The next morning, Danzo reluctantly sent both the money and the Root recruits to the Police Force.
Uchiha Sanji, Gen's assistant, could hardly contain himself when he saw the large sum of ryo arrive. For once, the Police Force had not only recovered the money they'd spent but even gained extra.
Later, Uchiha Gen convened a captain-level meeting to share the agreement reached with Konoha's higher-ups.
The room buzzed with approval. Not only did the captains praise the results, they openly admired the way Gen had handled it. His prestige rose again, solidifying his position.
When in all the Police Force's history had they ever wrestled such concessions out of the village leadership? Never. Yet under Uchiha Gen, the high council had failed to suppress the Uchiha twice in a row. And this time, the Police Force had even managed to turn a profit.
The mid- and high-level officers were as ecstatic as if it were New Year's. The small conference hall rang with laughter, voices, and the rare relief of victory.
Gen let them enjoy it. He didn't cut into the celebration, knowing they needed to vent years of pent-up frustration. Only after the mood had run its course did he finally speak:
"How is the recruitment from the list going?"
At once, the room fell silent. Sanji stood to report on behalf of the captains.
"According to the statistics we gathered after yesterday's contacts, most are willing to join the Police Force. A small number declined, but not because of money. Their talents just fit better in other departments, for example, those with medical ninjutsu prefer the Medical Corps, and so on."
Gen nodded. "There's no need to force anyone. We're not Root. Fill the slots according to assessment scores. Call in those who agreed immediately and finalize their transfer before other departments have time to react."
"Yes, Chief. I'll see to it."
"Good. Meeting adjourned."
Chairs scraped back in unison as everyone stood, bowing to see him off.
Afterward, Gen finally had time to meet the two recruits Danzo had handed over.
In a rest room, two boys sat upright on chairs, no older than seven or eight.
One had orange-yellow hair parted to the side, sharp golden eyes, a wide nose, and a square jaw. He wore an orange jacket over black pants and gloves, a short katana strapped across his back.
The other had cropped black hair, half his face hidden by a black mask, dressed in a high-collared gray-black suit with black gloves.
Gen recognized them instantly; Fu Yamanaka and Torune Aburame.
In the original story, the two had served as Danzo's personal guards, only to be captured by Obito and later used by Kabuto as Edo Tensei demonstrations. Their screen time had been brief, their end tragic. Yet they had left an impression.
Despite limited appearances, their coordination had been flawless, their combined jutsu formidable, their combat instincts sharp.
Even Kakashi had needed time to parse Obito's abilities, yet these two had deduced much of his power in a single encounter. The only one who'd ever analyzed so quickly had been Minato Namikaze himself.
That kind of intelligence was what Gen valued.
He imagined them fighting alongside Itachi, a trio with unmatched battlefield awareness, chaining tactics endlessly; Fu's mind techniques compensating for fire-style accuracy, Torune's nanobot poison striking where least expected.
Even more important was their heritage. Yamanaka. Aburame. Two respected clans of Konoha.
Politics, Gen thought, remembering something he'd once read in his past life. It's about making fewer enemies, more allies.
The Uchiha could no longer stand apart. They needed partners, clan by clan. Every hero had allies; even villains had true friends.
When Gen entered, the two boys immediately rose and bowed. "Greetings, Lord."
"Sit." He took a chair across from them. "Do you know who I am?"
"Yes," they answered in unison.
"Good. From this day forward, you are no longer Root. You are members of the Police Force, and in time, just ordinary Konoha shinobi. Do you know what that means?"
The boys hesitated, then spoke one after the other, faces blank but words heavy.
Fu said, "It means no longer being shadows buried beneath Konoha, but stepping into the sunlight."
Torune added, "It means freedom from harsh, cruel training."
Gen smiled faintly. "Both true. But the greater meaning is this: your destinies have changed."
They blinked, uncertain.
"You may not grasp it now. That's fine. In time, you'll understand. For now, you'll live in the Uchiha compound under normal routines. Later, once I've spoken with your clan heads, you'll return to your families."
The words hit like lightning. Both boys trembled. Old memories stirred, fragments of home life before Root swallowed them. The weight of that difference overwhelmed them, and emotion surged.
They dropped to one knee. "We are willing to give our lives for Lord!"
Gen, who had already stood and walked toward the door, turned back briefly. His voice was calm, commanding.
"Then study hard. Train harder. Become greater here, in the light, than you ever would have in Root."
He left without waiting for a reply.
The boys shouted after him in unison, "We will not fail Lord's expectations!"
When his figure vanished, they rose and exchanged a glance. Fu's golden eyes glowed with joy, and though Torune's face was hidden, the curve of his mouth revealed his relief.
Returning to their clans, to family, to normal life—that was the destiny Gen had spoken of.
They understood, at least a little.
And they were still young. Root's conditioning had barely begun, the brainwashing not yet deep. Their feelings had not been extinguished.
Later that day, Police Force shinobi escorted them to the Uchiha compound. An empty house was quickly found, and money was no obstacle.
That afternoon, the bulk of the ninjas from the recruitment list reported in and signed their transfers.
They were the lucky ones. Thanks to the clash between Gen and the village leadership, they not only gained stable posts but even unexpected bonuses.
Even those who hadn't joined were fortunate, they'd been redirected to departments that matched their skills best, with promising futures ahead.
Word of the Police Force's success spread quickly to the high council. Investigations confirmed the truth, and the four elders could only sigh in frustration.
They had underestimated Uchiha Gen once again.
Too competitive!
Since when had departments fought over ninja by paying them? Usually it was the other way around; shinobi scrambling desperately for missions, fighting for scraps of work. Now it seemed as if ninja were treasures being courted.
And the worst part? The Police Force had funded the whole thing with their money. Their own resources had been turned against them.
To add insult to injury, the Police Force had even profited.
It was a total loss.
No one fumed more than Danzo. His purse had been bled dry, his Root weakened, and he'd been humiliated on top of it.
But nothing could be undone. Once the transfers were processed, the decisions were binding. Ninja weren't day laborers to be shuffled around. Rules were rules.
And trying to retaliate was risky. Gen hadn't broken a single law. He had used nothing but ryo. More importantly, his strength and influence made it too dangerous to try dirty tricks.
In the end, all four elders had to choke down their rage in silence.
This was the truth of Konoha now.
Dignity only existed at the edge of a blade.