Disclaimer: Naruto and all of its character belong to Masashi Kishimoto. I own nothing but the original characters I make.
Chapter 29: The Truth
"Raiken, thank you for suggesting to us, to hire all members of the Uchiha Clan into the Police Force," said Hikaku, his voice filled with sincerity from the older generation.
Raiken smiled humbly. "It's the least I could do as your grandson-in-law."
Hikaku laughed heartily at first, but his laughter soon faded. A serious expression can be seen on his face. "Tell me honestly, Raiken, are you targeting Konoha or are you targetting Uchiha?"
Raiken paused for a moment, then let out a slow sigh. "It seems I can't keep it a secret any longer," he admitted. "Am I targeting Konoha? No—not the village itself. I'm targeting those who control it, the higher up in Konoha. Specifically, Sarutobi Hiruzen and Shimura Danzo."
"I knew it," Hikaku replied, his tone now devoid of humor. His eyes narrowed. "The way you approached us from the beginning wasn't normal. I suspected there was more to your plan. But tell me, why are you targeting them before I decide anything?"
Raiken leaned back slightly, his expression tense. He reached for the teacup on the table and took a long sip before setting it down gently.
"Before Uzushiogakure fell, our sensory shinobi detected enemy movement more than 100 kilometers away from the island. We had enough time to prepare a full-scale evacuation if Konoha had simply warned us. But there was nothing. No warning, no reinforcements, not even delayed intelligence. And that… is what I found impossible to believe."
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He continued, his tone now cold. "We Uzumaki provided Konoha with dozens of advanced tracking seals capable of detecting foreign chakra and movements. We're not talking about a small infiltration force—we're talking about 30,000 enemy shinobi who somehow slipped through unnoticed. Isn't that suspicious to you?"
Hikaku remained silent, absorbing every word. The betrayal, the incompetence or worse, the intentional neglect—was something he had never considered deeply before happen to Konoha management. Now, faced with Raiken's explanation, it all made sense.
"It's not just suspicious.... it's deliberate," Hikaku finally said. "But are you trying to get us to wage war against Konoha?"
Raiken shook his head. "No, grandfather. I'm not asking the Uchiha Clan to fight a war for me. But when we arrived in Konoha, I noticed something. The Senju are disappearing, their numbers are dwindling. And the Uchiha Clan, while still powerful, has been pushed aside. It's subtle but we newcomer can seen it, the isolation is there. The village may not openly suppress the Uchiha, but it's slowly sidelining you the Uchiha Clan. That's why I suggested marriage an alliance that can make our clan trust each other more."
"And what exactly does marriage solve, Raiken?" asked Hikaku, clearly curious.
"Everything," Raiken said firmly. "For generations, the Uzumaki have intermarried with the Senju. But not once have we formed a bond with the Uchiha. By merging our clans.... by combining three legendary bloodlines.... we become something entirely new. Something stronger. And united, we can protect ourselves from what's coming."
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Hikaku narrowed his eyes. "You keep mentioning what's coming. Do you mean war?"
Raiken nodded. "Yes. Do you want to know the truth about our agreement with Konoha?"
Hikaku nodded slowly.
"When Uzushiogakure was under siege, we manage to escape. Not to another country or hidden village... but to Mount Myōboku. The Toad Sages offered us a safe place to live. But suddenly we met Jiraiya and through him, we eventually found our way to Konoha. It was Sarutobi Hiruzen himself who invited us to live here. And that was when we negotiated a deal, one you don't know about."
"You escaped using a summoning contract?" Hikaku asked, surprised.
"Yes," Raiken confirmed. "If not for that contract, we would have perished during the genocide. But here's the key point, grandfather. We didn't beg to live in Konoha. The Hokage practically begged us to live here. He knew our kekkei genkai was too valuable to lose. So, we negotiated a good deal for Uzumaki Clan."
"What kind of deal?" Hikaku asked, leaning forward.
"The Uzumaki Clan and all its descendants are not required to participate in missions against their will. That means, if another war comes, our clan survives. We will not be forced onto the front lines. It's in a contract."
Hikaku went quiet, clearly stunned. "So you're saying… while other clans bleed for Konoha, your people will be safe?"
Raiken nodded. "That's what I worry to stay here if we didn't have that agreement. The Senju are fading and they are only few known senju left and I know most of them have integrated into Konoha and become civillian. The Uchiha are being isolated and their political power have been reduced. I believe the next war will change everything, and I believe the Uchiha and Senju might be wiped out. That's why I chose you."
The room fell silent. The only sound was the pouring of tea as Hikaku refilled both their cups. They drank slowly, absorbing and thinking of their clan future.
"To be honest with you, Raiken," Hikaku finally said, "there was a part of me that wanted to hate you. That wanted to blame you for everything... your sudden arrival, your ambition, your secrets. But I can't. Because since you've come, our clan has grown stronger. You've helped us without demanding anything in return except for marriage. And now, I understand why. I heard rumors that you were chosen to be the next Uzukage. I didn't believe it at first because you are so young, but now… I see why they chose you."
Raiken lowered his eyes slightly looking at his tea, showing respect. "I only want to ensure that history doesn't repeat itself, grandfather. That no more clans are destroyed because of the greediness from higher up."
Hikaku stood and placed a firm hand on Raiken's shoulder.
"Welcome to the Uchiha Clan, Uzumaki Raiken," he said solemnly. "From this day forward, our clans are united. One in purpose, one in strength. We will survive the next storm together."
[DING! YOU CAN UPGRADE TO LEVEL 3]
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