Konoha.
The desolate streets stretched out before them.
Gin and Sakumo walked into the village.
There were few people on the roads.
Apart from the respectful greeting at the gate:
"Greetings, Sakumo-sama," there was none of the warm reception they had received last time. In fact, Konoha's streets were much quieter than usual.
"Your popularity didn't last long," Gin remarked as they walked.
Last time, if he hadn't moved quickly, he might have been trampled by the overly enthusiastic crowd.
The passionate villagers had left him deeply anxious.
But now, compared to before, the difference was stark.
"After all, this isn't a time for celebration," Sakumo shook his head, unconcerned.
The previous enthusiasm had been necessary to boost morale.
News of their victories had been delivered to the villagers early.
With most of the village's shinobi away, the civilians had been uneasy, affecting Konoha's stability.
So, a celebration of their accomplishments had been necessary to maintain peace of mind.
Even if the higher-ups hadn't liked it.
Sakumo gazed at the Hokage's office building in the distance.
"I remember Hiruzen once said, 'You're not recognized because you become Hokage; you become Hokage because you're recognized by everyone.'"
"Sakumo-sama, do you want to become Hokage?" Gin's voice was calm but carried a hint of persuasion.
Sakumo's gaze shifted to the desolate village.
In the distance, there was a small building being repaired, but most of the village consisted of dilapidated old wooden houses bearing the marks of time.
He'd heard that before the war, the Hokage had wanted to renovate Konoha's buildings.
But once the war began, that plan was abandoned.
Sakumo remembered when the streets of Konoha were bustling, full of life.
Now, only a few people hurried along the streets, wrapped in their cloaks, their faces devoid of the smiles they once had.
This was all because of the war.
But even during the First Great War, the village had never looked this bleak.
He knew this was partially because of the current Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi.
But did Sakumo truly believe he could do better than Sarutobi?
Did he really have the qualifications to be Hokage?
Who in the village didn't want to become Hokage? He was no exception.
But...
Sakumo smiled and shook his head, his face unusually gentle.
"I only want to protect the village. As for being Hokage... I'll pass."
At that moment, a rare look of melancholy crossed his face.
He didn't offer any reasons.
Gin glanced at the withered leaves blown by the wind in the distance.
He raised his hand.
A snowflake fell onto his palm.
"It's snowing."
The reason no longer mattered.
Winter had come, and it was bitterly cold.
...
In the Hokage's office.
"Hokage-sama."
Sakumo knelt on one knee as Hiruzen sat in his chair, exhaling a puff of smoke from his pipe.
The hierarchy was clear, with respect for authority well-maintained.
But there was always someone who didn't follow such formalities.
"Old man, hurry it up!"
Gin slammed his hand onto the desk.
Cough, cough.
Hiruzen choked on the smoke, coughing repeatedly, as he looked helplessly at Gin.
After years as Hokage, only Tsunade had dared be so rude to him.
Now, there was another—Uchiha Gin.
How did he dare?
Though Hiruzen wouldn't punish Gin for such behavior.
Hiruzen calmed himself.
Gin didn't care at all about the Hokage's authority.
He had never bothered with maintaining appearances. He found it pointless and exhausting.
No matter how well he acted, he was still an Uchiha, and people wouldn't stop targeting him.
And if he acted poorly, well, they couldn't treat the Uchiha any worse than they already did.
So why bother trying?
If it hadn't been for the fact that he and Sakumo had completed this mission together and that he needed to report it, Gin would have already gone home.
"You both did well on this mission. I'll consider it an S-rank mission. Gin, you can now prepare for the jōnin exam."
Hiruzen couldn't help but marvel at how many geniuses the Uchiha clan produced.
"A jōnin exam, huh."
Gin scratched his head.
Even during wartime, becoming a jōnin required passing an exam, though the requirements were somewhat relaxed.
To become a jōnin during this period, two conditions had to be met: first, one had to have earned merit in battle; second, one had to pass the jōnin written exam.
The exam itself was incredibly complex.
"Alright, I got it," Gin waved his hand dismissively.
He didn't think he'd pass the jōnin exam. He knew what it entailed.
One-third of the exam was on ninja techniques, one-third on leadership, intelligence gathering, interrogation, and the Will of Fire, and the last part covered intelligence about other villages.
Gin was confident he could ace the ninjutsu portion, but he hadn't studied much of the other material, having focused solely on his own strength.
"Your mission details will be added to your ninja profile. If there's nothing else, you may leave."
Hiruzen just wanted to get rid of Gin; his attitude toward the Hokage was quite aggravating.
Rubbing his temples, Hiruzen's forced smile was starting to fade.
"Then I'll be heading out."
Gin couldn't care less what Hiruzen thought.
He walked out of the Hokage's office with a swagger.
As he watched Gin leave, Hiruzen's smile disappeared entirely, his face growing cold. He turned to the silent Sakumo.
"What do you think of Gin?"
Sakumo remained silent.
He couldn't express his opinion on Gin just yet.
Some things, if spoken aloud, could lead to the worst outcomes.
Hiruzen shook his head, knowing Sakumo's quiet nature all too well.
"The two of you did well with the mission in Kumogakure."
Hiruzen hadn't expected the still-recovering Kumogakure to actually join the war.
Fortunately, Sakumo had managed to repel the first wave of their forces.
And it had included a jinchūriki.
That could have caused a lot of trouble for Konoha.
"Iwagakure's recent assault broke through our front lines, sending many of their shinobi into the Land of Fire, causing significant damage. Although Sunagakure's attacks haven't been as intense, it's kept Tsunade too busy to move, and Kirigakure... Well, that's a mess in itself."
Looking at the reports, Hiruzen's head throbbed.
Konoha was dominating on the battlefield, so he wasn't too worried about the front lines collapsing.
But the Iwa-nin wreaking havoc within the Land of Fire was a serious problem.
And now Kumogakure was preparing to enter the war.
The biggest issue Konoha faced right now...
Was a lack of manpower.
They had already sent out everyone they could.
The top-tier combatants, like himself, Danzo, and Sakumo, were still available.
But without teams of shinobi, they risked being overwhelmed and killed.
"Sakumo, can you hold off the Kumo forces?"
Sakumo looked up at Hiruzen, whose face was partially obscured by smoke.
The Hokage was asking him to lead the small number of shinobi stationed at the border to block a potential large-scale Kumo force.
There would be fewer than fifty men under his command.
And none of them were jōnin.
Yet Sakumo nodded.
"I can."
Even if it meant fighting to the death.
Besides, he still had the precious asset of Uchiha Gin.
Perhaps it could be done.
Hiruzen exhaled a ring of smoke.
His expression gave nothing away, his thoughts unreadable.
"I'm counting on you, Sakumo."
(End of Chapter)
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