Land of Hot Springs.
Land of Fire Military Garrison.
"When will these days ever end!"
Uchiha Inabi kicked off his shoes and slumped into a chair, sprawling out and sighing, his previous vitality completely gone.
Lately, all the patrol missions had fallen on the shoulders of the Chunin and Jonin. Every day was a frantic rush, and they were as exhausted as dogs.
Today, those bastards from Kumogakure had even been sarcastic, saying things like: "Konoha really knows how to care for its subordinates; even the leaders handle the patrol missions themselves."
Filthy scumbags. This was all thanks to them in the first place.
"Hey! Have some self-awareness and put your shoes on," Uchiha Hachidai shouted angrily, covering his nose.
Seeing the captain's temper flare, Uchiha Inabi hurriedly stood up and covered the source of the evil.
Uchiha Hachidai formed a single-handed seal and released a small Wind Release technique, pushing all the air in the room outside.
After a moment, he lowered his hand. Only then did the air in the room become much fresher. Once he confirmed the stench had dissipated, he spoke again:
"That's enough. The Village has sent new reinforcements; they should arrive today."
"Who did they send?"
Uchiha Inabi's eyes lit up, and he suddenly sat bolt upright.
"Shirakumo Hayama, and someone from the Hyuga Clan."
"Shirakumo Hayama?" Uchiha Inabi became even more excited upon hearing this.
This was a renowned figure who had fought his way out of the Battlefield. It seemed they were preparing for a major operation.
Finally, he could properly kill those Kumogakure bastards.
I'm going to castrate every single one of those hermaphrodites into eunuchs.
"Stop dreaming!" Uchiha Hachidai interrupted his fantasy. "Based on the Village's intentions, they still require us to exercise as much restraint as possible and not recklessly start a war."
"Not fighting?" Uchiha Inabi looked confused. "If we aren't fighting, what's the point of sending Shirakumo Hayama? He can't even hit the opposite shore from here."
"Shirakumo Hayama is just the escort. The one meant to solve the problem is a person named Aokawa."
"Aokawa?" Uchiha Inabi's confusion deepened.
Does the Hyuga Clan have some other special ability?
No matter how far an Eighty Trigrams Empty Palm is thrown, it can't reach the opposite shore!
Furthermore, he knew all the capable Ninjas in the Village, and he had never heard of such a person.
"Is he a newly promoted Jonin?"
"He's not a Jonin; he's a Ninja Academy Student!"
"A Ninja Academy Student?"
Uchiha Inabi sprang up instantly.
"Is the Village joking? After I've worked so hard for so long, the reinforcement I get is a Ninja Academy Student who's supposedly going to solve our problems?"
"The letter didn't say much about the specifics. I find it strange as well."
Uchiha Hachidai's eyes also held deep doubt.
They had already sent Iroha before. By all rights, they shouldn't have sent another member of the Hyuga Clan.
"Is there even a need to ask?"
Uchiha Inabi was beyond furious. "It's obvious they're just brushing us off."
"To put it bluntly, they just don't like us Uchiha." He laughed out of sheer anger. "Heh! It's the same old tactics."
"From the time of the Second Hokage's selection, we were repeatedly passed over."
"During the war, the Uchiha were on the Front Lines, yet when it came to rewards and honors, we were always treated as inferior."
"If they really push us to a dead end, we'll rebe—"
"Shut up!"
Before he could finish, Uchiha Hachidai shouted to stop him. "The Family's situation is already difficult enough, yet you still speak so recklessly."
"Do you want to get the Uchiha killed?"
Uchiha Inabi lowered his head after the reprimand. Seeing this, Uchiha Hachidai's tone softened.
"In the future, do not say things that are detrimental to unity!"
"Do you hear me?"
"Yes!"
Seeing that the resentment on Uchiha Inabi's face had not yet faded and he was merely suppressing his anger,
Uchiha Hachidai sighed. "In any case, let's first see if the personnel sent by the Village can solve the problem."
"If not, we just have to endure this period. Once the new rotation arrives, we can return to the Police Force."
Just then, someone suddenly rushed in from outside. "Captain, Jonin Sohma and the others have arrived."
"I understand. Invite them to the meeting hall, and notify everyone else to gather there as well."
"Yes."
Uchiha Hachidai turned to see Uchiha Inabi still standing motionless.
"What are you still standing there for? Let's go!"
"Keep your mouth shut later!" Uchiha Hachidai did not forget to remind him.
As soon as they entered the meeting hall,
Uchiha Hachidai saw a tall man with a ponytail and a scar on the corner of his mouth standing there.
Beside him was a very handsome young boy.
"Jonin Sohma!"
Uchiha Hachidai hurried forward, greeting him warmly and shaking hands.
No matter how steady his personality was, he was still an Uchiha.
When meeting a powerful Jonin like Shirakumo Hayama, it was hard not to feel a sense of admiration.
Not to mention the man had traveled a long distance to provide support.
"Captain Hachidai!"
Shirakumo Hayama also smiled and shook Uchiha Hachidai's hand.
Then he stepped aside. "This is Aokawa, who came with me."
Uchiha Hachidai's gaze shifted.
So this was the Ninja Academy Student mentioned in the letter.
He didn't look much different from an average Hyuga.
However, his smile didn't fade as he stepped forward to shake hands. "Greetings, young friend Aokawa!"
"Greetings, Captain Hachidai!" Aokawa responded neither humbly nor arrogantly.
The three of them chatted for a while, and Uchiha Hachidai explained the specific situation on the ground to them.
"Aokawa?" a voice sounded from outside the door.
The three looked over and saw people trickling in for the meeting.
A young boy, also possessing the Byakugan, looked at Aokawa in confusion. "Why are you here?"
"I'm here to carry out a mission," Aokawa replied.
"Carry out a mission?" Hinata Iruha's head was full of question marks.
You're here for a mission?
Then what am I here for?
I, whose Byakugan purity is among the best in the clan, can only do reconnaissance work here.
You, who are at the bottom of the class every year at the clan meeting, are here for a mission?
Don't be ridiculous.
Just as he was about to speak, Shirakumo Hayama spoke first.
"Captain Hachidai, since everyone is here, please arrange for personnel to assist us in completing the kill of Onigumo."
"What kind of assistance do you need?" Uchiha Hachidai asked.
"Aokawa has never seen Onigumo and is not familiar with his Chakra."
"So someone needs to tell him which Chakra signature in the forest on the opposite shore belongs to Onigumo."
"That's not a problem!" Uchiha Hachidai responded. "Both Iroha and Shimi have seen Onigumo's Chakra."
Shirakumo Hayama nodded. "Additionally, because the enemy is within Kumogakure's territory after the kill, we won't be able to investigate."
"Therefore, we need Iroha and Shimi to..."
He looked at Hinata Iruha, then scanned the crowd several times before finding Yamanaka Shimi among them:
"We need both of you to maintain your reconnaissance throughout the process to serve as witnesses!"
"That's also not a problem," Uchiha Hachidai said.
"Wait!"
The silent Hinata Iruha finally reacted and couldn't help but interrupt.
"Does Jonin Sohma mean that the kill of Onigumo will be carried out by my clansman, Aokawa?"
"Yes, that is how Lord Shikaku arranged it!" Shirakumo Hayama nodded.
Hinata Iruha frowned and, after careful consideration, spoke up: "I am not questioning the Village's arrangements."
"It's just that, as far as I know, the distance across the canyon far exceeds the range of the Eighty Trigrams Empty Palm."
"Even if Lord Hiashi were here, he wouldn't be able to land an attack from this far."
"I wonder..." At this point, his tone was somewhat hesitant as he shifted his gaze to Aokawa:
"How does the Village intend for Aokawa..."
"To complete the mission of killing Onigumo?"
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