"Not many. One each to fill your stomach…"
Hiruzen Sarutobi smiled as he handed out the rice balls, then widened his eyes in mock surprise. "Hey, save one for me!"
The Patrol Unit burst into laughter.
Danzo Shimura stepped up beside Hiruzen without a word, studying the squad in front of him.
After a full day of inspection, he had already grasped the structure behind the Patrol Unit.
Three to five members who were not necessarily strong in combat but excelled in reconnaissance, led by a seasoned veteran as captain. They rotated through cross-pattern patrols along the village's outer defenses.
Their salaries were paid directly by the village, including special uniforms and the cost of ninja tool wear and tear.
Danzo had asked earlier whether the financial burden was too heavy.
The Hokage's answer had been unexpected.
"This actually makes the village money."
In the shinobi world, a stable job with dignity, guaranteed pay, and covered equipment costs was extremely attractive. Even if the income was only half or a third of what independent missions brought in.
That balance between stability and income mostly appealed to Chunin and injured veterans.
Jonin preferred high-risk missions with high rewards.
Under this structure, the village's financial support for the Patrol Unit was modest, yet their presence significantly reduced infiltration and sabotage. That, too, was a form of profit.
It just wasn't gold placed directly into one's hand, so it was easy to overlook.
"You've all been doing well, right?"
"You've seen the state of the shinobi world."
"Spies and scouts from every faction could slip in at any time. The responsibility on your shoulders is heavy."
Hiruzen encouraged them warmly. "If you notice anything unusual, report it immediately. And if you need further support from the village, don't keep it to yourselves. I'll make adjustments."
A Chunin from the Inuzuka Clan shook his head eagerly. "Hokage-sama, it's already great! We all really like this job…"
"Plenty of clan members are jealous. Some even regret not signing up. A Jonin said the same thing."
His direct combat ability was average. His clan's Fang Over Fang technique was only passable.
But in the Patrol Unit, his tracking strengths shone.
Hiruzen only smiled.
The proposal had never been about turning blades into shields. It was about strengthening village security efficiently.
Most Jonin had little interest at first. A few had volunteered, but Sakumo Hatake, following Hiruzen's intentions strictly, had declined them.
It was optimal allocation of resources.
"Young man, how is it?"
Hiruzen gave the Aburame Chunin's shoulder a light pat. "Quiet and steady. Good material for counterintelligence."
Behind his sunglasses and Patrol Unit uniform, the Aburame ninja's expression remained unreadable. But his pupils trembled wildly.
Hokage-sama noticed me? I exist?
The Aburame Clan had a strange presence. They were easy to overlook.
Truthfully, Hiruzen had not noticed him specifically. But as a seasoned Hokage, one could not neglect anyone during such visits.
As the conversation flowed, a thought struck Hiruzen.
Logically, he should speak more with the captain.
The captain was clearly an Uchiha. Older, and missing one arm.
The injury had the look of a battlefield wound.
But an Uchiha of that age…
His injury might not have been for Konoha. It could have dated back to the Warring States era.
And during that era, who was most likely to have taken his arm?
Hard to guess.
So Hiruzen kept the discussion to work matters and did not mention the missing limb.
Danzo, however, seemed to overlook that nuance.
"Hmph. An Uchiha like this must have the hardest rebellious streak…"
He forced a crooked smile and adopted what he thought was a friendly tone, though it came out stiff.
"You lost that arm for the village, right?"
"Konoha won't mistreat anyone who sacrifices for it. Keep up the good work."
The atmosphere shifted instantly.
The Uchiha captain's name was En Uchiha.
A true veteran. In fact, he was older than both Hiruzen and Danzo.
One of the few remaining elders from the Warring States era within the Uchiha Clan.
He had lost that arm in the final battle between the Uchiha and the Senju.
Someone had severed it with Water Style.
Few remembered. For a certain white-haired Hokage, it had been an incidental strike.
After that, this two-tomoe Uchiha withdrew from frontline combat.
For most shinobi, losing an arm was devastating. Even for a dojutsu user.
When the Konoha Military Police Force was established, his pride prevented him from joining.
At the time, elite Uchiha were assigned to field and frontline duties to showcase the clan's strength. The paperwork position offered to him wounded his pride.
So he crafted ninja tools, accepted a modest clan stipend, and lived quietly.
Ironically, that was why he had become one of the longest-living Uchiha elders, his body still in good condition.
He joined the Patrol Unit for two reasons.
First, Isshin Uchiha had asked him to infiltrate and observe what the village leadership was truly planning.
Second, after speaking with Fugaku Uchiha, Sakumo Hatake personally approached En and asked him to contribute his strength to the village.
That long-lost feeling of being needed had moved him.
Since joining, life had been comfortable.
The younger members of the Inuzuka Clan and Aburame Clan respected him deeply as an elder who had lived through the Warring States era. Many scouting decisions relied on his judgment.
They enjoyed hearing his stories.
The team atmosphere was harmonious. They all knew how he had lost his arm.
But now, looking at Danzo's bandaged, lifeless face, hearing that forced tone, and recalling years of surveillance directed at the Uchiha Clan…
Blood rushed to En's head.
"Thank you for your concern, Advisor-sama. I will give everything to stop any enemy threatening the village."
His voice hardened.
"But I cannot claim honor that is not mine."
"My arm was not taken by an enemy."
"It was cut off by the Second Hokage."
The air went from awkward to scorching.
Danzo's eyes narrowed dangerously.
The Inuzuka and Aburame shinobi swallowed.
The moment the words left his mouth, En regretted them.
But an Uchiha did not take back his words.
He lifted his chin and fell silent.
"Ah, Danzo…"
Hiruzen's mind raced. He broke the suffocating silence lightly.
"If I remember correctly, didn't your grandfather slash my father once?"
Danzo blinked.
Wait.
Hiruzen… you're still holding onto that?