Naka Shrine (Please Add to Favorites!)

However.

This was bad news for Konohagakure.

Shōji, on the other hand, saw a sliver of opportunity for himself in it. Whether he could carry it out smoothly would depend on his performance from here on.

"Yeah. The Third Shinobi World War only ended not long ago, yet Kumogakure is already being so aggressive. After the unrest that night, Kumogakure had the strongest reaction of all. They probably only refrained from making a real move because they were wary of Iwagakure's response. But now, for some reason, the Fourth Raikage has directly decided to reinforce the border forces. Judging by the traditions of the Raikage throughout the generations and of Kumogakure itself, this is definitely no small matter."

Elder Genran was already fifty years old.

He had lived through several Shinobi World Wars. In his younger days, he had killed countless enemies on the battlefield and fought Kumogakure, Iwagakure, Kirigakure, and Sunagakure shinobi on many occasions. Of them all, Kumogakure had left the deepest impression on Elder Genran.

This unusual troop deployment by Kumogakure was certainly not without purpose.

Shōji agreed completely.

And the summons directly issued by Sarutobi Hiruzen was the best proof.

The only thing that puzzled Shōji was this.

Would the Third really feel at ease drafting Uchiha Clan shinobi for the front lines? Or was there something fishy going on here?

Even if he considered this an opportunity, he still had to keep in mind that only half a year had passed since the Nine-Tailed Demon Fox's Attack. The mastermind, Uchiha Obito, had not exposed his identity, and the entire Uchiha Clan was under suspicion and wary scrutiny. It was difficult for Shōji not to wonder whether the Third's summons carried some special intent.

But for the moment,

Shōji could not figure out what was going on.

He could only suppress his doubts for now.

He would take things one step at a time. After all, he was currently the passive party.

If he wanted to turn things around,

he had to withstand the mental pressure that came with fighting against the odds.

Elder Genran, walking ahead, had no idea that so many thoughts had flashed through Shōji's mind in those few seconds. Instead, he felt gratified and satisfied that this junior of his had not only improved rapidly in strength over the past half year, but had also matured further in judgment and breadth of mind.

Among their branch, the younger generation had previously relied solely on Shisui. It made them seem somewhat weak. Now that they had Shōji as well, their position within the clan would at least no longer be so awkward.

Although the conflict between the clan and the village had become somewhat apparent, Elder Genran, who had lived through the era of the Second Hokage, Tobirama Senju, truly did not consider it much of an issue. Back then, the Uchiha had even launched a small-scale rebellion, only to be suppressed by Tobirama Senju, the Second Hokage.

It could be said that at this point in time, even Sarutobi Hiruzen and Shimura Danzō had not truly foreseen that the Uchiha Clan would one day be almost completely exterminated, much less clan elders such as Uchiha Genran.

Shōji believed the Third Hokage's arrangement carried some special intent.

Elder Genran, however, thought it was perfectly normal.

A conflict had broken out at the border.

To prevent any accidents,

was it not entirely routine for the Hokage to summon the heads of the major Ninja Clans and discuss troop deployments in advance?

On the contrary, people from Ninja Clans like them needed to carefully consider how to adjust their manpower allocation so that a single war would not truly damage their clan's foundation.

And while Elder Genran and Shōji each pondered different matters,

the two arrived at the worship stone steps before the clan's forbidden ground—the Naka Shrine.

Having advanced his Sharingan to the Three-Tomoe level half a year ago and even being able to spar head-on with Shisui Uchiha among the younger generation—news Elder Genran had deliberately spread—Shōji naturally qualified to attend the Clan Assembly upon Elder Genran's nomination.

Over the past half year or so,

Shōji had already attended three or four Clan Assemblies.

But during those meetings,

Shōji had not said a single word. First, the time had not yet been right. Second, he had still been in the stage of familiarizing himself with the environment.

If he spoke rashly,

he would only make himself a laughingstock and perhaps even put himself at a disadvantage.

But today was different.

Even though Shōji still had concerns about whether the Hokage's summons contained dangerous elements, it had to be said that this was a fine opportunity.

In the village and within the clan, Shōji was easily constrained from all sides. Only by leaving this place could he truly act without restraint!

That was right!

Shōji had set his sights on joining the clan members dispatched to the front lines against Kumogakure. He did not know whether this had been part of the Original Work's plot, but he remembered that Kumogakure and Konoha still had friction after the Third Shinobi World War. Wasn't the famous incident where Hinata Hyuga was abducted, leading to Hizashi Hyuga being forced to commit suicide, caused by Kumogakure's peace delegation arriving?

In other words, before that, there must have been rather intense friction between Konoha and Kumogakure, which was why a delegation had to be sent to sign an appropriate ceasefire agreement.

Therefore, Kumogakure's deployment of troops to pressure the Land of Fire's border this time was a plot point that existed in the Original Work. Whether the Uchiha Clan had members dispatched to the front lines was uncertain, but Shōji would make it an established fact this time!

The risks are fifty-fifty, huh? It's still worth trying once!

As Shōji stepped onto the stone stairs and arrived before the shrine's main hall, a faint cold glint flickered in his clear black-and-white eyes as he silently thought to himself.

Then, following behind Elder Genran, Shōji entered the main hall of Naka Shrine. He slowly descended through the dim underground stone passage revealed beneath the seventh tatami mat from the right, entering the secret chamber where the clan gathered.

By the time the two arrived,

the spacious chamber was already crowded with people.

Forty or fifty clan members, dressed either in Konohagakure's standard Jōnin uniforms or the Uchiha Clan's distinctive black attire, had gathered there. Following the positions long prescribed for them, they sat in seiza with solemn expressions.

At the very front of the seated clan members,

there was a recessed space.

Within it stood a Stone Tablet covered in strange writing.

This Stone Tablet was one of the greatest driving forces behind the plot of the Original Work.

At the very least, Uchiha Madara had been deceived by what was recorded on this "Stone Tablet," leading him to commit all the acts that followed.

When Shōji had first entered this secret chamber, he too had been unable to resist looking at the Stone Tablet a few extra times.

Now, naturally, he could regard it as if it were not there.