Framed

After returning home, Kushina fed Naruto, then went to the Sealing Space.

She wanted to talk to Minato about Naruto's education.

Uchiha Izumi that day had reminded her of the issue of Naruto's name.

Because the Third Hokage had announced Naruto's identity as the hero's son, Naruto's current name was Naruto Namikaze.

But the first thing every civilian noticed when they saw Naruto was the surname Namikaze.

Was that really a good thing?

Would it have some negative effect on Naruto's future?

Minato Namikaze also frowned and fell into deep thought.

Arrogance was not a good habit.

"Isn't this simple? Just use your surname."

Anju did not care. Whether he was Naruto or Naruto Namikaze made no difference to him.

"Can we?" Kushina Uzumaki also turned her gaze toward Minato Namikaze.

Minato Namikaze was very open-minded about it.

"No matter what name he has, he's still our child."

Anju pondered for a moment. "How about this, Kushina? Since Naruto is being raised by you now, let him use your surname first. When he comes of age, he can change it back to Naruto Namikaze."

"Right, Naruto can already talk now. Should we start teaching him to read?" The moment Kushina spoke, Anju found it hard to respond.

Wasn't starting literacy when he was barely over a year old a little too early?

But then he remembered that Naruto had been able to walk at eight months, so he said nothing.

"I think we can." Minato Namikaze began discussing little Naruto's early education with Kushina.

At that moment, in the Anbu Cultivation Department, the Root base.

A middle-aged man with bandages wrapped around his face and a cross-shaped scar on his chin looked at several of his subordinates.

"My lord, the mission has been completed. Members of the Nara Clan have already gone to the Military Police Force to file a complaint."

"My lord, Kushina Uzumaki went to the Uchiha Clan Residence again today. She stayed for the entire afternoon and did not leave until evening."

"My lord, all our contacts with Amegakure have been cut off for two months. The newly dispatched intelligence agents have not sent back any information either."

"My lord, there have recently been rumors on the Black Market that several very strong Bounty Hunters have joined an organization called Akatsuki."

"My lord..."

After calmly listening to his subordinates' reports, Shimura Danzō nodded expressionlessly. Once he had his confidant hand new mission scrolls to the subordinates, he left without saying a word.

Dragging the Nara Clan into the struggle between the village and the Uchiha Clan was also Danzō's doing.

The village needed to put pressure on the Uchiha Clan now. Ideally, they would force the Uchiha Clan into rebellion, then purge the entire clan in blood.

Some Uchiha already held bias against the village and harbored ill will toward it. As long as he made good use of that, he could completely push the Uchiha Clan to the opposite side of the village.

The only thing was that the Jinchuriki going to the Uchiha Clan Residence at this time made him very displeased.

What if the Uchiha Clan used the Sharingan to control the Nine-Tails?

But although he could indirectly influence Sarutobi Hiruzen's decisions, Kushina did not listen to Sarutobi Hiruzen at all!

(ノ=Д=)ノ┻━┻

More than once, he had pounded the desk in the Hokage Office and demanded that Sarutobi Hiruzen restrict Kushina Uzumaki's access to the Uchiha Clan, but Kushina was too strong, and Sarutobi Hiruzen did not want to pressure her too much, so it had always remained mere talk.

As for Akatsuki, he had already joined forces with the Demigod during the Third Shinobi World War to crush Akatsuki. Even if it had revived from the ashes now, it was nothing to fear.

But it was very strange that all the intelligence agents in Amegakure had vanished.

Logically speaking, the Demigod had no way to find every intelligence agent he had planted. Even if he found them, it should not have gotten to the point where the new intelligence agents also vanished without a trace.

He had no idea what had happened in Amegakure.

At that moment, the three members of Ino-Shika-Cho were in an Akimichi Clan Barbecue Restaurant.

"Shikaku, I heard someone from your clan filed a complaint against the Military Police Force for violent law enforcement."

Akimichi Choza ate barbecue as he looked at his friend.

"That's right, Shikaku. If your clan gets involved in the dispute between the Military Police Force and the village, it'll be very disadvantageous."

Yamanaka Inoichi also looked at Nara Shikaku with a puzzled expression.

"Sigh, I was careless too. One of my clan members got dragged into it and was framed after being knocked unconscious. In fact, he didn't see who knocked him out either. He only heard from others that the Military Police Force did it."

"Someone witnessed it?" Inoichi immediately asked. If there were witnesses, didn't that mean there was evidence?

"There were witnesses, but when we questioned them afterward, half of those witnesses had disappeared and couldn't be found. The other half were also vague, with signs that they were only repeating hearsay." Shikaku was somewhat vexed too.

He did not like trouble, but his clan had already been dragged into trouble.

"Hmm? Someone is framing the Nara Clan?" Akimichi Choza also asked Shikaku in great confusion.

"If nothing unexpected happened, yes." Shikaku nodded.

"Do you need us to do anything?" Inoichi asked.

"Do nothing. Don't get yourselves involved, or the trouble will only get bigger," Nara Shikaku said with a sigh.

"That might not work. Everyone in Konoha knows the Ino-Shika-Cho Clan is tied together. If something happens to the Nara Clan, the other clans will think of us too. This really is trouble." Inoichi frowned as well. He could also sense that things were going badly.

"How about we issue a joint statement and declare neutrality?"

"No. The other clans already know my Nara Clan filed a complaint against the Military Police Force today."

"Then what do we do now?"

"I'll go to the Military Police Force."

Nara Shikaku stood up. "The only option now is for me to go to the Military Police Force, withdraw the complaint, and apologize."

"But..." Inoichi looked worried.

"I know what you mean, but the urgent priority right now is to resolve the complaint with the Military Police Force. What happens after that will be up to the Third Hokage to handle." Nara Shikaku also understood what Inoichi meant.

For the clan head of the Nara Clan to go to the Military Police Force and withdraw the complaint now would undoubtedly make the Military Police Force even more unpopular, make them seem even more overbearing, and further intensify the village's divisions.

Shikaku knew as well that doing this might make things even harder for the Uchiha Clan, but to keep his clan from being dragged into it, he still wanted to try.

Though he also knew that whether he went to the Military Police Force or not, the Nara Clan would not be able to extricate itself.

Hokage Office.

Sarutobi Hiruzen was smoking his pipe, the entire office wreathed in smoke.

On his desk lay a complaint about the Uchiha Clan's violent law enforcement.

He had received many complaints more or less like it, but this time was different.

Because this time, the Nara Clan was involved.

"Does the Ino-Shika-Cho Clan want to target the Uchiha too?"

Soon, an Anbu ninja appeared at the door.

"Report."

"Come in."

The Anbu entered the office.

"Lord Hokage, Nara Shikaku just made a trip to the Military Police Force."

"Oh?"

"Nara Shikaku withdrew the complaint against the Military Police Force, and stated that his clansmen had been misled. He apologized to the Uchiha Clan and offered compensation."

"Shikaku is putting on a show for me. Heh."

Sarutobi Hiruzen directly lit the letter on his desk and burned it. "All right. I understand."

He stretched lazily. "All right. Time to clock out."