Uchiha En's double-tomoe Sharingan—its dark tomoe slowly rotated.
Behind him were shinobi from the Inuzuka and Aburame clans.
They were named Inuzuka Ten and Aburame Shikyō.
The three formed a triangular formation, maintaining a very appropriate distance—neither allowing the enemy to strike them simultaneously with large-scale ninjutsu, nor compromising the timeliness of communication.
This was a reflection of Uchiha En's experience; the painful lessons of the Warring States Period had left him with memories that could not be erased.
In the past, he had once formed a formation with his clansmen that was too tightly clustered.
Their ankles had been seized by vines formed through Hydrification Technique, and afterward several kunai had flown toward them…
The outcome naturally needed no elaboration.
"Any movement?" Uchiha En asked in a low voice.
"His scent is appearing at multiple points at the same time—unable to determine…"
"No insects have been stepped on. No intelligence."
"How strange. Could this brat's Body Flicker Technique be comparable to Izuna-sama's?" Uchiha En muttered in a low voice.
"Otherwise, how could even the Inuzuka clan's dogs fail to distinguish it…"
"Could it be that you saw it wrong?" Inuzuka Ten scratched his head.
"Perhaps he came before. After a long time, the scent disperses and spreads, and similar situations can occur…"
Aburame Shikyō said quietly, "Unless his perception ability is very strong, it would be difficult to avoid the insect traps."
This squad, working together, was also among the best within the entire patrol force.
With Uchiha En leading, although the two chūnin from the Inuzuka and Aburame clans were not particularly outstanding in talent, they greatly respected this senior veteran, carefully and earnestly learning from him and following instructions.
Thus, they were the squad that had discovered Namikaze Minato's traces the most times.
After receiving the order to check for gaps and patch weaknesses along the defensive line, Namikaze Minato regarded it as part of his training, and from time to time he would stroll around the defensive line…
This should have been a job that drew resentment.
But interestingly, with that little-sun smile of his, each time Minato discovered a flaw, he would earnestly communicate with the patrol force instead of merely finding fault.
Even when he was caught, he did not grow annoyed; he directly praised the other party's ability and even asked where he himself had been insufficient…
By doing so, he instead made it impossible for others to dislike him; all of them admired his observational ability.
Because of this, the repeatedly tempered patrol force, when elite scouts from Kusagakure infiltrated, discovered their traces with extreme speed and sounded the alarm.
Working together with the Anbu and the Konohagakure Military Police Force, they swiftly captured them as an organized unit.
Among them, Uchiha En was the most spirited one.
Minato often came to spar with him, allowing his aging body to once again regain the feeling of battle…
Old as I am, I can still work up a youthful frenzy—one man capturing two Grass bandits!
So although Uchiha En kept calling Minato a "blond brat," he would often, in a critical tone, tell him some small battlefield tricks…
For example, observing the wind direction and the way haystacks were laid out; how compacted the soil was; the frequency of insects' and birds' calls…
These details concealed silent information.
Each time, Minato would nod with a smile, playing along and backing him up, coaxing this old Uchiha into staying hard-mouthed but soft-hearted…
Inuzuka Ten and Aburame Shikyō could both tell that much.
That little-sun-like boy—if he coaxed him a bit more—would practically be able to swindle the patrol force's wages out of Uchiha En…
"Impossible. With these Sharingan eyes of mine, I definitely saw a flash of golden light—"
Uchiha En said in a low voice, "I'm not old yet!"
Inuzuka Ten and Aburame Shikyō were both a little helpless.
En was a good person—it was just his temperament…
It really did match, in some ways, the public's stereotypical impression of the Uchiha.
Stubborn; soft-spoken persuasion worked on him but hard pressure did not; and in battle he had a strong pride and refused to yield…
"Keep moving up!"
"The Hokage didn't give us this job so you and I could loaf around here…"
"We've got to strive for perfection!"
"Brats, do you know what a rare opportunity this is? The village is paying you so you can experience the battlefield ahead of time—back in the Warring States Period, it would've been a treatment you wouldn't dare dream of…" Uchiha En hollered, "If you don't take it seriously now, then when you get to the battlefield later, don't blame the enemy for being vicious when you're bleeding!"
It wasn't that he wanted to speak up for Hiruzen, but rather that he was a very proud person.
Right was right, wrong was wrong.
In Uchiha En's view, the patrol force's measures killed multiple birds with one stone.
It maintained the village's security, gave the shinobi who'd stepped back from the front lines a proper job, and also let these old men guide inexperienced brats…
Otherwise, once a ninja war broke out…
They'd charge in like blockheads, and if they weren't careful they'd step on the enemy's trap—what a waste…
Uchiha En also had quite a favorable impression of the two boys under his command from outside clans.
They were willing to listen to him talk seriously, and they gave him respect…
Uchiha En would even occasionally think to himself that he was probably getting old.
Because he felt the Uchiha clan's arrogance was a bit too much, and that other ninja clans also had their merits…
"Yes, Captain En…" After being encouraged and scolded, Ten and Shikyō perked up.
The three continued to search along the route.
"Where's he hiding?"
En adjusted his breathing and narrowed his eyes. "Could it be I really have to tell Deputy Minister Sakumo to add a Hyūga to my side too?"
"Even though I don't want to admit it, when it comes to spotting hidden enemies, the Byakugan is indeed uniquely advantaged…"
And after searching around like this, they still didn't find a trace of Minato.
But what was infuriating was that En could always see a faint trace of golden light flickering in the distance, elusive yet present…
'Am I under too much pressure? Or is age finally catching up with me…' En sighed and waved his hand, signaling Shikyō and Ten to stop.
"Alright, let's wait for the next squad to take over. Our time's up."
"I can see them coming…"
En took out an iron cigarette case, pulled out a cigarette from it, and lit it.
"En-ojisan, you still haven't finished the box the Hokage-sama gave you?" Ten said with a grin.
"Hmph, I finished it long ago!"
"This case is made of iron, so I kept it… You brats don't understand what thrift means at all!" En said, glaring with puffed cheeks.
"Shinobi are quite poor! At first glance it seems like we earn some money, but the later expenses for ninja tools, maintaining the body, researching ninjutsu—if you calculate it carefully, it'll scare you…"
"If you don't keep some savings on hand, then one day if something unexpected happens and you can't take missions anymore…"
"It's equivalent to being cut down in this shinobi world!"
En exhaled a puff of smoke. "Even if you have two or three close friends, or help from your clan, in the end you still have to rely on yourself."
"If you rely on others, there will always be times when they can't come through… Others have their own matters to attend to!"
Ten and Shikyō nodded, half understanding.
In fact, the adults in their families had said similar things before…
But for some reason, when it was their own family saying it, it didn't have the same feeling…
When En said it, it carried a real sense of warning! Perhaps it was because of his single arm?
"However, that's not to say every expense can be saved…"
"Like these cigarettes—I only smoke the same brand as the Hokage…"
En coughed lightly. "Of course, not smoking at all would be even better. Don't learn from me."
"The same brand as the Hokage? En-ojisan, you're really rich!" Ten said loudly.
Those inexplicable words made En smile faintly.
That was exactly the effect he wanted! When Uchiha went out, they always wanted a bit of face…
In reality, however, En was extremely shrewd.
After finishing half of the cigarettes Sarutobi Hiruzen had given him, he had grown somewhat reluctant to continue smoking them.
After all, they were cigarettes given by the Hokage…
Although the relationship between the Uchiha and Konohagakure wasn't good, they still carried commemorative meaning…
So En bought other brands as daily rations, took them out, and then repacked them into this iron case…
That way, it made him look wealthy and generous, and from time to time he could display the iron cigarette case Sarutobi Hiruzen had given him…
It was an old-timer's tactic—killing two birds with one stone.
"You should still smoke less, En-ojisan."
At that moment, from the tree branch above his head, Minato said with a smile, "But if you can't quit, then at least smoke something good…"
Minato shook the two cartons of cigarettes in his hand.
They were precisely the same brand En always claimed he smoked with Hiruzen.
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