Revitalizing the Uchiha clan starts with becoming a Kage.

However, when Ping Kuan arrived with seven or eight companions...

Seeing that their captain was only slightly disheveled, with obvious signs of someone else's blood on him, and the scene of utter chaos, he was instinctively stunned.

The Konoha ninjas who followed also showed a look of surprise. Before arriving, they had already learned about the enemy from Hirahiro, but instead of the expected fierce battle, the situation seemed to be completely over, leaving them speechless.

"Oh, Hirahiro, it seems the reinforcements arrived successfully? How was it? Did you manage to take care of those Cloud Ninjas?"

Jiang Si stepped closer, a faint smile on his face, and spoke.

"Eh? Uh? Yes, Captain. Thanks to the support of Fuka and Sato, we almost wiped out that team of Cloud Ninja. Only one person escaped. On our side, Owada was accidentally caught in the enemy's magic and died in battle. Among the remaining people, Sasaki and the other two were injured."

Upon hearing Shoji's question, Hirahiro seemed to snap out of his daze and subconsciously answered.

"Did Ōwada die in battle? Collect his body properly and bring him back. Let's end today's mission here and return to the base. I also have some information to report to Suzaku-san."

Jiang Si nodded slightly and said.

"Yes!"

After answering again, Ping Kan seemed to remember something and asked in a tentative tone, "Um? Captain? What about those three Jonin from Kumogakure? Especially the Magnet Release ninja Troy? Were they defeated and escaped by you?"

Before coming, they thought their captain would definitely be in a tough fight, but now, judging from the current situation, it seems that Shoji won. It's hard to believe that Shoji killed three people. In Hirahiro's opinion, the most likely scenario is that their captain suppressed the three, and then the three Cloud Ninja chose to retreat after assessing the unfavorable situation.

This is the 'most reasonable' result in Hirahiro's opinion.

Or perhaps it should be said that the seven or eight Konoha ninja who came with them were all of the same kind of speculation, after all, they were three Jonin, one of whom was an elite Kumogakure ninja who possessed the Magnet Release Kekkei Genkai technique, far surpassing ordinary Jonin.

"Oh? Those three? I killed them all. The other two were just ordinary people, and I cremated their bodies with Fire Release ninjutsu. The Cloud Ninja named Troy possessed the Magnet Release bloodline limit, which is of great research value to the village. I kept it in a sealing scroll, and I will hand it over to Senior Suzaku for him to handle when we get back."

Jiang Si nodded lightly as if he didn't care, and said in a nonchalant tone, but the 'Versailles attitude' he revealed in his words was as 'Versailles' as could be!

The people in front of them, including Ping Kuan, stared wide-eyed, their faces showing astonishment. Although they had considered this possibility, when it actually came out of Jiang Si's mouth, Ping Kuan and the others still couldn't suppress the shock they felt deep inside. This was no genin or chunin.

They were actually three living Jonin from Kumogakure!

Furthermore, their captain is an elite Jonin with a bloodline limit like Troy. Their captain was able to kill three people, and he only seemed to have suffered minor injuries. Doesn't that mean their captain has strength comparable to a Kage? Thinking of this, Hirahiro and the others couldn't help but swallow hard.

"You mean... that all three Jonin from Kumogakure, including that Magnet Release ninja Troy, died at your hands alone?"

Overwhelmed by shock, his tone became more respectful involuntarily, and his wide pupils were filled with disbelief.

"What? You doubt me? Or should I bring out Troy's corpse for you to see?"

Jiang Si could naturally understand the emotions of Ping Kuan and the others, and a rare, faint hint of mockery appeared on his lips as he smiled and spoke.

"No, no! You're joking. Of course we believe the captain!"

Upon hearing Jiang Si's words, Ping Kuan finally came to his senses. The words he hurriedly uttered revealed a faint look of fear on his face. You must know that in the ninja world, the hierarchy is equally strict. The four most common levels—Kage, Jonin, Chunin, and Genin—are extremely clear and harsh differences in rank.

Not to mention that this is a Jonin with extremely strong abilities like Shoji.

"Haha, alright, let's head back. The fact that Kumogakure sent Magnet Release ninjas to the front lines this time is probably not good news. We need to go back immediately to report the relevant intelligence!"

Jiang Si laughed heartily, then immediately waved his hand and said in a deep voice with a very serious expression.

"Yes!"

The words spoken in a synchronized response.

Almost as soon as Shoji finished speaking, the seven or eight Konoha Chunin in front of him, led by Hirahiro, also lowered their heads and replied. At this moment, not only in name but also in reality, these people regarded 'Uchiha Shoji' as their superior.

Then.

Led by Jiang Si, the group left the area and, after meeting up with the wounded in the distance, headed back to the Tangquanshan stronghold. It was only a dozen minutes after Jiang Si and his group left.

Two other figures quietly arrived at the location where Jiang Si had killed the three Trojans. Looking at the scene of devastation before them, sensing the remaining chakra aura in the air, and the traces of the fire-style technique, their expressions turned extremely grim.

"Lord Troy and his comrades are probably already dead!"

After carefully sensing the surroundings, the blue-haired young man on the left spoke with a gloomy face.

"Judging from the remaining aura here, Lord Troy was not surrounded by Konoha. It seems that he was killed by Uchiha Shoji alone!"

46. ​​A tentative move

Another black-haired man spoke with an equally stern expression.

"It seems that Uchiha Shoji's strength far exceeds expectations. Even if we can't be 100% sure, we must report this to Lord Tsuchidai immediately!"

"Ok!"

The two scouts from Kumogakure did not linger there. After gathering the relevant intelligence, they immediately left the spot and sped back to their village's southern fortress in the north.

The death of Magnet Release ninja, Lord Troy, was a significant event for Kumogakure, and they had to immediately report it to their frontline commander, Tsuchidae.

Jiang Si, who had already left the area, was unaware that Cloud Ninjas would arrive after he left. Even if he had known, he wouldn't have cared, as it was a predictable and minor incident. On the way back, Jiang Si calmed down and considered the choices he should make next. With Troy and many Cloud Ninjas dead at his hands, some of the original plans had to be revised.

The external forces that would be needed in the worst-case scenario we had considered earlier could be excluded from the list of those forces. This wasn't a question of possibility, but rather that the other side clearly considered us as a 'dangerous person' that had to be eliminated.

Given this situation, Shoji doesn't believe that A, the Fourth Raikage of Kumogakure, would trust him if needed in the future. Let alone using him, he'd be lucky if A didn't punch him. Therefore, this option in the backup plan must be abandoned. Fortunately, this is only one of the backup plans. The main plan should still focus on dealing with the internal forces of his own village.

Of course, some people may worry that the strength that Shoji has shown in the past six months, especially in this battle, will make Hiruzen Sarutobi, Homura Mitokado, Koharu Utatane, and especially Danzo Shimura, among other Konoha high-ranking officials, wary.

However, it is important to note that...

'Reconciliation' must also be based on strength.

In the very beginning, Jiang Si himself had said that peace achieved through struggle is true peace. Even without this opportunity, Jiang Si would try his best to find a chance to demonstrate his personal strength. By keeping a trump card up his sleeve, he could also make others wary and fearful. This is the most realistic negotiation strategy in this world.

Once others perceive you as weak and easily bullied, you could face annihilation at any moment. The annihilation of the Uchiha clan in the original story was partly due to this. Although it wasn't the best solution, it was certainly a feasible plan. To make the village realize that the Uchiha clan was not to be trifled with, and that anyone who wanted to harm them had to be prepared to perish together with them.

This is the first point.

Another point is that Shisui needs to make his presence felt as much as possible within the clan. The ninja world is inherently a dog-eat-dog world where the strong are respected, and this is especially true in the Uchiha clan. Why was Shisui respected and recognized by so many Uchiha clan members? The reason lies in Shisui's extraordinary personal strength. The Uchiha clan is a more pragmatic clan than anyone else.

Those who are strong will gain followers.

In the original story, after Shisui's death, even though Uchiha Yatsuho and Uchiha Tekka were Fugaku's most trusted clan members, they still went so far as to directly confront Uchiha Itachi, the son of the clan head. This shows just how high a position Shisui, who held the title of the strongest member of the Uchiha clan, was within the clan.

This is exactly what the commander aims for.

While not to completely replace him, he must at least reach a level similar to Shisui in order to obtain a corresponding leadership position within the clan. This is one of the fundamental principles of the Uchiha clan!

Only the strongest person is qualified to lead a clan. Fugaku was the strongest among the younger generation at that time, and with the support of the elders, he was able to take the position of clan leader. It is impossible for someone without strength to lead a clan.

Therefore, from any perspective, Jiang Si must demonstrate his superior strength on certain occasions. Just like Shisui, the greater his reputation, the less he needs to do; his clansmen will involuntarily gather under his command, listen to his advice, and even obey his orders.

'Things here are mostly settled. Now we need to be bolder and move on to the next step of the plan!'

Looking at the Tangquanshan stronghold so close at hand, a faint glint of cold light flashed in Jiang Si's eyes as he thought to himself.

Having a general plan doesn't mean that Shoji has planned every step in advance. After all, Shoji isn't someone with an extremely high IQ, and sometimes he needs to take things one step at a time. However, compared to the average person, Shoji has an overall plan deep in his heart, and there is a core to this plan.

The general might take a slightly longer route, but he will definitely not go astray.

Troy's unexpected appearance gave Shoji a next step in his plan. He wanted to use the results of this battle to test the village's high-ranking officials. Moreover, if the Konoha high-ranking officials really had any intentions, half a year had already passed, and they should have taken corresponding actions by now!

The Tangquanshan outpost was returned to.

Suzaku Nara, who spent most of his time at the main camp handling and arranging various affairs at the front, was taken aback when he learned that Shoji had returned ahead of schedule and had important intelligence to report. He then immediately became solemn.

Especially when Shoji arrived at the main camp, reporting the relevant information to Nara Suzaku while taking out the Trojan corpse from the sealed scroll, Suzaku's pupils suddenly contracted, revealing a rare look of shock.

"That's all the information I have. I suspect that the Hidden Cloud Village might have other plans, so, Senior Suzaku, you might need to consult with the village directly!"

After a full six months of relative calm on the front lines, with both sides in a 'harmonious confrontation' mode, the Hidden Cloud Village suddenly dispatched a Magnet Release Kekkei Genkai ninja—a ninja they had never seen before—to fight. While this seemed reasonable from a common-sense perspective, given that they were currently in a state of conflict, it was the most sensible choice to assume the Hidden Cloud Village's intentions with the utmost malice.

Therefore, regarding what the general said.

Nara Suzaku, agreeing with the viewpoint, nodded slightly and said, "Yes, I understand what you mean. Mr. Shoji, leave this to me."

47. Preparations by both sides

P.S.: May our motherland prosper forever! And happy National Day to all my fellow book lovers!

The meeting lasted less than ten minutes.

There was almost no unnecessary chatter.

After reporting all the intelligence from his operation and handing over the body of Troy, Shoji bowed and left the main camp. Nara Suzaku watched Shoji's departing figure, a faint glint of light flashing in his eyes.

"Someone come here!"

"Yes, Lord Suzaku!"

Without hesitation, almost instantly, Suzaku took out a sealed scroll, wrote down the information he needed to report, and immediately summoned the members of the sealing team. After applying a special sealing technique from Konoha to the scroll, he called in an elite team specifically for delivering information.

After giving the team two key instructions and handing over the sealing scroll containing Troy's corpse, as well as the sealed scroll he had just written, the group immediately set off, leaving the Yuquan Mountain base and heading south back to their own ninja village.

Almost simultaneously, as the Konoha group was heading south towards the Land of Fire under Suzaku's orders, in the more remote northern region, the southern fortress of Kumogakure, Tsuchida, which had been stationed there for half a year, received a report from the retreating Kumogakure ninja.

Upon learning that his encirclement team had completely failed, with only one person escaping back and the rest, including the Magnet Release ninja Troy, all dead, Tsuchida's expression was as ugly as could be.

The blue-haired Cloud Ninja who came to report the information was somewhat uneasy when he saw his advisor's gloomy face, fearing that Tsuchikage would vent his anger on him. Fortunately, after taking a deep breath, Tsuchikage gently waved his hand to signal him to leave, and the blue-haired Cloud Ninja hurriedly left Tsuchikage's office as if he had been granted a pardon.

Tsuchikage didn't pay any attention to the thoughts of his Chunin subordinate. At this moment, Tsuchikage's mind was filled with the name 'Uchiha Shoji'. You see, before the plan was executed, Tsuchikage had considered several possibilities, but he just didn't expect it to unfold like this. If you said that a high-level spy planted by Konoha in their village discovered their plan and launched a counter-ambush that led to the annihilation of the team, Tsuchikage could accept it.

However, based on the intelligence gathered by the investigators, it is highly likely that Uchiha Shoji single-handedly wiped out his own elite subordinates. Even if there is a certain probability that Konoha is just making a show of force and Uchiha Shoji may not actually be that strong, the cautious Tsuchida still prefers to consider the worst-case scenario.

Ultimately, the reason for this ambush plan was that the threat posed by Uchiha Shoji over the past six months was simply too high. In the area around the Land of Hot Springs, Konoha had deployed over a hundred Jonin, including seven or eight from the Uchiha clan. However, it was clear that none of them could inflict as much damage and destruction on the Cloud Ninja as Shoji.

The original work does not clarify the level of conflict between Konoha and Kumogakure during this period, but judging from the later plot, even if it was intense, it should have been within a controllable range. Otherwise, the other three major ninja villages, as well as smaller ninja villages such as Kusagakure and Takigakure, would not have stood idly by.

The situation in this life is completely different from that in the original story.

Regardless of whether the Uchiha clan's participation in the war was different.

At least in the original work, there is absolutely no appearance of a ruthless person like 'Uchiha Shoji'.

Based on this alone, in the past six months, as a conflict that was not on the scale of a full-scale war, the Cloud Ninja have already paid a rather heavy price. Some people in the Cloud Village are already thinking about ending the war peacefully. They don't know if Konoha will collapse if things continue like this, but they know that the Cloud Village will definitely not be able to hold on. The energy lost in the Third Shinobi World War has not yet been fully recovered.

However, like all previous Raikage, the Fourth Raikage A was stubborn and would not give up easily. These people did not dare to speak up easily. But Tsuchida, as the highest strategist of Kumogakure, could see the current predicament of his own village and could also vaguely sense the 'chicken-rib mentality' of the Fourth Raikage A, who wanted to retreat but was unwilling to.

Therefore, it is based on this foundation.

Tsuchikage suggested to the Fourth Raikage, A, that they devise a plan to eliminate Uchiha Shoji. If they could successfully kill Uchiha Shoji, they could reverse the current low morale on the front lines. With their side in the lead, they could take the initiative to concede, which would be a unique kind of 'victory of tolerance' for Kumogakure!

This will prevent others in the ninja world from thinking that the Hidden Cloud Village has been defeated and retreated.

Even if you don't gain much in terms of tangible benefits, at least you won't suffer any damage to your reputation.

As long as he could save face for his own ninja village and the Raikage, everything else would be easy to handle. There was no need to even send anyone to communicate with Konoha. Tsuchita firmly believed that given Konoha's consistent habits, as long as he made some concessions, Konoha would definitely adopt the same attitude. This was Tsuchita's plan.

However, plans can never keep up with changes.

Or to be more precise, it far exceeded the expectations of the earthen platform itself.

The ambush plan failed, and failed utterly. The deaths of three elite Jonin, including Troy, and more than ten elite Chunin were a heavy price to pay.