Even without counting the Anbu squads, the Uchiha force alone could start a decent-sized war without Yan even needing to lift a finger.
They could easily crush smaller ninja villages, and even the great villages would have to think twice before provoking them.
With Uchiha's elite guards in the mix, the Anbu squads started to feel a little out of place.
Each Anbu squad was led by a Jonin, but Uchiha's security force was made up of elite Jonin.
Aside from the squad captains, most of the members were top-tier Chunin or Special Jonin.
And with Itachi and Shisui, whose power was far beyond the norm, the Anbu squads suddenly looked rather underwhelming.
Before Yan departed, Tsunade even made a sarcastic remark:
"I've never had such a grand escort in my life, but you Uchiha sure know how to show off."
The moment Shisui got word from the clan, he immediately put aside his tutoring duties and followed Yan to Iwagakure.
This showed just how highly the Uchiha valued Yan.
Even Fugaku, the clan leader, didn't have such an extravagant escort, and even the Hokage herself didn't travel with this kind of display.
To put it bluntly, if Yan simply said, "I want to be the clan leader,"
The Uchiha's first reaction wouldn't be outrage.
It would be figuring out how to get Fugaku to step down as soon as possible.
Some might even say, "For the sake of the clan, you should just retire early and enjoy your old age."
But having a bigger entourage wasn't a bad thing—it made things easier, especially when the people with you were strong.
This trip to Iwagakure wasn't about settling matters. Yan was going there to stir up trouble.
Serious trouble.
Kusagakure, you love making noise, don't you?
So you went to Iwagakure for help?
Well, so what? Do you really think I won't humiliate you right in front of them?
That's exactly what Yan planned to do.
Kusagakure was nothing but a shameless opportunist, switching sides whenever it suited them. If they weren't put in their place, they'd never learn.
A harsh lesson was the only way to make sure they remembered.
And if Kusagakure still didn't get the message? That just meant they hadn't been beaten badly enough.
In that case, Yan wouldn't mind sending a few people over to replace their leader and shake up their higher-ups.
In the past, anyone could push Konoha around.
Now, Konoha being neutral was already a kindness.
You think Konoha is still an easy target?
Did you ask Uchiha Yan first?
Konoha had been acting weak for way too long—ever since the Second Shinobi War.
If they didn't show some teeth now, they'd end up being weak for real.
"Sir."
After receiving Yan's orders, the captains of three Anbu squads immediately gathered before him.
"You won't be coming with me to Iwagakure. I have a different mission for you.
Before I return, infiltrate Kusagakure and gather as much intelligence as possible. I'll need it."
With his clan's elite guards accompanying him, Yan didn't need Anbu protection.
To put it bluntly, if a fight broke out, it wasn't even clear who'd be protecting who.
Instead of having them follow him around, it was better to make use of them elsewhere—like keeping an eye on Kusagakure.
If Kusagakure behaved, that was fine. But if they kept acting up, Yan had already decided—on his way back, he'd personally take care of their leadership problem.
Still, he had to be careful in case Kusagakure got desperate.
If they somehow managed to open that so-called "Box of Ultimate Bliss" from the movie, things could get messy. That thing was a ticking time bomb.
But Kusagakure already had deep internal conflicts. As long as the entire village wasn't wiped out, taking out a few people to keep them in check wouldn't cause too much chaos.
As for any consequences?
Yan didn't care.
"Yes, sir."
Even though they weren't thrilled about the mission, orders were orders. The Anbu captains had no choice but to accept.
Besides, they really couldn't follow him into Iwagakure.
At best, they could stick to the outskirts—Iwagakure would never allow Anbu from another village to step foot inside.
That was a hard rule.
You can bring your own guards, even make a big show of it if you want—we'll welcome you with open arms.
But Anbu is off-limits. At most, they can stay outside the village.
It's not just Iwagakure Village—other villages have the same rule.
"*Sigh~~~*"
As Yan and his group walked away, the Anbu squad, who hadn't even gotten started yet, gathered together. They looked at each other, all feeling frustrated and powerless.
The frustrating part was that Yan didn't need their protection. Instead, he assigned them to other tasks.
The humiliating part? They were supposed to be elite guards for high-ranking figures, yet they weren't even as important as the personal guards of some clans.
Anyone would feel terrible in their position.
On paper, only the best Anbu operatives were allowed to enter. But in reality? The real elite forces were all in the hands of the clans.
This was one of the reasons why Senju Tobirama was so eager to weaken the power of the ninja clans.
If left unchecked, as peace continued, the strength of these clans would only keep growing.
And when that time came, who would really be in charge of Konohagakure?
Because of this hidden threat, the Senju clan was forced to integrate with the civilian population.
The Third Hokage, who inherited Tobirama's ideology, also worked to support civilian-born ninja while weakening the traditional ninja clans.
But unlike Tobirama, who did it out of pure strategy, the Third Hokage had his own personal motives.
Using the excuse of supporting civilian-born ninja, he allowed certain clans to bleed the village dry.
Aside from his own clan and a few close allies, he was ruthless toward the rest.
"The elder is planning to make a move against Kusagakure Village?"
With the Anbu gone, there was no need for formalities. Since they were all from the same clan, calling him "Elder" directly was more natural.
"We'll see. If Kusagakure Village knows its place, we'll just gather some intelligence."
Yan smirked, his eyes gleaming with something sharp and dangerous.
"But if they don't… helping them replace their leadership is the least we can do. That village is too corrupt, and the internal conflicts are a mess."
Kusagakure Village was in big trouble.
Hearing those words, the Uchiha members immediately understood—the village was doomed.
This whole situation had really pissed Yan off.
He thought they'd just take the loss quietly. But instead, they ran off to Iwagakure Village, asking them to step in?
Well then, he was curious to see just how Iwagakure Village planned to "stand up for justice."
Did Oonoki even dare to get involved?!
To be honest, if it weren't for the fact that the Land of Earth's Daimyo was keeping communication open—and it would've been difficult for the Daimyo's government to outright refuse—Konohagakure wouldn't have paid this any attention.
Let alone personally going to Iwagakure Village.
In recent years, the Daimyo had given Konohagakure a lot of funding. And if nothing else, money talks.
Out of respect for the Daimyo's generosity, they had to at least show some courtesy.
Yan and Tsunade weren't like the Third Hokage, who would take everything and then still find a way to squeeze you dry.
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