c9: Back to the Frontline
This is the privilege of being born into a noble shinobi clan. Even if one isn't a direct heir like the Second Hokage was to the Senju, a clan ninja still has direct channels for accessing ninjutsu.
Intermediate and low-tier techniques are granted by the clan as one's strength qualifies. For higher-level ninjutsu, one must serve the clan diligently and make significant contributions to earn that right.
For civilian-born shinobi, however, the situation is drastically different. Accessing ninjutsu is significantly more difficult. There are generally three paths available to them.
The first is to be guided by a jōnin while serving under a chūnin captain on missions.
Not all graduates of the Ninja Academy are assigned mentors. Only the most exceptional like Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura, who were placed under Kakashi receive direct jōnin tutelage.
The rest are grouped and led by chūnin on lower-ranked missions. Encountering a tokubetsu jōnin is a stroke of luck, not a norm.
If a civilian shinobi wants to be taught ninjutsu by a jōnin, they must first earn that person's approval. The difficulty of this varies by personality. If the jōnin is miserly with their knowledge like Ebisu was before Naruto humbled him then no matter how hard you work, you'll learn nothing.
Even after gaining approval, the ninjutsu might not suit you. If your chakra nature is incompatible, the technique is useless.
The second path is to earn major merit for the village.
Routine missions don't count those already yield their due rewards. What counts are truly significant achievements.
But feats of great merit are no small matter. They usually demand risking one's life in high-level missions or during war. And the criteria for what constitutes a "great achievement" is vague ultimately decided by Konoha's upper leadership, like the Hokage and the elders.
The third route? Cling to a powerful individual or curry favor with a great clan.
This often means flattery, loyalty, and humility something Ebisu mastered. His persistent sycophancy landed him a tokubetsu jōnin rank and the role of private tutor to Konohamaru, the Third Hokage's grandson a highly prestigious post for someone of non-clan origin.
But none of these three methods are easy. All are far harder than the straightforward route available to family-born shinobi.
Among the original supporting cast, even Uzuki Yugao one of the more capable civilian-born nin reached only the level of tokubetsu jōnin, and primarily specialized in kenjutsu with minimal ninjutsu knowledge.
For that reason, most civilian ninjas won't even bother to buy the costly chakra nature paper to test their elemental affinity unless they're confident they'll actually gain access to relevant jutsu.
Being born into the Uchiha clan is both a burden and a blessing. At the very least, one doesn't have to worry about accessing quality ninjutsu at least not in the short term.
Not knowing when his transfer order would come, and conscious that time was limited, Uchiha Gen poured his efforts primarily into mastering Fire Release ninjutsu.
First of all, Fire Release is the Uchiha clan's specialty rooted in both training and bloodline heritage. But more than that, Gen had Zhurong, the fire-based Homiz, integrated with his chakra system.
What better way to learn the chakra transformation of Fire Release than to understand it through Zhurong?
Zhurong, being a sentient manifestation of flames, was the perfect tutor.
That's also why Gen's first high-grade Homiz was fire-natured. With layers of advantages, rapid progress was inevitable.
Just as Gen expected, while the learning curve wasn't as effortless as his genjutsu breakthroughs enabled by his reincarnated soul and unique spiritual affinity his progress in Fire Release was far beyond what ordinary ninja could dream of.
…
Half a month passed, and Uchiha Gen's overall strength skyrocketed. Even excluding Zhurong and his other Homitz, he had clearly reached the threshold of jōnin.
However, his taijutsu and combat experience were still lagging behind. These are aspects that can't be rushed they require practical battle and time.
Gen had hoped to continue training, but unfortunately, his position fell under the frontline mobilization roster not the Uchiha Police Force. His arms couldn't twist the will of the Hokage, so he had no choice but to accept the Third Hokage's deployment orders.
Even if he had been in the police force, a direct transfer order from Hiruzen Sarutobi would override any clan objection. Participation in the war effort was unavoidable.
When the transfer order finally arrived, Gen felt a mix of relief and frustration.
Relief because the horrific bloodbath at the Kannabi Bridge was already over. That battle had reduced a Konoha platoon to just four survivors: Minato Namikaze, Rin Nohara, Kakashi Hatake, and Obito Uchiha. Gen wouldn't have to fight in that death trap.
But frustration lingered Uchiha Obito had already been declared a hero of Konoha.
Gen had hoped to investigate him more closely or confront him. But fate had denied him the chance.
On the battlefield, their paths never crossed. And since returning to the village, Obito had vanished from public view. There had been no chance for contact, let alone conflict.
As a Konoha shinobi, leaving the village requires formal registration and approval. Unauthorized departure is a grave offense, with the worst-case consequence being classified as a missing-nin a rogue shinobi. Once labeled as such, ANBU or hunter-nin are dispatched to pursue and eliminate the threat.
Even if one risked such punishment and managed to leave, it wouldn't guarantee success in locating anyone. Who could say which front the trio had been deployed to under the command of the famed Yellow Flash Minato Namikaze?
And even if Obito were found, taking action against him would be nearly impossible unless he were completely alone. Launching an attack in front of Kakashi Hatake and Rin Nohara was simply out of the question.
Even assuming the impossible pulling it off the consequences would be catastrophic. Gen would face not only retribution from the Uchiha clan and the Konoha chain of command, but also provoke retaliation from Uchiha Madara's hidden forces, whose shadow still loomed from the past.
Sacrifice oneself to save the world?
Apologies, but Uchiha Gen wasn't that selfless. He wasn't Naruto Uzumaki. He hadn't reached that level of conviction at least, not yet.
Originally, Gen had planned to wait for Obito to return to Konoha and find a chance to ambush him. But Obito never returned. The residential building adjacent to the Uchiha compound, once his home, remained cold and abandoned.
If Obito were to die and Madara's puppet lost prematurely, the elder's entire plan could collapse. It wasn't easy to find a replacement as capable and emotionally vulnerable as Obito.
Even if Madara had prepared alternatives, none would possess the same combination of Sharingan talent, psychological trauma, and deep ties to Konoha that made Obito the ideal candidate. Obito was a rare product of both circumstance and personality.
Still, Tokiya Mingya had failed to eliminate him. Perhaps Obito truly had the protagonist's luck destined and shielded like a "Child of Prophecy."
But in the grand scheme of things, it wasn't a loss for Gen. After all, the two had once been acquaintances. Gen understood Obito's mindset, personality, and habits. Combined with his foreknowledge, Gen had advantages no other opponent could match.
…
With a quiet sigh, Gen Uchiha stored the deployment scroll, packed rations and gear, and turned in early that night. At dawn, after a simple breakfast, he arrived at Konoha's main gate on time.
Today's gate guards weren't the familiar pair Izumo Kamizuki and Kotetsu Hagane but two unfamiliar chunin, likely assigned temporarily.
A full hundred Konoha shinobi had assembled at the gate. Once the designated time arrived, the squad captain performed roll call. With all accounted for, they departed together destination: the Land of Grass.
Gen's assigned mission was clear reinforce the front lines and assist in eliminating Iwagakure forces whose supply routes had been severed during the destruction of Kannabi Bridge.
On the surface, it sounded like a cleanup operation. But the danger was real.
Iwagakure was known for its solidarity. Its shinobi rarely surrendered. They would rather scatter and fight like cornered beasts than be taken prisoner.
The enemy's rear had already been blocked off by Konoha units sweeping through with coordinated formations. The only possible escape for the Iwa ninja was to split into smaller cells, infiltrate deep into the Land of Fire, assume civilian identities, and disappear into the local population waiting for the right moment to flee.
But from the composition of the reinforcements, it was evident the enemy intended to resist. Most Konoha shinobi dispatched were combat-focused. If the enemy had gone into hiding, more sensor- and tracking-type nin would have been deployed instead.
After a full day's march, the Konoha unit arrived at their assigned encampment on the border between the Land of Fire and the Land of Grass.
The entire forward camp was cleverly positioned on the edge of dense forest, with its back to a green-cloaked mountain. The surrounding terrain had been rigged with traps classic Konoha craftsmanship.
There was no visible barrier or chakra dome protecting the camp likely due to a lack of personnel from the Barrier Team, whose numbers had dwindled during the war. Maintaining a full mountain-scale seal required more hands than Konoha could currently spare.
Still, Gen was impressed. To corner the enemy so completely in mountainous terrain essentially trapping Iwagakure's hardened veterans like prey was no small feat.
Who was behind such a masterful strategy?
Just as Gen pondered that question, a familiar figure emerged at the camp's entrance: golden-haired, youthful yet commanding, clad in Konoha's standard flak vest. There was no mistaking him Minato Namikaze, the man now whispered across battlefields as the Yellow Flash.
Walking behind him were a silver-haired boy and a brown-haired girl Kakashi Hatake and Rin Nohara, his famed students.
The squad captain exchanged greetings with Minato, a mix of respect and admiration. The talk was mostly the captain heaping praise, while Minato smiled modestly and responded with characteristic humility.
Minato's wartime accomplishments had already spread across Konoha, with rumors even reaching rival nations. He was especially idolized by civilian-born shinobi many of whom saw in him a role model who rose by merit, not bloodline.
After the formalities, the entire unit followed Minato toward the command tent at the heart of the camp. But the large tent couldn't accommodate a hundred people.
Lower-ranking shinobi, especially chunin like Gen, weren't permitted inside. Kakashi and Rin took responsibility for guiding them to temporary quarters and issuing marching orders.
Uchiha Gen, a mid-level operative at best, obediently followed the two.
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