Sougen didn't linger long. With the Fifth Hokage on medical leave, as acting advisor with Hokage duties, he couldn't afford to be away for too long. After exchanging some polite, reassuring words, he took his leave, joined by Doctor Nonou Yakushi, who had just finished the diagnosis.
"How does it look, Doctor Yakushi?"
"Haven't I already told you? Do you need me to repeat it?"
"So, the chances of the Hokage regaining his sight really are slim?"
"He's beyond hope, beyond cure," Nonou replied firmly.
"I understand," Sougen nodded.
It seemed that Choza Akimichi didn't have much time left. Although Nonou's medical skills weren't on par with Tsunade's, she was still one of the top medics in the ninja world, and her judgment could be trusted. Even Tsunade herself had said four years prior that Choza's condition could only be managed, not cured.
With that in mind, some preparations could indeed begin.
The Sixth Hokage... Sougen was determined to claim the position, and it looked like Konoha didn't have any strong contenders. Choza's illness had been recurring for years, so this wasn't the first time Sougen had exercised Hokage authority as his advisor. All signs seemed to point to Sougen as the destined Sixth Hokage.
Yet, in Sougen's mind, variables still existed.
For example, if Tsunade were to return to the village and run for Sixth Hokage, who knew how many supporters she could rally with a single call? The legacy left by the First and Second Hokage ran deep, and no one could know its full extent until it was tested.
In any case,
Better safe than sorry.
Still, there was no need to discuss this with Nonou. Though the Yakushi Hospital was built with funding from the Uchiha, Nonou had insisted on it being a loan rather than a donation. She'd learned her lesson after being burned by Danzo and wanted to avoid any potential manipulation.
Her past as a spy had left Nonou exhausted, and now, she had no desire to involve herself in the village's political struggles.
Sougen, for his part, didn't mind.
The reason he funded the hospital was because of a suggestion from his current assistant, Kabuto Yakushi. Establishing a new hospital could significantly improve the Uchiha clan's reputation in the village, even if Kabuto's motivation was likely to help his adoptive mother.
But Sougen had to admit, Kabuto was quite persuasive; even with his transparent intentions, he managed to sway the Uchiha elders.
And thus, the Yakushi Hospital was founded.
To Kabuto's credit, he was truthful as well. The hospital's profits were enough to support a small orphanage, and the Uchiha's involvement in its construction spread gradually among the hospital staff, improving the clan's reputation.
"Isumi, how's your progress studying with Doctor Yakushi?" Sougen asked, turning to the girl beside Nonou. Sixteen-year-old Izumi Uchiha had blossomed into a graceful young woman, her gentle demeanor captivating many young men in the clan.
Unfortunately,
This flower had already been claimed.
Most could only secretly curse the lucky jerk who'd won her heart—someone so formidable that few dared challenge him openly.
"It's... going okay, I guess?" Izumi answered hesitantly, sneaking a glance at Nonou.
"Though she started learning medical jutsu late, Izumi is talented, diligent, and her Sharingan is a great asset for medical work. I'm confident she'll be a competent medical-nin before she's eighteen," Nonou replied confidently.
"That's excellent," Sougen commented, then added, "Being a medical-nin is a valuable path. Not every Uchiha needs to be a frontline fighter. Healing in the back lines is just as important. If anyone criticizes that, beat them up. If you can't, ask Itachi to help."
Every family has its naysayers.
Especially one as large as the Uchiha.
Not all clan members saw becoming a medical-nin as a respectable choice. Some felt that the Uchiha should be known only for their battlefield prowess. Sougen couldn't root out every biased viewpoint, so he relied on his authority to suppress them.
"I'll try," Izumi replied, blushing.
"Not try. Definitely. Unless they're over sixty or sixty-five, if anyone mocks you, put them in their place, and tell Itachi not to hold back."
"Yes, Clan Leader," Izumi replied firmly this time.
"Now that's the spirit... That's it for now. Doctor, Izumi, I'll head out." Sougen waved farewell and headed toward the Hokage's office, while Nonou and Izumi continued north toward the hospital and the orphanage, both located on the village's north side.
Back at the Hokage's office,
Sougen entered his advisor's office. Though he still officially held his position as Chief of Police, his duties were largely managed by his deputy, Uchiha Ranzan. His focus had shifted to his advisor role, and he spent at least twenty-five days each month working in the Hokage's building.
And,
Aside from assisting the Hokage and his role as head of the Police Department, he now held another position.
Just as Sougen had settled into his chair, a knock came at the door.
"Come in!"
Sougen put down the file he had just glanced at, and looked up to see a young man with white hair walking in. "Mangetsu, what brings you here?"
"No big deal, it's personal."
With his white hair, purple eyes, and sharp teeth, the young man's identity was unmistakable. He was Hozuki Mangetsu, the "Prodigy Beloved by the Ninja Swords," from Kirigakure. Of course, the title of "prodigy" was a thing of the past for him now.
"Personal? Asking for time off again?"
"Heh heh, you know me too well, boss."
"You... always taking time off. What's the reason this time? Never mind, just tell me—how many days do you need?"
"At least twenty days."
"Twenty days? Bold of you to ask."
"I can't help it! The journey from Konoha to Kirigakure is so long! Factoring in the travel, I barely get to spend time at home. But this time it's serious—my father passed away, and my younger brother Suigetsu's been acting up a lot lately. My mother asked me to come home since there's a lot for me to take care of."
"My condolences."
Sougen's face turned solemn.
"Heh, it's alright. Honestly, my relationship with the old man wasn't good. If it weren't for my mother's letter, I wouldn't have planned on going back." Mangetsu didn't seem the least bit sad.
Sougen didn't press further. He knew Mangetsu had a difficult relationship with his father. But since it was a family matter, it was best to stay out of it.
"I'll give you a month off. If that's not enough, you can extend it. Just come back when your family matters are settled—there's nothing urgent at the department right now. By the way, Yuyuri isn't going with you, is she?"
"I'm going alone."
"Be careful on the road."
The "department" here wasn't the Police Department; Mangetsu and Yuyuri were in the Konoha-Kirigakure Joint Rogue Ninja Task Force, a cooperative unit supposedly formed to help both villages pursue rogue ninjas across borders. In truth, though—
It was far more complex.
This unit was Sougen's idea to pacify and ally with Kirigakure. By making Uchiha Madara, a common enemy to both Konoha and Kirigakure, the target, he established a solid alliance between the villages. The Mizukage at the time was fully on board.
After the Fourth Mizukage passed and Mei Terumi became the Fifth Mizukage, she quickly sent Mangetsu, Yuyuri, and a team of capable Kirigakure ninja to Konoha. Sougen, in turn, selected Hatake Kakashi, Uchiha Chisato, and others.
And so,
The Konoha-Kirigakure Joint Rogue Ninja Task Force was established, with Sougen serving as its first head.
Forming the department was quick, but achieving results was another story. Over the years, the two villages had indeed captured many rogue ninjas, but the investigation into Uchiha Madara had made little progress—no solid leads had surfaced.
Sougen did know that Uchiha Obito likely frequented Amegakure.
Sougen was confident he could take down Amegakure if he gathered enough power.
But unless he could subdue both Obito and Nagato in one strike, an assault on Amegakure would only drive his enemies deeper underground. Besides, Sougen's own strength had been growing steadily in recent years, so waiting was to his advantage.
So,
He refrained from offering his subordinates any extra help.
However, as time passed, perhaps… change wouldn't be too far off. After all, Naruto and his class would graduate next spring. Although the future had veered far from what he remembered, it was still a point worth noting.
It held some reference value.
"Does anyone really live in a place like this?"
The speaker was a woman dressed in a sharp, deep purple outfit, with a rain-shielding hat and no headband, suggesting she wasn't from one of the five major villages.
Standing on a stone jutting up like a fang, she surveyed her surroundings, which looked much the same: jagged rocks and mist-covered peaks hidden in the rain.
This was typical of the ninja world.
Just as the Land of Rain had endless rainfall and the Land of Iron had perpetual winter, some regions in the ninja world had peculiar climates, whether naturally occurring or shaped by ancient forces. This mountain, located on the border between the Land of Iron and the Land of Taki, was clearly influenced by the cold climate of the Land of Iron.
Though it was spring, the cold wind still howled.
There was no snow, but the icy rain was just as unforgiving.
"We need to go further in. The person we're looking for is here." The man, dressed like a wandering monk with a staff, gazed into the depths of the mountain, but the veil of rain hid the landscape ahead.
"Tenme, see anything?"
The man with the staff addressed another companion.
"Oh, I see something!"
Tenme, crouched down, opened his eyes and looked up. "I don't see any people, but there's something strange up there. We'd better be careful."
The three-person team was none other than Homma and his companions.
"What do you mean, 'something strange'?"
Homma frowned and looked up toward the sky, seeing only gray clouds. Wait… there was something… a strange sight!
"What is that?"
Ziji was stunned.
Breaking through the clouds and into view was a massive creature that defied classification. It had a single horn on its head, two wings, four legs, and two tails, with a pale, armored body that seemed built to crush entire streets.
"Forget what it is—run!"
Tenme shouted.
The creature opened its mouth and spat a searing stream of fire toward the trio below, like a waterfall of flames descending from the sky. The ferocity of the fire seemed capable of melting the stones below.
Tenme and Ziji took off.
Homma, after a half-second of consideration, chose to avoid the creature as well. He was here to find someone, not to fight. Besides, fighting an airborne monster wouldn't be easy; he'd need a way to bring it down first.
Seeing its flames miss entirely, only striking a fang-shaped rock, the creature grew enraged. It let out a furious roar and swooped lower, ready to shred the intruders with its claws since its fire had failed.
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