Unreliable
For the next month, Konoha was busier than ever.
First, Miyuki Uzumaki remained missing, yet Hiruzen Sarutobi had to keep sending shinobi to track her whereabouts. He knew it was mostly for appearances' sake, but if he didn't act, doubts would spread.
On top of that, he had to manage the aftermath of the Nine-Tails' attack—distributing pensions to families of the dead, providing housing, and reorganizing the village.
One major change was the relocation of the Uchiha Clan. They were pushed to the outskirts of the village, where the other major clans could keep an eye on them. The project cost a fortune, leaving Konoha in financial crisis.
Funds were running low. Missions were piling up. Because so many shinobi had been sent out to "search" for Miyuki Uzumaki, even ANBU had to be dispatched to take on ordinary missions just to keep money flowing in.
In desperation, Hiruzen remembered the revenue once generated by the Konoha Defense Force, where Chi Yu had formerly served as captain. At the time, the Defense Force pulled in hundreds of thousands of ryō a day—sometimes over a million—all of it collected from the Uchiha. The clan's wealth was undeniable.
That gave Hiruzen an idea.
He called Danzo for a private discussion. He couldn't directly admit he wanted to profit off the Uchiha again, so he phrased it carefully:
"Konoha is facing serious economic difficulties. At the same time, small disturbances keep breaking out. With so many shinobi deployed, the Defense Force is stretched thin. Danzo, assign some Root operatives to assist the Defense Force. Let them enforce the law strictly, as they did in the beginning. We cannot afford further disorder."
Danzo understood immediately. He had known Hiruzen too long not to. Behind the words was the unspoken command: take over the Defense Force, and use it to squeeze money from the Uchiha, just as before.
The corner of Danzo's mouth curved into a smile. After all the setbacks he'd suffered, this was finally good news. The Defense Force would become his tool.
He had long desired control over it, but Chi Yu's sudden training at Ryūchi Cave, his break with Root, and his resignation as captain—handed directly to both Hiruzen and Minato—had robbed him of the opportunity. Now, at last, it was within reach.
"Understood," Danzo said. "I'll handle it."
Exploiting the Uchiha would buy them time, but Hiruzen knew it couldn't solve everything. He began inviting leaders from smaller neighboring villages to Konoha, pressing for trade agreements and any economic arrangements that could bring money in.
Money was power. Without it, nothing could be done.
Meanwhile, the truth of Naruto's birth—that he was the Nine-Tails' jinchūriki—had spread throughout the village. Outsiders had caught wind as well. But when the foreign shinobi monitoring Konoha were quietly driven away, none returned. Hiruzen knew his deception had worked. They believed Konoha had only one jinchūriki.
With that settled, he took the next step. He announced an ironclad law: any mention of a connection between Naruto and the Nine-Tails would be met with severe punishment.
The very next day, to prove his seriousness, Hiruzen had Shinsuke Nara—the nominal captain of the Defense Force—arrest villagers who still gossiped about Naruto being the Nine-Tails. The message was clear. The rumors stopped.
As for Miyuki Uzumaki, Konoha's search parties returned empty-handed. She had vanished without a trace. Reluctantly, Hiruzen recalled the shinobi. He would resume the search once the village stabilized.
---
Far away, Miyuki Uzumaki traveled with Yahiko, Pakura, and Raiga Kurosuki, reaching a town in the Land of Birds.
Through her ring, she often contacted Chi Yu and Kushina. They reassured her: Naruto, though publicly declared an orphan, was safe. They were watching over him. Slowly, Miyuki's heart eased.
But she had another problem.
Inside a casino, she frowned at her companions. Yahiko, Pakura, and Raiga's eyes were bloodshot. Their winnings from a recent mission had nearly all vanished at the gambling tables.
Over the past month, Miyuki had gotten to know them. Yahiko was optimistic, charismatic, and quick to inspire others. Pakura seemed cold and distant but was warm-hearted beneath the surface. Raiga looked fierce and bloodthirsty, his jagged teeth adding to his savage appearance, but he valued his comrades deeply—just reckless and hot-tempered.
On missions, they were reliable. But once money entered the picture… that reliability crumbled.
Half an hour later, the three staggered out of the casino with Miyuki.
"Man," Yahiko groaned, clutching his stomach. "Today just wasn't our day. We're too unlucky."
"Damn it!" Raiga snarled. "Should I just go steal it back?"
"Forget it," Pakura muttered with a pout. "A loss is a loss."
"I'm starving," Yahiko said. "Let's find a place to eat."
"With what money?" Raiga shot back. "We blew it all!"
Pakura's eyes widened. "Wait—you didn't save anything for food?!"
Raiga jabbed a finger at Yahiko. "Ask him! He said one more gamble would double it, then poof—gone!"
"Did I?" Yahiko scratched his head, embarrassed. "I guess… maybe."
Pakura put a hand to her forehead. "Raiga, go steal it back. I'll back you up."
Miyuki's eyelids twitched. Seeing Raiga seriously consider it, she quickly stepped in.
"I still have some money."
The three instantly brightened.
"Miyuki, how much?"
"Not much. Enough for food. And don't even think of gambling it."
She blocked their path firmly. She'd learned her lesson—if she handed it over, it would vanish in a single night, and she'd be left hungry too.
The trio sighed in unison, looking pitiful.
Miyuki nearly laughed from sheer exasperation. A month ago, she had thought them reliable comrades. Now, watching them mope over lost bets, they seemed anything but.
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