I Want You to Help Me Cultivate (Bonus Chapter)

An unchangeable will!

Then, let us fight.

Understanding the resolve of Uchiha Xiu, the high-ranking officials present helplessly abandoned their attempts to dissuade him.

"Hiashi, I am making the following deployments."

"Take notes."

Hyuga Hiashi, who had conveniently picked up a notebook from the small table, immediately lowered his head, pen poised for shorthand.

"In the eastern coastal region, toward the old lands of the Land of Whirlpools, the Hyuga Clan will serve as the main force. Supplemented by an elite sensory squad from the Yamanaka Clan and the local maritime defense troops, you are to construct a three-dimensional reconnaissance and defense system."

"The Byakugan of the Hyuga must ensure that our maritime defenses are not infiltrated. If the Land of Water dares to dispatch troops, you are to devour the enemy's first wave of probing and surprise attacks immediately. Hmph, the Bloody Mist Village doesn't have much left to lose."

"You will personally serve as the commanding general, with Tenzō and Yamato leading ten Anbu squads to accompany you."

"To the northwest, toward the border of the Land of Rain—the area under the greatest pressure—the main forces of the Uchiha Clan, Nara Clan, Akimichi Clan, and Yamanaka Clan will be deployed, coordinated with reconnaissance squads from the Inuzuka Clan and Aburame Clan."

"Deter Sunagakure of the Land of Wind. If Iwagakure of the Land of Earth is provoked into launching a retaliatory offensive, wipe them out. Show them the might of Konoha!"

"Shikaku will serve as the commander-in-chief, with Fugaku assisting."

"In the south, facing the Land of Wind, which may betray its alliance at any moment, use ten squads of elite Anbu as the backbone, combined with the local standing border defense troops, to maintain a posture of vigilance and deterrence."

"Build fortifications, spread surveillance wide, and clearly communicate the resolve of Konoha so that Rasa dares not act rashly. Further solidify this strategic deterrence. Let Mitokado Homura be responsible for the specific command. If even I am not afraid of death, this old fellow can burn for the village one last time."

"In the northeastern mountains, around the Land of Fields, Uchiha Setsuna will lead the backbone of the Military Police Force and the elites of the Sarutobi Clan, supplemented by local conventional garrison troops skilled in Earth Style and traps, along with one Anbu tactical squad, to keep a close watch on the direction of Kumogakure."

"..." Nara Shikaku.

He had not expected that even the Sarutobi Clan would be mobilized.

The magnanimity of the Fifth Hokage was truly awe-inspiring.

Fortunately, there were powerhouses from the Uchiha Clan stepping forward to lead a portion of the Military Police Force backbone to monitor the army from within.

"Within the village, Tsunade will be in charge, with Kakashi and Utatane Koharu serving as deputies. The Gekko Clan, Kurama Clan, Sealing Squad, Barrier Squad, Medical Squad, the remaining strength of the Shadow Guard, the remaining Anbu, the Ninja Academy teachers, Might Guy, Yuhi Kurenai, Maruboshi Kosuke... in short, you may mobilize any force currently in the village as you see fit."

Facing the man who had placed such infinite trust in her, Tsunade nodded solemnly and reminded him:

"We of the Senju Clan still have some elders alive, such as Elder Tokah."

"Good. Aside from implementing the highest level of martial law and internal vetting to ensure the base camp is foolproof, you must reorganize the military forces to serve as the general reserve and mobile strike force."

Uchiha Xiu, his Kamui eyes active, paused and looked at the few who had remained silent but whose presence had grown more imposing, including Kakashi. "The first battle I lead Konoha toward to achieve rebirth must be a victory!"

The deployment concluded, and the conference room fell into a dead silence.

"Now, repeat it back to me."

Hiashi spoke slowly, without missing a single word.

From here on, the specific details would be perfected by those who had been named.

Just as in the plan to surprise Iwagakure, the infiltration portion required scrolls prepared by the Sealing Squad.

Regarding this, Uchiha Xiu did not interfere.

Just as he had been a hands-off manager for the past five days, watching Hiashi handle the paperwork while he himself wished he could dive into the Scroll of Seals to master every forbidden technique within.

"For the Land of Earth surprise attack plan, we depart in three days. Shisui, intensify the infiltration of Iwagakure by the Anbu and Root."

"Additionally, among the mobilized troops, do not take youths who have graduated from the Academy for less than three years, do not take filler genin, and do not take elderly ninja who are not on file. The village has not fallen so far that we must send children to the battlefield."

"Dismissed. I hope you all go back and think carefully about what kind of Konoha is worthy of the true meaning of the Will of Fire—it is not letting the leaves rot in the darkness, but letting the firelight illuminate every new leaf, including those that were once covered by shadows."

If everything goes smoothly, the scale of the war will not be too large.

If it does not go smoothly, then let the Ninja World burn!

Funds, provisions, and supplies are being wholesaled at bargain prices by the Great Light Sphere of the Main God.

"Understood."

The group bowed their heads.

Refusing to let youths participate in the war? And yet, you yourself only graduated a few years ago.

For the first time in a long while, an unusual emotion stirred within Tsunade—it must have been admiration.

"Tsunade, stay behind."

As if sensing something, Uchiha Xiu, who oversaw everything, spoke up.

Fugaku, who had originally intended to have a private conversation with him, helplessly abandoned the thought for the moment—

Itachi had likely left with Obito.

When counting the corpses on the night of the rebellion, he had not found the remains of Uchiha Itachi.

If it had been any other civilian Anbu jonin, life or death unknown would have meant they were dead.

But Itachi was different; even without awakening the Mangekyo, it was impossible for him to be finished off silently like a stray dog.

The all-knowing Fifth Hokage had given him, the clan head, a shred of dignity by not declaring Itachi a missing-nin, nor issuing a kill-on-sight order or a high-value underground bounty.

Perhaps he felt that his rebellious son could still be redeemed? By planting a nail within the Akatsuki, whoever became Hokage would surely appreciate Itachi's pathological loyalty.

Outside the window.

The burning purple barrier dissipated.

"What is it?" As soon as the others left, Tsunade spoke impatiently.

"I need you to assist my cultivation~"

His tone was laced with a sense of mischievous malice.

"Huh?"

At sunset.

The Senju Clan compound.

This vast expanse of land had long been uninhabited; the wall plaster was mottled and peeling, while cracks crisscrossed the rooftops and stone steps.

Only the lush, overgrown vegetation and the massive stone statue of Hashirama served as proof of the Senju Clan's former glory.

Uchiha Xiu could sense a small amount of warm Yang Release chakra remaining within the great tree.

The First Hokage, the Atavistic God Tree, was truly a monster.

"Hmph, to actually choose this place to learn the Yin Seal—this handsome little brat from the Uchiha clan really knows how to pick a spot."

Returning to the place where she had grown up and which held her childhood memories, Tsunade couldn't help but relax, her demeanor becoming a bit more lively and uninhibited.

Like a proud, golden retriever.

From noon until now, she had explained the secrets of the S-rank Yin Seal over and over again: how to make chakra circulate through specific meridians, converge in the area of the forehead, and the paths and methods for compressing and sealing it.

She even meditated and demonstrated it in person, allowing Uchiha Xiu's Sharingan to observe the principles at close range.

The setting sun sank slowly, and the golden-red hues in the sky grew more intense.

"Try to imagine your chakra as a stream flowing into a deep pool, injecting it continuously and steadily..."

Watching Uchiha Xiu close his eyes in concentration, with fine beads of sweat gradually seeping from his forehead, Tsunade couldn't help but pray in her heart—

From the perspective of someone who had been through it, negotiating with one's own chakra and reshaping a pathway for energy circulation was incredibly difficult.

For the sake of the operation three days from now, the Fifth Hokage was giving it her all!

Yet, even though she had practically chewed the food and fed it to him, the cultivation process remained far from smooth.

After all, the Yin Seal was of standard S-rank difficulty; across the entire Ninja World, only she and her grandmother had successfully mastered it.

"Sigh, seeking a shortcut is equivalent to creating a miracle."

Every time Uchiha Xiu attempted to construct a stable storage structure, it would end in failure, either due to an incorrect chakra flow rate or an imbalance in the compression ratio.

The faint mark forming on his forehead flickered a few times before dissipating entirely!