Uchiha Hikari's discharge papers had just been signed. Yet instead of heading back to the Hokage Tower, Uchiha Soren walked slowly toward Konoha Hospital, deep in thought.
He had sent Rai, Baru, and Naka away with their new ambitions. Now the matter of reforming the Security Department pressed heavily on his mind. Combined with the Land of Lightning strategy and several new concepts he'd been shaping, the next steps were becoming clear.
Inside the hospital, Uchiha Zhili was helping finalize Hikari's release.
Hikari's physical recovery was flawless. Under the combined effects of chakra and the Mangekyō ocular technique Yashachihoko, even her development had been perfectly preserved. Her face, her body — everything matched the exact condition she'd had before being sealed.
If that phenomenon could be mastered…
A future flashed in Soren's mind:
The Uchiha clan on the brink of extinction —
and suddenly, an entire generation of elders rising again, restored to their prime, returning with overwhelming power enough to shake the world.
A clan reborn in a single night.
That was the true potential of Hikari's preservation.
"Hikari can live with us from now on," Soren said. "There's an empty room on the second floor."
Zhili nodded, though her eyes narrowed sharply as she studied her husband. The unfamiliar Mangekyō that had resurrected Hikari still unsettled her. Her gaze was sharp enough to prick a man's scalp.
"An-kun… don't do anything foolish."
Soren clicked his tongue. "What nonsense? I'm not into lolis."
Then he smirked. "If I were to be foolish, it'd be with you, of course."
He pulled Zhili into his arms with lazy affection.
"Last night… did you wait long?"
Before leaving the previous night, Soren had created a shadow clone to cover his absence in case anyone questioned where the Hokage had been.
The clone saw everything: Zhili washing up, wearing fresh sleepwear, pacing in front of the clone impatiently before retiring to bed.
The clone had stood there helplessly. Even if it had been able to act, Soren would never permit a clone to interact with his wife like that. It felt… wrong. Dishonorable.
Zhili pushed him away, cheeks flushed pink. "Say no more. I'm taking Hikari home. You — get back to the Hokage Tower. No more wandering around."
"Don't rush," Soren murmured. "I'm convening a jōnin council today. We're dissolving and restructuring the Security Department — and creating new divisions. I'll take Hikari home first. You and I will go to the Hokage Tower together afterward."
Before she could reply, Soren swept the newly awakened Hikari — still in white hospital clothes — into his arms and vanished in a flash.
He reappeared at home, gently placing the girl into the last unoccupied second-floor room. Everything had already been prepared for her arrival.
After tucking Hikari in, Soren performed a summoning.
A second later, a bewildered orange cat — Juno — landed on the bed with a soft thud.
Soren immediately vanished.
"Meow?"
Juno lifted his head.
And met a pair of slowly spinning Mangekyō eyes.
(Meow-meow… I'm doomed.)
Konoha — Hokage Tower, Second Floor Conference Hall
The hall was packed.
More than one hundred and thirty jōnin were gathered — everyone not currently on mission. At the center sat a dense block of Uchiha shinobi, their posture straight, expressions solemn.
From the head seat, Soren tapped the table lightly. Uzumaki Mito sat at his side, calm and dignified.
"As of today, the Security Department is no longer suited to Konoha's development," Soren announced.
"We will split it — and reform it."
Shock rippled through the room.
For years, the Security Department had been the exclusive stronghold of the Uchiha clan. Soren's rise to power had leaned heavily on that vast, near-absolute authority. And now… he was dismantling it himself.
Many jōnin turned toward the Uchiha block, watching for their reaction.
But the clan's unity was ironclad.
Their belief in Soren — the child of providence, chosen by the Mangekyō — was absolute. If he said this was the path, then it was the path.
Besides, news had already spread:
The three Security sub-captains had resigned.
The old structure was already rotten.
Tasty to eat, but not worth keeping.
Soren continued.
"Today's meeting concerns military restructuring."
He raised a hand.
"First: We establish the Military Affairs Department — overseeing all Konoha shinobi. In wartime, it handles external operations. In peacetime, it manages promotions.""Second: Beneath it, the Police Bureau — staffed by chūnin and jōnin — will maintain ninja-related law and order in the village.""Third: Beneath the Police Bureau, the City Administration Office — staffed by genin — will manage civilian law enforcement and public order."
Three new institutions.
A complete restructuring of power.
Silence swallowed the hall.
The sharper jōnin understood instantly:
This was not a mere adjustment.
This was a revolution.
Soren continued:
"I will now name the Minister and the two Deputy Ministers of the Military Affairs Department."
There was no pretense of voting.
Konoha's founding clans deserved top positions.
"I will serve as Minister."
"Deputy Ministers: Uchiha Shihō and Uzumaki Mito."
No one objected.
The Uchiha already held overwhelming power. And Mito — Hashirama's wife, First Lady of Konoha — was the legendary sealing master who had carried the village through eras. Her place was unquestionable.
But only Hyūga Ashikaga, leader of the third great clan, frowned quietly.
The Military Affairs Department controlled every ninja and every promotion. Its influence dwarfed even the old Security Department. The Hyūga could no longer stand aloof.
As someone who once matched the Uchiha in strength during the Warring States era, Ashikaga recognized the truth:
This was a new political crossroads.
"Turn toward the Hokage… turn toward the Uchiha…"
If a branch family aligned with the Hokage, internal clan politics would erupt.
He would need to move carefully.
Meanwhile, Soren continued:
"The Police Bureau will be divided into districts and specialized task divisions. The City Administration Office will handle civilian affairs. This structure ensures clear roles, prevents overlap, and prevents any one body from monopolizing power."
A ripple of murmurs passed through the room.
Some saw efficiency.
Others sensed consolidation.
Soren's voice cut through them all.
"Konoha must adapt. We will announce specific mission assignments for the Land of Lightning operations soon. I expect full cooperation with the new departments — these reforms ensure Konoha's survival and growth."
Several jōnin raised tactical questions — chain of command, promotion exams, oversight mechanisms. Soren answered each calmly, always ending with the same theme:
Central authority under the Military Affairs Department.
Outside the hall, political winds began shifting.
Old balances crumbled.
New structures rose.
For better or worse,
Konoha had just been reshaped.
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