Chapter 127: The Ambition of Shisui

"Clan Head, the Third has issued an order, commanding all ninja clan heads to go to the Hokage Tower for a meeting."

"Listening to the family ninja report entering the Anbu, Shisui felt a little puzzled; usually he was summoned either for Police Department errands or because Zhuan Qin Xiaochun, that old hag, whispered bad things about him to the Third's ear."

"But this time it was clearly not that simple; the Third had actually summoned all ninja clan heads at once, which gave him a slight unease."

"This unease stemmed from the unknown."

"Though uneasy, he did not hesitate; after replying, he discussed the matter with Sima Yi."

"Facing this sudden development, Sima Yi's first reaction was still, 'In such a hurry—did the Northern war suffer a setback?'"

"The last time they were this frantic was when Orochimaru defected; five guys ran into the courtyard overnight to report, and at that time Sima Yi thought the same."

"Shisui thought for a moment, then shook his head, 'Unclear, but probably not. Nara Shikaku, the Jonin, has already been transferred to the North; Jonin Shikaku is steady and exceptionally wise.'"

"The Third also sent many ninjas to reinforce; now the Northern ninja forces number over seven thousand, while Kumo has only about eight thousand. Although they are fewer, based on past experience they should be quite solid."

"Sima Yi glanced at Shisui upon hearing that, said little, and advised, 'If it's unclear, don't guess. Go over there first; don't let anyone think you disrespect the Third. I'll keep an eye on the clan.'"

"\"Alright, Grandfather. \""

"After giving his instructions, Shisui led a few people away from the clan grounds; the Uchiha clan grounds were the farthest from the Hokage Tower. By the time he arrived, members of each clan were already there, but they hadn't gone up—instead they waited downstairs for him."

"Seeing this, Shisui stepped forward immediately, gave a slight nod; some nodded back, some ignored him. He recorded each person's reaction, then led everyone up to the second floor."

"After the group entered the Hokage's office, the vast room suddenly felt a bit crowded."

"Shisui walked ahead, and smoke curled inside, rushing toward them."

"In an instant, Shisui understood that such thick smoke meant the matter was certainly serious."

"Sure enough, when everyone stood still, Zhuan Qin Xiaochun said directly, 'Kumo launched a surprise attack on the Land of the Fields' front line; Hinata Higashihiko's reinforcements were too late; the Northern First Front lost its main army and fell back to the second line.'"

"Hinata Higashihiko's Elite Forces suffered heavy losses; Shikaku's protection was insufficient, and he is now gravely wounded and unconscious. The main army suffered severe losses and urgently needs reinforcement."

"What truly pained the four was the batch of Elite ninjas led by Hinata Higashihiko; they were hampered by the Western front's main force, collided head‑on with Kumo's army, and suffered heavy losses."

"Those were the North's true backbone; the other civilian junior ninjas were merely filler for the lines and could be replenished easily."

"Zhuan Qin Xiaochun recapped the battle report succinctly, her face unmoved, her breath steady, unafraid of anyone's doubts, because everything she said was true."

"As soon as she finished speaking, everyone was shocked; Shisui was even more astonished, never expecting the North to truly lose. Even without intel, Sima Yi guessed correctly—what a reason, as if he hadn't learned it!"

"Standing beside Shisui, Hinata Hizasoku's face changed; he couldn't believe the report. How could Jonin Higashihiko fail to reinforce in time? Moreover, it caused the Leaf's Elite Forces to suffer heavy losses—how could that be?"

"If his composure weren't high enough, and given that this was said in such a setting, he would have already begun to voice doubts."

"The Third glanced at Zhuan Qin Xiaochun, who didn't rebut but added, 'Today's gathering is to have everyone prepare for war. The second front lies at the Land of Fire's border; if the second front falls, Kumo can invade the Land of Fire, and then other great nations will surely seize the chance.'"

"Even without the Third speaking, everyone understood: this defeat likely gave a few other nations, still licking their wounds, malicious thoughts. If another loss occurs, the ninja world, which had finally calmed, would boil over again."

"\"Also, Hizasoku, don't dwell on it too much. This defeat also bears my responsibility; Jonin Higashihiko has done his best. Just be ready to reinforce at any time. \""

"Perhaps seeing Hinata Hizasoku's grim expression, the Third offered some consolation, but after his words, the gazes toward Hizasoku grew even stranger."

"Hinata Hizasoku, in his prime with a blazing heart, couldn't bear such looks. Yet he kept his final rationality, knowing he couldn't openly rebuke the crowd or the Third, so he directed his anger at Kumo and replied, 'The Hinata clan will prepare swiftly, ready to support the front at any time and eliminate the invading Kumo.'"

"\"Much appreciated, \" the Third nodded, then gave each clan head some instructions, mostly in a consultative tone; even he couldn't force so many clans to sacrifice their lives."

"Of course, everyone knew that those who should contribute must do so; otherwise, if the Leaf falls, the Uzumaki clan would be their fate."

"However, the North's defeat affects more than just the Northern front; other areas must also be cautious."

"The Third spoke frankly to Shisui, hoping the Uchiha could send a small contingent of ninjas to the original Mist Hidden front to prevent the enemy from regrouping and infiltrating with Elite forces."

"The eastern side already had a garrison of ninja troops; only a few—seven or eight squads—were needed, and they could move out today."

"Shisui naturally wouldn't refuse and accepted outright."

"Regarding manpower, everyone was still willing to follow the Third's arrangement; next came the issue of funding."

"The group looked at the Third; he hesitated a moment while puffing his pipe, then glanced at Mizuto Monen."

"Mizuto Monen wore a worried expression; seeing the Third look at him, he finally spoke, 'The Village's funds are insufficient now; we can only issue a partial supplement. But the Northern situation is urgent and can't wait that long. Could everyone prioritize the greater cause and dispatch reinforcements first?'"

"Zhuan Qin Xiaochun chimed in, 'The war budget can be covered later; send the reinforcements now, or things will worsen.'"

"What? Sending people also requires money?"

"The group was stunned, instantly feeling discontent. There's none now; will there be later? It's still two months until the Daimyo's allocation, and the Daimyo is getting tighter; that little money won't fill such a hole."

"Everyone wasn't stupid; they knew it was an excuse, but given the setting, no one spoke up."

"But staying silent meant opposition, and the Third understood their thoughts. He furrowed his brows, cleared his throat twice, his complexion a bit pale, and said, 'I'll send someone to request extra funds from the Daimyo; the war budget will arrive within two months. In the meantime we'll cover it with some mission allocations. Everyone, please prepare now.'"

"The group wasn't sure whether the Daimyo would allocate funds, but the Third's proposal at least offered hope, unlike the two assistants' absurd suggestion. Knowing the urgent situation, they stopped being silent and reluctantly agreed."

"After giving a series of arrangements, the Third pretended to be relaxed, offering some encouraging words to rally morale. Yet Shisui, who often interacted with the Third, saw that his enthusiasm was forced and his mood low."

"It wasn't until the group was preparing to leave that Zirai arrived tardily; only then did they realize that Nara Shikaku couldn't command, and the North now lacked a commander."

"Shisui felt a stir; the Third had summoned Zirai likely to station him in the North, but Zirai's tardiness suggested he was either indifferent or deliberately refusing."

"Sure enough, after Zirai slipped in through a window, he said straight away, 'I can go north to help, but let someone else take command; I have other matters to attend to.'"

"On his way in, Zirai had already learned the course of events, but he didn't know how to deal with those affected by Orochimaru."

"Moreover, he didn't consider the North a major issue; as long as he took troops there for two hard battles, even a draw would be enough to wake Kumo a bit."

"But afterward would inevitably be a prolonged standoff and attrition; if he took command, he couldn't leave, and he couldn't stay there."

"Zhuan Qin Xiaochun, angry, scolded, 'It's already this far, and you still refuse to help? If you don't command, who can steady the troops? Must your teacher go to the front personally?'"

"Danzo felt something stir, glanced at the few, and puffed his chest slightly."

"Zirai crossed his arms, too lazy to bother her; the Third paused in silence, then nodded in agreement, offering no further persuasion."

"Given Zirai's strength and prestige, his presence in the North would naturally steady the troops."

"Later he handled the Orochimaru incident coldly, occasionally sending people to pay respects; over time, those previously implicated, seeing the Village no longer pursued them, would naturally settle down."

"Thinking this, the Third coughed a few times, nodded, and said, 'Let's do it that way, but you must wait until the North stabilizes before leaving. As for command, I can consider it further.'"

"Zirai, seeing this, softened, nodded in agreement; after he left, the group, with mixed thoughts, also departed."

"On the way back, Shisui began to contemplate whether to vie for the Northern command. If he could command the North, he could win over other ninjas during the war and prepare early for the future Hokage seat. Leading troops to victory would also earn great prestige and gain the villagers' trust."

"But he only thought about it briefly; setting aside the Leaf's high‑level wariness of the Uchiha, his age alone made people reluctant to entrust him with an army—most likely they'd let Nara Suzaku fill the role."

He returned and told Sima Yi the matter and his thoughts; Sima Yi sighed lightly, "It really is the North."

"How did Grandfather know about the northern war?"

Shisui was a bit curious; a few months is too short, and under funding limits their intelligence network had not yet reached abroad.

Sima Yi understood Shisui's thought, shook his head, and said, "There's no special channel; the higher-ups moved too heavily, so it can't be a trivial matter. I can't think of anything besides war that would make a garrison mobilize like that."

"I see, then what does Grandfather think about the command?"

Shisui nodded, ceased the argument, and turned to ask about other matters.

"Normally, to become a commander, one must either be like Zilaoye—distinguished battle record, prestige and strength together, recognized by all, willing to obey command.

Or be like the Nara clan—though not overwhelmingly strong, they have long served as the Konoha's strategists, rarely err, are acknowledged by all, and can handle large‑scale command with ease.

Now Zilaoye is absent; given the Konoha's current state, apart from the Third Hokage and Fugaku, hardly anyone matches you in strength and prestige.

If you could become commander, the Konoha could fully employ the Uchiha's power, easing military and economic strain, which would be good for the Konoha.

Unfortunately, the higher‑ups are too wary; they certainly won't allow Uchiha prestige to rise too high—let alone let you lead troops, they might not even deploy many clan ninja.

Although he had suspected it earlier, Shisui still felt a bit disappointed.

"If I can't command, the northern affair won't involve the Uchiha much. The Village lacks funds; at most we can send two thousand reinforcements, the clan's ninja will be even fewer, Hyuga will dominate, and we can only send a token few to help."

The Uchiha's primary concern remains the Mist Village; normally the higher‑ups won't let them shift fronts on a large scale, and even if they wanted to dispatch troops, there'd be no justification.

Sima Yi's eyes flickered, and he whispered, "If you want to vie for it, there are other ways, but the risk is high; mishandling could draw the Hokage's suspicion."

Shisui raised an eyebrow, instantly sensed something off; from what he knew of Sima Yi, it was unlikely to be a proper method.

Nevertheless he couldn't help asking, "What method?"

Sima Yi opened his mouth to answer, but Jin Huo suddenly appeared at the door and said, "Clan Leader, there are ANBU outside."

"ANBU? Is there something with the Third Hokage?"

Shisui was startled, then felt something odd.

Besides members of our clan, ANBU who deliver the Third Hokage's orders usually announce themselves at the doorway and leave; visits are rare.

"Please let him in the main hall."

"Understood."

Shisui and Sima Yi exchanged a glance, turned, and left; soon he saw masked ANBU members in the hall.

"Really ANBU?"

He had considered that perhaps Danzo sent Root to impersonate ANBU, but the aura was clearly not that of Root.

While he was puzzled, the figure suddenly removed the mask; the familiar face shocked Shisui, who immediately stepped forward and said, "Captain Shinzusuke, long time no see, please sit."

"Shisui, long time no see."

The newcomer was Sarutobi Clan's Shinzusuke; after removing his mask and greeting Shisui, he sat down together at Shisui's warm invitation.

"Captain, you're visiting late at night—does the Hokage have a mission for you?"

Shinzusuke shook his head, gave no tease, and said directly, "Shisui, do you remember what I told you last time?"

Shisui's mind stirred, thoughtful, and he replied calmly, "Of course, you've always wanted to serve on the Cloud Village battlefield; this time you're asking me, perhaps, to join the army heading north?"

"Exactly. My father's health is deteriorating; I want to fight in the north to prove to him I can stand on my own and ease his burden. Shisui, will you go with me?"

Shinzusuke's words were vague, but Shisui understood he was aiming for command on the Northern Front, though he was not optimistic about Shinzusuke.

The ANBU Captain's rank was indeed lofty; all clans treated him with great respect, yet everyone silently knew why.

Moreover, the Northern Front concerns the Konoha's safety; even with Uchiha backing, no one could compromise on such matters, unless there were no alternatives.

Nevertheless Shisui did not refuse outright; he said, "The Third Hokage has helped me a lot, and I promised the Captain I would support him if needed. However, this requires the Third Hokage's approval and involves the whole clan, so I need time to persuade the clan members."

Shinzusuke breathed a sigh of relief and said, "That's natural. Thank you, Shisui. I'll explain to my father; regardless of success or failure, I'll remember this favor and repay it later."

"Not a problem, it's all for the Konoha."

After a few more pleasantries, Shinzusuke put his mask back on and left.

Shisui immediately returned to the study to discuss with Sima Yi.

"He wants you to dispatch troops?"

The help Shinzusuke mentioned wasn't merely pleading with the Third Hokage; it was a concrete hope that the Uchiha would send troops at his request.

If word spread that he persuaded the Uchiha to aid the Village, his prestige would surely soar.

"Exactly, but I didn't agree right away; I found a few reasons to stall.

However, I think it's an opportunity. With Zilaoye stationed there, the north won't pose major issues; sending some people over helps us contact other ninja, boosts clan prestige, and lets us covertly dispatch ninja for secret missions.

Seeing Shisui's thorough analysis, Sima Yi praised him and added, "That Sarutobi Shinzusuke is quite ambitious; he may have been involved when Orochimaru was exposed. He's not a good ally."

Shisui was stunned, recalling the situation then.

"Grandfather was right; I think he also has designs on the Hokage seat. The Third Hokage just voiced his view on Orochimaru, and he approached me, after which Orochimaru was exposed.

Today the same—right after the meeting ended he rushed over; he must have had a plan all along."

Sima Yi suddenly stroked his beard and laughed, "Hahaha, perhaps it's destiny's aid!"

Shisui, puzzled, hurriedly asked, "What does that mean?"

"Earlier we faced risk in vying for command; now with him ahead, someone bears that risk!"

(End of Chapter)