This Captain I Won't Be

Suifeng really wanted to run to the Great Elder, grab him by the ears, and roar, "I'm still just a kid, for heaven's sake!"

Sometimes, he truly couldn't fathom the thought process of people in this world; this was nothing more than the exploitation of child labor.

Graduating at seven or eight and being sent to the battlefield to hack people to death—even if fresh genin weren't assigned the most dangerous tasks, where on a battlefield was ever safe?

Heaven only knows how many of these young cannon-fodder ninja die in a single war.

From the moment they enter the Ninja Academy—no, many ninja families start training their children before they even set foot in the school. Suifeng held such practices in deep contempt. Forget it, don't bother trying; this is a world that looks at faces, oh wait, it looks at bloodlines. If you don't have a bloodline, stop dreaming of grand ambitions.

Every year, the Ninja Academy produces a few geniuses. They begin fierce competition from a young age to vie for the top spot, but where do these geniuses, these top students, end up?

Most go to the graveyard, and many others simply fade into the crowd, becoming unremarkable.

Suifeng knew the Great Elder's calculations: to push him forward, make him the representative of his faction, and bolster his own influence. But being a squad leader right now was asking far too much of him.

He was only eight years old and had never been to the battlefield. Even with a certain level of strength, he couldn't possibly command respect. If even his own clansmen didn't respect him, his position on the battlefield would be incredibly awkward.

This was like pulling up seedlings to help them grow. In Suifeng's plan, it would be best to train on the battlefield for a few years, kill a few powerful enemies, and build a reputation. By the time he was eleven or twelve, taking on some power would be the natural course of action.

Some things cannot be rushed, just like the awkward relationship between the Uchiha and Konoha. You can't expect it to be resolved overnight. Changing the Uchiha wasn't something he could achieve alone just by seizing power; there were too many facets involved, and it required caution. Right now, he didn't need power; he needed fame and connections.

He already had the fame. Why did he kick Kakashi out of the running? Precisely for that reputation. With Kakashi out, the title of "Youngest Chunin" fell to him. Even if Kakashi passed the Chunin Exams next year, he would be the same age, but people only remember the first. Who remembers the second youngest Chunin?

Don't underestimate this reputation. Think of Kakashi: years later, when his strength had declined significantly and he nearly flipped his car against Zabuza, no one ever ignored the fact that he graduated at six and became a Chunin at seven. Mentioning it always brought envy and jealousy.

Now that he had the fame, the next step was connections—connections within the clan and within Konoha. Getting involved in this power struggle too early would do him no good. Being young, he couldn't command the masses; he couldn't lead the Uchiha. He would only be trapped in the clan's internal strife and offend people. It would be hard to interact with the outside world, and if he became a squad leader, his youth would relegate him to a mere puppet. Are you kidding? Without proving his worth through real achievements, why should he have power?

Giving him power now would be building a castle in the air; he would just be the Great Elder's puppet. But he knew the Third Great Ninja War was about to begin, and his chance to earn merit was coming.

Once he earned merit on the battlefield and killed a few well-known powerhouses to become a Special Jonin, he wouldn't need the Great Elder or the clan's backing. He could seize power and fame directly on the battlefield. The power of the Uchiha clan was worth nothing!

Therefore, the Uchiha clan's Jonin meeting never took place.

Suifeng went straight to the Great Elder, claimed he had heard rumors about the matter and felt it was a bad idea, and refused outright.

The reason he gave left the Great Elder speechless: his research into the Strength Enhancement Technique had reached a critical stage, and he couldn't spare the time.

What could be more important than increasing one's strength?

Even though the Great Elder was somewhat displeased, he compromised under Suifeng's insistence. This kid was his trump card now; keeping him in reserve to play at a more critical moment might yield even better results.

The second branch's Fugaku seemed to have intentions of marrying Mikoto, the clan leader's daughter, and had already begun plotting for the position of the next clan leader. Should he go with the flow or stop it?

Come to think of it, Fugaku was an elite of the clan, and among his generation, no one could surpass him. If not for the fact that his own branch had produced Suifeng, Fugaku becoming clan leader would be a certainty. Having a wise leader for the Uchiha was a blessing for the clan, but now that Suifeng had emerged, he felt a sense of reluctance.

If Suifeng weren't so young, he would have pushed him forward to compete no matter what. Even though he was young, he wanted to let Suifeng test the waters, which was why the rumor about him becoming a squad leader had been leaked.

But unfortunately, Suifeng's reaction was completely off-base. As soon as he heard the rumor, he ran over to refuse. Clearly, he was still too young to understand the deeper meaning. Since he didn't understand, even if he were made a squad leader, it wouldn't be reassuring. It would be a disaster if it backfired. Better to keep this trump card in his hand.

After leaving the Great Elder's residence, Suifeng breathed a sigh of relief. "A squad leader for the Military Police Force? Whoever wants it can have it. The Third Great Ninja War is starting soon anyway. I'll strive to get to the battlefield as early as possible, hone my skills there for a few years, and maybe by the time Obito and the others head out, I'll already be a Special Jonin. Then, I'll have plenty of room to maneuver."

...I am a divider...

It was another peaceful day.

As usual, the Fushan squad was patrolling within Konoha, looking no different from any other day.

In the open space outside the orphanage, Rin was playing with several orphans.

"Zeqin, here, throw it over quickly!!"

"Rin, I'm over here, don't let him grab it!"

"Keiko, go for it, we can definitely win!"

Mingled among a group of five, six, seven, and eight-year-olds, Rin didn't stand out much. In the woods not far away, Obito was crouching with his head tucked and his butt sticking out, staring at Rin in the crowd with a lovesick smile.

"Suifeng, that kid is Obito, right? Why is he acting like that?!"

Obito thought he was hiding perfectly, but how could he fool Fushan and the others?

"Oh, it's definitely him, haha. Maybe he just learned the Silent Killing Technique and came here to practice!" Suifeng laughed.

"I don't think he's here to practice; he's looking at the girls, isn't he?!" Hideki, standing to the side, laughed. "What's wrong with kids these days? Thinking about that at such a young age...!"

"Whoosh!!"

Before the words had even faded, a sharp whistle echoed in everyone's ears. The next moment, Suifeng turned abruptly and kicked out. Hideki and Haku were half a beat slower, following closely behind.

As for Obito, who was busy peeping at girls, he had no idea what was happening.

Bang, bang, bang...

Suifeng kicked two kunai away, his figure already closing in. He scooped up Rin with one arm and another little girl with the other, darting several yards away. On the other side, Fushan also rushed over, knocking away kunai and shielding the remaining orphans behind him.

"Who's there?!"

Fushan's face was grim. He held a kunai in his hand, his tone icy. "Show yourself!"

"Tsk tsk tsk, Konoha Military Police Force, the Uchiha clan...!" A massive amount of mist began to permeate the area, and a cold, murderous intent surged forward.

"Watch out, it's the Silent Killing Technique of Kirigakure!"

Fushan's expression changed drastically, his three-tomoe Sharingan appearing in his eyes and spinning rapidly.