[Konohagakure, Shimura Clan]
A month passed in a flash. After cleaning the battlefield and seizing the assets, the Shimura Clan stayed behind for a while, healing the injured and escorting those who could not be mobilized elsewhere back to the village.
The Konohagakure genin corps and village heirs saw this as a virtuous act of bravery, and the embodiment of the 'Will of Fire', preached by Lord First, Second, and Third (Hiruzen). However, Danzo merely gained another 4 weeks' worth of salary, which amounted to roughly 40 million Ryo. At this point, Hiruzen owed him 220 million Ryo, a sum that was necessary for his plans.
News spread throughout the continent. The four-tail jinchuriki Roshi had fallen, and the beast had been captured by Danzo Shimura, patriarch of the rising Shimura clan, which had single-handedly turned the Iwagakure war into one of the most successful victory of Konohagakure in history, annihilating roughly 1100 iwagakure shinobi for meagre losses of 400 Konohagakure clansmen.
Surely, there had been sacrifices, like the loss of the Nara patriarch.
However, this remained an extraordinary feat.
After settling in, Danzo smiled. He had asked Yukiko to reassess their forces again. Gaining the four-tail jinchuriki was a massive reward already, but he had felt and witnessed the strength of his clansmen firsthand. It was not just a simple growth that could be explained by the presence on the battlefield. Shimura clansmen were never able to exploit their potential. How could a lightning ninjutsu specialist ever teach about wind jutsu?
Shimura was but the only clan with heavy wind affinity. Few Shimura clansmen could use another element. With jonins and elders sharing their insights so openly, a commander to guide them in combat, and a plethora of battlefields to learn in practice...The growth exceeded any regular training.
*SCRATCH*
Writing a report was truly soul-drenching. Danzo scratched his head in frustration, satisfied at the numbers, but considering whether to change the numbers.
[Shimura Operation Report - Written by Lord Danzo Shimura
The Shimura Clan's performance on the Iwagakure front over the past three months has demonstrated marked tactical efficiency and accelerated skill development across all ranks. Deployed primarily to disrupt supply lines and eliminate reinforcements, the clan leveraged its specialized corps structure to minimize casualties while maximizing enemy attrition.
Genin Corps Progress
Kenjutsu Corps (25 members)
Physical Prowess: Average taijutsu proficiency rose from elite-genin level to mid-Chūnin level. 18 members now wield the Shimura B-Rank Wind Coating with adequate mastery, and all 25 surviving members mastered the Shimura Kenjutsu Art to D-rank at least, B-rank for the most talented.
Survivability: Zero fatalities due to emphasis on hit-and-run tactics. 25 genins promoted to Chūnin for leadership in ambush operations.
Wind Corps (50 members)
Ninjutsu Efficiency: Collective wind-jutsu casting speed improved by 37%, overall chakra reserves increasing by 22% on average. Only 8 members died. 15 reached the requirements to be classified as 'low-chunin', five having reached the 'mid-chunin' reserves, mostly young shinobi in their twenties.
Strategic Impact: Neutralized 23 fortified Iwagakure positions using coordinated Great Breakthrough barrages. 20 promotions to Chūnin recorded.
Specialized Roles (35 members)
Medical Unit: 8 genins achieved proficiency in field triage, reducing preventable fatalities by 19%.
Genjutsu/Fuinjutsu: 11 members developed countermeasures against Iwa's seismic sensors; 5 devised trap-sealing arrays now adopted clan-wide, using chakra echoes as a way to detect explosive tags.
Chūnin Advancements
Promotions: 45 genins elevated to Chūnin (20 Wind Corps, 25 Kenjutsu).
Tactical Leadership: Chūnin-led squads achieved a 100% mission success rate, outperforming Konoha's average (68%). Notable adaptation: "Dust Cloud Ambush" tactic, exploiting Iwa's earth-release reliance..
Jōnin Development
Promotions: 5 Chūnin promoted to Jōnin (3 Wind specialists, 2 Kenjutsu).
Elite Tacticians: Jōnin spearheaded 14 high-risk raids, including the destruction of Iwa's western munitions depot, under Lord Shimura Danzo's leadership.
Skill Mastery: All clan Jōnin now integrate Wind Release: Vacuum Blade into kenjutsu.
Notable Figure:
Yukiko Shimura (Intelligence Officer and sensor)
Mapped 89% of Iwa's supply routes via intercepted codes.
Credited with identifying Roshi's movements prior to his capture.
Itoru Shimura (Vice-commander, Long-range ninjutsu specialist)
Allowed, with three other elders, the sealing of the four-tailed beast into the Shimura Patriarch's chest, using a clan hidden technique.
Led the Shimura clan on two occasions, to test the manoeuvrability of the Shimura formations and giving room for its patriarhc to attack.
Overall Combat Effectiveness
Enemy Casualties: ~1,100 Iwagakure shinobi eliminated (2.75:1 kill ratio vs. Konoha's 0.8:1 average).
Clan Losses: 17 fatalities (12 genins, 3 chunins, 2 Jōnins).
Mission Success Rate: 100% (vs. Hokage's projected 75%).
Notable Achievements
Four-Tails Capture: Danzo Shimura's solo engagement with Roshi crippled Iwa's morale. The jinchūriki's extraction remains classified.
Chemical Innovations: Clan-wide use of unnamed "supplemental stamina aids" reduced chakra exhaustion rates by 63%, Shimura Echo Jutsu to detect iwagakure explosion formations, Shimura platoon-size formations for ambushes
Inter-Clan Collaboration: Hawk strategy for a pincer attack against Ishizo, the Stone titan.]
45 genins promoted to Chunins. Even by genius' standards, this was too much. Surely, the chakra 'stamina aids' did help raise chakra reserves of its members, but this was not the only reason. Battlefield experience, guidance, and more importantly, talent, played a fundamental role.
'Nobody likes reports. At least, I have written them down', Danzo thought, 'Hiding the clan's strength will only make us more suspicious and have less weight in the village's affairs. However, not hiding it will only make us endorse more responsibility...'
After thinking for a while, Danzo decided not to hide any more than he already had. Hiding too much would eventually make the council lose trust in him.
He hadn't specified, for one, the forbidden jutsu that had sealed the four-tailed beast. Although the massacre on the Iwagakure battlefield had calmed the voices and the raging monster his body now hosted, it was only because it was injured. If he wanted to remain in control at all time, he would need to increase the number of consumed souls by ten times at the very least. Thankfully, it was still war time, and Danzo certainly planned in extending it for as long as needed.
As a kage-level figure, regular clans were not capable to pressure him anymore. They could try to earn votes in the council, but even then, as an independant clan, the Shimura patriarch had the last word. The Hokage could, but Hiruzen lacked the decesiveness of a true leader. Although it was a bane for Konoha, it was an opportunity for the Shimura clan.
[Fuinjutsu: Shimura Air Demon Seal [B]]
Sealing the parchment with the Shimura's official seal taught from patriarch to patriarch, Danzo smiled in satisfaction. He had done the hardest. Now, he needed to negotiate appropriate rewards. 220 millions were merely the basic fees. Capturing a tailed beast and solving the battlefield altogether?
Now that required some additional rewards.