Chapter 5 A Different Kind of Uchiha Mikoto
The Uchiha clan leader, deeply aware of how quickly the situation had changed, felt utterly overwhelmed.
He looked at Uchiha Fugaku, whose expression was calm and composed, exuding the air of a great general—a composure that he had always found comforting in the face of anything.
But when he noticed Uchiha Anlan and Uchiha Mikoto exchanging glances, and his own silly deer was still calm, he suddenly felt a strange and inexplicable anxiety.
'What's going on in this kid's head? They've already started their attack right in front of you, what are you standing there for? At least nod and congratulate them!'
The Uchiha clan leader, who was still somewhat sensible, looked at Uchiha Fugaku, who was even more composed than him, and sighed inwardly.
'Fine, if Fugaku isn't capable enough, the position of clan leader will be a curse rather than a blessing.'
Let's wait and see while these three old bones of ours can still hold on for a few more years.
Regardless of their stance, Uchiha Setsuna, Uchiha Hikaru, and even himself, always placed the honor of their clan first.
Moreover, he essentially got the position of clan leader for free, so he had no qualms about stepping down and handing it over to a more capable person.
The Uchiha clan leader coughed lightly, diverting the attention of the Uchiha present.
"The purpose of this clan meeting is to announce two things."
The old clan chief got straight to the point.
"First, the Hokage Building requires our clan to send at least ten Jonin squads to the eastern coastal border immediately to guard against the Kirigakure ninjas who are eager to make a move and may have already crossed the sea."
A top-tier Jonin squad consists of one Jonin and three Chunin. To be able to field ten Jonin squads at once is something that, apart from the Uchiha, no other ninja clan in Konoha could match.
As for Hinata?
Suppressing numerous branch families and protecting the small number of main families creates a distorted development that not only makes it difficult to produce Kage-level powerhouses, but also results in a pitifully small number of Jonin.
The Hyuga clan shouts their slogans loudly, but their real role is that of scouts.
"Secondly, based on the merits of the battle, the Hokage promised to open up more Jonin positions and Anbu slots to our clan as much as possible."
As the old clan chief finished speaking, the reactions inside the hall varied. Some people showed joy, while others could not hide their dissatisfaction.
As everyone knows, having the strength of a Jonin does not automatically grant one the status of a Jonin.
In Konoha, aside from other benefits, every Jonin has the right to vote and be elected.
The entire Uchiha clan has no more than fifteen Jonin who belong to Konoha.
Most of them became Konoha Jonin as captains of the security forces, while the rest were clan ninjas not affiliated with Konoha.
The Uchiha clan, though officially classified as Jonin, couldn't make a significant impact among the more than two hundred Jonin of Konoha.
However, if the number of people increases, the situation may be different. But then again, having more people doesn't necessarily make a difference.
Most importantly, there are the Hokage's personal guards, officially known as the "Assassination Tactics Special Forces" ANBU quotas. This is what truly delights most people, both the clan leader's faction and the doves, who feel that the Konoha leadership is extending goodwill to the Uchiha clan.
He could protect Konoha while also gaining the Hokage's trust.
This was a win-win situation, which prompted Fugaku Uchiha to immediately say.
"I am willing to lead a small squad to the front lines and drive out the Hidden Mist!"
Uchiha Yakumi and Uchiha Shisui both spoke up, each leading a team.
After they finished speaking, the atmosphere in the temple immediately fell silent.
Logically speaking, the dove-like Uchiha should have followed suit, but this strange atmosphere made Uchiha Fugaku frown slightly.
His gaze first fell on Uchiha Mikoto's serene face, to which she merely returned a polite but distant smile.
This polite response made Fugaku Uchiha feel uneasy.
His gaze quickly swept over the silent, dove-like Uchiha behind Mikoto Uchiha, his brows furrowing deeper and deeper until they finally formed a "川" (river) shape.
'What do they mean by this? Do they want me to fill all ten squads by myself?'
'If we could gain immense merit through this and exchange it for our clan's status in Konoha, it wouldn't be impossible.'
"Both sides require Uchiha to risk their lives, and anyone will do."
This thought surfaced in his mind, causing Fugaku Uchiha to look involuntarily at the head of the table.
This glance initially puzzled the Uchiha clan leader, but then he saw his son make a move, and immediately a Jonin from the faction stepped forward to fill the vacancy.
The old clan chief, realizing what had happened, felt a surge of anger rising in his chest, wishing he could slap this good-for-nothing across the face right then and there!
In that moment of hesitation, another clan leader, an Uchiha, raised his hand.
'The Uchiha clan is going to the battlefield to fight against Kirigakure, another of the Five Great Ninja Villages.'
'This kind of mission, where even a Kage-level assassin could die if you're not careful, isn't a lucrative mission with lots of money and little work!'
The frustrated old patriarch immediately raised his hand to attract attention. He looked at the hawks and doves, and seeing that the two remained unmoved, as if waiting for something, he immediately spoke up.
"An Lan, Mikoto, what are your thoughts?"
Since the two newly appointed faction leaders remained silent, their respective subordinates naturally kept quiet as well.
They looked at the tribal chief's faction, who had volunteered to take over half of the ten squads in the blink of an eye, with strange expressions in their eyes.
War is no child's play; it kills people!
'We're all Uchiha, all members of Konoha, so why is only Fugaku volunteering? Has Mikoto changed? What is Anran thinking?'
Feeling the gazes of both hawks and doves, Uchiha Shisui felt extremely uncomfortable.
It's like a complete family that has been forcibly divided into three parts, with the love and trust between relatives shattered into pieces.
He glanced at the still gentle Uchiha Mikoto, then at the calmly smiling Uchiha Anlan, recalling what she had said at the clan meeting, and quietly waited for her to continue.
"Clan leader, the Uchiha are part of Konoha. It is only right for them to fight for the village and protect the Land of Fire. But Mikoto has a small question."
Fugaku Uchiha and the others were delighted to hear this, but the old clan leader's heart skipped a beat.
Bathed in the light streaming through the courtyard, Uchiha Mikoto stood tall and composed, her clear voice resounding throughout the hall.
"It is the duty of the Uchiha to fight for Konoha, but why does Konoha always act superior and treat our deserved merits and rewards as if they were charity?"
She paused slightly, her gaze sweeping across the entire room before finally settling on the clan leader. Her tone was gentle and clear, yet every word was sharp as a blade.
"As a ninja, you accept missions, complete missions, and finally receive mission rewards."
"Chieftain, is there anything wrong with this?"
"Or is it that, as the clan leader, there is a huge problem with your communication with the Konoha leadership?"
These words were like a bucket of ice water thrown in the face of Fugaku Uchiha and the others in winter, and the old clan leader looked even more astonished.
End of this chapter..