After the ceremony, the new recruits happily went home with their jutsu scrolls.
Back in his office, Seiryu found Fugaku sitting in his chair, scowling.
"Seiryu…"
"Fugaku, I'll bring back even more money this time." Seiryu cut straight to the point—he knew Fugaku would bring up the money issue, since the 6,000 ryo travel allowance he'd promised wasn't a small sum, and their budget from the Yamanaka clan wouldn't last long.
"Which clan this time? Koharu? Mitokado?" Fugaku asked.
"Ninja clans? They're not that rich," Seiryu laughed. "Let's think bigger— Fugaku, who are the richest people in the ninja world?"
Fugaku's eyes widened—he hadn't expected Seiryu's ambitions to be this great. Compared to what Seiryu was about to do, a Uchiha coup looked like child's play.
Fugaku wanted to object, but thinking about all the changes Seiryu had brought, and the glorious future he'd glimpsed with his Mangekyo, he held back. "Just be careful."
"I will. So, Fugaku, while I'm away, please look after the Police Force."
"Understood." Fugaku nodded and got up to leave.
"Oh, and one more thing—have someone send me 10 million ryo, in cash. I'll need it for the mission."
"Ten million? That much? What kind of mission is this?" Fugaku was shocked.
"It's not about the mission itself," Seiryu said. "What matters is letting the other ninja on the team feel the Uchiha's generosity."
"Fine, I'll have it sent over." Fugaku nodded and left.
Soon after, a subordinate delivered the money. Seiryu sealed it in a scroll and prepared to go home.
At the Police HQ gate, Seiryu encountered an unexpected person: Uchiha Shisui, waiting for him.
"Want to talk?" Seiryu raised an eyebrow, inviting the clan's other prodigy for a walk.
Shisui nodded and fell in step beside him.
Under the setting sun, they walked slowly toward the clan compound, neither speaking at first.
Groups of kids, laughing and playing, ran past them on their way home from the academy. The scene moved Shisui, and he finally broke the silence.
"Seiryu, what is your real goal?" Shisui asked, struggling with the words.
"I already told you, didn't I?" Seiryu replied, buying two skewers of rice dumplings from a street stall and handing one to Shisui.
"You only said that to mess with me, right?" Shisui said. "Everything you've done has been to bring the clan and the village closer together, to make peace."
"Is that so? Maybe I meant every word I said back then." Seiryu replied ambiguously.
"Seiryu, it's not the time to lie to me," Shisui said. "You were right—I was too arrogant. Kotoamatsukami's power in my hands is too dangerous. One misstep, and the clan and the village would be doomed."
Seiryu looked at Shisui and couldn't help but find him adorably naive.
"By the way, why are you at the Police HQ today? You've had a post here, but since joining ANBU, you hardly ever come by."
"Hokage-sama asked me to come back and keep an eye on unstable elements in the clan," Shisui said.
Seiryu laughed. "Finally remembering your spy mission? And by unstable elements, does he mean me?"
"No." Shisui shook his head. "Hokage-sama believes you're a ninja who truly carries the Will of Fire."
Seiryu stifled a laugh. "Is that so? Anyway, thanks for stepping up earlier. If you hadn't, I'm not sure I could have smoothed things over."
"It's the least I could do. After all, you're working for peace between the clan and the village." Shisui said sincerely.
"Well, now that you're back, do your best in the Police Force," Seiryu said, clapping Shisui on the shoulder.
At a crossroads, they parted ways. Seiryu returned home and in his study took out a scroll with the addresses of nobles and wealthy merchants in the Land of Fire closely tied to the Shimura clan, as revealed by recent interrogations.
He marked a few locations that the mission route would pass, then packed up his gear for the journey.
…
The night passed. Early the next morning, Seiryu met Inaho and Zaito at the clan gate.
The three headed to the village entrance, where the rest of the mission team was already assembled.
Though not a large group, they still formed several small cliques.
The two civilian ninjas stuck together, the Koharu and Mitokado clan ninjas paired up, and Hayate and Yugao mingled with the Inuzuka ninja, petting a big black dog.
The two Hyuga, recruited for their Byakugan, stood aloof on their own.
Team leader Kakashi was squatting under the eaves of a shop, reading his little Jiraiya book.