Chapter 18: Hiruzen Fails to Find a Flaw; The Invincible "Free Ninja"!
In an instant...
Hiruzen Sarutobi cursed Fugaku up and down in his heart, wondering if he had made a colossal mistake in his planning.
Can I really rely on this idiot to restrain Uchiha Jin?
Hiruzen had seen the danger of Jin's rise early on, which was why he had decided to use his power as Hokage to prop Fugaku up as a counter-weight. He figured that even if Fugaku wasn't brilliant, he was still the Clan Head.
But damn it.
He knew Fugaku was weak, but he didn't expect him to be this pathetic.
Hiruzen began to seriously doubt if this "mud that can't stick to the wall" could even manage to start a civil war. It seemed increasingly unlikely.
However, did he have another choice within the Uchiha?
Absolutely not.
Shisui was a powerful pawn, but the boy was too naive. Furthermore, as the grandson of Kagami—a man who was seen as too close to the Senju administration—Shisui was naturally viewed with suspicion by the clan's hardliners.
Shisui was a sharp sword, but he wasn't a leader who could build a faction.
Sigh.
It seemed Hiruzen really had no other option. If he wanted to split the Uchiha, he was stuck with Fugaku.
Since Danzo refused to do the dirty work of confronting the Radicals directly, Hiruzen had to prop up Fugaku, no matter how useless he was.
Thinking this, Hiruzen let out a long, weary sigh.
What a sin. To be forced into an alliance with such incompetence... I feel sick.
Finally, after glancing at Fugaku—who had fully embraced his "uselessness"—Hiruzen turned his gaze to Jin.
"Jin-kun, are you aware that the village has fallen into chaos?"
"No," Jin replied flatly. "And I'm not interested."
"I am just a free ninja. When I don't have a mission, I stay in the clan compound. I don't pay attention to outside affairs."
Hiruzen's veins bulged on his forehead.
Free ninja?
Are you fucking kidding me?
You've completely sidelined the Clan Head and practically taken control of the entire Uchiha Clan, and now you're telling me you're just a 'free ninja'?
Taking a deep breath to steady himself, Hiruzen spoke with a heavy tone. "Jin-kun, stop playing games. You are the leader of the Radical Faction. If you are just a 'free ninja,' then what does that make the rest of Konoha's shinobi?"
Unfortunately, Jin's expression didn't change. He simply shrugged.
"I don't understand what the Hokage-sama is talking about."
"Radical Faction? Never heard of it."
"I really am just a free ninja. I hold no official position, and I haven't even joined the Police Force."
Hiruzen's face turned a dark shade of charcoal.
Uchiha Jin refused to engage. It felt like punching cotton—no impact, no resistance, and utterly frustrating.
And the worst part? Technically, Jin wasn't lying.
The "Radical Faction" was not an official organization registered with the village; it was an internal political group within a clan. As long as Jin denied its existence, Hiruzen had no legal grounds to hold him accountable for it.
According to official village records, Uchiha Jin was indeed just a standard Chunin. A textbook "free ninja."
His squadmates had died during the Third Great Ninja War. Because the Uchiha situation was "special," Hiruzen had issued orders to keep them contained within the village, preventing them from taking freelance missions that might allow them to defect or grow too strong.
Consequently, Jin had never been promoted.
Jonin? Heh. Konoha Jonin weren't cabbages you could buy at the market. They were a privileged class with voting rights in village councils. There was no way Hiruzen would have handed that power to someone like Jin.
So now, Hiruzen was in trouble.
Based on official rank and authority, he had no right to reprimand Jin.
Blaming a Chunin for the chaos in the village? If word got out, Hiruzen's reputation as Hokage would be ruined. It would be a laughingstock.
"U! CHI! HA! JIN!"
Hiruzen crushed the pipe in his hand, his voice dropping to a freezing temperature.
Jin remained unfazed.
He looked at Hiruzen with a gaze full of contempt and faint mockery.
As a transmigrator from a modern society, Jin understood a fundamental truth: Every shortcut has a price.
Authority equals Responsibility. This is an iron law.
Since Hiruzen, in his scheming, had refused to give Jin the rank of Jonin or any official power, he couldn't turn around and dump the responsibility on him now.
This was exactly why Jin had never been angry about being stuck as a Chunin.
Because he knew that strength was what mattered. As long as he had power, the title didn't matter.
Conversely, since he lacked the title, he lacked the liability.
Even if he was the de facto leader of the Radicals, even if the Uchiha secretly obeyed his every command, even if the Police Force had collapsed—Hiruzen couldn't pin it on him.
On paper, he was just a Chunin.
Since Hiruzen had blocked his promotion path, it was time for the old man to pay the price for that decision.
"Hokage-sama, don't get so excited."
"If you have something to say, speak slowly. Getting angry is bad for your health."
"Do you have a mission for this humble Chunin?"
"But... it's a pity."
"I don't have a squad right now. According to Konoha regulations, the highest rank mission a solo Chunin can take is C-Rank."
"Did someone lose a cat? Does someone need a babysitter? Or perhaps the river needs cleaning?"
"I am ready to contribute to the Leaf! Please, Hokage-sama, issue the mission!"
Jin smiled, his tone polite but dripping with sarcasm.
Yes.
A registered Chunin without a squad wasn't even eligible for B-Rank missions, let alone anything dangerous enough to be a "trap."
Hiruzen trembled with rage, feeling utterly helpless.
This kid... he's too slippery!
Hiruzen finally realized why Jin had never applied for a promotion, never asked for a new squad, and never tried to join the Police Force. He had seemed so indifferent to it all.
It turns out... this was his goal all along!