Conflict

A group of four walked through the bustling commercial street towards the edge of the village.

As they drew closer to the large gate emblazoned with the Gunbai family crest, the lively, bustling sounds of the surroundings gradually faded, replaced by a suffocating silence.

This was the Uchiha clan's residential area.

Although there were no walls to separate it, the invisible wall of air was sturdier than any barrier.

As soon as they crossed the stone bridge over the boundary river, several figures seemed to teleport to the middle of the road, blocking their path.

They were three elders wearing deep blue, high-collared robes. Their hair was white, but their eyes were as sharp as a falcon's. Behind them followed several elite members of the Police Force with unfriendly expressions.

The elder at the forefront leaned on a cane, his face a mass of wrinkles like dried tree bark. Though his eyes were cloudy, they held the arrogance and scrutiny of someone who had held a position of power for a long time.

Uchiha Setsuna, an elder of the clan's radical faction and one of Uchiha Madara's most loyal followers.

"Fugaku."

Elder Setsuna's voice was hoarse and cold. He didn't use "Young Clan Leader" or "Captain," but addressed him by name directly.

"You've been causing quite a stir in the village lately. 'Crying for comrades,' 'tragic hero'… Hmph, you're utterly disgracing the noble face of the Uchiha!"

He slammed his cane heavily onto the bluestone slab, producing a crisp sound. With his experience, how could he not guess that Fugaku was behind the recent public opinion?

"Also, this is Uchiha's inner territory, not a place for just any cat or dog. Get these two outsiders out of here."

Setsuna's gaze swept over Nishikawa Tetsu and Namikaze Minato, his eyes filled with undisguised contempt, as if looking at two stray dogs that had wandered into a lion's den.

The smile on Namikaze Minato's face slightly faded. Although he was a good-natured person, such blatant humiliation was still uncomfortable.

Nishikawa Tetsu, on the other hand, remained expressionless, observing these old fossils with amusement.

This is the Uchiha clan's disease, he thought. These old guys should retire.

Uchiha Fugaku stopped, his relaxed expression from the barbecue restaurant instantly hardening like iron.

He took a step forward, shielding his two teammates. His dark eyes, which had not yet awakened the Sharingan, stared coldly at Setsuna.

"Elder Setsuna."

Fugaku's voice was not loud, but it carried a bloody aura from battlefield combat.

"First, that was a propaganda tactic to counter the higher-ups' suspicion. If you find it disgraceful, you can personally explain my Mangekyo to the Hokage and the village elders."

"Second, they are not just any cats or dogs. They are my teammates, my sworn brothers who fought alongside me and saved each other's lives on the Land of Rain battlefield."

"Third..."

Fugaku's aura suddenly erupted, a chilling wave of chakra causing the surrounding air temperature to drop several degrees instantly.

"I am the current Captain of the Police Force and the Young Clan Leader. Who I invite to my home is not your place to dictate."

"You..."

Elder Setsuna's expression changed. He clearly hadn't expected that Fugaku, who used to be aloof but still followed the rules, would become so forceful after returning from the battlefield.

The Police Force elites behind him subconsciously placed their hands on their sword hilts.

"What? You want to fight?"

Nishikawa Tetsu suddenly spoke.

He poked his head out from behind Fugaku, pointing to his still-unwashed casual clothes stained with oil, and smiled innocently.

"Seniors, you'd best think carefully before acting. Minato and I are currently the village's 'Heroes of the Rain,' even honored guests received by the Third Hokage himself."

"If we get beaten up in the Uchiha compound, I've already thought of tomorrow's headline for the Konoha Weekly—"

Nishikawa Tetsu paused, his tone becoming playful.

"'Shocking! Uchiha Elder Attacks War Heroes! Is This Human Nature's Distortion or Morality's Decay?'"

"You!" Elder Setsuna's beard trembled with anger, his finger shaking as he pointed at Nishikawa Tetsu, "Sharp-tongued brat!"

"Let him speak," Fugaku interrupted coldly. "I'm treating them to dinner today, and I'm not budging. Move aside."

The two sides were in a standoff for a full ten seconds.

Finally, intimidated by Fugaku's unyielding aura and Nishikawa Tetsu's highly damaging "headline threat," Elder Setsuna snorted and waved his hand, clearing the path.

"Fugaku, you will regret this."

"I am the Young Clan Leader!"

Fugaku led the three of them straight through the crowd, without looking back.

Fugaku's residence was a typical Japanese courtyard, quiet and elegant.

As the door was pushed open, the aroma of food wafted out, instantly dispelling the gloom from the entrance.

"Welcome home."

Uchiha Mikoto, wearing an apron, emerged from the kitchen carrying a pot of steaming Oden.

Seeing their grim expressions, she wisely didn't ask any questions, simply smiling gently. "Wash your hands and eat quickly. Today, I also tried making that... spicy flavor that Tetsu-kun mentioned."

The four of them sat around the low table.

After a few cups of hot tea, the atmosphere finally eased.

Nishikawa Tetsu spread the "Police Force Reform Plan" on the table. The little incident at the entrance earlier had actually served as the best opening.

"See?"

Nishikawa Tetsu gestured towards the door. "That's the resistance. Those elders treat the Police Force as Uchiha's private property, even a symbol of power. Getting them to give it up is harder than climbing to heaven."

"Hmph, a bunch of old relics clinging to the shattered dreams of a bygone era," Fugaku snorted, picking up a piece of radish and taking a hearty bite.

"Therefore, our reform cannot break through from within; we must introduce external forces."

Nishikawa Tetsu pointed to a few names on the plan with his chopsticks.

"The biggest problem with the Police Force right now is that while they hold the right to enforce the law, they don't have the right to interpret it or control public opinion."

"When the Uchiha arrest someone, it's seen as violent enforcement. If someone from the Hyuga clan were to make an arrest, it would be considered acting impartially. That's prejudice."

"What we need to do is dilute this prejudice."

Nishikawa Tetsu looked at Namikaze Minato.

"Minato, you have a good image and you're from a civilian background. If you could join the Police Force as a 'Special Advisor' or 'Police Force Squad Leader,' you would definitely build a bridge between the Uchiha and the civilians."

"I have no problem with that," Minato nodded, his expression serious. "As long as it can ease the relationship between the village and the Uchiha, I'm willing to do it."

"Minato alone isn't enough."

Nishikawa Tetsu shook his head. "Minato is still a Chunin, not influential enough to suppress those elders. We need more powerful allies."

He wrote three characters on the paper:

[Ino-Shika-Cho].

"The Nara clan?" Fugaku frowned. "They are staunch supporters of the Hokage, how could they help the Uchiha?"

"Precisely because they are the Hokage's people, we must win them over."

Nishikawa Tetsu analyzed, "Nara Shikaku is a smart man. The current Police Force is a hot potato, and also an independent kingdom. If the Uchiha proactively open up some of their power and invite the Nara clan to be responsible for the clerical and staff work of the Police Force, and invite the Yamanaka clan to be responsible for interrogations and intelligence..."

Nishikawa Tetsu's lips curved slightly. "This is equivalent to giving a portion of the Police Force's power to the Hokage faction. Would the Third Hokage refuse such a good opportunity to reclaim power? No."

"As long as the Third Hokage agrees, the elders' opposition will be useless. Because it will be the Hokage's order, not Fugaku's personal agenda."

This was an open scheme.

By sacrificing some benefits, they would gain political security and legitimacy.

The "Uchiha's Police Force" would become the "Konoha Joint Enforcement Department."

At that time, the Uchiha would still control the core military strength, but their reputation would improve immensely.

Fugaku listened to the plan, the light in his eyes growing brighter.

Although he wasn't adept at these intricate maneuvers, he could understand the immense value behind this plan.

This was about loosening the Uchiha's constraints.

"And the Hyuga clan."

Nishikawa Tetsu added the final blow. "Although the Hyuga and the Uchiha are at odds, as two powerful clans with dōjutsu, they share a common understanding in protecting the interests of powerful clans. If we can win over members of the Hyuga branch family to join the patrol teams, using the Byakugan's reconnaissance abilities to cooperate with the Sharingan's insight..."

"Then Konoha's crime rate will drop to the lowest," Minato eagerly chimed in.

"This requires immense courage."

Fugaku looked at the weighty plan before him and took a deep breath.

This was equivalent to him facing the wrath of all the elders alone in a family meeting, even being called a "traitor to the clan."

Mikoto gently held Fugaku's hand, her gaze firm yet tender.

Fugaku clasped her hand back, looked at Nishikawa Tetsu and Minato, and his hesitation completely vanished.

"In this world, someone has to be the madman who breaks the deadlock."

Fugaku picked up his teacup and drank it all down.

"Cheers."

"I'll submit the application tomorrow. Even if I have to flip the table, I will push this reform through."

Nishikawa Tetsu smiled.

He knew that this giant ship named Uchiha was finally starting to deviate from the iceberg it was destined to hit.

"But before that..." Nishikawa Tetsu pointed to the empty plates on the table. "Mikoto-nee, could I have another bowl of rice? This spicy oden is so good with rice."