Although he knew Shiki was powerful, Uchiha Fugaku still felt it necessary to offer a reminder.
"Lord Shiki," Fugaku said seriously, "the strength of the Mist Hidden Village should not be underestimated."
"Aside from the Fourth Mizukage, they still have the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist, as well as several members from Kekkei Genkai clans."
"If we rush into the war now, it won't be impossible but it won't be wise either."
From Fugaku's perspective, with someone as strong as Shiki present, the wiser approach would be to proceed cautiously—using Shiki as the core, slowly weakening the Mist Hidden Village step by step before crushing it in one decisive strike.
It had to be said that compared to most members of the Uchiha Clan, Uchiha Fugaku truly leaned toward strategy and governance, rather than being a purely combat-oriented shinobi.
"If you're talking about the Seven Ninja Swordsmen," Shiki said calmly, "then that won't be necessary."
"…Huh?"
Fugaku was momentarily taken aback by those words.
Beside him, Might Duy, who had accompanied them, had remained silent the entire time.
Surrounded by so many high-ranking shinobi in the conference room, a mere genin like him didn't dare to speak recklessly.
But after hearing this, Might Duy couldn't help blurting out nervously:
"T-The Seven Ninja Swordsmen… they've already been defeated—by Lord Shiki!"
"…What?"
The room fell silent for a split second.
Defeated?
Gone?
The Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist—those wielders of legendary blades—were simply… gone?
Shiki waved his hand casually.
"Not entirely gone. Fuguki Suikazan, the wielder of Samehada, is still alive."
"…I see…"
Uchiha Fugaku blinked, momentarily at a loss for words.
He knew Shiki had no reason to lie about something like this. Over the course of the war, Fugaku had crossed blades with the Seven Ninja Swordsmen more than once.
He knew better than most how terrifying they were—each of them an elite jōnin, armed with unique weapons. When fighting together, even a Kage-level shinobi would struggle to face them head-on.
Yet now, Shiki had only just arrived near the Mist's battlefield and had already defeated them.
It was simply too fast.
"Lord Shiki's strength… is truly astonishing."
Uchiha Shisui, though still young, was far more composed than most. After processing the shock, he couldn't help but sigh in admiration.
"Yes," Fugaku nodded in agreement.
Just as he was about to say more, he suddenly noticed that Hyūga Hiashi, standing not far away, looked unusually calm.
"…You're not surprised?" Fugaku asked.
"That was the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist—seven people capable of contending with a Kage together. And yet they were defeated by Lord Shiki."
"Shouldn't you be shocked, Hiashi?"
Hiashi replied flatly, "With Lord Shiki here, even if the Fourth Mizukage himself were defeated, I wouldn't find it strange."
He had personally witnessed Shiki's strength. Compared to that, the Seven Ninja Swordsmen hardly seemed worth mentioning.
Some of the shinobi who had followed Shiki from the battlefield against Iwagakure nodded in agreement.
"…I see."
Fugaku couldn't help but smile awkwardly.
It seemed he was the only one still stunned. But slowly, he began to accept it—with Shiki present, the outcome of this war might truly already be decided.
At that moment, Fugaku noticed Might Duy standing awkwardly near the corner of the conference room.
"…Aren't you a genin?" Fugaku frowned slightly.
"Why are you here?"
Everyone permitted in the conference room was at least a jōnin. A low-ranked genin like Might Duy stood out immediately.
"I—I…"
Under the combined gazes of so many elite shinobi, cold sweat formed on Might Duy's forehead. His panic made him look even more suspicious.
If not for the circumstances, one might have thought he was a Mist spy who'd been discovered.
Finally, Shiki waved his hand helplessly.
"I let him attend."
If Shiki hadn't spoken up, Might Duy might have been dragged out on the spot.
"Lord Shiki?"
Everyone turned to look at him. With Shiki's assurance, no one questioned Might Duy further but confusion remained.
Why would Shiki bring a so-called Eternal Genin into a high-level war conference?
Ignoring the questioning looks, Shiki's gaze fell directly on Might Duy, who stood stiffly in the corner.
"When the war against the Mist Hidden Village begins," Shiki said calmly, "Might Duy will serve as my deputy."
"—?!"
Gasps echoed throughout the room.
A deputy on the battlefield was either a strategist who analyzed troop movements—or a powerful vanguard who charged ahead when the war truly began.
Looking at Might Duy, it was obvious he had no talent for strategic planning.
That left only one possibility.
"L-Lord Shiki?!"
Even Might Duy himself froze in shock.
No one had expected Shiki to place his trust in a man known throughout the village as an Eternal Genin.
"I—I can't!" Might Duy stammered. "Lord Shiki, I'm just a genin! I—"
His reaction was exactly what Shiki had anticipated.
After being mocked for years, suddenly being recognized like this—it would be strange not to panic.
"So," Shiki asked calmly, "are you truly willing to remain an Eternal Genin for the rest of your life?"
"…I…"
Might Duy fell silent.
Willing?
Of course not.
Even someone as simple-minded and hot-blooded as him couldn't accept that fate.
More importantly, he knew his son—Might Guy—never said it aloud, but had always felt inferior because of him.
Guy had even begun to doubt whether the taijutsu he practiced had any future at all in the ninja world.
Whether for himself or for his son—Might Duy had to become stronger.
Slowly, he raised his head and looked straight at Shiki.
"Lord Shiki," he said firmly, "I'm ready!"
"Good."
Seeing that resolve, Shiki smiled and nodded.
Without hesitation, he gave his order in front of everyone.
"From this moment on, I appoint Might Duy as a temporary Konoha jōnin."
As commander-in-chief of the frontline, Shiki had full authority to make battlefield appointments.
"I… I'm a jōnin?!"
The shock came one after another.
After decades as a genin, being promoted so suddenly felt unreal to Might Duy.
"It's temporary," Shiki said calmly. "If you fail to live up to a jōnin's role in the coming war, you'll return to being a genin. Do you understand?"
"Yes!" Might Duy replied without hesitation, standing straight.
"Good. You may leave."
"Yes, sir!"
Might Duy left the room, still dazed, grinning foolishly.
The remaining shinobi—especially Hyūga Hiashi and Uchiha Fugaku—exchanged odd looks.
They didn't care much about appointing another jōnin.
What truly puzzled them was one thing...
Why had Shiki chosen Might Duy?
"…You don't understand either?" Fugaku asked quietly.
Hiashi shook his head.
A shinobi who relied solely on taijutsu… what exactly had Shiki seen in him?
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