That afternoon, just before the end of the workday, the heads of the Intelligence Division, Interrogation Division, and other departments under ANBU received notice that their leadership was being replaced.
From this day forward, they would no longer belong to ANBU. Instead, they became part of the newly established Internal Affairs Division, led by Aburame Tatsuma and reporting solely to Takeshi.
New uniforms were delivered into their hands. The design hadn't changed much compared to before, except that blue stripes were added as decoration, distinguishing Internal Affairs from ANBU.
The very first mission of this new division was to root out spies from other villages who were lurking within Konoha.
Once the former Root shinobi stepped in, the mission was quickly set into motion.
Lists of targets were dispatched from the Internal Affairs office, and the long-waiting shinobi of Internal Affairs advanced under the command of their squad captains toward the designated locations.
That same night, the interrogation cells were packed full. The wails and screams echoed throughout the underground prison.
"Such efficiency… Whether it was back when we were under ANBU, or during the Police Force period, we never uncovered this many spies at once."
The head of the Intelligence Division, Yamanaka Inoichi, had been reading memory after memory, already through more than a dozen people. At this moment, he was sitting in the break room to rest.
"It's not over yet. I saw another two squads head out."
Nara Shikaku, who had been summoned to assist, leaned against the doorframe and gestured outside with his hand.
"Not surprising. After all, the ones making the moves are former Root shinobi. Those guys..."
Leaving the doorframe, Nara Shikaku patted Yamanaka Inoichi on the shoulder. Thinking of the one waiting at home, he showed a bitter smile.
"I really can't stay any longer. If I don't head back now, I'll be sleeping on the streets tonight."
"Go on home. I can still hold out a little longer."
Yamanaka Inoichi, fully aware of the Nara clan's long-standing reputation for being henpecked, smiled to reassure him not to worry.
...
Shimura residence.
"To hold your own blade in your hand, sharpened only for yourself—you've done well."
Danzo's fixed impression of Takeshi had undergone a great shift today.
But one question remained unanswered: Who exactly was the first target that Takeshi intended to point that blade toward?
After all, both Hiruzen Sarutobi and Danzo himself had been giving him their full support.
In other words, unless his son was suffering from an extreme lack of security, it meant he harbored ambitions that even Sarutobi Hiruzen could not accept.
"The matters of shinobi should be decided by shinobi themselves."
Takeshi turned his head toward Yamato behind him, signaling him to take out what had been prepared.
Shisui stood by Yamato's side, his heart pounding violently at their conversation.
From the sound of it, Takeshi seemed to be trying to shake off the shackles that the Daimyō had placed on shinobi.
Was this really something he should even be hearing?
Yamato spread out a map of the Land of Fire between Takeshi and Danzo. Many locations had been circled in red ink.
"Root's business still isn't fast enough, nor ruthless enough, Father."
Takeshi placed his finger on several spots around Konoha, each of them well-known commercial cities within the Land of Fire.
Danzo's single eye widened sharply.
His son was bolder than he had imagined.
No—this had been foreshadowed long ago. On the very day the Fujiwara clan was wiped out, he should have realized just how audacious his son had become.
The air in the room grew subtle and heavy.
Since the Warring States era, shinobi had been hired by the Daimyō and nobles of various countries to fight on these lands.
Later, when Hashirama founded Konoha, shinobi villages still remained under the rule of the Daimyō.
The Daimyō and nobles were supreme. That was a principle carved into the very bones of shinobi.
Shinobi did not produce; they lived off missions and military stipends. For hundreds of years, it had always been so.
"I see… No wonder you needed Root shinobi to join this so-called Internal Affairs."
Danzo had already grasped his son's intention.
"Here, here, and here—if we can seize control of these three towns, Konoha will monopolize immense profits."
Seeing that Danzo had guessed it, Takeshi spoke his plan outright:
"The Daimyō's court already knows of Konoha's attack. So if a few dozen nobles in the surrounding regions of Konoha happen to die, it shouldn't be considered all that strange, should it?"
"Leave it to me. I'll make it happen without anyone realizing."
Danzo's hand brushed over the town names inked on the map, schemes already taking form in his mind.
"Then I'll be counting on you, Danzo-sama."
This father-and-son conversation ended with Danzo's acceptance of the mission.
In the living room, only Takeshi, Yamato, and Shisui remained.
Shisui was never good at concealing his feelings. His face at this moment was filled with confusion and doubt.
"Do you love Konoha, Shisui?"
Seeing Shisui's expression, Takeshi suddenly laughed, rubbing his eyes as he asked.
Shisui nodded earnestly.
"If that's so, then just follow me with peace of mind. Everything I do is for Konoha."
His voice carried a strange persuasive force. Looking at Takeshi's handsome features, Shisui didn't think too much before nodding in agreement.
"But I still don't quite understand."
After a moment's hesitation, Shisui voiced his doubts.
"You don't understand why I want Konoha to break free from the Daimyō's control?"
Takeshi seemed to know exactly what was on Shisui's mind.
"Yes… That would likely invite retaliation from the Daimyō's court, and at the same time, the other hidden villages might unite against us."
Coming from a great clan, Shisui understood all too well the resources the Daimyō's court commanded.
Wealth. Manpower. Heritage.
If Konoha disobeyed, they could simply establish a new regime that would. For the Daimyō's court, this was no difficult task.
Moreover, the people living on these lands were already accustomed to the Daimyō's rule. If they learned that a shinobi village was trying to rebel, they would surely side with the Daimyō.
At that point, Konoha would be isolated, and within the village, new conflicts between shinobi clans would inevitably erupt.
"Which is why this is not something to be rushed. For now, Konoha cannot openly oppose the Daimyō's court. What we must do is extract profits, and then use those profits to unite the clans within the village."
"Once everyone is bound together on the same war chariot, even if the truth comes to light, it will be impossible to jump off."
Every one of Shisui's concerns, Takeshi had already considered. After so many years living in the shinobi world, his understanding of the Daimyō's court was in no way inferior.
"As for the other hidden villages… Isn't our ally next door already carrying out some sneaky little moves behind their Daimyō's back as well?"
If one village acted alone, it was rebellion. But if two villages did the same?
Looking at Takeshi's assured demeanor, Shisui felt a strange sense of dizziness.
The once easygoing Konoha jōnin before him seemed to have matured overnight after the Fourth Hokage's grave injury. But his ideas… had also grown far more radical.