a couple of things.

Or, you could buy it!

Take the common C-rank Ninjutsu, the Great Fireball Technique, for example. To be eligible to purchase it, one would need to complete 200 C-rank missions, and it would cost 300,000 Ryo.

For B-rank Ninjutsu, one needed to complete the corresponding amount of B-rank missions.

For A-rank Ninjutsu, in addition to meeting the basic mission requirements, there were more stringent review standards. Money, in this case, became secondary.

As for S-rank Ninjutsu and Forbidden Jutsu, those were not things a civilian ninja could consider!

It was precisely because of this reason that even though Takada Fujiwara was already a Jonin, he had very few Ninjutsu he could master. Coupled with the purchase of Ninjutsu, ninja tools, and family expenses, he was not wealthy at all.

Now that he had such a large sum of money, and after Nara Shikaichi's words, his mindset had begun to change.

Although friendships formed through mutual benefit would also dissolve due to benefit, Takada Fujiwara, who was now tied to the chariot for the short term, chose to proactively conceal the truth for his own gain, even though Uchiha Jin hadn't asked him to.

"Is that so? That's good!"

"You may go."

Sarutobi Hiruzen didn't say much, merely waved his hand.

As Takada Fujiwara bowed and left, Danzo immediately entered the Hokage's Office. "Takada Fujiwara is no longer trustworthy. They..."

He couldn't finish his sentence!

Because the matter of the Root base was a secret of Root, and he couldn't let Sarutobi Hiruzen target his Root for a mere sum of money.

Sarutobi Hiruzen's expression remained unchanged.

"Danzo, you are too harsh."

"I know Takada Fujiwara definitely pocketed some money, but who in the entirety of Konohagakure can be truly incorruptible?"

"How much money could a mere bandit's den possibly have? I haven't seen you express opinions on such matters before?"

"Thinking about it this way, it's still for the Uchiha, isn't it?"

"Put away your petty thoughts. Suna and Konoha are already at war, Iwa and Kumo are also starting to stir, and even the seemingly inactive Kiri must be guarded against. Konoha cannot afford any turmoil right now."

"Before the war ends, you are not allowed to make a move against the Uchiha!"

Sarutobi Hiruzen knew his old friend all too well. The moment he pulled down his pants, he knew what he was about to say.

But as he said, internal conflict was absolutely forbidden during wartime!

Not to mention that although Uchiha Jin had some strength, he was still far from a genius like Kakashi. Since when did his old friend's vision become so poor?

An Uchiha of this caliber, what value was there in recruiting him?

Meanwhile.

Danzo was quite angered by Sarutobi Hiruzen's "contemptuous" gaze. As the leader of Root and an elder of Konoha, how could he possibly look down on a mere young genius?

The key issue was that the money was Root's funding!

Although the roughly eight million wasn't much, Danzo didn't want to suffer such a loss, but he didn't know how to explain it.

If he really wanted to pursue this matter, he would have to tell the truth.

However, the secret deployments of Root outside the village were something he absolutely couldn't let Sarutobi Hiruzen know if he hoped to run for Hokage. Therefore, he was currently so frustrated he wanted to go mad.

After much deliberation, he suppressed it.

After all, war was likely to break out next, and he would have plenty of opportunities to get revenge on Takada Fujiwara's team. Thus, he finally said coldly, "Hmph, Hiruzen, you will regret this!"

"Danzo, I'm the Hokage!"

Sarutobi Hiruzen blurted out the words without thinking.

Nothing else, he was just used to it!

This kind of conversation happened almost every time the two met.

Meanwhile, on the other side.

In the Akimichi House's Barbecue Restaurant, Takada Fujiwara's squad booked a private room.

Because of the act of dividing the spoils, even though this squad had only just been formed, everyone, except for Kakashi, already had a subtle feeling of being "one of us."

The atmosphere was naturally lively, and as they ate and chatted, they quickly became familiar with each other.

"It's really good, so delicious!"

Uchiha Jin exclaimed and then continued to stuff his face.

To be honest...

Compared to his previous life, the taste was actually quite average, but he had transmigrated into the Uchiha clan in this life. Due to the awkward relationship between the Uchiha and Konohagakure, this was Uchiha Jin's first time eating barbecue in Konohagakure.

Nara Shikaichi narrowed his eyes slightly: "Jin, your behavior has truly opened my eyes!"

"Just know it, and remember not to spread it around," Uchiha Jin said with a smile while eating barbecue. "Outside, I'm still that aloof, arrogant Uchiha."

He had given considerable thought to what he had just said.

On one hand, after the incident of dividing the spoils, everyone had implicitly formed a small interest group, making him feel the need for further interaction.

This current team was actually quite good.

A jonin-level instructor, a Nara with a functioning brain, and a genius ninja like Kakashi. If this squad could truly be molded into shape, the chances of surviving the Third Great Ninja War wouldn't be low.

Although there were still many problems within the team, the act of dividing the spoils had been a good start.

Conversely.

If he let Kakashi mess up this squad and let it fall apart, he would likely never find better teammates in the future. After all, during wartime, unless they were core members of the major ninja clans or elites from Konohagakure's high command, they would most likely become cannon fodder!

"So—that's how it is!"

Nara Shikaichi's eyes flickered.

Takada Fujiwara also looked thoughtful, while only Kakashi remained silent, like a walking corpse, a scarecrow.