Meeting Concludes

The jutsu used to pry intelligence from a corpse's mouth was nothing unfamiliar to the major jonin.

Especially not to a ninja clan with such a long heritage as the Uchiha.

What had Uchiha wanted from Orochimaru by bringing him brain tissue? None of the seated jonin knew.

But who could say whether the Uchiha Clan had "interrogated" this corpse?

The atmosphere in the formerly solemn jonin meeting suddenly turned strange.

Quite a few jonin wanted to watch the spectacle, though they were doing their best to hold it in.

"Even I have only limited research into the Forbidden Jutsu left behind by the Second Hokage, the Impure World Reincarnation. But if we can truly reincarnate that Rogue Ninja, perhaps we can uproot the village's hidden danger once and for all."

Orochimaru looked toward his former teacher, the Third Hokage.

"Teacher, perhaps you could help?"

Hiruzen Sarutobi's eyelids twitched, and Shimura Danzō's mouth twitched as well, but neither spoke in the end.

Some of the jonin present grew excited. If that "brainless" Rogue Ninja really walked into the jonin meeting room, things would get lively.

"That is a Forbidden Jutsu that violates ethics and morality. I fear that after the Second Hokage, no one in the village has been able to perform it."

The Third Hokage spoke unhurriedly, then looked at Uchiha Fugaku.

"Since the Uchiha Clan has always been responsible for the village's security, Fugaku, you will handle this matter."

"Of course. This is a power granted to us by the Second Hokage."

After saying that, Fugaku silently took his seat.

The jonin who had been hoping for entertainment felt rather disappointed. Was that it?

The ninja clan heads, however, understood that the authority to maintain the village's security had returned to the Uchiha's hands once again.

In other words, ANBU had found no evidence linking the Nine-Tails Attack to the Uchiha Clan.

Among them, only Hyuga Hiashi, the head of the Hyuga Clan, sighed inwardly.

He had always understood the conflict between the ninja clans and the higher-ups.

The duty of every ninja clan head throughout the generations was to ensure their clan's growth and prosperity, yet the Konoha Higher-Ups had always preached the "Will of Fire."

There was nothing wrong with protecting the village and the young people who represented hope for the future.

But during wartime, it became a shackle around the ninja clans' necks.

This was especially true for the Hyuga and Uchiha.

In most cases, bloodline-limit ninja were far stronger than civilian ninja.

As a result, they also bore more arduous duties in war, such as breaking through enemy lines in the early stages and breaking stalemates during the tug-of-war phase.

As many of the elite geniuses they had cultivated fell in battle, Hyuga Hiashi had no choice but to consider sending as much fresh blood from the clan as possible into the Sensing Team.

Yet even the Uchiha, who commanded the Police Force, could not escape the higher-ups' suspicion and warnings because of a "natural disaster" like the Nine-Tails Attack.

What choice would the Hyuga have in the future?

As clan head, Hyuga Hiashi was filled with worries.

"All right. Does anyone have any further opinions or suggestions regarding the Rogue Ninja's attack on the village?"

"If not, we will proceed to discuss the Hokage candidate list and hold a vote of confidence."

"Yuan! Why are you even lazier than Obito?"

Before the person arrived, the piercing voice had already penetrated the wooden door and exploded beside his ears.

Uchiha Yuan sat up blankly from his light sleep.

An elderly woman with short, white hair pushed open the door.

"Yuan? When did you come back? Or have my old eyes gone dim?"

Muttering to herself, she closed the door and pushed it open again. Only after confirming that the child in the room was Uchiha Yuan did she cry out in delighted surprise.

"Yuan? You really came back!"

The old woman was very happy. It was a rare sight since Uchiha Obito had left.

"Grandma... I just finished a mission. I'm exhausted. Can't you let me lie in bed a little longer?"

"All right, all right, you've worked hard... Worked hard, my ass! It's already noon! Get up and eat!"

With that demonic voice ringing in his ears, Uchiha Yuan no longer had any desire to sleep.

He got up, washed, and ate with Obito's grandmother.

As they ate, he told the old woman about what he had seen during his mission.

Uchiha Yuan did his best to act like an ordinary fifteen-year-old boy.

He did not ask about Root taking the old woman away on Nine-Tails Night.

In his view, it was undoubtedly a blessing for Obito's grandmother to live within the limits of her understanding.

"Yuan, Grandma has been thinking about whether to adopt another child."

"Mm... that would be good. At least someone can keep you company and talk to you when I'm away on missions."

After the Nine-Tails Attack, the Uchiha Clan had gained quite a few orphans and elderly people left alone.

The arrangement Uchiha Yuan had proposed to Fugaku, pairing the two to form families, was still being carried out.

"Hehe, this time, I want to adopt a girl." Obito's grandmother propped her chin up with both hands.

"A girl?"

"Mm! When she grows up, you two can get married!"

Huh?

Uchiha Yuan nearly sprayed out his food.

For Obito's grandmother, the fact that her grandson Obito had left the world without starting a family had always been a regret.

She did not want to see the same regret happen to Uchiha Yuan.

"Grandma, isn't it too early to talk about that? People my age can support themselves even if they become orphans."

"Hehe, I was just teasing you!"

Obito's grandmother had a lively personality. Obito's personality before he went dark had probably been heavily influenced by her.

At that moment, Uchiha Yuan appropriately made his expression turn surprised and regretful.

The old woman was naturally very satisfied. In her eyes, nothing was more interesting than pranking her own grandson.

After Uchiha Yuan finished eating and helped the old woman clean up, he headed out.

Shisui and Itachi were waiting at the street corner from the night before.

"Not bad. You really do look handsome in a Police Force uniform."

Shisui scratched the back of his head awkwardly, making Itachi rather envious.

"Big Brother Yuan, the captain asked me to bring you over."

"Okay. I'll go with you."

It was not difficult to predict that the village's security authority would return to the Uchiha.

Before the Fourth Hokage took office, the Third Hokage had resigned out of guilt, and his prestige had plummeted. The peace negotiations with the Hidden Stone Village had yet to be finalized, so he needed the confidence votes of the Uchiha jonin.

As for Danzo, he apparently had something held over him by the Uchiha Clan and did not dare act rashly.

Moreover, ANBU had failed to uncover anything. Accustomed to carrying out classified missions in the shadows, they simply lacked the experience and ability to maintain public security.

For the sake of the Konoha Hidden Village, with their limited pool of talent, the four higher-ups could only reinstate the Uchiha's command of the Police Force.

But from now on, they would impose harsh surveillance on the Uchiha, even cutting off unnecessary contact.

The village's internal conflict was still not over.

Although Uchiha Yuan knew this, he could not help feeling regretful.

Back then, it had been Madara, an ancestor of the Uchiha, who had personally given Konoha its name.

If the course of events did not change, this place would become the Uchiha's graveyard seven years from now.

All he could say was that life was unpredictable.

By the time Uchiha Yuan, Shisui, and Itachi arrived at the Police Force, it was already two in the afternoon.

Most of the Uchiha elite were quite happy to return to work.

Some, however, had their brows tightly furrowed, clearly realizing that the days ahead might not be easy.

Fugaku dismissed Shisui and Itachi, then spoke alone with Uchiha Yuan in the captain's office.

"Yuan, it seems you have a good relationship with Orochimaru. You actually convinced him to help."

Uchiha Yuan shook his head.

"No. Teacher was simply feeling frustrated and wanted to vent."

Hearing his nephew say this, Fugaku understood that the struggle for the position of Fifth Hokage was likely even fiercer than he had imagined.

As for the ugly details behind it, they had little to do with the Uchiha Clan.

"What do you think, Yuan? Are you interested in working for the Military Police Force?"

"The authority returning to the Uchiha's hands is largely thanks to the intelligence and corpse you provided."

Uchiha Yuan considered it briefly, then politely declined on the grounds that his left-hand injury needed time to heal and that he could not take on the work for the time being.

"In that case, we'll give you a nominal position for now."

This time, Uchiha Yuan did not refuse.

It was necessary cover for obtaining the Yin Nine-Tails, part of his plan.

Before joining the Police Force, he intended to focus on mastering every jutsu and Forbidden Jutsu he had intercepted.

After all, in the Ninja World, strength was more worth investing effort in than conflict itself.