“Hachiya Ao assisting the two elders…”
Hatake Kakashi and ShihōinNaraku talked for a long time before finally ending their meal.
Only after reluctantly paying the bill did Kakashi earn his freedom and leave.
“This doesn’t make sense.
Why am I the one paying when he’s the one who got promoted?”
On the way home, Kakashi finally realized what had happened.
“I even helped him get acquainted with his new job.
Whatever.
I’ll make Tenzō pay next time.”
After returning home and washing up, Kakashi lay in bed and began thinking back on his conversation with Naraku.
“That guy is just too outstanding.
Those people couldn’t wait any longer to get their hands on Medical Division.”
As Naraku’s peer, Hatake Kakashi understood better than most just how talented he was.
When they were younger and both considered prodigies, everyone had believed Kakashi had the upper hand.
But as they grew older, ShihōinNaraku gradually caught up.
Then he surpassed him completely.
Especially after the death of his father, Sakumo Hatake, the deaths of his teammates and comrades, Obito and Rin, and the deaths of his master, Minato Namikaze, and his wife, Kushina Uzumaki, during the Nine-Tails’ attack…
One blow after another had completely crushed Kakashi.
His strength had barely improved over the years.
Meanwhile, ShihōinNaraku had become Tsunade’s direct disciple and continued growing at an astonishing rate, eventually becoming one of Konoha’s pillars.
After Tsunade left the village, Naraku had naturally become the only suitable candidate to take control of Konoha’s Medical Division.
Once he took over, he drew upon his experience of having run a hospital in his previous life and vigorously developed the Medical Department’s emergency services.
The discovery of new medicinal herbs, hospital reforms, and advances in medical techniques quickly turned Konoha Hospital into a renowned institution throughout the shinobi world.
As time went on, it was no longer just Konoha’s shinobi and civilians who came there for treatment.
The daimyo and nobility of the Land of Fire frequently visited Konoha Hospital for medical treatment and recuperation.
Eventually, even the daimyo and nobles of other countries began traveling there because of its reputation.
Although Medical Division was technically subordinate to the Medical Department, everything seemed to have been turned upside down in Naraku’s hands.
Instead, it was the Medical Department that seemed to exist to serve him.
Before ShihōinNaraku took over Medical Division, Konoha had to pour a huge amount of money into the Medical Department every year.
After all, medical treatment and hospitalization were heavily subsidized for the village’s shinobi and civilians, and the village had to cover the costs.
But after Naraku took over Konoha Hospital, the arrival of foreign daimyo, nobles, and wealthy merchants transformed the Medical Department from a financial burden into a profitable enterprise.
It began generating enormous revenues and returning substantial funds to the village treasury.
And that was precisely why Danzō and the two elders wanted to seize control of Medical Division.
The Administrative Department under Mitokado Homura and Utatane Koharu was responsible for Konoha’s dealings with the Land of Fire, including financial transfers.
Now the Medical Department had broken their monopoly over that flow of money.
Naturally, they couldn’t tolerate it.
In the past, Danzō ‘s Root organization had been able to openly receive funding from the village to maintain and expand its operations.
But after Hiruzen forcibly disbanded Root, that source of funding disappeared.
Maintaining Root in secret required a tremendous amount of money.
On top of that, Shimura Danzō was secretly funding Orochimaru’s experiments, which also required considerable resources.
And Danzō had never abandoned his dream of becoming Hokage.
If he could use the Medical Department to establish connections with the daimyo, that would be another valuable asset.
That was why the three of them had joined forces against ShihōinNaraku and taken his position away from him.
Most importantly, the Third Hokage, Sarutobi Hiruzen, didn’t want Naraku to remain in control of the Medical Department for too long either.
That would mean an enormous amount of money and a vast network of connections would fall into Naraku’s hands.
At the very least, until Hiruzen was ready to step down as Hokage, he didn’t want Naraku’s influence growing too quickly.
…
The next day.
ANBU Headquarters.
“This place is even smaller than Root’s old headquarters…”
ShihōinNaraku shook his head.
Just how much of the ANBU’s budget had Danzō siphoned off?
“Don’t put it like that.”
Hatake Kakashi approached from behind.
For once, he seemed somewhat energetic today.
At least the usual sleepiness was gone from his dead-fish eyes.
“The ANBU doesn’t have Medical Division’s bottomless pockets.
Having a headquarters like this is already pretty good.”
“That just means you’re not doing your job as ANBU Commander.
If you need money, go ask the Third Hokage for more.
We hand over so much money every year.
Where does it all go?”
“Fine.
From now on, you can handle the funding requests.”
Kakashi brushed him off before becoming serious.
“Your appointment has officially gone through.
Lord Hokage also gave me some instructions earlier.”
“Tell me while we walk.”
The two entered the ANBU headquarters.
After giving Naraku a brief overview of the various facilities, Kakashi relayed Hiruzen’s instructions to him.
“Why is this place so empty?
Where is everyone?”
Naraku greeted the few shinobi still present in the headquarters, then looked around in confusion.
“They’re on missions.”
After exchanging greetings, Kakashi led Naraku to the office that had been prepared for him.
“I’ve already prepared your files.
They’re on the desk.”
He pointed toward the desk.
“Most of the ANBU should be assembled by tomorrow.
I’ll introduce you to everyone then.”
“Not that anyone here won’t already know who you are, but we still need to make the introduction official.”
Naraku didn’t care much about the office itself.
He simply sat down at the desk and picked up the documents, scanning through them.
But after only a few pages, he put them down and grabbed Kakashi by the collar, making as if he were about to strangle him.
“What are you doing?”
Kakashi casually slipped out of his grasp and remained as calm as though nothing had happened.
“What the hell is wrong with this roster?
Why are so many former Root members being assigned to me?”
Seeing Naraku’s murderous expression, Kakashi could only explain.
“You’re more capable than I am.
I figured you’d be able to keep them under control.”
When Naraku looked ready to make another attempt on his life, Kakashi spread his hands with the shameless composure of someone who had already given up resisting.
“Besides, not every former Root member is blindly loyal to Danzō .
Some of them can still be won over.
I believe in you.”
ShihōinNaraku glared at Kakashi.
“When you were injured on that last mission and were half dead, I was the one who personally treated you.
And now you pull this on me?”
“I couldn’t help it.
This was Lord Hokage’s decision.”
Kakashi was helpless too.
He honestly hadn’t wanted to dump such a huge headache on Naraku, but Hiruzen had given the order.
Naraku carefully looked over the names on the roster again.
He didn’t dwell on it.
He decided to accept the troublesome assignment.
There was just one exception.
“Leave Yugao under your command.
There’s no need to assign her to me.”
“Hmm?”
“Uzumaki Yugao was specifically placed under my command.
Is there something going on between you two…?”
Seeing Kakashi’s curious expression, Naraku was speechless.
“Nothing’s wrong.
We’re still dating.”
“That’s exactly why I want Yugao under your command.
Can’t you tell what the Third Hokage is trying to do?”
Naraku raised the document in his hand, his expression thoughtful.
“Sure, there are plenty of troublesome people here, but not one of them is weak.”
“There’s only one reason the Third Hokage would do this.
He intends to have me handle the dangerous missions outside the village, doesn’t he?”
The ANBU.
The Shinobi Special Assassination and Tactical Squad.
The missions handled by the ANBU had always been dangerous and unpleasant.
Of course, some assignments were relatively safe, such as protecting the Hokage under normal circumstances or monitoring important individuals.
As long as nothing unexpected happened, those missions weren’t particularly difficult.
But the truly dangerous assignments—assassinating personnel from other nations, gathering intelligence, and the like—were also handled by the ANBU.
And now Sarutobi Hiruzen had placed a large number of the ANBU’s strongest shinobi under Naraku’s command.
The meaning behind that was obvious.
“You could refuse, you know.
Lord Hokage might not insist on making you take those missions.”
Kakashi became serious as well.
After thinking for a moment, he continued,
“You just joined the ANBU and aren’t familiar with how things work here yet.
It would be perfectly reasonable for you not to want to take on that kind of assignment.”
“I can even go talk to Lord Hokage for you.”
“No need.”
ShihōinNaraku shook his head without hesitation.
“I’ll take it.”
Starting in the ANBU and climbing the ranks step by step had been Naraku’s goal from the beginning.
So he was quite satisfied with his current position.
Danger was nothing.
In fact, it was exactly what he needed to establish himself in the ANBU as quickly as possible.
Then he could get promoted.
That’s right.
The position currently occupied by Hatake Kakashi was one Naraku had his eyes on as well.
ANBU Commander.