Chapter 87.6- One Thousand Hands

XXXXX- URAUME

“You’d have thought that it would have taken them less time than it has to figure out that they like each other” She heard the voice behind her, not even bothering to turn. She had seen Shikahime’s approach from a mile away— literally. Scouting with her byakugan was a bit of caution that she was unsure would ever leave her after the war. Getting caught off guard out there would have meant a quick death and a shallow grave. Those instincts weren’t the kind to leave quickly.

“Sadly, I think our cousin is the one delaying things now. Uzume seems to have a good grasp of what she feels and how she feels it” She said in reply.

“Hmmm. Then why the delay then? They’ve been dancing around each other since before we even became genin all those years ago. She should grab him and take him to a dark enough corner. Even he can't be oblivious with her mouth around his-”

“Do not be crass, Cousin. She is scared that he will not feel the same, and he on the other hand has not thought about it much” She replied. It still shocked her that Shorirama still had not realised just what their Uchiha friend felt for him. For such a smart man, he could be so blind sometimes. A fact that the irony of which never ceased to get to her. He could see in far more detail than she could after all.

“Well, she has to get his head out of his arse sooner or later. I can’t imagine that Yumi or Kira would do all that much waiting when they see an opening” Shika said.

“If you want your friend’s sisters to survive the year, I’d suggest advising them to say away. I’ve seen the kind of things Uzume can do with her genjutsu”

“If she won’t make a move, why should she be so offended when someone beats her to the case. All’s fair in love and war, and all that that.” Uraume had to turn to make sure it was actually Shikahime she was talking to and not someone else. No one who even knew Uzume slightly well would make the mistake of expecting reasonable behaviour from the Uchiha girl when it came to something she had strong feelings about.

“Yeah, you’re right. I’ll tell the girls to back off” She said when the incredulous look Uraume was pinning her with sunk in.

“Good. It would be for their own good. And while you are at it, tell their mother to stop the games she is playing with Mito Uzumaki. A ticked off Uchiha burning down the Yamanaka district is not the kind of mess I want on my shoulders” She said.

“Your shoulders? So you’re going to take the job then” She asked.

“Yes. Is there a problem?” Uraume turned back towards Shorirama’s dancing position. The offer to become the head of the Anbu had not come out of the blue. She had been the defacto head since Shorirama took the position at the village’s helm, after all, and Dragon perished in the retreat from Frost. But Shikahime had been an actual member of the organization before the war began. How would she deal with an outsider taking charge of her organisation?

“None at all. Just wanted to know who to inform of my resignation.”

“You’ve received an offer as well?” She asked.

“Intelligence, Counterintelligence and Strategy. A new division of the Konoha military. I anticipate that we’ll be working together a lot in future.”

“Indeed.”

A/N: We see some of the steps Shori is taking in the aftermath of the war to keep things on track and ultimately build a better village.