Chapter 262 – The Allocation Plan
Neither Uchiha Kei nor Imai Kenta had expected this.
The old man—frail, nearing the end of his life, whom they had planned to quietly retire—had chosen instead… to take his own life.
For a long moment, both of them simply stood there, staring in silence.
Senju Shōma's face was contorted in pain, but he said nothing. His breathing grew ragged… then stopped entirely.
Kei exhaled slowly. He didn't know what to say.
Kenta's expression was one of confusion and grief, his mind blank, caught between disbelief and reluctant understanding.
Neither of them moved to stop him.
---
"Do you have his personal notes?" Kei finally asked quietly.
"Yes…" Kenta hesitated. "But when writing his suicide note, keep it vague—don't go into too much detail."
Kei nodded, his voice calm as ever.
"And can you handle the aftermath?"
"I can. No need to call the Police Force," Kenta replied after a pause. "You've already drawn enough attention. If this spreads any further, we'll both be in trouble."
He sighed deeply, rubbing his temple.
"You're not going to take his head off?"
Kei gave a faint smirk.
"There's no need. His expression says everything—it would take more effort to make it look peaceful than it's worth."
They exchanged a few more words—detached, businesslike.
The old man's death was inconvenient, yes.
But it didn't shake them.
Kei and Kenta were both unnervingly composed.
Even though Kenta had been closer to Shōma, his reaction was methodical.
He knew what needed to be done—and what must never be done.
Once his thoughts cleared, Kenta fetched several of Shōma's handwritten notes and handed them to Kei.
For someone with the Sharingan, mimicking handwriting was trivial. Kei had done it before—most notably when he forged a letter in Uchiha Yuu's hand to lure Uchiha Shu into the forest.
This time was no different.
Kei had just finished the falsified note when he sensed movement behind him.
His eyes lifted—and there stood a white-haired figure in an ANBU uniform, half his face covered by a mask.
Kei didn't need to guess.
"Kakashi," he said flatly.
Of course it was him.
The shockwave from his Susanoo must've drawn ANBU attention.
Yet something in Kakashi's gaze was strange—hesitant, almost… conflicted. Even through the mask, Kei could feel it.
"You're here already, huh?" Kei said with a wry smile. "I suppose it was too much to ignore."
Kakashi nodded.
"The Hokage sent me. There was an enormous chakra spike—we came to investigate."
His gaze flicked to the lifeless body on the floor.
"He… killed himself? What happened?"
"Nothing special," Kei sighed. "Let's just say some people don't like losing their games."
He rose to his feet.
"Shall we go see the Fourth Hokage together? It'll be easier to explain face-to-face."
"Good idea," Kakashi replied. Then hesitated. "By the way… the sensory division picked up something—an unusual chakra signature. I thought you should know."
Kei's eyes narrowed slightly, though his tone remained even.
"Sensory division, huh? Got it. Thanks."
Kakashi instinctively took half a step back—an unconscious reaction. Kei noticed but said nothing.
He already knew what the sensors had detected: his own Susanoo.
That "disturbance" couldn't have been anything else.
Technically, Kakashi wasn't even supposed to tell him that.
But he did anyway—a small, quiet act of friendship.
And Kei appreciated it.
Maybe it was time to return the favor, he thought.
He couldn't hide his powers forever—especially with the Nine-Tails incident looming. Even with Fugaku shielding him politically, Kei knew he'd have to fight.
He needed to prepare.
If he wanted his long-term plans to work, he'd eventually have to deal with Obito—and turn that ghost into his informant.
And for that, Minato Namikaze had to survive.
Kei couldn't let history repeat itself.
The future could deviate—but not collapse.
So, for now, he'd reveal just enough to make future revelations plausible.
Expose his abilities gradually, not abruptly.
A carefully staged evolution.
That way, when the time came to unleash the full power of the Mangekyō, no one would be surprised—or suspicious.
---
After handing the "suicide note" to Kenta, Kei followed Kakashi toward the Hokage's office.
They spoke little along the way.
Kei was rehearsing how to explain what had happened—how to present Kenta and the Senju remnants to Minato without drawing unwanted scrutiny.
Kakashi, meanwhile, was still haunted by what he'd seen earlier—by the image of Kei's monstrous chakra form towering above the ruins.
He didn't dare ask.
---
Within minutes, they arrived.
For a ninja moving at full speed, ten kilometers was nothing.
As the door swung open, Kei was surprised to see a familiar face inside: Yamanaka Masato.
The same man he'd once saved on a battlefield—purely out of tactical necessity.
"Hokage-sama," Kei said, bowing slightly before Minato.
Minato smiled gently.
"Ah, Kei-kun. You're here sooner than I expected. I hope we're not interrupting your duties."
Masato blinked in mild shock. The Hokage's tone toward this young Uchiha was unusually warm.
"I've finished my task," Kei replied evenly. "And I've uncovered something interesting. I'll report shortly. But Kakashi mentioned you had other matters for me, Lord Hokage?"
Minato nodded.
"Yes. Yamanaka-san here detected something unusual. Rather than speculate, I'll let him explain."
Masato stepped forward, still unsettled by Kei's calm presence.
He began recounting what the Sensory Division had discovered—the strange chakra signatures, the earlier detections, and the recent spike within Konoha's residential district.
Kei listened patiently, nodding along.
It all matched perfectly with what he already knew.
When Masato finished, Kei finally spoke.
"I see. I'm afraid that disturbance was likely caused by one of my techniques."
Masato blinked.
"Yours? That… chakra?"
He swallowed hard.
"Yes," Kei replied smoothly. "A clan secret—requires high-level chakra control and the Sharingan. You probably sensed it during a test I conducted."
As he spoke, his eyes turned crimson, the three tomoe whirling slowly.
Dark chakra rippled from his body, forming a faint spectral ribcage around him.
Masato froze, breath catching in his throat.
That same suffocating aura—the one that had terrified the entire Sensory Division—was now right in front of him.
Minato frowned slightly, instinctively alert. Even for him, that chakra felt… heavy.
After a few seconds, Kei let the energy dissipate. The air grew calm again.
"That's all it was," he said simply. "An experiment. I'll be more careful next time."
Masato bowed quickly.
"Understood. My apologies, Captain Kei. The Sensory Division won't interfere further."
"Not at all," Minato said kindly. "You did your duty, Yamanaka-san. You may go."
Masato nodded and left, glancing once more at Kei before disappearing down the corridor.
---
Now, only Minato, Kei, and the silent Kakashi remained.
Minato rubbed his temple with a sigh.
"Kei-kun… what am I going to do with you? Causing that kind of commotion in a residential district—do you realize how bad that looks?"
"Apologies, Captain Minato," Kei said quietly. "I didn't plan to fight. They left me no choice."
"The Senju?"
"Yes."
Kei explained everything—Shōma's hostility, the confrontation, and ultimately the suicide.
Minato's expression shifted from surprise to dismay.
"I never imagined the Senju would fall so far," he murmured. "To think… the clan of the First Hokage, reduced to this."
He leaned back, thoughtful.
"I suppose Tobirama's segregation policies ran deeper than I realized. A single political shift buried an entire family."
"History's cruel that way," Kei replied. "I didn't intend for it to go this far. I just… uncovered what was already rotting beneath the surface."
Minato sighed.
"Still, you've done something remarkable—resurrected a lost name, even if the process was… messy."
He paused.
"Do they have anyone left capable of leading them?"
"Imai Kenta," Kei said instantly.
"Kenta? He's still so young."
"The Senju are out of options," Kei said. "Their younger generation thinks differently. He's one of them. The old ways will only bring them ruin."
Minato nodded slowly.
It made sense—but still, putting a teenager in charge of a clan's revival felt reckless.
"How do you want me to support him?" Minato finally asked.
"Give him an opportunity," Kei replied. "Something tangible—a promotion, a chance to prove himself.
If he returns with results, he'll have the leverage to unite what remains of his clan."
Minato chuckled softly.
"You've planned this from the start, haven't you? I should've known. You don't let people die in front of you without a reason."
Kei didn't deny it. He only smiled faintly.
"Fine," Minato said after a long pause. "I'll authorize his placement. The Missions Department can issue him B-rank assignments—enough responsibility to grow, but not too much to draw attention."
"That's perfect," Kei said. "What matters is giving their people room to train and reconnect. That's all the Senju need right now."
---
As Minato signed the authorization, the tension eased slightly.
Kakashi remained quiet, listening.
Minato's gaze softened.
"You've done well, Kei-kun," he said. "Messy as it was… I think this might actually work."
"Thank you, Hokage-sama," Kei replied, bowing slightly. "For believing in the new generation."
At first, Minato had planned to assign Imai Kenta to an A-rank mission squad.
His reasoning was simple: Kenta would learn under an experienced captain, gain exposure to high-level operations, and—most importantly—allow Minato to quietly observe his skill and loyalty.
But after hearing Uchiha Kei's proposal, Minato found no reason to refuse.
Kei's suggestion was logical—measured, even diplomatic.
Testing Kenta's abilities in social coordination and leadership first, rather than combat, was a safer, more revealing approach.
Minato nodded.
"Very well, Kei-kun. We'll proceed as you recommend."
He leaned back slightly, thoughtful.
"I'll review his file myself. Send me his Police Force record as well. Though that means you'll be short one squad leader, won't it?"
Kei smiled faintly.
"It's fine. Someone can fill in. Perhaps Fuku-senpai's younger brother, or I can pull another Uchiha from rotation. Even a Hyūga would do—there's no shortage of qualified shinobi in the department."
Minato chuckled.
"True. Your Police Force has grown quite inclusive lately. Aside from a few clans, you've practically gathered shinobi from every family in Konoha."
He smiled, almost wistfully.
"A place where every ninja is treated equally, regardless of clan… that's the kind of unity I dream of for the whole village."
Kei tilted his head.
"You'll achieve it one day, Lord Hokage. But…" He smirked slightly. "When you do, you might find it exhausting."
Minato laughed softly, but before he could reply, Kei smoothly shifted the conversation.
"By the way—how's the situation with the ANBU progressing?"
Ah, the ANBU.
That had been one of the first internal matters Kei had helped Minato handle after Danzō's death.
Since then, Kei hadn't paid much attention to it—he knew only that the remaining operatives loyal to the old regime had been gradually filtered out, while Kakashi's faction of loyal ANBU had begun to reassert control.
Minato nodded.
"The cleanup is well underway. According to Kakashi's reports, we've mostly identified who was loyal to the Third Hokage and who was part of Root. The rest are being quietly dismissed."
Then, with a hint of curiosity:
"How about your side? Have you finalized your nominations for integration?"
"Four people," Kei replied without hesitation.
"Only four?" Minato blinked, surprised.
Then realization dawned, and a knowing smile crossed his face.
Kei wasn't just sending four operatives—he was sending a message.
A show of restraint.
A statement of trust.
He was willingly limiting Uchiha representation in ANBU to a mere handful—proof that he wasn't seeking dominance, only cooperation.
Minato's smile deepened.
"Thank you, Kei-kun."
But then his expression turned a little awkward.
"Though… I do have one small request."
Kei raised a brow.
"Oh? What kind of request?"
Minato exhaled, half amused, half weary.
"Next time something like this happens—please try to contact me first. Or… at least, handle it more gently."
Then, almost shyly, he added:
"My child will be born soon. I'd rather not deal with another village-shaking incident before then."
Kei blinked, then gave a small chuckle.
"Understood, Lord Hokage. I'll do my best not to give you a headache."
Minato smiled in return, though the lines of fatigue around his eyes were clear.
The two men stood facing each other—one the idealistic leader of Konoha, the other the cunning architect moving in its shadows.
And for a brief, quiet moment, their ambitions aligned perfectly.