Inside the tent.
Shirou met the legendary figure of the ninja world, the famed White Fang of Konoha, whose real name was Sakumo Hatake.
With his silver-white long hair, a red triangular white armband on his left shoulder, and a chakra short sword on his back, he had an unremarkable appearance, giving off the vibe of a friendly neighborhood uncle.
Yet, who would have thought that this man was currently Konoha's top elite jonin, a powerhouse whose strength made all the great ninja villages of the ninja world wary?
"Lord White Fang."
Inside the tent, after the White Fang laid out the battle plan for this operation, Shirou finally understood why Tsunade had summoned both him and Uchiha Fugaku, and why Fugaku had said this was an opportunity for the Uchiha clan.
"This operation is extremely dangerous, but if it succeeds, it could bring an end to the war in the Land of Rain and even conclude the Second Ninja War. Thus, we will need the elite support from the Uchiha clan for this mission."
As the commander of the Sand ninja battlefield on the frontlines, Sakumo Hatake naturally had the authority to mobilize forces under his command. However, this time, White Fang sought the assistance of the major clans.
It was reminiscent of the First Ninja War when Konoha faced the combined attack from the four great ninja villages. Under the leadership of the Senju clan, Konoha's various noble clans were mobilized, rallying countless elites to secure victory.
But that was the Senju clan!
"The Uchiha clan's elites, you say? Lord White Fang, forgive my bluntness, but for this operation, you're asking for fifteen Uchiha jonin who have activated the three-tomoe Sharingan!"
Upon hearing White Fang's request for such a large number of elite Uchiha, even Uchiha Fugaku couldn't help but display a troubled expression.
While the Uchiha clan was strong, the number of jonin in the clan who had activated the three-tomoe Sharingan didn't exceed three digits. Yet, White Fang was requesting fifteen of their elites at once.
It was important to note that in this war, the Uchiha clan had already deployed the majority of their elites to various battlefronts. Now, to ask for fifteen more from within the clan—it was an incredibly difficult decision to make.
Sakumo Hatake was well aware that his request was somewhat excessive. But for the sake of the village and to bring the war to an early end, his expression remained firm as he said in a serious tone:
"Jonin Fugaku, I know this request is unreasonable. But if the war drags on, and the other ninja villages join in, the tragedy of the First Ninja War will replay itself. I swear on the Hatake name…"
Seeing Sakumo Hatake's earnest expression, Uchiha Fugaku hesitated.
This was a rare opportunity to build trust and friendship with the future Hokage.
At this moment, Shirou couldn't help but remain silent. No wonder White Fang eventually committed suicide. No wonder the Uchiha placed so much trust in White Fang. Both sides had personalities that were too straightforward, lacking any political savvy.
Strong in combat and excellent in tactics, but that was all. Sakumo Hatake was a hero, but not a strategist.
He was a pure ninja, not a politician.
White Fang, your promise now is what? A gesture of friendship from the future Hokage? And the Uchiha clan believed it!
One dares to promise, and one dares to believe!
"Shirou, what is your opinion?"
Faced with such a significant matter, Uchiha Fugaku was relieved to have Shirou present, sharing the burden of this decision.
Fugaku's personality, as seen throughout the original series, was one of indecision when faced with major issues. He was cautious, but this often led to missed opportunities.
Under both Fugaku's and Sakumo Hatake's gaze, Uchiha Shirou, as one of the future leaders of the clan, responded with calm decisiveness:
"This is not a personal matter but one for the village. I believe it is feasible!"
To Fugaku's shock, Shirou agreed without hesitation. Such a major decision, and he didn't even pause to consider it?
But Shirou, who knew the trajectory of the Second Ninja War, was about 70-80% confident. The remaining uncertainty was due to potential changes caused by his presence in this timeline.
"However, I believe Commander Hatake's strategy, while bold and risky, requires some tactical adjustments."
Under Sakumo Hatake's surprised gaze, Shirou demonstrated greater decisiveness and composure than the clan leader himself.
With a faint smile, Shirou continued. In the original timeline, White Fang's actions during the Second Ninja War earned him a fearsome reputation, particularly for killing the parents of Sasori—Chiyo's son and daughter-in-law.
According to his intelligence, Chiyo's son and daughter-in-law were responsible for defending the borders of the Land of Wind during the early stages of the war. This meant that White Fang's mission involved breaking through the Land of Wind.
"Commander Hatake's strategy is bold and unexpected, precisely because even we find it hard to believe—let alone the Sand ninja. However, I suggest adding three to five medical ninjas to the team for emergency treatment and planning multiple retreat routes, such as this one here."
Shirou calmly pointed to another section of the map, leaving Fugaku astonished and Sakumo Hatake enlightened.
"Shirou, are you worried that if our forces are exposed within the Land of Wind, we'll face encirclement from the Sand Ninja? You're suggesting we infiltrate through the Land of Rain and retreat through the Land of Birds instead of the Land of Rivers, correct?"
Sakumo Hatake quickly grasped the idea, a spark of realization lighting up his expression.
"The Sand Ninja would never expect us to break through and retreat via the Land of Birds instead of the Land of Rivers!"
With this new perspective, Sakumo Hatake's expression brightened. For the first time, he began to view the young Uchiha with genuine respect.
Shirou, meanwhile, merely smiled and nodded. "It's just a suggestion. The specifics will depend on the actual battlefield dynamics."
His confidence stemmed from his knowledge of the original story. The area he pointed to was precisely where Chiyo's son and daughter-in-law were stationed. This insight allowed him to deduce that White Fang's original retreat route had been through that area.
Using known information to analyze the battlefield was a skill Shirou excelled at.
After some private discussion, Shirou and Fugaku agreed to the plan. The Uchiha clan's straightforward agreement, without playing up their difficulties, left Sakumo Hatake feeling slightly awkward.
It felt as though he were using the clan's elites to pave his path.
"As a token of gratitude, I'd like to offer a chakra weapon I obtained after slaying a Cloud ninja, along with a prototype lightning release ninjutsu. It should suit you well, Jonin Shirou."
Sakumo Hatake was generous in return. His gift of a chakra weapon and a lightning release technique prototype was a gesture of trust. More importantly, offering the Hatake clan's swordsmanship symbolized a deep bond of friendship.
Uchiha Fugaku solemnly accepted, saying: "May the friendship between the Uchiha and Hatake clans endure forever!"
With both parties satisfied, they left the tent.
As they stepped into the cold rain, Fugaku casually tossed two scrolls to Shirou.
"Shirou, you're bold to have agreed so quickly. I thought you'd take more time to deliberate."
Fugaku couldn't help but admire Shirou's decisiveness. Compared to himself, who often hesitated in moments of uncertainty, Shirou's ability to make firm decisions was striking.
Shirou caught the scrolls with a smile, activating his Sharingan to examine the contents. As he did, he casually replied:
"Brother Fugaku, life is full of choices. When faced with them, you must decide. Once a decision is made, the outcome is either right or wrong. But hesitating and missing the timing can lead to even greater mistakes."
Though said lightly, his words carried a weight that Fugaku hadn't fully grasped. Shirou sighed inwardly. In the original story, Fugaku's indecisiveness ultimately led to the Uchiha clan's downfall.
As Shirou examined the scrolls, he analyzed the Hatake swordsmanship and the lightning release prototype. Though the swordsmanship seemed ordinary, its emphasis on extreme speed and cell activation intrigued him.
Because he also moves at extreme speed!
After all, in the ninja world, there are only a handful of people with super defense. The vast majority are fragile—if my speed is fast enough, even a nail can kill an elite jonin.
"This ninjutsu!!"
However, when the Sharingan saw the prototype of this so-called Lightning Release ninjutsu, a flash of shock crossed Shirou's eyes.
Isn't this the prototype of the Chidori? This ninjutsu is already halfway complete. Upon seeing this, Shirou suddenly realized, and his admiration grew even stronger in his heart.
No wonder Kakashi Hatake couldn't fully utilize this ninjutsu when he first developed it. Only after obtaining the Sharingan could he unleash its true power.
It turns out the prototype of the Chidori was developed by White Fang for himself. However, after the incident, this technique was left unfinished until many years later, when Kakashi perfected it.
Sakumo Hatake—under his years of intense training as White Fang—had developed extraordinary reflexes and dynamic vision that bordered on monstrous. For him, the Chidori's high-speed charge was not particularly difficult.
"Many thanks, Brother Fugaku."
Shirou exhaled deeply, the three tomoe in his Sharingan slowly fading as he smiled and returned the two scrolls.
Uchiha Fugaku, upon receiving the scrolls, rarely smiled and waved his hand, saying:
"Even if I didn't give them to you, you would eventually see them in the clan's archives. However, this mission this time is going to be dangerous."
As the two continued to talk, their expressions grew increasingly serious—after all, this mission concerned the lives of fifteen jonins from the Uchiha clan.
"I still have a batch of refined chakra metal, which can be allocated to the clan's ninjas taking part in this mission. At the same time, the clan will prepare more explosive tags, and I'll also arrange for some summoning scrolls."
When Shirou mentioned this, Fugaku suddenly remembered that Shirou possessed the Slug Summoning Contract.
"That's acceptable. Although summoning scrolls are precious, they're worth it if they can help ensure the survival of more of our jonin."
Summoning scrolls are even more valuable than sealing scrolls. As a one-time consumable, they are something only the Uchiha clan can afford—ordinary Jonin simply wouldn't be able to use them.
"Prepare well once we return. As soon as White Fang begins his operation, we'll likely see major movements on our side as well."
"Understood."
The two spoke at length in the rainy night, from the war to the future of the clan, and even about the day when White Fang would become Hokage, envisioning the Uchiha clan's entry into the Anbu.
...
When Shirou returned to Tsunade's tent, he saw her walking out, holding a vial of medicine with a tired expression yet brimming with excitement.
"This time, you've made a major contribution. It's at least an A-rank mission, and once everything is confirmed, it might even qualify as an S-rank mission—it's practically guaranteed."
Tsunade smiled as she gestured to the test tube in her hand.
"After some analysis, this is venom from an amphibious creature. Although we cannot confirm whether it's from Hanzo's Salamander, even if it isn't, it's still a secret toxin from the enemy."
Hanzo of the Salamander, the leader of the Amegakure, was a poison master. Similarly, the Sand Ninjas were also skilled in using poisons. Regardless of which side the venom came from, it was undoubtedly from the enemy.
"This toxin is extremely rare. Although we've already analyzed its composition, creating an antidote will still take time. After all, we're on the front lines, where research equipment is lacking, and medicinal supplies are also in short supply."
At this point, Tsunade frowned slightly in frustration. There was no helping it—this was the front line, a battlefield, not the village of Konoha. In the Senju Clan's secret laboratory back in Konoha, she had access to all kinds of advanced and precise instruments.
"Sister Tsunade, you're amazing! No matter what, once this poison is neutralized, our village's ninjas will suffer far fewer casualties on the battlefield."
Uzumaki Kushina, full of joy, waved her small fists in excitement, expressing her heartfelt admiration.
Tsunade also smiled, sealing the test tube before saying:
"I've already sent word to the village. The required medicinal supplies will be delivered as soon as possible."
At this point, Tsunade glanced at Shirou and laughed:
"So? This must be good news for the Uchiha clan, right?"
In response to Tsunade's teasing, Shirou smiled and pointed to his eyes.
"Of course, it's good news. Hatake's sword techniques and a prototype Lightning Release ninjutsu—how could it not be a good thing?"
Seeing Shirou's teasing, Tsunade chuckled and said, "Alright, once you return, prepare well. The decisive battle is about to begin!"
As she spoke the last sentence, a serious expression appeared on Tsunade's face.