Inside Hachidai's office, Aozora and Hachidai sat facing each other.
"Speak up. You didn't come to Training Ground 35 just to save Ryoichi's face, right?"
"I did have that in mind."
Aozora offered a faint smile and said, "I'd like to personally select several members of the Flying Tigers for an assignment."
"That's fine. How long?" Hachidai agreed readily.
"It's not about how long."
Shaking his head, Aozora continued, "This isn't just a temporary loan—it's a formal transfer. Our clan is at a special stage now, with many tasks needing attention."
Hachidai's eyes lit up as he caught on, then nodded thoughtfully. "I understand."
He stepped to the cabinet, executed a few sealing techniques, and pulled out a stack of documents to hand to Aozora.
"Take a look first! Let me know who you fancy!"
"Okay!"
After taking the files, Aozora quickly scanned through them, pausing occasionally to ask Hachidai a question before pulling out several dossiers.
"This one!"
"This one works too."
"And this one!"
"..."
"So many?"
Hachidai flipped through the selected dossiers with a frown. "Aozora, although the members you've chosen aren't exactly the elite of the Flying Tigers and their interpersonal relationships are relatively simple, transferring five members all at once seems excessive."
With only about forty or fifty members in total, the Flying Tigers couldn't afford to lose five at once without raising eyebrows.
"These five are just my preliminary choices," Aozora explained. "I still need to know if they're willing."
"Willing? Being noticed by you is their good fortune," Hachidai countered.
Aozora shook his head. "Uncle Hachidai, I'll need your office for a while."
"No problem."
The Flying Tigers' morning training ended soon, and the five men Aozora had selected were sequentially summoned to Hachidai's office.
Hachidai quietly closed the door behind him, leaving Aozora alone with the five men.
After greeting Aozora, the five Flying Tigers members—each wearing Police Force vests—lined up neatly and waited silently for his instructions.
Sitting at the center of a bench, Aozora crossed his hands and slowly scanned his gaze across the five men with a scrutinizing stare.
As he surveyed them, he gradually activated the chakra within his body, releasing his oppressive aura.
Sweltering heat radiated from his body, distorting the space around him as if reality itself was wavering, making him seem like a demonic god incarnate.
[Fiery Magma Hell] Instantly, the five were engulfed in searing heat, beads of sweat pouring down their faces.
"What incredible pressure!"
"How could he be so strong? He's barely thirteen!"
"I can't even budge! How is this possible?!"
"This must be the prodigy Aozora who escaped from Orochimaru alone! Truly formidable!"
"..."
Feeling Aozora's immense presence, the five struggled to summon their own chakra, their eyes blazing with fierce determination.
"Not bad!" Aozora said coolly. "You haven't brought shame to the Uchiha name—yet. Now there's a crucial mission tied to the future of our Clan. Are you willing to take it on?"
As the five heard this, they didn't even have time to wipe the cold sweat from their brows before straightening their chests and shouting in unison: "We're willing!"
Aozora gave them a serious look. "Don't blame us for not warning you—this mission is extremely dangerous. Even the smallest mistake could cost your lives."
Ryuken stepped forward voluntarily. "Lord Aozora, I have no family left—I fear no sacrifice!"
The others quickly voiced their own promises one after another.
Aozora nodded. This was exactly why he had chosen these individuals.
Though not all five were orphans, their parents had died when they were young, leaving them with few family connections and limited guidance. Their performance hadn't stood out either.
Take Ryuken for example—he had solid fundamentals but lacked personal instruction from senior mentors, which left him unfamiliar with the Uchiha-Style Ninja Tool Throwing Technique.
All five were straightforward young men with decent talent who longed for success.
"Fearing no sacrifice means nothing? None of the Uchiha fear sacrifice!" Aozora continued, then handed them a document from his desk. "Read it first, then speak."
"Yes, Lord Aozora!"
Yishi Uchiha, standing farthest to the right, accepted the file with both hands, skimmed through it quickly, and passed it on.
The file was short and to the point, listing only the mission's purpose, reward, and what it would cost.
After finishing, Goetsu Uchiha—the last in line—returned the file to Aozora and resumed his place.
Silence filled the office. Though the five maintained composed expressions, their eyes flickered with inner calculations.
Just like Kyudai had once considered, the Uchiha took pride in their surname. These five were unwilling to abandon their names and work undercover as spies.
Aozora broke the silence first. "Do you know why I chose you among the Flying Tigers?"
He shook his head slightly before answering himself, "Not because you're excellent—in fact, you five are the most obscure members of the Flying Tigers. Even if you vanished, no one would remember."
Hearing this, the five felt anger rise—but they couldn't deny it.
Every Uchiha in the Flying Tigers was talented. Others had received lifelong mentorship from elders since childhood. These five started later, which made them blend in.
"Staying in the Flying Tigers will keep you as mediocre Uchihas forever. Even generations from now, even your descendants will barely remember you."
Their faces darkened slightly. What Aozora said rang true—there were too many Uchiha like them, easily forgotten.
"This mission is extremely dangerous and hard—but vital to the future of our Clan.
If you succeed, your names will be etched into the history of the Uchiha, Konoha, and even the whole Ninja World.
Everyone in the Uchiha will sing your praises, carry your names across the lands, and hold you up as true heroes."
Seeing the fire of excitement in their eyes, Aozora gave a quiet nod to himself—his words had worked.
After presenting this grand vision, he tapped rhythmically on the table while gradually revealing more tempting terms:
"The Clan Leader takes this mission very seriously. I will personally lead, with support from other squad commanders."
Sign up, and you'll instantly get double the pay of the Flying Tigers, qualify to learn an Advanced Ninjutsu Technique, receive mentorship from a Jonin sent by the Clan—and even join [Sharingan Awakening Ritual], the Clan's top-secret research project!
[Sharingan Awakening Ritual]?" Uchiha Koujou in the center of the crowd spoke up.
Aozora shook his head and said, "I can't say much about the specifics, but it will help with awakening the Sharingan and enhancing its power."
Upon hearing about awakening the Sharingan and boosting its power, the eyes of the five lit up, their longing no longer hidden.
The five exchanged glances before speaking in unison, "Lord Aozora, we're in!"
The first three terms alone were already quite generous. The mention of the [Sharingan Awakening Ritual] was all it took to break through their hesitation.
"Good! You all remain in the Flying Tigers for now; someone will contact you later!"
Aozora picked up the papers on the table and left.
Over the next few days, Aozora waited for Shuichi and the others while visiting the Patrol Officers and Prison Guards to evaluate and select personnel.
Meanwhile, Shuichi and his team secretly returned to Konoha.
After a brief greeting, Aozora let them rest for a day before setting off again to establish a temporary outpost outside the village.
Before the Sleeping Dragon Plan kicked off, Aozora needed to give everyone unified training—doing it in Konoha would make it too easy for others to find out.
<><><><><><><><>
Thank you for reading! Your support will keep me updating!
~ Every 50 Powerstones = **4 Bonus Chapters** this weekend!
<><><><><><><><>
~ 100+ Advanced Chapters Available on Patreon!
~ More *Free* Chapters and Books Available on Patreon!
patreon.com/Tansnovel
<><><><><><><><>