"So, you're technically part of the Guard Division now too?"
Sitting in the office, Yuhara looked at Kotoha with an amused expression. Kotoha, on the other hand, looked completely exasperated.
Truthfully, Yuhara was a little surprised at her arrival, but it also made perfect sense. Their relationship wasn't ordinary—they had been classmates and later teammates. Even after the team disbanded and everyone went their separate ways, the two of them stayed in contact.
Before Yuhara became the clan head and rewrote the fate of the Uchiha, the Nara Clan's warnings to the Uchiha were largely possible thanks to their relationship.
Otherwise, even if the Nara wanted to warn the Uchiha about their current situation, they wouldn't even have a way to get their message through.
Now that Yuhara had changed the Uchiha and was even preparing to make a move against the Hokage, the Nara Clan—hidden allies of the Uchiha—were naturally onboard the same ship. Offering personnel support meant sending someone close and trusted by Yuhara.
And with the Guard Division expanding and being rebuilt, Yuhara's understanding—and ambition—for the organization was fully on display.
This monster-like institution was being unleashed under Yuhara's control, and this "unleashing" would open up countless vacant positions. After all, the Uchiha didn't have enough people to fill them all.
In that case, having Kotoha—capable and on good terms with Yuhara—join the Guard Division was perfectly logical.
"Yeah, though I really didn't want to come. It's so much more comfortable just staying home. But since my uncle made the decision, I didn't really have a choice."
Kotoha sighed. She really didn't want to be here, but she had no way to say no.
Still, she was very curious—what exactly had her family worked out with the Uchiha? Why had the relationship suddenly grown so close?
"Can you tell me what's going on? Not long ago, my uncle was still talking about needing to wait and see, and now suddenly I'm here. Not just me either—he brought a bunch of people from the clan too. This doesn't feel like simple cooperation."
The number of people the Nara brought wasn't small—over twenty in total.
But most of them were genin, a few chunin, and only Kotoha herself was a jonin.
Still, Yuhara was overjoyed by their arrival—because these people were all administrative talents!
Shikaku Nara had clearly analyzed his clan's strengths and weaknesses after seeing Yuhara's plan.
He realized that while the Guard Division looked like it had three big figureheads, the internal workings were way more complex.
Yuhara had divided everyone into two main roles: field operatives and administrative staff.
With that understanding, Shikaku naturally knew what to do.
The Nara Clan wasn't short on capable fighters, but he was well aware of where their real strength lay.
And since the Guard Division was expanding, they wouldn't lack solid field operatives—but administrative personnel were a whole different story.
So he decisively sent over those with good potential but weaker combat strength. This helped both his clan's future and gave Yuhara major support.
"It's definitely not simple cooperation. This whole situation is way more complicated."
As Yuhara inwardly celebrated the new influx of talent, he smiled and said to Kotoha:
"You just got here—it's normal that you don't know everything. Your uncle probably didn't explain because he figured I would."
"But before we get into it, take a look at this. You'll understand part of it right away."
Yuhara pulled out a scroll and handed it to her.
If there was anyone Yuhara truly trusted in this world, it was the teammates and jonin mentor he had when he was still a mission ninja.
Even now, he trusted more people—like Shisui, Fugaku, and his clan—but Kotoha was still someone he had faith in.
His personality might not be suited for this dog-eat-dog world, but he wasn't some cold, self-centered schemer.
Kotoha quickly unrolled the scroll and skimmed through it. Her reading speed was fast—within moments, she had grasped the main points.
And once she finished, she started to understand what her uncle meant when he said Yuhara had "massive ambition."
Honestly, her first instinct was that her old friend was preparing to go to war with Konoha.
But she held back. If even her politically-savvy uncle supported it, then there must be a reason. Yuhara probably wasn't doing anything wrong.
Thinking more deeply, she was startled to realize just how much power the Guard Division really held!
All Yuhara did was bring those hidden powers out into the open—and refine and optimize them.
With that, Kotoha looked up at him. "I think I get it now. You've got guts, huh?"
"You're only seeing part of it. I've always had guts."
Yuhara chuckled, then handed her two more scrolls.
"Check these out. They're top secret. But this is the foundation of why we're working together."
Kotoha nodded. She was starting to realize that she didn't know her old friend as well as she thought.
Maybe he'd grown. But after that growth, was he still the same person she used to know?
Sighing softly, she focused on reading the new scrolls.
But the more she read, the more her expression twisted. Yuhara's maneuvering was no joke.
He had secretly pulled the Nara, Yamanaka, and Akimichi Clans into an arms-dealing ring—selling weapons to outside villages, countries, and even clans!
And on top of that, he convinced her uncle to contact the Hyūga, Aburame, and Inuzuka Clans… to work together on impeaching the Hokage!
Impeachment—something she had never heard or seen before. But with that many clans banding together, it clearly wasn't just talk.
Now she understood why her father had suddenly gone to the Land of Fire's capital—it was all for the impeachment.
Looking up at Yuhara's smiling face, Kotoha felt a complicated mix of emotions and let out a long sigh.
"Looks like Minister Yuhara has far surpassed anything I imagined. I'll be counting on your guidance from now on."
"Just call me Yuhara. But yeah, when people are around, 'Minister' has a nice ring to it when you say it."
Yuhara didn't seem to notice her emotional shift. He stood up and put the scrolls away, then smiled again.
"Let's look out for each other. After all, you're Kotoha—the brain of our old team, the one who helped me more times than I can count."
"Now that you're here, I can finally slack off a little. These past few weeks have been brutal. I really felt the pressure of 'work or die.'"
Kotoha stared at him, oddly amused. He really hadn't changed at all.
Back in the team days, he was just like this. Unless it was life or death, he never messed with the plans.
Now, even as the Uchiha clan head and Guard Division Minister, he was still the same.
"This guy… he's really hopeless. He's just in a different environment now."
Yuhara had no idea what she was thinking. But he knew Kotoha's arrival would be a huge help.
Not that he had time to dwell on it. Other clans were coming too—and he had major stuff to deal with.
Kakuzu had been in the forest for days now. Yuhara needed to settle that situation.
He also had to inform the other clans involved about Kakashi. Kakashi's stance could change everything.
Since Kakashi had agreed to work with him and even handed over some evidence, Yuhara had to be transparent with his allies.
He summoned a ninja cat, told everyone to meet at the usual spot that night, then got back to work.
As night fell, Yuhara headed toward the forest. When he got close to Kakuzu, he released his shadow clone.
In an instant, all the details of the past few days with Kakuzu entered his mind.
Turns out Kakuzu had been surprisingly well-behaved. He basically lived like a retiree in the forest.
Morning training, hunting, more training in the afternoon, dinner, and then bed around nine.
To Yuhara, it was a typical old man's routine. Considering Kakuzu's age, it all checked out.
"But... why does this still feel weird?"
Yuhara scratched his head. Something felt off, but he couldn't be bothered to figure it out. In a flash, he appeared in front of Kakuzu.
"Get ready. We're heading somewhere."
He was completely calm as he looked at Kakuzu.
"You've been in Konoha for a while now. I bet you're wondering what we actually want from you."
"Of course I'm curious. I've had a nice little break."
Kakuzu nodded. The moment Yuhara's shadow clone vanished, he knew Yuhara had arrived. So his mood stayed neutral.
"But rest too long and it gets bad. If life gets too calm, I forget why I exist. And once that happens, death isn't far off."
"Your outlook is… unique. Most people find purpose in protecting what they care about or earning others' recognition."
Yuhara couldn't help but laugh.
"But you've focused completely on money. That's unexpected—not wrong, just interesting."
"Have you ever considered this: how much do you really earn from black market or war contracts?
Or is it that you find meaning in the act of doing those missions?"
This was a question Yuhara genuinely needed answered. It revealed Kakuzu's true mindset.
He had researched the black market before leaving to earn his initial funds and open trade channels.
Turns out war contracts weren't as lucrative as expected—maybe tens of millions per job, hundreds of millions if you stacked them.
But money in this world didn't have the purchasing power people assumed. That's why the Guard Division could even have such a big budget gap.
If money wasn't that valuable, and missions didn't pay that much, why was Kakuzu so obsessed?
Was it the money—or the meaning he found through earning it?
"You don't understand me. You don't know what I've been through."
Kakuzu fell silent at Yuhara's question. After a long pause, he finally answered seriously.
"The power of a ninja—what it's for, I honestly don't care. The experience of battle? For me, it's just a burden.
I once served my village loyally. I even attacked your First Hokage for its sake, and nearly died doing it.
If your Hokage hadn't shown me mercy and let me go, I'd have been a beast's lunch long ago—or rotting bones buried in some nameless ditch.
But when I returned to my village, all I got was betrayal. That betrayal shattered my beliefs. From then on, I stopped trusting anyone.
You're right—there are many things in this world worthy of loyalty. But for someone like me, all alone, my options are limited.
Money is what keeps me alive. It's the most silent yet trustworthy thing in this world.
It is my belief. It is my bond!
Didn't you once tell me, for someone like me, as long as there's a way to earn enough money, it doesn't matter who I work with?
So now I'm with you—because you said you'd help me make more."
Kakuzu's words left Yuhara silent. He realized this guy was actually… really fascinating.
Calling money "trustworthy" wasn't wrong. If money didn't hold credibility, how would it have value?
And the way Kakuzu kept using the word "earn" instead of anything shady—it showed he believed in following the rules, even while chasing money.
He might worship wealth, but he didn't cheat to get it. He earned it fair and square.
Looking deeper, the missions he did—though villainous in the original timeline—weren't actually that different from standard ninja assignments.
Yuhara nodded slightly, then placed a hand on Kakuzu's shoulder and said quietly:
"I get what you're saying. And I promise—you won't regret this decision.
After all, we're talking real business here. Big business."
"That's all fine and good—but can you take your hand off me?"
Kakuzu frowned slightly at Yuhara's hand on his shoulder. If he wasn't sure Yuhara could crush him, he might've swatted it off already.
"I'm taking you somewhere. Naturally, I don't plan on going slowly," Yuhara said as he shook his head. "Brace yourself—it won't be pleasant."
In a valley near Konoha's border, Shikaku Nara and the others waited in silence.
Yuhara had sent word via ninja cat—they all got the message. None of them knew exactly why they were summoned, but they were certain it was important.
Of course, the Inuzuka Clan Head looked mildly annoyed at the ninja cat's involvement.
Their clan raised dogs, after all—cats weren't exactly their thing. But he didn't say anything.
Like the others, he was trying to guess what this meeting was about.
As they speculated, a sudden chakra signature flared in front of them. Instantly, everyone tensed.
Except Shikaku. The others fixed their eyes forward, and before Shikaku could speak, two figures silently appeared.
"Clan Head Yuhara?"
The clan heads were briefly stunned by Yuhara's sudden arrival—but it clicked instantly: he had used space-time ninjutsu!
It was a shocking display. Sure, space-time techniques weren't unheard of in Konoha—both the Second and Fourth Hokage used them.
But the difficulty and threat of these jutsu were extreme. Anyone who could master them was a top-tier threat.
Yuhara was already dangerous enough—he had the strongest Uchiha powers. Now space-time jutsu too?
"Or maybe… it's a dojutsu-based teleportation, like that one-eyed Uchiha guy who used to warp through space?"
The clan heads were dazed by Yuhara's entrance and couldn't help wondering.
Then they noticed the man standing beside Yuhara—an unfamiliar figure to them all.
The man wore a black cloak and a forehead protector from Hidden Waterfall.
But more importantly—it had a slash through it!
That kind of defaced forehead protector meant one of two things:
Either the guy had serious clout and could ignore the rules, or…
He was a rogue ninja who'd abandoned his village.
Those who were familiar with Hidden Waterfall politics—especially Shikaku—immediately assumed the latter.
Bringing a rogue ninja to such an important meeting, and going to great lengths to summon everyone? That meant this man had to be important.
"Sorry to keep you waiting," Yuhara said with a light smile, though he sounded a bit winded.
He wasn't faking it—he'd pushed himself hard using Void Walk to get here fast, partly to impress Kakuzu and partly to show the clan heads a glimpse of his power.
He'd traveled all the way from the east side of Konoha to the northwest, dodging populated areas and suppressing chakra spikes—it was exhausting.
He didn't even remember how many times he used Void Walk, and even with his enhanced body, he was feeling the strain.
Luckily, his regeneration—thanks to the Darkborn Scythe and Ascendant Path—wasn't normal anymore.
Just saying a few words was enough to start his recovery. He figured he'd be back to full strength soon.
"It's fine. We only got here recently ourselves," said Hiashi Hyuga, eyeing Yuhara with a complex expression before getting serious.
"But Clan Head Yuhara—what's so important that you gathered everyone tonight? And who is this man?"
He spoke what everyone else was thinking.
"There are actually several critical matters tonight. But since everyone's curious about this guy, I'll start with him."
"His name is Kakuzu. He used to be a professional black market ninja. When I met him, he was a member of the same organization as Orochimaru."
"...What?"
The reveal stunned the clan heads.
Being a black market ninja wasn't too crazy—many rogue or wandering shinobi took that path.
But being in the same organization as Orochimaru? That changed things.
Orochimaru was wildly ambitious. He nearly became the Fourth Hokage, only to go rogue under grim circumstances.
But even after leaving Konoha, his nature hadn't changed. Whatever organization he joined—it wouldn't be ordinary.
Anyone in that group had to be seriously dangerous.
In an instant, their expressions shifted as they stared at Kakuzu.
They were all thinking: who the hell is this guy? What kind of power does he have to stand beside Orochimaru?
"Kakuzu is extremely powerful. I know because I fought him myself. Even I only barely came out ahead."
As the others pondered, Yuhara finally spoke again. Kakuzu, meanwhile, quietly shot him a sideways glance.
Barely came out ahead?
You mean when you summoned that giant demon-looking thing and cleaved me in half with one strike, leaving me with one heart?
That's what you're calling "barely ahead"? Seriously?
Underneath his mask, Kakuzu's mouth twitched hard. Good thing it was covered—no one could see the chaos in his expression.
The six other clan heads present all had odd expressions. They might not know Yuhara's true upper limits, but even what he'd already shown was unreal. The idea that Kakuzu had faced that level of strength and Yuhara had only "barely won"? That was terrifying.
But seriously—was that something any normal person could do?
Obviously not. They were pretty sure Yuhara was just being modest.
Still, regardless of modesty, the fact that Yuhara acknowledged Kakuzu meant the guy had to be strong.
But even if he was powerful—what exactly was he good for?
"I already said this—Kakuzu's a legitimate, professional black market bounty ninja. His actions and motives are simple."
As if reading the crowd's thoughts, Yuhara chuckled softly and spoke.
"He wants money. That's it. As long as the price is right—or if you're willing to up the pay—Kakuzu is someone you can absolutely trust. That's something I confirmed myself when I fought him."
Yuhara paused. He noticed the others were now looking at Kakuzu even more strangely.
Honestly, he got it. None of them would've believed Kakuzu was the type to say "add more money." Heck, even Yuhara wouldn't have—if he hadn't read the original story.
But it was true. That's just who Kakuzu was.
"I know, maybe I'm not explaining it well—but that's the reality."
Yuhara sighed, then continued seriously.
"So I made a decision: I'm appointing Kakuzu as our external mission handler for operations outside Konoha, where we can't show our faces.
"I understand everyone here might feel uncertain or distrustful of a stranger—so I've got another decision too.
"For the early missions, either I, Shisui, or Elder Fugaku will accompany Kakuzu personally.
"What do you all think?"
Getting an outsider involved in missions was hard to swallow. Yuhara wasn't surprised.
If the roles were reversed—even knowing Kakuzu's mindset—he'd still be cautious.
Humans are naturally skeptical. Without proof, no one gives out trust for free.
Yuhara himself was the perfect example. Before he restructured the Guard Division, Shikaku and the others didn't trust him either.
Only after the Division's reputation began to shift, and they saw he actually understood how terrifying the Guard Division could be, did they start cooperating and providing support.
In the end, the six clan heads voted: three in favor, three abstained. That was more than enough for Kakuzu to be approved.
The ones who abstained were the three who hadn't yet taken part in the weapon dealings. They'd likely join in later, but for now, they were just watching.
Kakuzu also finally understood—Yuhara hadn't dragged him here to do anything crazy like assassinations. He was going to be moving and selling weapons?
And now that he thought about it, it made total sense.
First off, these people absolutely couldn't appear in person. What they were doing was likely illegal.
Second, they were moving weapons into heavily monitored areas.
Like earlier—he was attacked because Yuhara had him fronting for Star Ninja Village.
That tiny village was locked down by the major powers. Even with money, they couldn't spend it. Yuhara's group had clearly targeted these desperate small villages.
Heck, if some clans within those villages were planning coups or revolts, they could even sell weapons directly to them!
In that case, these Konoha bigwigs couldn't afford to show their faces. But Kakuzu? He was perfect for the job.
With that in mind, one thought filled Kakuzu's head: Can I charge extra?
The profit from weapons dealing made normal mission pay look like pocket change.
No wonder Yuhara asked whether he liked money or the thrill of missions—the real reason was this!
And Kakuzu? He was all about the money. He could already imagine how much he'd make per job.
Even just 1–2% of the take would be massive.
With all that in mind, he wasn't even mad anymore about being dragged here or having most of his hearts nuked.
Because at this moment, all he could think about was money. And only money made him feel alive.
Once the Kakuzu deal was settled, Yuhara sent him outside to guard the entrance. Kakuzu didn't complain and left immediately.
This ninja world's legendary "Pay Me First Guy" was surprisingly professional—once he saw the payout and future potential, he went full serious mode.
"Alright. Time for the second matter."
Once Kakuzu was gone, Yuhara's expression turned serious. He pulled out several scrolls and handed them over.
"Take a look. These are from Kakashi."
"Kakashi?"
The name alone changed everyone's expressions. They quickly unrolled the scrolls and began reading.
As they finished, their faces remained calm, but their eyes burned with fury.
You can't hide the kind of glare that says, I want someone's head on a stick.
These reports included not only Sarutobi Hiruzen's actions toward Sakumo Hatake but also listed many other clans and individuals.
The reason? Every single time: "For the good of Konoha."
Those high-and-mighty justifications, paired with blatantly self-serving actions—disgusting.
It took a while before anyone put the scrolls down. Then all eyes turned to Yuhara.
"So… Kakashi's going to support and cooperate with us?"
Shikaku spoke calmly, even though his mood was anything but.
"He will—assuming nothing unexpected happens."
Yuhara nodded. He never made absolute statements. Things could always go sideways.
"I've cross-checked the report details. They match with actual past events. So they're legit.
Kakashi seems deeply resentful over his father's death—and also angry about what's happening to his sensei's son.
That's why he did all this. As soon as he got what he wanted, he came straight to me."
"At least Kakashi kept a cool head and didn't try to assassinate the Hokage outright using his ANBU status."
Hiashi Hyuga sighed softly. He'd grown up hearing about Sakumo, the legendary swordmaster. That man's death—especially at the hands of political scum—left a sour taste.
Second Hokage-sama… just what kind of weird students did you raise?
"Kakashi's always been level-headed. Don't forget—he was Konoha's most gifted child."
Shikaku glanced at Hiashi, then locked eyes with Yuhara.
"So… did you tell him what comes next?"
"I told him I'm not the only one aiming for the Hokage. Because I can't take on the Third alone."
Yuhara cracked a slight smile—one that looked downright evil to the six clan heads.
If Yuhara couldn't do it alone, obviously he meant them. Which meant he'd already outed them to Kakashi.
They sighed. Classic Yuhara—share the rewards, share the risk.
Still, it was fine. They were already in this together. And if Kakashi was as serious as Yuhara claimed, he wouldn't betray them.
Just the documents in their hands were enough to bury Sarutobi Hiruzen.
"I also warned Kakashi: if he dares betray us, we'll take out him and anyone close to him."
Yuhara added casually. His tone was flat—not threatening—but it still sent chills down everyone's spine.
"Also, isn't Sarutobi Hiruzen's son over in the Daimyō's palace? Maybe we could use that?"
"Is that really a good idea?"
Akimichi Chōza looked uneasy. It sounded like Yuhara was planning to target Asuma.
"Not only is Asuma one of the Daimyō's bodyguards, but he hasn't done anything wrong. If we—"
"You misunderstood, Lord Chōza."
Yuhara cut him off, a bit exasperated.
"I'm not saying we hurt him. I'm saying, when our people meet the Daimyō, we spin Elder Fugaku's earlier theory using Asuma as a prop.
Like: 'Asuma left Konoha because he couldn't stand his father's power-hungry actions.'
Also, I've heard that many of the Guardian Shinobi dislike the 'Two Sovereigns' concept. They believe there should be only one—our Daimyō.
So what if we claim that Asuma adopted this view out of disillusionment with his father?"
Yuhara's words blew through the room like a cold wind, chilling everyone to the bone.
This was just as brutal as when he first told them the "truth" about the Fourth Hokage's death.
They now understood—Yuhara wasn't just cunning. He was downright ruthless when it came to schemes.
Sure, Hiruzen and Danzō had done plenty of shady stuff. The scrolls proved that.
But Yuhara's counterattack was darker, nastier, and more manipulative than anything they'd seen.
If this rumor about Asuma spread through the village, it'd be war. Hiruzen wouldn't rest until he cleared his name.
He might even take his own life to prove his innocence.
"I understand. I'll prepare a message—get the spin ready and deploy it when needed."
Shikaku nodded after a moment's thought. In politics, mudslinging was fair game.
"Perfect. That settles it, then."
Yuhara smiled lightly, then straightened up, his voice brimming with fire.
"Gentlemen, our plan is complete. Once all preparations are in place, we move.
We are not Danzō or the Third Hokage, pretending to serve Konoha while only serving ourselves.
Everything we do—is truly for Konoha."
"..."
"Okay, fine. It's also for ourselves."
_______________
P/S: If you are interested, you can read up to 30+ at patreon.com/Emik01.