A Heart That Wants to Reform

At dinner, Itachi suggested to his father that the clan members who had grown dissatisfied should be removed from the Military Police Force and sent out on missions.

Fugaku pondered for a moment. "Wouldn't doing that right after the clan meeting be too obvious?"

Over this period, Fugaku had sensed the changes among Leaf Village's upper ranks. Though they still harbored some wariness toward the Uchiha, they had not done anything excessive.

Danzō had fallen from power, and without Root stirring up trouble in the middle, now was the perfect opportunity to integrate into Leaf Village.

"Those people can't be removed from the Military Police Force right now. We can only send them out on missions first. A few months later, we can remove them from the force naturally."

Hearing his father's decision, a faint smile appeared on Itachi's face.

After spending so much time with Qingfeng, influenced by his words and example, and with Shisui often away from the village, Itachi had successfully been persuaded by Qingfeng.

"Father, I actually have two more ideas."

"Let's hear them."

"Our Uchiha are a little too exclusionary. That won't do!"

"First, the Leaf Village Military Police Force cannot consist only of Uchiha clan members. If we remain so closed off, the Uchiha will never be able to enter Leaf Village's upper ranks."

"Second, Uchiha clan members must also join the village's various units. For example, they should join the Anbu, the Interrogation Division, and the Jonin Corps."

"Only by binding the Uchiha and Leaf Village tightly together can we achieve long-term development. Clinging to a single Military Police Force is meaningless."

Fugaku understood what Itachi had said as well. What did a single Military Police Force amount to? If the Hokage wished, he could assemble another one in minutes.

The current Anbu, Root... these were all departments established later, yet they possessed far greater authority than the Military Police Force.

Reform was indeed necessary. The Military Police Force should recruit other ninja, while Uchiha ninja should enter other departments. If they cooperated and relied on one another, then anyone wishing to make a move against the Uchiha would have to think twice.

It was easy to say, but difficult to accomplish. Fugaku had already begun forming some preliminary ideas for reform.

It seemed it was time to find an opportunity to speak with the Hokage.

Under the cover of night, two masked Anbu ninja returned to Leaf Village, bringing back a child with them.

The Hokage Office was brightly lit. The Fourth Hokage, Minato Namikaze, and the three advisors—Hiruzen Sarutobi, Utatane Koharu, and Mitokado Homura—were all present.

As for why Danzō was there, that was entirely thanks to Hiruzen Sarutobi.

Everyone looked at the little girl standing in the middle. The Anbu had just brought her back. She appeared to be only around five years old, but her hair was red.

Faced with so many strangers, the little girl carefully looked around, yet showed no sign of fear.

Hiruzen Sarutobi hurriedly urged, "Koharu, check her quickly. Confirm whether she's from the Uzumaki Clan."

Although every Uzumaki clan member had red hair, not everyone with red hair belonged to the Uzumaki Clan. As for where this little girl had been brought back from, he had no interest in knowing.

Utatane Koharu took hold of the girl's hand and sensed her chakra. "That's right. She is from the Uzumaki Clan."

The Land of Whirlpools had long since been destroyed. Finding even one was no easy matter.

Ever since the Fourth Hokage married Kushina Uzumaki, the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki, Leaf Village's Anbu ninja had begun secretly carrying out a mission.

"Find any surviving members of the Uzumaki Clan and bring them back to Leaf Village."

Over all this time, several red-haired orphans had been added to Leaf Village's Orphanage. However, either their bloodline was impure, or they had no Uzumaki blood at all.

The little girl brought back today was finally one who met the requirements.

Minato Namikaze was the first to speak. "Should we let Kushina meet someone from her clan?"

"It's already so late, and Kushina is pregnant. The most important thing right now is to keep her emotions stable. It's best that they don't meet for the time being."

"Hiruzen is right. We can discuss everything after Kushina gives birth."

With the two advisors stating their positions, Minato swallowed the words he had wanted to say.

Danzō sat off to the side, silently watching them without saying a word, but he understood perfectly why Hiruzen Sarutobi had done this.

It was because Leaf Village currently had only one Uzumaki clan member: Kushina Uzumaki, who was also the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki.

Kushina would grow old someday. Originally, it would not have been impossible for her children to continue serving as the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki.

But although she was married, the man she had married was the Fourth Hokage.

So they had simply begun searching the Ninja World for Uzumaki Clan orphans scattered abroad. As long as they were brought back and kept in the village, it would be much more convenient in the future, whether they needed to select a Jinchuriki or handle other matters.

Danzō still greatly approved of matters done for the sake of the village.

Utatane Koharu asked kindly, "Little girl, what is your name?"

"Uzu... Uzumaki Sanryo..."

Minato could see that the little girl was somewhat frightened, so he directly asked the two Anbu ninja still standing by the door, "How was this little girl brought back?"

"In an ordinary town in the Land of Grass, two civilians had taken in several orphans. She was one of them."

"We expressed our willingness to adopt her and left behind a sum of money to support those two civilians. They agreed to let the little girl return with us."

Uzumaki Sanryo, standing nearby, also spoke. "I came willingly. Those two people took in several children only to make us do hard labor or sell us off..."

"These two masked uncles have been very kind to me. They said that once I came here, I wouldn't have to worry about food or clothes, and I could even go to school. Is that true?"

Minato Namikaze answered earnestly, "That's right. It's all true."

Uzumaki Sanryo's eyes lit up. She could tell that the person before her was not lying to her.

Next came the question of what to do with the little girl.

Although Danzō wanted this "future Jinchuriki" to join Root, she was Kushina's clanswoman, and the Fourth Hokage would certainly never agree. He simply did not bring it up.

Mitokado Homura said, "How about finding someone to adopt her?"

"If it's adoption, no one would be more suitable than Kushina. But this is a sensitive time. It would be best not to let Kushina know."

"Put her in the Orphanage first? After Kushina gives birth, we can discuss adoption again?"

Standing nearby, Uzumaki Sanryo knew these people were discussing where she would go next. Nervously, she clutched Minato Namikaze's clothes.

In the end, they decided to place the little girl temporarily in Konoha's Orphanage and assign two Anbu Ninja to protect her in shifts.

Danzō, who had remained silent the entire time, suddenly froze. He could hardly believe it—could something this good actually happen?

Konoha's future strategic weapon, a candidate for the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki, was being placed in the Orphanage?

Yakushi Nonō, Danzō's spy, was currently the head of the Orphanage.

This windfall delivered right to his doorstep was simply perfect. Nonō had to properly educate this Uzumaki clan member.