Chapter 13: Hatake Sakumo
Rei had no idea that Sand Village had painted a target on his back. Fame was a double-edged sword in the shinobi world—it brought opportunity and death in equal measure. The Third Hokage had received Inoichi's mission report with interest, though the sanitized version only mentioned "several enemy casualties" and "effective tactical deployment." The kind of language that made mass murder sound like paperwork.
It took ten days for the real story to reach Konoha through more reliable channels. A middle-aged spy still embedded in Sunagakure sent word via hawk—the kind of mundane intelligence that wouldn't matter if intercepted. The important stuff required human couriers, people who could think on their feet and die with secrets locked behind their teeth.
When the intelligence reached the Hokage's office, it interrupted a heated strategy session. Shimura Danzo, still in his political prime, was pushing for preemptive strikes against a weakened Sand Village. Hatake Sakumo, leading the ANBU with his famous white hair still unmistakable, argued for caution. Wars had a way of pulling in every village within a thousand miles.
"Report," came the voice from outside, cutting through their debate like a blade.
"Enter," Hiruzen commanded, and the room fell silent.
The intelligence officer delivered his message with crisp professionalism and vanished, leaving behind a small scroll that carried more weight than its size suggested.
Hiruzen read it twice, his pipe smoke curling thoughtfully toward the ceiling. A smile played at the corners of his mouth—the kind that meant someone else was having a very bad day.
"Well?" Danzo's impatience was showing. "What does it say?"
Instead of answering, Hiruzen passed the scroll to Sakumo first. The slight was deliberate, and Danzo's face darkened accordingly. So much for equal partnership, he thought bitterly.
"Graduated a few months ago," Sakumo murmured, reading. "Impressive how quickly talent surfaces under pressure."
The intelligence made its rounds, each reader processing the implications. When it reached Danzo, his eyes lit up with the predatory gleam of someone who'd found a new tool.
"Perfect," he said. "The boy should join Root. He's exactly what we need."
Danzo assumed Hiruzen wouldn't compete for one Uchiha brat. Even with the double-tomoe Sharingan, the kid was just an elite chunin at best. And an Uchiha at that—better to control him early than let clan loyalties take root.
"Hmm." Hiruzen's tone carried warning bells that Danzo chose to ignore.
Such talent deserved careful handling. Root would give them control but limit his development. ANBU was too advanced for someone still technically a genin. The balance was delicate.
"Hokage," Sakumo interrupted before the decision could solidify. "I believe Uchiha Rei should remain in standard rotation for now."
"Explain."
"Growth requires time. At ten years old with this level of skill, he needs training more than assignments. Root's demands would stunt his development." Sakumo spoke with the conviction of someone who'd seen talent wasted before.
The truth ran deeper. He knew what Root did to promising young shinobi—twisted them into weapons that forgot they'd ever been human. The ANBU was hard enough; Root was where souls went to die.
"Hiruzen," Danzo pressed, "the Uchiha clan already resists village integration. Letting him grow unchecked—"
"Not all Uchiha oppose the village's interests," Sakumo countered. "Some embrace the Will of Fire completely."
He was thinking of Kagami, who'd died too young but lived as an example of what the clan could be when loyalty ran deeper than blood.
"Enough." Hiruzen's word ended the debate. "He can serve the village without joining Root. Choose another candidate, Danzo."
Danzo's jaw tightened, but he nodded. The game would continue.
"Sakumo, keep an eye on the boy. If he continues to impress, make sure he knows the village values his service."
With that dismissal, the meeting dissolved into smaller conversations and private grievances.
---
Back home, Rei was lost in the intricacies of genjutsu practice. Inoichi had taught him the Demonic Illusion: Hell Viewing Technique during their journey—a psychological assault that turned the target's mind against itself.
He'd been experimenting with shadow clones for hours, finally succeeding when one clone writhed in apparent agony before dispelling. The feedback was educational and disturbing in equal measure.
Success opened the door to a darker possibility. The Sharingan evolved through trauma—specifically, the trauma of losing someone precious. If he could simulate that emotional spike through genjutsu...
"Dangerous thinking," he muttered, but didn't dismiss the idea entirely. Even if he achieved the three-tomoe Sharingan, his chakra reserves couldn't sustain it for long. Ten minutes with his current two-tomoe was already pushing his limits.
Chakra capacity remained his primary limitation. His soul's strength gave him an advantage in refinement speed—more than double what Wada Yu managed—but it still wasn't enough for the techniques he envisioned.
"Jinchuriki," he said aloud, then laughed at his own ambition. Capturing a tailed beast was beyond his current abilities, and his body probably couldn't survive the process anyway.
Other options existed—Orochimaru's research into bloodline enhancement, for instance—but that required knowledge he didn't possess and morals he wasn't ready to abandon.
"Focus on what's achievable," he decided. "Nature transformation first."
Chakra nature training would improve his efficiency, letting him accomplish more with less energy. It was practical, measurable progress instead of impossible dreams.
Five months passed in steady improvement. His mission performance drew quiet approval from the jounin who supervised him. His chakra reserves finally reached true chunin levels, though he still felt the hunger for more power gnawing at him.
On a morning like any other, an ANBU operative appeared at his door with an invitation that would change everything.
"Hatake Sakumo wants to see you."
The White Fang of Konoha—legendary even among legends. Whatever this meeting meant, Rei's life was about to become significantly more complicated.
*********************
Support Me on Patreon for more chapters
5 Advanced chapters of Konoha : Blazing Legend
35 Advanced chapters & 5 Bonus chapters of Corpse Collector of Konoha
patre*n*com/IchigoTL