For Uchiha Naraku's appreciation and comfort, Hibari couldn't help but think, a man would die for his comrade.
"I've been in Konoha for more than twenty years. I never expected to be listed as an S-rank missing-nin. I'm really reluctant to leave the village. But Lord Naraku, you're right. As long as I gain more power—or if you become Hokage—I can return."
Hiruko originally sought strength to rival the Legendary Sannin, but never expected to be labeled an S-rank criminal by the Hokage. The news left him disheartened.
"Haha, yes, with power, even the rules can be bent. To become Hokage, one must be truly strong. And I need your help to make that happen," Naraku replied with a smirk.
What Hiruko didn't know was that the reason for his S-rank status was to placate Uchiha Naraku and provide the Uchiha clan with a sense of justice. Not all Konoha jōnin are given such a high designation.
"You are already a formidable shinobi. My support is just the final polish. I'm honoured to serve you," Hiruko said humbly.
"Good. That's all for today. You'll remain in confinement for one more day, Hiruko. We'll covertly extract you tomorrow night."
"Understood!"
---
Uchiha Clan Compound — Clan Affairs Office
Naraku sat at his desk, writing silently. Before him stood four young shinobi, quiet and disciplined.
Uchiha Akagi, age 19, Three Tomoe Sharingan. Proficient in Fire Release and Lightning Release. Skilled in shurikenjutsu. Captain of Naraku's personal guard.
Uchiha Ishi, age 15, Two Tomoe Sharingan. Skilled in Fire Release and Earth Release. Serves as Naraku's bodyguard.
Uchiha Bai, age 16, Two Tomoe Sharingan. Skilled in Fire Release and Water Release. Serves as Naraku's bodyguard.
Uchiha Ruofeng, age 15, Three Tomoe Sharingan. Adept in Fire Release, Wind Release, and Lightning Release. Also a bodyguard to Naraku.
All four were top talents of the Uchiha clan. Though Ishi and Bai had the potential for promotion to jōnin, the village had restricted the number of Uchiha promoted to that rank.
Ruofeng stood out among the post-Fugaku generation. Only a handful of Uchiha had mastered Chidori, and among them were Chihuo and Ruofeng. Now, both were studying Chidori Nagashi under Naraku's guidance.
On paper, their combat ability surpassed most jōnin. However, since they rarely left the village, their real-world experience remained untested. After all, shinobi are assassins—ninjutsu alone isn't enough against traps, poisons, or ambushes.
"Chihuo, escort Bai, Ishi, and Ruofeng to Hiruko's secret base tonight. Install surveillance. The Forbidden Jutsu Hiruko developed is valuable. Do not let it out of our sight."
"Understood!" they said in unison.
"Gather your gear. Roofing, you're dismissed from guard duty for today. Go train."
"Yes!"
In a puff of smoke, all four vanished.
Naraku stroked his chin, amused at the ninja world's strange mix of advanced tech and backward communication. While messages still relied on birds or scrolls, shinobi could somehow acquire surveillance systems and even computers.
Many high-ranking shinobi liked building secret bases: Shimura Danzō, Orochimaru, and even Hiruko.
Take Danzō, for instance. His Root organization had bases not just in Konoha but across the Five Great Nations. With the Hokage's covert funding and Danzō's ruthless leadership, his intelligence network was unparalleled.
Any disturbance in the shinobi world reached Danzō almost instantly. His secret labs—ranging from Wood Release experiments to forbidden jutsu tests—thrived beyond the Third Hokage's control.
In private, Danzō answered no one but Hiruzen.
Following the recent campaign, Orochimaru had gone missing. Rumours suggested the Third Hokage placed him in Root as Danzō's deputy—a move clearly intended to tighten control. But Hiruzen underestimated Danzō's own cunning.
Orochimaru, obsessed with immortality, was quickly lured by Danzō's darker research. The former prodigy soon forgot about any oversight duties.
---
Konoha Hospital — Director's Office
Knock knock.
Inside, Tsunade—now in her mid-twenties and still radiantly youthful—sat frozen at her desk. She wore a mesh undershirt and a white top over it.
Her hands trembled, stained with blood from an experiment on a white mouse. Though hailed as the greatest medical-nin, she was suffering another episode of her hemophobia.
Medical jutsu is not conjured from nothing—it requires repeated practice and experimentation.
As Konoha's head of medical forces and founder of the medical corps, Tsunade frequently oversaw experimental jutsu. But her phobia was a curse she could never overcome.
"Strange... I thought Lady Tsunade came in this morning..." muttered a medical-class shinobi after knocking and receiving no reply. He turned and left, unaware of her condition.
He had come to report a large purchase of medical supplies—equipment requested by the Uchiha. The volume had raised suspicion, but without response from the director, he simply left.
Konoha Hospital served as the headquarters of the medical corps. It housed teams like the Emergency Response Unit, Corpse Disposal Team, and Animal Care Division—all under Tsunade's jurisdiction.
Though respected as one of the Legendary Sannin, Tsunade had withdrawn from hands-on medical work. Despite the Third Hokage's awareness of her condition, he had yet to address it fully.
Uchiha Yashiro, on Naraku's orders, brought several clansmen to acquire equipment. Surprisingly, the transaction went smoothly. The medical staff barely asked questions before selling the devices.
Many shinobi engaged in summon-beast breeding or experimental jutsu research and regularly bought similar equipment. But typically, such purchases required registration.
Lax oversight had turned Konoha's medical exports into a profitable trade—even reaching foreign nations.
Yet no one in the medical division suspected that the Uchiha would use these supplies for anything beyond healing.
---