"Report to the Vice Commander?"
Yagami asked, "Does an Anbu ninja need to report mission details to other high-ranking officials?"
It wasn't that Yagami was being sensitive; the Anbu belonged solely to the Hokage. Because the Hokage was often too busy, the Anbu Commander usually handled most missions directly.
The Anbu were only responsible to the Hokage and the Anbu Commander.
Yellow Dog said:
"The Frontline Command has the right to know all intelligence. Lord Hokage sent us here with the goal of winning the war, after all. However, do not mention the matter regarding the Shimura Chunin; just say they were ordinary captives. When I first joined the Anbu as a regular member, Lord Sakumo was the Brigade Commander. It is difficult for me to refuse a reasonable request from him."
Hatake Sakumo had been the youngest and strongest Brigade Commander in the Anbu during the era of the Second Hokage.
"I understand," Yagami said. "Brigade Commander, my company suffered heavy sacrifices during this mission. To pose as captives, my subordinates truly self-mutilated—some broke their own legs, and others have scars crisscrossing their heads like a Shogi board. I want to apply for a few jutsu for my subordinates. Would that be alright?"
Yellow Dog replied, "Very well. Four B-rank jutsu. You decide how to distribute them."
Yagami felt it was too few, but he didn't ask for more.
The recommendation system for ninja ranks and the recommendation system for granting jutsu were the two primary grips the village higher-ups used to control the shinobi. The leadership would never easily loosen that hold.
The tightening of jutsu distribution was mostly targeted at civilian ninjas.
Clan ninjas didn't face as much restriction in this regard, as they had their own clan-inherited jutsu or secret techniques.
Yagami calculated in his mind which of his Earth Style and Water Style jutsu could be revealed to the public. Earth Style: Earth Spike and Water Style: Water Wall—these two could be brought out and given to his subordinates as rewards.
Combined with the four B-rank jutsu—selecting some Fire, Wind, or Lightning Style—he could barely scrape together a decent wave of rewards.
Yagami left the Anbu tent and walked toward the Command tent.
After a message was passed along at the medical station, Hatake Sakumo used a formal order to summon Yagami for the report.
Sakumo believed that by being open and aboveboard about it, the Anbu wouldn't have anything to complain about. Even Nara Shikaku frequently met with Yellow Dog to inquire and discuss matters.
Upon entering Sakumo's tent, Yagami saw that Hatake Sakumo was alone.
Sakumo spoke first: "Fox, don't worry. I used the excuse of inquiring about the mission to find you, and there is no one around. No one is eavesdropping."
Yagami felt a sense of relief. Sakumo was an Anbu veteran; he knew the importance of confidentiality.
Sakumo continued:
"Just now at the medical station, I heard you say you support the examination system. What are your thoughts regarding it?"
Shinmei had once told Sakumo that an Anbu ninja had saved him and asked him to pass on a message: to be careful of the higher-ups, as they were already wary of Sakumo's supporters.
The Anbu ninja who had saved Shinmei also wore a fox mask.
Yagami said.
"Sakumo-sama, an examination system for ninja ranks is extremely difficult to push forward. A Genin needs a recommendation from their squad leader to take the Chunin Exams. A Chunin needs a recommendation from a Jounin to promote to Special Jounin. A Special Jounin needs a recommendation from the higher-ups to become a Jounin. It is a linked chain—the fundamental framework by which the Leaf's leadership rules the village. Even a clan head has to bow before the higher-ups to get more Jounin for their family. Sakumo-sama, you are being too hasty. The village has many ways to easily sabotage an audit system. Commander-in-Chief Nara Shikaku relies on your combat power, so his methods are relatively mild. If the village leadership were to step in, they wouldn't let it slide so easily."
Hatake Sakumo was secretly alarmed. This Anbu had explained his predicament in just a few sentences.
His attempt to implement a rank examination system was fraught with obstacles. He had only just begun, and he had already hit a wall—not only with the Third Hokage but also here on the front lines with the Commander-in-Chief.
"Fox, then what do you think I should do now?"
Yagami replied:
"Sakumo-sama, the resistance against a rank examination system is too great. However, the resistance against a Jutsu Examination System would be much smaller. To the village, jutsu are an important means of controlling civilian ninjas, but they are far less vital than official ranks. Jutsu can be interrogated out of enemy captives, learned from friends, or taught by squad leaders. The Uchiha clan can even copy a thousand jutsu with the Sharingan. "
"Sakumo-sama, you can start by lowering the threshold for granting jutsu, allowing more and more civilian ninjas to master more techniques and increase their strength. With your power and influence, it is possible to push through a jutsu examination system. Once that system spreads, more and more people will eventually ask: why can't the village implement examinations for other things? Why must it be recommendations? This is a seed. Though it grows slowly, there will come a day when it sprouts."
Sakumo's eyes lit up.
Indeed, he could start with a jutsu audit system. Granting B-rank or A-rank jutsu after completing a certain number of missions would be a form of progress.
Unfortunately, the village would never include S-rank Forbidden Jutsu in the audit rewards.
Yagami added:
"Brigade Commander Yellow Dog said you used the prisoner exchange mission as an excuse to summon me. I've written the details of that mission in this scroll. Sakumo-sama, you understand the Anbu; I hope you can keep this conversation confidential for my sake."
Yagami trusted Sakumo's integrity. This man possessed a high sense of morality, unlike certain "human-shaped creatures" in the village.
"Very well, Fox. No third person will ever know the true nature of our conversation."
Yagami said, "Sakumo-sama, please avoid summoning me under the guise of mission inquiries in the future unless necessary, or it will arouse the Anbu's suspicion."
"I understand. I won't summon you unless it's essential."
Yagami left the Command tent.
In the original story, Hatake Sakumo committed suicide because his beliefs collapsed. This was a man with a bottomline and convictions.
Yagami's heartfelt analysis should be enough to make Sakumo view him as an ally.
As Sakumo pushed for the Jutsu Examination System, many civilian ninjas desperate for techniques would rally around him, slowly forming a new power base.
Power doesn't just flow from the top down; it also flows from the bottom up. As long as there are enough followers, the leadership has no choice but to yield.
The Senju clan controlled the medical system; if Hatake Sakumo could unite the civilian ninjas, the control of the Leaf's higher-ups would weaken further.
'Boss Hatake you have to work hard,' Yagami thought. 'If you don't work hard, how can I add another layer of armor to your position?'
After the Fox left, Sakumo was left with a thousand thoughts.
Back in the medical tent, he had realized that the captives were a Shimura ninja, a Nara ninja, and one unlucky civilian.
The staff officers at Headquarters all came from the five clans of the Hokage's lineage.
Anyone not from those five clans wouldn't have even heard about the disagreement between him and Commander-in-Chief Shikaku.
Sakumo guessed that this rescue mission was primarily intended to save those two clan ninjas.
During the Second Hokage's reign, the atmosphere of the Anbu wasn't like this.
Back then, the Anbu would never have arranged a mission specifically to rescue Senju ninjas. In fact, to avoid any appearance of favoritism, the Second Hokage would emphasize that other ninjas must be rescued first, with Senju ninjas saved last.
Now, the Anbu—under the name of being responsible only to the Hokage—had become the tool of a single person, rather than the village's most hidden and sharpest kunai.
Sakumo believed that Anbu ninjas were human too. Perhaps within the Anbu, there were others dissatisfied with the status quo.
Hatake Sakumo prepared to draft a proposal for a Jutsu Examination System.
This time, even if Nara Shikaku opposed him, he would push it through with absolute determination.