Chapter 160: The Great Dutiful Son Is Born!

One year later.

In a fortified Konoha stronghold in the Land of Wind, Uzumaki Raiden sat at the head of the conference room, attentively listening to reports from his subordinates. Recently, Iwagakure had successfully recaptured Kokuō, resealing the Five-Tails. Following this, Kitsuchi led a large contingent of Iwa ninjas to join forces with Roshi's troops, launching an aggressive assault on Konoha's positions in the Land of Earth.

In response, Raiden chose to retreat back to the Land of Wind, conserving his forces and biding his time for the next opportunity to strike.

Over the years, the stronghold had been fortified significantly under Raiden's command. The barrier techniques protecting it had been upgraded multiple times, and the base now housed over 2,000 troops, including more than 1,500 combat-ready shinobi. This made it a formidable force on the battlefield, though still dwarfed by the 7,000-strong Iwa army, led by Kitsuchi and Four-Tails jinchūriki Roshi.

Konoha's forces were now under Raiden's sole command, as Sakumo Hatake, Might Duy, and Fukuyama had been reassigned to reinforce the northern front a year earlier. Without additional high-ranking combatants, Raiden found himself at a stalemate with Iwa's leaders. His forces avoided large-scale battles, opting instead to lie in wait in the Land of Wind.

Meanwhile, the war in other theaters raged on. Orochimaru's forces in the Land of Rain engaged in several major battles with Iwa's army, and Jiraiya's troops clashed fiercely with Kumogakure's forces in the Land of Lightning. The situation in Jiraiya's theater was especially dire, and only the timely reinforcements led by Sakumo Hatake kept Konoha's position from collapsing.

Despite Konoha's struggles, new talents emerged. Namikaze Minato, fighting on the Rain Country front, completed several S-rank missions with exceptional skill, earning the title of "Konoha's Yellow Flash." Minato's brilliance drew the attention of Iwa's leadership, to the point where Iwa ninjas were instructed to abandon missions if they encountered him.

While Konoha's rising stars shone brightly, the war's toll on its rank-and-file ninjas grew increasingly severe. Recently, under immense pressure, the Third Hokage ordered all ninjas aged 14 and older to join the front lines.

Now, in the conference room, Raiden was discussing how to handle the latest wave of reinforcements.

"Captain," began Shino Aburame, seated beside Raiden, "Hokage-sama has decided to send 500 additional reinforcements to us. These are new genin, freshly graduated from the Academy. How should we integrate them into our operations here?"

Raiden rubbed his temples, stood from his chair, and walked to the window. Standing at 180 cm, he now exuded a commanding presence shaped by years of war. His movements drew the attention of everyone in the room.

"Send word back to the Hokage," Raiden said firmly. "We don't need this batch of reinforcements. Let them go where they're truly needed."

He turned to face the room. "Our unit was designed to operate behind enemy lines, composed of elite shinobi from various divisions in Konoha. Fresh genin with no battlefield experience would not only fail to help us but would actively hinder our operations."

The commanders nodded in agreement.

"Our focus remains the same: infiltration, interception, and reconnaissance. Target Iwa's supply lines and disrupt their logistics. To defeat Iwagakure, we must cripple their ability to sustain their forces."

With the meeting concluded, Raiden returned to his seat as the commanders shared updates on recent intelligence. When the meeting adjourned, Hyuga Hizashi approached Raiden with a mischievous grin.

"Raiden, big news!" Hizashi said, glancing around as though sharing a secret.

"What is it?" Raiden asked, amused by Hizashi's theatrics.

"Fugaku just sent word—Mikoto has given birth!"

Raiden raised an eyebrow. "When did this happen? Why didn't he tell me directly?"

More than a year earlier, Uchiha Fugaku had returned to Konoha due to severe injuries and had not been redeployed. While recovering, he married Uchiha Mikoto in a modest ceremony, fitting for wartime. Raiden and the other front-line commanders had been unable to attend.

Raiden vaguely recalled receiving news of Mikoto's pregnancy but had since forgotten about it amid the chaos of war.

"Fugaku didn't say much when he got married," Raiden said, smirking. "Now that the baby's here, we'll have to send a gift. What are you giving, Hizashi?"

Hizashi chuckled. "Some tonics and baby essentials. You know the Uchiha—no shortage of wealth, but these things are always useful."

"Good idea," Raiden replied thoughtfully. Then, with a sudden spark of inspiration, he retrieved a blank scroll and a pen from his robes. After quickly jotting down a message, he removed the Thunder God Sword from his waist, placing it on the scroll. With a few hand seals, he sealed the sword inside.

"One jutsu, one weapon," Raiden said, handing the scroll to Hizashi. "Give this to Fugaku. It's a gift for his son."

Hizashi stared at the scroll, wide-eyed. "Raiden, you're giving away the Thunder God Sword? That belonged to the Second Hokage!"

Raiden smirked. "I think it'll suit Fugaku's kid just fine. And besides, it's my decision to make."

As Raiden walked out of the conference room, Hizashi watched him go, muttering under his breath.

"Raiden really doesn't hold back… The Thunder God Sword, just like that? And that sealing technique he wrote—it must be something special too.

"Wait… how does he know it's a son? I didn't even tell him that!"

(End of Chapter)