Newcomers
Kato Dan and Tsunade only stayed at the camp for a few days.
After successfully guiding Ming Jing and the others in mastering the Spiritual Transformation Technique, the two left in a hurry. As two of the most vital assets in Konoha's forces, their responsibilities on the frontlines of the war were far from over.
Before departing, Tsunade left behind a large stack of medical books, a curriculum she designed herself. Her instructions were clear: only by memorizing and understanding these texts could one be deemed qualified to further train in medical ninjutsu.
But as some left, others arrived.
In the last major battle, the frontline had collapsed due to Mito Katō's misjudgment, forcing most of Konoha's forces to retreat toward the borders of the Land of Fire. Though Orochimaru, Jiraiya, and Tsunade had managed to hold off Hanzo the Salamander—preserving a portion of Konoha's strength—the losses were still severe.
Hanzo, after suffering sabotage to Amegakure's rear supply lines by Kato Dan, Kimu Katō, and Mito Gate Flame, found himself unable to continue a prolonged campaign. As a result, Amegakure reluctantly sought a temporary alliance with Konoha. Part of the arrangement involved Konoha providing much-needed supplies such as food and medicine to Hanzo's forces.
To oversee this mission, Konoha dispatched an elite unit to the Land of Rain—led by none other than Uchiha Fugaku, the head of the Uchiha clan and an old acquaintance of Ming Jing.
Since the Second Shinobi World War, Konoha had been stretched thin. However, the alliance with Hanzo opened up the possibility of finally ending the costly war in the Land of Rain. With proper coordination, it was feasible to break Amegakure's resistance and secure the region.
But Konoha could no longer mobilize new forces from its regular ranks. The village had no choice but to appeal to its major clans—offering political and economic concessions in exchange for elite ninja reinforcements.
Among the clans, the Uchiha stood out as the strongest in terms of combat power. With the Hyūga unable to commit to large-scale deployment due to internal restrictions, Fugaku became the ideal candidate to lead this operation.
Despite their bias against the Uchiha, even Homura and Koharu had to admit the necessity. Pinching their noses, they approved Uchiha Fugaku as the leader of the supply and support task force.
When external threats loom, internal conflict must take a back seat.
So, Uchiha Fugaku led a team of elite Uchiha and allied ninja into the Land of Rain. He wasn't commanding the battlefield—Mito Katō had stepped down from that role after his previous blunder and nominated Orochimaru as battlefield commander.
After forming the alliance with Hanzo, Mito Katō moved to the Land of Hot Water to support the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi.
Even at his age, Hiruzen could still match the Third Raikage in one-on-one combat. But against the infamous AB combo—the Third Raikage and Killer Bee, the Eight-Tails Jinchūriki—even the "Professor" needed support.
Mito Katō, though not on Hiruzen's level, was still in his prime and boasted near-Kage level strength, making him a valuable asset in the confrontation.
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"I've heard about your recent exploits."
At the stronghold, Uchiha Fugaku knelt across from Ming Jing, his posture upright and formal, hands resting precisely on his thighs.
Every movement of his reflected the pride and discipline of the Uchiha clan. As its leader, Fugaku understood that everything he did was a representation of the clan's dignity.
"You've managed to eliminate multiple Chūnin within six months of graduation, and you held your own against Dairo Umagurugi. That is no small feat."
Dairo Umagurugi was a renowned Amegakure shinobi known for his mastery of explosive tags and suicide tactics. His strength placed him among the most dangerous Chūnin-level operatives under Jōnin rank in the Land of Rain.
The Uchiha clan's intelligence network had already gathered detailed reports on Ming Jing's battlefield performance.
"The clan head overpraises me," Ming Jing replied humbly. "I'm still just a Genin. There's much I have yet to learn."
Had it not been for the boy's Sharingan, Fugaku would have doubted Ming Jing's lineage.
How could such a humble youth truly be an Uchiha?
Most of his clansmen, especially the younger ones, would have strutted with pride in the presence of the clan head. Ming Jing's modesty was a rare quality.
"In the future," Fugaku said with a subtle frown, "take care to maintain the Uchiha's image when outside the clan."
Fugaku wasn't necessarily chastising him—rather, he was trying to realign Ming Jing with what he believed to be the Uchiha way: pride, dignity, and strength displayed publicly.
But Ming Jing only nodded with a calm smile. "I understand, Patriarch. But I believe actions speak louder than words. Military achievements and strength are the best way to maintain the clan's image."
Fugaku was clearly satisfied with the response.
He rose to his feet and beckoned Ming Jing to follow. He intended to offer personal guidance in the use of Fire Release—a traditional specialty of the Uchiha.
Ming Jing had awakened his Sharingan at the age of ten and had made remarkable progress since graduation. Even among the Uchiha, he was among the most talented in the past two decades.
The last Uchiha to achieve such feats at such a young age was none other than Fugaku himself.
He saw in Ming Jing the potential to become his right-hand man.
---
"Fire Style: Great Fireball Jutsu!"
A massive dragon-shaped flame erupted from Ming Jing's mouth, smashing into a rocky cliff and scattering rubble.
Standing nearby, Uchiha Fugaku nodded silently.
Ming Jing's mastery of the Great Fireball Technique was nearly on par with Fugaku's own early training. His rapid development wasn't coincidental.
First, Ming Jing had successfully learned the Spiritual Transformation Technique