Resolution

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"Let's settle it like this. No matter what, the Uchiha Clan is part of the village. Our teacher also said that we needed to be more cautious in dealing with the Uchiha Clan. We all hope that more clan members like Kagami will emerge, rather than dangerous figures like Uchiha Madara. This Shōji, like Shisui, is a descendant of Kagami's line. He can be trusted to a certain extent. Issue a general order to all the major ninja clans. The list of personnel to be dispatched must be finalized within three days."

"The Anbu has sent another report. Kumogakure appears to be preparing a second mobilization. While it is not a large-scale mobilization, once this batch is included, the number of Kumo Ninja at the border will swell to over two thousand. That is already an extremely dangerous figure!"

Under normal circumstances.

The guard outposts established by the Five Great Shinobi Villages along their border regions generally had no more than five or six hundred jōnin, chūnin, and genin combined. That was already an astonishing number, enough to organize a small-scale war. During the Third Shinobi World War, the Iwagakure Ninja force led by Iwagakure's jōnin Higashi Shinin numbered only around a thousand. Now, Kumogakure had reinforced its troops in the Land of Hot Springs, where the Land of Lightning and the Land of Fire met, to nearly two thousand. Konoha had no choice but to be on guard!

For now, it merely looked like harassment and sabotage raids in the border regions and at various logistical outposts.

But one careless move could easily trigger further conflict. The possibility of a full-scale war breaking out was not zero!

This was also what worried Sarutobi Hiruzen the most during this period.

On the night of the Nine-Tailed Demon Fox's Attack, their own village had lost several hundred outstanding ninja in one stroke, while more than a thousand others had suffered injuries of varying severity. Most importantly, they had lost the Fourth Hokage and his wife, two Kage-level combatants.

It was a price Konoha could scarcely bear.

Over the past half year.

Kumogakure had constantly been provoking friction and testing them.

Its forces had been increasing little by little, and now it was actually preparing for a second mobilization.

At that moment, Sarutobi Hiruzen's already taut nerves tightened even further.

With that in mind.

Sending the Uchiha Clan's strength to the front lines to hold the enemy back, while also further testing the Uchiha and assessing Shōji, was a decision that achieved three things at once. After hearing Sarutobi Hiruzen's words, Mitokado Homura pondered for a few seconds before slowly nodding.

"I understand. If that is the case, it is indeed the safer approach. But should we speak to Danzo about this?"

"I'll explain it to Danzo. Our handling of the Uchiha Clan has not reached that point yet. All we need to do is uphold our teacher's ideals and intentions. The proper course is to have as many people like Kagami as possible emerge from the Uchiha Clan. At worst, we will merely do what our teacher did back then!"

Sarutobi Hiruzen said in a deep voice.

"Mm!"

"Then let's proceed as you suggest, Hiruzen!"

Mitokado Homura and Utatane Koharu both approved of Sarutobi Hiruzen's arrangements.

In truth.

In their eyes.

The judgment and thinking of their other close friend—Shimura Danzō—were far too extreme in many respects, especially regarding the Uchiha Clan. As early as half a year ago, when the Nine-Tailed Demon Fox's Attack broke out, Shimura Danzō had blatantly proposed completely purging the Uchiha Clan.

That proposal.

Let alone Sarutobi Hiruzen.

Was something neither Mitokado Homura nor Utatane Koharu could accept.

Even if the Uchiha Clan did carry deep suspicions and had past precedents to account for.

At the end of the day, however, the Uchiha Clan remained an extremely important part of Konohagakure. How could they simply be purged because someone said so?

Besides, not everyone in the clan was a hotheaded lunatic.

At the very least, in Mitokado Homura and Utatane Koharu's view, the descendants of Kagami Uchiha's line, led by Shisui, were still worth placing hopes upon. They shared Sarutobi Hiruzen's view: even if the Uchiha Clan truly launched a second rebellion, their method of handling it would be infinitely closer to that of the former Second Hokage—Tobirama Senju.

Not every member of the Uchiha Clan stood on the side of "evil."

Their teacher's generation had fostered Kagami Uchiha.

Their generation likewise had Shisui Uchiha, and now Uchiha Shōji had emerged as well. Though he still required further assessment, the situation at least appeared to remain under control. Mitokado Homura and Utatane Koharu both rejected Shimura Danzō's judgment, which was highly likely to bring extremely grave consequences to the village.

The reason the two of them trusted Sarutobi Hiruzen so deeply, and had stood firmly at his side for thirty years without wavering, was not only because their teacher, the Second Hokage, had personally appointed him. It was also because Sarutobi Hiruzen's policies in handling every major matter suited both of their temperaments extremely well.

Prudence!

That was the most crucial point.

After the three reached an agreement.

Mitokado Homura and Utatane Koharu immediately split up to carry out Sarutobi Hiruzen's orders. One went to contact the other ninja clans, while the other arranged the logistical matters. Sarutobi Hiruzen personally discussed the further deployment of personnel with Uchiha Fugaku.

After all, the Uchiha Clan was still responsible for the work of the Military Police Force.

Under normal circumstances.

Public security and patrols throughout Konoha were the responsibility of the Uchiha Clan.

Thus, their personnel deployment required careful prioritization.

Fortunately, Uchiha Shōji, one of the core targets of Sarutobi Hiruzen's plan, did not currently hold any position in the Military Police Force. Officially, he was still merely a "chūnin"!

Sarutobi Hiruzen could unobtrusively place this genius of the younger Uchiha generation onto the list. From Shisui, Hiruzen had already learned that Shōji had awakened his Sharingan to the Three-Tomoe level, which could tentatively be considered jōnin-level.

Naturally, Fugaku could not see that deeper motive, and this was also one of Fugaku's own goals.

The Uchiha Clan was a warlike clan.

Letting the younger generation undergo more trials of blood and fire was wisdom passed down through the generations. During the final stages of the Third Shinobi World War, Fugaku himself had taken his four-year-old son—Uchiha Itachi—to the eastern battlefield against Kirigakure.

In his current view.

Uchiha Shōji was undoubtedly the only person among the younger generation who could rival Shisui.

At fourteen, he had awakened his Sharingan to the Three-Tomoe level.

The Uchiha Clan needed geniuses like this.

Though Fugaku himself was still in his prime, it would be the clan's greatest fortune if more outstanding figures emerged among the younger generation.

Therefore, he was quite willing to let young people like Shōji gain more experience. As for the risk of death or crippling injuries?

Heh. If they were truly afraid of that, they should not become ninja!