The Vortex Clan

Konoha Village.

Senju Clan Compound, Uzumaki Clan Head's residence.

After Uzumaki Nao signaled the servants to serve tea for Uchiha Nara, he did not rush, instead sipping his own tea in silence.

However, after a long while, Nara still had not spoken. Nao glanced over to see Uchiha Nara sitting rigidly, his gaze unfocused, seemingly lost in thought.

Uzumaki Nao did not disturb him; he simply picked up his teacup, blew on it, and enjoyed his tea with a sense of ease.

Nara's thoughts were indeed drifting far away, specifically toward his support for Hiruko's forbidden jutsu research.

The funds saved after Nara restructured the Konoha Military Police Force, along with the dues Uchiha ninjas submitted to the Clan Affairs Hall, had all been secretly embezzled by Nara for this purpose.

He used the money to purchase equipment, concoct medicinal liquids, and issue covert missions for Uchiha ninjas to capture experimental subjects.

Under the current circumstances, if a large-scale casualty event were to befall the Uchiha, Nara would certainly have no money to pay compensation; he had squandered nearly everything.

Because of this, Nara had neglected his own ninjutsu training, spending his days handling Clan Affairs Hall politics and police force matters. He did it all for the sake of stability, fearing any unexpected trouble.

Fortunately, since the end of the Second Shinobi World War, while the major nations had seen localized conflicts and minor skirmishes, large-scale battles had been kept in check and had not occurred.

The burden is truly heavy. Nara sighed.

Seeing Nara sigh, Uzumaki Nao couldn't help but feel suspicious. As the dignified head of the Uchiha and captain of the Konoha Military Police Force, he held real power and status, yet he sighed constantly for reasons unknown.

"Lord Nara, you hold a position of great power in Konoha; what could possibly be troubling you?"

Uzumaki Nao couldn't help but ask, as he was genuinely curious about the matter.

"It is difficult to be a clan head, and difficult to lead a clan."

"Heh, that much is true."

As the current head of the Uzumaki clan, Nao remembered when he first arrived in Konoha. After persistent questioning, he finally received the answer regarding the clansmen who had been transferred to the Anbu: they had all been killed in action.

At the time, Uzumaki Nao had been trembling with rage and filled with a deep, lingering fear of Konoha.

A powerful dragon cannot suppress a local snake, let alone the Uzumaki, a clan from a fallen nation. They weren't even a strong snake; they were at the mercy of Konoha, to be molded however the village saw fit.

"Lord Nara, my Uzumaki clan has over a hundred people. Currently, thirty-three serve in the Military Police Force, six in the Barrier Team and Sealing Team, and thirty in the Konoha Hospital and Medical Team."

"There are thirty more clansmen I do not wish to see exposed while taking missions in Konoha. How about letting them join your Military Police Force?"

Uzumaki Nao and Uchiha Nara shared a very good relationship. The Uzumaki clan had once been allied with the Senju clan, another prominent family in Konoha.

Due to the Senju clan's withdrawal and other special circumstances, their numbers had dwindled. The vast Senju Clan Compound now held few people, most of whom were elderly, weak, or disabled.

The arrival of the Uzumaki clan had brought a bit of life back to the Senju compound.

Tsunade, the Princess of Konoha and one of the Sannin, had also been quite supportive of the Uzumaki, taking many of them into the Konoha Hospital and Medical Team.

With the care of Tsunade and Uzumaki Mito, wife of the First Hokage, the Uzumaki clan had escaped the plight they faced upon arrival. Coupled with their closeness to the Uchiha, they were doing quite well for themselves.

"I have hundreds of Uchiha ninjas out there taking missions, and I haven't said a word. I can consider letting them join the Military Police Force, but if you're looking for a salary, there isn't any."

"Heh, a mere few hundred thousand ryo in salary? Why tease me, Lord Nara? You only need to provide the positions; I can pay the clansmen's salaries myself."

Uzumaki Nao only wanted the positions; he had plenty of money.

Hearing Nao's words, Nara sighed even more deeply in his heart. A thousand-year-old clan like theirs was never short on cash.

After the fall of Whirlpool Village, Nao had arrived with the nation's treasury. It was truly a testament to Sarutobi Hiruzen's restraint that he hadn't killed Nao and seized it all.

Nara naturally wouldn't offer excuses for Sarutobi Hiruzen, saying softly:

"Very well, that can be done. After all, the police force has many departments and requires personnel to manage them."

The previous thirty-three Uzumaki clansmen had mostly joined the Village Management Division of the Konoha Military Police Force, with a small number joining the Public Security Division.

The Village Management Division had a formal establishment of only thirteen people: one division chief and three squads responsible for their respective areas.

The division had been overwhelmed by a lack of manpower, so Nara had stuffed thirty people into their ranks—ten for each area supervisor—solving their shortage.

Combined with the ordinary villagers and genin recruited during this period, the Village Management Division had become completely civilianized, though the leadership remained with the police force.

As for Nao wanting to send more people, Nara didn't really mind.

If someone else was footing the bill to fill the spots, what more could Nara say? This time, he prepared to distribute these people to the Public Security Division and the Security Division.

By mixing the personnel, he would strengthen the "Konoha" nature of the Konoha Military Police Force, ensuring it could never be accused of being the "Uchiha" nature of the Uchiha Military Police Force.

When it came to offending people or taking the fall, one should use the Konoha name, not the Uchiha name. Nara was very particular and careful about this.

Hearing Nara's words, Nao nodded with a smile:

"In that case, many thanks, Lord Nara."

"We have been friends for many years; there is no need for such formalities."

The rescue of the Uzumaki, spearheaded by Nara, was still fresh in Nao's mind.

Nao remembered the situation clearly; if not for Nara, they would have been doomed. Uchiha ninjas were not exactly known for their kindness.

Therefore, Uzumaki Nao held Uchiha Nara in high regard. Moreover, Nara was now the head of the Uchiha and captain of the Konoha Military Police Force, holding a status far beyond what it had been back then.

"I am very interested in medical ninjutsu, but there has been too much friction between the Uchiha and the Senju in the past. Even after thirty years of Konoha's establishment, the rift has yet to be truly bridged."

"If Lady Tsunade could also train some excellent medical ninjas for the Uchiha, perhaps the rift between the Uchiha and the Senju would truly vanish into thin air."

Nara picked up his teacup, gently blew the steam away, and took a small sip.

Upon hearing Nara's words, Uzumaki Nao fell into deep thought. He understood that Nara was trying to use their connection to have him lobby Lady Tsunade to train medical ninjas for the Uchiha.

As for the rift between the Senju and the Uchiha, that was all ancient history. With the Senju Clan having long since retired and faded away, it was clearly just an excuse Nara had cooked up.

"Lord Nara, it is already Year 39 of Konoha, and the Senju Clan has already retired; where is this talk of a rift coming from? I will ask Lady Tsunade when I see her next, but I cannot guarantee she will agree."

"In that case, you have my thanks!"

Uchiha Nara took a scroll from his person and tossed it to Uzumaki Nao.

"This is our Uchiha Clan's shuriken technique. Our Uchiha Fire Style and shuriken arts are renowned throughout the ninja world."

"Since you have joined Konoha, I imagine your clansmen will be carrying out many missions for the village in the future. Perhaps this technique will be of some reference."

The Uchiha's Fire Style and shuriken arts were famous. Uzumaki Nao took the scroll and glanced at it, feeling a surge of joy, but his expression calmed down before two seconds had passed.

"Lord Nara, I... I cannot guarantee I will complete the task you have entrusted to me. Princess Tsunade's mind is not something I can fathom."

Nara raised his teacup, took a sip, and replied with an expressionless face: "It is no matter; as long as you try. You gave me a sealing jutsu scroll previously, and I never returned the favor. Thinking back on it now, it was truly impolite of me."

"Heh, you saved our Uzumaki. A mere sealing jutsu is already circulating throughout Konoha; giving you a copy was only right. There is no need to dwell on it. Hmm, I think I shall pay Princess Tsunade a visit in the next two days to sound her out."

Uzumaki Nao chuckled; the sealing jutsu scroll had been his way of thanking Nara for the rescue.

It had been several years now, and Uchiha Nara was clearly just finding an excuse to offer a gift. It seemed he would have to make this trip after all.