Year 41 of Konoha

Year 41 of Konoha

The Uchiha Clan Compound

Inside the meeting room of the Clan Affairs Hall

Uchiha Naraku sat at the head of the table, with numerous Uchiha Clan shinobi seated below him.

The Uchiha Clan and the Police Force were both stable institutions. The number of Uchiha Clan shinobi was gradually increasing, and their strength was growing as well.

"Clan Leader, the Land of Rain has been extremely dangerous these past two years. Our Uchiha Clan has lost dozens of shinobi there. Whether they were Uchiha shinobi squads or mixed squads with Konoha, almost all those sent to the Land of Rain on missions have gone missing," Uchiha Yashiro reported, holding a stack of files.

Uchiha Yashiro was a trusted deputy of the Uchiha Clan leader, helping him manage the clan.

"Hmm. I've noticed this too. Inform the clan: we're not taking any more missions in the Land of Rain."

Uchiha Naraku nodded. As he handled various letters, files, and mission reports, he had noticed something strange about the repeated disappearances of clan members in the Land of Rain.

By now, it wasn't just Naraku who had noticed. The clan members had too, and at the clan meeting, Yashiro had made a serious report to Naraku.

Naraku frowned slightly, then continued:

"Hayata, have the Ninja Cats and our intelligence personnel infiltrate the Land of Rain and find out what's going on there. Something about this feels strange."

Uchiha Hayata was an intelligence operative for the Uchiha Clan and, at the same time, the head of the Plainclothes Intelligence Division of the Konoha Military Police Force. One job, two organizations, two salaries.

Of course, whether he submitted his work reports to the clan or the Police Force, they ultimately reached Naraku.

"Yes, Clan Leader. I've already arranged for our intelligence personnel and Ninja Cats to infiltrate the Land of Rain. According to the messages we've received, Konoha's Anbu seem to be active there. Our elite Uchiha squad also encountered Ibuse in the Land of Rain. We suspect this is connected to Salamander Hanzo. As for Konoha's Anbu, we can't be sure whether they're connected to the clan members' disappearances."

"Konoha's Anbu, and Ibuse? Heh, I see."

"Clan Leader, have you figured something out?"

Naraku's composure and air of having everything under control prompted the Uchiha below to ask questions.

"Remember, issue a notice telling the clan members not to go to the Land of Rain. I only have an initial suspicion and assessment; it isn't enough to rely on as proof."

Naraku didn't answer them. With Anbu involved, he didn't need to think hard to know who was behind this. But Shimura Danzō was officially the Hokage's aide, and he operated behind the scenes and underground. Many Konoha shinobi and villagers didn't even know what duties the Hokage's aide, Shimura Danzō, was responsible for.

"My younger brother disappeared in the Land of Rain, Clan Leader! If you know anything, please tell me!"

"My son disappeared in the Land of Rain, Clan Leader. If you know something, please tell us!"

The Uchiha below refused to let the matter drop, pressing him for answers.

Naraku couldn't simply disregard the clan members' concerns.

"The Land of Rain dares to bully our Uchiha Clan? They must have a death wish. I've decided to lead a team there myself and investigate."

Naraku couldn't disregard his clan members, but he couldn't treat a suspicion as evidence, either. Without proof, the Hokage's side might accuse him of slander.

"Clan Leader, I'll go with you!"

"I'm going too! I want to find my son!"

"I'll go too!"

The shinobi below voiced their support one after another, eager to accompany Naraku to the Land of Rain.

Naraku was gratified. He was still well respected by his clan.

"Everyone, Konoha has its rules. We can't leave the village without cause. Besides, if most of the clan members take missions in the Land of Rain, the mastermind will surely go into hiding."

"So I've decided to take a team of Special Police Force officers from the Police Force with me. Don't worry. We'll go to the Land of Rain and get to the bottom of this."

Naraku reassured them, while refusing to let the clan members follow him. Konoha's Special Mobile Force was also called the Special Police Force. With Konoha at peace, they rarely had any missions to go on.

They were the sort who got paid by the village while they trained. The seventy members were the Police Force's elite private force, on par with Anbu. Only Uchiha with great strength or exceptional talent could join.

Naraku held tightly to authority over the Special Police Division and would not let other shinobi clans join. Over the past two years, members of the Uzumaki Clan and Kurama Clan had joined the Police Force, but they were assigned to village administration and public security.

Those two divisions needed the most personnel and were also the least likely to earn the villagers' respect. They were scapegoat positions. In addition to the Uzumaki and Kurama, Naraku had recruited some civilian shinobi and shinobi from minor clans.

Naraku was determined to transform the village administration and public security divisions from positions people automatically associated with the Uchiha into dark jobs belonging solely to Konoha, with little connection to the Uchiha.

Once Naraku announced that he would go to the Land of Rain, the clan members settled down. They had all witnessed Uchiha Naraku's abilities firsthand.

The villagers' hatred of the Uchiha had gradually eased over the past two years, finally giving the Uchiha Clan members the feeling that they, too, were part of Konoha.

The Uchiha were one of Konoha's two founding clans. Konoha was their home.

A major piece of news had recently swept through Konoha Village.

A peerless genius had emerged from the Hatake Clan.

The son of the White Fang of Konoha, Hatake Kakashi, had graduated early after just one month at the Ninja Academy. He had also passed the Genin exam, becoming a proud Genin.

Uchiha Naraku had taken a rare stroll around Konoha, only to hear numerous villagers discussing the White Fang of Konoha and Hatake Kakashi.

Konoha's villagers took pride in Hatake Kakashi's talent.

"The White Fang of Konoha is a powerful shinobi. Now his son is just as impressive."

"Konoha Village's peace really wouldn't be possible without the White Fang."

All along the way, Naraku's sharp ears picked up remarks like these.

Naraku shook his head and hurried back to the Military Police Building.

In the Captain's Secretary Office of the Military Police Force, Fugaku was hard at work at his desk, writing up assignments for the Police Force.

"Fugaku, the White Fang's son, Hatake Kakashi, became a Genin at five. Is it really that unusual to become a Genin at five?"

Uchiha Naraku walked into the secretary's office and asked Uchiha Fugaku, who was working.

The captain's office was spacious. The finance and logistics staff worked in the main hall, which also had several small rooms with signs on their doors, such as Captain's Assistant Office and Captain's Secretary Room.

Fugaku glanced up at Naraku, put down his pen, and replied:

"For a civilian shinobi, becoming a Genin at five really is a mark of genius. Even in our clan, very few can use ninjutsu at five."

"Oh, hearing you say that, Hatake Kakashi really is a genius. No wonder he's the White Fang of Konoha's son."

Fugaku's words made Naraku agree.

Naraku headed for his own office, a thought crossing his mind.

It seems Kakashi had his moment of glory for two years before Hatake Sakumo killed himself. Should I try recruiting the White Fang?