The Anbu was now officially established.
"From this day forward, the Anbu is officially formed."
Nara Hikari stood before the assembled shinobi, addressing them solemnly.
"Our mission is to protect the Hokage, Konoha, and the people we hold dear."
"If any Anbu member dares to betray the village, I will personally execute them."
"The Anbu will not restrict your day-to-day activities. You will only be summoned when needed. Furthermore, the Anbu will oversee your development, provide training resources, and deliver monthly living supplies to your families."
As Hikari finished speaking, murmurs rippled through the ranks.
Being a ninja was costly—healing salves, recovery pills, essential weapons, and quality gear were all expensive.
This was even more true for elite Chunin and Jonin.Some among them also bore the responsibility of supporting their families.
But now, with Nara Hikari backing them with generous support, their future strength seemed guaranteed to grow.
"Nishito, Silbi, Hatake Sakumo—stay behind. The rest of you are dismissed for now. I'll call you again soon."
"Yes, Lord Hikari."
"From now on, address me as 'Minister.'"
"Yes, Lord Minister."
The rest of the shinobi vanished instantly.
"You three were the first to follow me. Sakumo has already reached Kage-level. The two of you won't be far behind."
"Yes, Lord Minister," Nishito and Silbi replied, clearly excited.
"Nishito, Silbi—I'm assigning you to form a new intelligence division under the Anbu. Your mission: monitor all clans within Konoha, and gather intel on foreign threats."
"Yes, Lord Minister."
Both of them were thrilled.This was real power—covert, direct, and influential.
"If you have candidates in mind, let me know. I'll speak to them personally."
"Yes, Lord Minister."
"Sakumo, I'm assigning you to head up a new department. You may name it yourself. Your mission: gather war orphans from across the Five Great Nations."
"Yes, Minister."
Sakumo's expression remained calm and neutral, his emotions unreadable.
Seeing this, Hikari gave a helpless shake of his head.
"Alright, you're dismissed."
"Yes, Minister."
The three of them disappeared.
Hikari stepped outside the Anbu headquarters and made his way back to the Nara clan.
As soon as he returned, a shinobi from the Shimura clan reported his movements to their elders.
But given Nara Hikari's current standing—second only to the Hokage himself—and his direct control over the elite Anbu unit, there was little the Shimura clan could do.
Even if they knew his every move, they were powerless.
Their clan leader could only sigh in frustration.
Still, the Shimura clan convened a private meeting.
Naturally, the topic revolved around Nara Hikari.
Some dismissed him.Others pushed for reconciliation and alliance.
The next morning, just as Nara Hikari was waking up, his mother's voice rang through the door:
"Guang, someone's here to see you."
"I'm coming."
After getting dressed, he made his way to the living room.
The Nara family lived comfortably. Their estate was spacious and luxuriously appointed—a clear sign of the clan's wealth.
Upon entering the living room, he saw a familiar figure seated inside.
"You're… one of the Hokage's students?"
"Yes. My name is Utatane Koharu."
Hikari immediately recalled who she was.Utatane Koharu—Tobirama's only female apprentice.She was considered one of the most beautiful kunoichi in Konoha.
"What brings you here?"
"The head of the Utatane family would like to meet you."
"Oh? When?"
"If you're free now, we can go right away."
"Sure, let's go."
Just as the two stood up, Hikari's mother, Nara Masami, came over carrying refreshments.
"These are just a few things we had at home. Don't mind the simplicity. Hikari rarely has friends over. You're actually his first guest."
She placed down a tray of fruit and drinks, her gaze lingering curiously on Koharu.
"This girl is so pretty," she said suddenly—whether intentionally or not, it was hard to tell.
Koharu's face turned bright red in an instant.
"Mom, she's one of the Hokage's disciples. Don't say weird things," Hikari said quickly, trying to change the subject before she said something worse.
"You brat! Don't you dare tell me what to say. Who cares if she's the Hokage's student?"
Masami studied Koharu intently, a spark of mischief in her eyes.
"Mom, we're going out. We've got something important to do."
"Oh? Is it a date?" she teased.
Masami didn't seem to take Koharu's status seriously at all.
"A date? We're going for business!"
"Alright, alright. Just make sure you come back for dinner—and bring… bring…"
She trailed off awkwardly, clearly not knowing Koharu's name.
"Auntie, my name is Koharu Utatane."
"Oh, Koharu! Then bring Koharu back for dinner, alright?"
"Got it."
Before anything else could be said, Hikari hurried Koharu out of the house.
"This boy," Masami muttered, shaking her head as she started tidying up.
Out on the street, the two walked side by side.
"Please don't take my mother too seriously," Hikari said with a sigh. "She says whatever's on her mind."
"It's fine. She's nice," Koharu replied softly, her cheeks still flushed.
Geniuses always drew attention—especially prodigies like Nara Hikari, a sixteen-year-old Kage-level shinobi.
At this point in time, he held more authority than almost anyone else in Konoha.
Among the six students of the Hokage, the most talented—Sarutobi Hiruzen—was only a newly promoted mid-level Jonin.The others were still ordinary Jonin.
As they walked, Koharu kept sneaking glances at Hikari—until, before she realized it, they had arrived at the Utatane clan compound.
The Utatane were a small family—barely a clan by standard definitions, more like a large household.
They numbered only a few dozen members, and only had a handful of shinobi—the clan head and Koharu being the only Jonin.
Tobirama had chosen to take Koharu as a disciple not only because of her talent,but also to show balance between clan-born and civilian-born shinobi.It was a value passed down from Hashirama himself.
Koharu guided Hikari through the compound.The clan members greeted them warmly.Hikari responded with polite nods while listening to Koharu's introductions.
Soon, they reached the residence of the clan head.
An elderly man was already waiting for them.
This was Utatane Shou—the clan leader and the only other Jonin in the family besides Koharu.
"Minister, please—have a seat," Utatane Shou said with a welcoming smile as he stood to greet Hikari.
After Hikari sat down, Shou followed.
"So, what is it that the Utatane clan wishes to discuss?" Hikari asked.
"The Utatane family hopes to form an alliance with the Nara clan," the elder replied.
"…What?" Hikari blinked in surprise.
Koharu is the Hokage's disciple—her future is already promising. Why seek an alliance with the Nara clan now?
He was clearly confused.
"This decision was made unanimously by our clan. To be precise, our goal is to form an alliance not with the Nara clan—but with you, Minister."
"…I see. Still, this is a matter that should be brought to the Hokage's attention."
Despite his high position, Hikari didn't want to overstep.He knew full well that if Tobirama ever suspected him of acting behind his back, things could turn sour quickly.
He had no intention of becoming a target of suspicion.
"In that case, we'll leave the final decision to you and the Hokage, Minister. Please consider our proposal."