The Security Force was a significant part of Konoha's history.
Established during the Second Hokage Tobirama Senju's reign, its members were entirely Uchiha clan ninja, responsible for maintaining peace and order in the village.
This was both an affirmation of the Uchiha clan's strength and, in a sense, a measure of prevention and surveillance.
Because Uchiha ninja who awakened the Sharingan often had unstable emotions, it was crucial to monitor this group closely.
Nevertheless, due to the immense power of the Security Force and the Uchiha being a top-tier bloodline limit ninja clan in Konoha, even the Hokage often had to show them deference.
The Security Force building was where its members worked. Most people entering and exiting were Uchiha clan ninja. Occasionally, rogue ninja or civilians who had committed minor offenses were brought in for reprimand. These ninja and civilians likely violated some village regulations, but their offenses were harmless, akin to civil disputes, resulting in at most a few days or half a month of detention.
If the circumstances were severe, they would be sent to Konoha Prison for rehabilitation.
The work procedures generally didn't require reporting to the Hokage; as long as no major problems arose, the Hokage wouldn't interfere with such matters.
However, there were already several basketfuls of complaints accusing the Security Force of arrogance and arbitrary detentions.
Some of these complaints were from those genuinely wronged due to oversight, while others were from people fanning the flames behind the scenes, attempting to slander the Uchiha clan.
After joining the Security Force, Ruri saw such trivial matters daily.
After all, finding spies in the village or encountering enemies attacking Konoha was a rare occurrence.
Most of the time, the Security Force's duty was to handle these civil disputes.
When handled well, they rarely gained a good reputation, but if handled poorly, various complaints would flood in.
Furthermore, Uchiha ninja generally had direct temperaments. When they couldn't hold back, they would beat those with loose tongues, which would lead to even more accusations.
"How boring…"
Ruri stood on the third-floor corridor inside the Security Force building, looking through the glass at the bustling crowd outside. She could clearly see two Uchiha ninja from the Security Force Holding several people into the plaza in front of the building, where they immediately began to argue fiercely.
"It is boring, but this is the daily routine the Security Force experiences. It must be difficult to adapt to such a peaceful life, especially after stepping down from the front lines."
Beside Ruri stood the Uchiha jonin, Fugaku Uchiha.
He knew Ruri had recently been transferred to the Security Force from Sakumo's squad and was struggling to adjust to her new role.
Unlike the thrilling life with Sakumo's squad, the Security Force's work was indeed much more monotonous.
Seeing the dispute in front of the Security Force building, Fugaku offered no comment; such situations had long become commonplace.
"This thankless job should involve other ninja clans as well. Our clan alone cannot handle all these rumors and gossip."
In contrast to Fugaku, Ruri wasn't afraid of such baseless rumors, but hearing and seeing them too often still annoyed her.
It was like incessant buzzing flies.
There were too few truly rational ninja and civilians in Konoha.
People like Sakumo were even rarer among the rare.
The Uchiha were not without friends in Konoha, but those who could be called friends were very few.
Some maintained a neutral stance, but more often, they complained about the Security Force's arrogant attitude.
This was also where Ruri felt dissatisfied. If they were to be criticized, all ninja clans should be criticized together. That would relieve a lot of pressure on the Uchiha.
Moreover, the inclusion of other ninja clans would make it easier to handle these civil disputes.
For example, the Ino-Shika-Cho trio or the Hyuga, another bloodline limit ninja clan, could also have their secret techniques and abilities assigned to the Security Force.
"But this is a pillar that only our Uchiha clan can uphold. Furthermore, many people in the clan would object to sharing the Security Force's power with other ninja clans."
As one of the only two clans that founded Konoha, the Uchiha clan should enjoy such treatment, not be on equal footing with other ninja clans.
"As long as one clan maintains absolute power, no matter how much power is divided, it will not affect the clan's standing in Konoha. Astute people will not underestimate us. As for those mediocrities, the Uchiha's power is not for those idiots to admire."
This was Ruri's perspective.
Fugaku said nothing. He knew Ruri's strategy would not pass in clan meetings; many would reject it.
"Speaking of which, aren't you out on a mission?"
Ruri knew Fugaku was currently serving in the Hokage's faction, forming new squads with other village ninja to carry out missions.
"I'm also nominally part of the Security Force. I just came back here to check things out after completing my mission. It's still the same as before, not much has changed."
Fugaku sighed.
"I'm starting to miss going out on missions."
Ruri said.
"Bear with it. This is something every Uchiha ninja experiences. By the way, how much do you know about the Mangekyo Sharingan?"
Fugaku then changed the topic with Ruri.
"You're asking the wrong person. My understanding of the Mangekyo Sharingan might not be as extensive as yours."
Ruri shook her head. In recent years, her meetings with Elder Shifang had been few and far between. This was partly due to missions and partly because she genuinely felt he had grown old.
He was no longer the wise elder in her mind, who could provide her with much effective experience.
Especially the incident with the Root, it remained a thorn in her heart.
Until this thorn was removed, she felt her thoughts could not be clear.
"Elder Shifang is very tight-lipped. The reason he doesn't speak might be because the conditions for awakening the Mangekyo Sharingan are very harsh for us."
Fugaku nodded, offering his own insight.
Based on the existing information, only such a conclusion could be inferred.
For example, more intense emotional stimulation?
The Uchiha clan's Sharingan evolved from such power.
If he weren't certain of Elder Shifang's character, Fugaku might even think the so-called Mangekyo Sharingan was just a legend.
Ruri wasn't very interested in this topic. Regarding the Mangekyo Sharingan, she held the belief that if she could awaken it, great; if not, she would learn Sage Mode and fight using natural energy.
One should not be led astray by power. True strength should be about integrating power into oneself, rather than simply becoming a puppet controlled by power.
The more one understood the infinite possibilities of natural energy, the more one realized how truly insignificant human power sometimes was in the face of this vast and endless world.
No matter how powerful a ninja, they could not escape this world; they needed this world to sustain them.
People should have reverence for the world.
"Hmm, the person looking for you is here. I won't disturb your date. Let's chat again next time if we have the chance."
Fugaku turned his head, saw something, smiled slightly at Ruri, and then discreetly walked away.
Across the corridor, Shiraishi stood there. He had come to find Ruri.
In the eyes of many Uchiha ninja, Shiraishi was considered half an Uchiha clansman.
The genius's child groom.
Although they weren't sure why their Uchiha genius girl would favor such an ordinary man, they could only say her taste was unique, and as outsiders, they only needed to offer their blessings.
He would eventually marry into the family.
Therefore, Shiraishi could freely enter and exit the Security Force building, which normally didn't allow visitors. Occasionally, Uchiha ninja would greet him, and Shiraishi would return their smiles.
Some Uchiha ninja had volatile tempers and were genuinely arrogant, while others were easy to talk to, at least not constantly saying things like 'we Uchiha' this and that.
On the rooftop of the Security Force building.
A gentle breeze blew past. Ruri, dressed in black tight-fitting ninja attire, leaned lightly against the railing at the edge of the rooftop and asked first, "Are you looking for me at this time because you're short on money again?"
"Why would you think it has to do with money?"
Shiraishi suddenly felt a bit helpless.
"Because every time you suddenly come to find me, it's about money."
Ruri was used to it.
"While funds are indeed a bit tight, there's still enough to splurge for now. This time, I came to tell you something else."
"Go on, what is it?"
Since it wasn't about money, it probably wasn't anything too important.
"Mushi Otoko and the others found some Uzumaki clan survivors in the Land of Tea."
Shiraishi revealed this information.
Ruri immediately looked at Shiraishi's face, the relaxed posture disappearing from her body.
"Uzumaki clan?"
She wanted to confirm the authenticity of this information.
"Yes, the Uzumaki clan."
Shiraishi confirmed it.
"Heh heh, is that so? How interesting."
Even Ruri, who could be indifferent to many things, couldn't help but laugh when she heard this news.
Shiraishi nodded, looking as if he had expected it.
Ruri's reaction was not beyond his expectations.
The organization was mostly established through Ruri's efforts. Although Shiraishi was the manager, Ruri's position within the organization was undeniable.
To some extent, Ruri was the true commander of the organization; she was just usually too lazy to manage things.
And the Uzumaki clan, closely related to the Senju clan, was now so destitute that they needed her, an Uchiha clanswoman, to provide relief. It was truly ironic.
After all, the Uchiha clan had been in constant conflict with the Senju clan in the past, and their relationship with the Uzumaki clan was naturally very poor.
She wondered what the deceased ancestors of the Uzumaki clan, who had been close to the Senju clan, would think if they knew about this in the afterlife.
What kind of complex expression would the First Hokage show if he found out? She really wanted to see it.
Most of the existing sealing jutsu in Konoha, including the tailed beast sealing jutsu, all came from the Uzumaki clan.
Yet, the Land of Whirlpools, where the Uzumaki clan resided, was a neighboring country to the Land of Fire. It was destroyed right under their noses, and its clansmen scattered, living in hiding and precarious lives.
The current Land of Whirlpools was filled with destroyed ruins, and its population loss was very severe.
"I remember when I was in school, there was a red-haired transfer student in the next class. Her name was Uzumaki Kushina, I think."
After laughing, Ruri's expression returned to normal as she recalled something and said.
"That's right. Uzumaki clan shinobi have incredibly strong life force, making them perfect jinchuriki. They also possess powerful sealing jutsu—the sealing jutsu used to seal the Nine-Tails was given to Konoha by the Uzumaki clan. Their strong life force makes them suitable jinchuriki, and their mastery of sealing jutsu ensures that the tailed beast will never go berserk again."
"I see. After their country was destroyed, they immediately came to Konoha… Is it related to the Nine-Tails jinchuriki?"
The matter of the Nine-Tails jinchuriki was a top secret in Konoha, and the Konoha elders would never let outsiders know.
Although many had already guessed who Konoha's previous Nine-Tails jinchuriki was, this was the most likely and suitable candidate.
Uzumaki Mito—the First Hokage's wife.
It's estimated that when the Land of Whirlpools was destroyed, her body was already failing, which is why a younger Uzumaki clan member was needed to become the new jinchuriki, a new vessel to seal the Nine-Tails.
"She is now very likely the Nine-Tails jinchuriki. According to the information provided by the Uzumaki survivors, Konoha did take one of their clan members from the Uzumaki clan at that time."
Shiraishi didn't have a very deep impression of Uzumaki Kushina, only remembering her striking red hair.
But by connecting the intelligence he had gathered and analyzing it, these answers were easily obtained.
Even if there were discrepancies, Uzumaki Kushina was a very important figure to the Konoha elders.
Otherwise, it would be difficult to explain why Konoha only brought back a small girl when the Land of Whirlpools was destroyed.
Aside from bringing her back as the new Nine-Tails jinchuriki, other possibilities were not very likely.
"Are you perhaps thinking of going after the Nine-Tails?"
Shiraishi's intense focus on the Uzumaki clan led Ruri to this speculation.
Shiraishi had once obtained the chakra of the One-Tails Shukaku on the battlefield, and from the tailed beast chakra, he had acquired a lot of important information. In Ruri's eyes, it was only natural for him to be interested in the other tailed beasts.
"Although I'd very much like to do that, I haven't lost my mind to that extent yet."
Shiraishi knew his current capabilities. While he wasn't afraid of Konoha as it was now, that judgment was made on the premise that he could preserve his life.
If he were to truly confront a great ninja village of that scale, only defeat and destruction awaited him.
And there were many taboos that Konoha could not tolerate, the Nine-Tails jinchuriki being one of them.
"I came to you not just to tell you this, but also something more important. You need to be mentally prepared."
"What?"
Ruri asked, frowning.
"The village elders are researching Wood Style, and they might have made significant progress."
◎
Land of Tea, underground base.
The Bug Man and an Uzumaki clan member were conversing in a room. This was the oldest Uzumaki clan member among the eight he had rescued, and also their spokesperson.
He had changed into clean clothes, and the mud and stench on him had been washed away, making him look much more refreshed.
He was undoubtedly filled with gratitude towards the Bug Man, his savior.
Over the years, with his meager strength, he had wandered the ninja world with his family. Ever since the destruction of the Land of Whirlpools, his family hadn't had a single day of peace.
It sounded a bit ridiculous, but the life he led after being captured by those rogue ninja was, in fact, the most stable period he had experienced in years.
Even eating moldy food every day was a treat.
Recalling the past glory of the Uzumaki clan, and comparing it to their current predicament, his eyes couldn't help but dim.
"Regarding your arrangements, the leader has given detailed instructions. We will help you settle in the Land of Demons, but in doing so, you will need to temporarily live under assumed names and not be exposed to the public eye. Only when the time is right will we arrange for you to live openly."
Because the Uzumaki clan's identity was too prone to attracting trouble, and their organization currently had no intention of doing anything conspicuous.
Whether it was gathering intelligence or building bases, everything was done quietly and discreetly.
"No problem, we are already prepared to live under assumed names."
The elder of the Uzumaki clan did not object to the leader's proposal; rather, it was very much in line with the current situation of the Uzumaki clan.
When the Land of Whirlpools was still intact, they hadn't felt this way, but with what they had seen and heard over the years, and the painful experiences they had personally endured, now it was enough just to be able to peacefully continue the Uzumaki bloodline.
"But don't worry, this period won't be too long. For us, having the Uzumaki clan join us can also alleviate a lot of pressure. Our organization always welcomes excellent talents."
"May I ask what your organization does?"
The Uzumaki elder couldn't help but ask.
Since they had decided to accept the protection of this unknown organization, they certainly needed to inquire about its purpose.
The Bug Man gave a helpless smile: "In fact, I am only a mid-level cadre. What the organization's purpose is, I know very little. I can only sense that the leader is doing something very big. What exactly it is, you can only ask our leader yourself. I am also very curious about that answer."
As he said this, his tone carried a clear sense of reverence.
The Uzumaki elder remained silent, not asking any further questions.
Seeing that his objective was achieved, the Bug Man had no intention of lingering.
"Well then, you all should rest here for a while. In a few days, we will arrange for someone to take you to the Land of Demons. It's a very peaceful country, and I hope the peace there can sweep away the gloom from your hearts."
After saying this, the Bug Man left the room.
The four team members outside had been waiting for him to come out of the room.
"How was the appeasement?"
"They're in now. Getting out won't be easy. The organization's favors aren't so easily repaid, and besides…"
The leader is also a research fanatic.
How could a juicy piece of meat that's already in their mouth be spat out?
They understood the Bug Man's implied meaning and exchanged knowing smiles.
"However, these people might still be hiding something from us."
The Bug Man stood still, pondering.
"Hiding something?"
"These scattered Uzumaki survivors across the ninja world might still have ways to contact each other. Through these people, we might be able to find more Uzumaki survivors and bring them into the organization."
"Playing the long game?"
"That's what the leader meant as well. First, we appease them. Once they see our sincerity, even if we don't bring it up, they will come to us themselves, requesting that we tell them the whereabouts of other Uzumaki survivors, so we can rescue their clansmen from suffering."
If it were ordinary people, the Bug Man wouldn't be so attentive, but Uzumaki survivors were a different matter.
Therefore, mutual trust was key.
Directly asking them about the whereabouts of other Uzumaki clan members could easily create resentment in their hearts, exhausting the meager trust that had been so painstakingly built up.
◎
In a dark, damp cavern, the space seemed incredibly vast.
The entire area was sealed, with no apparent exit.
A frail old man sat on a wooden chair made of tree branches. His face was covered in wrinkles, his hair was white, and even seated, his body was hunched.
Long white hair covered his right eye, leaving only his tightly closed left eye visible. He rested peacefully in the chair.
Behind him was a white, strip-like object, the other end of which stretched into the endless darkness behind him, where the outlines of a giant tree and fruit could vaguely be seen.
Before long, the ground in front of the old man suddenly rippled slightly, and two pale-skinned humanoid figures emerged from it.
The old man's eyes remained closed, yet he seemed to know someone was present in front of him, and he asked:
"Still no definite news?"
The old man's voice was extremely ancient.
But when this ancient voice sounded, everything around seemed to still, becoming the only loud thing in the darkness.
"No, the White Zetsu who was monitoring Nagato, for some reason, suddenly disappeared. The other White Zetsu searched for a long time but couldn't find his whereabouts."
One of the two white humanoid figures answered the old man.
"Lord Madara, could it be that Nagato discovered the White Zetsu's tracks and dealt with him?"
The other white humanoid figure, on his own initiative, began to make wild guesses and report to the old man.
"Idiot, analyzing from past intelligence, Nagato's Rinnegan usage is still very immature. With Nagato's current power, he wouldn't be able to detect a White Zetsu's tracks."
"But besides Nagato, none of his insignificant companions are sensory ninja, so they shouldn't be able to detect White Zetsu's tracks."
The white humanoid figure said, looking puzzled.
And even if they were sensory ninja, they might not necessarily be able to detect a White Zetsu's tracks, unless it was a special sensory ninjutsu.
Or perhaps a dōjutsu with very strong penetrative abilities, like the Byakugan, which would be much more troublesome for them than a sensory ninja.
"Continue monitoring Nagato, and have Obito act with them. Also, send a few White Zetsu to Konoha."
The old man's voice sounded again, giving clear instructions.
"Konoha? Lord Madara suspects those people in Konoha?"
"It's not just because of the missing White Zetsu. My time is running out, and Nagato alone isn't enough to push the 'Eye of the Moon' Plan forward. I also need a spokesperson who can act in my stead… Go."
The old man's tone remained casual, but it carried an unquestionable deterrent force.
"Yes, Lord Madara."
Once the two white humanoid figures had retreated, the old man opened his tightly closed left eye. It was a scarlet three-tomoe Sharingan, particularly striking in the dim environment.
"Hashirama… The future you envisioned has no place for peace… This time, I win…"
In the darkness, the old man's soft sigh, tinged with regret, could be heard.
But saying so, he couldn't prove anything to anyone.
Because the man he cherished his entire life, his rival and his closest friend, was no longer in this world.
He slowly raised his hand, gently touching his chest.
The pain from the wound pierced by that man felt as if it had just happened yesterday, and a hint of reminiscence appeared on his aged face.
Hashirama…