Konoha Village.
Still quiet, still peaceful on the surface.
Even though Root had lost over twenty Jounin that night, not a ripple appeared in the village.
Because these shinobi… didn't exist.
From the moment they entered Root, their ninja registration was erased. They were nothing but wraiths, without names or records. Even in death, no one knew of them.
Forget about having their names inscribed on the Memorial Stone—even a proper burial was impossible. That same night, the Uchiha buried the corpses with Earth Style, washed the blood away with Water Style, and left nothing behind.
Only the village's higher-ups knew.
Even the great clans began to keep secret watch.
Yes—no one was a fool.
Everyone could tell that the clash at the Police Force headquarters that night was a battle between the Uchiha and the Konoha leadership.
And the shredded bodies left on the ground were proof of how brutal it had been.
The Uchiha had been killed.
This was not a good sign. Who could guess what those Uchiha might do once they went mad?
So, though the village looked calm, within the clans, tension suddenly spiked.
As for the Uchiha clan, only a handful of upper ranks knew the truth. Ordinary clansmen's lives were mostly unchanged.
Uchiha Setsuna had wanted to stir trouble.
But this time… before Uchiha Kai even needed to step in, Fugaku himself had suppressed him.
Yes—Fugaku of the "Fierce Eyes" title wasn't just for show.
Before, he had hesitated, wavered, unable to decide. That was because whether radical or moderate, the factions' plans were crude, with no hope of success in his eyes.
But Kai was different.
Not only was he powerful, but he also had the mind for strategy.
He saw the larger picture clearly, understood the psychology of the higher-ups, and could even reconstruct the truth of old incidents with his analysis.
Every plan he made was layered, phased, and detailed. There were no glaring flaws.
In contrast—the moderates spoke of reconciliation with the village, but had no actual plan.
The radicals shouted rebellion, but when it came to details? Nothing but hot air.
In this situation, who could Fugaku trust, if not Kai?
So, without question—
Before Shisui could even stir up trouble, Fugaku himself stepped in, dug up some dirt on him, scolded him severely, and confined him to "reflect in seclusion."
No killing, but a form of house arrest—simple enough.
Time passed slowly.
The orders Kai had given began to ferment.
Under Tekka's organization, the Uchiha Police Force began to "slack off." The plan was now in motion.
Of course, many clansmen resisted, some even going to Fugaku with complaints.
Fugaku wavered.
But after another deep talk with Kai, he ruthlessly refused them. Kai then issued a ministerial order: those who resisted were expelled from the Police Force and reassigned by Fugaku to guard the clan's merchant caravans.
As Kai put it: What we're doing now is no different from rebellion. We cannot afford soft hearts.
If every clansman couldn't be persuaded, then unite the majority and abandon the few. Otherwise, letting dissidents roam free would only sabotage the cause.
If they failed, the entire clan would be doomed.
There was no room for sentiment.
Fugaku was convinced.
And so, those who resisted were essentially exiled.
Meanwhile, most who remained in the Police Force had seen Kai's overwhelming might. They naturally became his loyal followers.
Even many radicals, with Shisui confined and Tekka pulling them in, shifted to Kai's side.
Once the obstacles were cleared, the plan advanced.
And the Police Force changed completely.
The Uchiha grew lazy—training, or taking private jobs, but not doing their duties.
At first, the villagers cheered.
They felt the oppressive mountain on their backs had finally been lifted.
After all, thanks to the Hokage's propaganda and the Uchiha's heavy-handed law enforcement, the civilians held little goodwill toward the Police Force.
Many even believed Konoha would be better without them.
Now their wish was granted—why wouldn't they celebrate?
But sadly… their laughter didn't last.
With the Police Force slacking off, family quarrels, neighborhood disputes, brawls—
All erupted at once.
And that wasn't even the worst part—petty thieves and local thugs now ran rampant.
The damage they caused made Konoha's public security deteriorate overnight.
Only then did the people realize—things had been different before.
Back then, with the Police Force around, Konoha wasn't like this.
Now—
They began to miss the Uchiha.
Yes, the Uchiha were harsh, even violent. But they had protected the villagers' safety.
Now, without them—
Life was unsafe everywhere.
Suddenly, the villagers remembered the Uchiha with fondness, even finding their former roughness almost… comforting.
Half a month later.
At the Police Force headquarters, a crowd of villagers blocked the entrance, shouting loudly.
"My money was stolen! The thief was Fuyong Kawaki! Why aren't you arresting him?"
"Yesterday Yabuki Hiroki beat me! Police Force, I demand justice!"
"Three days ago, someone ate at my tavern, refused to pay, and smashed the place up! Police Force, do something!"
"…!"
Their voices overlapped into chaos. The gates were jammed with bodies.
Everyone demanded the same thing—
For the Uchiha to return to how they were before, to once again uphold order.
Even brutal law enforcement was better than no law enforcement.
At last, after half an hour of shouting, Tekka walked out.
Seeing the restless sea of villagers, he recalled Kai's instructions. Clearing his throat, he raised his voice.
"Everyone, quiet down a moment!"
"I understand your dissatisfaction with the Police Force. But we, too, have our difficulties!"
"Like this villager who mentioned the thief—you may name the culprit, but we don't yet have the evidence. You must be patient."
"Believe in the Police Force. We will give you a satisfactory answer."
"As for the villager who was beaten—please first visit Konoha Hospital for an injury report. We will collect evidence as soon as possible, but such things take time. Trust us."
"And to the tavern owner—please provide us with valid proof. Once verified, we will make an arrest. If you lack evidence, don't worry—give us time to investigate, and we'll act swiftly."
"…"
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