Chapter .14 Man With Plains

"Hey Jiji, will you come visit me again next time?" It was Naruto, not Lee, who spoke this time when he saw Hiruzen about to leave. "Of course, I will come to see you as always. We can always go fishing," Hiruzen said, patting Naruto's head with affection.

"Naruto flashed a grateful smile. "I feel so lucky to have Jiji," he said. Lee simply nodded in agreement. Naruto didn't need to know the full truth just yet; Lee wanted to give his heart time to heal first.

Hiruzen bowed his head respectfully to Uzume and then quietly departed. Naruto and Lee waved goodbye before turning to head back. As they walked, Naruto couldn't shake the comforting feeling of knowing that Hiruzen would always be there for him."

As they strolled along, Lee couldn't help but notice the growing bond between Naruto and Hiruzen, and he found it truly heartwarming. Knowing that Naruto had no family, seeing him have someone like Hiruzen in his life was truly a blessing. Lee made a silent vow to always stand by Naruto, just as Hiruzen had done. When the entire village had rejected Naruto, Hiruzen had been there for him, and it was indeed reassuring to know that he would always have someone to rely on. With the support of those who cared for him, Lee was confident that Naruto's wounded heart would gradually heal over time.

After hearing about the many theories of Naruto fans suggesting that Hiruzen was working with Danzo or using him to hold onto power, Lee felt at ease when he witnessed Uzume-san's approval of him. It was then that Lee realized Hiruzen truly cared for Naruto.

Once Hiruzen left for the Hokage tower, he instructed Kakashi to alert the ino-shika-cho team to meet him there. He had an important matter to discuss and did not want to involve the council members at this stage. His first order of business was to devise a strategy to unite the clans for the police force and also to recruit new staff for the hospital. He pondered over the best approach to take to accomplish these tasks.

After carefully considering his options, Hiruzen decided to personally meet with the heads of each clan to discuss the matter. He knew that gaining their support and cooperation would be crucial for the success of his plan. As he made his way to the Hokage tower, he mulled over the details of his proposal and how best to present it to the clan leaders.

Upon arriving at the tower, Hiruzen found the ino-shika-cho team waiting for him. Hiruzen greeted each of them with respect and conveyed the urgency of the situation. He carefully presented his plan for uniting the clans for the police force and securing new staff for the hospital, emphasizing the benefits it would bring to the entire village.

"This is going to be troublesome", Shikaku Nara, the advisor to the Hokage, expressed in his characteristic manner. "There will be those who won't take kindly to this, not due to any lack of merit, but simply because it doesn't sit well with them. Managing baseless rumours is going to be quite tedious." And with that, he nonchalantly concluded his statement.

Inoichi nodded in agreement with Shikaku's assessment, and the Hokage furrowed his brow in concern. "We will need to tread carefully," he stated, his voice firm with determination. "We cannot allow baseless rumors to undermine the progress we have made."

I can also attest to the creativity of young Lee. Just a couple of weeks ago, he came up with this amazing new dish called 'pizza' and it's been a wild success. He's even in talks with Akimichi to distribute it throughout Konoha. Choza also shared some information about the boy, as Hiruzen had mentioned him to them.

Choza revealed that young Lee had always been interested in cooking and creating new dishes. He would spend hours in the kitchen experimenting with different ingredients and flavours, always eager to share his creations with his friends and family.

The boy's creativity astonished everyone. They were determined not to let him down and so they began strategizing. "I will personally visit Hyugas and Uchiha to show my commitment," Hiruzen said thoughtfully. "Of course, we have to be prepared for the possibility of rejection, but we can entice them with our proposals," Shikaku added.

Upon finalizing his plans, Hiruzen headed straight to the Hyuga clan, where he was graciously received by Hiashi Hyuga, the leader of the clan. The Hokage felt a deep appreciation for the warm welcome he received and swiftly delved into the matters at hand. After carefully explaining his plans, he successfully gained Hiashi's agreement to send some of the clan members to the hospital, regardless of their combat status. However, Hiashi raised some concerns about the police force and expressed a desire to consult with another elder from the clan before making any definitive decisions.

Hiruzen nodded understandingly, respecting Hiashi's desire to consult with other members of the clan before making such an important decision. He thanked Hiashi for his time and understanding and assured him that he would wait for their decision before moving forward.

As he left the Hyuga clan compound, Hiruzen couldn't help but feel a sense of relief. He knew that gaining the support of the Hyuga clan was crucial in his plans to protect the village. With a deep breath, he headed to the Uchiha clan to continue working on the next steps of his strategy.

Hiruzen made sure to send Itachi ahead with a message for Uchiha Fugaku, the patriarch of the Uchiha clan, before visiting. Once he confirmed with Fugaku, he arrived with two Ambu to meet with the Uchiha. Despite receiving some doubtful looks from the clan members, Fugaku welcomed him graciously. Hiruzen expressed his gratitude for the prompt reception and then proceeded to explain his plan to strengthen the police force by allowing not only the Uchiha but also other capable civilian shinobi from different clans to be hired. He elaborated on the benefits of his plan in great detail.

Fugaku listened intently, nodding at certain points and asking questions for further clarification. After Hiruzen finished presenting his plan, there was a moment of silence as the Uchiha patriarch considered the proposal. Finally, he spoke, expressing his appreciation for Hiruzen's consideration of the Uchiha and acknowledging the potential benefits of the plan.

"I will discuss this with the clan members and we will come to a decision," Fugaku said.

Hiruzen thanked him and assured Fugaku that he would be willing to address any concerns or questions the Uchiha may have. With that, he took his leave, feeling hopeful that his plan would be well received by the Uchiha clan. He made a mental note to check in with Itachi later to see how his message was received by Fugaku.

As he left the Uchiha compound, Hiruzen couldn't help but feel a sense of optimism about the potential for unity and cooperation between the clans. He knew that this was just the beginning of a long process, but he was determined to see it through. With new ideas and a renewed sense of purpose, he made his way back to the village, ready to continue his work in building a stronger and more unified Konoha.