Hot Springs Mountain Outpost

Although these thoughts and actions,

in these people's eyes,

were still rather immature and naive,

having them or not were two entirely different matters. At the very least, Shisui Uchiha, whom some clan members currently praised as the strongest in the clan, had not displayed qualities similar to Shōji's.

Oh, it was worth mentioning that during this marching reinforcement,

Shisui was not on the roster.

Although he himself greatly wanted to come to the front lines,

not only did Fugaku disagree, Sarutobi Hiruzen would not permit it either.

The Third Hokage hoped that Shisui could remain in the village a while longer and keep an eye on the Uchiha Clan for him. After all, even if this conflict at the front was not a large-scale clash, it would last at least a year or two, while three or four years would not be surprising.

Under such circumstances,

Sarutobi Hiruzen would never allow Shisui to remain tied down at the front lines.

Naturally, others would observe Shōji. Having left Konoha and arrived at the front, Shōji seemed to have gained freedom and autonomy, but in truth, Sarutobi Hiruzen's eyes and ears were everywhere around him. Some Anbu members in particular would be difficult for Shōji to detect if he let his guard down, even as they watched and monitored him.

If he wanted to do anything,

Shōji had to weigh matters carefully himself.

Fortunately, even if Shōji did not know any of this, his naturally cautious nature meant he would act carefully. His initiative in volunteering for the Hot Springs Mountain Outpost was the conclusion he had reached after rapidly weighing everything during that brief period.

Because of that,

he instantly drew the attention of the surrounding clan members.

After a brief pause, Kogen, seated at the head of the gathering, shifted his gaze to Shōji below. Looking at this talented junior of his clan, Kogen asked with a somewhat solemn expression, "Are you sure you want to go to the Hot Springs Mountain Outpost, Shōji?"

The personnel allocation only involved changes in numbers.

The Third Hokage had not specifically instructed who was to be sent where.

Nor had Suzaku imposed any demands.

Because they knew very well that even in an open scheme, one had to leave others some room. In any world and any era, things had to be done according to rules—unless one's strength and power were enough to disregard all rules.

If one could suppress all beneath heaven with sheer force, then naturally there was nothing to say.

Otherwise,

everyone still had to observe some rules.

Thus, Suzaku had merely instructed Kogen to send a greater portion of Uchiha forces to the Hot Springs Mountain Outpost without specifying who. The implication was that the Uchiha Clan would make the arrangements itself. Kogen's initial thought had been to send the oldest group of clan members, himself included, to the Hot Springs Mountain Outpost.

Although the Uchiha Clan was warlike and believed only real combat could temper the next generation,

they were not fools.

Kogen preferred for the youngest members of this group to gain experience and train in areas that were not quite so dangerous.

Shōji was of the same generation as Shisui. At fourteen, he had awakened his Sharingan to the Three-Tomoe level, making him an unquestionable clan prodigy. Though he had participated in the Third Shinobi World War, as far as Kogen knew, he had never experienced a true life-and-death battle. This clash with Kumogakure did not appear large in scale, but Kumo Ninja were still Kumo Ninja. Kogen had long been aware of the casualties at the Hot Springs Mountain Outpost.

He did not want a clan genius like Shōji to die there.

But if Shōji had proposed it himself, that was another matter.

"Yes, Kogen-san. I am very certain! Please do not doubt my resolve!!"

Shōji straightened his body and met Uchiha Kogen's gaze as he replied steadily.

After looking deeply at Shōji for a moment, Kogen slowly nodded. "Very good. Then I'll add you to the roster for the Hot Springs Mountain Outpost!"

Perhaps influenced by Shōji's initiative in volunteering,

every Uchiha clansman afterward also volunteered to go to the Hot Springs Mountain Outpost.

The Uchiha Clan had the blood of natural-born fighters in their bones.

Bloodthirsty and warlike!

They never feared peril, or even death.

One could say this was a legacy deeply rooted in the very bones of the clan.

However, volunteering for battle was one thing.

Kogen could not truly send all nearly one hundred clan members to the Hot Springs Mountain Outpost. Necessary precautions could not be discarded.

Especially now, when relations between the clan and the village leadership, as well as the various Ninja Clans, were somewhat strained, everything had to be carefully considered and arranged.

It did not take long

for Kogen to select the clan members who needed to be dispatched to the Hot Springs Mountain Outpost.

Including himself,

there were thirty-seven people in total. Of the remaining members, only a dozen or so would stay at border outposts and logistical supply points in the Land of Fire, such as the outpost where they were currently located. The rest would enter Konoha outposts within the Land of Hot Springs.

It was only that their danger level was not as high as the Hot Springs Mountain Outpost.

But in truth, they were still on the front lines.

They could be attacked by Kumo Ninja at any time. Over the past three or four months, while the Hot Springs Mountain Outpost had suffered the heaviest casualties, that did not mean the other outposts faced little defensive pressure. A month earlier, the Coastal Corridor Outpost in the far east had nearly been razed by Kumo Ninja.

Yet, the Uchiha clansmen assigned by Kogen to the outposts in the Land of Hot Springs were all beaming with joy, while those remaining in the border regions seemed deeply aggrieved. From this alone, it was clear that the Uchiha Clan was indeed entirely different from most Ninja Clans in Konohagakure. If one had to put it bluntly, the Uchiha Clan was actually more suited to wearing Kumogakure forehead protectors and becoming Kumo Ninja.

'Warlike!'

That was a standard trait of Kumo Ninja.

And it was also a trait etched deep into the souls of the Uchiha Clan.

After Kogen assigned the corresponding personnel and returned to the central camp,

the leaders of the various Ninja Clans had also made their arrangements.

Then, under Suzaku's unified coordination,

the Konoha Ninja force gathered here split into several groups under their respective captains and advanced northward into the Land of Hot Springs,

each heading to reinforce outposts established in different areas.

Shōji naturally departed for the Hot Springs Mountain Outpost under Kogen's command.

In fact,

among the more than thirteen hundred reinforcements sent to the northeastern border this time,

a full four hundred were to be assigned to the Hot Springs Mountain Outpost.

As the most important and largest outpost Konoha had established in the Land of Hot Springs,

the Hot Springs Mountain Outpost consistently maintained a regular force of around two hundred people, from combat personnel to medical and logistical staff.

The other outposts generally had only a few dozen people.

The smallest reconnaissance outposts had only one or two squads.

That alone was enough to prove the importance of the Hot Springs Mountain Outpost.