After Uchiha Fugaku spoke up first and stated his position.
The other clan heads also voiced their agreement one after another, saying they were willing to send their clan's shinobi to the Iwagakure front.
In the end, the total number reached 320. After a series of detailed explanations, Utatane Koharu's count included ten elite Jonin, twenty regular Jonin, and twenty Special Jōnin.
There were 120 Chunin and 150 Genin.
Of course.
These 320 clan shinobi wouldn't be the only ones heading to the Iwagakure front. The village's civilian shinobi would be going as well.
However, the arrangements for those shinobi had nothing to do with the various clans.
After all, civilian shinobi weren't even qualified to attend this meeting, so Sarutobi Hiruzen could simply issue orders for their deployment himself.
Before long, the meeting drew to a close.
Sarutobi Hiruzen's final instructions were for each clan head to return home and immediately gather the designated personnel. Everyone was to assemble at Konoha Gate before one in the afternoon.
Namikaze Minato would organize the groups, and as soon as everyone had arrived, they would set out to reinforce the front.
The arrangements were quite reasonable.
Not only had they given everyone time to prepare, they'd even made sure there was time for lunch.
"Aoba."
As Uchiha Aoba left the meeting room and was about to head home to pack his gear and ninja tools, Namikaze Minato called out to him from behind. "Once we reach the front, you'll stay with me."
"But you'll need to explain that to Clan Head Fugaku."
"Understood, Captain Minato."
Uchiha Aoba nodded.
Namikaze Minato chuckled. "You don't have to be so formal with me."
"Besides, you and the others were in the same class. It's just that, because of your outstanding talent and your status as a key member of the Uchiha Clan's next generation, you weren't assigned a Jonin leader after graduating like everyone else."
"Instead, you grew under the guidance of Jonin from your own clan."
"So, if you don't mind, why not call me 'sensei' from now on, just like Kakashi and the others?"
At that, Uchiha Aoba blinked.
Why did he feel like his luck had been unusually good lately?
Not only was his panel's fusion progress advancing smoothly, and he'd already awakened the Mangekyō Sharingan, but Sarutobi Hiruzen had also assigned him to Namikaze Minato's unit. And now Minato was offering to build a teacher-student relationship with him.
It was hard to make sense of it.
Still, Uchiha Aoba certainly wouldn't turn down an opportunity like this.
Taking another step closer to Namikaze Minato would make his position in the village even more secure. Although he'd already passed the vulnerable stage of his growth and no longer needed Minato's protection as much,
anyone could see that making his future life better and better was the sensible choice.
Uchiha Aoba smiled brightly. "Minato-sensei, I look forward to learning from you."
"Good!"
Namikaze Minato smiled with satisfaction, too.
"That's all I wanted to say. Hurry home and get ready. Remember to bring Obito along when you assemble."
Uchiha Aoba nodded, then left without another word, using the Body Flicker Technique to depart from the Hokage Building.
Back at home,
he got everything packed and ready. Since there was still plenty of time, he went to visit Uchiha Fugaku first.
It wasn't his first time there, so after greeting the guards, Uchiha Aoba made his way to the study and knocked before entering.
"Senior Tayama's here, too."
When Uchiha Aoba entered the study and saw a familiar face, he quickly waved in greeting.
"Aoba, you're just in time. The clan head is arranging the personnel."
After politely returning his greeting, Uchiha Tayama continued, "He also suggested that, given your current strength, you'd be one of my deputies on this trip to the Iwagakure front."
A deputy?
Uchiha Aoba smiled and thanked him, then changed the subject. "Clan Head, Senior Tayama, I came to see you because I wanted to talk about my assignment for this trip to the front."
"After the meeting with the village's top brass, Minato-sensei came to me and asked me to join his unit."
"Is that so?"
Uchiha Fugaku frowned at first, then his expression changed, and he was overcome with delight.
As a clan head, how could he lack political acumen?
Word had already begun to spread among the village's leadership that Namikaze Minato would become the next Hokage. That was why Uchiha Fugaku had so readily spoken up when Uchiha Aoba had subtly signaled to him during the meeting.
Now that he'd heard what Uchiha Aoba had to say, and noticed the change in how he addressed Namikaze Minato,
the path ahead for the Uchiha Clan had become perfectly clear to him.
It was settled. This time, it was truly settled.
Given Uchiha Fugaku's temperament, even he couldn't help laughing aloud once he'd pieced everything together.
"Good! Aoba, very good!"
"I hope you'll do your best with Minato from now on."
"Don't worry, Clan Head," Uchiha Aoba replied.
"And remember to stay safe on the battlefield."
Uchiha Fugaku gave him one final, serious reminder, then motioned for him to leave.
"Clan Head, this..."
Watching Uchiha Aoba leave, Uchiha Tayama was still unsure.
Before he could finish, Uchiha Fugaku raised a hand to stop him. "I know what you want to say. But from what I know of Minato, you're worrying too much this time. Minato isn't like the others."
Meanwhile,
after leaving the clan head's residence, Uchiha Aoba followed Namikaze Minato's instructions and went to look for a certain king of tardiness.
Uchiha Obito's home in the clan compound was on its outskirts.
The reason was obvious.
At thirteen, he still hadn't awakened the Sharingan. The clan had given him a place to live only because his surname was Uchiha and he was Namikaze Minato's student.
If he'd been anyone else, the clan's higher-ups would have sent him to the battlefield as cannon fodder long ago.
When Uchiha Aoba reached the building, he didn't knock directly. Two families lived in this two-story building, and Uchiha Obito lived upstairs.
So he jumped straight onto the eaves and peered through the window to see if Obito was home.
But what he saw hit Uchiha Aoba like a visual shockwave.
Uchiha Obito was holding a photograph of Team 7 in both hands. He'd covered Namikaze Minato, Kakashi, and himself, leaving only Nohara Rin in the middle of the picture, flashing a peace sign and looking utterly adorable.
At that moment, Uchiha Obito looked
shy, awkward, and tinged with an indescribable sleaziness.
He puckered his lips and leaned in to kiss Nohara Rin in the photograph.
Just as he was about to make contact, Uchiha Obito seemed to notice the light coming through the window dim slightly.
He suddenly jolted.
Then he looked up and saw Uchiha Aoba staring at him with utter disdain.
Uchiha Obito instantly turned to stone.
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