Konoha – Security Force Headquarters
Naraku sat at his desk, pen in hand, sketching ideas while deep in thought.
The Uchiha Clan's production of ninja tools—especially Explosive Tags—relied on jōnin-level shinobi skilled in Fire Release. These shinobi would seal Fire Release jutsu into paper using specialized techniques. Known for their mastery of Fire Release, the Uchiha typically produced their own Explosive Tags. Their quality was excellent, though the production rate wasn't high, and each tag cost only a few hundred ryō.
Still, it was enough to cover shop expenses, staff wages, and rent—just as Elder Shan had noted.
Another clan proficient in crafting Explosive Tags was the Sarutobi Clan, also renowned for their Fire Release.
At first, Naraku didn't pay much attention to the clan's income. After all, the Uzumaki, Kurama, and other prominent families were wealthy and well-funded. But as Uchiha Clan Head, Naraku couldn't accept being seen as impoverished. So he gradually started taking their finances more seriously.
After reviewing the situation, Naraku found no issues with his recent negotiations with Elder Heshan. He shook his head, snapping back to reality, then picked up a stack of documents and letters from his desk.
Most of the day-to-day responsibilities of the Konoha Military Police Force were handled by Uchiha Yami and Fugaku. Usually, nothing major occurred—the really sensitive operations were always handled by ANBU.
After skimming through a few reports, Naraku picked up a letter marked with a familiar signature:
"Hatake Sakumo"
His eyes sharpened slightly.
"A reply from the White Fang?"
He opened it and scanned the contents.
As expected, Sakumo had politely declined Naraku's offer to join the Police Force. The letter was respectful—grateful for the invitation, but full of humble excuses about not being up to the task.
"He's very polite, as expected of a legend…"
Naraku placed the letter carefully in a drawer.
"A letter from the White Fang—it's worth keeping as a memento."
Next, he picked up another letter, this one bearing a name that gave him pause:
"Orochimaru"
A few days ago, Naraku had asked Tsunade to deliver a calling card to Orochimaru on his behalf. In his message, Naraku expressed admiration and requested a chance to meet and study jutsu. Orochimaru had replied politely, sending the letter directly to Naraku's office.
Orochimaru was one of the Legendary Sannin, student of the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, and widely known as the "Doctor of Ninjutsu."
Among all the ninja in the village, perhaps only the Third could rival Orochimaru in terms of jutsu knowledge.
Visiting him under the pretext of admiration seemed the best way to establish friendly ties.
"October 5th at 10 PM... that's the day after tomorrow."
Naraku smiled slightly. Orochimaru had agreed. Letting Tsunade make the approach had been the right call—Orochimaru might ignore most people, but he wouldn't reject her.
Still, Naraku's thoughts turned to darker things.
"The Wood Release experiments… especially Orochimaru's collusion with Danzo—that's top secret. No one's supposed to know about the First Hokage's cells."
Even so, the fact that Danzo could act so boldly meant the Third Hokage was either unaware or turning a blind eye.
"If I bring it up… will I scare him?"
Naraku tapped his chin, pondering. The experiments were taboo. Defiling the legacy of the First Hokage was no small crime. If exposed, heads would roll.
"Let's see if I can get my hands on some of those cells…"
The thought lingered as he checked the time. Six in the evening. Most official work was done, so Naraku rose and left the office.
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Ichiraku Ramen
"One miso ramen, Mr. Teuchi."
"Coming right up—please wait a moment!"
Naraku stepped into Ichiraku Ramen, brushing aside the curtain.
This place had become one of his favorites. As the future favorite restaurant of Naruto Uzumaki, it carried a certain nostalgic charm—and more importantly, the food was excellent.
The place was crowded tonight. Several shinobi were eating while their dogs sat patiently by their side.
The dogs were calm and intelligent—no barking, just quiet observance. One of them even glanced at Naraku before looking away.
"Inuzuka Clan?"
The distinctive red fang markings on their cheeks gave it away. Curious, Naraku approached them.
"Excuse me. I'm Uchiha Naraku, from the Military Police. These dogs of yours seem quite smart. Would your clan consider selling them to the Police Force?"
He spoke humbly, presenting himself as just another officer.
One of the shinobi looked up—a man in his thirties with a strong frame and tired eyes. He seemed to be the senior among the group.
"I'm Inuzuka Asaichi," he said. "Yes, our clan breeds ninja dogs. But we have strict rules for selling them."
Asaichi was a jōnin and had brought his younger clanmates out for dinner after a long day of training.
The Inuzuka ran one of Konoha's most respected businesses in ninja beast training, animal care, and even specialized dog food production. High-quality dogs were raised internally and rarely sold. Only the more average ones were made available to outsiders.
"What kind of rules?" Naraku asked, intrigued.
"If you're interested, Mr. Naraku, feel free to visit our compound. Our beast shop is near the clan's edge—you're welcome anytime."
"Great. I'll stop by after dinner. It's a bit late—is that alright?"
"Haha, no problem. We don't close early. You're too polite, really."
Asaichi's impression of Naraku improved—this Uchiha was well-mannered, not arrogant.
Naraku returned to his seat just as his ramen arrived.
"Thank you."
As he ate, a new idea formed in his mind.
"It's ridiculous for the Police Force not to have patrol dogs. We should not only buy ninja dogs but see if we can recruit some Inuzuka clan members."
With growing funds, Naraku could finally act on his plans. In the past, he'd been too poor to hire outside ninja. The lack of salary made recruitment difficult, and some even mocked the Uchiha for using the Police Force to avoid front-line combat.
Naraku had already countered those rumors. He ordered the Public Relations Department to release evidence that the Uchiha had volunteered for combat—and were denied by the Third Hokage himself.
Now, thanks to the four Uchiha-operated ninja tool shops, money flowed steadily into the clan.
With silver in hand, Naraku could now begin recruiting talent from smaller clans, expand the force, and even build hidden outposts outside the village.
Keeping the entire clan inside Konoha made it powerful but dangerously vulnerable. If anything ever went wrong—whether a war or political purge—they risked total annihilation.
"A smart fox digs three holes. We need backup plans."
And Naraku was already digging.
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