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"What are you doing?! Hurry up and pick it up!"
The elder stormed over and scolded furiously.
How could such a mistake be made while carrying something so important?
Don't flaunt your wealth — isn't that a basic principle?
"Y-Yes! Right away!"
The Uchiha clan member who had caused the commotion hurriedly scooped up the scattered ryo, his hands moving in a blur. Several other Uchiha quickly joined in to help gather the money, stuffing it back into the ripped bag.
The nearby villagers of Kirigakure stood frozen, their mouths agape, completely stunned.
That tattered old bag… was filled to the brim with money?
And they had actually mocked them, saying the Uchiha were dragging around junk like beggars? They had even talked about organizing aid for the "poor Uchiha refugees."
Now who looked like the fools?
In an instant, it felt as if an invisible hand had viciously slapped every onlooker across the face. The sting burned hot with shame.
After cleaning everything up, the Great Elder gave another round of stern warnings, stressing that such blunders must never happen again.
Then, with a relaxed expression, he walked back to the Kaguya clan leader and chuckled, "Hehe, apologies for the embarrassment, Chief Kaguya."
"Embarrassment?" Chief Kaguya twitched.
He felt like he'd just been played like a damn fool.
Those bags, tattered and patched, were filled with cash?
Good grief!
Even he had believed the Uchiha clan was broke and suffering. He had even been moved enough to consider offering financial help out of pity.
But now? Help them?
They were sitting on piles of wealth.
The Uchiha clan's deep roots and foundation… it was no joke. They truly lived up to their reputation — once the pride of Konoha's Uchiha.
Of course, on the surface, he said nothing. He simply laughed and continued leading the Uchiha clan to the area prepared for their stay.
...
At that moment, Uchiha Haru was busy sorting out the initial affairs of the Guard Department.
The work was tedious but not difficult.
After all, the Uchiha clan had long experience running the Konoha Police Force back in the Hidden Leaf. Haru himself had served there and was intimately familiar with the organizational structure and daily operations.
Now, it was simply a matter of replicating the system in Kirigakure.
It would take time — but it wasn't something he couldn't handle.
Later that evening, Haru visited the newly settled Uchiha members, sharing a meal and conversation. It had been a long time since they were all together.
After the food and warm greetings, Haru briefly brought up the matter of the Guard Department.
The Uchiha clan would have a few days to rest and recover.
Then, the official formation of the Guard Department would begin.
Their duty would be to maintain order and ensure the safety of Kirigakure.
There was no denying the significance of this institution. With responsibility for the village's public security, the Guard Department would wield considerable power — and potentially gain favor with the common villagers.
Things had fallen apart in Konoha for many reasons.
Yes, the upper echelon of Konoha had orchestrated much of the conflict.
But the Uchiha weren't blameless.
Bitterness led many of them to neglect their responsibilities. Some lashed out, others withdrew — letting their resentment poison their relationship with the public. Law enforcement became harsh and cold. Laziness spread. The villagers grew afraid… and eventually, hateful.
But Kirigakure was a clean slate.
There were no decades of bad blood. No dark manipulation from the village elders.
If the Uchiha could rise to the task — rebuild their image with discipline and care — then they could truly integrate.
To ensure this, Haru laid down three core principles:
First — abandon the old ways of Konoha. This was a fresh start. The Guard Department must present itself with renewed integrity and discipline. The failures of the past would not be repeated.
Second — law enforcement must be strictly by the book. Every rule must be upheld. No favoritism, no exceptions. No matter who the violator is, they must be punished accordingly.
Third — never abuse your authority. Never harass or oppress civilians.
These three rules were simple. But they were crucial.
They would be the foundation of trust.
Surprisingly, there was little objection.
After everything they had gone through in Konoha… the pain, the exile, the slaughter… the Uchiha had done their share of reflection.
They knew the bitterness had consumed them.
They knew they'd made mistakes.
And now, Haru's vision offered them a chance — not only to survive, but to be respected again.
The clan elders and younger shinobi alike nodded in agreement. There was no resistance.
Other administrative matters were relatively minor by comparison, and not worth dwelling on.
Once the business was settled, the atmosphere warmed. Laughter filled the air as drinks were poured and food passed around.
For the first time in years, the Uchiha clan had a roof over their heads — a place of their own.
It wasn't Konoha.
But it was home.
Even the usually stern Great Elder allowed himself to drink a little too freely.
The mood was light.
But far from the merriment, deep within a cavern cloaked in darkness — a different scene played out.
Beneath flickering torchlight, Zetsu knelt before a man in a swirling mask, reporting the developments in Kirigakure.
"Uchiha Haru did not leave…" White Zetsu intoned. "He remained in Kirigakure and has now become the head of the Guard Department…"
The masked figure sat motionless.
His voice, though still deep and calm, carried a strange tension. A vibration just under the surface.
"...So he stayed."
Not long ago, he had been forced to abandon his carefully laid plans in Kirigakure. Everything — the underground network, the sleeper agents, the influence — gone, uprooted by Uchiha Haru.
And now, Haru stood in the ashes, not as a fugitive… but a protector of the village.
A leader.
His grip on the armrest tightened, faint cracks spreading under his fingers.
No one, not even him, could remain unaffected by such a blow.
"What should we do?" Zetsu asked, his voice low, wary of the growing intensity in the room.
Zetsu asked indignantly.
They had suffered a significant loss this time—how could they just let it go?
The masked man hesitated for a moment, then let out a long breath.
"Forget him. We have more important things to focus on right now."
"There's no need to derail our plans over Uchiha Haru."
"But—"
"No buts."
Zetsu had just opened his mouth to argue, but the masked man cut him off sharply. "Remember, we have a greater purpose. We can't afford unnecessary complications just because of a moment of anger."
Zetsu sighed, lips twitching as if he wanted to continue arguing, but in the end, he said nothing.
After a moment of silence, the masked man asked, "What's the current progress on forming the Akatsuki?"
"Nagato and his group went to recruit a ninja named Hidan, who possesses an immortal body," Zetsu reported. "In addition, they've secured Biwa Juzo."
"Besides those two, there are several other targets that Nagato has already dispatched people to contact."
White Zetsu briefly summarized the current state of the Akatsuki's recruitment operations.
"Good."
Upon hearing the update, the masked man finally seemed to calm down.
Although his affairs in the Land of Water had been exposed because of Uchiha Haru—resulting in significant losses—at least the Akatsuki was growing stronger day by day.
As of now, the organization included Uchiha Itachi, Nagato, Konan, Zetsu, Orochimaru, Sasori, Kakuzu, and the newly recruited Hidan and Biwa Juzo.
A formidable force.
Even though the Akatsuki's membership wasn't vast, the masked man had always valued quality over quantity.
He would rather have nothing than accept mediocrity.
Every member needed to be a true powerhouse.
Currently, almost all the Akatsuki's members—aside from Zetsu—were Kage-level shinobi.
A terrifying level of strength. There was no exaggeration in saying that, at this moment, the number of Kage-level fighters in Akatsuki exceeded that of any individual shinobi village.
Maybe it was time to prepare for the next stage of the plan.
The masked man fell deep into thought.
Suddenly, Zetsu said, "Oh, by the way…"
"There's something I forgot to mention."
"Orochimaru has left the organization."
"…What?"
"What happened?" the masked man asked, his voice dropping into a dangerous register.
He had just begun to feel the Akatsuki was finally maturing, strong enough to act on a greater scale. And now this?
Zetsu responded, "I don't know the full details. He just vanished without warning. I don't know where he went."
"Damn it!" the masked man growled.
He understood Orochimaru's value better than most.
Not only was Orochimaru a Kage-level combatant, but his research in forbidden jutsu and experimental sciences made him a rare and irreplaceable asset.
The masked man still remembered the night of the Uchiha massacre, when Orochimaru had used the Impure World Reincarnation technique.
He'd always planned to leverage that forbidden jutsu in the coming war.
And now the man who possessed it had just walked away?
It was a huge blow.
"Do you have any clue where Orochimaru is now?" the masked man asked tightly.
A shinobi of Orochimaru's caliber couldn't simply be allowed to vanish.
"I don't know," Zetsu admitted, frowning. "I'm skilled in tracking and concealment, but it seems Orochimaru had long been aware of my presence. Since disappearing, he's gone out of his way to suppress his chakra and movements. I haven't been able to pick up his trail at all."
The masked man exhaled slowly, absorbing the bitter truth.
He was fully aware of Zetsu's abilities. While not particularly powerful in direct combat, Zetsu's skill in infiltration and intelligence-gathering was unmatched in the shinobi world.
Until now, only two people had ever managed to sense Zetsu's presence—Uchiha Haru and Uchiha Itachi, both of whom possessed extraordinary ocular prowess.
And now, it seemed Orochimaru had joined that rare group.
Still, he wasn't entirely convinced Orochimaru had truly sensed Zetsu. It was more likely that Orochimaru, knowing the Akatsuki's internal dynamics and suspecting constant surveillance, had simply taken preemptive measures.
He had always been cautious.
"Announce it," the masked man ordered coldly. "Orochimaru has defected. He is now a traitor to Akatsuki."
"Anyone who encounters him is to treat him as an enemy. Capture him alive if possible—but do not hesitate to act."
That man couldn't be allowed to walk free.
Orochimaru still had his uses. But if word got out that he'd left without consequence, others might follow suit.
He had to maintain control, even if it meant bloodying his hands.
"Yes," Zetsu acknowledged the command.
With that, he slowly sank into the earth, his white body vanishing completely into the darkness.
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This Week Bonus Chapter - 200 Power stones
2nd Bonus Chapter - 400 Power Stones
3rd Bonus Chapter - 600 Power Stones
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📢 Support the Novel & Read Ahead!
Love the story and can't wait to see what happens next?
Join my Patreon and get access to 50+ early chapters before anyone else! 🔥
https://www.patreon.com/UK21
Thank you for reading, and I truly appreciate your support! 💖
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