Chapter 263 – Unrecognized
"So you're saying… from now on, I can either assign people myself or personally report to the Missions Department?"
Seated in Uchiha Kei's underground laboratory, Imai Kenta looked at him with a faintly bewildered expression.
He had expected it would take weeks—negotiations, paperwork, resistance from the higher-ups.
Yet Kei had managed to settle the entire matter in less than a day.
In fact, it might not have even taken half a day—perhaps just a few hours.
That alone spoke volumes about Kei's relationship with the Fourth Hokage.
The connection between them ran deep—and that, frankly, was terrifying.
"That's right," Kei nodded evenly. "It's your choice now. But remember—whether you can keep those people under control… and for how long—that's the real question."
Kenta had come early that morning, meaning he'd already managed to suppress whatever internal chaos still stirred within the Senju clan.
For now.
But Kei wasn't satisfied with "for now."
He needed to be absolutely certain that Kenta wouldn't lose control—that the fragile order he'd helped construct wouldn't collapse overnight and ruin months of planning.
If it ever came to that, Uchiha Kei would not hesitate to intervene.
"Don't worry," Kenta said, glancing sideways at Kei. "Even though that suicide note you forged was a little too perfect—anyone with eyes could tell something was off—it still worked.
You didn't kill anyone, and your Police Force's current conduct is clean. People are angry, yes, but they're not acting out."
Kei shrugged.
"Mostly because they realized Shōma killed himself. That tends to quiet rumors. Anyway, I'm not interested in your clan's domestic drama. Just keep it under control."
"I will," Kenta replied firmly. "And with these new assignments from the Missions Department, things will get easier.
They're low-level postings, sure, but it's better than nothing. It'll silence a lot of critics."
He hesitated.
"Still, there's the issue of—"
"You don't need to worry about the follow-up," Kei interrupted calmly. "I'll handle that myself. Focus on learning from your new superior and doing your job well."
Kei had a habit of never saying everything outright.
He preferred to leave just enough unsaid—to keep people motivated, dependent, curious.
This was no different.
Even though he had already finalized everything with Minato Namikaze, he deliberately revealed it to Kenta piece by piece.
To Kei, dangling progress was far more useful than delivering completion.
Kenta nodded. Kei's assurance alone was enough for him.
For now, his clan's internal unrest had been contained—barely—but it was far from stable.
He didn't yet have the authority to make everyone fully trust him.
But that would change.
The middle-aged faction of the Senju still held grudges against the Uchiha, but they didn't hate the Hokage.
That was a crucial difference.
With this newfound favor from the Fourth, Kenta could spin the situation to his advantage—portraying himself as the bridge between the Hokage's administration and the remnants of the Senju.
If he played it right, he could win over the younger generation—those who had grown up in obscurity, hungry for recognition.
And once the young backed him, the old would lose their leverage.
Kenta was no fool. He knew his worth, and others had long recognized his potential.
If he managed this carefully, he could become the voice—and eventually the leader—of the Senju's rebirth.
This was his chance.
"Understood," Kenta said finally. "I'll only request ten placements within the Missions Department. We'll split them among different units—it won't raise suspicion. That number shouldn't be excessive, right?"
Kei raised an eyebrow.
"I wouldn't know. You'll have to negotiate that with Captain Minato yourself."
"Oh, please," Kenta rolled his eyes. "You could make that happen with a single sentence."
Kei smiled faintly but said nothing.
Kenta sighed, giving in.
"Fine, I'll handle it myself. And about the Police Force—Fourth Division, specifically—I plan to recommend fifteen candidates to replace me. That should be fine, right?"
Kei immediately shook his head.
"Ten. No more. Before, I might have allowed fifteen—but not now. Don't forget, I still have obligations to the Hyūga clan."
Kenta winced.
He remembered that conversation vividly—Hyūga Hiashi's message, delivered through Ayaka herself.
Kei wouldn't compromise that alliance, not for anyone.
And the more Kenta saw, the more he realized just how far Kei's ambitions extended—and how close he was to the Hokage.
Leaving the Police Force now felt… risky.
Like cutting himself off from power just when he'd finally touched it.
But Senju Shōma's death had already sealed that choice. Kei's current restrictions on staffing were less about necessity—and more about revenge.
Kenta sighed, helpless but resigned.
He knew this was still the best possible outcome.
Their alliance was young, fragile, and subject to the shifting winds of Konoha's politics. For now, they'd have to move cautiously—play nice, and play smart.
And Kei, for all his coldness and manipulation, was at least consistent.
Unlike his carefully composed public image—the calm, approachable police commander—in private, Uchiha Kei was razor-sharp, calculating, and absolutely ruthless.
But to those who proved valuable… he was also fair.
That was something Kenta could respect.
"Fine," Kenta said quietly. "Ten it is."
He rose from his seat, his expression hardening with renewed resolve.
"We'll rebuild the Senju from the ground up. Even if the world refuses to recognize us again—"
he looked toward Kei, his eyes gleaming faintly in the dim light—
"—we'll make them remember who we are."
Hyūga Ayaka—
That woman.
Even though Imai Kenta had never particularly liked that crazy woman, he had to admit—she possessed a kind of raw, terrifying talent.
And somehow, she'd learned to turn that talent into something of tangible value.
That, of course, was why Uchiha Kei protected her—and treated her better than most.
Still, Kenta couldn't help but wonder aloud:
"Speaking of which… where's Ayaka? Haven't seen her around lately."
Kei's expression instantly soured.
"Oh, you can thank yourself for that one."
"Huh?"
Kei exhaled sharply, irritation flickering in his crimson eyes.
"That sage art scroll you brought me—she's been obsessed with it. Reads it day and night, like she's possessed.
What, does she actually think she can master Sage Mode or something?"
Kenta blinked. "Wait… she's training?"
After Kenta had handed over the scroll, Kei had read it once and set it aside. He simply didn't have time—too many experiments, too many political fires to manage.
But Ayaka, who stayed behind in the lab, had buried herself in its pages with a frightening level of focus.
When Kei arrived that morning, he found her sitting cross-legged in one of the inner chambers—breathing in perfect rhythm, her chakra pulsing in and out like the tide.
The sight had stopped him cold.
Don't tell me she's actually trying to practice Sage Mode…
The thought made him uneasy.
After all, anyone who'd seen Naruto's training knew how dangerous that art was. One wrong move, and you didn't just fail—you turned to stone.
If that happened to Ayaka, it would be a colossal waste.
Then again, she didn't have the special tools—the frog oils or sensory aids the toads used to help gather natural energy.
So maybe… she'd just tire herself out.
Kei decided to ignore it for now. He'd learned long ago that it wasn't worth interfering when she got into one of her obsessive phases.
Even if she had done a few questionable things in the past.
"Sage Mode, huh?" Kenta said, his expression twisting oddly. "Without specific tools or training methods, it's nearly impossible to pull off."
Kei shot him a sidelong glance, eyes narrowing in suspicion.
"Speaking of which, why didn't you train in it? Don't tell me there's… a problem?"
"What? No!" Kenta rolled his eyes. "It's just—because—"
He trailed off awkwardly, his face flushing slightly.
That was new. Kei had never seen that expression on him before—embarrassed and irritated all at once.
Naturally, that made Kei even more curious.
"What's with that face? Come on, out with it."
Kenta hesitated, grimaced, then finally muttered under his breath:
"I… wasn't acknowledged."
Kei blinked.
"You mean—"
"By the Slug Sage," Kenta finished flatly.
For a moment, they just stared at each other.
Then Kei's mouth twitched.
"You knew?" Kenta asked, startled.
"I didn't say anything," Kei replied quickly—though his lips were already curving upward.
"You're laughing," Kenta accused. "Don't pretend you're not! Go ahead, laugh—like you'd ever be acknowledged either!"
Kei almost burst out laughing, but he bit it back.
Because, well… Kenta had a point.
He probably wouldn't be acknowledged either.
Who knew what kind of "criteria" the Slug Sage had, anyway?
Still, it wasn't hard to guess why Kenta had been rejected. The slug was said to be gentle, patient, compassionate—
and Kenta was… none of those things.
The man looked polite enough on the surface, but inside he was darker than most ANBU captains.
Kei wasn't much better himself.
"So what now?" Kei asked after a pause, exhaling. "If neither of us gets recognized, and we don't have your so-called 'special conduits'… how are we supposed to train Sage Jutsu?"
Kenta shrugged helplessly.
"Then we'll have to find our own way. Maybe those cells you've been collecting are exactly what we need."
"You mean… Hashirama's cells?"
Or perhaps the White Zetsu tissue fragments?
Kei frowned slightly, thinking.
After all, Madara Uchiha had once forced himself to harness Sage Chakra using similar means.
That suggested the cells acted as a stabilizing—or maybe neutralizing—agent for natural energy.
It was a dangerous idea. But plausible.
Before Kei could reply, however—
A sudden surge of unnatural chakra erupted from the adjacent chamber.
Both men froze, eyes snapping toward the source.
The chakra pulsed once—sharp, wild, and distinctly inhuman.
Oh no… Ayaka.