Konoha Notes

Chapter 387 New Mission for the Police Force
Fugaku Uchiha had never been to the Joint Affairs Bureau, and even during the last Five Kage Summit, the police force was not responsible for security here.

There is no direct business relationship between the Police Department and the Joint Affairs Bureau, neither at headquarters nor at branches.

I stepped into this building today not to visit my son, Itachi.

He wouldn't do such a thing.

Instead, the village had an important mission that required the police headquarters to directly liaise with Kakashi.

The bustling atmosphere and busy flow of people in the lobby gave Fugaku a more direct understanding of the place.

He was even more surprised when he saw Kakashi.

Fugaku remembered what Kakashi looked like as a child, and even remembered how he suppressed the objections within his clan to outsiders possessing Sharingan.

When we met again later, he seemed unchanged.

But at this moment, the silver-haired ninja's skin under his eyes was swollen and bluish, and his right eye, which was exposed, was covered with blood vessels.

Could it be that his pupil ability is about to advance even further?

Fugaku couldn't help but think of it.

There were two other people in the room. Jiraiya sat to one side with a serious expression, while his eldest son, Itachi, sat upright behind another desk by the window.

"It's my duty," Fugaku replied calmly, taking the seat that Jiraiya indicated.

"Time is short, so I'll get straight to the point."

“The representative of Iwagakure, Bunya, sent an urgent intelligence report an hour ago,” Kakashi said. “Minister Fugaku should be familiar with the area west of the Land of Earth.”

Of course Fugaku knew.

Beyond the western border of the Land of Earth lies a barren mountainous region and wasteland. There are no decent towns, no proper ninja villages, only wandering rogue ninjas, fugitive ronin, and criminals wanted by various countries. It is the shadowy area of ​​the ninja world.

For decades, major powers have been locked in conflict, leaving no time to clean up the scum who have fled beyond the borders. Iwagakure controls several main routes leading to that region, ostensibly to "maintain border security," but in reality, they extract a cut from the wandering ninjas passing through and occasionally hire them to do dirty work.

In recent years, they have even made some of the ninja the participants in their own arena.

It's just the kind that can kill people.

“In the past few days, there have been unusual movements among the wandering ninjas in that area,” Kakashi continued, explaining the situation. “First, there were regular brawls, then organized disturbances.”

"The border patrol teams of Iwagakure have been searching the west for clues that the Four-Tails Jinchuriki may have left behind, and have made contact with several groups of people."

"The verbal altercation escalated into a standoff, and eventually a conflict broke out."

Jiraiya said, "The conflict itself was not an accident. No matter how much they were controlled by Iwagakure, they were still wandering ninjas."

"What's unusual is the scale and the reaction. According to Wenya's intelligence, the resistance from those wandering ninjas is exceptionally fierce. They have even begun to consciously charge and bypass the checkpoints and surveillance points left by Iwagakure."

Kakashi pushed a simple map in front of Fugaku, with several locations marked with red ink and arrows. "Iwagakure has had to send more people to reinforce the control of those key passes. But even so, according to feedback, a considerable number of wandering ninja have disappeared by sea."

"And according to intelligence, there are also movements in the Land of Snow."

"Therefore, the village believes that this is not an isolated incident."

Fugaku's gaze swept over the arrows: "Is the target Konoha?"

“I can’t confirm,” Kakashi shook his head. “But the possibility of disrupting the joint meeting exists. Representatives from all the ninja villages have arrived, and any chaos could be exploited.”

Fugaku remained silent. He recalled the border sweep operation carried out last month by the police headquarters and its branches. It was a routine operation: formulating a plan, deploying personnel, conducting a thorough search, and catching a few petty thieves who had secretly crossed the border.

It went so smoothly it was almost boring. Everything was peaceful within the Land of Fire, and when real trouble broke out in Takigakure and Yugakure, Konoha directly dispatched ANBU or Jonin squads to handle it; the police department didn't even have a chance to intervene.

The elites at headquarters were eager to prove themselves, but once again had nowhere to use their skills. On the other hand, the venue branch was busy and fulfilled due to the daily chores of maintaining security, screening personnel, and mediating disputes.

"The village's most elite mobile force right now is the police department," Kakashi said, referring primarily to the headquarters.

"Therefore, the Hokage's Office has decided that, from this day forward until the conclusion of the Joint Conference and the safe departure of the representatives from each ninja village, the Police Headquarters and the Joint Affairs Bureau will establish a direct command and coordination link."

"To ensure efficient communication and timely decision-making, Lord Jiraiya will serve as a special liaison between the Hokage's Office and the Secretariat, and will also be responsible for direct coordination with the Police Headquarters."

"All intelligence gathering, command issuance, and support requests are relayed or confirmed through him."

Jiraiya nodded to Fugaku, the seriousness on his face fading.

"The situation is unusual, Fugaku. I'm afraid I'll have to trouble you to make several trips over the next few days."

Fugaku stood up.

The dark blue coat of the police chief hung loosely at the hem.

"Scope of the mission and specific procedures?"

“Assist the surrounding small ninja villages in their defense.” Kakashi pulled a bound booklet from the pile of documents and handed it over. “The villages on the list are located outside the borders of the Land of Fire. They are small in size and have weak defenses, making them easy targets for wandering ninjas to attack or infiltrate.”

Fugaku quickly scanned the list.

"I understand. Headquarters will complete the formation within two hours, and the advance team will depart before this evening."

After saying that, he immediately walked towards the door. When he passed Itachi's desk, he did not stop at all. Itachi did not look up either, but just continued to work on his work.

After he left.

Kakashi sat down again, not bothering to hide Itachi's presence, and said, "I wonder if having the police headquarters take charge of defending the outer villages will cause conflicts."

Jiraiya walked to the window and watched Fugaku's receding figure below.

“I will keep a close eye on things myself,” he said. “And then again, getting the police force to follow the rules and maintain order is what they do best.”

“When carrying out missions in the village, they have to consider the reactions of all parties, which makes them feel constrained.”

"But outside the village, when faced with clear enemies and mission objectives, the Uchiha clan's abilities and style make it easier to get things done."

He turned his head and looked at the quiet figure behind the desk by the window: "I'm sorry to say that, Itachi."

Itachi Uchiha raised his head.

"What Jiraiya-sama and Kakashi-senpai said is true."

"There is a limit to the number of people that the Dark Division can absorb and train; it cannot expand indefinitely."

"The police headquarters has indeed accumulated a considerable number of elite combat personnel. Leaving them idle for a long time is a waste of the village's overall resources."

"Over time, internal problems may arise. Directing this force towards external defense missions can not only alleviate border pressure, but also provide new avenues for merit for the ninjas at headquarters who are eager for promotion."

Kakashi and Jiraiya exchanged a glance but said nothing more.

(End of this chapter)