Chapter 33 - Uchiha Syōma's Surprise
"Strength? Do you think just defeating Makoto is enough to gauge our power? Do you really believe that taking down a mere child of the Uchiha clan means our entire lineage possesses only this level of strength? Orochimaru, is that what you think as well? If so, then I see no reason to continue this conversation!"
Uchiha Syōma scoffed upon hearing the young teenager before him talk about strength. His initial anger turned into a laugh of disbelief. However, he knew this was likely Orochimaru's doing, so instead of addressing Kazane , the boy in question, he turned his attention to the man seated at the head of the room—Orochimaru.
"Kazane is indeed my disciple, but tell me, Clan Leader Syōma, don't you know that some people cannot be measured by age alone? True, Kazane is still young, but just two days ago on the battlefield, he single-handedly cut down five Iwa Jōnin and hundreds of Chūnin and Genin. He even aided me in repelling Kitsuchi. Do you truly believe his strength is unworthy of your recognition?"
Orochimaru, seeing the flicker of emotion on Uchiha Syōma's face, knew his words had hit the mark. Any further provocation might backfire, so he chose to subtly shift the conversation, methodically recounting Kazane 's achievements.
"What? Orochimaru, are you joking? Even at your age back then, you were barely a Chūnin! Are you saying that every member of the Hatake clan is born a White Fang?"
Despite his skepticism, Uchiha Syōma knew that Orochimaru wouldn't fabricate such claims, especially in a Jōnin council where anyone could verify the truth. His mind wavered with disbelief. If what Orochimaru said was true, then Kazane 's strength had already surpassed even the most gifted Uchiha of his generation. Even the clan's prodigy, Uchiha Shisui, was currently only at the level of an average Chūnin.
Yet, Kazane —a child of the Hatake clan—had already slain Jōnin?
One must understand that a Jōnin was a village's core combat force. Defeating one was already a challenge, but outright killing multiple? This meant Kazane 's strength had at least reached the level of an Elite Jōnin. He was only a step away from standing among the top-tier powerhouses of the ninja world. If that were the case, then he was indeed qualified to be treated as an equal.
"Do you think I would joke about something like this, Clan Leader Syōma? Regardless, let's put this matter aside for now. I ask you to give me some face and not dwell on Kazane 's words. Our priority should be addressing the pressing crisis before us."
Orochimaru could see that his message had landed, and he promptly gave Uchiha Syōma an exit from the confrontation. At the same time, he transitioned the conversation to the real issue at hand—the decision of the Jōnin council.
The Uchiha ninjas gathered below stirred in hushed whispers. None had imagined that Orochimaru's words were true. Kazane , at such a young age, truly possessed the power to kill Jōnin. A wave of murmurs spread through the crowd as they quietly took note of the boy's face, committing it to memory.
Among the Uchiha, arrogance was a given. They often looked down on other clans and commoner ninjas. However, that didn't mean they were foolish. They respected strength. If someone was undeniably powerful, the Uchiha clan would acknowledge them rather than foolishly provoke them. If they had blindly picked fights with the strong, the Uchiha clan would have long since disappeared from history.
"Hmph! Fine! I'll give you this one, Orochimaru."
Syōma took the opportunity Orochimaru offered, sitting down with a huff.
"Now, let's officially begin the Jōnin council."
"Today, I've called everyone here because we are facing a critical shortage of supplies. Our food rations will only last two more days. We are left with two choices."
"The first option: retreat to Konoha. Our current rations can sustain us until we reach the village. However, if we withdraw, the entire Land of Fire, from its borders to Konoha itself, will be left undefended. The Iwa forces will be free to march forward unchallenged, putting the village at risk. If that happens, we will be branded as the ones who abandoned our duty."
"The second option: take the initiative and raid Iwa's supply convoys. According to our spies in Iwagakure, a resupply team led by an Elite Jōnin, Kagari, is set to arrive at the frontlines tomorrow morning."
"This council will determine our course of action through a vote."
Orochimaru's voice was firm as he outlined their dire situation. Immediately, the Jōnin in the room began murmuring among themselves.
"We're out of food?!"
"Should we retreat?"
"Retreating would be disgraceful!"
"Silence!"
"….."
Seeing the council descend into chaos, Uchiha Syōma's expression darkened as he silenced them with a sharp command. As the Uchiha clan leader, his words carried weight, and the room immediately fell silent.
"Those in favor of retreating, raise your hands."
Orochimaru glanced around the room. The gathered Jōnin exchanged looks but remained still. Not a single hand was raised.
"Those in favor of raiding Iwa's supply convoy, raise your hands."
This time, without hesitation, every Jōnin in the room raised their hands.
"Excellent! As expected of the Uchiha clan—you truly do not lack courage."
Orochimaru was unsurprised by the result. The Uchiha were not the type to retreat from a fight. If the village had let them loose on the battlefield, there was no way they would willingly return home in defeat.
In truth, even if the vote had gone the other way, Orochimaru had already made up his mind—they would be raiding Iwa's supply line no matter what.
"The enemy convoy consists of a four-man squad positioned deep behind enemy lines. To avoid detection, we must also send a small, elite unit capable of sneaking past Iwa's defenses. Meanwhile, to ensure the mission's success, I have decided that tomorrow morning, we will launch a full-scale attack on the Iwa army led by Kitsuchi. This will draw their attention and provide cover for our raiding team."
"As for Kagari, the Elite Jōnin leading the convoy, my disciple, Hatake Kazane , will handle him. However, I will need Clan Leader Syōma to select the remaining members of the strike team."
Orochimaru's tone was decisive as he laid out his strategy, before looking toward Uchiha Syōma.
"Fine. The Uchiha clan will provide the remaining three team members."
Syōma agreed, though his gaze lingered on Kazane with some hesitation. Despite everything he had heard, he still wasn't entirely convinced that a boy so young could handle an Elite Jōnin. Thus, he made a careful decision.
"Fugaku! Izumi! Kōdan! You three will accompany Hatake Kazane ."
Syōma chose to send his own son, Uchiha Fugaku, along with two other elite Uchiha Jōnin. If the mission turned south, he trusted Fugaku to ensure their survival.
Since Iwa's strongest force on the frontline was Kitsuchi, their leader, there was little chance he would be stationed at the rear supply lines. That meant the raiding team only needed to worry about the convoy itself.
Even if the mission failed, Syōma was confident that Fugaku would be able to bring their men back alive.