Konoha Ecological Farm, vegetable planting area.
Unlike the bustling noise of Danzo's side, the atmosphere here was quiet, solemn, and filled with a certain sense of ritual.
Hatake Sakumo, Nara Shikaku, the leader of the Barrier Squad, and Uchiha Tekka, the head of the Military Police Force who had come to assist, were gathered around a huge blueprint, making final confirmations.
"...According to Lord Hokage's blueprint, the four energy nodes of the barrier base will be set up in the southeast, southwest, northwest, and northeast corners of the farm's vegetable area. I have already marked them with the White Fang short sword, and the position error will not exceed one millimeter."
Hatake Sakumo pointed to the four red dots on the blueprint, his tone calm.
His precision as a top assassin was now perfectly applied to land surveying.
The Barrier Squad leader, an experienced veteran jonin, looked at the complex formula array on the blueprint and couldn't help wiping the sweat from his forehead. "Lord Sakumo, the concept of this constant temperature barrier is simply... too amazing."
"Our Barrier Squad studied it for three days before we barely understood the principles of the basic part. This huge dome barrier requires extremely high stability and continuity of chakra output."
"Mm."
Nara Shikaku yawned lazily and added, "According to Lord Hokage's intention, the Barrier Squad is responsible for building the house, the Uchiha for installing the heater, and we Ino-Shika-Cho and the Inuzuka family are responsible for guarding the gate."
Uchiha Tekka listened from the side without speaking, but a light shone in his eyes.
Since the last internal purge of the clan, with the support of Lord Hokage, he had successfully taken the position of the head of the Military Police Force.
His loyalty and admiration for Sarutobi Hiruzen had reached their peak.
"The Uchiha's flame is ready to burn for the village at any time," he said in a deep voice.
"Good."
Sakumo nodded. "Then, everyone, let's begin!"
"Understood."
The Barrier Squad leader took a deep breath, his eyes becoming firm. "Please rest assured, our Barrier Squad will never fail Lord Hokage's expectations!"
He turned and gave orders to the dozens of Barrier Squad members behind him: "Go, according to the previous arrangement."
"Yes!"
The dozens of Barrier Squad ninja quickly dispersed to the four corners marked by Sakumo. They formed hand seals simultaneously, chanting incantations.
"Ninja Art: Four-Corner Barrier: Sky Dome!"
Buzz—
With the infusion of chakra, the air between the four array points began to distort slightly.
Walls of chakra, almost invisible to the naked eye, slowly rose from the ground, then closed towards the center, finally converging a hundred meters in the air.
A huge, semi-transparent dome, like an inverted glazed bowl, silently covered the entire vast vegetable planting area.
Sunlight filtered through the barrier and spilled onto the ground, forming a soft halo.
Inside the barrier, the sound of the wind disappeared instantly, and the air became quiet, forming two completely different worlds from the bleak autumn wind outside.
"Success..." The Barrier Squad leader murmured to himself as he looked at this spectacular scene.
However, this was just the first step.
Hatake Sakumo nodded gently to Uchiha Tekka, who had been waiting silently not far away.
Uchiha Tekka understood. He turned around, facing the hundreds of clansmen behind him who were wearing Military Police Force uniforms and had the characteristic pride of the Uchiha clan on their faces, and took a deep breath.
"Everyone!"
His voice was loud and powerful. "Lord Hokage has entrusted such an important task to us Uchiha. This is trust in us, and even more, our honor!"
"Combat is not just about killing on the battlefield. Using our flames to warm this land, to protect the villagers' dining tables, this is also the Will of Fire!"
"Yes!"
Hundreds of Uchiha ninja roared in unison, their momentum soaring.
"Teams of ten, head to the four barrier nodes! Prepare to execute the constant temperature formula inscription mission!"
With Uchiha Tekka's order, four Uchiha squads rushed to the four barrier bases quickly and orderly.
"First squad, ready!"
An Uchiha jonin leading the team unfurled a scroll and shouted sternly to the nine members behind him.
Ten people formed hand seals simultaneously, their movements uniform, as if they had practiced thousands of times.
"Fire Release: Dragon Flame Release Song Technique: Modified!"
This was a Fire Release ninjutsu personally modified by Lord Hokage.
It abandoned the explosive power and destructive force of traditional Fire Release, pursuing extreme precision and continuous stability.
The ten Uchiha ninja did not spew raging flames from their mouths, but instead spat out dozens of streams of fire as thin as red threads.
These fire streams interwove and wound in the air, inscribing along the formula patterns on the inner wall of the semi-transparent barrier.
The temperature of the flames was precisely controlled within a specific range. Not too high, or it would damage the barrier; not too low, or it would fail to permanently imprint the formula.
The size of the flames was controlled to be thinner than a hair, ensuring that the direction of every pattern was not off by a hair's breadth.
The time of flame injection was calculated in seconds. One second more was too much, one second less was perilous.
This scene made the Barrier Squad leader watching from a distance stare with wide eyes.
"Is this... is this still Fire Release?"
"It's simply art..."
He had never imagined that the Uchiha clan's violent flames, symbolizing destruction, could be controlled so exquisitely and creatively.
Time passed minute by minute.
When the first squad's chakra was exhausted, they retreated to rest, and the second squad immediately took over seamlessly.
The whole process was smooth and flowing, without any stagnation.
The ninja of the Uchiha clan went from initial slight incomprehension to gradually immersing themselves in it.
Watching the huge net of fire woven by their own hands slowly taking shape on the inner wall of the barrier, an unprecedented sense of pride and accomplishment welled up from the bottom of their hearts.
It turned out that their flames could bring not only destruction but also warmth.
It turned out that there were really many ways to protect the village.
As the sun set in the west, the last ray of fire was injected into the barrier.
Buzz—
A long humming sound rang out, and the composite Fire Release formula array inscribed on the inner wall of the barrier was completely activated.
Red patterns flowed slowly on the semi-transparent dome, like the meridians of a human body, emitting a soft and warm light.
The temperature inside the barrier began to rise slowly at an extremely stable rate.
Fifteen degrees... sixteen degrees... seventeen degrees...
Finally, it stopped precisely at eighteen degrees, the most suitable temperature for vegetable growth.
A miracle that locked spring in forever was born.
"Success..."
The Barrier Squad leader looked at this miraculous scene, his voice quite agitated.
"...We really used a barrier to lock in spring..."
The Uchiha ninja retracted their hand seals, their chests heaving slightly, but there was no fatigue on anyone's face.
Their gazes were fixed on the farm bathed in light before them.
The semi-transparent barrier dome enveloped the entire piece of land.
A young Uchiha clansman subconsciously straightened his chest, his eyes filled with unconcealable pride.
On the field ridge, a figure walked slowly.
Hatake Sakumo.
He didn't have that palpitating White Fang short sword on him.
Sakumo walked up to Uchiha Tekka.
This head of the Military Police Force, known for his impartiality, also dropped his usual seriousness at this moment and nodded slightly to Sakumo.
Sakumo smiled, a sincere smile.
He extended his right hand.
It was a rough hand, the palm covered with thick calluses left by intimate contact with farm tools and the land. Although rough, it was full of the power of life.
"Director Tekka, thank you for your hard work."
"On behalf of the farm, and everyone in the village, I thank you for your Uchiha flames."
Uchiha Tekka's gaze paused on that hand for a moment.
He also extended his hand.
This was a hand belonging to a law enforcer, with distinct knuckles, tightly clasping Sakumo's calloused hand.
Two completely different hands, yet transmitting the same scorching warmth.
"Manager Sakumo."
"We are all fighting for the village."
"Just on different battlefields."
"Serving the village!" The Uchiha clansmen behind him also responded in unison, their voices resonant and full of power.
Hatake Sakumo's heart was filled with emotion.
Once upon a time, the Uchiha and other clans in the village were wary of each other due to various suspicions and estrangements.
But now, they were cooperating so seamlessly for a common goal.
All this was due to that far-sighted Lord Hokage.
Sakumo's gaze unconsciously turned towards the direction of the Hokage building, his eyes filled with admiration.
The afternoon sun shone on their clasped hands, plating them with a layer of golden brilliance.
At this moment.
The White Fang of Konoha was no longer the life-claiming blade hanging over the enemy's head, but a plow protecting the harvest.
The Uchiha's flame was no longer a symbol igniting estrangement and war, but a source of warmth fostering all things.
Blade and flame.
In a way no one had ever imagined, for the same future named "Konoha," were tightly intertwined.
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