After resolving the matter concerning Orochimaru, Andrew used the Flying Thunder God technique to send Shisui back to the Daming Mansion. With Itachi returning to the village, Shisui naturally resumed his post. Everyone in Konoha knew about the sudden switch, though they remained unaware of the exact reasoning behind Uchiha's maneuver. Still, the situation was what it was, and appearances had to be maintained.
A formal handover between Shisui and Itachi was essential. Otherwise, the illusion of Uchiha members moving between two distant locations in such short spans would collapse, exposing the clan's secrets.
Several days passed quietly. The Hokage Building still hadn't reached a decision on how to handle Danzo Shimura. Hiruzen Sarutobi, the Third Hokage, remained in a state of constant hesitation. As always, he was a man torn between sentiment and duty. Deep inside, he knew Danzo could no longer be saved, but he couldn't bring himself to truly condemn his old comrade.
Tsunade kept her distance, having no desire to interact with Hiruzen unless Danzo committed some outrageous act. As for Jiraiya, he was eager to see Danzo dealt with quickly, yet even he couldn't press the matter too far. After all, the Third Hokage had mentored him.
In the meantime, Jiraiya took it upon himself to monitor Orochimaru at the police department's underground prison. He didn't speak to his old teammate; instead, he simply stood outside the cell and watched, occasionally training Naruto Uzumaki on the side.
Naruto's ninjutsu troubles had been resolved thanks to the reinforced sealing techniques Jiraiya applied. With those hindrances out of the way, Naruto had become something of a genius at the Ninja Academy—a prodigy who stood out even among the brightest of students.
Naturally, this stirred the competitive spirit in Sasuke Uchiha. Feeling left behind, he relentlessly sought out Andrew for special training. It reached a point where Andrew had to hide out in the police department to get some peace.
One afternoon, while Andrew was handling some paperwork inside the department building, a familiar figure entered the premises.
"Hey! Isn't this Kakashi? What brings you to the police department—here to experience some civilian life?" Andrew called out casually.
There stood Kakashi Hatake, wearing his usual blank expression, and next to him was the ever-energetic green blur that was Might Guy—the man who nearly kicked the world into another dimension with his enthusiasm.
Kakashi offered a tired nod. "Captain Andrew. I'm not here for leisure. I figured a change of pace might help. Anbu missions are always combat-oriented. Working here, dealing with villagers, might bring a different kind of perspective."
Andrew raised an eyebrow, activating his Byakugan-enhanced vision to examine Kakashi's chakra flow. Though the Sharingan remained in Kakashi's left eye socket, the chakra streaming to it was minimal—nearly sealed.
"Are you sealing the Sharingan?" Andrew asked directly.
Kakashi gave a quiet nod. "Yes. I still want to carry Obito's Sharingan, but I can't sustain it anymore. The load is too much. Sealing it was the compromise."
Tsunade had examined the issue and confirmed the same. Theoretically, transplanting Hashirama cells would restore compatibility, but Konoha's current medical technology could not guarantee a safe outcome. Thus, Kakashi accepted Andrew's earlier suggestion: carry the eye, but seal it until necessary.
"As I told you before, take care of Uchiha's legacy. Lose it again, and I'll personally come collect it." Andrew quipped with a faint smirk.
Before Guy could chime in, an Anbu agent appeared in the hall, his white porcelain mask catching the flickering torchlight.
"Captain Andrew, Lord Hokage requests your presence in the Hokage Building."
Andrew blinked. "Me? What does that old man want with me? I've been laying low lately."
Though relations between the village and the Uchiha had improved significantly, Andrew didn't trust Sarutobi to have changed his true views. Decades of indoctrination from the Second Hokage, Tobirama Senju, left deep scars in how the upper echelons viewed the Uchiha. While not as extreme as Danzo, Hiruzen still bore that bias.
"I understand," Andrew replied, his tone neutral. "Can you tell me what it's about?"
The Anbu hesitated, then nodded. "This morning, Mist Shinobi arrived in Konoha carrying letters from the daimyos of the Land of Water and the Land of Fire. It likely concerns that. I cannot speak further."
It was rare for Anbu to break protocol, but with Uchiha and Konoha in a honeymoon phase, many shinobi had softened their attitudes. Some even dared to show a degree of courtesy to Andrew—unthinkable in previous years.
"Got it. Thanks. I'll head over now."
Andrew exited swiftly. Mist Shinobi in Konoha? That meant discussions surrounding the newly built harbor terminal. With funding and approval from the Daming Mansion, the massive structure on the outskirts of the village was nearly complete.
At the Hokage Tower, Andrew composed himself before knocking on the large office door. The more delicate the situation, the more careful he had to be.
"Come in," came the familiar gravelly voice of the Third Hokage.
Andrew stepped inside and immediately spotted two recognizable figures: a tall woman with long auburn hair dressed in a fishnet-blue ensemble, and a shark-like man with jagged teeth and a massive sword on his back.
"Lord Hokage, you summoned me?"
Though Andrew recognized Terumi Mei and Hoshigaki Kisame, he pretended otherwise. In the Third Hokage's eyes, this was their first meeting. No need to raise unnecessary suspicion.
Hiruzen gestured to the two Mist representatives. "This is Terumi Mei and Hoshigaki Kisame from Kirigakure. They're here to oversee the diplomatic and logistical aspects of the harbor terminal. Since the daimyos have assigned this project to the Uchiha clan, I'm putting you in charge."
The weariness in Sarutobi's eyes was unmistakable. The Danzo affair had taken its toll.
"Understood. Uchiha Kamasu and I will see to it that everything proceeds smoothly. Leave Mist Shinobi's hospitality to us."
Hiruzen simply nodded, waving them off with little ceremony.
As they exited the Hokage Tower, Terumi Mei's voice shifted into a sly tone. "You handled that well. Are you always so obedient around your Hokage?"
Andrew smirked. "I could say the same about you and Kisame. Now that you're in Konoha, let me show you around. Whether you want to gather intelligence or relax, just don't get caught."
The harbor deal was already a done deal. Whatever they were here to confirm was mere formality.
"Tsk. You Uchiha really have a twisted relationship with your village," Terumi Mei muttered.
"Don't bring it up. I'm just showing my guests around. As for what you dig up, that's your problem, not mine."
While the Uchiha were still technically part of Konoha, Andrew had no intention of blindly defending it. He wouldn't sabotage it either—but he would not help cover its flaws.
Of course, the Third Hokage would never allow foreign shinobi to roam freely through Konoha. The Anbu were already shadowing them, monitoring every step they took.
Andrew limited the tour to open zones within the village. If Terumi Mei or Kisame managed to gather intelligence, it meant Konoha's defenses were slacking—not his fault.
"Enjoy the tour. Just know that Konoha doesn't make it easy to snoop around these days."
Terumi Mei chuckled softly. "We'll see about that."
As they walked into the bustling heart of the Leaf Village, the tension of diplomacy lingered in the air—but so did a strange calm. The shinobi world was changing. Whether for better or worse, the next move belonged to the clans, not just the Kage.
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