Naruto: Starting with Infinite Chakra-Chapter 207: Balance of Power

Watching as the clan leaders one by one expressed their allegiance, he felt a deep sense of satisfaction.

His takeover had been a complete success—swift, decisive, and without causing turmoil in the village. With his overwhelming strength, he had already subdued these clan heads, leaving them no choice but to fall in line. None of them dared to ally with Sarutobi Hiruzen against him.

"Uchiha Fugaku, the task of eliminating the remaining shinobi from Amegakure falls to you. I expect you to carry it out flawlessly," Jiraiya declared, his sharp gaze fixed on the young Uchiha.

Jiraiya had made up his mind—this mission would be handled by the Uchiha clan. Their strength was undeniable.

During Sarutobi Hiruzen's tenure, the Uchiha had been sidelined, their power feared rather than utilized. The previous leadership had hesitated to entrust them with major responsibilities, worried that successfully completing such missions would bolster their influence and disrupt the village's power structure.

But Jiraiya was different.

He had the strength to suppress the Uchiha if necessary, so there was no reason to waste such a formidable force.

"Jiraiya-sama, the Uchiha clan will not disappoint you," Fugaku replied steadily.

Despite his youth, Fugaku was already the head of his clan—a remarkable feat, considering he had yet to reach adulthood. In the original timeline, he not only fathered Uchiha Itachi, a prodigy renowned for his loyalty to Konoha, but also awakened the Mangekyō Sharingan, making him a formidable shinobi in his own right. However, circumstances had limited his opportunities to fully display his strength.

Now, the situation was different.

For years, the village had suppressed the Uchiha, pushing them further from its core. But with Jiraiya at the helm, they were being entrusted with a crucial mission. Fugaku understood that if they succeeded, the Uchiha's standing within Konoha would undoubtedly change for the better.

"Anyone can offer pretty words," Jiraiya said coolly. "I'm not interested in promises—I want results. Show me your actions, and let the battlefield determine your worth."

He leaned back slightly before continuing, "With me here, you can deploy as many shinobi to the Ame frontlines as necessary. Even if every ninja in the Land of Fire were sent to war, I guarantee that any enemy foolish enough to strike at Konoha would never return alive."

Jiraiya was well aware that he had only just seized power and was still unfamiliar with the finer details of Konoha's military deployments. Thus, it was up to his subordinates to manage the logistics.

"Compile a list of all shinobi to be dispatched to the Amegakure front immediately and send out the orders to assemble them at once," he instructed.

A flurry of discussions followed in the Hokage's office. Soon, the list of deployed shinobi was finalized.

Sarutobi Hiruzen had previously claimed that Konoha lacked the manpower to reinforce the Ame front. That was nothing but an excuse—a coward's words. In reality, gathering a force of six thousand shinobi for the campaign was an effortless task.

"The Aburame clan will also be deployed to the frontlines," Jiraiya added, ensuring a balanced force.

Turning to his advisors, he continued, "Once you arrive, have Tsunade return to the village."

It was time to implement one of his key policies—establishing a medical corps within Konoha.

While there were already shinobi trained in medical ninjutsu, their numbers were limited, and their importance had long been overlooked. Most believed medical ninjas to be a luxury rather than a necessity. This wasn't just Konoha's mindset—other nations held the same belief, unwilling to invest heavily in training them.

In the original timeline, Tsunade had fought tooth and nail to convince the Konoha leadership of the value of a dedicated medical division. Her persistence had ultimately led to a major shift in battlefield strategy, requiring every three-man squad to include a medic. This single policy had significantly reduced Konoha's casualty rate and was a major factor in their success during the Third Shinobi War.

Now that Jiraiya was in control, he saw no reason to delay this initiative.

With the orders given, the assembled shinobi quickly departed from the Hokage's office.

...

"Jiraiya-sama, the Uchiha clan cannot be trusted," Koharu Utatane said gravely after the clan leaders had left. "They require intense emotional stimuli to awaken the Sharingan, which often results in unstable personalities. Their actions are unpredictable, and their loyalty is questionable. Granting them too much power could lead them to stage a coup."

Jiraiya leaned back, his expression unreadable. He had anticipated this reaction.

During Tobirama Senju's reign, the Uchiha had been heavily suppressed. Despite taking Uchiha Kagami as a disciple, Tobirama's policies were designed to keep the clan in check. His students—including Koharu—had inherited his wariness toward the Uchiha.

"As long as I'm here, the Uchiha won't be able to stir up any real trouble," Jiraiya said coldly. "But let me remind you—this village is one entity. If we continue to alienate them, treating them with suspicion and distrust, they will only grow more distant. The more they feel like outsiders, the harder it will be to integrate them. And if they ever do choose rebellion—well, that will be the day they cease to exist."

His tone was unwavering. He was confident that, under his leadership, no coup would take root.

The Uchiha were strong, but none of them had awakened the Mangekyō Sharingan yet. Anyone with common sense would recognize that challenging Jiraiya in his prime was suicide.

After a brief pause, Jiraiya turned to Sarutobi Hiruzen. "I'd like you to take on the role of Hokage Advisor."

Despite everything, Hiruzen was still a Kage-level shinobi. In the battles to come, his strength would be a valuable asset. Jiraiya had no intention of sidelining him completely. A skilled warrior, no matter his past missteps, still had his uses.

At the end of the day, every capable shinobi played a part in the village's future.

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Pls Drop some Power Stones

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