Intelligence Returns

Izuna Uchiha paused for a moment, then smiled gently.

"Anytime is fine. I also want to see with my own eyes how far you can ultimately go."

Sasuke agreed, turned around, and quickly walked into the house.

Madara remained standing under the eaves, watching Izuna Uchiha walk towards him.

Izuna Uchiha stopped in front of him, smiling, and asked, "What do you think of Sasuke?"

"Even a good piece of material needs repeated polishing." Ban paused, then slowly added, "Its temperament is very much like a person."

Izuna Uchiha tilted his head slightly. "Like me when I was a child?"

No. Like you when you were young.

Izuna Uchiha paused for a moment, then chuckled softly. The gentle laughter drifted on the wind, mingling with the distant, lingering sound of the evening bell from the Naka Shrine.

Ban heard everything clearly, but remained silent, gazing quietly at the Dusk- shrouded lawn in the backyard.

Dusk settled over the streets and alleys of Origin Island, the bluish-gray stone pavement was bathed in a gentle orange-red hue.

Natsu and Ban walked slowly side by side toward Fugaku's residence.

Sasuke obediently followed behind the two, his hair still damp and carrying the fresh scent of water from his recent shower, clearly having quickly taken a bath and changed into clean clothes.

Mikoto specially made grilled fish tonight, and all the way here, the child has been talking about it.

Natsu could see clearly that his steps were much slower than usual.

It makes sense; after being repeatedly overwhelmed and knocked down by Izuna Uchiha all afternoon, the soreness all over my body couldn't possibly subside in a short time.

As the group rounded the bend outside the Clan Academy, a tall, upright figure strode towards them.

It was Uchiha Setsuna.

As Long-Lived Species, he showed no signs of aging. He looked to be only in his early thirties, and his steps were quick and agile, without the slightest hint of the aging and staggering of an old man.

He clutched a newly delivered intelligence scroll tightly in his hand. His gaze met the three people walking ahead, and he paused slightly before quickening his pace to meet them.

"Lord Natsu Yin, Lord Madara."

She bowed respectfully Setsuna a flash, without any further pleasantries, and began to recount the entire story of the Battle of Coral Port.

This voyage was led by Chunwu, and the group of young people unexpectedly encountered the Jack the Drought while stationed at Coral Port.

Initially, due to a misjudgment of on-the-spot intelligence, the team was once in a passive stalemate. Fortunately, everyone stabilized their position and held off Jack's offensive until Uchiha Kei arrived at the battlefield.

The turning point in the battle came swiftly and decisively. He activated his Semi-Complete Susanoo and defeated the powerful enemy with a single sword strike. From then on, Jack the Drought disappeared without a trace and was declared a complete missing person.

After the battle Chunwu and Rin immediately submitted a complete tactical review report, frankly taking full responsibility for the previous command errors without any shirking of responsibility.

Natsu reached out and took the scroll, her eyes quickly scanning the densely packed characters before handing it to Ban beside her.

"Were there any casualties among the team members?" he asked calmly, only asking about the most crucial result.

"They're all fine," Shana replied Setsuna. "All twenty-one new members have returned to the team. Only three sustained minor abrasions; no one was seriously injured, and no one fell behind."

Natsu nodded slightly and uttered two words: "Not bad."

Ban lowered his eyes and read through all the contents of the scroll. He deftly folded the scroll with his fingertips and handed it back to Setsuna.

His face remained unchanged, cold and indifferent, revealing not a trace of emotion.

Having followed him Setsuna decades, Mo Mo had long since figured out the clan leader's thoughts and could always discern the hidden attitude in his few words.

"Were those two Three Tomoe juniors mentioned earlier the ones who led the rearguard and coordinated the retreat?" Madara asked in a low voice.

"It was Chunwu and Rin." A voice responded Setsuna. "In the midst of the chaos, Chunwu stayed behind alone to cover the rear, managing to hold back Jack's main offensive."

Rin was meticulous and had planned two backup evacuation routes in advance, maintaining the team's formation throughout and ensuring that no one was in danger.

Ban remained silent for a moment, the Dusk falling on his cold, handsome profile. After a long while, he finally uttered a perfectly worded assessment. "Not bad."

For Setsuna, he was slightly taken aback, but in an instant, a genuine smile spread across his usually calm and restrained face.

Others might not know, but he knew all too well how rare it was to hear those two words from Ban's mouth. It was the highest form of recognition for the younger generation.

Sasuke, standing behind her, suddenly became interested and poked his head out from behind Natsu, his bright eyes staring straight at Setsuna with curiosity and longing. "Chunwu- senpai very powerful?"

Natsu gently pressed his head down, pulling him back down, and casually reminded him, "Chunwu is fifteen years old this year, and has already stepped into the threshold of the Kage Level, daring to directly withstand Jack the Drought's offensive. Calculate how old you are this year, and what level you are at now?"

Sasuke rubbed his head, which was being held down, and muttered defiantly, "I can do that someday too."

Natsu didn't respond to him, but turned to look at Setsuna again. "Did Senior Qi mention any other questions in his mission report?"

Setsuna hearing this, she sighed softly, her tone carrying a mixture of helplessness and relief. "It was mentioned, and quite bluntly."

Chunwu's weaknesses are quite obvious: his Chakra control is not precise enough, his Armament Haki lacks hardness, and his Observation Haki has blind spots. He needs to focus on further training and refinement.

After saying that, he couldn't help but sigh, "But in the end, for a child of only fifteen to achieve such a result is already far beyond his peers."

Natsu nodded slowly, a faint hint of approval flashing in her eyes.

"The new generation's first real combat mission at sea, landing right into a formidable enemy of the level Three Disasters, and the fact that everyone returned to the team unscathed is itself an overachievement of the mission."

Weaknesses, techniques, and proficiency can all be honed through daily practice.

The courage to remain calm in the face of danger, the sense of responsibility to take on challenges, and the tenacity to never retreat in dire straits are things that cannot be learned through deliberate training.

He snapped out of his thoughts, his tone becoming lighter, and strode forward. "Let's go eat first. Aunt Mikoto specially made grilled fish; if we're any later, this little rascal might really eat it all."

"I won't!" Sasuke immediately protested, his face full of defiance.

"At the last banquet, you ate half the dishes by yourself, have you forgotten?" Natsu casually exposed.

Sasuke wanted to explain, but Natsu raised her hand and gently pressed his forehead, pushing him forward slightly to signal him to go first.

The boy puffed out his cheeks and obediently stepped forward.

The lingering soreness in his legs hadn't subsided, but his steps were much lighter than before, and his eyes were full of the indomitable spirit of a young man.

In Fugaku's residence, the evening breeze carried the aroma of roasted meat.

Mikoto's culinary skills have always been highly praised throughout the Uchiha Clan District, and tonight she specially added a few extra fresh fish.