Naruto: Wooing Tsunade from Day One!

The days after the war were seemingly calm.

Everyone lived a happy life, except for Hiruzen Sarutobi, who remained anxious and agitated. He was determined to hold onto the position of Hokage, believing it still needed him for further development.

Kawakaze, on the other hand, was waiting patiently for public opinion to shift in his favor. He spent his days comfortably, mentoring his disciples, spending time with Tsunade, and enjoying moments with Sakumo. The wedding date with Tsunade was under discussion, with Mito taking charge of choosing an auspicious day.

As a grandmother, Mito's wishes naturally held the highest authority, as there was no one in either family with a higher status. She took the couple's marriage very seriously and had even ventured out several times, despite rarely leaving the house, to find a reliable Feng Shui Practitioner who could align Kawakaze and Tsunade's cosmic harmony.

This dedication made Hiruzen incredibly uneasy. He was deeply intimidated by Mito's influence and felt as though everything around him posed a potential threat, leaving him on edge like a nervous wreck.

...

"Kill them."

"Go."

On a busy street in Konoha, for some unknown reason, two groups of people began fighting. Fortunately, they were all civilians, so no major damage was done. The villagers, frightened by the chaos, scattered as blood stained the street, and severed limbs fell amidst the commotion.

The Konoha police force responded swiftly, and the Uchiha's intervention quickly brought the dispute under control. Those responsible for damages paid compensation, while those who broke the law were arrested.

Incidents like these were not new, and the Uchiha resolved the matter efficiently. Fugaku didn't think much of it, assuming this minor event would pass unnoticed. However, what followed turned out to be anything but minor—it ended up infuriating Fugaku.

That very day, a shadow guard arrived at the Uchiha territory. The guard conveyed a message from Hiruzen Sarutobi, summoning Fugaku to discuss an important matter.

Puzzled by the unusual request, Fugaku couldn't help but feel uneasy. What matter could warrant such a summons? His instincts warned him that it wouldn't be anything good.

Fugaku steeled himself and made his way to the Hokage Building alone.

Bang, bang~

He knocked on the Hokage's office door.

"Come in," Hiruzen's voice came from inside.

Fugaku pushed open the door and stepped in. Inside, he saw Hiruzen and Homura sitting on the sofa.

"Lord Third, what is the reason for summoning me here today?" Fugaku asked, frowning as he sat on the sofa without ceremony.

With power comes confidence, and Fugaku had no reason to mask his disdain for Hiruzen.

"It's nothing too important," Hiruzen replied, forcing a smile as he casually puffed on his pipe.

His tone belied his dissatisfaction with Fugaku's actions, barely hiding his displeasure.

"Just the other day, your Konoha Military Police Force handled a case of armed combat, didn't you?"

"Yes," Fugaku replied. He vaguely recalled reviewing the case file but hadn't thought much of it. He wondered what Hiruzen was trying to get at.

"Recently, some villagers have complained that your response was too slow," Hiruzen continued. "This delay caused numerous innocent casualties. Do you know anything about this?"

As he spoke, the smile on Hiruzen's face faded, and his tone grew colder. Homura watched Fugaku intently, his expression predatory, like a hawk sizing up prey.

"We have already increased the punishment for armed fighting that injures innocent civilians," Fugaku said calmly. "Compensation for the victims has also been decided." After years in the Konoha Military Police Force, he had developed his own methods for handling such cases.

Fugaku avoided responding directly to the accusation, instead focusing on the outcomes.

"Handling it after the fact is like mending the fold after the sheep are lost," Hiruzen remarked critically. "You need to respond faster to prevent harm in the first place."

The subtle rebuke made Fugaku uncomfortable, and he replied hastily, "Even if we wanted to monitor all of Konoha, we simply don't have enough manpower."

Though his statement was true, it was an unguarded moment that presented an opening.

"You've only recently become the leader of the Konoha Military Police Force," Hiruzen said, his tone adopting a superficial understanding. "It's natural that things won't be perfect. After all, your uncle sacrificed himself for the village. But the issue of insufficient manpower is easily addressed."

"I can assign additional personnel to join your Konoha Military Police Force," Homura interjected, capitalizing on Fugaku's slip. His tone betrayed his true intent, thinly veiled under a guise of helpfulness.

Homura's words revealed their real motive—not to assist but to weaken the Uchiha's influence further. Even the Konoha Military Police Force wasn't safe from their schemes, as they sought to carve out their own share.

"No, I cannot agree to this," Fugaku said sternly, his tone firm. The Konoha Military Police Force was the last bastion of power for the Uchiha, and he would not allow it to be compromised.

"I'm just looking out for your best interests. Please reconsider this matter," Hiruzen

Hiruzen spoke with such self-righteousness that it was clear Fugaku wasn't being given a real choice. Hiruzen didn't believe Fugaku, still young and with the weight of his uncle's recent death hanging over him, would dare to act against his authority.

Tsunade and the Uchiha are close. Weakening the Uchiha first will serve two purposes, Hiruzen thought to himself. This is the perfect opportunity.

said, his voice heavy with feigned sincerity. "We'll select some outstanding personnel for you. It will make your work much easier, and I'm sure incidents like this won't happen again. It's all for the good of the village."

"The Konoha Military Police Force has enough manpower, but thank you for your kind offer, Lord Third," Fugaku said, suppressing his rising anger as he refused once again.

A faint, almost imperceptible smile appeared at the corner of Hiruzen's mouth. A young man still lacks the force to resist.

"The Konoha Military Police Force is not your Uchiha's personal army," Hiruzen retorted, his tone sharp. "Don't you want the village to prosper?"

With that, Hiruzen placed an insurmountable burden on Fugaku. Any further argument would only paint him as someone working against the village's interests.

"I need to go back and discuss this with my people, or else, even if I do it, the work that follows will be difficult."

Fugaku had no choice but to issue a small threat, confident that Hiruzen would understand its implications.

"That's only to be expected. You may go back," Hiruzen replied calmly. He didn't take Fugaku's threat seriously, as long as his people were admitted to the Konoha Military Police Force. There was still plenty of time ahead, and he could slowly work his way in.

Fugaku Uchiha stood up and left without even saying goodbye.

"He's still too young to fight me," Sarutobi muttered angrily once Fugaku had disappeared.

"This move has been made, It only remains to be seen how he will respond."

Homura, standing nearby, smiled knowingly at his old partner. "The Uchiha won't be able to get away with anything."

"What's Koharu been up to lately?" Hiruzen asked, puffing out a thick cloud of smoke. He had been gradually excluding Koharu Utatane from the center of power.

"She's been staying at home, and at most, she's been spending time at the hospital," Homura replied, aware of her every move.

"She'll regret it," Hiruzen said curtly. With that, he returned to his desk, signaling the end of their conversation. Homura said no more.

After all, they were from the same generation, and the tension between them remained unresolved.

Fugaku left the Hokage Building, growing more upset the more he thought about the situation. This was bullying taken to the extreme. If he hadn't worked so hard to restrain himself, he would have been tempted to incinerate the two old fools with Amaterasu.

As he walked back, he suddenly changed direction and headed toward the Hatake Clan. He needed to discuss this with Kawakaze—he couldn't make such a decision on his own.

The elders of the clan had long since been subdued by him, and with the Mangekyō as his ultimate weapon, no one dared oppose him anymore. Under his leadership, the Uchiha's power had been consolidated, far stronger than in the original timeline. Sometimes, concealing one's strength wasn't the best strategy.

Before long, he arrived at the Hatake Clan's front gate. Knocking firmly, he waited as the butler came to greet him.

"Lord Fugaku," the butler said with a polite bow. Recognizing important visitors was part of his training, and failing in this regard would bring disgrace to the Hatake Clan.

"Is Lord Kawakaze in?" Fugaku asked respectfully. Despite his frustration, he still addressed Kawakaze with proper decorum.

"Yes, please wait a moment. I'll inform him," the butler replied, maintaining his professionalism. As this was Fugaku's first visit, he couldn't be allowed in without prior notice.

"Please." Fugaku appreciated the butler's courteous demeanor and responded politely.

After a minute or two, the butler returned and escorted Fugaku to the quiet room, where Kawakaze was already waiting. Having only recently returned from the hospital, Kawakaze's timing had been fortunate—any earlier, and he might have been unavailable.

"Sit," Kawakaze said, pouring tea for Fugaku.

"Thank you." Fugaku took a seat, sipping his tea briefly before diving into the matter at hand. "I came to see you because I have something to discuss."

Kawakaze smiled faintly but said nothing. He understood that Fugaku wouldn't visit without good reason. Dropping in unannounced wasn't in his nature.

"I just came from the Hokage Building," Fugaku began, his tone tinged with irritation. "Hiruzen Sarutobi wants to meddle in my Uchiha security forces."

The words "Lord Third" didn't even cross Fugaku's mind as he spoke to Kawakaze.

...

He recounted the entire story, venting his frustrations. By the time his mouth was dry, he felt much lighter.

"He really doesn't care about resorting to underhanded methods," Kawakaze remarked, shaking his head. To him, Hiruzen Sarutobi was no different from a thief. The excuse the Hokage used was pitifully weak.

"But I suggest you say yes," Kawakaze added.

Fugaku stared at him, dumbfounded. "Why?"

If they weren't ostensibly on the same side, Fugaku might have suspected that Kawakaze was conspiring with Hiruzen.

"What's in it for you if you take control of the Konoha Military Police Force?" Kawakaze's rhetorical question struck a chord, forcing Fugaku Uchiha into deep thought.

"This is the last remaining authority of the Uchiha," Fugaku reflected. But no matter how long he mulled it over, he couldn't see any tangible benefits. Beyond resolving minor disputes, the Uchiha gained nothing. Worse, they had to fund the force themselves and often incurred the villagers' ire. It was a losing proposition all around.

"What kind of power is the Konoha Military Police Force, anyway?" Kawakaze continued. "Can it help you ascend to the upper echelons of Konoha or grant you access to confidential missions?"

Fugaku opened his mouth to respond but found himself at a loss.

"Listen to me." Kawakaze poured tea for Fugaku, smiling as if he had everything figured out. To him, this situation was far from dire.

"There's no harm in letting people be inserted. Just agree to it," Kawakaze advised. "But you should set conditions—allowances, for example."

"As for the newcomers?" Kawakaze smirked. "As long as your core members remain steadfast, these new recruits will only ever be subordinates. If there's anything that might offend others, let them handle it. Isn't that ideal?"

"When the dust settles, do you really think the Uchiha won't have a place in Konoha?"

Kawakaze's analysis was methodical and convincing. If Fugaku still clung to his rigid thinking, then he was truly being shortsighted.

"I understand," Fugaku said firmly, finishing the tea in one gulp. He had reached a decision.

The dark clouds in his heart dissipated, and the conversation with Kawakaze turned unexpectedly pleasant. After a while, Fugaku departed from the Hatake Clan estate, with Kawakaze personally seeing him off.