Chapter 42 To Eat a Loyal Orange or a Green Garlic (Part 2)
"Please, Clan Chief Tohgen, offer some guidance," said Aburame Shiki.
"Guidance is too much to ask. After all, in managing a clan, compared to a veteran clan chief like you, I'm just a newcomer who has just taken over the Uchiha clan," Uchiha Tohgen said with a smile. "However, if you put yourself in my shoes, I do have a suggestion."
"Please speak, Clan Chief Tohgen," said Aburame Shiki.
"What the village and its residents want to see is simply an attitude," Uchiha Touken said. "Otherwise, even if the Aburame clan could produce evidence that they have nothing to do with Danzo's criminal group, I doubt they would believe it."
"As for this attitude…" Uchiha Touken chuckled and looked at Aburame Shii, "What could be more convincing than the Aburame clan personally participating in the process of crushing Shimura Danzo and his criminal gang's conspiracy?"
As Uchiha Touken finished speaking, Aburame Shii fell silent.
After a while, Aburame Shiki sighed and said, "I understand."
Then, Aburame Shiki turned to a Jonin of the Aburame clan beside her and said, "Go and bring Torune here."
Aburame Shiki felt utterly helpless. Their clan's insect-controlling secret technique was too effective for both reconnaissance and assassination. Since the Warring States period, ambitious figures in the ninja world had never stopped harassing their clan. If it weren't for their clan's secret technique, which meant that only their bloodline could establish a connection with insects, their Aburame clan would probably have been wiped out by the Warring States period. This was also why the Aburame clan was among the first ninja clans to respond to Hashirama Senju's call to establish a village.
However, they hadn't enjoyed a few good years after the village was built when, with the passing of the first and second generation leaders, conspirators like Danzo poked their heads out and set their sights on the Aburame clan.
Now that Danzo is dead, it's likely that Uchiha Touhuan, who came seeking help, had the same intention.
Over the years, the Aburame clan has naturally developed its own way of survival. Whenever faced with such an unavoidable request, they would send a talented child from their clan in exchange for a period of peace and protection.
Soon, a little boy who looked no more than eight or nine years old, wearing sunglasses and a mask that completely obscured his expression, was brought into the reception hall.
"What does Clan Chief Aburame mean by this?" Uchiha Touhuan asked, frowning.
"Clan Chief Touhuan, because of this child's bloodline mutation, he has an innate and extraordinary affinity for nano-sized poisonous insects. How about he represent our Aburame clan in joining the Security Department?" Aburame Shiki said.
Seeing this, Uchiha Touhuan smiled helplessly, "I think Clan Chief Shii has misunderstood. I only wanted to invite ninjas from the Aburame clan to work in the Security Department. What are you trying to do by bringing here a child who hasn't even finished the Ninja Academy? The Security Department doesn't hire child laborers."
Aburame Shii was also taken aback by this. What did he mean? Don't you ambitious people train your assassins from a young age?
"Clan Chief Aburame, do you think I'm an ambitious person like Danzo?" Uchiha Touhuan's face showed displeasure, and the entire reception room became so quiet you could hear a pin drop.
"It was my rudeness, please forgive me, Clan Chief Tohken!" Aburame Shiki bowed her head decisively to apologize, then turned and gestured for Aburame Torune to leave.
"Clan Chief Aburame, as you know, our position in the Security Department often involves direct face-to-face interaction with the villagers. Misunderstandings are inevitable during law enforcement, so some unpleasant rumors inevitably circulate within the village. However, our Security Department's guiding principle has always been to serve the village wholeheartedly under the guidance of the Will of Fire, so we haven't paid much attention to these rumors. I didn't expect that Clan Chief Aburame would misunderstand," Uchiha Tohken said.
"Clan Chief Tohgen possesses the Will of Fire, a model for all Konoha ninjas. I was being petty." Although she still didn't understand what Uchiha Tohgen was trying to do, Aburame Shii could only bow her head and apologize.
"Never mind, it's not Clan Chief Shii's fault." Uchiha Tohgen waved his hand. "Blame that wolfish Danzo Shimura. If he hadn't forced the Aburame clan to hand over their geniuses, Clan Chief Shii wouldn't have misunderstood me like this."
Uchiha Tohgen casually tossed the blame onto Danzo.
"Yes, yes, it's all that damned Danzo Shimura's fault!" Aburame Shii quickly echoed.
"Then, Clan Chief Shii, why don't you consider my suggestion? The Security Department has always offered generous compensation to talented ninjas," Uchiha Touhuan said. "Moreover, given the current situation, if we want to dispel the villagers' doubts, I think there's nothing more suitable than having a Security Department captain from the Aburame clan lead the team to crush the crimes of Shimura Danzo's criminal group."
"I understand," Aburame Shii said. "I will send one Jonin from my clan, along with some special Jonin and Chunin, to serve in the Security Department."
The conditions offered by Uchiha Touhuan were indeed good. He had heard about the compensation for the current captain position in the Uchiha clan, and in his opinion, Uchiha Touhuan was truly sincere. More importantly, they had absolutely no other choice at the moment.
However, at this moment, Uchiha Touhuan spoke again: "However, while that's true, if the position of captain in the Security Department isn't directly assigned without any merit, the subordinates will be dissatisfied. After all, the Security Department isn't my personal fiefdom." "
The Aburame clan will do its utmost to help clansmen who join the Security Department achieve merits that are worthy of their respect as soon as possible," Aburame Shiki said.
"There's no need for such trouble," Uchiha Touhuan said with a smile. "Out of concern for the stability of the village, and as fellow ninja clans, we Uchiha don't want to see the Aburame clan get into trouble. So, I've prepared some convincing achievements for you, which is why I'm visiting you in a personal capacity."
As he spoke, Uchiha Touhuan took out the evidence he had obtained from Yamamoto Taro and placed it in front of Aburame Shii.
Aburame Shii took it, glanced at it a few times, and then looked up. Although Aburame Shii wore sunglasses and a mask according to their clan's custom, his slightly trembling hands betrayed his inner turmoil.
The charges on this incriminating document were even more serious than the part about Aburame Ryuma that Uchiha Token had shown him earlier. It also showed evidence of the involvement of the Utatane and Mitomon clans, causing Aburame Shiki to break out in a cold sweat. If it only contained evidence of the Shimura clan's crimes, Aburame Shiki would have agreed without hesitation. After all, with Danzo's death and the Uchiha's revenge, the Shimura clan was now no different from stray dogs on the street. But with the other two clans involved…
Aburame Shiki understood that to escape unscathed from the Aburame Ryuma affair, they had to offer a sufficiently substantial pledge of allegiance, and this was probably Uchiha Token's true purpose.
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(End of Chapter)