Reinforcements from the Uchiha Clan

Night soon fell.

Far from making them feel safe, nightfall only made matters worse for the already tense Konoha Army.

They had barely managed to set up camp, but another problem still plagued them.

They had set out traveling light and brought few supplies to begin with, and a large portion had been damaged in that day's battle.

If the approaching Uchiha Clan had not brought plenty of food, they would face the very real threat of running out.

The Konoha Supply Transport Unit would take another week to arrive, while their food would last only three more days. For now, however, all they could do was quietly await the Uchiha Clan's arrival.

Two days passed quickly. Finally, at noon on the third day, the Uchiha Clan arrived at Orochimaru's camp on Konoha's border.

"Clan Head Kageyama, I told you we would meet again. Heh! I've been waiting for you."

Orochimaru had been studying how to obtain food when a guard informed him that the Uchiha Clan had arrived. He immediately set aside his work and left headquarters. As soon as he reached the camp entrance, he saw Uchiha Kageyama approaching from the other side and went forward to greet him with a smile.

"Orochimaru! It seems the Iwa Shinobi didn't give you any time to prepare or properly build your camp! What a sorry state you're in!"

As Uchiha Kageyama entered the camp, he noticed the dried blood on the ground, the uneven terrain, and the exhausted faces of the ninja passing by. More importantly, when he passed a tent, he saw wounded men lying on beds inside, their injuries wrapped in bandages.

"We've already made them pay! I wounded Kitsuchi, the Iwa Shinobi's frontline commander, and they lost five Jonin. They'll probably need a few days of rest before they can come out again."

Hearing Uchiha Kageyama's words, Orochimaru understood that although they were partners, who took the lead and who followed would ultimately depend on strength! There was still a long way to go before he could fully control the sharp blade that was the Uchiha Clan. He therefore spoke to Uchiha Kageyama calmly.

"Then that's excellent news."

When Uchiha Kageyama heard that Orochimaru had wounded Iwagakure's Kitsuchi and even killed five Jonin, a flicker of surprise flashed through his eyes.

He had not expected Orochimaru to possess such strength already. After all, Iwagakure's Kitsuchi was a top-tier fighter who had defeated countless powerful opponents and was known as Iron Fist.

Before this, Orochimaru's greatest achievement had merely been joining forces with Tsunade and Jiraiya to resist Amegakure's Demigod, Hanzo of the Salamander. Even then, Hanzo of the Salamander had only spared their lives out of wariness toward Konoha.

Yet now he could wound Kitsuchi, another renowned figure in the shinobi world, on his own. His growth was terrifying! It seemed Kageyama would have to carefully reconsider his attitude toward Orochimaru from now on.

Orochimaru escorted Uchiha Kageyama into the command tent at the center of camp and seated himself at the head without hesitation.

"How many supplies did you bring, Clan Head Kageyama?"

Orochimaru went straight to the question that concerned him most. He no longer had time for lengthy pleasantries.

"Twenty thousand shuriken! Enough rations to feed my clan for a week! And two thousand rolls of bandages..."

Seeing that Orochimaru had skipped even the usual opening courtesies to ask directly about supplies, Uchiha Kageyama recalled that Orochimaru's army had just fought a battle. He immediately realized that something must have gone wrong and promptly listed the supplies they had brought.

"Clan Head Kageyama, we're all in the same boat now, so I'll be blunt! Our rations are almost gone. Even with yours, we can probably only last another two days. Konoha's supplies won't arrive for another four."

"The problem we're facing right now is this:

"If we don't retreat now, our only option is to find a way to seize supplies from the Iwa Shinobi." With the situation urgent, Orochimaru kept it brief and explained everything to Uchiha Kageyama. Here on the border between the Land of Fire and the Land of Earth, there were no villages from which to gather supplies. After two shinobi world wars, there was not a soul to be found here apart from ninja.

Barren rock faces surrounded them. Even if there were some animals and plants, they could not sustain a force of over two thousand for four days.

Besides, Iwagakure would not give them that much time. An attack could come any day. If their ninja could not even get a meal, how could they possibly keep fighting?

"Let's hear everyone's thoughts on this!"

Uchiha Kageyama had not expected Orochimaru to bring up retreat the moment he arrived at the battlefield. But he also knew this was no time to argue, and Orochimaru was right. If they could not reach a decision quickly, they might not even have enough food left to retreat.

He immediately proposed convening the Jonin Council so everyone could discuss the matter together.

"All right, let's do that!"

Orochimaru then left the tent and instructed a ninja standing guard nearby to summon all the Jonin in camp, along with Chihane, to headquarters for a meeting.

Soon, Chihane, the ten Jonin from Konoha, and over a hundred Jonin from the Uchiha Clan entered the command room.

Inside, Orochimaru sat at the head in the center, with Chihane and Uchiha Kageyama on either side of him. Behind them sat Jonin Moonlight and the Uchiha Clan's ninja in order.

"Who is this?"

Uchiha Kageyama looked at Chihane sitting opposite him and asked in confusion. He had no idea who this boy, who looked barely into his teens, was or why he was entitled to sit as his equal. He could not help feeling a flicker of anger!

I came here to support Orochimaru, yet he brought in a child to humiliate me.

"He is my student, Chihane Hatake."

Orochimaru naturally noticed the trace of anger on Uchiha Kageyama's face, but his reply remained calm.

"Chihane Hatake! I've heard of you. You defeated Makoto at the Ninja Academy. I never expected you to take him as your student, Orochimaru. But this is the Jonin Council. Even if he is your student, he's only a Genin. What gives him the right to attend a council of Jonin?"

When Uchiha Kageyama heard Orochimaru say the boy was his student, he could no longer contain his anger. In Orochimaru's eyes, was he, the esteemed head of the Uchiha Clan and an elite Jonin, only worthy of sitting alongside his student?

"My strength. In the shinobi world, the strong rule! Isn't that right?"

Seeing the furious Uchiha Kageyama across from him, Chihane smiled faintly and spoke calmly.

Even before today, Orochimaru had anticipated that Uchiha Kageyama would eventually propose convening the Jonin Council. This was therefore a show of force he and Chihane had prepared for Uchiha Kageyama. Only once Kageyama became completely obedient could master and student truly take control of the frontline battlefield.

Only by showing the Uchiha Clan their strength could they secure its wholehearted support, or even its obedience.