Subordinate Cultivation Manual

The Uchiha and Hyuga are, after all, the two largest clans in Konoha; they can field hundreds of elite ninja at once, whereas some smaller clans might struggle to scrape together even a hundred.

The standard for "elite" here refers to those who have awakened the Sharingan for the Uchiha, and the Byakugan for the Hyuga. Regardless of the number of tomoe in a Sharingan or whether one has mastered the Eight Trigrams Sixty-Four Palms, as long as they have awakened their Kekkei Genkai, they are considered elite compared to ordinary or civilian ninja of the same level.

It is a matter of strict hierarchy.

To fully integrate fifty Uchiha ninja into the unit, at least fifty squads need to be formed. Calculating based on the standard size of three to four members per squad, the total number of people in this mixed unit approaches two hundred.

To gather these personnel without affecting the normal operations of Konoha, Sarutobi Hiruzen even pulled some members from the Anbu to join the unit. Entrusting such a substantial portion of his foundation to Tsunade shows just how much he trusts her.

The unit has finished assembling, but at this moment... what is our commander, Lady Tsunade, doing?

"Kiyonari! Kiyonari! Promise me, you must master this jutsu as soon as possible!"

Tsunade takes out a massive scroll and urges Hyuga Kiyonari to sign his name on it. This scroll is none other than the summoning contract for Shikkotsu Forest, one of the three great sage regions of the ninja world.

Shikkotsu Forest, Mount Myoboku, and Ryūchi Cave are the three places in the ninja world that possess methods for cultivating natural energy. The indigenous species living there are not human, but slugs, toads, and snakes.

The difference is that Shikkotsu Forest is not a gathering place for slugs; only one slug exists there, and its name is Sage Katsuyu. The slugs summoned by successive contractors are all parts of Sage Katsuyu; the more chakra one inputs, the larger the portion summoned.

"I have already spoken with Sage Katsuyu. As long as you are in danger, use the Summoning Jutsu to trigger this seal, and Sage Katsuyu will use the Reverse Summoning Jutsu to transport you to Shikkotsu Forest."

"One more thing! Before you have fully mastered the Summoning Jutsu, absolutely, absolutely, absolutely do not use it randomly. Otherwise, you will end up like that idiot Jiraiya and get transported to some strange place!"

Seeming to feel that it wasn't safe enough, she said "absolutely" three times in a row.

Hyuga Kiyonari writes his name on the scroll, takes the small scroll containing the Summoning Jutsu, and nods his head like a chick pecking at rice.

Only then can Tsunade leave with peace of mind.

The efficiency of ninja when executing missions is truly beyond reproach; the orders were issued last night, and by the next morning, the unit was already fully prepared to depart.

Tsunade stands at the very front of the formation, with her two deputies, Shizune and Shisui Uchiha, standing behind her as agreed. He is wearing Anbu attire, but his mask is removed, revealing a vibrant and spirited face.

Tsunade inspects the neat ranks before her and nods with satisfaction.

"Everyone, listen up!"

Her voice is clear and powerful; after so many years away from the village, she is making her voice heard among the younger generation for the first time.

"Target—the northeastern border of the Land of Fire! Move out!"

Ninja do not have the habit of shouting to the heavens; they simply transform into silent shadows, following closely behind Tsunade as they vanish into the dense forest outside the village.

Along the way, the ninja remain silent, with only the continuous sound of countless footsteps leaping across tree branches.

Unless there is an immediate need for combat, ninja generally do not stop while marching. For them, running for an entire day is nothing out of the ordinary. If they are tired or hungry, they simply take a military ration pill to tide themselves over.

It is not until evening that the unit finally reaches its destination.

This is an open, flat area in the forest with good visibility and some temporary wooden houses nearby. Clearly, Konoha ninja have been stationed here before.

Tsunade turns around, and everyone's gaze focuses on her, waiting for orders.

"Before we begin to rest," Tsunade says slowly, "I have some things to tell you. These are very important, so I hope you listen carefully."

Shisui Uchiha immediately takes out paper and pen, preparing to record the key points; this is his job. As for the other deputy, Shizune, her work mostly involves taking care of Tsunade's daily life.

"In the past, ninja wars were fought by clans. Uchiha, Hyuga, Ino-Shika-Cho... each fought their own battles. Despite alliances like Ino-Shika-Cho, the clan remained the basic combat unit for ninja."

"After the establishment of the hidden villages, since so many different types of ninja were gathered in one village, relying solely on clans seemed insufficient. Thus, some attempted to group ninja of the same type together. For example, the Explosion Corps of Iwagakure."

The Explosion Corps is a specialized ninja unit cultivated specifically by Iwagakure. In theory, this unit has enough firepower to deal devastating blows to any enemy.

Other villages have similar formations, such as Fire Style units, Water Style units...

"However, in the past few ninja wars, the performance of the Explosion Corps has not been impressive. Why?" Tsunade poses a question, her eyes constantly gauging the reactions of those present.

"Because their overall level is not high enough, and they cannot create a gap between themselves and other ordinary ninja units."

"If that is the case, then build an elite squad, such as the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of Kirigakure."

The Seven Ninja Swordsmen are an elite unit formed by Kirigakure using seven special ninja swords. Within Kirigakure, only sufficiently powerful ninja are qualified to become candidates.

"The Seven Ninja Swordsmen were indeed strong, even invading the heart of the Land of Fire at one point, not far from Konoha itself. Until... they met that man. The man named Might Duy traded his life for theirs, killing four sword-wielders, while the remaining three fled in terror."

"The Might Duy of that time had already burned himself out, and the remaining few children would have been easy pickings, yet they still fled. Why?"

"Because they were isolated and without support! Might Duy had delayed them long enough that Konoha's reinforcements could have arrived at any moment. Even if they had hesitated for a moment longer, they could have all been wiped out right there!"

Every one of her words is like a boulder thrown into a calm pond, exploding within the ranks. The ninja look at one another, confusion and contemplation intertwined.

Large-scale units cannot create a gap, and elite units receive no support once they suffer losses.

So, what exactly is the right way?

Shisui Uchiha records every key point Tsunade makes diligently. In truth, he is also pondering the answer, but he suddenly recalls a private order given by Clan Head Fugaku before departure.

[Your mission is to obey. Obey Tsunade's orders. If any clansman is unwilling to obey, you must make them obey "decently."]

[For what you cannot understand, accept it first. For what you cannot accept, acknowledge it first.]

[For what you understand, execute it first. For what you do not understand, come to understand it slowly while executing it.]

[Do you understand?]