"So that means I can report directly to the Mission Assignment Desk myself from now on, right?"
Seated in Uchiha Kai's underground laboratory, Imai Kenta looked at him with a complicated expression.
They'd discussed it briefly before, but he hadn't expected Kai to pull it off so quickly. Less than half a day — maybe even just a few hours.
It spoke volumes about the depth of Uchiha Kai's relationship with the Fourth Hokage.
"Yes," Kai nodded calmly. "If that's your choice. Getting you official recognition wasn't the hard part. The hard part is whether you can suppress your family's chaos — for the long term."
Kenta had arrived early that morning, which meant he had temporarily dealt with the internal disputes in his clan. But Kai wasn't convinced things were stable. He couldn't afford an unpredictable collapse within the Senju faction to ruin his plans.
If necessary, he'd intervene — quietly or otherwise.
"Relax," Kenta exhaled. "Your forged suicide note was clearly flawed — a child could see through it — but the rest of your operation was airtight. No one died, and the Security Department's current image kept things from escalating."
"They calmed down because they believed Senju Shoma truly committed suicide," Kai said with a shrug. "Anyway, I don't care about your clan's internal drama. Just keep it under control."
"I will. And with this approval, things will move smoother. Even if it's just entry-level posts, they'll shut a lot of mouths."
Kenta gave a slow nod. "Grassroots or not, these assignments will build legitimacy. But—"
"Don't worry about the follow-up," Kai interrupted flatly. "I'll handle certain pieces behind the scenes. You just learn the ropes from your department head and don't screw it up."
Kai never over-explained. That was part of his strategy — keep people guessing, and he retained the upper hand. He had already discussed the matter with Namikaze Minato, but deliberately kept Kenta in the dark about the full extent of it.
Kai believed in incremental control — giving people just enough to stay motivated.
For Kenta, that was enough. His clan's instability was temporarily contained, but the danger hadn't passed. The middle-aged generation might oppose the Uchiha, but few dared question the Fourth Hokage directly.
If he framed his cooperation with Kai as part of a wider reform movement — one denied by the old guard — he might win the support of younger Senju members.
With that momentum, he could tip the balance.
"Ten people. That's all I need in the Mission Assignment Department," Kenta said. "They'll be scattered across teams. That's not too many, is it?"
"Ask Minato yourself," Kai replied, hands up. "I don't micromanage that."
"Please," Kenta snorted. "You're practically Minato's shadow. Say the word, and it's done."
He sighed. "Alright. I'll speak to the Hokage personally. Also, I'm arranging to transfer fifteen people into the Fourth Squad of the Police Force. Is that fine?"
"You're leaving the Guard Division and still trying to stuff it with your people?"
Kai shook his head. "No. Ten, at most. If it were before, I might have allowed fifteen. But now? I have a deal with the Hyuga clan to consider."
Hyuga Hiashi had relayed a message through Hyuga Aya not long ago, and Kenta had been there to witness it. That made it clear: Kai wouldn't abandon the leverage he held over both clans.
Kenta understood. He hated pulling away from the Guard, but Senju Shoma's sudden about-face had cost them dearly. That betrayal forced Kai to reduce the personnel quota.
Frustrating, yes — but not fatal.
They were just starting to gain momentum. Kenta knew full well that compromises were part of the climb.
Kai was ruthless, even cold to those who weren't useful. But to his allies, he was dependable — within reason. He'd once treated Kenta like just another civilian ninja, and only now had begun to show true partnership.
As for Hyuga Aya — Kenta had always thought she was half-insane. Yet somehow, her wild ambitions had transformed into tangible accomplishments. And Kai had clearly recognized her value.
"Speaking of which," Kenta muttered, glancing around. "Where is Hyuga Aya? Haven't seen her all day."
"Shouldn't you be answering that?" Kai frowned. "That scroll you brought back — the one on Sage Techniques? Ever since then, she's been holed up in the lab like she's possessed."
Kai rubbed his temple. "What, does she think she can actually master Sage Mode?"
When Kenta had handed over the ancient scroll on Sage Techniques, Kai only skimmed it once — too busy with other matters. Aya, however, had immersed herself in it entirely.
When Kai came in that morning, he found her cross-legged on the floor, her breathing rhythmic and eerily focused.
It alarmed him. The thought of Naruto turning to stone during Sage training had crossed his mind — what if something similar happened to Aya?
Still, she lacked the toad oil, the specialized chakra amplification tools, or even access to Mount Myōboku. She couldn't really be pulling it off... could she?
Kai had eventually shrugged it off. Let her play. But he kept one eye on her, just in case.
"Trying to master Sage Mode, huh..." Kenta scratched his chin. "Without proper tools, that's almost impossible."
Kai narrowed his eyes. "And why didn't you try it? Don't tell me something went wrong."
"Nothing went wrong!" Kenta snapped, a little red in the face.
Kai leaned forward with suspicion. "That look says otherwise. What is it?"
Kenta hesitated. Then, almost at the same time as Kai said it—
"You weren't recognized—"
"I was recognized... but by the Slugs," Kenta admitted.
He froze. "Wait—how did you know that?"
"I didn't say anything." Kai's lips twitched.
"Don't laugh. I know you're laughing." Kenta groaned. "Fine, laugh if you must. As if you'd be recognized."
Kai wanted to laugh — and cry. He probably wouldn't be accepted either. The Slug Sage, housed in Shikkotsu Forest, only accepted those of truly gentle and healing natures.
That... definitely wasn't him. Or Kenta.
"So now what?" Kai leaned back. "No summoning contract. No toad oil. No enhancer tools. How do we train in Sage Mode?"
Kenta sighed. "Then we make our own tools. With what we have. Maybe... the cell samples you're holding are the key."
Senju Hashirama's cells.
Or perhaps, more precisely — cells from White Zetsu.
Kai nodded slowly. Uchiha Madara had used similar means to forcibly utilize Sage Chakra. If they were careful, they could replicate the process — in a controlled way.
But before he could speak, an eerie wave of chakra exploded from the adjacent room.
Both their eyes widened.
Something was awakening.
And it wasn't normal.