Chapter 236: The One Who Holds Power
Seated in the Police Department office, Uchiha Kei's face was pale as he looked down at the report in his hands. After a moment, he signed his name on it.
This was the progress report on Uchiha Jun's Third Division.
Though Jun had been slower than expected, she had at least completed the task Kei had assigned her.
The Third Division was a true mixed bag: members from the Inuzuka clan, the Uchiha, the Aburame, and other ninja families, as well as a large number of civilian-born shinobi. Ironically, this division had the fewest Uchiha members and the most diverse composition of all.
Kei knew well that most of these clan shinobi weren't prodigies. Many were likely rejects or "trial pieces" their families had sent out. But he didn't care. If those families were willing to invest, he was happy to accept. What he needed most were their identities.
Breaking down identity politics and dismantling the unspoken racial segregation in the village wasn't something accomplished with slogans, nor could it be done openly in front of Hiruzen and his faction.
The method Kei had chosen was simple—but often the simplest measures were the most effective: propaganda.
Through public narrative, through staged appearances, through perception. He wanted people to recognize: everyone is the same. Even if the village as a whole couldn't embrace this yet, they would experience it within the Guard Department.
And once the messaging was in place, the smart ones would eventually realize that those clinging to old prejudices were the ones truly "isolating" themselves.
To push the division's diversity further, Kei even added Ayaka's name to its roster.
News of her joining the Department had already spread across the village, sparking murmurs of controversy. Still, as a branch member of the Hyūga, the outrage never rose too high. At most, people treated it as "something interesting to note," and quickly moved on.
As for Jun—Kei had to admit she had proven herself. Pulling together such a chaotic division and making it function was already a testament to her competence.
He'd been careful in assigning her the fewest Uchiha members possible. That effectively cut off any chance she might use the division to boost Fugaku's prestige.
Kei had no intention of letting Jun hold true control, either. He wanted her grip on the division to remain limited.
Besides, he had other measures in place: Uchiha Yuu, Uchiha Tsubasa, and Uchiha Chisai. Back then, those three had huddled together under the Great Elder's banner. For them, even Fugaku's orders weren't always absolute.
Kei was not Fugaku. He would never allow divided loyalties to take root under his watch.
Letting Jun enter the division was already more than enough of a concession to Fugaku. Passing along bits of information was tolerable—but anything further was out of the question.
"Uchiha Ryu… interesting." Kei stroked his chin thoughtfully.
Ryu had been recommended to him by Uchiha Kawa. By all accounts, his strength was solid—battle-tested on the front lines, with a talent for taijutsu and water release. He held the rank of chūnin, but lacked a Sharingan.
Not that this was a true flaw. Kei had already refined the genjutsu he once used on Kawa. He could wake the subject midway through the trial, ensuring safety, even if the effectiveness was reduced.
It was worth testing—after all, the missions Kei was planning demanded absolute loyalty.
Currently, Ryu served as a squad leader under Kawa, popular among his peers and noted for his decisiveness. So when Kei asked Kawa for a suitable candidate for vice-captain, Kawa recommended him without hesitation. Clearly, he had faith in the man.
"Fine. Let's meet him," Kei decided. "If he passes, he'll do."
Having made up his mind, he summoned Uchiha Asahi and instructed him to arrange Ryu's report after his current mission concluded.
Asahi nodded readily, assuring Kei he would handle it personally. Still, before leaving, he hesitated, concern flickering in his eyes.
"Lord Kei, I know the things you're doing are all important… but you must take care of your health. Your complexion doesn't look well."
"Don't worry. I'll be fine." Kei shook his head. "I'm not reckless with my body. I'm only fourteen, after all."
"…I understand, Lord Kei." Asahi opened his mouth as if to say more, but held back, bowing before taking his leave.
Once the office was quiet again, Kei picked up a mirror.
The boy staring back at him was handsome, but his skin was disturbingly pale. Kei sighed helplessly.
The price of experimentation, no doubt.
The experiments with Ayaka had yielded results both unexpected and inevitable.
The first trial—triple-fused cells entering his body—had done nothing at all. Under Ayaka's Byakugan, she noted the quantity was simply too small to matter. No reaction, no effect.
But when Kei insisted they increase the dosage, the results shifted.
Once the fully fused blood entered his veins, his body responded.
Heat spread through him, his strength waned, and for days he was wracked with weakness. Though it never left him incapacitated, the debilitation was frustratingly sharp.
Ayaka had kept her promise, monitoring him day and night during this period. What she observed, however, eventually reassured him: the cells had settled. They had been accepted. His body had adapted.
After all, they still contained part of his own cells, however mutated.
That alone was cause for joy.
And more—he felt changes. His chakra refined just a little faster, his reserves seemed just a little deeper.
It wasn't his imagination; Ayaka confirmed it through observation.
She dismissed the changes as negligible—just the natural growth of a boy still in his prime. But Kei knew better. Small daily shifts added up. This was no trivial matter.
The White Zetsu cells, too, had left their mark. Not grotesquely—no faces sprouting from his chest, no ghostly pallor overtaking his body.
Still, his skin was undeniably whiter now, smoother, almost porcelain-like.
For someone who had spent six, seven years on bloody battlefields, often beneath the open sky, the contrast was jarring. It was as though every trace of war had been scrubbed from him.
This gradual change unsettled Kei somewhat—he had no desire to end up looking like a grotesque White Zetsu. But Ayaka offered him a measure of reassurance.
"These changes shouldn't run deep. Yes, the fused cells are powerful, the most dangerous product of the triple fusion. But precisely because of that triple refinement, their essence has already been weakened. And as your body continues to adapt, the impact they can exert on you will only diminish."
Her words proved true. Kei had already undergone two rounds of such experiments. His skin had stopped shifting further, and his chakra reserves had indeed grown noticeably.
Taking advantage of the opportunity, Ayaka had conducted genetic scans.
She discovered that certain hidden segments of Kei's DNA—previously invisible—were beginning to manifest. Still blurry, but discernible enough to reveal hints of structure.
Not so much "revealing" as "repairing"… or even "activating," Kei thought silently. To him, it was excellent news.
Though he still couldn't feel any direct changes—his Mangekyō's drain showed no signs of slowing—he was convinced he had found the right path. A path to the Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan, one that required no brother's sacrifice, yet would still be entirely his own.
The only drawback was the pace. Progress was painfully slow—frustratingly so.
There were two main reasons:
1. The White Zetsu cells. Their initial fusion rate had been 70%, but that was only because of limited samples and trial runs. The reality was far less reliable.
2. Manpower. Ayaka was working alone, running every step of every process. Even her stamina was reaching its limit.
Seems it's time for Iori to contribute, Kei mused. Even if Ayaka has to guide her step by step, even if it's only mechanical operations, she needs to start learning.
Iori had been training for a few months now. Without any foundation, her progress was slow, but she was close to finishing her basic lessons. Kei decided it was time to involve her.
She was young—far too young to be handling blood and death. But that had been Kei's plan from the start when he brought her in. Ayaka would certainly understand the girl's purpose once she saw, but he trusted she would still teach her well.
As for the White Zetsu cells… Kei's expression darkened.
That part will have to wait on Orochimaru. For now, let him serve Danzo loyally. In the end, his findings will be mine.
His lips curled in a cold smile.
The rest of them are nothing more than seekers of power. I, however, have found the path of evolution. That is why I will be the one who truly masters power.