"Not many—one per person, just to fill your stomachs…"
Hiruzen smiled as he handed out the rice balls, then deliberately put on a look of surprise and said, "Leave one for me!"
The patrol unit burst into laughter.
Danzō walked silently to Hiruzen's side, scrutinizing the small squad in front of him.
After a full day of inspections, Danzō had already come to understand the organizational concept behind the patrol units.
They were composed of three to five members who were not skilled in direct combat but excelled at reconnaissance, with an experienced veteran assigned as the squad leader. These teams conducted staggered patrols of the village's outer defensive perimeter.
Their salaries were paid directly by the village, including the costs of specially made uniforms and the wear and tear of ninja tools.
Danzō had also just asked Hiruzen whether the financial burden this brought could truly be borne by the village.
The Hokage's answer was that this was, in fact, a way for the village to make money.
In the shinobi world's broader environment, a job that carried a sense of honor and disgrace, was stable, and covered operational losses was exceptionally attractive—even if the pay amounted to only one-half to one-third of what independent contract work could earn.
However, this balance between stability and income was generally something only chūnin or injured veteran soldiers were willing to accept.
Jōnin at that level were more inclined to pursue lucrative but dangerous missions.
Under this logic, the village's investment in the patrol units was not particularly high, yet their existence could greatly prevent enemy infiltration and sabotage—something that was, in itself, also part of revenue generation.
It was only invisible—not actual gold or platinum placed directly into one's hands—so it was easy to overlook subconsciously.
"Are you all doing alright?"
"The current situation in the shinobi world—you've all seen it…"
"Spies and scouts from every faction could infiltrate at any time. The responsibility on your shoulders is heavy!"
Hiruzen encouraged everyone: "If anything unusual happens, report it promptly. And if you need further support from the village, don't bottle it up—I'll make adjustments."
A chūnin from the Inuzuka clan shook his head repeatedly. "Hokage-sama, it's already great as it is! We all really like this job…"
"Quite a few clan members envy me and regret not signing up! Even a jōnin said so…"
This Inuzuka chūnin was not particularly strong in frontal combat, and his clan's secret technique, Fang Passing Fang, could only be considered rudimentary for him.
But the patrol unit's work highlighted the strengths of what he was good at—reconnaissance.
Hiruzen only smiled and said nothing.
This proposal was meant to maximize efficiency in strengthening the village's security—not to use a blade as a shield.
So even though most jōnin were not very interested in this job at first, there were still a small number who were, but Sakumo strictly followed Hiruzen's will and rejected them.
This was the optimal solution for resource allocation.
"Kid, does it taste good?"
Hiruzen patted this Aburame chūnin's shoulder with a bit of force. "Not bad—very quiet! You're good material for counterintelligence…"
The Aburame chūnin, wearing sunglasses and dressed in the patrol unit's uniform, appeared expressionless on the surface, yet his pupils were trembling as he shouted inwardly: 'So the Hokage-sama actually noticed me? I have a presence!'
The Aburame clan possessed a peculiar aura unique to them—one that made them very easy for others to overlook.
In truth, Hiruzen had not noticed him either, but as a mature Hokage, during this kind of visit he naturally could not afford to neglect anyone.
As the conversation went on, Hiruzen felt a sudden stir in his mind.
By normal reasoning, he should have exchanged a few more words with the leading captain.
That captain was clearly a member of the Uchiha clan, appeared rather old, and had only one arm.
At a glance, it was obvious he had been injured on the battlefield…
But the problem was that for an Uchiha of this age, his injury might not necessarily have been sustained for Konoha; it was also possible it dated back to the Warring States Period…
And in the Warring States Period, who was most likely to have left him crippled?
That was hard to guess.
So Hiruzen only spoke with him about work-related matters and did not bring up his missing arm.
However, Danzō at the side seemed to overlook this point.
'Hmph, this kind of Uchiha is obviously the type with the hardest rebellious streak…'
'Forget it. Hiruzen said we should placate and dismantle the Uchiha—I should learn to do the same!'
Danzō forced an ugly smile and, in a tone he thought was friendly but was in fact stiff, said, "This disability of yours was left behind for the village, right?"
"Konoha will not mistreat anyone who has contributed to the village. Do your job well!"
As soon as these words were spoken, the atmosphere suddenly fell into an awkward vortex.
This Uchiha's name was En.
He was a genuine old veteran. In terms of age, he was actually a bit older than Hiruzen and Danzō…
One of the few remaining survivors of the Warring States Period within the Uchiha clan.
And this arm of his had been severed during the final battle between the Uchiha and the Senju, cut off by someone using Water Release…
Very few people remembered it, because to a certain white-haired Hokage, it had been nothing more than a casual act.
But from that point on, this double-tomoe Uchiha withdrew from the front-line combat ranks.
For the vast majority of shinobi, losing an arm was fatal—even for dōjutsu users.
And after the establishment of the Konoha Military Police Force, he, with pride in his heart, was unwilling to join.
Because in the early days of the Konoha Military Police Force, the Uchiha assigned to fieldwork and front-line duties were all elites, meant to display the clan's strongest side within the village.
The clerical work arranged for him instead pricked at Uchiha En's competitive spirit, so he simply turned to crafting ninja tools, accepted the clan's meager stipend, and lived a quiet, disciplined life.
As a result, he instead became one of the longest-lived Uchiha, maintaining very good physical condition.
This time, his joining the patrol unit—
On one hand, it was because Uchiha Isshin had strongly requested that he infiltrate it to investigate what exactly the upper levels of Konoha were doing…
On the other hand, after Sakumo finished talking with Fugaku, he personally sought out Uchiha En, hoping that he could contribute a bit of strength to the village.
That long-lost feeling of being needed stirred Uchiha En deeply.
And after joining the patrol unit, his days became quite comfortable.
The younger members of the Inuzuka and Aburame clans held great respect for this elder who had lived through the Warring States Period. Many details and decisions during reconnaissance relied on his planning and adjustments.
They also enjoyed listening to him tell stories.
As a result, the atmosphere within the squad was very harmonious, and the reason behind his missing arm had also become known to the others…
However, looking at Danzō's bandage-wrapped, corpse-like face, listening to that deliberately affected tone, and recalling the various forms of surveillance he had imposed on the Uchiha over the years—
Uchiha En only felt blood rush to his head, and the words burst out of his mouth: "Thank you for your concern, Aide-sama. I will devote all my strength to blocking the enemy for the village."
"But honor that does not belong to me—I cannot claim it."
"This arm of mine was not cut off by the enemy. It was done by the Second Hokage."
The moment these words were spoken, what had merely been awkward could now be described as scorching.
Danzō narrowed his eyes dangerously.
The ninjas of the Inuzuka and Aburame clans instinctively swallowed.
And after Uchiha En finished speaking, regret immediately rose in his heart.
But as an Uchiha, words once spoken could never be taken back. He stiffened his neck and fell silent.
"Ah, Danzō…"
Hiruzen felt a sudden impulse and broke the suffocating atmosphere. "If I remember correctly, didn't your grandfather once cut down my father?"
Danzō froze.
Hey—Hiruzen, you really hold grudges like this?
You still remember that?!
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