On an early February day, the villagers of Konoha noticed freshly posted recruitment notices all around the village's bulletin boards. The message was straightforward: the Konoha Police Force was understaffed and looking to recruit those willing to help maintain peace and order in the village.

Such an announcement inevitably caused a huge stir in the village!

The Police Force was recruiting? Was this some kind of joke? Everyone in Konoha, except for recent arrivals or newcomers, knew that the Police Force was traditionally the domain of the Uchiha clan. It was unheard of for anyone outside the Uchiha to join... or wait, there was that eight-year-old kid who joined last year.

Still, no one took it seriously. The rumor mill dismissed it as insignificant, thinking that a mere child couldn't affect the deeply intertwined relationship between the Uchiha and the Police Force.

However, those in the know believed that the Uchiha might be interested in the boy's rare Shikotsumyaku ability. Despite the Uchiha clan's pride in their Sharingan, the most revered dojutsu, there didn't seem to be a more plausible explanation. Kabuto's entry into the Police Force didn't make waves at the time because the village's focus was still on the ongoing war with the Hidden Cloud.

But now, things were different. With no external threats, people paid more attention to internal matters. Any small change would quickly become a topic of discussion, and this recruitment drive by the Police Force became the hottest topic in town. Conversations buzzed in the streets and filled the taverns, where self-proclaimed "pub politicians" debated loudly.

For most people, it was just a spectacle to watch. The Police Force was recruiting ninja, and even in Konoha, ninja made up less than a tenth of the population, with ordinary people being the vast majority.

The attitudes among the ninja varied—doubt, caution, curiosity, and even excitement. It was natural to be suspicious; who would've ever expected the Police Force to open its doors to non-Uchiha? It was only logical to assume there was a catch. Yet, the recruitment notices remained posted around the village, and it didn't seem like the village leadership would joke about something so significant. Plus, the incentives were enticing.

Aside from high salaries, the biggest draw was the chance for civilian-born ninja to access the Police Force's library and learn advanced ninjutsu—a rare opportunity for those who struggled to find places to study higher-level techniques.

If not for the Uchiha's notorious reputation, the Police Force's entrance would likely have been flooded by now. However, even after a day and a half since the notices went up, people were still waiting for the first brave soul to take the plunge.

"The Police Force... it's really true."

Nono Yakushi stood amidst the crowd in front of the bulletin board, staring at the recruitment notice in a daze. Was this really the change that the Hokage's advisor spoke of? The Police Force actually opening its doors to recruits—it was hard to believe.

She was in town to buy medicine.

With so many children at the orphanage, there was always one coming down with a fever or another injuring themselves. Even though Nono was proficient in medical ninjutsu, not all ailments could be cured with it—many still required medication.

She hurried back to the orphanage with her supplies, still distracted by the news.

The sight of Kabuto playing with the children only deepened her inner conflict. After spending time with him, she realized that her adopted son was a genius—one who even surpassed her in talent!

Most importantly, she discovered that Kabuto woke up an hour earlier every day to train in the woods outside the orphanage. If not for a recent incident where she had to check on a child who had undergone an appendectomy, she wouldn't have caught Kabuto sneaking out. His little secret might have remained hidden for who knows how long.

Upon uncovering this, she immediately realized that Kabuto's future shouldn't be confined to the orphanage. Opening the orphanage was her own dream, and both Urushi and Kabuto had stayed to support her. Urushi's talent was average, making him a typical genin, and he wasn't ambitious. Staying at the orphanage suited him. Kabuto, on the other hand, despite claiming he was content at the orphanage, had never given up his training.

Nono herself had stopped training some time ago.

She couldn't let Kabuto's future be limited because of her!

Watching him play with the children, Nono's expression shifted as she finally made up her mind.

"Kabuto!"

"Mother?"

Kabuto looked up in surprise, adjusting his glasses as he left the children and approached her. "Is there something you need?"

"Kabuto, have you thought about what you want to do in the future?"

Nono took a deep breath and asked softly.

"The future? Being here with you at the orphanage is already a dream come true for me," Kabuto replied with a warm smile that seemed to melt the coldest winter frost.

"Really? Do you truly want to stay at the orphanage forever?"

"...Mother, I only train out of habit," Kabuto said, sensing that something was amiss. His tone was sincere, showing no signs of deceit.

But—

"Kabuto, be honest."

Nono wasn't fooled. When the legendary spy got serious, not even Kabuto's deep cunning could hide the truth from her. In the past, she hadn't scrutinized her son this closely, which allowed him to get away with it.

Looking at Kabuto, she felt a mix of joy and regret.

What a brilliant child!

Even though she hadn't said much, he'd already realized that his secret was out. His quick thinking was impressive, and his calmness in handling the situation was even more so.

It was a joy to see such sharpness and composure.

But it also made her more regretful. If she hadn't found out about his secret, she might have kept Kabuto at the orphanage, unknowingly clipping his wings and stifling his future... At least she discovered the truth in time, or she would have regretted it for life.

"I don't want you to lie to me."

She stood on her tiptoes and gently touched his hair.

Kabuto Yakushi instinctively hunched over a bit, making it easier for Nonō Yakushi to reach him. He wasn't the same boy he once was. Now, standing next to her, he was twenty centimeters taller, and Nonō could no longer easily pat his head like she used to.

"Kabuto, tell me, do you really want to spend your whole life in the orphanage?"

Nonō withdrew her hand and asked again.

This time, Kabuto lowered his head and stayed silent.

His mother had asked such a direct question, and his usual skill of saying the right thing to the right person just wasn't working here. He didn't want to leave her side, either. Torn between these two feelings, he could only choose silence.

But silence itself is an answer.

Nonō smiled. "Kabuto, tell me, what are your plans for the future? What do you want to do?"

"I don't know... I haven't really thought about what I want to do yet, Mother. I wasn't lying before. My biggest dream was always to return to you, which is why I worked so hard to complete all those missions. But I didn't expect Danzō to be so shameless. If it wasn't for Lord Hiruzen, I might have never seen you again."

Kabuto's voice was soft, and when he mentioned Danzō, there was a deep resentment. But when he spoke of Hiruzen, his tone shifted to one of deep gratitude.

"The past is the past. Danzō is dead now, and life has to move forward... Since you're not sure what you want to do yet, why not check out the Police Force? Didn't Lord Hiruzen invite you to join them just the other day? You've also seen the recruitment notices for the Police Force, right?"

"I saw one yesterday when I was out."

"So, what do you think? Want to try joining the Police Force? If you do, you won't have to leave the village, and you can still come back to the orphanage after work. Plus, the pay seems pretty good... And most importantly, Lord Hiruzen personally invited you."

Nonō's thoughts were clear.

There weren't many jobs in Konoha that Kabuto could take on. Administrative, medical, and educational departments all hired new people regularly, but most of them were fully staffed, and openings only appeared occasionally. No one knew how long it would take for a position to open up.

Besides, with Lord Hiruzen's personal invitation to join the Police Force, Kabuto had a much better chance of advancing there than starting fresh in another department.

And it was obvious to her—

Kabuto didn't have any particular job or goal in mind right now. So why not try the Police Force? If it didn't work out or he found something else he liked more, he could always change later.

"The Police Force, huh?"

Kabuto thought quietly to himself.

He had once strived to reunite with his adoptive mother, but after achieving that goal, he suddenly realized he had no new target to pursue. He didn't know what direction to aim for next. But spending every day at the orphanage playing with the children wasn't enough to satisfy him either.

He hated the days when Danzō controlled him, but in the dead of night, he couldn't help but reminisce about his thrilling life as a spy, dancing on the edge of a blade. That life was dangerous—he brushed against death constantly, one wrong move away from the afterlife.

Yet, there was an undeniable excitement and satisfaction in that life.

Of course—

It's not that he wanted to go back to being a spy.

When he asked himself honestly,

He realized why he was so unsatisfied: He didn't want to live an ordinary life. He longed for something more exciting and challenging.

"Kabuto, don't deceive yourself just to stay with me. That would break my heart. As your mother, I'd rather you chase the future you want than be tied to me. As long as you come back and visit me and the orphanage from time to time, that's enough."

Nonō's voice was as gentle as could be.

"Mother, I understand. I want to check out the Police Force."

Kabuto said earnestly.

"Then go and see."

Nonō firmly supported Kabuto's decision.

Hearing her response, Kabuto smiled sheepishly, scratching his head. It was as if an invisible weight had been lifted off his shoulders, and his entire demeanor lightened up, becoming more energetic.

"When do you plan to go?"

Nonō asked softly, watching her adoptive son's sudden shift in attitude, her smile growing even wider.

"If possible, I'd like to go now."

Kabuto explained, "Since the Police Force put up their recruitment notice, no one has joined yet. If I go now, I might be the first. That way, I can show Lord Hiruzen some support. If I wait too long, others might beat me to it. It's already been a day and a half since the announcement, and I'm sure someone will muster the courage to apply soon... But if I leave now, what about the orphanage...?"

"Go on, go! The orphanage will be just fine without you. I'm not so old that you need to worry about taking care of me! Just go and do what you want to do!"

Nonō laughed, waving him off.

It turned out he had been keeping an eye on this the whole time!

But this was good. It was better for Kabuto to pursue something he was genuinely interested in than anything else.

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