There were fifteen hundred people. Training began this year, and they would see results in three years.
As long as they could produce three hundred qualified ninja, the plan could be fully put into action!
Shimura Danzō's standard for a qualified ninja wasn't the one used by Konoha Academy, where a fool who knew only one or two Ninjutsu counted. He meant a Chunin capable of completing missions independently.
As for whether they could train them in three years...
That depended on what would happen to the twelve hundred who failed to qualify!
Under extreme pressure, people grew rapidly.
In the Warring States era, it wasn't uncommon for children of eight or nine to reach the level of mid- to high-ranking ninja!
"Knock, knock, knock!"
A rapid knocking suddenly interrupted Shimura Danzō's thoughts. He frowned and said coldly, "Come in!"
The door opened, and a person wearing a standard Combat Uniform and a white mask with blue markings and a cat's face bowed. "Sir, White Sparrow sent word that he didn't receive any information from Daiki today."
"What?"
Upon hearing his subordinate's report, Shimura Danzō immediately stood up.
The biggest matter in Konoha in recent years had been the Senju Clan.
Especially during this period, the Senju Clan was at a critical juncture.
He'd agreed with Daiki that they would report once a day. Yesterday's plan had failed, and he was waiting for the intelligence so he could decide what to do next!
He'd received the information from the day before yesterday as usual yesterday.
But today, there was no information from yesterday?
Had what happened yesterday made them suspicious?
"Is there anything else?"
"White Sparrow said the birds didn't dare fly directly over the Senju Clan Compound, and he thinks the Senju Clan Compound may be under lockdown!"
"Under lockdown?"
Hearing this, Shimura Danzō's voice involuntarily rose. He turned to stare at his subordinate, repeating the words as if to confirm them.
Seeing Danzō's questioning gaze, the cat-masked Root agent lowered his head slightly and explained, "White Sparrow was afraid of being exposed, so he didn't dare get close to observe. He only judged it from the birds' behavior!"
After hearing the answer, Shimura Danzō frowned and paced around his small office, pondering why the Senju Compound was under lockdown.
Had they gotten their results?
No, that didn't make sense. They wouldn't go into lockdown just because they'd gotten their results.
Was it because of yesterday?
No, he didn't think it had anything to do with what happened yesterday.
Uka Senju had been caught more than once or twice, and this wasn't the first time they'd asked Senju Toka to come to the Hokage Building.
Before, when Hyūga and Uchiha houses had been blown up, or when their Summoning Beasts had been involved, they'd asked Senju Toka to personally bring people over.
Of course, ever since the time Senju Toka nearly beat up the Uchiha in the Hokage Building, no one had made that kind of troublemaking request again.
But this time, Uka had blown up someone from the Sarutobi Clan!
It wasn't a Summoning Beast or a house, so there was nothing wrong with asking Toka to come over, was there?
A lockdown... A lockdown... No, that didn't make sense!
A lockdown required enough people. The Senju Compound was so large-how could they have enough people to lock it down?
There were many reasons the birds might not dare go there. It didn't necessarily have to be people.
The Nine-Tails' chakra or some other high-level ninja beast could do it!
At that thought, Shimura Danzō stopped pacing, took a token from his waist, and instructed the Root agent before him, "Owl, notify Tanuki to lead a team and test every entrance and exit of the Senju Compound. Then get all the entry and exit records from the main gate and the Barrier Team."
"Organize a team to check this information and see whether the Senju have recently recalled a large number of people!"
"Yes!" the Root agent in the white mask with blue markings bowed.
Suddenly remembering something, Shimura Danzō cautioned him, "Be careful when testing. Try not to expose yourselves. If you do get exposed, claim you're Anbu!"
"Remember to tell me as soon as you've checked the information!"
"Yes!"
Seeing Owl nod in his cat mask, Danzō waved him away, indicating that he should hurry.
After the door closed, Shimura Danzō walked over and sat down in the armchair behind his desk.
He leaned back until he was half-reclining. Looking up at the light bulb that constantly gave off a white glow, he narrowed his eyes without realizing it.
"Ding-a-ling!"
A pleasant bell rang!
Yuhi Katsuyo put down the textbook in his hand, pressed his lips together, and felt the oddness in his throat. He picked up the cup beside his desk and took a big drink.
He'd been lecturing since morning, with only a ten-minute break in between. Even as a ninja, his throat was having a hard time.
It seemed he really was getting middle-aged. He should listen to Teacher Kazuya and buy some medicinal tea to drink and replenish himself!
After teasing himself in his thoughts, Yuhi Katsuyo waited for the bell to stop, then looked at the students in the back rows who'd been woken up and said, "That's the end of this morning's class. After lunch break, go straight to Training Ground Nine this afternoon. I'll be waiting for you there!"
"Got it, Teacher Katsuyo!" the students in the first three rows replied as they packed up their notebooks and shook out their hands.
The students in the back who'd been woken up nodded too, indicating they'd heard him.
Training Ground Nine?
Hearing his teacher's instructions, the still-dazed Senju Uka couldn't remember which one Training Ground Nine was!
He'd stayed up all night, so he'd only slept through the morning. He still felt a little off.
Especially while he'd been sleeping in class that morning, that little Xiaohua dog kept coming over to bother him for some reason.
All in all, he'd been woken up three times by its wet tongue, as far as he could remember!
"Ahhh!"
He stood up and stretched at length.
Looking at his desk mate, who was already on his feet, Senju Uka casually asked, "Training Ground Nine-which one did the teacher mean?"
Kurama Shimei, who was rummaging through his bag, looked a little dazed. He didn't know what his desk mate meant.
So he answered according to his own guess. "Training Ground Nine? It's... it's the one where you helped Uchiha Hitomi awaken her Sharingan last time!"
"The one where three blows awakened her Sharingan!"
At the end of that sentence, every gaze in the classroom turned toward them!
Actually, when his desk mate had said, "Uchiha Hitomi, awaken her Sharingan," Senju Uka had remembered which Training Ground the teacher meant!
There were ten training grounds at the Ninja Academy. Grounds 1-5 were where they held their regular training classes. Each had areas and equipment for basic individual exercises, which the students could use freely.
Grounds 7-10 each had special functions or facilities.
And Training Ground Nine was a place for both Taijutsu training and sparring.
They'd gone there once for their practical exam in the second semester of their first year.
That was also when Senju Uka had made a name for himself in one battle.
It wasn't because he was especially powerful.
It was because during the fight, he'd awakened his classmate Uchiha Hitomi's Sharingan!
Having watched the anime, Uka knew it had to do with Uchiha Hitomi being sensitive and emotional.
But how would the other kids know that? All they knew was that Uchiha Hitomi had awakened her Sharingan after being beaten!
So they often discussed the Uchiha in their class who hadn't awakened their Sharingan.
Did they need a beating?
Should they help out?
The story spread, and the more people talked about it...
The Uchiha at the academy came to hate Senju Uka.
Of course, after Uka found out about it, he didn't have any particular thoughts.
After all, the Senju and the Uchiha had never gotten along. So what if they hated him!
He was just very surprised by his desk mate's behavior today!
He'd only forgotten and casually asked him!
What was with shouting that out toward the Uchiha side, full of mockery?
It was the first day of school. You'd picked a fight with them this morning, and now you were picking on the Uchiha again right after waking up?
Couldn't you let me rest for a while?
Resisting the urge to sew his desk mate's mouth shut, Senju Uka thought to himself:
I'm the idiot for asking you of all people!