The grand celebration of Tsunade's succession was like a hearty rain, which completely washed away the haze that had shrouded Konoha since Nine-Tails' Attack. On the second day after the carnival, the village did not fall into tired silence, but was filled with a brand-new vitality and order.
The morning sun shines through the windows of the Hokage building, casting mottled light and shadow on the corridor.
Senju Chen is still wearing his iconic black outfit, wearing a white feather fabric with the Senju family emblem on it. His long hair is tied behind his head, making him look particularly energetic. His pace is neither hasty nor slow, calm and firm.
Following him, half a step behind, was Kabuto Yakushi.
The deputy minister of the Public Security Department also put on a decent dark uniform today. Under his iconic round-rimmed glasses, his purple eyes were as calm as water, perfectly playing the role of an efficient and quiet deputy.
The destination of the two people's trip is Strategic Command located deep in the Hokage building.
When the familiar and inconspicuous door was pushed open, the special smell of ink, old paper and bird feathers hit us again.
Here, it is still a busy scene that can be called "chaotic".
However, when the figure of Senju Chen appeared at the door, the originally tense and orderly war symphony suddenly changed its tone.
"Little... Mr. Minister!"
A young ninja who was recording something quickly saw him first, and subconsciously wanted to call him "Little Chen" as before, but when the words came to his lips, he suddenly stopped, quickly changed his words, and bowed to salute.
His voice seemed to press a switch.
The sound of rustling papers stopped, the cuckooing of pigeons seemed to have subsided, and dozens of eyes turned towards me.
These eyes were completely different from when he first came here to take up the post of deputy commander.
If we say that what burned in those eyes at the beginning was the fanatical admiration for strategic geniuses, it was the excitement of a technical geek to see a "great god" in the field.
So now, this admiration still exists, but it is wrapped in a layer of thicker and more complex emotions.
Awe, scrutiny, and even a touch of alienation.
The young man in front of him is no longer just the "Little Chen" who strategized and won thousands of miles in Third Shinobi World War.
He is now the chief of the Konoha Public Security Department.
He is the powerful figure who integrates all the dark heritage of the "roots" and holds the power of life and death for countless ninjas.
He is Fifth Hokage's most trusted younger brother and a very important figure on the power chessboard of the new era.
He is now power itself.
The smile on Senju Chen's face remained gentle, as if he was not aware of this subtle change in the atmosphere.
"Senior Tanaka, long time no see." His eyes fell on a middle-aged ninja not far away. It was the intelligence analyst who was shocked by his detection of the Land of Grass border crisis. "The defense map of the border has been updated recently, right? I have to study hard later."
The middle-aged ninja Tanaka, whose name was called, straightened up suddenly, with flattered excitement on his face, and waved his hands repeatedly. "No, no, no, Minister Senju, you are serious! It is our honor that you can guide our work!"
Senju Chen smiled and shook his head. He didn't say anything more. He just looked across the audience and nodded gently to everyone who looked at him.
He walked past those familiar faces, as if he were returning to his parents' home, greeting everyone whose name he remembered familiarly, and occasionally asking a casual question or two about a specific intelligence detail.
Every question accurately goes to the core of the other person's work, which not only shows his professionalism, but also conveys a sense of intimacy that says "I will never forget you."
This move gradually relaxed the slightly stiff atmosphere in the headquarters.
The tense nerves of the analysts slowly relaxed, and the eyes they looked at Senju Chen regained some of their former kindness.
Kabuto Yakushi followed behind, taking in all this. The eyes behind the lenses shone with thoughtful light.
He looked at the overly young face of his minister, and watched him use the simplest words and the gentlest smile to calmly resolve the invisible barriers and awe, and transform the oppression of power into personal charm.
This kind of control over people's hearts is something Lord Orochimaru doesn't have. It's simply an art.
After passing through the busy United Front Hall, the two came to the deepest minister's office.
The door is not closed.
Shikaku Nara is leaning on his very comfortable-looking recliner, with his feet on the desk, his hands behind his head, his eyes closed, looking lazy as if the sky is falling and it has nothing to do with him.
Hearing the footsteps, he didn't even bother to raise his eyelids, he just let out a lazy "Huh?" from his nasal cavity.
"Uncle Shikaku, I'm here to see you."
Senju Chen's voice carries the unique respect and intimacy of a junior.
Hearing this title, Shikaku Nara slowly opened his eyes that were always sleepy. When he saw Senju Chen and Kabuto Yakushi behind him, an unnoticed light flashed in the depths of those seemingly sleepy eyes.
"Oh, it's Little Chen." He slowly put his feet down from the table, sat up straight, and let out a long yawn, "Why do you have time to come to this old man like me? Your sister has just succeeded, and as a minister, shouldn't you be so busy that your feet never touch the floor?"
The words are plain, but there is a hidden edge.
He did not call him "minister", but still used "Little Chen", a term used by elders to address juniors. This was not only a way to bring the relationship closer, but also to quietly remind both parties of their seniority.
The smile on Senju Chen's face did not change. He pulled up a chair and sat down in front of the desk naturally, with a very low posture.
"No matter how busy I am, I still have to come to say hello to you Uncle Shikaku." He smiled, "Besides, I came here today on my sister's order."
"Oh? Lord Hokage's order?" Shikaku Nara raised his eyebrows, and the face that was always full of "lazy" finally had a hint of solemnity.
"Yes." Senju Chen nodded and went directly to Gate of Opening, "Sister... Lord Hokage ordered that in order to integrate the village's intelligence resources more efficiently and deal with various threats that may arise in the future, we hope that Strategic Intelligence Division can conduct comprehensive information sharing and exchange of information with us, Public Security Department, in external intelligence work."
There was a brief silence in the office.
Shikaku Nara did not answer immediately, he just looked at the young boy in front of him quietly.
Fifteen years old.
In other families, one might have just been promoted to the age of Chunin.
But the young man in front of him has already reached an equal position with himself.
In Shikaku Nara's mind, thoughts flowed rapidly like a rushing river.
He remembered Third Shinobi World War, the young man's earth-shattering and turn-around series of layouts and plans on the Land of Rain battlefield. At that time, he was Konoha's sharpest spear, dazzling and dazzling.
He remembered that in the middle of the war, this young man was transferred back to the village. He seemed to be hidden by the village, but he secretly accumulated strength and established inextricable connections with Uchiha and all the major ninja clans. At that time, he was like a giant net lurking in the deep water, silently, but quietly covering the whole situation.
And now, with the return of Tsunade and the recent establishment of the Public Security Department, this network has finally surfaced.
Shikaku Nara knows exactly what this means.
Information sharing, mutual exchange of information.
Well said.
What is the predecessor of the Public Security Department? It's the "root"! It's the dark empire that Shimura Danzō has been running for decades! Its intelligence network is like countless roots rooted in the dark soil of Shinobi World. It is dark, mysterious, but pervasive, and it holds countless shady secrets and dirty work that can subvert everything.
And what about Strategic Intelligence Division? They are the eyes and ears of Konoha. They are responsible for macro-level and strategic-level intelligence analysis, the game between major powers, and the deduction of the direction of the war.
Once these two are combined...
No, not a combination.
Shikaku Nara can see clearly than anyone else that this is simply an invisible annexation.
It is to use the huge and efficient execution power of the Public Security Department to digest and absorb the information resources accumulated by Strategic Intelligence Division for decades.
Starting today, Konoha will no longer have two independent intelligence systems.
There will only be one.
An unprecedented and terrifyingly large intelligence empire controlled by the fifteen-year-old boy in front of him.