Naruto: Hyuga Warlord

According to the unanimous resolution of the Jonin Unit meeting, a war mobilization order signed collectively by all Jonin currently stationed in the village officially conscripted one thousand two hundred ninjas—including Soushu's squad—as reinforcements for the western front.

This joint initiative from the Jonin was originally proposed during a private meeting between Hyuga Soushu and Sakumo Hatake that took place after the official Jonin Unit session. As someone who deeply revered the Jonin Unit Leader Sakumo Hatake, Jonin Soushu passionately suggested this idea.

Sakumo Hatake thought the suggestion was excellent—it perfectly reflected the long-standing nominal superiority of Konoha's system of collective governance by Jonin. He gladly accepted it and quickly drafted a new document to ensure every Jonin felt fully involved and respected.

Although due to Hokage Tower's ambiguous stance, Sakumo Hatake was only holding a provisional leadership role over the Jonin Unit, Soushu stated that every sharp-sighted Konoha Jonin should unite around their wise leader, Sakumo, contributing their strength toward the village's prosperity and stability. He also expressed full confidence that under Commander Sakumo's leadership, the great Hidden Leaf would inevitably achieve final victory!

These words delighted Sakumo so much that his heart blossomed with joy, greatly increasing his favorability toward Hyuga Soushu.

Therefore, based on a comprehensive evaluation of Hyuga Soushu's overall capabilities and aiming entirely at embarking on the glorious path toward ultimate victory for Konoha, Sakumo Hatake swiftly decided to appoint Soushu—who had just removed the "Tokubetsu" designation—to the rank of Company Commander within the Ninja Force and assigned seven ninja squads under his command.

Of course, all of this made perfect sense. Although Soushu might have been relatively inexperienced compared to others, the precious two-and-a-half years of battlefield experience he gained in the Land of Rain could not be ignored. Whether dealing with decisive skirmishes or unpredictable attrition warfare, he consistently proved himself outstandingly capable; thus, granting him some slight leeway seemed reasonable and justifiable.

However, given all factors, it was unlikely that the squads assigned to Soushu would be drawn from experienced Jonin teams. Based on the position Soushu demonstrated, Sakumo Hatake decided to allocate several warriors leaning toward Martial Faction ideology among the western reinforcements under Soushu's command.

"Tokubetsu Jonin Toshimichi Yamanaka and Mitotou Takahiro."

As he read through the list of subordinates, Soushu couldn't help but feel a headache coming on.

As is well known throughout Konoha, members of the Martial Faction are generally regarded as having serious mental issues. Particularly those martial-clan warriors who've never actually experienced harsh battlefield trials yet inexplicably remain excessively enthusiastic about war—every single one of them clearly has severe problems!

But since this was the Jonin Unit's collective decision—and presumably well-intentioned—Soushu, who had always strongly supported Sakumo's leadership, naturally couldn't turn down such an assignment.

In addition to the two Tokubetsu Jonin squads he had already met—each consisting of four men—there were another five three-member teams led by Chunin officers.

In other words, besides Soushu himself, there were only two Tokubetsu Jonin officers under his command. Naturally, Sakumo Hatake wouldn't possibly agree to any request changing personnel arrangements, meaning Soushu could only accept the situation as it was.

With this arrangement, Hyuga Soushu's squad could command a total of 27 ninja forces, including three combined Jonin and Tokubetsu Jonin, seven Chunin, and twenty-seven Genin. While such a force might seem insignificant in the Land of Rain's large-scale battles, it was still a decent size for the western front, where Hatake Sakumo typically operated with small units on missions like reconnaissance, sabotage, and assassination.

Moreover, Mahiru Uchiha, serving under Soushu, was essentially equivalent to a Tokubetsu Jonin, and Kosuke Maruboshi, a veteran officer, also possessed formidable strength. Taking them into account, the squad actually had five Jonin-level combatants. In the unique environment of Land of Rivers, such military power was already sufficient to maneuver freely without being surrounded.

As for the purpose of assigning these forces under his command—

Honestly speaking, this indicated that Hatake Sakumo had clearly recognized Soushu's strategic positioning. Though this might just be something Sakumo intentionally manipulated, clearly, a series of events and Soushu's involvement had convinced others of its authenticity.

When Hyuga Soushu and Mahiru Uchiha discussed this under the moonlight among flowers, they finally reached only one conclusion—deal with problems as they came while doing their best to cultivate their abilities, earn enough merits, and climb higher within Konoha's power structure so as to better fulfill their responsibilities toward Hidden Leaf Village.

"Every disadvantage we face stems from our current weakness."

Hyuga Soushu sighed deeply and held Mahiru tightly in his arms.

"Still, we're both young, which means there are endless possibilities for us, aren't there?"

Without any sound, Mahiru Uchiha's single-tomoe Sharingan had unknowingly activated, emitting eerie crimson light. Looking into each other's eyes, they saw their own reflections staring back.

Coldness, ruthlessness, but also deep attachment—that's what Soushu read in Mahiru's eyes.

What caught Mahiru Uchiha's attention wasn't merely Soushu's affectionate Byakugan, but rather the clearly visible Caged Bird (Tenketsu) Curse Seal on his forehead.

Since their relationship had grown deeper, every time she saw this blue scar, Mahiru felt her heart twisting painfully.

She hated the Main House's cruelty toward Branch Members, pitied Soushu for his helplessness, and felt anxious about their future together.

Although the Uchiha did not object to their relationship or further intimacy, Mahiru understood very well that, including her parents, no one in the Uchiha truly believed their relationship would succeed.

It was partly because Soushu had shown real potential, and since the Uchiha Clan had always been conservative yet moderately open-minded, coupled with more women than men in the clan, they chose to turn a blind eye and not interfere.

However, if someday Soushu really gave in to pressure from the Main House and chose to return to traditional clan customs, Mahiru didn't know what she would do then!

"Even in death, we won't be separated!"

At this thought, overwhelmed by intense emotion, Mahiru held Hyuga Soushu even tighter.

"We *will* be the ultimate victors. We'll bring the entire Ninja World to its knees!"

Hyuga Soushu gently kissed Mahiru's forehead. "You are my everything."

"I will be your most loyal blade. Together, we will crush anything that dares to defy us!"

Overcome with passion, Mahiru stood on her toes and pressed her lips firmly to the [Caged Bird Seal] on Hyuga Soushu's forehead. "One day, everything and everyone will bow before us!"

Even though snow drifted around them in the bitter winter, their two burning hearts drew ever closer, and their hearts finally became one.

<><><><><><><><>

Thank you for reading! Your support will keep me updating!

~ Every 50 Powerstones = **4 Bonus Chapters** this weekend!

<><><><><><><><>

~ 100+ Advanced Chapters Available on Patreon!

~ More *Free* Chapters and Books Available on Patreon!

patreon.com/Tansnovel

<><><><><><><><>