Chapter 103: Assembly

Chapter 103: Assembly

Although it was frustrating, Uchiha Kei couldn't change his plans. So, he decided to go to the Land of Grass.

This decision puzzled Uchiha Fugaku at first, but soon, it seemed like he had come to some realization and simply nodded in agreement.

In Fugaku's eyes, Uchiha Kei might be intending to set an example. After all, he was now the Deputy Director of the Konoha Police Force, and his position wasn't low. His actions could easily be seen as conveying certain ideas.

Whether it was for the clan, Konoha's higher-ups, or even the ordinary ninjas and civilians, Kei's decision could be interpreted as a positive and proactive signal.

Moreover, with his Mangekyō Sharingan and his cautious nature, Fugaku believed that Uchiha Kei had little chance of being killed on the battlefield.

What's more, Minato Namikaze seemed to be deploying forces as well, so Kei's trip to the Land of Grass could be an opportunity for him to interact with Minato—wasn't that what Kei had planned in the first place?

Fugaku's analysis had caught even Uchiha Kei by surprise. He hadn't realized there were so many nuances to his simple trip to the Land of Grass.

"Then, I'll leave Uchiha Yuu to you, Clan Leader." Kei didn't forget to mention this, "Please make sure not to expose him before I return."

"Don't worry, he's still there. I've already covered his eyes and hooked him up to the nutrients," Fugaku reassured. "The guards I've assigned to him are the most trustworthy people I have. They won't say a word, nor have they seen anything."

With Fugaku's guarantee, Kei finally felt a bit relieved. Although he remained cautious and wary of Fugaku, Kei trusted that Fugaku wouldn't act recklessly.

Kei's relationship with his family didn't need to be scrutinized; everyone knew how indifferent he was at home. Therefore, using his family as leverage was the dumbest thing anyone could do.

If anyone were to harm his family, who knew if Kei would go insane? A person with no attachments was undoubtedly the hardest to deal with, even if it was all just a facade.

The Third Hokage's announcement came fairly soon, so after a day of rest, Kei headed to the Hokage's office to report for duty.

When Kei arrived, he realized that he was the last one to show up.

Although the Third Hokage hadn't yet arrived and the office door was still closed, Kei had definitely come late.

Hyuga Ayaka, Imai Kenta, and his superior Jonin Fukuhiko Kōhei were already waiting by the door. Besides them, Minato Namikaze, Kakashi, and Nohara Rin were also there, standing and waiting.

Kei found it a bit odd that Fukuhiko Kōhei was there, as Kei was already a Jonin with a track record of leading successful missions, even completing them perfectly.

But then Kei realized that perhaps the mission involving the Mist Ninjas was particularly troublesome. Having more people involved would certainly be beneficial.

There could, of course, be another underlying implication. Uchiha Kei was the newly appointed Deputy Director of the Konoha Police Force, yet a civilian Jonin had been appointed as the team leader. This sparked a lot of speculation.

For instance, it could be seen as a way to demonstrate the Third Hokage's authority, or perhaps as a sign that the Hokage valued civilian ninjas more.

"Kei, you're here?" Fukuhiko Kōhei, unaware of all the intricate politics, smiled when he saw Uchiha Kei and called out to him. "By the way, thank you. My brother has returned home."

"Oh? Is that so? Congratulations, Captain Fukuhiko." Uchiha Kei nodded with a smile, though he felt a bit awkward, as he had completely forgotten about this matter. It was likely that Uchiha Fugaku had helped resolve it.

"Kei-kun, long time no see." Minato Namikaze also greeted Uchiha Kei with a smile. "Congratulations! I heard that you've replaced Uchiha Yuu as the Jonin in the Konoha Police Force and have even been promoted to Deputy Director."

"Thanks, but as you know, I'm not really interested in such things. If I were, I wouldn't have come here." Uchiha Kei shrugged, appearing indifferent to the whole situation.

However, internally, he couldn't help but sigh. It seemed that the village was still paying a lot of attention to the Uchiha Clan.

It seemed that the current attention was mainly focused on large-scale shifts, and hadn't yet evolved into covert operations like espionage.

This was something Uchiha Kei would have to be cautious about. He couldn't help but think that Fugaku was right to be cautious at this time. Who knew what might happen if he started purchasing random equipment for covert purposes?

"Oh, you seem to have recovered well."

After exchanging pleasantries with Fukuhiko Kōhei and Minato Namikaze, Uchiha Kei nodded to Kakashi and Rin, before returning to his own team.

Looking at Hyuga Ayaka, who had a stiff expression, and Imai Kenta, who was still forcing a smile, Uchiha Kei suddenly turned his attention to Hyuga Ayaka, though with a subtle smile.

"Thanks to Kei-kun, I've recovered quite well." Hyuga Ayaka glanced at Uchiha Kei calmly. "I haven't had the chance to congratulate you yet, Kei-kun. Not only have you awakened the Sharingan, but your status within the clan has also risen. Truly something worth celebrating. But Kei-kun, despite your high rank, you're still participating in this mission. It seems you really love the village."

Uchiha Kei smiled at her. People from prominent families were usually like this. Even if she wished she'd never see him again, she had to maintain enough courtesy in front of outsiders.

However, her words were laced with sarcasm, not much less than what Uchiha Kei usually threw at her. Of course, this was probably because Fukuhiko Kōhei was here and would be joining the mission.

Otherwise, Hyuga Ayaka likely wouldn't have said this. After all, it wasn't wise to offend someone stronger than herself.

Even though she had already made a number of enemies, she would avoid making things worse unless she had completely lost her mind. People like her would never give up on survival unless they were truly desperate.

Uchiha Kei understood her mindset, but with Fukuhiko Kōhei present, he wasn't going to act on his feelings. After all, Fukuhiko Kōhei was a safeguard.

Moreover, Uchiha Kei suspected that his recent rise might have shaken her, especially since they had once been from the same background, but now, things had completely changed.

"Thank you. Isn't it normal to serve the village?" Uchiha Kei smiled lightly. "Besides, no one forced me to come. I just missed my two subordinates."

"Apologies, Kei-kun, but with Captain Fukuhiko here, I don't think the team will be yours anymore." Hyuga Ayaka remained calm, though Uchiha Kei could tell she would have preferred to be anywhere else.

Just as Uchiha Kei was about to say something, he noticed the Third Hokage walking towards them. Instantly, Uchiha Kei stopped speaking, recognizing the moment to remain silent.

The Third Hokage appeared somewhat fatigued, but his aura was as commanding as ever.

He nodded to Fukuhiko Kōhei and Minato Namikaze before his gaze landed on Uchiha Kei, staring at him for a moment.

But soon, he withdrew his gaze, wordlessly opening the office door. Uchiha Kei and the others immediately followed their respective team leaders inside.

"Let's keep it short, everyone," the Third Hokage said as he sat behind his desk, casually placing some documents on the surface. "Negotiations have reached a critical stage, but based on intelligence from the frontlines, some Mist Ninjas have been spotted in the Land of Grass. To prevent them from sabotaging the talks, I've already sent teams to investigate. However, it seems that the Stone Ninjas are also stirring up trouble. Therefore, we need someone to figure out the Mist Ninjas' intentions."

The Third Hokage paused for a moment, his hands folded. His voice grew serious as he continued, "I've decided to send both your teams on this mission together. You've worked together before, so once you arrive in the Land of Grass, investigate the Mist Ninjas' movements and determine their goals. This mission is crucial. Understood?"

"Yes, Lord Hokage," Minato Namikaze and Fukuhiko Kōhei immediately responded, bowing their heads.

"The mission cannot be delayed. Prepare and depart immediately. Dismissed."

"Yes!"