Chapter 25: Heading to the Border of the Land of Grass
Three days later.
A ninja army of over 500 assembled in a forest just outside the village. When Uchiha Yosuke appeared, he drew many gazes, some familiar and some not. These glances held curiosity and disdain, likely because of recent rumors.
"Yosuke!"
Uzumaki Kushina waved at him with a smile from the crowd. Ignoring the looks directed his way, Yosuke waved back and greeted her warmly.
"Kushina, you're here too."
Yosuke's charming smile made him look radiant, and Kushina responded with her usual attitude, the two chatting happily in the eyes of others.
"Yosuke, you're something else! Going after Lady Tsunade, huh?"
Though Kushina knew it wasn't true, she couldn't resist playfully scolding him. Uchiha pride made such rumors hard to tolerate. Even Mikoto had told Kushina they were just putting on a show, yet it now seemed like Yosuke was using her to get closer to Tsunade.
Seeing Kushina's expression, Yosuke smirked.
"Kushina, you can't just say things like that."
As they talked, some other ninjas murmured to each other, convinced the Uchiha clan was shamelessly using seduction to gain favor with Lady Tsunade for personal benefit. Meanwhile, elite Uchiha ninjas looked uncomfortable, some relieved that they weren't the ones making such a sacrifice. Even Fugaku sighed, thinking, *Yosuke has sacrificed so much; the clan owes him a great deal.*
As the heir, Fugaku knew more secrets, realizing Yosuke's dedication to the mission and the clan. He was burning himself out to light the path forward, earning respect from the clan.
"Yosuke, it seems your clan's reputation isn't the best."
Kushina joked, flashing her fanged smile and glancing around at the others.
Yosuke simply shrugged with a carefree smile. "Can't help it; it's all for the clan and the village."
Without his efforts, it would take forever to grow stronger. Ninjas didn't just need talent but countless resources, and he knew his situation. If he relied only on himself, it could take ages to progress. But now, using clan resources, he had everything in such a short time. Many others wouldn't even get a chance. With foreknowledge, he would seize every opportunity and gather as many resources as he could.
As for revealing or changing things? That wasn't his concern; only a fool wouldn't use such an advantage to grow stronger.
When he thought of the Uchiha's future and the weakening village, a hint of anger surfaced.
The village was founded by the Senju and Uchiha clans. Without the Uchiha, there would be no village! Everything was for the clan and the village!
"Alright, everyone, get ready to move!"
At that moment, Jiraiya and Tsunade appeared, and in the forest, ninjas emerged from tree trunks and bushes, showing respect.
Since they were heading to the battlefield, everyone wore silver-gray armor, designed to protect the chest and arms in large-scale battles. Even Jiraiya and Tsunade wore this armor.
"Haha, looks like everyone's in good spirits!"
Jiraiya's boisterous laugh lightened the tense atmosphere, while Tsunade remained calm, glancing subtly at Kushina's side.
"Check your equipment and prepare to depart!"
"Yes!"
Tsunade, Jiraiya, and Orochimaru, though not yet known as the Sannin, were all renowned elite jonin within the village.
At Tsunade's command, everyone shouted in unison and double-checked their equipment. The armored ninja army was made up entirely of chunin and jonin, indicating the intensity of this mission.
Fifteen minutes later, upon Tsunade's order, countless dark figures leaped through the forest, heading toward the Land of Grass. Seen from afar, they looked like a swarm of tiny, darting shadows.
*Swoosh, swoosh, swoosh…*
Dark shadows moved through the forest.
"Yosuke."
A figure with blond hair appeared alongside him, matching his pace. Yosuke greeted him with a smile.
"Minato."
It was his classmate, Namikaze Minato. As the ninja army moved swiftly, familiar ninjas grouped together, creating a formation for better coordination in case of an attack.
"Yosuke, it's been a while! I didn't expect so many old classmates to be reunited here."
"Yeah, fighting together is rare."
The sound of familiar voices filled the air, and Yosuke exchanged smiles and nods with them.
Uzumaki Kushina, Namikaze Minato, Nara Shikaku, Yamanaka Inoichi, Akimichi Choza, Hyuga Hiashi, Hyuga Hizashi, and Aburame Shibi— they were all from the same generation.
They might be a year or two apart, but they all knew each other from the Academy.
"Kushina."
After nodding to Yosuke, Minato greeted Kushina, who simply gave a flat nod, still remembering him as the quiet boy who watched when she was bullied.
"Now that we're heading to the Land of Grass, we might face some pressure. But we'll be working together to support the battlefield in the Land of Rain, so let's all do our best as comrades."
Unbothered by Kushina's coldness, Minato continued sincerely, drawing everyone into conversation. It was clear that he had a charm that would one day make him Hokage. His friendly demeanor and the fact that his mentor was Jiraiya earned him respect.
"Of course."
Yosuke smiled at Minato, then addressed his classmates with equal charisma.
"Shikaku is the best at battlefield analysis. Since we'll likely be in the same team, I'm counting on him, and we'll have Hiashi and Hizashi's Byakugan with us. With Shikaku's mind, I'm sure we'll be well-prepared."
Although the Uchiha were proud, not all were arrogant. Yosuke had always gotten along well with these classmates at the Academy.
Hearing this, the Ino-Shika-Cho trio smiled, and though Shikaku muttered about the hassle, he showed a friendly smile.
"Hey, Yosuke! Don't think just because we've got the Byakugan here that you can overlook the Inuzuka clan!"
A wild-looking Inuzuka Tsume complained, and Yosuke laughed, responding, "Of course, I haven't forgotten the Inuzuka ninja dogs or the Aburame clan's insects. But I'll leave the strategic planning to the experts."
Yosuke knew not to seek attention where it wasn't needed. In a ninja army, poor commands could lead to death. He trusted that strategy should be handled by the skilled.
***
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