Those qualified to attend the Jōnin Conference were, naturally, all jōnin-level ninja—even special jōnin were not eligible.
Inside the village, in a small conference room on the fourth floor of the meeting building, the scene was clear at a glance: a room with roughly sixty seats, every one of them filled.
"Cough, cough."
"At this meeting, we'll mainly be discussing frontline authority distribution, as well as follow-up personnel deployments…"
At the front of the room, behind a wooden table, sat the Third Hokage, Sarutobi Hiruzen, who was currently speaking.
To his left and right were the two Konoha elders, Mitokado Homura and Utatane Koharu.
Before them were rows of matching wooden desks and chairs, where the jōnin sat attentively, listening to the Hokage.
Among them, Orochimaru sat in the second row from the front.
Tsunade and Jiraiya were seated together in the fourth row.
At this moment, Tsunade was staring blankly at the small notebook in front of her, completely uninterested in the Hokage's formal opening remarks.
"How boring," she muttered inwardly.
"I really want to go back and rest already."
This time, because Nawaki hadn't died on the battlefield, Tsunade's mood was far more relaxed than in the original timeline.
"Pay attention," Jiraiya whispered beside her. "This might be our turn."
By "our turn," he meant being sent to the battlefield as longer-term combat personnel—such as Level 1–3 commanders.
On Tsunade's left sat a handsome young man with long white hair, deep in thought about the future of the Kato clan.
"At the end of the day, I'm just a jōnin leading logistics units on the battlefield," he thought.
"If I can find a way to obtain Level 3 command authority on the frontline, I'll have a chance to rack up major achievements."
"And then… step by step, climb to the top."
"Maybe I could even become Hokage."
Kato Dan's ambition burned fiercely.
His goal was to revive the Kato clan, which was now on the brink of decline and dissolution.
If he couldn't become an outstanding jōnin and enter the village's upper leadership, then even if his aging father passed the clan to him, the Kato clan would still inevitably disappear.
At this time, Sarutobi Hiruzen raised several key points regarding the battlefield.
"Within the Land of Rain," he said,
"there exists a creature known as the salamander."
"Even without Hanzo—the powerful leader of Amegakure—stationed there, Konoha ninja would still find it difficult to fight freely on Rain Country battlefields."
"Furthermore, it has been confirmed that Iwagakure and Sunagakure have already entered peace negotiations with Amegakure."
"At present,"
"we are no longer facing only the Rain ninja."
"We must also be prepared to confront Sand and Stone."
"And even the Land of Grass, bordering Rain, is beginning to stir."
"Hiruzen is right," Utatane Koharu said, sweeping her gaze across the jōnin.
"There's a high chance that the Land of Grass is already under attack by Iwagakure. We must support Grass Country to prevent it from becoming a passageway for Stone ninja."
"Otherwise, the Land of Fire will be forced to open another front."
"And our village no longer has enough ninja to reinforce additional defenses."
Mitokado Homura nodded solemnly.
"After discussion, the council has decided to dispatch more jōnin to support the Fire–Rain front."
"This year, we aim to completely suppress Amegakure, crush their morale, and force their leader into peace talks with Konoha."
Sarutobi Hiruzen then looked around the room.
"All of you are elite cadres of the village's upper ranks. If you have any opinions, speak freely."
Soon, a jōnin raised a question.
"Hokage-sama, if we send out a large number of jōnin leaders, how will the village's surrounding security be handled?"
Hearing this, Sarutobi Hiruzen glanced toward the Uchiha clan head, Uchiha Koshino.
Koshino looked briefly at the questioner and instantly understood—this was pressure coming from the Hokage's side.
Even so, he had no choice but to answer.
"The Uchiha Police Force is responsible for village security. There is no need for concern."
"I see. With the Uchiha clan's elite guarding the village, security should be assured,"
the Sarutobi jōnin replied with a smile before sitting back down.
Beside him sat a younger jōnin, who understood clearly that this was his father's way of pressuring the Uchiha.
Even so, he felt the tactic was far too underhanded.
After a short pause with no further objections, Sarutobi Hiruzen picked up a paper list.
"Very well," he said.
"Let us begin battlefield assignments."
"When your name is called, stand."
The atmosphere immediately grew tense.
Some jōnin feared their names would be called.
Others worried they wouldn't be assigned a good post.
A few were wondering whether there would be any women bathing at the bathhouse at this hour…
"Nara Yoshiki."
"Here!"
"Appointed Head of the Command Advisory Department at Insect Grove Gorge Camp, replacing Aburame Shiken—Level 1 Commander."
"Yes!"
"Yamanaka Kazushi!"
"Here!"
"Appointed Head of Intelligence at Insect Grove Gorge Camp, replacing Special Jōnin Yamanaka Daiyū—Level 2 Commander."
"Yes!"
"Jiraiya. Tsunade. Orochimaru."
"Here!" ×3
Tsunade looked surprised—she was a medical ninja. Why was her name called?
—Originally, before the list was announced, Tsunade would have proposed assigning a medical ninja to every squad.
But since Nawaki hadn't died, and Orochimaru hadn't become twisted and cold enough to mockingly remark, "If squads had medical ninja, fewer would die on the battlefield," Tsunade hadn't brought it up.
Meanwhile, Kato Dan felt miserable.
He had just been thinking that if he could flatter Tsunade at the right moment, maybe he'd get a chance at frontline command and earn merit.
Now, he couldn't find any opening at all.
Sarutobi Hiruzen glanced at the surviving combat personnel at Insect Grove Gorge.
Recon leaders were still relatively plentiful—but capable combat leaders were severely lacking.
"Jiraiya and Orochimaru will jointly serve as Heads of the Combat Department and Combat Squad Leaders, Level 2 Commanders!"
"Yes!" ×2
"Additionally, Tsunade will replace the Medical Department head and serve concurrently as Medical Squad Leader, Level 2 Commander!"
"Yes!"
—The previous Head of the Combat Department and Level 1 Commander had been Hiruzen's uncle, who had recently died in battle.
Under the table, Kato Dan's fist clenched so tightly it nearly burst.
"…Damn it."
Straight out the gate, the Hokage's students were appointed Level 2 Commanders and department heads.
Still, Dan was surprised to hear Orochimaru was also only Level 2.
Glancing at Orochimaru's calm expression, Dan thought:
At the last jōnin conference, Orochimaru was a Level 1 commander in an enemy-country logistics camp. Now he's "only" a Level 2 commander at a border mega-camp?
But on second thought—
Managing a small camp of a hundred ninja with 3–5 commanders, versus being a Level 2 commander in a camp of over a thousand ninja with only around twenty commanders…
There really wasn't much difference.
"Speaking of the Medical Department," Sarutobi Hiruzen said, looking at Tsunade,
"your burden may be heavy. The number of frontline medical ninja is far too low."
"And research into salamander poison can't rely on Orochimaru alone."
"Do you have any outstanding medical ninja to recommend?"
"We can now promote chūnin-level medical officers."
"Yes!" Tsunade stood up immediately.
"I recommend my disciple—Yakushi Nono!"
Hearing the name, Sarutobi Hiruzen instantly remembered that the girl had once been Baixing's student.
Now both Tsunade's disciple and his own "grand-disciple," Hiruzen couldn't help but smile.
"Good! Submit the application tomorrow."
"Any other medical ninja willing to go to the battlefield will be promoted to probationary chūnin!"
"And they will receive priority consideration in future chūnin medical officer examinations."
"As for nurses—anyone willing to go to the battlefield will receive one rank of increased待遇 after the war!"
"Understood!"
Kato Dan: "..."
Could you at least let someone object? Or give me a chance to speak…
Tsunade, unaware of Dan's feelings, simply felt happy that her disciple could be promoted early and sat back down.
—In this timeline, Nono was directly promoted to chūnin-level medical officer.
With battlefield subsidies and logistics camp performance pay, her monthly income would easily exceed one million ryō.
The meeting continued as assignments were announced.
"Sarutobi Rōsuke!"
"Here!"
"Appointed Level 3 Commander and Combat Squad Leader at Insect Grove Gorge Camp!"
"Yes!"
"..."
After filling most positions at Insect Grove Gorge, Sarutobi Hiruzen paused briefly at one name—then moved on to another list.
The Fire River Border, also known as the Fire–Wind Border.
—The Flowing Gorge Camp roster.
"Sarutobi Shinnosuke! Sarutobi Takao!"
"Here!" ×2
Uchiha Koshino glanced toward Sarutobi Takao—the one who had pressured him earlier—and silently wished him plenty of battlefield danger.
Best if he lost an arm or two.
"Assigned as Level 3 Commanders and Combat Squad Leaders at Flowing Gorge Camp."
—The camp's Level 1 Commander was Hatake Sakumo.
"Yes!" ×2
"Kato Dan!"
"Here!"
Dan thought, Finally my turn.
Sarutobi Hiruzen reviewed Dan's file, noting his mastery of the ultra–S-rank forbidden technique: the Spirit Transformation Technique.
This was the son of the former Kato clan head from the Forbidden Techniques Development Division.
Since the Second Hokage, only Kato Dan had mastered this technique—its difficulty rivaling even the Flying Thunder God.
"Assigned as Reconnaissance Squad Leader."
"Yes…"
Dan sat down, disappointed.
Just a squad leader… not even a Level 3 commander.
Sarutobi Hiruzen noticed Dan's frustration but knew the truth:
Dan's combat ability was limited, and using Spirit Transformation required protection.
Recon squad leader was the most suitable position.
Time passed.
After finishing the final assignment, Sarutobi Hiruzen looked around the room.
"That concludes the announcements."
"If anything is unclear or unacceptable, speak now."
After a moment of silence, he nodded.
"Very well. These assignments take effect tomorrow."
"You all know what must be done before deployment."
"Understood!" ×N
As the elders prepared to adjourn, Sarutobi Hiruzen suddenly picked up the Insect Grove Gorge list again.
He announced a decision so shocking it bordered on absurd.
"Cough."
"I would like to personally recommend a particularly capable ninja as Recon Squad Leader and Level 3 Commander at Insect Grove Gorge…"
Kato Dan, who had been preparing to leave and look for a chance to get closer to Tsunade:
"???"
Which bastard is getting personally recommended by the Hokage?!
Orochimaru vaguely guessed Hiruzen's intention and chuckled inwardly.
Jiraiya whispered to Tsunade, "If the old man's recommending someone at this point, they're definitely not a jōnin—and not present at this meeting."
Tsunade nodded, thinking: Who's this lucky brat? Could it be Shikaku?
After all, Shikaku had become a chūnin a month ago and had perfectly completed multiple A- and B-rank missions—and even one S-rank.
Sarutobi Shinnosuke, meanwhile, had a terrible feeling.
Wait—this can't be…
No way my father would be stupid enough to let a genin—
"Their name," Sarutobi Hiruzen said calmly,
"is Baixing."
"He is a ninja with an almost perfect mission record—over 99% completion."
"He once served as vice-captain on an S-rank mission, covering the retreat of his entire team and later rescuing his jōnin captain, Yūhi Kurenai."
"And during the Uzushio mission, he flawlessly coordinated with Uzushio ninja, secured the Noah Ark 'Whirlpool,' and captured an elite Kirigakure chūnin alive."
The room fell silent as the jōnin processed this information.
Faces twitched uncontrollably.
With credentials like that, how is he not even a special jōnin yet?!
"I object!"
With a bang, Sarutobi Shinnosuke stood up, glaring angrily at his father.
Kato Dan silently agreed—I'm not even a Level 3 commander. Why should Baixing get it?!
But Dan didn't dare speak.
"He's just a genin!" Shinnosuke shouted.
"He hasn't even passed the chūnin exams! What right does he have to be a Level 3 commander?!"
"Genin?!" ×N
"Ha… I knew it," Jiraiya muttered.
Tsunade, on the other hand, was calm now.
Genin. Recon leader. Interesting.
Wait—if Baixing became a Level 3 commander at Insect Grove Gorge, wouldn't that mean he'd be under my command?
Tsunade's lips curled into a mischievous smile.
She suddenly stood up.
"I oppose Sarutobi Shinnosuke's objection!"
Sarutobi Hiruzen had expected Orochimaru to speak first—but it was Tsunade instead.
Meanwhile, Orochimaru actually didn't want Baixing on the battlefield at all.
He wasn't strong enough yet—praise was fine, but staying in Konoha was safer.
"Lady Tsunade's opinion aligns with mine," Hiruzen said calmly, looking at his spoiled son.
"And there is one more thing."
"During the previous B-rank battlefield intelligence mission, Baixing and Nawaki cooperated to capture a spy who had hidden within the Land of Fire for years…"
"—The Silent Lizard."
"What?!"
"That guy we've been hunting for years?!"
"He always detected us early and escaped!"
"In that case, I agree!"
"Even if he's a genin, the Third Hokage's judgment has never failed."
Uchiha Koshino quickly spoke up as well.
"I also agree! Baixing's abilities are no less than my son's. He is fully qualified to serve as a Level 3 commander!"
The room erupted.
"Even the Uchiha clan head agrees?"
"His son—that's Uchiha Fugaku, right? Isn't he currently a Level 2 commander at Cloud–Mist Forest Cliff?"
—Cloud–Mist Forest Cliff, in southwestern Rice Country.
A border camp monitoring Kumogakure, currently around five hundred ninja.
Soon, personnel would be transferred to Insect Grove Gorge, while Danzō temporarily took charge here to guard the border.
And yes—Danzō had already departed.
Opportunities to earn merit as a Level 1 Commander were rare.
"You—you people…"
Sarutobi Shinnosuke stared in disbelief.
He couldn't understand why so many people supported Baixing's appointment.
Even the Uchiha clan head?!
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