Chương 295: A Home for the Fox Part 1

Fugaku sat in his Hokage office surrounded by towers of paperwork that seemed to grow higher with every passing hour. Being a new Hokage meant he had a mountain of history to catch up on. He needed to stay fully focused on every report and scroll that came before him so he could form a complete image of the village's true situation. He only regretted having so little time to visit his family.

He lived in the office nearly every day and only caught a few disjointed hours of sleep in his chair when his eyes could no longer stay open. Mikoto remained incredibly understanding. She was excited for what this position meant for the future of the Uchiha, a clan that until very recently had faced a grim and uncertain prospect. While she stayed home to take care of Sasuke, their eldest son Itachi stayed busy with his demanding missions as an ANBU Jonin. Fugaku stood up suddenly and stretched his aching muscles.

He weaved through a series of hand seals to move his chakra for the first time in a long while. He created a solid clone and watched it rotate slowly in the center of the room. After a moment, he sighed in an exhausted tone.

"I really need to go home, take a shower, and get some rest, but before that arrives..." He eyed the door carefully as he dispelled the illusory clone into smoke. A moment later, a knock sounded against the wood.

"Come in," Fugaku said with a firm and steady voice. The door opened slowly and Hirotaka Yamanaka walked through. He bowed low to show his respect.

"Lord Hokage, thank you for receiving me despite your busy schedule." Fugaku ushered his ANBU guard to close the door and leave them. Hirotaka looked around the room with a cautious gaze and Fugaku noticed his hesitation.

"Do not worry, we are alone here." A genuine smile finally appeared on Hirotaka's face.

"The office of the Hokage suits you, Fugaku-sama." Fugaku smiled back but then fell into a deliberate silence, forcing Hirotaka to be the one to break the quiet.

"So, how are things moving?" Fugaku looked at the classified information spread across his desk and then back to his guest.

"Well, since I know what it is you want, I guess it is time to return the favor that you can't ask for yourself." Another knock sounded in the quiet room. Hirotaka turned his head slightly to observe the door as it swung open with Fugaku's permission. Hirotaka's eyes widened slightly because the person walking through the door was Shikaku Nara, the brilliant head of the Nara clan. Fugaku watched Hirotaka's reaction as the door closed behind the newcomer.

"Welcome, Shikaku-san. I was waiting for you." Shikaku wore an expression that said one word, troublesome. Fugaku shook his head at the Nara's antics and spoke directly.

"I called you here because Konoha needs your help." Hirotaka's attention shifted back to Fugaku to catch the hidden meaning behind those words. Fugaku continued, "I have a very hard job for you. I know you don't like extra work, or much work to begin with." The last part was said with a bit of humor that irritated Shikaku slightly. Fugaku added, "But I need someone with your mind to be an advisor for me." Shikaku's eyes narrowed as he spoke hurriedly.

"Lord Hokage, I am a clan head, and a busy one at that." Fugaku acknowledged the weight of those heavy responsibilities.

"While I recognize your position, I still think you are one of the smartest people in Konoha. Not fully utilizing your skills would be a disservice to our people. You know me well enough. I am fair and pragmatic. We worked together during the Third Shinobi War. So you know that I won't hold your previous opinion against you. I actually appreciate that you have the strength to state what is on your mind even if it goes against my ideas. I need that more than anything else right now and in the future."

Shikaku had a complicated look on his face. He knew Fugaku's abilities but still felt conflicted about the way he was appointed. Fugaku continued, cutting through those lingering thoughts.

"With you advising on the military and clan aspects, and Hirotaka here advising on the economical side, we would have the perfect synergy to maintain a prosperous and bright future for Konoha." Shikaku noticed Hirotaka's surprise as well. He was not sure if Hirotaka was shocked about his own assignment or because Shikaku had been chosen so suddenly. If you come across this story on Amazon, it's taken without permission from the author. Report it. Shikaku thought about the deep implications of this move.

With his own assignment as an advisor, Fugaku would gain the support of not only the Nara but the Akimichi as well. It would mend the currently strained connections with the other noble clans. Having a previous advisor to the Third and Fourth as an advisor for the Fifth would also calm the traditionalists in the village who were wary of an Uchiha leader. The only thought on Shikaku's mind was that it was a brilliant move.

Hirotaka looked at Fugaku for a long moment and then replied, "It would be great to have someone as capable as you, Shikaku-san." Shikaku watched Hirotaka closely. To him, this man was the biggest issue and the person he suspected most in the village. Hirotaka had grown to power too fast and his influence seemed incredibly high. If Shikaku wanted to safeguard the village from any predatory moves or crazy ambitions, he had to be there to counter Hirotaka's influence.

He needed to ensure that no bad move resulting in a collapse went through because of a lack of opposition. Shikaku saw Fugaku in a new light as the man kept making incredible moves. Fugaku most likely knew that Shikaku wouldn't want to leave the village in the hands of someone in such a powerful position. Out of worry for the future, he would step up. Sighing to himself at how tiring this whole ordeal was, Shikaku simply gave his consent.

He didn't really have much of a choice if the Hokage ordered him, but Fugaku was being very cordial by framing it as a request. In the end, Shikaku bowed and responded with a clear tone.

"As you wish, Lord Hokage. I will do my best to serve the village as its advisor, putting the people first." Fugaku was pleased with that response.

"I will be counting on you both." Hirotaka smiled and bowed as well.

"I will do my best, Lord Hokage. You can rest assured that my full focus will be on this critical role." Shikaku asked with a tone veiled in mischief, "How about your extensive business empire? Who will take care of that?" Hirotaka didn't react to the jab. He simply responded, "My wife is more than capable of handling our business. She would understand that the village comes first." Shikaku noted how prepared that answer was as Fugaku walked slowly and sat in his chair, ushering them to do the same.

After a few moments of heavy silence, Fugaku started speaking again.

"The first thing I want to discuss is the Jinchuriki of the Nine-Tails and the Fourth's son, Uzumaki Naruto." The atmosphere in the room went heavy immediately. Shikaku sighed.

"I thought we would start with something a bit lighter." Hirotaka laughed a bit before agreeing.

"Yeah. That issue is very complicated." Fugaku agreed as he continued, "It is. However, it is also a vital piece of what comes next for this village." Shikaku was intrigued.

"What kind of future are you planning for, Lord Hokage?" Fugaku's smile widened.

"We will discuss this later on." Shikaku objected.

"We need to know the plans so we can take a decision that works toward them." Fugaku's voice remained absolute.

"Understandable. However, the goal here is to resolve his situation. That alone would be great for what is coming next. For now, I cannot tolerate the son of the Fourth Hokage living like that. It is unacceptable. He should be treated better and, more importantly, trained well. I trust the strength of the Fourth's seal, so there would be no harm in making him strong. If he owes the village, he will feel the duty to protect it from our enemies."

Shikaku agreed with the sentiment, but the main issue remained that too many parties were involved. They kept each other in check while Naruto stayed in his current miserable situation. No one could make a move without upsetting the balance and causing a political internal war for the custody of the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki. Fugaku leaned back in his chair.

"I was thinking of adopting him as my son. Mikoto wanted to take him in the day he was born, right after he lost his parents. I feel he would grow to be a strong and resolute shinobi if he was raised under my direct supervision. What do you think?" The tension in the room rose immensely. Shikaku sighed on the inside, not excited about the political dance they were about to have for the custody of Konoha's super weapon.