Chapter 8 – Arrangement
Root Headquarters
"My lord, the Third Hokage has sent someone to retrieve Shisui's left eye," reported a Root member.
Danzo gritted his teeth. "Go to the collection room and get a Sharingan."
"But, sir," the Root member hesitated, "we only have four Sharingan left."
Danzo slammed the armrest in frustration. "Are you deaf, old man!? If we don't hand over a Sharingan, things will spiral out of control."
"…Yes, sir."
The more Danzo thought about it, the angrier he became.
"Damn it! What a disgrace!"
His face was gloomy. He had never been outmanoeuvred like this before. He had suffered a profound loss today—trying to steal the chicken and losing the rice too.
Who would've thought Fugaku, usually so restrained, would play his hand so sharply?
By planting an elder as a "microphone" and exposing the truth about Shisui, he had openly gone against the village.
Danzo clenched his fists.
"I'll need to get some countermeasures ready…"
It was getting dark.
Fourth Elder Uchiha Yohei, who had barely rested, arrived early at the Konoha Police Department.
Every morning, members of the police force gathered to report for duty and switch shifts. Any issues would be handled in brief morning meetings.
When he entered his office, he was greeted with a pile of complaints—most of them accusing Uchiha members of excessive force during law enforcement.
Previously, Yohei had simply rotated the accused Uchiha officers to different districts to cool things off, without punishing anyone.
That way, complaints were technically addressed, and the officers remained untouched.
But today was different.
He picked up the feedback stamp engraved with "Suspended for Reflection" and began stamping the forms.
To speed things up, he used several shadow clones. After all, shadow clones were incredibly efficient for tasks like this.
In no time, every document had been processed.
Yohei reviewed the stamped forms. Based on this approach, around 80% of the garrison had just been suspended.
After all, most Uchiha were hawkish—prideful, bold, and quick to offend.
Even some dove-leaning members were affected.
When everyone had gathered, Yohei took out a list and began reading:
"Yuta, Yang Dou, Naoto, Yao, Kai…"
"All those I just named are suspended for reflection due to citizen complaints."
Before he could finish, the room erupted in protest:
"Elder Yohei! Is this some kind of mistake? Suspension!?"
Yohei shot a glare.
The room fell silent instantly.
"Idiots. Don't cause a scene. This is part of a larger plan. Go report to the Deputy Patriarch—immediately."
He gave a sharp glance to the crowd.
Most of those named were hawks—typically loyal to the Three Elders' line of thinking. After last night's incident with Kaien taking back Shisui's eye, everyone saw where he stood.
So, understanding Yohei's message, the hawks left quietly.
The police department suddenly felt empty.
Those who remained were either doves or neutral members—less aggressive and more rational, though often criticized by villagers for being too soft.
Yohei addressed the remaining members:
"Everyone who stayed, your patrol zones have been changed. From today onward, you'll only patrol properties owned by the Uchiha clan."
"You're not to interfere elsewhere. Protecting our clan's assets is your top priority. Understood?"
The remaining officers seemed satisfied. They were more rational and diplomatic by nature.
Now that they didn't need to patrol hostile territories and could focus on Uchiha lands, morale rose.
With renewed motivation, they quickly organized routes and left for patrol.
As the Third Hokage had predicted, Uchiha Fugaku requested a high-level meeting early in the morning.
Attendees included the Third Hokage, Hiashi Hyuga, Uchiha Fugaku, and Kaien.
Danzo, having lost face, remained hidden at Root headquarters and didn't attend.
Seeing Fugaku bring Kaien once again, the elders began whispering among themselves.
Is Fugaku grooming this guy to lead?
Unlike before, Fugaku seemed calm and humble.
"Hokage-sama," Fugaku said respectfully, "please forgive me. Last night's actions were out of urgency. I had to act fast."
The Hokage smiled warmly on the outside, but inside he was suspicious.
Wasn't Fugaku supposed to be here to cause trouble?
"Fugaku, you're being too polite," the Third Hokage replied. "Any clan would be shaken by what happened last night."
Fugaku nodded, then stepped aside to let Kaien speak.
Kaien spoke in a calm, measured tone.
"Our Patriarch recognizes the growing tension between the Police Force and the villagers. In the long term, this will harm Konoha's stability."
"Therefore, our Patriarch has decided to reform the garrison. All law enforcement members who were the subject of complaints have been suspended."
The Third Hokage raised his eyebrows.
What's going on here?
Most of the Uchiha have received complaints... Did they really suspend that many?
Kaien continued, "With most of the Uchiha officers suspended, the garrison now has many vacant positions."
"I've invited the Hyuga Patriarch here today to ask if the Hyuga clan can assist in filling some of those roles to maintain order."
"...What!?"
The Third Hokage and Hiashi Hyuga couldn't hide their shock.
The Police Force had always been Uchiha turf—outsiders never had a say.
Ninety percent of the force was made up of Uchiha. Their control over law enforcement was one of their key sources of power.
Letting Hyuga members join would drastically reduce Uchiha influence.
Does Fugaku want to show that he's letting go of power to gain favor?
Or is this some deeper alliance between Uchiha and Hyuga?
The Third Hokage couldn't tell for sure.
He replied diplomatically, "Deputy Patriarch Kaien, I'm glad to see Uchiha considering cooperation with the village. I have no objections. You and Hiashi should discuss the details."
Hiashi wasn't easily fooled by this sudden "gift."
He was suspicious—what scheme were the Uchiha playing?
But the opportunity was too good to pass up.
The Hyuga clan had been on the decline in recent years, losing their grip on village affairs.
If they could begin influencing the Police Force…
Hiashi smiled warmly at Kaien and Fugaku.
Kaien smiled back.
The Uchiha have been in the spotlight long enough, Kaien thought. Now, it's your turn to feel the heat, Hyuga.
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Translated By – Ancient Lores
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