Only true jōnin were qualified to attend.
Even tokubetsu jōnin had no right to enter.
Inside a fourth-floor conference chamber of the Konoha Administration Building—
sixty seats, all filled.
"Ahem.
This meeting is to discuss changes in frontline authority, personnel redistribution… and several urgent matters."
At the front table sat the Third Hokage, Sarutobi Hiruzen, flanked by the two village elders—Mitokado Homura and Utatane Koharu.
Before them, row after row of wooden desks.
Dozens of elite jōnin sat straight, listening.
Orochimaru sat in the second row.
Tsunade and Jiraiya shared a desk in the fourth.
Tsunade, however, was spacing out, chin in her hand, eyes blankly resting on her notebook.
"So boring…
I just want to go home and sleep."
This time, Nawaki wasn't dead, so her mood was far lighter than in canon.
"Pay attention," Jiraiya whispered.
"One of us might be deployed next as a long-term field commander."
To their left sat a handsome silver-haired young jōnin—Kato Dan—lost in silent ambition.
Right now, I'm only a logistical unit leader…
If I can seize a Tier-3 command post at the front, I might earn enough merit to climb higher…
Maybe even… Hokage.
His desire burned fiercely.
If he didn't rise to the upper echelons, the fading Kato clan would be dissolved within a generation.
Up front, Hiruzen continued:
"In the Land of Rain, there exists a creature known as the salamander.
And without Hanzo—the powerful leader of Amegakure—even then our shinobi struggle to fight freely within Rain's environment.
"Furthermore, it's confirmed that both Iwagakure and Sunagakure have entered peace negotiations with Amegakure."
A silent heaviness settled.
"In other words," Hiruzen said, "we are no longer facing just Amegakure.
We now face three nations—Rain, Stone, and Sand.
Even the Land of Grass is showing signs of unrest."
Koharu added sharply:
"Grass Country is likely under assault by Iwa ninja.
We must support them—if Grass falls, it becomes a direct route into the Land of Fire.
We do not have enough manpower for another front."
Homura nodded solemnly:
"The Elders have decided to deploy additional jōnin to reinforce the Fire–Rain front.
We must suppress Amegakure before year's end and force Hanzo into peace talks."
Hiruzen swept his gaze across the room.
"All of you are the village's elite.
Voice your opinions."
A hand rose.
"If we deploy so many jōnin, Hokage-sama—
who will guard the village?"
Hiruzen's gaze shifted to the Uchiha clan head, Uchiha Yueya.
Yueya immediately understood.
This was political theater.
He had no choice but to comply.
"Konoha's internal security," Yueya said evenly,
"will be handled by the Uchiha Police Force. There will be no issues."
"Oh? With the Uchiha's finest on guard, the village will surely be safe," the Sarutobi jōnin replied, sitting down with a satisfied smile.
Beside him, a younger Sarutobi jōnin grimaced inwardly.
He recognized it as another low-tier political jab at Uchiha.
Minutes passed.
No more objections.
Hiruzen pulled out the assignment scroll.
"Very well.
We begin battlefield distribution.
Stand when your name is called."
Tension rose.
Some hoped not to be deployed.
Some hoped for better posts.
A few… were thinking about the women's bathhouse after the meeting.
"Nara Kugiyoshi."
"Here!"
"Kugiyoshi will replace Aburame Shiken as Chief Strategist of the Bugwood Gorge Forward Camp — Tier-1 Commander."
"Sir!"
"Yamanaka Kazushi."
"Here!"
"Kazushi will replace Tokubetsu Jōnin Yamanaka Hiroshi as Head of Intelligence at Bugwood Gorge — Tier-2 Commander."
"Sir!"
"Jiraiya, Tsunade, Orochimaru."
"Here!" ×3
Tsunade blinked in surprise.
She was a medical ninja—why was she being called?
(Originally, she would've argued for mandatory medics in every squad. But Nawaki didn't die this time, and Orochimaru didn't make his canonical bitter remark criticizing the lack of medics—so she stayed quiet.)
Dan grimaced.
He'd wanted to take this chance to impress Tsunade, but he had missed every timing window.
Hiruzen scanned the personnel list—detecting a clear shortage of high-level combat leaders after the recent casualties.
"Jiraiya and Orochimaru—joint heads of Combat Operations at Bugwood Gorge — Tier-2 Commanders."
"Sir!" ×2
"As for the Medical Division—
Tsunade will take command as Head Medic and Leader of Medical Corps — Tier-2 Commander."
"Sir!"
Dan's fists tightened under the table.
Fireball! Even Orochimaru gets Tier-2. I'm doomed.
But he had to admit—leading a thousand-man camp demanded real strength, not ambition.
Hiruzen continued:
"Tsunade, the workload will be heavier this time.
With too few medics and ongoing research into Hanzo's poison…
Do you have any promising medical ninja for promotion?"
"I do!
I nominate my disciple—Yakushi Nonoyu!"
Hiruzen's expression brightened.
Nonoyu was both Tsunade's student and formerly Kaito's teacher—
his own "grand-student," so to speak.
"Excellent. Submit her paperwork tomorrow.
All who volunteer for frontline medical duty will be raised to Provisional Chūnin.
Nurses who volunteer will have their rank increased after the war."
"Yes!"
Kato Dan wilted inside.
Not even a chance to speak.
Assignments continued.
"Sarutobi Rōsuke!"
"Here!"
"You are assigned as Tier-3 Commander of Combat Operations at Bugwood Gorge."
"Sir!"
More names followed.
Then—
Hiruzen paused slightly on one name
…then switched scrolls.
This time: the Fire–Wind border, also known as the Ryuusui Gorge Front, commanded by none other than Hatake Sakumo.
"Sarutobi Shin'nosuke, Sarutobi Takao."
"Here!" ×2
"You are assigned as Tier-3 Combat Commanders under Hatake Sakumo."
"Sir!"
Yueya shot a cold glance at Sarutobi Takao—the same man who had just tried cornering him earlier.
May you run into as many 'accidents' at the front as possible.
More names passed.
Finally:
"Kato Dan."
"Here!"
Dan straightened, heart pounding.
Hiruzen looked over his file.
Spirit Transformation Technique—rare, difficult, nearly S-rank.
A talent unmatched since Tobirama.
If developed fully, he might have shone on the battlefield.
"Kato Dan—assigned as Scout Unit Captain."
"…Yes…"
Dan sat down, crushed.
Not even a Tier-3 command.
But Hiruzen knew Dan's limitations—when using Spirit Transformation, he required protection.
A scout captaincy was already generous.
Finally, after nearly an hour—
"Are there any objections to the assignments?"
No one spoke.
"Very well.
Assignments take effect tomorrow."
The elders straightened to adjourn—
But Hiruzen wasn't finished.
He reopened the Bugwood Gorge list.
"Ahem.
I have one additional candidate to appoint as Tier-3 Commander and Scout Unit Captain—
a shinobi of exceptional ability."
Kato Dan choked.
WHO?!
Which bastard is getting personally recommended by the Hokage?!
Orochimaru twitched his lips—he already guessed it.
"Old man recommending someone, and not during the jōnin roll call…"
Jiraiya muttered. "Must be someone below jōnin rank."
Tsunade nodded.
Perhaps—Nara Shikaku?
He'd earned major merit recently.
Others speculated quietly.
Shin'nosuke suddenly felt an ominous dread.
Wait… no way.
Father wouldn't…
He wouldn't actually…
Koharu frowned.
"Hiruzen, the Elders were not consulted—"
"As commander assignments require caution—" Homura added.
"It's fine." Hiruzen waved a hand.
"I guarantee his loyalty as the Hokage."
Shock rippled across the room.
Shin'nosuke's dread tripled.
Then the name dropped:
"His name is Kaito."
Silence.
"He is a shinobi with a mission completion rate exceeding 99%.
He has flawlessly executed missions of every rank.
During an S-rank operation, he acted as deputy leader and enabled the full retreat of his squad—
even rescuing the jōnin commander, Yūhi Kurenai's mother."
Murmurs spread.
"During the Uzushio mission, he cooperated with the Uzumaki forces, protected the construction of the Ark Vessel, and personally captured a Mist elite chūnin alive…"
More murmurs.
Brows rose.
Several jōnin felt their faces twitch.
How is this kid not already a tokubetsu jōnin—
No, even a full jōnin?!
Then—
"I object!"
Sarutobi Shin'nosuke shot to his feet.
Dan silently agreed, but didn't dare openly oppose the Hokage.
"He is only a genin!
He hasn't even passed the chūnin exams!
How can a genin become a Tier-3 commander?!"
"Genin?!" ×many
Jiraiya rubbed his temples.
"Knew it… the moment I heard Kaito's name…"
Tsunade didn't even react anymore.
She already used up all her shock earlier.
Wait… if Kaito gets posted to Bugwood Gorge—
he'll be under my medical command.
A slow grin spread across her face.
"This is the dumbest thing I've ever heard!" Shin'nosuke shouted.
"It makes a mockery of the entire command structure!"
"I reject Shin'nosuke's objection," Tsunade said abruptly, rising.
Hiruzen blinked—he thought Orochimaru would speak first.
Orochimaru, meanwhile, had no desire to send Kaito to the real front.
He'd rather keep the boy alive in the village.
But Tsunade beat him to it.
Hiruzen raised his voice again:
"In the previous B-rank battlefield intelligence mission, Kaito and Nawaki cooperated to capture the long-hunted infiltrator from Iwagakure—
The Silent Lizard."
Gasps erupted.
"Impossible! We've hunted him for years!"
"He escaped every capture attempt!"
"For genin to catch him—"
"I support the appointment!"
"So do I!"
"If Hokage-sama personally vouches, that's enough for me!"
Uchiha Yueya rose as well.
"As the teacher of Uchiha Mikoto, Kaito has proven strength no weaker than my son Fugaku.
I support his promotion and assignment."
The room erupted again.
Shin'nosuke stared wide-eyed.
"Y-you…
You can't be serious—!"
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