"Yes, Lord Shine." Xiu bowed respectfully, his gaze falling on Kimimaro. There was no fawning flattery in his eyes, only a scrutiny of potential and a trainer's sternness. "I will certainly teach this little guy well."
In his view, Kimimaro was merely a talented child Lord Shine had taken an interest in, worthy of resource investment but requiring no special treatment. Following the base's rules and completing training tasks were what this little guy should do.
Shine nodded and said no more. He turned and walked toward his stone house—he still had many things to handle: the subsequent pursuit from Hidden Mist, the political maneuvering in Konoha, the plan to acquire the Byakugan... none of it could be delayed.
Kimimaro stood in place, watching Shine's receding back. He slowly lowered his head. Sunlight filtered through the cracks at the top of the cave, spilling onto his silver-white hair and creating a faint halo.
He heard the term "little guy" from Xiu's mouth and felt no resentment. Instead, he felt incredibly grounded—it wasn't a condescending slight, nor was it a calculated attempt to curry favor. It was simply a direct positioning that made him feel a long-lost sense of equality.
The corner of his mouth unconsciously curled into a faint, yet incredibly warm smile, like a frozen lake finally greeting the first ray of warm sun. Perhaps, by following this person, he truly could find his own freedom and strength.
Perhaps this seemingly crude Secret Base could truly become his new home.
Kimimaro clenched his small fists, his dark red eyes shimmering with determination—he would be obedient, he would work hard to become stronger, and he would not disappoint Lord Shine or fail to live up to this simple recognition.
"Little guy, follow me." Xiu put away the intelligence scroll and spoke in a steady tone, without unnecessary pleasantries. "I'll first familiarize you with the Secret Base's rules and environment. Basic training starts this afternoon, so don't be lazy."
Kimimaro looked up, nodded seriously at Xiu, and followed closely behind him.
The sounds of training in the cave remained loud, and the glow of the Fluorite remained warm. In his heart, a seed named "Hope" was quietly taking root and sprouting... In the office of the Hokage Building, candlelight flickered, reflecting Hiruzen Sarutobi's wrinkled face.
On the desk before him lay a thick stack of distress letters. The top one still had the wetness of ink, and the signature "Uchiha Fugaku" on the envelope was unsettling to look at.
Hiruzen Sarutobi held the letter between his fingertips, his knuckles turning white from the force. His brow was furrowed deeply, and his eyes were filled with lingering anxiety and suspicion.
"Something's wrong... something's very wrong," he whispered, his voice hoarse.
He was well aware of Uchiha Xia Yin's speed. When executing border missions years ago, that boy could cross the border between the Land of Fire and the Land of Wind in two days. Logically, it should take three days at most to reach the Kirigakure Battlefield from Konoha.
But now, seven days had passed, and there was not even a shadow of Uchiha Xia Yin in the messages sent back from the front line—either the boy had met with an accident on the way, or... he never intended to go to the front line at all.
As soon as this thought emerged, Hiruzen Sarutobi forcibly suppressed it.
Now was not the time to fret over Shine's whereabouts. In Fugaku's letter, the tone had shifted from initial earnest pleas for help to something bordering on an ultimatum.
"Half the Clan Members are dead or injured, morale is crumbling. If there are no reinforcements within three days, I can only lead the remaining Clan Members in a retreat to ensure the survival of the Uchiha lineage"—just a few lines, yet they carried a desperate resolve.
Hiruzen Sarutobi slammed the letter onto the desk, the candlelight trembling from the impact.
He knew Fugaku's character all too well. He seemed mild and compromising, but in reality, he was more protective of his own than anyone.
If he really let him retreat with the Uchiha Clan Members, the Hidden Mist defensive line would surely collapse instantly. The Land of Fire's mainland would be plundered, and accountability from the Daimyo's side would come like a deluge. At that point, let alone him as the Hokage, all of Konoha would suffer a catastrophe.
"Damn Uchiha..." he cursed through gritted teeth, yet he was helpless.
The situation allowed for no more hesitation. Under pressure, he grabbed a pen and paper, the nib scratching harshly against the page: "Issue the order: mobilize a total of 1,300 elite Ninjas from the Nara Clan, Akimichi, Yamanaka, Aburame, and other major Ninja clans to form an allied force. Led by Nara Shikaku, they are to set out immediately to reinforce the Kirigakure Battlefield!"
After writing the order, he didn't send it out immediately. Instead, he stared at the word "Uchiha," his eyes dark and cold.
In the end, he crossed out that line, not issuing any orders for the Uchiha Clan to support the front line.
Even if Fugaku was on the verge of collapse, and even if the casualties on the front line were heavy, he couldn't let the Uchiha show their faces at this time.
The first thought swirled in his mind, cold and clear: This war had gone on for so long with such heavy casualties; the Daimyo of the Land of Fire and the Ninja World both needed a "sinner" to take responsibility.
He had already planned that after the war ended, he would voluntarily step back, using the excuse of "resigning to take the blame" to temporarily avoid the spotlight, then wait for the right moment to make a comeback.
But if he let the Uchiha Clan rush to the front lines now, achieve great military feats, and gain fame throughout the camp, then the subsequent public opinion would only point to him as the Hokage who "failed in deployment." Meanwhile, the Uchiha would use their military achievements to grow even stronger, potentially even threatening his future plans—this was absolutely unacceptable.
What he feared even more was the intelligence sent back by Nara Shikagen.
The intelligence stated clearly: although the Uchiha Clan had lost nearly a hundred people on the front line, their overall combat power had not weakened but instead surged against the trend.
Among the remaining two hundred plus Clan Members, over forty had awakened the Three-Tomoe Sharingan, a hundred had broken through to the Two-Tomoe, and the rest were at least at the One-Tomoe Sharingan—this Awakening ratio had increased by a full thirty percent compared to before the war!
Hiruzen Sarutobi's fingers drummed unconsciously on the desk as a storm of shock surged in his heart.
And this was less than half of the Uchiha Clan's strength!
If he ordered the three hundred plus Radical Faction Ninjas from the Clan Compound to the front lines as well, to be tempered by the fires of war, the Uchiha who returned would likely have over a hundred Three-Tomoe powerhouses. Such a force would be beyond anyone's control in all of Konoha.
By then, the Uchiha Clan would use their military achievements to demand more power, and his position as Hokage, as well as the entire power structure of Konoha, would be completely overturned.
"I absolutely cannot let this happen." His eyes turned fierce, a decision already made in his heart...
Advance chapter available on pãtrêon Got1808