Chapter 35

Zhuang nudged Saitama with his elbow, seeking confirmation.

"Yes, there is indeed such a saying." Saitama nodded slightly.

"However, for many clan affairs, the clan head still gathers the four great elders to discuss matters, hear their advice, or formulate plans together. The clan members have not looked down on them just because the elders' authority was weakened."

"I see." Saitama pondered this. He had not expected the Uchiha Clan to have such a past.

"The monthly reports from our businesses in various regions have concluded. Next, we will discuss the urgent matters currently facing the clan!" After several clan members had finished speaking, Fugaku rose to preside over the meeting and moved on to the next topic.

"In recent years, the ninja world has been turbulent, and Konoha in particular has been engulfed in war. The Uchiha Clan should fulfill its duty."

Low murmurs spread through the room. Everyone felt deeply about the current situation.

"At present, Konoha's higher-ups are putting pressure on our clan. Before long, most of those present will be heading to the front lines." Fugaku's tone was calm, revealing neither joy nor anger, as though sending troops to war had been the Uchiha Clan's own choice.

"Ahem, this old man would like to say a few words as well." The eldest elder rose with the aid of his cane. Though his body was hunched, his movements were swift and decisive—after all, he was a retired ninja, and his foundation remained.

Fugaku raised both hands in a calming gesture, then took his seat.

"This old man is sixty-six this year, making me one of the oldest members of the clan. In my youth, I personally witnessed Lord Madara's magnificence." Rather than getting straight to the point, the elder began with an old story.

Everyone present immediately looked interested, including Saitama—this was a secret tale about Madara Uchiha!

"Konoha was founded jointly by the First Hokage and Lord Madara. The Uchiha's contributions cannot be erased. Although all of you know perfectly well about the clan's current circumstances, this old man must still say this—Konoha is ultimately our home!"

"Where leaves dance, fire will surely burn. The firelight illuminates the village, and new buds will eventually break through the soil." The elder slowly swept his gaze across the room and found that most faces concealed their disapproval, though no one dared openly refute him.

"You are all familiar with these words, aren't you?"

"The leaves symbolize the new generation, while the flames are the glory of the Uchiha!" The elder's voice suddenly rose, and the hand gripping his cane trembled slightly.

"Even if we have not received the status we deserve, protecting our home is still only right! When foreign enemies invade, is it not our duty to stand up and fight?" His cane struck the floor heavily, and the old man took his seat with a solemn expression.

The whole room fell silent. Many were hearing such an interpretation for the first time, and their resistance toward Konoha softened slightly.

Fugaku lowered his head a little, his gaze profound. Over the years, the Uchiha Clan's position in Konoha had gradually been marginalized. Many clan members were filled with hostility toward the village's decisions, always believing that Konoha excluded the Uchiha at every turn, even outwardly complying with village policies while secretly defying them.

"Old Liu is right. The Uchiha's dignity is not bestowed by others. If we want to restore the glory of Lord Madara's era, we must fight for it ourselves. This war may be our turning point!" another elder said gravely.

"The older generation of Uchiha is fairly clear-headed, so how did things later become..." Saitama sat quietly. After hearing the two elders, he was even more puzzled. After all, the Uchiha of the future had nearly all gone to extremes, ultimately suffering the massacre of their entire clan.

"I share the elders' view. Participating in the war will certainly bring sacrifices, but it is also an opportunity for the Uchiha. As for the final outcome, it will depend on your performance on the battlefield." Fugaku's tone was resolute and filled with expectations for the future. Since going to war was already inevitable, it was better to give it everything than respond passively.

Most of the jonin present were in their prime, or members of the younger generation in their early twenties. Though they had never experienced the Uchiha's golden age, they still longed for that era when the clan had been led to glory.

Many people's breathing quickened, including Uchiha Zhuang beside Saitama. Saitama was equally stirred. His greatest wish was for the Uchiha and Konoha to coexist peacefully, even for the clan to return to the center of power. Could it be achieved? Action was the key. People had to hold on to hope, didn't they?

Though the road ahead was perilous, this was already the best choice. Did they really have to wait until the entire clan **, or was slaughtered, before regretting it?

"The list of those participating in the war has already been issued. Most of the jonin here are on it. Next, I will assign squads. Once you are on the battlefield, try to fight in coordination—of course, if the commander allows it!" Fugaku said with a hint of humor, drawing soft laughter from the room.

A commander refusing to allow squad operations? Impossible. Though the battlefield was chaotic, squad combat remained a basic tactic.

"Uchiha Zhuang, do you have something to say?" Seeing the bear-like Zhuang raise his hand, Fugaku motioned for him to speak.

"Clan Head, I request a transfer to the southern front!" Uchiha Zhuang abruptly rose, his booming voice shaking the entire room.

"I rejected your request long ago. Didn't you receive the notice?" Fugaku asked with a smile.

"? When did that happen?" Uchiha Zhuang looked utterly bewildered and instinctively scratched the back of his head.

"Sit down already! Stop making a fool of yourself!" an elder scolded. He was the "old man" Uchiha Zhuang spoke of, and appeared to be the youngest among the elders.

"So it was you behind this! Old man, it had to be you!" Uchiha Zhuang suddenly understood and glared furiously at the elder.

"Hmph!" Though he was full of anger, Uchiha Zhuang knew better than to make a scene here. He could only sit down while glaring viciously at his old man.

Having been exposed by his son on the spot, Uchiha Zhuang's elderly father flushed with embarrassment and turned away to avoid his gaze.

This little episode soon passed, and the meeting continued. Fugaku brought up several issues currently facing the Uchiha Clan, gathering ideas and seeking opinions from all sides.

The long meeting reminded Saitama of the endlessly droning speeches given by school leaders in his previous life. But ninjas clearly had greater endurance, and this meeting lasted especially long.

"That's all for today. Meeting adjourned!"

It was not until eleven at night that the meeting finally ended. Saitama's back and waist were aching from sitting for so long. At Fugaku's announcement, everyone rose and left one after another. He had just stood to stretch when he heard Fugaku calling him.

"Saitama!" Fugaku beckoned him over.

"Captain, what is it?" Saitama made his way through the crowd to Fugaku's side.

"Greetings, Elders!" The four elders had yet to leave and were gathered around Fugaku. Saitama respectfully greeted them.

"Hello!" The elders responded kindly, without the slightest arrogance of a great clan.

"So you're Saitama!" Uchiha Zhuang's father spoke first. "Zhuang mentions you often. He says you accomplished something even he could not. Truly, heroes emerge from the young!"

"Hehe..." Saitama gave a shy smile appropriate for his age.

"Well done!" Elder Uchiha Liu patted him on the shoulder. His complexion was ruddy, and he did not look remotely as frail as Saitama had imagined.

"We old fellows will be going now. Work hard, young men!" The elders smiled and offered their encouragement before leaving together.

Before they had gone far, Uchiha Zhuang stopped his father, and the two began arguing red-faced. Even from a distance, Saitama and Fugaku could feel his unwillingness to accept it.

"How does it feel? This is the atmosphere at a clan meeting. Not bad, right?" Fugaku warmly draped an arm around Saitama's shoulders as if treating him like his own brother. Avoiding the arguing father and son, they headed out of the shrine by another path.

"Not bad." Saitama nodded lightly. This clan atmosphere was far better than that family next door—their side had long since ** into two factions, each looking at the other with disgust, while their hierarchy was especially strict.

"For this squad assignment, I'll directly appoint you as a jonin. Get ready to lead a team." As they left the shrine, Fugaku patted Saitama on the shoulder, then turned and headed toward his own home. Their routes home were different.

Saitama remained where he was, his gaze sweeping over the clan members gradually dispersing into the darkness. His eyes held a calmness beyond his years. Only after the last figure disappeared did he turn and start toward home.

It's so late. Granny Xiang must be asleep already, right? This thought surfaced as he walked.

The longer he lived in this world, the more people and things he came to care about. He was no longer as free and unburdened as before. Yet these bonds had not become burdens; instead, they became the strength that drove him forward. After all, only strength was the foundation for establishing oneself in this world!

When he returned home, the television in Granny Xiang's room was still casting a faint glow. Saitama did not know whether she had fallen asleep while watching it or had deliberately left the light on, so he did not disturb her. He quietly changed into the slippers at the entrance and went upstairs as silently as a cat.

Not long after he went upstairs, the light in that room quietly went out, as though it had been lit solely to wait for his return.

The long night was silent, and all was still.

The days that followed returned to peace. Saitama resumed his routine of going back and forth between the training ground and home, sparring and exchanging pointers with clan members preparing for war in his role as an instructor. With his absolute strength, his prestige within the guard force steadily grew.

Uchiha Zhuang had specifically come to challenge him the day before yesterday. Considering that the other man's jonin-level strength was enough to let him stretch his muscles, Saitama readily accepted.

This seemingly clumsy giant completely overturned his first impression in battle—he was actually an assassin type specializing in speed! Whenever Saitama recalled Uchiha Zhuang's ghostly movements, so utterly mismatched with his huge build, he could not help marveling at the wonders of the ninja world.

When they had first met, everyone had assumed this oddball from the Uchiha Clan was a strength-type fighter. Who would have thought he was another unexpected character? Even so, once Uchiha Zhuang's speed, movement techniques, and strength were all completely suppressed, his defeat had already been inevitable.

To Saitama, the outcome had been only natural. But for Uchiha Zhuang, even though he had been mentally prepared, actually losing was still difficult to accept—after all, expectations and reality were ultimately two different things.

"Senior!" Two chunin bowed to Saitama at the same time, their movements perfectly synchronized.

"Don't call me that. Just call me by my name." Saitama raised a hand in a casual gesture. He did not care much for these formalities. True respect was shown through actions, not superficial displays.

"Understood, Captain Saitama!" Uchiha Huo and Uchiha Yan readily changed their form of address. Calling Saitama, who was much younger than them, "Senior" had indeed felt awkward, though they knew this captain's strength far surpassed ordinary people.

These Uchiha brothers were squad members Fugaku had assigned to him a few days ago. They had come to find Saitama at the training ground today, saying they wanted to build team coordination in advance.

"Let's talk over there." Saitama pointed toward the pavilion at the edge of the field.

"Yes!" The brothers exchanged glances and followed in perfect understanding. As blood relatives, their coordination had always been seamless.

"Sit wherever you like." Saitama stretched and reclined in a rocking chair, propping up his upper body as he looked at them, appearing relaxed.

"Since we'll be fighting side by side, tell me about your specialties first." His tone was casual, and his eyes narrowed slightly.

"Uchiha Huo, chunin, specializing in Fire Release."

"Uchiha Yan, chunin, also primarily specializing in Fire Release."

The two still sat upright, answering crisply and directly.

"That's all? What about your preferences, for example?" Looking at the brothers, who were older than him yet somewhat reserved, Saitama deliberately used a conversational tone to ease the atmosphere.

"?" Huo froze, not expecting that question.

"I love barbecue and hate salmon," Yan quickly picked up the topic.

"I'm the same as him," Huo hurriedly added.

"What a coincidence. Barbecue is my favorite too." Saitama smiled and sat up straight. "Especially Barbecue Q on the commercial street. Their secret sauce is simply incredible."

"That place really is great!" Huo's eyes lit up. "Both the meat and the sauce are top-notch."

"Great minds think alike." Saitama leaned back on his arms. The exhaustion after training made him especially enjoy this moment of relaxation.

"You should already know about me, right?" he asked the two of them. After all, since they had found the guard force's base, they could not possibly know nothing about him.

"That's right. We've both heard about Captain's achievements." Uchiha Huo sounded excited. Uchiha Yan beside him showed a slight change in expression but maintained the composure expected of a ninja, unlike his younger brother, who was as excited as if meeting someone he admired.

"Then let me formally introduce myself anyway. Rumors may not be reliable, after all." Saitama nodded slightly and pressed his palm downward, signaling Uchiha Huo to sit.

"I'm Uchiha Saitama, a chunin. I specialize in Lightning Release and taijutsu. Though I'm not very old, I've completed quite a few missions. I also took part in operations on the Sand Ninja front and only returned last year," Saitama said briefly.