Mito's existence, honestly, wasn't something Sosuke had given much thought.
The two had only met briefly. They weren't even friends, and the Uchiha and Uzumaki Clans were bitter enemies.
Unless something unexpected happened, they would inevitably meet on the battlefield someday. When that time came, Sosuke wouldn't show any mercy.
As for that damned Fūma Clan, he'd already sentenced them to death in his mind.
And yet they kept picking fights with the Uchiha. Well, he didn't mind using his clan's power to punish his enemies.
Before long, the boy arrived at the Western War Zone's military camp and met the Western Army Corps stationed there.
He presented the Clan Head's letter and easily passed the guards' questioning.
"Uh, shouldn't you check more carefully?" Sosuke asked, a little confused.
Weren't they worried someone might sneak in and try to assassinate the commander or something?
But then he thought it over and decided he was the one looking at things the wrong way.
This was the Hokage World. The strength of its powerful shinobi far surpassed what an ordinary person could imagine.
An assassination?
The Corps Commander would probably charge into the enemy camp and slaughter them all before anyone could try one.
There was no way anyone else would get the chance to sneak into the camp and assassinate him.
The moment someone let even a hint of killing intent slip, alert guards would immediately capture them.
The Perception Division existed to prevent precisely this sort of thing.
The guards at the entrance were more for show than anything else.
The atmosphere inside the camp was much more relaxed than Sosuke had expected.
The reason was simple: during the Warring States period, battles were fought by clans. Everyone knew each other. Your captain might be your mother, and the Corps Commander could be your maternal great-uncle.
Even strict discipline couldn't always overcome the family ties between clan members. It was like asking a father to serve as his son's subordinate.
That kind of arrangement had its pros and cons, but Sosuke actually liked it.
There were many kinds of family. When he was in danger, he preferred having his family there to fight by his side.
"We're here. Wait here a moment." The clan member leading him was warm and friendly, probably having guessed who he was from his age.
As many people said, the entire Uchiha Clan owed him a debt of gratitude. His efforts to save the academy had won him the clan members' support to an unimaginable degree.
If he ever needed to make a move in the future, that gratitude buried in their hearts might prove useful.
Before long, the flap of the command tent opened again, and Sosuke immediately heard hearty laughter from inside.
"So, Sosuke's here. Come on in."
The clan member who had led him gave him a reassuring look, then left the commander's tent alone.
After steadying himself, Sosuke walked in by himself. The faint, pleasant fragrance in the air eased the tension in his face a little.
Behind the desk inside the tent sat a burly, white-bearded man.
His gleaming silver-white armor caught the eye. His resolute gaze fixed on Sosuke, as though inspecting some interesting object.
The white-bearded man was Uchiha Shinya, Corps Commander of the Western Army Corps and a super-powerful shinobi said to be Clan Head-level.
He was also the Uchiha Clan's Fifth Elder, an exceptional shinobi of the same generation as Tajima.
"Greetings, Corps Commander." Sosuke knew how to be polite. A little merit wasn't enough to make him arrogant.
So what if he was a hero? In the face of power, that didn't count for much. Calling it worthless wasn't much of an exaggeration.
During the Fourth Shinobi World War, Naruto had done the extraordinary deed of saving the entire Ninja World. So what? Kakashi had bluntly said that merit alone wouldn't make him Hokage.
As a highly educated law graduate in his previous life, Sosuke had seen too much darkness to lose sight of his place.
Madara and Izuna could go build up their credentials. He couldn't actually act like he was some big shot. Otherwise, they could make him miserable in no time.
Seeing his humble attitude, the Corps Commander looked a little surprised.
They said Uchiha Sosuke was arrogant and unruly: he'd beaten up his older cousin and his uncle, and couldn't even be bothered to put on a show of welcoming the heroes.
The Corps Commander had expected him to be difficult to deal with. He hadn't imagined the boy would be so different from the rumors.
"Damn, rumors really can ruin a man."
With a casual wave, the Corps Commander said with a smile, "Come, let's sit and talk."
Uchiha Shinya then personally explained the situation in the Western War Zone, focusing on the current state of the Fūma Clan.
At the end, he casually remarked, "For some reason, those guys have been attacking even more fiercely lately."
As soon as he heard that, Sosuke was nearly certain the Corps Commander knew something. Otherwise, he wouldn't have gone out of his way to bring it up.
Sosuke was just about to come clean when Uchiha Shinya waved a hand and said with a smile, "The exact reason doesn't matter at all. We'll have to deal with the enemy sooner or later. What matters is how we can reduce our clan members' casualties."
Huh? What was this old geezer getting at?
Sosuke felt like the man was hinting at something every chance he got.
But what did reducing casualties have to do with him? Was he supposed to teach the clan some life-saving skill or something?
Wait, could the Corps Commander mean...
"Cough, cough." Seeing that he'd laid enough groundwork, Uchiha Shinya stroked his white beard, like a wicked old wolf tempting Little Red Riding Hood. "Sosuke, I heard you created a very special physical clone technique?"
"I didn't. I don't know anything about it. Don't make things up." The boy gave him a three-part denial.
At this, the Corps Commander smiled faintly and leaned back in his soft chair. As if talking to himself, he said, "It's strange about the Fūma Clan. They keep demanding that I hand over some culprit. The Uchiha Clan has always been on good terms with others. How could we possibly have the likes of criminals among us?"
"If there really were, I, Uchiha Shinya, wouldn't let him off easy. I can't let one person's mistake affect the entire Western Army Corps."
"..." Sosuke was speechless. He couldn't believe the dignified Corps Commander could be so shameless.
"Well, I think I might remember now. I did create a special clone technique."
At that, Uchiha Shinya smiled and rose to pour him a cup of tea himself. "Come, try our tea. By the way, what exactly is special about this clone technique you mentioned?"
The boy didn't answer right away. Instead, he picked up the teacup and savored it carefully with his eyes closed. Only after a long while did he ask, sounding curious, "When there's no fighting, do we have to stay at the base long-term?"
"Of course. The enemy won't tell you when they're about to start trouble."
"I see." Sosuke sighed inwardly. Even at the front, he wouldn't be able to farm Points whenever he wanted.
Unless the shameless old geezer in front of him gave him the green light. Then he could go wherever he wanted and farm however he liked.
"Sosuke, you want to form a small team of your own?"
"My Shadow Clone technique is easy to learn but difficult to master. I'll need someone to train with me over the long term."
The old man and the boy looked at each other, both wearing knowing smiles.
Before you continue