Inside the Uchiha clan head's residence, Taiichi looked at the clearly excited Fugaku and smiled as well.
"Regarding candidates," Taiichi added, "the current plan is to start with Uchiha Shisui. Both his abilities and his steady temperament make him very suitable for ANBU work. Of course, this is only a preliminary suggestion. If the clan head has other suitable recommendations, we can discuss them."
Fugaku didn't respond immediately about Shisui. Instead, he asked, "Then what about the rest? What does the Uchiha have to give in return?"
He knew there was no such thing as a free lunch. The village leadership offering such an important position would naturally come with conditions.
Taiichi's gaze deepened. "The Military Police Force."
He clearly saw Fugaku's back straighten slightly.
"The Military Police Force has been the Uchiha's duty and glory since its founding. That much is beyond question.
However, the Fourth Hokage believes that for the sake of Konoha's unity and the better functioning of the Military Police, we should consider… absorbing some non-Uchiha Konoha shinobi into the force."
"What?!"
Fugaku's low voice finally carried a trace of barely suppressed emotion. His brows knitted tightly. "The Military Police was authority granted to the Uchiha by the Second Hokage. It is one of the few foundations the Uchiha have to stand on in Konoha! Letting outsiders interfere? That's absolutely impossible!"
He looked ready to slam the table. The Uchiha's pride and their long-held view of the Military Police as an untouchable domain had been directly provoked. This touched their bottom line.
"Clan Head Fugaku, please calm down," Taiichi's voice remained steady, though it grew slightly louder. "Hear me out."
He leaned forward slightly, eyes sharp. "The Military Police is the Uchiha's glory—that's true. But hasn't it also become a heavy shackle? A barrier that separates the Uchiha from the rest of the villagers?"
Taiichi's words landed like heavy blows against Fugaku's heart.
"The Uchiha are naturally proud. That pride comes from strength. But when handling daily disputes and maintaining public order—work that requires constant interaction with ordinary villagers—this pride can unconsciously turn into arrogance or indifference."
Taiichi's voice was calm, yet every word struck deep. "Clan Head, over these years, how much resentment have ordinary villagers accumulated toward the Military Police because of attitude problems, poor communication, or mishandled minor misunderstandings? In the eyes of those with ill intent, that resentment is the perfect tool to drive a wedge between the Uchiha and the village!"
Fugaku's lips pressed into a thin line. Taiichi's words had struck at a hidden concern he had long carried but never wanted to examine too closely.
He wasn't unaware of the rumors calling the Military Police "high and mighty" or "cold and unfeeling."
"Allowing non-clan shinobi to join the Military Police doesn't mean stripping the Uchiha of leadership, nor is it an attempt to dismantle the force," Taiichi said, softening his tone with a persuasive edge. "On the contrary, this is for the good of the Military Police—and more importantly, for the good of the Uchiha!"
"First, bringing in outsiders can share some of the burden of basic patrols and dispute mediation. These tasks are tedious and minor, yet they're the easiest to spark conflict. Letting shinobi with gentler temperaments and communication styles more acceptable to villagers handle them would greatly ease tensions.
Second, and most importantly," Taiichi's voice carried the weight of hard-earned insight, "when these non-Uchiha shinobi work alongside Uchiha members—patrolling together, facing trivial disputes together—they will finally understand how difficult the Military Police's job truly is!
They will see the effort and pressure Uchiha shinobi endure to maintain village order and ensure safety. These firsthand experiences will be far more convincing than any empty propaganda.
They will become natural spokespeople for the Uchiha among ordinary villagers. They will explain the reality of the Military Police's work and dissolve the resentment born from misunderstandings. Doesn't this reshape the Uchiha's image and tear down that invisible wall?"
Taiichi's gaze locked onto Fugaku. "On the surface, the Military Police no longer belonging solely to the Uchiha looks like a dilution of power. But in the long run, it actually relieves the Uchiha of a heavy burden. It dismantles the wall that has isolated them.
Turning the Military Police from the Uchiha's exclusive territory into a public security department built and shared by all of Konoha—that is how its honor will truly be recognized by every villager. That is how the Uchiha's foundation will be truly secured!"
The reception room fell into silence, broken only by the crackling of the lamp. Fugaku sat motionless like a statue, his expression shifting rapidly.
Taiichi's words had acted like a sharp scalpel, peeling back the glossy surface of the Military Police to expose its hidden ailments and the worries buried deep in Fugaku's heart.
His pride had been laid bare. His concerns had been validated. But along with the pain came an unprecedented, if uncomfortable, sense of clarity and direction.
Monopolizing power brought not only glory, but also heavy burdens and an isolation that could never be resolved.
The future Taiichi described—where non-Uchiha shinobi would come to understand and speak for the Military Police, sharing the pressure and earning genuine recognition from the villagers—shone like a ray of light piercing the gloom. Though it required painful concessions, it pointed toward a much broader future.
Time passed in silence. The tea in front of Fugaku had long gone cold.
Finally, he drew in a deep breath, as if inhaling the entire weight of the Uchiha's history and future hopes.
He slowly raised his head. The sharpness in his eyes remained, but it was now accompanied by a heavy resolve.
"Shisui… is a good child." Fugaku's voice was low and slightly hoarse as he broke the long silence. "His abilities and temperament are more than enough for ANBU work. The Uchiha clan will fully support his development within ANBU."
This was undoubtedly approval of the first proposal.
Then he changed direction, his tone carrying a firmness born from difficult compromise. "As for the Military Police… what you said, Taiichi-kun, does have merit."
He closed his eyes briefly, as if digesting the weight of the decision.
"The Uchiha's pride should not become a wall that separates our people from the village. The Military Police… can open a portion of its positions to accept outstanding non-Uchiha shinobi.
The specific proportions, division of responsibilities, and how to ensure the Military Police's core functions and the Uchiha's leadership remain intact—we will need to discuss the details thoroughly with the Hokage's office."
He opened his eyes and looked at Taiichi with a burning gaze. "But one thing must remain unshakable: the Military Police's core duty of maintaining internal order in Konoha and its final decision-making authority. That is the bottom line."
Taiichi finally showed a relieved, genuine smile. He knew the hardest hurdle had been cleared. Fugaku's compromise was a historic step for the Uchiha clan.
"That goes without saying, Clan Head Fugaku," Taiichi replied solemnly. "The Military Police's core functions and leadership belong to the Uchiha without question.
Bringing in non-clan shinobi is meant to better serve the village—and to allow the Uchiha to exercise this authority more smoothly.
As for the details, the Fourth Hokage will personally send people to discuss them with you and the clan elders."
The two exchanged opinions on a preliminary framework. The atmosphere had become noticeably more relaxed than at the start. When Taiichi stood to leave, Fugaku personally escorted him to the door.
"Taiichi-kun," Fugaku said as they parted, looking out at the clan grounds bathed in moonlight. His voice carried a trace of complicated emotion. "I hope this truly is… a path toward the light."
Taiichi stood under the moonlight, his shadow stretched long across the ground. He glanced back at the dimly lit Uchiha compound, then toward the brightly lit Hokage Rock in the distance—the symbol of all of Konoha. His voice was firm and filled with strength.
"No matter how long the night, dawn will always come. By taking this step, the dawn for the Uchiha—and a stronger dawn for Konoha—will not be far away. Clan Head Fugaku, please believe in the Fourth Hokage. And please believe in me."
He said no more. Turning, he disappeared into Konoha's night, his steps steady and powerful.
Behind him, Uchiha Fugaku stood at the entrance of his residence for a long time, staring in the direction Taiichi had vanished. Then he lifted his gaze toward the newly carved Fourth Hokage face on the Hokage Rock. Deep waves of emotion surged in his profound eyes.
The lights of the clan grounds flickered behind him, as if symbolizing that this ancient and proud clan now stood at a turning point—challenging, yet full of new life.
On the top floor of the Hokage Tower, a few lonely lights still burned, echoing the relatively quiet lights of the distant Uchiha compound.
While Taiichi had been inside Uchiha Fugaku's residence conducting a conversation that could reshape Konoha's power structure, in another corner of the village, inside the warm little home of the new Fourth Hokage, the atmosphere was completely different.
The air was thick with a suppressed, explosive tension.
Uzumaki Kushina, Konoha's "Blood Red Pepper," was currently sitting at the low living room table with her knees hugged to her chest.
A half-open cookbook lay spread across the table. Beside it sat a plate of food that had long gone cold—carefully arranged, the result of an afternoon's hard work.
The clock on the wall ticked relentlessly. Its hands had long passed dinnertime and now pointed deep into the night.
Her signature red hair, which usually shone so brightly, looked slightly dull and messy under the lamplight, reflecting her agitated state. Her green eyes were fixed on the entrance, the storm brewing inside them almost becoming tangible. Her fingers unconsciously twisted the fabric of her clothes, knuckles faintly white from the pressure.
Creak.
The door lock finally turned with a soft sound.
Namikaze Minato's figure appeared in the doorway, his face showing unmistakable exhaustion. His brand-new white Hokage robe was draped casually over his arm, and his golden hair was slightly disheveled.
Still, he instinctively raised his usual warm smile, trying to push away the fatigue. "Kushina, I'm back—"
He didn't get to finish.
A red whirlwind had already reached him!
"Namikaze Minato!"
Kushina's roar made the ceiling tremble. The anger she had been accumulating all evening erupted like a volcano.
"You still know how to come home?! Do you know what time it is?!"
Accompanied by her shouting, her powerful fists rained down on Minato's chest and shoulders. Though she deliberately controlled her strength to avoid serious injury, the solid thud sounds showed just how much force she was using. Her feet weren't idle either, kicking at his shins in frustration.
"Being Hokage is so great, huh?! Being Hokage means you can treat home like a hotel?! Leaving early and coming back late every day—I barely even see your shadow! Do I even exist in your eyes anymore?!"
"I worked so hard on this meal and heated it up again and again! It's completely cold now!"
"Say something! Did becoming Hokage make me disposable to you?!"
"You bastard! Idiot! Stupid Minato!"
Kushina hit and scolded him at the same time. Beneath the anger was clear grievance and a trace of hidden worry.
Minato was driven back by this sudden "domestic violence" until his back hit the door. He could only helplessly and indulgently endure Kushina's loving "iron fists."
He knew her too well. He understood the softness beneath her explosive temper, and he knew he had indeed been neglecting her these past few days.
"Kushina, listen to me—" Minato tried to explain, but his voice was cut off by her fists and roaring.
"I'm not listening! I'm not listening! Explanations are just excuses!"
Kushina was like an angry little lion, her assault only growing fiercer.
Minato looked at the puffy-cheeked, slightly red-eyed woman he loved. The irritation from his heavy workload vanished in an instant, replaced by nothing but tenderness and affection.
He knew ordinary apologies would be useless against the Blood Red Pepper's fury.
Suddenly, he reached out, ignoring her still-swinging fists, and gently but firmly caught her wrist, stopping her movements.
Kushina struggled once but couldn't break free. She raised her teary yet still-burning green eyes and glared at him.
In that brief, tension-filled stalemate, Minato's usual warm smile disappeared. In its place was an unprecedented seriousness and solemnity.
He didn't say "I'm sorry." He didn't explain how busy his work was. He simply looked into Kushina's eyes and, with his clear and gentle voice, spoke five clear words:
"Let's get married."
Time seemed to freeze in that moment.
All of Kushina's movements, all her shouting, all her burning anger came to an abrupt halt, as if someone had pressed pause.
Her wide eyes lost their anger almost instantly, replaced by stunned disbelief. Then, like ripples spreading across a lake after a stone is dropped, a visible blush surged from her neck up to her cheeks, ears, and finally her forehead, turning her face a lovely shade of pink.
"M—marriage?"
Her voice dropped eight octaves in an instant, becoming as faint as a mosquito's buzz, trembling with obvious shyness.
The fierce "Blood Red Pepper" who had looked ready to tear the house down moments ago had instantly transformed into a thoroughly cooked red shrimp.
"Mm."
Minato nodded firmly. His golden hair swayed lightly with the motion, his eyes so gentle they seemed to drip with warmth.
"Just the two of us, and the people who care about us. A simple ceremony is enough. I don't want to wait anymore, Kushina.
I want everyone to know that you are my wife—the wife of Konoha's Fourth Hokage."
His voice was low, steady, and filled with undeniable determination and deep affection.
The massive wave of surprise and sweetness instantly shattered all of Kushina's defenses. She suddenly lowered her head and covered her burning cheeks with both hands, letting out muffled, tearful whimpers.
"You— you idiot Minato—! How— how can you propose like this— when I'm angry—!"
Though she was still complaining, her restless hands had already left her own face and moved to gently touch Minato's chest and shoulders—the places she had just been "beating." She carefully rubbed them, her touch so soft it was completely different from the storm moments before.
"D—does it still hurt? I— I didn't hit you too hard just now, did I—?"
Her voice had turned soft and sweet, filled with heartache and regret.
Minato's heart was completely melted by this enormous contrast. He pulled Kushina into his arms, resting his chin gently on her soft red hair and breathing in her familiar scent.
"It doesn't hurt anymore. With you here, nothing hurts." He chuckled, his chest vibrating with happiness. "As long as you agree to marry me."
Kushina buried her face deeply into his chest, her ears so red they looked ready to bleed.
She gave a muffled reply against his chest, her voice so small it was barely audible:
"…Okay."
Minato's smile instantly widened, like sunlight piercing through every cloud. He cupped Kushina's burning cheeks and pressed a deeply cherished kiss to her smooth forehead.
"Wonderful! Then… shall we set it for early next month?" His voice carried excitement.
Kushina was too shy to look at him. She simply nodded randomly against his chest, her fingers unconsciously drawing circles on his chest. Her earlier fury had completely vanished, leaving only a heart full of sweetness and embarrassment.
"F—fine, whatever you say… but—" She suddenly lifted her head. Though her face was still red, her eyes had turned serious. "Don't let it interfere with your work too much! You're the Hokage now!"
Minato couldn't help but laugh. He pulled her close again. "Don't worry, my future Hokage wife. I'll arrange everything. But for now…"
He lowered his head and whispered into her ear with a playful smile, "Shouldn't you make it up to your hardworking fiancé and reheat dinner for me? I'm starving."
Kushina finally broke into laughter and lightly punched him. "Idiot! Wait here!" She slipped out of his arms like a happy little red bird and ran toward the kitchen, her steps light and quick. Not a trace of her earlier rage remained.
Minato watched her retreating figure, his golden eyes filled with gentle laughter and the happiness of a man about to become a husband.
Outside the window, moonlight gently fell over the small house that had just weathered a storm and quickly returned to sweetness. It also fell over the village of Konoha, where quiet but profound changes were taking place not far away.