Border Crisis, S-Rank Mission

Hokage Building, supreme war conference room.

Smoke curled through the air.

The Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, sat to the side, silently puffing on his pipe. In the main seat, the Fourth Hokage, Minato Namikaze, had his brows locked tight, the intelligence scroll in his hand squeezed slightly out of shape.

"Cloud Village has gone too far!"

One adviser slammed the table. "How long has it been since the Third War ended? They actually dare to gather ninja forces on the border of the Land of Hot Water, and have even crossed the border to provoke us multiple times!"

"It's a test."

Minato's voice was steady, carrying an unquestionable calm. "Kushina's due date is near. Although the news has been sealed off tightly, every major ninja village has its own intelligence network. They want to take advantage of the moment when Konoha's 'nuclear deterrent' is at its weakest and see if they can bite off a piece of flesh."

"In that case, we must be even more careful not to act rashly."

Danzo Shimura, who had been sitting in the shadows the entire time, spoke. His one eye swept over everyone, his voice hoarse. "Have the Anbu handle it. Keep the main forces in the village and strengthen the Barrier Squad's defenses."

"The Anbu alone can't stop Cloud Village's Lightning Release corps." Minato shook his head. "We must send regular troops as a deterrent."

"Then send the Hyuga Clan." Danzo immediately picked up the thread. "The Byakugan is suited for reconnaissance. As for the Uchiha... they must remain behind. At such a sensitive time, if we let them leave the village, who knows whether they might defect on the battlefield, or..."

"Adviser Danzo."

Minato cut him off.

The young Hokage lifted his head, a sharp light flashing in his azure eyes.

"The Uchiha are also part of Konoha. At this critical moment, I don't want to hear such divisive remarks."

"But..."

"Cloud Village excels in Lightning Release ninjutsu and taijutsu. They're extremely fast." Minato stood, bracing both hands on the tabletop as he leaned forward. "In terms of dynamic vision and genjutsu suppression, the Sharingan is the best counter. For this operation, I have decided to lead the team personally and name the Uchiha Police Force as the vanguard."

The conference room went dead silent.

The Third Hokage blew out a smoke ring. Through the haze, he looked at the successor he had chosen, a trace of approval flashing in his eyes.

"Minato is right." The Third spoke slowly. "If you suspect someone, don't use them. If you use someone, don't suspect them. Since we're going to keep the enemy beyond our borders, we should use the sharpest blade."

Danzo snorted coldly and said no more, only staring at the tabletop with a dark, venomous gaze.

Police Force Headquarters.

"An S-rank mission transfer order."

Uchiha Fugaku looked at the scroll in his hand, the Hokage's seal on it a glaring crimson.

"Fifty jonin-level combatants are to be drawn out to accompany the Hokage on an expedition to the border of the Land of Hot Water. Depart immediately."

Fugaku raised his head and looked at Xuanshi standing before him.

"Faster than expected," Fugaku said. "It seems that Fourth Hokage really does have courage. He held up under Danzo's pressure."

Xuanshi took the scroll and quickly glanced over it.

"This is a double-edged sword." Xuanshi analyzed calmly. "If we perform well, we will be Konoha's heroes and the Hokage's trusted followers. If we mess up, or Danzo catches us slipping, we'll be doomed beyond redemption."

He walked to the map on the wall and drew a circle with his finger over the Land of Hot Water's position.

"However, for us right now, this is exactly the stage we've been longing for."

Xuanshi turned around, picked up a pen, and swiftly wrote down a string of names on a blank sheet of paper.

"Yashiro, Tekka, Inabi... all these veteran jonin have to go. In addition, add Shisui."

The tip of the pen paused, and he wrote down another name.

"And Itachi."

"Itachi?" Fugaku frowned. "He's only eleven. Although he has awakened his eyes, the battlefield..."

"He is the future clan head, and he's also the key link connecting us to the Hokage." Xuanshi's tone was firm. "Besides, with me there, no one can touch a single hair on his head."

Half an hour later.

The underground assembly ground of the Police Force.

Fifty Uchiha elites stood in neat formation. They had taken off their usual Police Force uniforms and changed into black combat gear bearing the fan clan crest, ninja swords on their backs and ninja tool pouches strapped to their legs.

There was no unnecessary talk.

After last night's hellish special training, the temperament of this unit had undergone a world-shaking transformation.

That loose, arrogant air had vanished, replaced by a silent killing intent. They were like a pack of wolves that had sharpened their claws and fangs in the dark, waiting only for the lead wolf's command.

Xuanshi stood at the very front of the formation, his gaze sweeping across every face.

"Remember."

He lowered his voice so only those present could hear.

"This mission has two objectives."

"First, kill the enemy. Let those barbarians of Cloud Village know that the Sharingan is not something they can afford to provoke."

"Second, act. We must play the role of 'Konoha's loyal hounds' well. On the battlefield, we must be able to entrust our backs to Lord Hokage without hesitation."

A cold smile curled across Xuanshi's lips.

"Even if we're pretending, we have to make it convincing. Do you understand?"

"Yes!"

A low roar echoed underground.

Noon. Konoha Gate.

The sunlight was somewhat dazzling.

Minato Namikaze had already been waiting there with Kakashi and several Anbu bodyguards.

"Sensei, are the Uchiha not here yet?" Kakashi tugged at his mask, somewhat worried. "They've always been... rather self-centered."

"Let's wait a little longer." Minato smiled as he looked ahead. "I trust them."

The moment his words fell.

A series of perfectly synchronized footsteps came from the end of the street.

Tap, tap, tap.

The sound was not heavy, but it carried a rhythm that made one's heart tighten.

Fifty Uchiha ninja dressed in black combat gear surged over like a black tide. They did not whisper to one another, nor did they look around. Every one of them maintained absolute silence, their gazes cold and sharp as blades.

Leading them was none other than Uchiha Fugaku, and half a step at his side was Uchiha Xuanshi.

The unit stopped ten meters away from Minato.

"Swish!"

All fifty stood at attention at the same time, their movements so uniform they seemed like one person.

That discipline, that pressure, made the Anbu present and the chunin gate guards unable to help holding their breath.

Was this still the Uchiha rumored to be arrogant, undisciplined, and only fierce toward their own?

A flash of astonishment crossed Minato's eyes.

As a powerhouse forged on the battlefield, he could tell this unit's worth at a glance. This was a true elite force, a sharp blade capable of tearing apart any defensive line.

"Lord Fourth Hokage."

Fugaku took a step forward and bowed slightly. "All fifty members of the Uchiha Police Force Special Operations Group have assembled. Awaiting your orders."

The smile on Minato's face grew even brighter.

He nodded, his voice resonant. "Very good. Thank you for the Uchiha Clan's support."

He turned to look toward the forest beyond the gate, the Godaime cloak on his back snapping loudly in the wind.

"Objective: the border of the Land of Hot Water. Advance at full speed!"

"Yes!"

Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh—

At Minato's order, dozens of figures instantly became afterimages and vanished into the dense forest.

Not long after the main force left.

On a giant tree outside Konoha Gate, the surface of the trunk suddenly squirmed.

A strange pitcher-plant-like man emerged.

Half black, half white.

"Oh my, the Uchiha actually sent out this many experts?" White Zetsu's voice was frivolous and exaggerated. "And they look so fierce, too. Obito definitely didn't expect them to be this obedient."

"Shut up."

Black Zetsu's voice was gloomy and hoarse, that yellow eye fixed hard in the direction where the unit had disappeared.

"Keep an eye on that young man called Uchiha Xuanshi."

"Why? Isn't he just an ordinary squad leader?" White Zetsu asked curiously.

"His chakra... is a little off." Black Zetsu narrowed his eye. "Among that group of Uchiha, only he has a scent of... causality that I've never seen before."

"Let's go. Let's see what they're really trying to do."

Zetsu's figure slowly sank into the tree trunk and vanished.

Deep in the forest.

Moving at high speed.

Xuanshi activated his Three-Tomoe Sharingan, his gaze piercing through layers of leaves as he looked toward the distant north.

The wind howled past his ears.

"The A-B Combo from Cloud Village shouldn't have arrived yet. Right now, the advance force should at most be led by a few jonin."

Xuanshi silently calculated the timeline in his mind.

"Perfect."

He touched the ninja sword at his waist.

"This blade has just been sharpened, and it's lacking a few whetstones. We'll use Cloud Village's blood to give our Mangekyo... its first edge."