"You are not welcome here."
Zhiyan's expression remained dark and unwelcoming, clearly showing no intention of stepping aside.
As the standoff between the two continued—neither willing to yield—Hiko, who had been resting in his office, opened the door and stepped outside.
"Are you two going to fight or what?"
Leaning lazily against the doorframe, Yan looked at them with a faint smirk, clearly amused by the tension.
As the team leader of the Konoha Military Police Force's Third Division, Shisui had his pride and responsibilities. Backing down in public wasn't something he could easily allow.
On the other hand, Zhiyan's animosity toward Shisui was well-known. Due to long-standing personal grievances, he'd always shown open hostility toward him, and their meetings frequently turned sour.
"Count yourself lucky."
Zhiyan, after a long stare at Shisui, finally took a step back, albeit grudgingly.
Yan walked forward, then turned to Shisui and asked, "What do you need from me?"
"Just want to talk somewhere quiet," Shisui replied, slightly tilting his head.
"Alright."
After a few seconds of thought, Yan agreed.
He was curious—why had Shisui sought him out now? Could it be related to Anbu surveillance or the Third Hokage's suspicions?
That made little sense. He hadn't even approached Naruto yet. Why were they already so on edge?
The two left the Police Department together and walked silently through the district. After a long pause, Shisui suddenly spoke.
"Zhiyan has changed quite a bit."
"It's alright. After my 'therapy,' his brain works a bit better now," Yan replied casually, brushing it off.
They continued toward the edge of the Uchiha district, eventually stopping in a secluded training field surrounded by forest. The place was clearly hidden, and numerous damaged wooden targets still stood—evidence of frequent, intensive training.
Shisui knelt and began organizing the scattered debris, gathering broken targets and adjusting the worn-out tree stumps. Yan stood off to the side, arms crossed, quietly observing.
When Shisui finished, he wiped sweat from his brow, hands on his hips, and smiled as memories flickered in his eyes.
"This is where Itachi and I used to train together all the time."
Yan gave a subtle nod.
"I heard the young patriarch recently passed the solo Chūnin exam. Set a new record, didn't he?"
Shisui's mouth twitched slightly. He knew how much Itachi disliked that title.
"Yeah, he graduated and left his genin team. Right now, he's waiting for new arrangements from the clan head."
Without dragging on about Itachi, Shisui jumped straight to the point.
"Yan, what you're doing is dangerous. The village has made it clear—Uchiha are not allowed to go near Naruto."
"And Anbu are tailing you."
So they'd finally noticed.
A faint gleam flickered in Yan's eyes. He rubbed his chin with his right hand, pretending to ponder deeply.
"All of Konoha knows the village monitors the Uchiha after the Nine-Tails incident. That's no secret."
"But when did I, Uchiha Hiko, ever get close to Naruto?"
"What, because I eat breakfast across from the ninja academy?"
"..."
Shisui was speechless. That was a painfully solid excuse. Technically, Konoha had no restrictions on who could be near the academy. Having breakfast nearby wasn't a crime. Even if Hiko did laps around the school daily, the most they could do was keep watching him.
After all, he was Uchiha. Of course Anbu would watch.
"But do you really need to be there every day when the students arrive?"
"Yan, are you eating, or are you watching something else?"
Shisui pressed further.
"You're aware of how tense things are between the clan and the village. Any small slip-up could worsen the situation. I just hope—"
"You trying to teach me how to behave?"
Yan's tone turned icy, his gaze sharpened with irritation.
"I, Uchiha Hiko, don't need anyone telling me what to do."
"That's not what I meant! I just—" Shisui began to explain.
Yan cut him off coldly.
"And another thing—remember your place. You don't have the authority to demand anything from me. If you want to command me, go ahead. Do it after you become clan head."
With that, the conversation ended bitterly.
Yan turned and left, his figure fading into the forest. Shisui sat down on one of the damaged stumps, running a hand through his hair in frustration and muttering with a bitter smile:
"Itachi, am I just a failure?"
In the shadows of the forest, another presence emerged—silent and calm. Itachi had been there the whole time, hiding his chakra and watching.
"It's possible... Hokage-sama is just being overly cautious," Itachi said as he stepped forward.
He understood Shisui's turmoil. The two of them were allies, both trying to prevent a civil war between the Uchiha and the village. Shisui wanted to defuse the growing tension by talking to Hiko—unfortunately, it didn't go well.
Yan had always been strange. Itachi had heard numerous reports about his unusual behavior, but the truth was, he'd never actually approached Naruto. Still, the higher-ups were taking precautions.
"I hope so."
Shisui sighed again, his shoulders slumping, then stood up and slapped Itachi on the back, forcing a smile.
"But hey, young patriarch—breaking records already. What's next? Joining the Police Department?"
Itachi, who saw Shisui as both a brother and a friend, rolled his eyes at the tease.
"We'll see what Father decides."
As the clan prodigy and son of the clan head, Itachi had no say in his path. Whatever Fugaku arranged, he had to follow.
"You training today?"
"Mm."
Meanwhile, after separating from Shisui, Yan walked back alone through the quiet streets of the Uchiha district, deep in thought.
Time was running out.
With Itachi already past the Chūnin exam, his entry into Anbu was imminent.
When Yan first awoke in this world—reincarnated as a member of the Uchiha—he wasn't exactly overjoyed. He had hoped he'd arrived early enough to steer events away from disaster.
Unfortunately, he had arrived just three years before the Uchiha massacre.
If he let history play out the same, nothing would change.
Even if Obito decided not to attack, Danzo would never let the Uchiha survive.
Someone needed to stand up—and flip the table.
Half a year of observation and analysis led him to one conclusion: the only way for Uchiha to escape their fate was through drastic change.
If they couldn't change how the village saw them, then they needed to change themselves from within.
He believed that if the Uchiha could truly unite—if they could stand as one—then even Danzo would hesitate to make a move.
If that happened, just the thought of Uchiha rising might make the Third Hokage think twice.
The first step: overturn the current system from within the clan.
Start by confronting it at the next clan meeting.
When Yan returned to the police station, Zhiyan immediately walked up to him.
"Captain, what did that guy want?"
"Nothing serious. Just a little chat."
Yan patted his subordinate's shoulder, smiling slightly to put him at ease.
"Everyone, prep for patrol. The clan meeting is tonight. Wrap up your rounds early. Also, remind the personnel department—stop dragging their feet. What's with the delay in selections?"
The team quickly mobilized. Fortunately, no troublemakers appeared in their patrol area that day.
As night fell, Yan bathed and changed into clean clothes before heading toward the Uchiha ancestral hall.
After the Senju had faded into civilian life, and the shameless Sarutobi claimed the mantle of "commoner clan," the Uchiha remained the largest and most intact family in the village.
Still, entry to the ancestral hall for clan meetings was limited to key members.
Unlike the bustling residential areas, the ancestral grounds were quiet and solemn.
As always, the seats reserved for the patriarch and elders were empty for now. Most of the other clan representatives had arrived.
Shisui was already there, but the younger members of the clan kept their distance. No one wanted to sit near him.
"Captain, this way."
Yan walked in…