Konoha Police Force (Bonus Chapter for 'Rhaego Targaryen')

As they chatted, they passed through the deep, dim Forest, and pinpricks of lamplight came into view. The Police Force was finally visible in the distance.

They crossed the hundred-odd paces in an instant.

Sōken stopped before the Police Force building. Looking up beneath the moonlight, he could see the emblem mounted high above its front entrance: an Uchiha Gunbai embedded within a Shuriken. It was the symbol of the Konoha Police Force, representing the Uchiha Clan's ownership of the Police Force. It was Uchiha glory—and Uchiha shackles.

The Chunin clansman standing guard at the entrance was startled by the group's sudden arrival.

Seeing Clan Head Fugaku and Captain Yashiro appear out of nowhere, along with Sōken, Shisui, and a group of renowned Jonin from the clan, the extravagant lineup immediately brought an indescribable, crushing pressure down on him. His breathing quickened.

His mind began to race uncontrollably, wondering whether something major had happened.

Could it be that the clan was really going to break with the village and go to war?

The matter of plotting a Coup was still confined to only some of the Jonin. No matter what, they would not be so thoughtless as to tell Chunin and Genin about such a thing. But as the saying went, geese left cries as they flew overhead, and water left damp ground where it passed. Someone would always glimpse clues from the words and actions of their parents, relatives, and friends...

"Chief!"

"Captain Yashiro."

Seeing the group approach, the Chunin on duty did not dare to be negligent. Suppressing his chaotic thoughts, he hurried forward to bow in greeting.

"Gather every clansman currently on duty. Assemble on the Rooftop. Remember, everyone. No matter what work they're busy with, stop them and send them to the Rooftop. There's an important announcement." Fugaku Uchiha wasted no words and decisively carried out Sōken's will.

Setting aside his lack of independent judgment and his tendency to be easily influenced, the former clan head did possess ability and means. The fact that he had kept such a large Police Force in perfect order was proof enough that Fugaku Uchiha was not entirely useless.

Honestly, compared to being a decision-maker, Fugaku Uchiha was perhaps better suited to being an executor.

However, No matter how capable Fugaku Uchiha was, Sōken had no intention of giving the former clan head an important position.

It would be enough to give him some idle post and send him home to hold his refined wife close and work hard at adding more children to the clan. A new ruler brought new retainers; it was best if the ruler of the previous era did not come out and muddle people's hearts. Of course, this was not yet the time. He still needed Fugaku Uchiha's help to take over and gain control of the Police Force.

"Yes, Chief!!"

The Chunin guarding the entrance sprinted into the building to carry out the chief's orders.

Sōken's group did not enter through the doors. They leaped directly toward the Rooftop.

The Rooftop was an excellent place for a gathering.

The surrounding view was open, and it stood high above the ground, reducing the risk of being overheard. Its area was also more spacious than the lobby or Meeting Room. It was not just any one person—shinobi in general loved chatting with people on rooftops. Earlier, Sōken had revealed his ambitions to Shisui on a Rooftop and won Shisui's support.

The Police Force was no exception. This was not like Naka Shrine, where they had a Secret Chamber for holding meetings. By comparison, the Rooftop was naturally the best choice. Whenever there was an important announcement, they came to the Rooftop. If there were too many people for even the Rooftop to hold, then they could only go to the nearby large tactical Training Ground.

After waiting roughly twelve or thirteen minutes, The last patrol squads to be out on rounds hurried back as well. They had been contacted by Radio. Although radios could not yet be used for long-distance communication, they were perfectly suited for the Police Force. The Police Force generally operated within the village, so its range of activity would not exceed the radio's maximum distance.

"Narukami, is everyone here?"

The Rooftop was now packed with a sea of heads.

Fugaku Uchiha fixed his gaze on the man standing at the very front and asked.

"Chief, all 153 on-duty members of the Police Force are present. No one is absent or on leave," Narukami Uchiha, a man in his early thirties, answered solemnly.

One hundred fifty-three people.

That number was less than a third of the people listed on the Police Force roster.

But one only had to look up at the bright full moon, round as a jade disk, to understand why. If the Police Force did not need manpower for night patrols, there would not even be these hundred-plus people. At most, twenty or thirty people would have been left on duty.

The Administration Department and Education Department were the same.

Only the Medical Department had circumstances similar to the Police Force. They operated year-round without rest; whether it was day or night, people had to be on duty at all times.

"Listen carefully."

Fugaku Uchiha's fierce-looking face was indeed highly intimidating. The clansmen under his gaze did not even dare to breathe loudly. They merely pricked up their ears and waited for the clan head to speak. "I am no longer the Uchiha Clan's clan head, nor am I the chief of the Police Force."

This news struck the clansmen like a bolt from the blue.

They stared at Fugaku Uchiha with bewildered, shocked, and questioning eyes. They were so surprised that the entire crowd fell silent, not knowing what to say. Fugaku Uchiha gave them little time to process it before continuing, "Not long ago, witnessed jointly by myself, the Elders, and forty-seven Jonin of the clan, a new clan head was selected..."

"Leave the rest to me, Senior Fugaku."

Sōken stepped forward and interrupted Fugaku Uchiha's speech.

Fugaku Uchiha silently stopped speaking and took two steps back, fully placing Uchiha Sōken in the spotlight. That positioning alone was enough for the Police Force clansmen to realize the answer. The new clan head was fifteen-year-old Uchiha Sōken?

"Everyone!"

Sōken activated his Sharingan. His scarlet eyes swept across the 153 clansmen, whose expressions all differed, as he said slowly:

"I know you all have many questions, but unfortunately, I don't have much time to help put your minds at ease. You only need to know that, from this moment on, I—Uchiha Sōken—am the chief of the Police Force. From now on, every action you take will follow my command. If I tell you to go east, don't fucking go west. If I tell you to catch chickens, then honestly go to the pleasure district. In short, from now on, what I say goes here. Do you understand?"

After a brief silence, "Understood!"

The scattered responses were exactly what Sōken expected.

Most of these 153 people were looking at Sōken with confusion, doubt, defiance, and other such emotions.

The Police Force was different from the clan compound. This was the clan head's personal domain, where the Elders' authority could not be exercised—or rather, where the Elders would not interfere in Police Force matters. To keep Fugaku Uchiha from discovering him too early, Sōken had not developed many connections here before. Moreover, he had moved far too quickly this time; news of the change in clan head had not yet had time to spread among the clansmen.

Therefore, It was hardly surprising that the Police Force clansmen, hearing of this so suddenly, would react this way.

However, Hardly surprising did not mean Sōken would accept the situation.

Now that he had seized the position of clan head, he naturally needed to press his advantage and take the Police Force firmly into his grasp as well.