Chapter 78

The Security Force is a significant part of Konoha.

Established during the reign of the Second Hokage, Tobirama Senju, all its members were Uchiha clan ninja, responsible for maintaining the village's security.

This was both an acknowledgment of the Uchiha clan's strength and, to some extent, a means of surveillance and prevention.

Since Uchiha clan members who activate the Sharingan often have unstable emotions, strict attention must be paid to them.

However, regardless of this, due to the immense power of the Security Force and the Uchiha clan being a top-tier bloodline clan in Konoha, even the Hokage often gives them face in many situations.

The Security Force building is where the Security Force members work. Most people entering and leaving here are Uchiha clan ninja, occasionally including rogue ninja or civilians brought in for reprimand. These individuals are likely to have violated some village rules, but not seriously, falling under civil disputes, with the most severe punishment being a few days to half a month of detention.

If the situation is more serious, they will be sent to the Konoha prison for rehabilitation.

The workflow generally does not require reporting to the Hokage, and as long as there are no major issues, the Hokage will not interfere.

Although there are already several baskets full of complaints about the Security Force's arrogance and arbitrary detention, some of these complaints are due to genuine misunderstandings, while others are attempts to defame the Uchiha clan.

After joining the Security Force, Ryuri sees such trivial matters every day.

After all, finding spies in the village or dealing with enemy attacks is very rare.

Most of the time, the Security Force's tasks involve handling these civil disputes.

Even if handled well, it rarely earns a good reputation, and if handled poorly, various complaints will follow.

Moreover, Uchiha clan ninja often have very direct tempers and may resort to physical violence against those who speak without restraint, leading to more criticism.

"Really boring..."

Ryuri stood on the third-floor corridor of the Security Force building, looking through the glass at the people passing by outside. She could clearly see two Uchiha Security Force members leading several people into the square, where they began to argue intensely.

"It is boring, but this is the daily routine of the Security Force. It's especially hard to adapt to this peaceful life after coming back from the front lines."

Standing beside Ryuri was Uchiha Fugaku, an Uchiha Jounin.

He knew that Ryuri had recently transferred from the Shomatsu squad to the Security Force and was still adjusting to her new role.

Unlike the exciting life in the Shomatsu squad, the work of the Security Force is indeed much more monotonous.

Seeing the dispute in front of the Security Force building, Fugaku made no comments, as this situation was already commonplace.

"Such thankless jobs should involve other clans as well. We can't handle all the rumors and gossip alone."

Contrary to Fugaku, Ryuri was not afraid of such baseless rumors, but hearing and seeing them too often made her feel annoyed.

They were like incessant flies.

There were too few ninja and civilians in Konoha who could view things rationally.

Someone like Shomatsu was even rarer.

The Uchiha clan was not without friends in Konoha, but those who could be called friends were very few.

Some were neutral, while more were complaining about the Security Force's arrogance.

This was what Ryuri found unsatisfactory. If they were to be criticized, all clans should be criticized together, which would ease the pressure on the Uchiha clan.

Moreover, the involvement of other clan ninja would make it easier to handle these civil disputes.

For example, the Ino-Shika-Cho trio or the Hyuga clan, with their secret techniques and abilities, could also be assigned to the Security Force.

"But this is a responsibility that only the Uchiha clan can bear. If the power of the Security Force is divided among other clans, many people in the clan will have objections."

As one of the two founding clans of Konoha, the Uchiha clan should enjoy this treatment, not be on equal footing with other clans.

"Only by maintaining absolute strength can the clan's position in Konoha remain unshaken. The wise will not underestimate us. As for the fools, the Uchiha clan's strength is not for their amusement."

This was Ryuri's view.

Fugaku said nothing. He knew that Ryuri's strategy would not pass in the clan meetings and would be rejected by many.

"By the way, weren't you on a mission outside?"

Ryuri knew that Fugaku was currently serving in the Hokage's faction, forming a new squad with other village ninja to carry out missions.

"I also have a nominal position in the Security Force. After completing my mission, I just came back to check things out. It's still the same as before, not much has changed."

Fugaku sighed.

"I'm starting to want to go on missions again."

Ryuri said.

"Be patient. This is something every Uchiha ninja will experience. By the way, how much do you know about the Mangekyo Sharingan?"

Fugaku changed the topic.

"You're asking the wrong person. My knowledge of the Mangekyo Sharingan is not as extensive as yours."

Ryuri shook her head. In recent years, her meetings with the Elder Shihou had been few, partly due to missions and partly because she felt he was getting old.

He was no longer the wise elder who could give her valuable advice.

Especially after the Root incident, it remained a thorn in her side.

Until she removed this thorn, she felt her thoughts could not be clear.

"Elder Shihou is very tight-lipped. He may not be saying anything because the conditions for activating the Mangekyo Sharingan are very harsh for us."

Fugaku nodded, sharing his thoughts.

Based on the available information, they could only guess.

For example, more intense emotional stimulation?

The Uchiha clan's Sharingan evolved through such power.

If not for his trust in Elder Shihou, Fugaku would have thought the Mangekyo Sharingan was just a legend.

Ryuri was not very interested in this topic. For the Mangekyo Sharingan, she held the view that it would be best if she could activate it, but if not, she would learn senjutsu and use natural energy for combat.

One should not be tempted by power. True strength comes from integrating power into oneself, not being controlled by it.

The more one understands the infinite possibilities of natural energy, the more one realizes how insignificant human power is in the vast universe.

No matter how powerful a ninja is, they cannot exist without the world that sustains them.

One should have a sense of reverence for the world.

"Ah, someone is looking for you. I won't disturb your date. We can talk again next time."

Fugaku turned his head and saw something, smiled at Ryuri, and then walked away.

On the opposite side of the corridor, Shiraishi was standing there, looking for Ryuri.

In the eyes of many Uchiha ninja, Shiraishi was almost considered a half-Uchiha.

A genius's husband, after all.

Although they didn't understand why the Uchiha clan's genius girl would fancy such an ordinary man, they could only say she had unique tastes. As outsiders, they just needed to offer their blessings.

He would eventually become a part of the Uchiha clan.

Therefore, Shiraishi could freely enter the Security Force, which was usually off-limits to visitors. Occasionally, Uchiha ninja would greet him, and Shiraishi would smile back.

Some Uchiha ninja had very bad tempers and were truly arrogant, while others were more approachable and didn't always say "We Uchiha" this or that.

On the rooftop of the Security Force building.

A gentle breeze blew, and Ryuri, dressed in black tight-fitting ninja attire, leaned against the railing at the edge of the rooftop and asked first, "Finding me at this time, is it about money again?"

"Why would you think it's about money?"

Shiraishi was a bit helpless.

"Because every time you suddenly come to find me, it's about money."

Ryuri was used to it.

"Although funds are a bit tight, they are still sufficient for now. This time, I have something else to tell you."

"Go on, what is it?"

Since it wasn't about money, it probably wasn't a very important matter.

"Kibou and the others found some Uzumaki clan survivors in the Land of Tea."

Shiraishi shared this information.

Ryuri immediately looked at Shiraishi's face, her relaxed posture disappearing.

"Uzumaki clan?"

She wanted to confirm the authenticity of this information.

"Yes, the Uzumaki clan."

Shiraishi confirmed.

"Ha, is that so? This is really interesting."

Even someone as indifferent as Ryuri couldn't help but laugh when she heard this news.

Shiraishi nodded, looking as if he had expected this reaction.

Ryuri's response was not surprising.

The organization was largely built by Ryuri, though Shiraishi was the manager, her position in the organization was undeniable.

In a sense, Ryuri was the true commander, just usually too lazy to manage things.

The Uzumaki clan, closely related to the Senju clan, now needed help from an Uchiha clan member, which was indeed ironic.

Given the long-standing hostility between the Uchiha and Senju clans, their relationship with the Uzumaki clan was naturally very poor.

One wonders what the ancestors of the Uzumaki clan, who were friends with the Senju clan, would think if they knew this.

The First Hokage would likely have a complex expression if he knew.

Most of Konoha's sealing techniques, including the tailed beast sealing techniques, came from the Uzumaki clan.

Yet, the Uzumaki clan's homeland, the Land of Whirlpools, a neighbor of the Land of Fire, was destroyed right under their noses, with clan members scattered and living in hiding, barely surviving.

The current Land of Whirlpools is full of ruins, with a severe population decline.

"I remember in school, there was a red-haired transfer student in the neighboring class, her name was Uzumaki Kushina, I think."

After laughing, Ryuri's expression returned to its usual calm, and she recalled something.

"That's right. Uzumaki clan ninja have very strong life forces, making them suitable as jinchuriki. They also possess powerful sealing techniques. The sealing technique for the Nine-Tails was given to Konoha by the Uzumaki clan. Their strong life forces, suitability as jinchuriki, and sealing techniques ensure that the tailed beasts won't go berserk."

"Indeed. 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 higher-ups would never let unrelated people know.

Although many people had already guessed who the previous Nine-Tails jinchuriki was, this was the most likely and suitable candidate.

Uzumaki Mito, the wife of the First Hokage.

It's likely that her body was already failing when the Land of Whirlpools was destroyed, so a young Uzumaki clan member was needed as a new jinchuriki to become the new container for the Nine-Tails.

"She is very likely the current Nine-Tails jinchuriki. According to the information provided by the Uzumaki survivors, Konoha did indeed take one of their clan members at the time."

Shiraishi's impression of Uzumaki Kushina was not very clear, but he remembered her distinctive red hair.

Connecting the information he had, it was easy to draw these conclusions.

Even if there were discrepancies, Uzumaki Kushina was a very important figure to the Konoha higher-ups.

Otherwise, it would be hard to explain why Konoha only brought back one little girl after the destruction of the Land of Whirlpools.

Apart from bringing her back as a new Nine-Tails jinchuriki, other possibilities were not significant.

"Are you planning to target the Nine-Tails?"

Shiraishi's interest in the Uzumaki clan made Ryuri suspect this.

Shiraishi had obtained the chakra of the One-Tail from the battlefield and gained a lot of important information from the tailed beast chakra. Being interested in other tailed beasts was natural from Ryuri's perspective.

"Although I would like to, I haven't lost my mind to that extent."

Shiraishi knew his own limits. While he was not afraid of the current Konoha, this was based on the premise that he could protect himself.

If he were to confront a major ninja village, it would only lead to defeat.

There were many taboos in Konoha, and the Nine-Tails jinchuriki was one of them.

"I came to you not just to tell you this, but also to inform you of something more important. You need to be mentally prepared."

"What is it?"

Ryuri frowned and asked.

"The village higher-ups are researching Wood Release, and they may have made significant progress."

◎

In the underground base in the Land of Tea.

Kibou was in a room with an Uzumaki clan survivor, the oldest of the eight Uzumaki survivors he had rescued and the spokesperson for the group.

He was now wearing clean clothes, the dirt and odor washed away, looking much more spirited.

He was undoubtedly grateful to Kibou, his savior.

For years, he had relied on his meager strength to lead his family wandering through the ninja world. Since the destruction of the Land of Whirlpools, they had not had a single day of peace.

Ironically, the time they were captured by rogue ninja was the most stable period in recent years.

Even eating moldy food was sweet to them.

Recalling the past glory of the Uzumaki clan, his eyes dimmed when he thought of their current situation.

"Regarding your arrangements, the leader has given detailed instructions. We will help you settle in the Land of Ghosts, but you will need to temporarily hide your identities and stay out of the public eye. When the time is right, we will arrange for you to live in the open."

Because the Uzumaki identity easily attracts trouble, their organization did not want to draw attention.

Whether gathering intelligence or building bases, everything was done quietly.

"We have no problem with hiding our identities."

The Uzumaki elder did not object to the leader's proposal. In fact, it was very suitable for their current situation.

In the past, when the Land of Whirlpools was still intact, they did not have this feeling, but after years of hardship and personal suffering, it was enough to ensure the continuation of the Uzumaki bloodline.

"Don't worry, this won't last long. For us, your joining will also ease a lot of pressure. Our organization always welcomes talented individuals."

"Can I ask what the organization does?"

The Uzumaki elder couldn't help but ask.

Since they had decided to accept the protection of this unknown organization, they needed to know its purpose.

Kibou gave a helpless smile, "In fact, I am just a mid-level officer. I know very little about the organization's purpose. I can only sense that the leader is doing something very significant. For the specifics, you will have to ask the leader yourself. I am also curious about the answer."

As he spoke, his tone carried a clear sense of reverence.

The Uzumaki elder remained silent, not asking further.

Kibou, seeing his goal achieved, did not intend to stay any longer.

"Rest well here for a while. In a few days, we will arrange for you to be sent to the Land of Ghosts. It is a peaceful country, and we hope its peace will help clear the shadows from your hearts."

With that, Kibou left the room.

Four team members were waiting outside.

"How did the reassurance go?"

"They are in. Leaving won't be easy. The organization's favor is not easily repaid, and besides..."

The leader is also a research enthusiast.

How could he let go of such a valuable asset?

They understood Kibou's implications and smiled in agreement.

"However, they are likely hiding something from us."

Kibou stood there, pondering.

"Hiding?"

"These scattered Uzumaki survivors may have ways to communicate with each other. Through them, we might find more Uzumaki survivors and bring them into the organization."

"Long-term fishing?"

"That's the leader's intention. For now, reassure them. Once they see our sincerity, even if we don't bring it up, they will come to us and tell us the locations of other Uzumaki survivors, so we can rescue their clan members from suffering."

If it were anyone else, Kibou would not be so concerned, but the Uzumaki survivors were a special case.

Therefore, mutual trust was key.

Directly asking about the whereabouts of other Uzumaki clan members could easily cause resentment and erode the fragile trust they had built.

◎

In a dark, damp cave, the space was incredibly vast.

The entire area was sealed, with no apparent exit.

An elderly man with a frail body sat on a wooden chair made of trees, his face covered in wrinkles, his hair white, and his body hunched even while sitting.

His long white hair covered his right eye, leaving only his left eye, which was closed, visible. He sat peacefully on the chair, resting.

Behind him was a white, strip-like object connected to his back, extending into the endless darkness, where the outlines of a large tree and fruit could be faintly seen.

Soon, the ground in front of the elderly man began to move slightly, and two pale-skinned humanoid beings emerged.

The elderly man's eyes remained closed, but he seemed to sense the presence in front of him and asked,

"Still no definite news?"

The elderly man's voice was extremely aged.

When this aged voice sounded, everything around seemed to freeze, becoming the only loud thing in the darkness.

"No, the White Zetsu monitoring Nagato suddenly disappeared. The other White Zetsu searched for a long time but could not find the missing one."

One of the white humanoid beings answered the elderly man.

"Lord Madara, could Nagato have discovered the White Zetsu and eliminated him?"

The other white humanoid being began to speculate, reporting to the elderly man.

"Idiot, based on past information, Nagato's Rinnegan is still very immature. With his current strength, he cannot detect a White Zetsu."

"But apart from Nagato,