Naruto: Starting by Marrying Uchiha

The Village Hidden in the Leaves! Inside the Hokage's Office.

The atmosphere was incredibly tense, as if a single spark could ignite an explosion.

"What should we do next?"

Hiruzen Sarutobi's hoarse voice carried a weariness that was impossible to shake off.

Pain! It was too painful! His heart felt as if it were being sliced by countless blades.

Who could have imagined that merely allowing Shinnosuke to take command would result in him being captured by the Sand Shinobi?

And it wasn't just that; the remaining ninja forces were unable to retreat under the relentless pursuit of the Sand Shinobi.

"Let the Southwestern Ninja Forces deal with those Sand Shinobi!"

Danzo, true to his militant nature, suggested a direct confrontation, showing no interest in subtlety, especially since it wouldn't be him on the front lines.

Although he was antagonistic towards Takashi, he had considerable confidence in his abilities.

"No way!" Koharu Utatane instinctively objected, and upon noticing the others looking at her, she explained, "If the Southwestern Ninja Forces engage, and the Sand Shinobi army charges directly at Konoha..."

Her thoughts were cautious and prudent.

Because Konoha absolutely could not allow the enemy to reach the village.

Even though there were plenty of hidden forces within the village, making them unafraid of the enemy, the blow to morale would be too great!

Once morale collapses, it's incredibly difficult to restore.

"Indeed, the Southwestern Ninja Forces cannot engage!"

Hiruzen Sarutobi also understood that if such a situation were to occur, the village, which was already struggling to hold on, might collapse instantly.

"How about I lead the Anbu to rescue them?"

Homura Mitokado gritted his teeth and stepped forward.

He had cast a vote in favor of recommending Sarutobi Shinnosuke, so it was only natural for him to volunteer for the rescue now that Shinnosuke was captured.

"The most important thing now is to support Orochimaru and the others; we can talk about the rescue later!"

Hiruzen Sarutobi decisively rejected the idea.

As a father, he naturally wanted to send someone immediately to rescue his son, but as Hokage, his responsibilities forced him to prioritize the 'big picture.'

"If it weren't for all the Root members being sent out to gather intelligence, we might have been able to rescue them!"

Danzo sighed 'regretfully.'

How genuine that regret was, no one could tell.

"So who should lead the army this time?"

Koharu Utatane inquired.

The village still had considerable potential, and forming a support unit wasn't an issue, but choosing the right leader was crucial.

An incompetent general can exhaust the entire army!

In the ninja world, where individual power is paramount, this wasn't just a saying but a fact.

"Minato, perhaps..."

Hiruzen Sarutobi immediately thought of him.

Not only was he enthusiastic and sunny, but he also had unwavering faith in the Will of Fire and was Jiraiya's disciple, making him the best choice.

"No, with the Cloud Shinobi already at the northeastern border, if Minato isn't there to hold the line, the defenses could easily be breached. He can't leave!"

Koharu Utatane directly vetoed the idea.

Compared to the Sand Shinobi, the threat from the Cloud Shinobi was greater, and under no circumstances could they be allowed to invade the Land of Fire.

In Konoha, there was actually another idle Kage-level powerhouse.

Tsunade!

But due to Hiruzen Sarutobi's previous hardline stance, everyone knew it was impossible to have her take action.

Kage-level powerhouses weren't as common as cabbages; even in Konoha, they weren't plentiful.

"How about we have the support ninja forces stationed at Kikyo Mountain and send that Uchiha kid to lead the Southwestern Ninja Forces for support?"

Homura Mitokado proposed a solution.

"...Alright!"

Hiruzen Sarutobi finally nodded.

Because, at this point, the only available and capable person they had was him.

Despite his dislike for the previous coercion, they had no choice but to hold their noses and use him.

However, they completely forgot that they had recently cut him down a notch, not only dividing his power but also 'borrowing' two hundred of his ninjas.

In the eyes of Konoha's F4, it's fine for them to deal with you, but you dealing with them? No way.

Classic double standards!

So, when the order reached Kikyo Mountain, they found no response.

Eventually, when Homura Mitokado and Koharu Utatane arrived at Kikyo Mountain with a five-hundred-strong ninja force, they found Uchiha Takashi.

Goodness! They were utterly astonished! Because they found him by the river, leisurely fishing, with several messenger ninjas bound in 'tortoise shell bondage' at his feet, even the messenger hawks received the same treatment.

"Uchiha Takashi!!"

His fists clenched tightly. Koharu Utatane was only holding back because of the power difference between them; otherwise, she might have already taken action.

But who would have thought that in the face of her fury, Takashi's response was simply:

"Hmm...!"

He nodded slightly to show he was listening, but his gaze remained fixed on the water.

He knew exactly why she was angry.

But as the saying goes, if you dare to scheme against someone, you must be prepared to face the consequences.

You can't expect to suffer a loss and not retaliate, right?

Just because his last name is 'Uchiha', doesn't mean he's brainwashed by the Will of Fire like some obedient child.

Homura Mitokado tugged at his friend's sleeve. He understood where Takashi's dissatisfaction stemmed from and was considering how to appease him.

They had no choice but to act! The ninja they brought to defend Kikyo Mountain might be fine, but if they were to provide support, they could be severely beaten by the Sand Ninja army.

Especially the two of them, whose strength had drastically declined with age. 

While they could threaten Kage-level opponents with secret and forbidden techniques, they were also more vulnerable to being killed.

"What will it take for you to take action?"

Koharu Utatane, not lacking in intelligence, had been blinded by anger earlier. Now calm, she began negotiating terms.

They had figured out Takashi's nature—he wouldn't act unless there was something in it for him.

Though this was frustrating, it was tolerable during wartime.

"I'm conducting some experiments and need to procure a batch of nutrient solutions. I wonder if there's a 'kind soul' willing to sponsor me!"

Takashi stated his condition.

Since they had tried to manipulate him before, it was only fair they pay the price now that things had backfired.

"Ten cans!"

Koharu gritted her teeth and offered her bottom line.

Each can was worth ten million, and even then, it was not something easily obtained unless you were a major client. Even securing ten cans would require her to pull a lot of strings.

"To restore the glory of Konoha, it's our duty!"

Takashi immediately sat up.

It's just the Sand Ninja, after all. He'd take care of them.

Besides, he'd already enjoyed the show, and now with ten cans of nutrient solution coming his way, it was a huge win.

A significant sacrifice!

It seemed they were genuinely sincere.

Because this was a private benefit for him, not for the Southwest Ninja Army. At this price, even Hidan could be hired a few times.

"…"

Koharu looked at Takashi, who now seemed entirely focused on the village's well-being, as if someone else had been negotiating earlier. She was so angry she felt a pang in her heart.

My money!

This expense couldn't go through the public accounts; it had to come out of her own pocket.

The only good news was that Takashi would get the job done, and he immediately set off with his team.

Soon, the remaining eight hundred ninjas of the Southwest Ninja Army were heading towards Orochimaru's location.

As for Kikyo Mountain, it was naturally left to the two elders and five hundred hastily assembled ninjas.

They weren't expected to accomplish much, just to hold the line.

Organizing the ninja army, distributing supplies... such tasks were, of course, handed over to Nara Shikaku.

After Shikaku's previous reminder about making choices, Takashi understood the critical decisions these clan ninjas made and didn't bother trying to recruit him.

As long as they completed the tasks he assigned, that was enough.

"Pick up the pace!"

Midway, Takashi urged his subordinates to speed up.

Rescuing someone was like putting out a fire; if he didn't succeed in rescuing the target, the nutrient solution worth a hundred million ryo would be gone.

He was well aware of Orochimaru's current predicament.

However, this time, Takashi planned to take care of some 'personal business' along the way.

Yes, personal business.

A certain noble had dared to cause trouble for the Honda Trading Company.

Clearly, they were tired of living.

The Honda Trading Company now paid him a portion of their profits as 'protection money'.

Yet, knowing this, the noble still made things difficult for the company. How could Takashi tolerate that?

He hadn't had the time before (busy fishing), but now that he was out, he would naturally take the opportunity to back the Honda Trading Company, making it clear they had his support.

He didn't want to constantly step in to clean up messes, so this was the perfect chance to establish his authority.

Backing them with the ninja army!

Surely, after this, no noble would dare to act so recklessly.

(End of Chapter)