Chapter 375 – Sage Mode (Double Length Chapter)
Hiruzen's move this time genuinely disgusted Kei.
Yet under the current circumstances, neither Kei nor Minato could easily refuse him.
Root had always been a department they despised—one they wanted to seize control of, or even replace outright.
But precisely because Root was so powerful, because it held far too many secrets, allowing it to participate in the purge of internal spies was, by comparison, far preferable to letting it leave the village entirely.
One had to admit—it was a masterful manipulation of human nature.
Though Hiruzen had abandoned the opportunity to cooperate with Kumogakure, he clearly wasn't without alternatives to achieve his goals.
By exploiting intelligence gathered from Kumogakure's preliminary plans, he could:
Wear down a portion of the Cloud ninjas in a controlled manner
Wrest operational initiative away from both the Military Police and ANBU
And most importantly, push the Police Force—the department he despised—into the front line
Of course, he didn't want the Police Force to suffer heavy casualties at this stage. The battlefield was about to open, after all.
But shaving off some strength—just enough to stir emotional pressure within Konoha—was beneficial.
Every angle had been considered.
Every move was difficult to reject.
Still, everyone understood one thing clearly:
Despite how much this maneuver earned him points, Hiruzen had not won.
But it was more than enough to serve as a warning to Kei.
That annoying old bastard really doesn't miss a single opportunity…
Even though his actions weren't subtle, the blatant nature of them made them even more infuriating.
"Still," Kei thought calmly,
"at least there's a warning. Being completely in the dark would be far worse."
---
Seated in the Military Police office, Kei stared at the personnel roster in his hands, deep in thought.
Who to deploy—that was the real problem.
He now commanded an enormous force.
After the relocation, the construction of the Police headquarters, and the expansion of the Fourth Division, the Military Police had become the organization with the largest number of ninjas within Konoha.
Back in Uchiha Fugaku's era, a single squad had consisted of just four members.
One division contained ten such squads.
Under Kei's leadership, the Police Force had undergone explosive growth.
He had practically stuffed each division to capacity.
And once the Police Force took responsibility for civil disputes, the numbers expanded yet again.
With non-combat administrative staff supporting operations, each division now required twenty squads just to handle daily workload—and even then, they were often overwhelmed.
That meant:
At least 80 personnel per division
Around 100 if administrative staff were included
Konoha was divided into four patrol zones, each manned by Police personnel.
Even excluding headquarters staff, that totaled over 400 people.
Including headquarters, the Military Police now numbered close to 500 members.
Five hundred ninjas.
Enough to fight a small-scale war on their own.
Even after excluding non-combatants, there were still over 400 active combat ninjas.
While there were many genin, the majority were chūnin.
Chūnin were still expendable in strict military terms—but they were no longer meaningless cannon fodder like genin.
At this point, the Military Police had become a true war machine.
And even though Kei had intentionally restrained its expansion, the trajectory was clear:
Spy suppression would eventually fall entirely under his authority.
A terrifying behemoth was slowly taking shape before everyone's eyes.
That was precisely why Hiruzen's proposal had faced so little opposition.
Kei wanted to refuse—but he also understood this was an opportunity.
An opportunity to temper his people.
An opportunity to accumulate real military merit.
So he accepted.
And now, ironically, the real headache was choosing who to send.
Because he had to admit—
He wasn't actually familiar with many of them.
---
"What are you struggling with?"
Ayaka approached with a stack of documents, eyeing his tightly furrowed brow with curiosity.
"I heard you went to an early-morning meeting. Didn't go well?"
"Not exactly," Kei shook his head.
"More like… I got played."
He summarized the meeting for her.
After finishing, he sighed lightly.
"I don't think it's a bad thing. Honestly, it's an opportunity. But—"
"But you're stuck on choosing personnel," Ayaka interrupted smoothly.
"You don't even know who to pick, right?"
She rolled her eyes.
"With a boss like you, your subordinates really have it rough."
"Is that so?" Kei tilted his head indifferently.
"Then why do people line up every day trying to join the Police Force?"
Stretching lazily, he added,
"To be honest, if this weren't classified, I'd have a much better selection method. What a shame."
Selecting personnel itself wasn't difficult.
The real issue was that nothing could be made public.
This was a phase of covert mobilization.
Kumogakure hadn't declared war.
Konoha still had unresolved internal issues.
Open, large-scale war preparation would only destabilize everything.
The correct approach was subtlety.
Gradual adjustments.
Training reallocations.
Controlled mission conflicts with Kumogakure.
Let people sense the danger—
so that when Kumogakure finally made its move, Konoha would already be ready.
Public preparation would disrupt both internal stability and external diplomacy.
Even Kumogakure itself was acting covertly.
Since nothing could be announced, Kei couldn't rely on volunteers or open recruitment.
That limitation created friction.
---
"This is exactly the kind of thing you should delegate," Ayaka said calmly.
"Have the four division captains choose their people. Let them select suitable candidates, then you brief them on how complicated and dangerous the mission really is."
She paused, then added thoughtfully:
"One suggestion—prioritize ninjas from major clans."
"Clan ninjas…" Kei nodded slowly.
"I'll keep that in mind."
Indeed.
For missions like this, those with stricter family discipline and stronger secrecy training were far more reliable.
They were no less eager for honor than civilian ninjas—if anything, in some cases, their desire burned even more fiercely.
Life within the great clans was often like a stagnant pool.
If you didn't struggle with everything you had, you would sink to the bottom forever.
Of course, there were exceptions—families like the Hyūga.
If you were born into the branch family, no amount of struggle would save you.
But for most other clans, there was still room to fight for a future.
That said, if everyone were like the former Kei, then there would be no point at all.
If he'd had a choice back then, Kei would never have gone to the battlefield.
This was the reality of clan life.
Civilian ninjas, too, were far from lacking ambition.
Their desire to climb upward was no weaker than that of clan-born shinobi—and when it came to stubbornness, they were just as relentless.
But this time was different.
Kei needed people with absolute discipline, and preferably those whose families already understood certain unspoken realities.
In essence, this was a form of indirect patronage.
It might not be particularly friendly to the individual ninja involved—but for the family behind them, the benefits were very real.
And if something went wrong, there would be someone to hold accountable.
That alone set them apart from civilian shinobi.
After a brief consideration, Kei made his decision.
For now, clan ninjas were the best choice.
Their unique abilities would also give them a higher chance of survival.
When large-scale conflict truly erupted, those same clan ninjas would be deployed selectively.
Whether to preserve their lives or to give civilian ninjas more opportunities to earn merit—both outcomes were inevitable.
Of course, if they decided to oppose him at that time…
Well, large-scale conflict would also be the period during which reforms were pushed through.
If they caused trouble then, Kei wouldn't hesitate to throw them straight onto the battlefield.
The Military Police gathered nearly all of Konoha's prominent clan members in one place.
Disobedience during wartime carried a very clear price.
"Still… if I push too hard, I won't come out unscathed either."
Kei sighed softly.
"Whatever. Why overthink it? Most of the people who joined the Police early on—especially the first batch—were nobodies within their clans anyway.
Once the reforms take shape and they see real hope, they'll naturally side with me."
With that thought, Kei tossed the roster aside and stopped looking at it.
He turned to Ayaka and spoke after a moment's consideration.
"Go notify the four division captains. Tell them to come see me this afternoon."
"Alright." Ayaka nodded, then paused. "By the way—I've made my decision."
"Your decision?" Kei blinked, then quickly understood. "Let me guess. You're either planning to keep the status quo and stay out of everything… or—"
"The second option."
Ayaka lifted her chin slightly, a faint smile forming on her lips.
"I don't particularly like the Hyūga clan. But after observing for so long, I think your approach, Kei, is the one most worth emulating right now."
"Is that so?" Kei chuckled.
"I thought you'd choose to stay a lone wolf. Didn't expect you to acknowledge the value of clan power too."
"Don't put it that way. You don't exactly feel much attachment to your own clan either."
Ayaka looked at him calmly.
"It's just a matter of using available resources. Otherwise, you wouldn't have been so ruthless toward your own clan members."
"…Fair enough," Kei admitted. "In the end, they're all sources of power."
Ayaka's choice wasn't surprising.
To her, Kei had long since become an exceptional reference point.
At some point, the concept of 'someone else's prodigy child' had somehow ended up applying to him.
Even Kei found that faintly absurd.
Within the Uchiha clan, he was the textbook example of that child.
Countless frustrated, low-status Uchiha had taken him as their life goal.
This had been true for a long time—and as his position rose, that acceptance only grew.
What he hadn't expected was that Ayaka would attempt to replicate his path because of his success.
Whether this had anything to do with the so-called "Three Titans" concept he'd mentioned earlier… even he wasn't sure.
One thing he did remember clearly was his promise.
If necessary—if it truly mattered—he would pull Imai Kenta into this as well.
With two ministers and someone of clan-head authority applying pressure together, there was no way the Hyūga clan could suppress Ayaka indefinitely.
And to be honest, Kei found the idea intriguing.
If a branch family member like Ayaka rose to wield such power, how would the main family react?
And if—by sheer luck—she truly broke free of the Birdcage Seal…
What would the branch family do then?
One thing was certain.
The internal conflict of the Hyūga clan would be spectacular.
And that chaos would benefit Ayaka immensely.
Which also happened to align perfectly with Kei's interests.
---
That said, while Ayaka's decision was fascinating, something else completely caught Kei off guard.
Early the next morning, he met with his four division captains.
Ayaka had informed them the previous afternoon, but various issues had prevented them from gathering then.
They coordinated among themselves and reported to headquarters first thing in the morning.
Kei didn't waste their time.
Each of them had far too many responsibilities—especially the Third and Fourth Divisions.
Those two were the most difficult to manage, filled with the most complex mix of personnel.
They required Uchiha Jun and Hyūga Hizashi to spend far more time balancing assignments and internal relations.
Once Kei finished explaining everything, the three captains from the Uchiha clan fell into deep thought.
Hizashi, however, looked calm—clearly prepared for this.
War might have felt distant to Uchiha Jun, but to the other three, it was nothing new.
They had all experienced it.
They had all fought on the battlefield.
They had once believed war was over.
And yet here it was again.
But as ninjas, they trusted the judgment of those above them.
To them, Kei was their direct superior.
If he approved these plans, their duty was simple—
Obey without reservation.
Their task was straightforward.
Select suitable clan ninjas capable of handling this mission.
Discreetly reveal limited information—just enough to convey how dangerous and important the task was.
Nothing more.
If those candidates agreed, Kei himself would brief them fully.
All four captains agreed without hesitation.
Uchiha Kawa and Uchiha Ryū even volunteered to participate personally.
That gave Kei pause.
He didn't reject the idea outright—but neither did he approve it.
If they were to go, reliable successors would be essential.
Still, he didn't rule it out.
If suitable replacements could be found—loyal and capable—he could consider moving Uchiha Jun into headquarters management.
That would cost Fugaku a division, but Kei had ways to compensate him.
For instance, after graduation, Uchiha Itachi could be given a suitable position—and even assigned an appropriate mentor.
If Itachi wished, Kei could even recommend him for ANBU.
Given his relationship with Kakashi, taking on another kid wouldn't be an issue.
After all, Kakashi was already mentoring Kimimaro.
Adding one more companion hardly mattered.
With those matters settled, Kei didn't bother staying in the office that afternoon.
Ayaka had shown up briefly in the morning, then disappeared again.
Most of his paperwork was done, and he ruthlessly dumped the rest onto his subordinates before leaving.
But what he hadn't expected—
Was that the moment he entered his underground laboratory, he felt an overwhelming surge of chakra spreading outward.
He had felt this chakra before.
Long before the Nine-Tails incident.
And it was impossible to forget.
If he wasn't mistaken—
This was natural chakra.
Sage chakra.
Kei didn't even need to think to know who was responsible.
Ayaka.
Imai Kenta had long ago shared everything he had on the First Hokage's sage training—methods, notes, insights.
Yet neither Kei nor Kenta had managed to learn it.
Kenta might still have a chance.
Kei, however, suspected he'd face serious difficulties.
Originally, Kei had planned to obtain a Curse Mark from Orochimaru.
Later, he changed his mind.
Ayaka's apparent success with sage chakra had pushed him toward Madara's path instead.
But then—nothing.
He hadn't questioned her.
And now, here it was again.
"Kei-sama."
Several of Fugaku's personal guards appeared at his side, including a familiar face—Uchiha Sō.
"What's going on?" Kei asked calmly. "Is it Ayaka?"
"Yes. It's Ayaka-san," Sō replied immediately.
"I see." Kei nodded. "You're dismissed. Maintain security here."
With that, he walked into the laboratory.
The guards had done their job well.
Without them, the lab's expansion and layered barriers, far too many secrets would have leaked by now.
Only once had it nearly been exposed—by a Root ninja from the Aburame clan.
Those insects were troublesome.
But now, none of them would get anywhere near this place.
Kei entered Ayaka's chamber.
She sat upright, still and composed.
Her aura was strange.
Most striking of all—
A faint purple eyeshadow, the unmistakable mark of a sage, had appeared on her otherwise pristine face.
Her chakra was powerful—
Yet unstable.
Even with the sage markings present, the erratic fluctuations were unmistakable.
"So… a partial success," Kei thought.
"If this were complete, it wouldn't look like this."
Her natural chakra wouldn't be so violent.
Still—what she had achieved was astonishing.
No special oils.
No external assistance.
She had done this alone.
That alone was something Kei knew he couldn't match.
Though his physical control was extraordinary, and his body contained White Zetsu cells—
Giving him the potential to wield sage chakra—
He refused to take such a risk.
Ayaka had taken it.
And somehow… succeeded.
Whether that was courage or absurd luck, Kei couldn't say.
But he admired it.
About an hour later, Ayaka finally stabilized, though her face was pale.
The cost of gathering natural chakra was immense.
Yet the purple markings remained.
What kind of Sage Mode it was—Kei couldn't yet tell.
"You're awake?" he asked once her chakra fully settled.
"…Yeah." Ayaka looked a little dazed. Seeing Kei, she exhaled deeply.
"When did you get here?"
"About an hour ago. How do you feel?"
Kei sat across from her, gently wiping the sweat from her face.
"I'm fine. Just a little dizzy."
"That's normal—for a first attempt."
He smiled faintly.
"Congratulations. You've mastered something extraordinary."