Chapter 211 – Seven Months Left
After settling Iori in, Uchiha Kei quickly retrieved the copied books from Uchiha Sō.
But the truth was, these books were still a bit too advanced—far from beginner-friendly. Kei decided it would be best to find her a proper tutor to guide her from the ground up.
For general shinobi training, he could easily ask someone from within the clan to help. But when it came to medical ninjutsu, he would need to look beyond.
At moments like this, Kei couldn't help but think of Rin Nohara. If she were still alive, she would have been perfect for the task. Unfortunately, she was long gone. Still, Konoha had no shortage of medical shinobi.
And as the Head of the Police Force and a celebrated hero of the Third Great Ninja War, Kei's name carried enough weight. If he truly wanted someone to teach medical arts, finding the right person would not be difficult.
He decided to have Imai Kenta or Uchiha Kawa help scout a suitable instructor.
As for Iori's arrival at his home, Kei himself felt little disruption. He simply continued with his own work; he had no time to waste fussing over such matters.
But Ryoko and Keisuke, his parents, were unexpectedly warm toward the little girl. Their enthusiasm was overwhelming to Iori, who was used to Kei's cold indifference. To them, Kei's aloofness was an inevitable scar of war—too much burden placed on someone so young.
As parents, Ryoko and Keisuke ached at the thought. They had silently endured his distance, rationalizing it as a defense mechanism. And now that their son was no longer just another Uchiha, but the Deputy Head of the clan and the head of the Police Force, they found him almost unreachable.
So when Kei suddenly brought home a young girl, they were both startled and secretly delighted. She was timid, but her bright eyes won their affection immediately. More importantly, because Kei had personally brought her home, they couldn't help but see her as a bridge to rebuild some sense of family closeness.
Unfortunately, they guessed wrong.
Kei hadn't brought Iori back to heal family bonds. His true purpose was to create a sense of belonging in her, a tether strong enough to ensure her loyalty and dedication. Still, his parents' kindness inadvertently solved a problem for him—he no longer had to worry about how the girl would fit into the household. The only confused one now was Iori herself, who hadn't expected Kei's "elders" to turn out to be his parents.
Regardless of what was on her mind, Iori had already begun her studies. That left Kei free to shift his focus back to the restructuring of the Police Force.
He wasn't sure whether it was Kawa's competence, his subordinates' determination, or simply the sheer weight of pressure he'd imposed—but the results were remarkable. In less than half a month, the newly reorganized unit had already adapted and begun functioning effectively on missions.
"You've been drilling them this hard. Aren't you worried something might go wrong?" Kei asked curiously one day, seated in the Police Force Commander's office as he observed Uchiha Kawa.
"Please rest assured, Lord Kei," Kawa replied, kneeling respectfully with a calm, steady tone. "There are no complaints. The training is tough, yes, but after witnessing Captain Imai's squad in action, they were inspired. They want to prove themselves worthy too."
Despite Kei's repeated assurances that such formal deference wasn't necessary, Kawa maintained his humility. Kei no longer bothered correcting him. A loyal, competent subordinate like this was hard not to appreciate.
What pleased Kei even more was Kawa's foresight—he had arranged for his men to shadow Imai Kenta's squad, a unit Kei himself had designed. Though Kei hadn't micromanaged its training, the regulations and mission protocols were his work.
That squad had earned a sterling reputation in Konoha. Their discipline in missions and the gratitude they received from villagers had made them a model team.
And nothing motivated more than a role model. With such examples before them, Kawa's men couldn't help but push themselves.
Joining the Police Force was already an achievement beyond their expectations. Now they sought not only to belong, but to earn the recognition of the village itself.
Their drive exploded with intensity.
And so, in less than two weeks, they had already absorbed and adapted to the behavioral standards Kei had set.
After gaining Uchiha Kawa's approval, Kei could now officially put the unit into motion.
"Looks like Kenta is going to be thrilled," Uchiha Kei chuckled. "He hasn't come running to me to complain, but I've heard enough of the little jabs he's been making behind my back."
"Lord Kei, Captain Imai must be completely worn out by now," Kawa said quietly. "But still, it's not right for him to complain like that. If you'd like, I can—"
"You're no match for him, even with your Sharingan." Kei cut him off, shaking his head.
"Kenta Imai is my teammate. His strength is no less than mine. He's survived nearly a decade on the battlefield—do you really think he's someone you can just take on? He and I are… friends, I suppose. There's no need to hold a grudge. Besides, joining the Police Force wasn't exactly his choice."
The memory of Imai's frustrated, bitter expression when he was first transferred still amused Kei, and he couldn't help but laugh.
And, strictly speaking, Imai wasn't his subordinate. Kei hadn't forgotten that fact. Which meant he had no reason to care what complaints the man made. Given how exhausting this period had been, letting Imai blow off steam was fair enough.
More importantly, Kei needed Kawa to understand: don't get reckless. Don't go picking a fight with Imai. That would only end in disaster.
"I understand, Lord Kei. I won't provoke Captain Imai," Kawa nodded, grasping the unspoken message. "I'll get along with him properly. I won't cause you any trouble."
"Good. Off you go then—I won't keep you." Kei nodded, but then something came to mind.
"By the way, help me recruit a shinobi with medical ninjutsu skills. Nothing advanced, just someone who knows the basics. I need a teacher for a student."
"Yes, Lord Kei," Kawa replied immediately, not even asking who the student was. "I'll find the most suitable candidate as quickly as possible."
"Excellent. I'll leave it to you," Kei said with a satisfied smile.
"Then, if you'll excuse me." Kawa bowed and left the room.
Once alone, Kei leaned back in his chair, letting himself relax.
At this point, nearly two-thirds of the Police Force was already under his control. It was only a matter of time before the entire department belonged to him.
The only regret was that Uchiha Jun's progress was still too slow. She was trying hard, but as a member of the Uchiha clan, it was incredibly difficult for her to earn the trust of outsiders in this climate—especially while the Third Hokage's influence remained so strong.
Even so, Kei couldn't fault her. Under the circumstances, she had already done her best.
Still, what unsettled him most was her identity. Jun had been placed in the Police Force by Uchiha Fugaku. In truth, she wasn't Kei's person at all.
And Kei viewed the Police Force as his domain. His ambition was to completely reshape it into a power base that belonged solely to him. Having someone he couldn't fully trust embedded within it left him uneasy.
Yes, this arrangement had been reached through compromise and agreed upon by both sides—but discomfort remained discomfort.
Shaking his head, Kei pushed the thought aside.
It was already March. His birthday was approaching.
More importantly, only about seven months remained until the birth of Naruto Uzumaki.
Seven months… for Kei, that was far too little time. Just over two hundred days left to prepare—two hundred days that would determine the future of the Uchiha clan.
Would things unfold as he intended, with the clan cooperating with the Fourth Hokage and securing the rightful place they deserved in Konoha?
Or would history repeat itself—Minato dead, the Uchiha scapegoated, and their survival in Konoha becoming more precarious than ever?
Kei had prepared fallback plans. Fugaku was working tirelessly to win over civilian shinobi and allied clans, forging a network of shared interests that might at least allow the Uchiha to protect themselves.
But Konoha was only so big. Even if Fugaku succeeded, their alliance would likely amount to little more than self-preservation.
Violent rebellion? Kei had no desire to go down that path. He preferred a more calculated approach—waiting for the right time, the right opportunity, to eliminate Hiruzen Sarutobi and his faction once and for all.
"Seven months…" Kei murmured with a sigh. "I've invested too much into this. The stakes are enormous. This time, I can't afford to be disappointed."
His eyes shifted, the tomoe spinning as they transformed into the Mangekyō Sharingan.
No—he would not allow himself to fail.