Konohagakure
Uzumaki Clan Leader's Residence
After Uzumaki Naoki arranged for a servant to serve tea to Uchiha Naraku, he sipped leisurely from his own cup. He drank several small cups while Naraku remained silent, deep in thought.
Naoki glanced at Naraku and noticed that the Uchiha clan head sat upright, his gaze blank and distant, clearly preoccupied with something important.
Seeing this, Naoki didn't disturb him. He simply blew on the steaming tea and continued to drink calmly.
Naraku's mind, indeed, wandered far. He had been supporting Hiruhu in the development of a forbidden jutsu.
After Naraku reorganized the Konoha Military Police Force, all the funds saved, as well as those quietly submitted to the Uchiha Clan Council by the clan members, were covertly redirected toward this secret project.
He used those funds to acquire equipment, prepare medical supplies, and issue covert missions—some of which involved Uchiha shinobi capturing experimental subjects.
Given the current fragile political climate, if a large number of Uchiha shinobi suffered casualties, Naraku would be unable to pay reparations. He had already exhausted nearly all his resources.
As a result, his own ninjutsu training had been pushed aside. Every day was consumed by administrative work—overseeing the Clan Council and the Police Force. It was all for the sake of long-term stability. Any misstep could spark unwanted attention or disaster.
Fortunately, despite ongoing tensions between nations after the Second Great Ninja War, the major villages remained cautious, avoiding full-scale conflicts.
Still, Naraku felt the weight of his responsibilities grow heavier by the day, and he couldn't help but let out a quiet sigh.
Naoki, who had been observing, finally spoke.
"Lord Naraku, you are the head of the Uchiha clan and the commander of the Konoha Military Police Force. You stand among the highest ranks in the village. Why do you sigh so often? What burdens you?"
Naraku gave a faint smile. "It's difficult to lead a clan... and even harder to protect it."
"Hah. That's true."
As the current head of the Uzumaki clan, Naoki had recently uncovered a terrible truth: all Uzumaki who had been transferred into Konoha's Anbu when they first arrived were now dead.
When Naoki first learned this, he was so enraged he trembled. It instilled in him a deep wariness of Konoha's leadership.
A strong dragon cannot suppress the local snake, Naoki thought bitterly. And the Uzumaki—displaced and diminished—were no dragon. They were barely even snakes. Whether rounded or flattened, they were ultimately at Konoha's mercy.
"Lord Naraku," Naoki said seriously, "our Uzumaki clan currently has over a hundred members. Thirty-three serve in the Military Police, six in the Barrier and Sealing Corps, and another thirty work in the hospital and Medical Corps."
"There are still more than thirty who haven't been assigned. I don't want them to take open missions. How about placing them in the Military Police Force under your command?"
The Uzumaki and Uchiha clans had long maintained good relations. Historically, the Uzumaki had been aligned with the Senju, but with the decline of the Senju clan, their numbers had drastically dwindled. Today, their former compound was largely inhabited by elders and civilians.
The Uzumaki's arrival had brought some life back to that land.
With the support of Tsunade-hime, granddaughter of the First Hokage, and Uzumaki Mito, the wife of the First Hokage, the Uzumaki had managed to survive and integrate into Konoha. Many were placed in the hospital and Medical Corps thanks to Tsunade's influence.
They were in a rare position—respected by Tsunade, accepted by the village, and allied with the Uchiha. Truly, the best of both worlds.
"I have hundreds of Uchiha out on missions," Naraku said dryly. "Never asked for anything special. If your people want to join the Police Force, I'll consider it. But if they want a salary, I can't help you there."
"Hah! Just a few hundred thousand ryō in salary? Don't tease me, Lord Naraku," Naoki laughed. "You provide the posts, I'll handle the pay."
Naraku sighed internally. For an ancient clan like the Uzumaki, money was clearly not an issue.
When Uzushiogakure fell, Naoki had fled with many of the clan's ancestral treasures. The fact that Hiruzen Sarutobi didn't confiscate them upon arrival in Konoha was, surprisingly, an act of mercy.
Naraku didn't comment on that and replied calmly:
"Alright. The Police Force has many branches, and more administrative hands wouldn't hurt."
Most of the original thirty-three Uzumaki were assigned to the Village Management Division of the Police Force, with a few in the Public Order Division.
The Village Management Division had previously been severely understaffed, operating with only thirteen members and one section chief across three regions.
Naraku had assigned the thirty Uzumaki to serve under three area supervisors, with ten shinobi each. With additional recruits from local civilians and Genin, the entire division had been effectively civilianized—although it remained under the Police Force's authority.
Naraku didn't mind adding more Uzumaki. If they were paying their own way for positions, he had no reason to object.
He planned to assign this next batch to the Public Order Division and the Security Division. His goal was clear: to make the Police Force reflect Konoha—not just the Uchiha. If blame ever came their way, it should fall on the village as a whole, not solely the Uchiha.
Naoki smiled and nodded. "In that case, thank you, Lord Naraku."
"You and I have been allies for years. No need for such formality."
Naoki clearly remembered when Naraku had saved the Uzumaki during their darkest hour. Without his intervention, things would have gone much worse. Even the Uchiha weren't exactly welcoming to outsiders back then.
Because of that, Naoki respected Naraku deeply. Now, as Uchiha clan head and captain of the Police Force, Naraku held tremendous power—equal to the village elders, in some ways.
"I've always admired medical ninjutsu," Naraku said. "But the old grudge between the Uchiha and Senju... it lingers. Even after nearly four decades since Konoha was founded, the rift hasn't fully healed."
"If Lady Tsunade could train a few talented Uchiha in medical ninjutsu, perhaps that rift might finally fade."
He took a sip of tea, steam curling from the cup.
Naoki fell into thought. He understood Naraku's true meaning—he was asking Naoki to intercede with Tsunade on behalf of the Uchiha.
The rift with the Senju was history. The Senju were practically gone. This was just Naraku's excuse.
"Lord Naraku," Naoki said slowly, "Konoha has been around for thirty-nine years. The Senju have long retired. What rift remains? Still, I'll speak with Lady Tsunade when I see her. But I can't promise anything."
"Thank you," Naraku replied with a rare nod.
He reached into his robes and handed Naoki a scroll.
"This is the Uchiha clan's shurikenjutsu. Our Fire Style and throwing arts are famous throughout the shinobi world."
"Since your people now serve Konoha, they'll likely take on many missions. I hope this helps them."
Naoki unrolled the scroll and scanned it. His eyes lit up with surprise, though he quickly masked it with calm.
"Lord Naraku, I can't guarantee results. Lady Tsunade's thoughts are not easy to predict."
Naraku sipped his tea again, his expression unreadable. "That's fine. Just do your best. You gave me a Sealing Scroll before. I never repaid that favour. In hindsight, I was quite rude."
"Haha! You saved our lives, Naraku. That scroll was just a gesture. Besides, those sealing techniques are already well known throughout Konoha."
Naoki smiled, then added, "Well, I suppose I'll pay Lady Tsunade a visit in the next few days and see what she thinks."
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