The Uchiha's Stance

A month later, although they had already entered the borders of the Land of Fire.

Anko Mitarashi still hurried all the way back to Konoha.

Inside the Hokage's office at this moment.

The Fourth Hokage, Minato Namikaze, listened with a focused expression to the report from Anko Mitarashi across from him.

The Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, stood behind him, puffing on his pipe.

The swirling smoke obscured his complex expression.

Although they had previously altered the purge list.

No one had expected that Danzo would act on his own and mobilize Root.

Even though the Fourth Hokage had immediately dispatched Anbu to intercept them, attempting to terminate those special death missions, they were still a step too late.

Except for Anko's team, the other squads were almost completely wiped out.

The two men finished listening to the detailed process of the mission in the Land of Water.

Hiruzen Sarutobi looked at the contents of the intelligence scroll, feeling quite surprised.

After all, with all the Root ninja killed in action, Anko Mitarashi had still managed to complete this dangerous mission alone.

"Is there about two years left until the Three-Tails Isobu revives?"

Although Konoha would not take the initiative to seize another nation's Tailed Beast.

This intelligence was still of vital importance.

This two-year window was enough for Konoha to gain significant advantages in diplomacy and military strategy against Kirigakure, and it could also prevent the recurrence of another "Rin Nohara Incident."

Hiruzen Sarutobi also mentally crossed Anko Mitarashi's name off the list of accomplices to Orochimaru's defection.

However, going out alone to execute a classified mission still carried many dangers.

"Well done, Anko."

The Fourth Hokage spoke, his voice gentle, "You've worked hard."

"Regarding the matter of Uchiha Yatsuhashi..."

Because he sacrificed himself while executing a mission assigned by the village, his family would receive a one-time pension and enjoy the highest standard of survivor benefits.

Therefore, in her report just now, Anko Mitarashi had specifically emphasized, the important role Uchiha Yatsuhashi played in the team.

Minato Namikaze paused, "Although Uchiha Yatsuhashi was still a genin, considering the S-rank difficulty of this mission and the reality that he gave his life for the village, I have decided to make an exception and issue the pension according to the standard for a chunin."

In the world of ninja, a pension is not just money; it is a recognition of status.

This meant that the village acknowledged Uchiha Yatsuhashi had sacrificed himself while executing a high-difficulty mission for the village, rather than during a special "purge."

Anko Mitarashi felt a weight lift from her heart, a sense of relief washing over her.

She knew this meant Yatsuhashi's parents would not have to bear the stigma of being the "family of a rogue ninja."

After the two of them had separated, Anko Mitarashi had fallen into crisis several times, but fortunately, for some unknown reason, the Kirigakure ninja had eventually given up on pursuing her.

And because Anko Mitarashi had the intelligence scroll on her person, she had no choice but to return first to the safe outpost in Thousand Port City.

Although she had secretly returned to the scene after recovering, she had not found any trace of Uchiha Yatsuhashi.

This led Anko Mitarashi to subconsciously believe that Yatsuhashi had already died in the Land of Water.

Anko Mitarashi's eyes grew warm, "Thank you, Lord Fourth Hokage!"

Because of the concessions made during the Third Shinobi World War, the Third Hokage had sparked dissatisfaction among many in the village.

Hiruzen Sarutobi had thus been forced to resign in disgrace.

Although he had now stepped back behind the scenes, he had become a Hokage advisor.

He still participated in the major decisions of the Hokage.

Hiruzen Sarutobi exhaled a ring of smoke, "The Ninja Academy is currently still being expanded,"

We are in need of a ninja with your practical combat experience to serve as an instructor.

If you are willing, you can transfer to a teaching position tomorrow; there will be no need for you to carry out such high-risk missions again.

Deep within her heart, Anko Mitarashi understood that the village had temporarily drawn a line under her past with Orochimaru.

After Anko Mitarashi withdrew, the Fourth Hokage, Minato Namikaze, pondered aloud, "I still advocate for a thorough investigation and regulation of Danzo and the Root..."

"Minato."

Hiruzen Sarutobi's voice carried a tone of admonition. "While Danzo's methods are extreme, the results are plain for all to see.

If those who were too deeply entangled with Orochimaru are not cleared out, the hidden dangers they leave behind could be even greater.

The village has only just stabilized, and you have just taken over as Hokage; it is not the time to take drastic action against Danzo and the Root.

After all, the stability of the village is of the utmost importance."

Minato frowned slightly. "Third Hokage, tolerating evil will not bring about true stability."

"Sigh..."

Hiruzen Sarutobi let out a long sigh. Although he disapproved of Danzo's actions, deep down, he acknowledged the significant results he had brought to the village.

"Wait a little longer, Minato. Some things cannot be rushed."

However, the distribution of the solatium for Uchiha Yatsuhashi stirred up massive waves within the Uchiha Clan.

"Absurd!"

Inside the ancestral grounds of the Uchiha Clan, several members of the Uchiha Clan looked livid.

"A genin was actually sent to carry out an S-rank mission? This is clearly a purge of our Uchiha Clan by the village!"

Uchiha Tekka, standing to the side, suggested, "Clan Leader, we must protest! This is blatant persecution of the Uchiha!"

Uchiha Fugaku sat in the main seat, his expression cold and stern. He was surrounded by all the elites of the Uchiha Police Force.

Uchiha Fugaku knew better than anyone that there were serious issues at play here. The village high command assigning such an S-rank mission to a genin with weak chakra—how was that any different from sentencing him to death?

The Uchiha Clan members gathered before him were not crying out in injustice for the sake of Uchiha Yatsuhashi's fate. In truth, they did not feel much for the death of a single genin. What they felt was anger toward the village's attitude regarding the Uchiha Clan.

To quell the rage of his clansmen, Uchiha Fugaku personally stepped forward, visiting the Hokage Building for several consecutive days to negotiate. He demanded a thorough investigation into the mission assignment process and insisted that the village provide an explanation to the Uchiha Clan.

But the Third Hokage merely offered excuses, and the person involved, Danzo, refused to see him entirely. Only the Fourth Hokage had visited the Uchiha Clan to offer comfort, yet the Uchiha Clan remained unsatisfied.

In order to respond to the village's persecution of the Uchiha Clan, Uchiha Fugaku, after careful deliberation, decided to take a hardline stance against the Konoha high command. He gathered a group of elites from the clan, preparing to head toward the border of the Land of Water.

In name, it was to "pay respects to the fallen," but in reality, they did not even notify Uchiha Yatsuhashi's parents. This was a military show of force by Uchiha Fugaku that he made no attempt to hide.

Although the Uchiha Clan rarely participated in foreign wars, that did not mean they were weak. On the contrary, it was precisely because of the terrifying deterrent power of the Sharingan that the Konoha high command had always harbored fear toward them.

Uchiha Fugaku was telling the village: even if it is an Uchiha of commoner origin, his life is for us, the Uchiha, to decide—it is not for you to dispose of at will.

As for whether they could actually find the body of Uchiha Yatsuhashi, these Uchiha clansmen did not care much at all.