Chapter 219 – The Feeling of Home
Fugaku's earlier suspicions had been far off the mark. In his past life, Uchiha Kei had been nothing more than an ordinary college graduate.
He had no ties whatsoever to the stereotypical image of cunning, ruthless, heartless politicians of the Western world.
The reason he had become what he was now was simply because this world, this era, had forced him to adapt.
If given a choice, he would much rather have stayed the way he was before—because who he had become now was exactly the kind of person he had once despised.
"It really does prove that saying true," Kei muttered with a sigh.
"The more you grow, the more you become the kind of person you used to hate."
Perhaps that was just how life worked.
The world never adapted to you—you had to learn to adapt to the world.
Kei and Fugaku chatted idly as they walked, and before long, they returned to the Uchiha compound.
The two of them were, at this point, arguably the most powerful figures within the clan.
Seeing them walking together in such apparent harmony naturally drew the eyes of passing clansmen.
Yet, compared to Fugaku, Kei clearly drew warmer looks.
After all, he had once been on the fringes of the clan. Having lived among the lower rungs, he was more relatable—and thus more widely embraced.
He couldn't possibly recognize every clansman who greeted him, not even some of his own neighbors.
But they all knew him. Some even held him up as an example to inspire their children.
Kei didn't think too much of it. Like Fugaku, he returned their greetings with a polite smile and a nod, then continued walking.
Still, Kei couldn't help but notice something unusual: outsiders walking openly within the compound. That had been unthinkable before.
"Looks like your initiative is paying off," Kei remarked with a small smile, glancing around.
"Those must be some of the clan members' teammates, right?"
"Yes. Only those connected through personal ties dare to enter. Most still hesitate," Fugaku admitted with a nod.
"But it's a good start. At least better than the Hyūga. Speaking of them—your teammate seems to have caused quite a stir."
"Oh? Hyūga Ayaka again?" Kei frowned. He hadn't heard about this.
That woman was always a handful. Working with her was like walking a tightrope—never knowing when she might stir up trouble.
Still, he had a hunch. Most likely, it was related to collecting genetic samples, something he himself had once suggested to her.
As long as the Hyūga clan hadn't mobilized in force, things were probably under control.
"About a month ago, a boy named Hyūga Sora was admitted to the Medical Division. The Guard spotted it." Fugaku gave him a pointed look.
"Uchiha Munemasa happened to be at the hospital at the time, buying certain supplies for… others, and stumbled upon it."
"Buying medical supplies there? You're not worried about him being exposed?" Kei asked, already piecing the puzzle together. His tension eased slightly.
"And that boy—Sora—was he injured by Ayaka? Probably during one of their clan sparring matches?"
"Correct. During a family bout, she went too far." Fugaku didn't seem surprised by Kei's deduction.
"She's impressive, but in the end, she's still a branch member. Be careful with her. Even if she offered up a main family life as a token of loyalty…
As for Munemasa, don't worry—he knows what he's doing."
"I see. Understood." Kei nodded. After a pause, he added,
"As for Ayaka, don't worry. I know my limits. My life is far too valuable to gamble recklessly—and she's an asset worth keeping."
Fugaku accepted that. Kei had never been the type to throw himself into unnecessary danger. That made him a reassuring ally.
But at the same time, allies like that also demanded caution—because they were always calculating.
Their conversation wound down, and before long they parted ways, each returning to their home.
For Kei, today hadn't been entirely smooth—but he had found exactly what he needed.
When he stepped inside, he was greeted by the warm sight of dinner waiting.
Ryōko had prepared the meal, with Iori helping her in the kitchen.
Across the low table sat Keisuke, a small flask of sake before him, his mood visibly light.
Ever since the New Year's Festival, the family's spirits had lifted.
Kei's standing within the clan had soared. He had even broken tradition by becoming the new Head of the Police Force.
It was an outcome they had never dared imagine.
They all understood now—his future achievements would likely be extraordinary.
All they could do was make sure they never held him back.
That was why Ryōko had made her decision. After careful discussion, she resigned from her position in the Police Force.
Her resignation letter now sat on Kei's desk.
When he returned earlier and saw it, he had approved it without objection.
It didn't matter much to him whether she stayed or not—her role had never given her access to anything crucial.
But since she had chosen, he respected her choice.
That evening, they enjoyed dinner together. A simple, harmonious meal.
Afterward, Kei retired to his room.
But the moment he stepped inside, his instincts flared.
On his desk lay a folded note—he had no idea when it had been placed there.
He quickly scanned the room, confirming he was alone, before approaching.
Activating his Sharingan, he inspected the paper carefully. No powder, no seals, no hidden traps. Only then did he relax.
Drawing a kunai, he carefully unfolded the note—
—and promptly let out a silent, exasperated sigh.
The note was from Namikaze Minato.
What was written on it made Uchiha Kei instinctively rub his chin.
It began with an apology, explaining how Minato had managed to deliver it—by making use of the special kunai Kei had kept.
Then came the real purpose: Minato wished to meet with him and Fugaku tonight.
"So… even he feels he's being suppressed too heavily by the Third Hokage, huh?" Kei thought with a faintly amused smile.
He had once hinted at this very possibility to Minato—that he risked becoming little more than Hiruzen's puppet.
If Kei remembered correctly, this would be their first real confrontation on that subject.
Back then, Minato hadn't believed him—or perhaps he had simply been too wary to acknowledge it.
In the original history, the Fourth Hokage greatly respected the Third, often seeking his guidance. But that was voluntary.
After all, Minato had always felt he wasn't truly worthy of the title of Hokage.
His rise to power had been largely thanks to the Third's recommendation and support. That debt of gratitude wasn't something he could ever forget.
But things were different now.
Influenced—misled, even—by Kei's words and careful analysis, Minato had come to realize that his success was built on more than just Hiruzen's patronage.
The outbreak of Orochimaru's scandal had been a trigger, and the support of the Uchiha clan had been an undeniable factor.
Now, however, his relationship with Hiruzen had begun to sour.
Kei had planted a seed in his heart, yes—but there was another reason too.
Most likely, it was the rejection of Minato's proposed reforms regarding the Uchiha clan.
There were no Uchiha within the Hokage's office, so Kei could only infer. But the signs were clear.
Before taking office, Minato had promised to address the clan's situation and help them out of their current, humiliating position.
Yet up to now, no such reforms had even been drafted. Not even a whisper of them.
Kei knew Minato's character was trustworthy. His conduct on the battlefield, as well as what he remembered from the original history, had shown that clearly.
And yet, despite that, nothing had been done.
That in itself said plenty.
Most likely, Minato had tried to make changes, only to have them directly vetoed.
If so, then tonight's meeting promised to be interesting indeed.
And with Kakashi fully recovered, it was time for him to start playing his role as well.
"I'll be stepping out for a while."
Having made up his mind, Kei burned the note to ash and left his room. On the way out, he gave a casual word to Keisuke and the others.
"So late, and you're going out?" Ryōko asked in surprise as she helped Iori tidy up.
"Did something happen? Ah—sorry, I shouldn't ask."
"It's fine, nothing's wrong," Kei said as he walked toward the door.
"I just remembered Fugaku wanted to see me, and I forgot. Might be back late—you know how much he can talk."
"Kei, don't speak of the clan head that way." Keisuke shook his head gently.
"He's always treated us well. Your status may be high now, but you should still show him respect. Anyway, go and come back quickly. And if things get too difficult, sometimes stepping back is the wiser choice."
Kei paused for a moment—then smiled and nodded before heading out.
That smile caught both Ryōko and Keisuke off guard.
They couldn't even remember the last time they had seen him smile like that.
The only one puzzled was Iori. She felt something about this new home was a little strange… but for now, it felt genuinely warm.
Perhaps this was what people meant by the feeling of home.