Before attending Takayuki Senju's wedding at the end of the month, Toji still had one more thing to do.
That was to establish the Anbu.
Previously, Toji's foundation in Konoha had been shallow, with his involvement limited to medicine and education. Rashly entering the military sphere would easily arouse suspicion. But now that he had been entrusted with arranging the distribution of the Tailed Beasts, that concern no longer existed.
Moreover, the Zenin Laboratory's operations depended heavily on the gap in the Forest of Death.
Whether it was the Anbu or the Konoha Military Police Force, their establishment would interfere with his covert arrangements.
But times had changed. It was time to make a move.
The Anbu's full name was the Assassination and Tactical Special Forces. It was a violent institution that answered only to the Hokage and was funded by the state. It had originally been established by Tobirama Senju shortly after he became Hokage, and the major ninja villages throughout the Shinobi World later rushed to imitate the system.
If he did nothing.
This violent institution would be entirely controlled by Tobirama Senju and the future Hokages.
Toji could not say whether he would become Hokage in the future.
But he had to get a hand into this power belonging to the Hokage and place his own people within it.
That would not be easy during Tobirama's era.
This period, while Hashirama's life was nearing its end, was the best opportunity.
Hashirama Senju was an out-and-out idealist, his saintly nature unchanged. Even the Uchiha Clan could be accepted by him without reservations.
And what Toji needed to do was get Uchiha Clan ninja into the Anbu.
Given his relationship with the Uchiha Clan, Uchiha members were effectively his eyes.
There were also branch-family members of the Hyuga Clan.