Successive Raids

Thus.

Shōji greatly admired clansmen with personalities like Homura's. Especially within the Uchiha Clan, such a disposition was all the more rare and precious. It also further strengthened Shōji's resolve to draw Homura into his own small circle during this war. There was still plenty of time; even using Shisui's death as the warning line, there were at least four or five years left.

However, he had to consider the disruption he himself had caused in this life.

The plot had inevitably already changed.

Shōji needed to make sufficient preparations in advance.

The worst possible outcome would be for him to forcibly launch a purge and directly seize control of the entire Uchiha Clan. But that would just as easily create even more chaos. Therefore, Shōji planned to first gain control over a certain portion of the clan's power, ensuring he had room to advance or retreat, before taking the initiative to speak with Fugaku. Shōji was still willing to believe that Fugaku was not such a foolish or cold-hearted man.

He was more inclined to believe that Fugaku had ultimately chosen to surrender without resistance in the Original Work because there had been no possibility of salvation left. If there was still hope, then as the head of the Uchiha Clan, Fugaku should still do his utmost for the clan's survival.

In terms of priority.

Shōji placed Fugaku on the same level as Shisui.

But if neither of them turned out to be as Shōji expected, if they were more inclined toward the village or their own children, then Shōji would also raise his butcher's blade without hesitation. If they could act for their own "greater good."

Then Shōji would carry out his own "justice" to the end!

That was why Shōji had to first gain control of part of the clan's strength.

Otherwise, relying on his own power alone, it would truly be difficult to accomplish those things.

He was not Uchiha Madara.

Forget Madara with the Rinnegan—even Madara with the Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan was clearly far beyond the current Shōji, even among ordinary Mangekyō Sharingan users of the same tier.

To put it bluntly.

The current Shōji could only be compared to Uchiha Sasuke just after he awakened his Mangekyō Sharingan in the Original Work.

He could exchange a few moves with a true Kage-level powerhouse.

But in reality.

His chances of winning were extremely low.

It was true that the Mangekyō Sharingan represented strength.

But awakening the Mangekyō Sharingan did not necessarily mean one possessed strength beyond the level of an ordinary Kage-level shinobi. In the end, it depended on the individual.

Besides, for the sake of the future.

Shōji could not freely use his Mangekyō Sharingan either.

Before he found a way to evolve his eyes, or a method like Obito's in the Original Work to actively replenish his Dōjutsu Power, he had to exercise some restraint.

Under so many constraints.

Shōji had no choice but to place such importance on his fellow clansmen.

Especially people like Uchiha Homura, who had not been tainted by the clan's "vile habits."

Next, it will depend on how the Kumo Ninja respond. If possible, it would be best to have a second and third backup plan, but the choice must be made carefully. If we are discovered, all our efforts will have been for nothing.

Shōji watched Homura and the Ichijō brothers, who were still conversing before him, with a smile on his face.

As he silently pondered in the depths of his heart.

That overwhelmingly victorious clash delighted not only the Hot Springs Mountain Outpost, but also all the Konoha Ninja stationed at Konoha outposts throughout the Land of Hot Springs. After concluding the post-battle meeting, Nara Suzaku was reviewing and processing intelligence reports sent from the various outposts when he keenly sensed the visibly rising morale.

It could be said.

The smoothness of this operation had far exceeded Suzaku's own expectations.

The most important aspect was the Kumo Ninja casualties.

Especially among the eastern raiding force.

An additional Kumo Ninja squad had unexpectedly appeared there. The western sector had encountered the same situation, directly resulting in the failure of the western team's raid and even costing them a certain price. But the force led by Akimichi Motoyasu in the east had been different.

Not only had they flawlessly ambushed and annihilated the squad led by three Kumogakure Jōnin, they had also ridden the momentum to destroy more than ninety percent of the Kumo Ninja reconnaissance outposts along the eastern coast. Although some Kumo Ninja had escaped, judging from the final results, the Akimichi Motoyasu Squad had achieved a string of outstanding victories.

And all of it was prominently tied to one person—Uchiha Shōji.

Is this the person the Hokage instructed us to monitor closely? Fifteen years old... Is the Uchiha Clan about to produce another genius like Shisui Uchiha?

Nara Suzaku narrowed his eyes slightly as he looked at Uchiha Shōji's personal ninja file lying on the desk, silently pondering to himself.

Suzaku had witnessed the wariness and suspicion that the senior officials led by the Third held toward the Uchiha Clan. As a member of the Nara Clan, which had joined this great family almost at the very founding of Konoha, he had access to records and inheritances preserved from distant ages.

He had deeply felt just how terrifying the Uchiha Clan was through his family's records.

And now, on the front lines.

Suzaku had experienced it even more directly.

In today's frontal offensive and defensive battle, the dozen or so Uchiha clansmen led by Uchiha Kogen had nearly all been able to fight one against two. While most people were evenly matched and locked in stalemates, those ninja born into the Uchiha Clan could easily defeat or even kill the enemies before them.

The contrast could not have been more obvious.

Still, at least for the current situation, this was a good thing.

As for everything else.

I'll leave that for the Hokage to consider.

Suzaku lightly tapped Shōji's file with the fingers of his right hand.

He still knew very clearly what mattered most.

After that, Suzaku threw himself wholeheartedly into preparations against the Kumo Ninja's possible next wave of attacks.

And indeed, just as Nara Suzaku had expected.

When the more than one thousand Kumo Ninja reinforcements led by Dodai arrived at the Land of Hot Springs front.

The Kumo Ninja became active once again.

As if the losses from their previous all-out assault had never happened.

They launched attacks and battles in various locations.

For a time.

Suzaku, stationed at the Hot Springs Mountain Outpost, received urgent intelligence reports one after another from the defenders at outposts across the region.

Dodai was also a ruthless man.

Since you Konoha dared to launch such outpost raids.

Then we Kumo Ninja would certainly not admit defeat.

After coercing and enticing the Daimyo of the Land of Hot Springs into handing over a portion of his supplies.

Dodai immediately rebuilt the various reconnaissance outposts.

He also directly assigned more than a dozen elite squads.

Their sole purpose was to hunt down and encircle Konoha squads operating alone on reconnaissance, patrol, or raiding missions.

While part of their attention had been diverted.