As the two gazed upon the densely packed lines of text, especially upon seeing the number of Iwa-nin reinforcements, they couldn't help but feel like they'd almost made a terrible mistake.
Hiruzen Sarutobi took a deep breath and spoke solemnly, "If the Uchiha Clan cannot withstand the Iwa-nin's assault, and those enemies manage to invade our Land of Fire, then who will step forward to halt their advance?" This sentence struck like a hammer on the hearts of Homura Mitokado and Koharu Utatane, making their already anxious minds even more unsettled.
The two exchanged glances before quickly responding, "You're absolutely right, Hiruzen! While the Uchiha Clan indeed needs appropriate weakening, there must be absolutely no mistakes on the Grass Country battlefield at this moment—it is even more important than suppressing the Uchiha."
After an intense and heated discussion, Hiruzen Sarutobi and others finally decided to provide additional support once again.
Soon after, a force composed of two thousand junior and lower-level ninja—fresh graduates from the Ninja Academy within recent years—had assembled completely. Carrying massive quantities of precious supplies, they rushed nonstop toward the Fire-Soil frontline.
Most of these young ninja were still Genin ranked, with quite a portion between the ages of ten and fifteen. The rest weren't older than twenty.
Although this group included many promising talents, the harsh reality was that they generally lacked formal training and combat experience. Such a situation was truly bitterly ironic.
Upon seeing these ninja arriving at the frontline, Shiyu Uchiha looked at these people before him, burning with rage in his heart, yet he clearly knew he was helpless to act now. Despite his fury, he still forced himself to calm down and began thinking about countermeasures.
After thorough consideration, Shiyu Uchiha decided to handle this new batch of recruits the same way as the first. The only difference was that the instructors responsible for training had changed. After all, the previous instructors had now become core assets of the Shinobi Forces, each carrying out crucial tasks, and simply couldn't spare the energy to train another group again.
Many of the former students had put to good use the initial training provided by Shiyu Uchiha. After countless life-and-death trials, the potential hidden within them had finally been completely awakened, with some even surpassing their own limits.
After several battles, their strength rose through the ranks swiftly; many had advanced to Chūnin or even Tokubetsu Jonin status. As a result, there were now enough qualified candidates meeting instructor requirements.
Seeing the dramatic improvement in these ninja, Shiyu Uchiha acted decisively, seizing the opportunity to promote them. Immediately afterward, he quickly issued new training assignments, appointing Hayama Shirakumo—the young head of a fallen Ninja Clan with Tokubetsu Jonin-level strength—as chief instructor for this round of training.
Tall and upright, he carried himself with quiet confidence, his strong build and sharply defined features hinting at both discipline and untapped potential. Though barely past his twentieth birthday, he exhibited exceptional composure and sharp tactical judgment far beyond his age.
He was not only bold and courageous, facing hardships head-on, but also meticulous and thorough in handling affairs. He also possessed formidable strength, having achieved exceptional mastery over ninjutsu, taijutsu, and genjutsu alike.
However, even this level of achievement was affected by the lack of resources and other difficulties in the past, which had once brought him to a developmental impasse, wasting much valuable time. Fortunately, his luck eventually turned around. When Shiyu Uchiha unexpectedly uncovered such an outstanding young talent within his ranks, he treated him like a rare gem, quickly bringing him into his fold and committing himself to careful mentorship.
This cultivation wasn't limited solely to ninjutsu training; wanting the young man to develop more comprehensively, Shiyu Uchiha arranged for him to study under Shinku Yuhi, an experienced senior.
At the same time, Shiyu Uchiha tirelessly imparted his personally realized Will of Fire philosophy to him. Indeed, the approach of guiding ninja world ideologies under the name of the Will of Fire proved extremely effective. Everyone who had tried it couldn't help but praise it highly, with almost no negative feedback ever recorded.
As their interaction deepened, Shiyu Uchiha keenly noticed that Hayama Shirakumo possessed extraordinary natural talent in Wind attribute chakra and swordsmanship. Thus, despite his busy schedule, he personally took time out to guide Hayama Shirakumo in sword techniques, pinpointing his unstable foundational skills and patiently correcting them.
Furthermore, Shiyu Uchiha generously shared the Uchiha clan's unique Combined Ninja-Taijutsu—Storm Sword—not only teaching its practical applications but also its theoretical principles, enabling Hayama Shirakumo to further customize and improve his sword techniques according to his personal traits more smoothly later on. In addition, Shiyu Uchiha passed down two powerful Wind Release ninjutsu techniques to him.
To Hayama Shirakumo, Shiyu Uchiha's support came as a godsend, opening doors to unprecedented opportunities and resources. After some time of preparation, Hayama Shirakumo's abilities rapidly progressed, shining like a rising star beginning to shine brightly.
Observing Hayama Shirakumo closely over this period, Shiyu Uchiha couldn't help feeling a sense of familiarity well up within him. He found himself reminded strongly of Shinku Yuhi from earlier years—an individual brimming with limitless potential and extraordinary talent. If development proceeded smoothly, there was a strong possibility he could surpass his limits, clear that seemingly insurmountable barrier, and become truly top-tier elite;
However, if fortune favored him less, he might end up like many before him, halted at certain bottlenecks, unable to progress further.
That distant challenge seemed remote now and could wait—but as things stood today, he already possessed the capability and qualification to be promoted to jonin status. Yet, to avoid drawing too much attention, Shiyu Uchiha deliberately refrained from officially granting Hayama the jonin title while continuing to bestow significant responsibilities upon him.
Worth mentioning specifically is that during the previous training session, their instructor at the time had been none other than Shinku Yuhi himself. Due to Hayama Shirakumo's impressive performance, Shinku Yuhi spoke highly of him, giving him an exceptionally favorable evaluation.
Because of this, at this crucial moment of selecting new instructors, Shinku Yuhi decisively and without hesitation recommended Hayama Shirakumo, and naturally, Shiyu Uchiha had no reason to object.
After properly arranging this group of ninja, Shiyu Uchiha temporarily put aside the current matters and shifted his attention back onto the Iwa-nin. Recently, the series of actions taken by the Iwa-nin had appeared quite mysterious and bizarre, and no one could quite figure out what they were up to.
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