Nara Shikaku

The Nara Clan's compound was located on Konoha's western side, where the vegetation grew thick and Sika deer could be seen strolling leisurely everywhere.

Compared to the tense, murderous atmosphere of the Uchiha Clan Compound, this place was so quiet it felt almost languid.

"Do we really have to go?"

Uchiha Fugaku stood at the Nara Clan's gate, straightening his slightly wrinkled collar. His expression was even stiffer than it had been when facing Hanzō.

As the Uchiha's Young Clan Leader, he was making the first-ever visit to another clan to seek cooperation. The pride etched into his bones made him feel deeply uncomfortable.

"Your pride, senior."

Nishikawa Tetsu stood behind him, carrying two bottles of fine liquor he had taken from the Uchiha Clan. "Think about the support the reforms will bring. Think about Mikoto's smile. Get the 'deer' on board, and you've got the whole 'Ino-Shika-Cho.'"

At the mention of Mikoto, Fugaku took a deep breath. The urge to turn around and leave was immediately suppressed. He wanted Mikoto and their future children to live in a Konoha without prejudice.

"Let's go."

The person waiting at the gate was a boy who looked only eleven or twelve, with a pineapple-shaped haircut sticking straight up.

He yawned, wearing an expression that said, "What a pain," as he looked at Fugaku, who was only a few years older, and Nishikawa Tetsu, who was his age.

"Fugaku, senior... Dad's waiting inside."

The boy was Nara Shikaku. He had graduated from the Ninja Academy not long ago, and had yet to develop the air of Konoha's chief strategist he would one day possess. For now, he was mostly just a lazy teenager.

"Sorry for the trouble, Shikaku," Fugaku said with a nod.

Nishikawa Tetsu glanced at Shikaku. They hadn't spoken much at the Ninja Academy, and they hadn't been in the same class.

Led by Shikaku, the two crossed the courtyard and entered a spacious Japanese-style room.

A man in his prime sat cross-legged before a shogi board, a piece pinched between his fingers. His brow was furrowed as if he were considering his next move.

He had a full beard and several faint scars on his face, mementos of the First Shinobi World War.

His posture was languid, but a sharp glint occasionally flashed in his eyes.

The current head of the Nara Clan and Leader of the Jonin Squad—Nara Shikaku.

"Well, this is a rare sight. The Uchiha Clan's Young Clan Leader."

Nara Shikaku placed his piece and looked up at the two who had entered. His gaze lingered on Nishikawa Tetsu for a moment before turning to Fugaku. "Shouldn't you be at the Police Force dealing with all those complaints flying around? What brings you to my quiet little corner?"

"Shikaku, senior, I have an important matter to discuss."

Fugaku sat across from him, keeping his demeanor humble.

He knew very well that the man before him was one of Konoha's top strategists. There was no point trying to outmaneuver him.

"I need the Nara Clan's help with reforming the Police Force."

"What a pain..."

Nara Shikaku scratched his head. He didn't even take the fine liquor Fugaku offered. "I knew it. With the Uchiha making such a fuss lately, there was bound to be trouble. The Police Force is a mess. The Second Hokage set it aside for you as your own territory, and the higher-ups have their eyes on it. A small clan like the Nara, which hates trouble, has no desire to get involved."

His refusal was blunt, and entirely in keeping with the Nara Clan's philosophy: stay out of trouble and protect yourself.

"What if I told you this isn't getting involved, but sharing power?"

Nishikawa Tetsu, who had been standing to one side, suddenly spoke.

He stepped forward and set the two bottles beside the shogi board, then pulled the revised Police Force Reform Proposal from his robes and gently slid it in front of Shikaku.

"Clan Head Nara, you're a smart man. You can see the state of Konoha right now."

Nishikawa Tetsu's voice was calm and rational, nothing like that of a ten-year-old. "The Uchiha Clan is like a pressure cooker, and the pressure's at its limit. If it explodes, it won't just hurt the Uchiha. All of Konoha will suffer. As the Hokage's right-hand man, do you really want to see that happen?"

Nara Shikaku's sleepy-looking eyes narrowed slightly. His lazy air vanished, replaced by a scrutinizing gaze.

"Nishikawa Tetsu... the kid who started poison gas warfare in the Land of Rain?" Shikaku didn't look at the proposal. Instead, he stared at Nishikawa Tetsu. "Did you write this?"

"It was Captain Fugaku's idea. I just put it into words and polished it," Nishikawa Tetsu said, stepping back with practiced humility and letting Fugaku take the credit.

Shikaku said nothing. He seemed to see through the clumsy modesty, but didn't call it out. Instead, he picked up the proposal and began to read.

At first, he merely skimmed it without much interest.

But as he read on, his fingers tightened around the scroll, and he straightened his cross-legged posture slightly.

"Bringing in shinobi from other clans... a community patrol system... even joint law enforcement?"

The more Shikaku read, the more astonished he became. He looked up and regarded the young Uchiha Fugaku in an entirely new light.

"Fugaku, do you know what this means? You're taking down the Uchiha's walls of your own accord and handing over power. Aren't you afraid those old diehards in your clan will tear you apart?"

"If they want to, they'll have to break a few teeth first," Fugaku said coldly, a fierce glint in his eyes. "For the clan to survive, some rotten flesh has to be cut away."

"Impressive resolve."

Nara Shikaku closed the scroll and tapped the table lightly with his fingers, producing a steady rhythm.

He was calculating.

As one of Konoha's strategists, he immediately saw the immense political value behind the proposal.

The Uchiha were making concessions of their own accord. This could ease their tensions with the village, and, more importantly, it was a perfect opportunity to bring the Police Force under the Hokage's authority for real.

If the Nara Clan took on advisory and administrative duties, the Yamanaka Clan handled interrogations and intelligence, and the Akimichi Clan took responsibility for enforcement and logistics—

Then the Uchiha could be thoroughly tamed through legal authority and procedure, while the Ino-Shika-Cho Clans greatly increased their political influence in the village.

This would benefit the Hokage, the village, and the Nara Clan even more.

The only downside was... it would keep them very busy.

"Sigh..."

Shikaku let out a long sigh and looked toward the doorway, where his son Shikaku was eavesdropping. "Shikaku, go get my tea set."

Shikaku, standing outside, pursed his lips and walked away.

Fugaku and Nishikawa Tetsu exchanged a glance.

They had him.

"Still, this proposal alone won't be enough."

Shikaku pointed to one of its provisions. "If you want the Third Hokage—and the other higher-ups—to agree, you'll need a way in."

"What kind of way in?" Fugaku asked.

"Since the war ended, problems with displaced civilians and injured shinobi have caused a spike in public-order cases. Anbu is short-staffed."

A sharp glint flashed in Shikaku's eyes. "Tomorrow, I'll submit a proposal to the Hokage in the name of the Jonin Squad, recommending stronger postwar public-order management. I'll suggest expanding the Police Force's responsibilities and bringing in elite shinobi from other clans to help. Then you can present your reform proposal at just the right moment."

Nishikawa Tetsu silently admired him. As expected of Shikaku—an old hand knew how to get things done.

It wouldn't be a request from the Uchiha. It would be something the village needed.

With that deft use of borrowed momentum, the Uchiha's forced reforms would become a proactive response to the village's call.

"Thank you," Fugaku said, nodding solemnly.

"Don't thank me just yet."

Shikaku opened the liquor Nishikawa Tetsu had brought and savored its aroma. At last, a satisfied smile appeared on his face.

Then he looked at Nishikawa Tetsu, his gaze meaningful. "Would you be interested in an internship with our Jonin Squad?"

Nishikawa Tetsu shook his head. "I'm only a Chunin. You're too kind."

By the time they left the Nara Clan compound, night had fallen.

Uchiha Fugaku's steps were noticeably lighter. At last, part of the boulder weighing on his heart had been lifted.

"So this is what politics is like?" Fugaku looked up at the moon and sighed. "It's more exhausting than killing people in the Land of Rain."

"Ninjutsu is a fight against nature. Politics is a fight against people's hearts."

Nishikawa Tetsu walked beside him. "Getting Nara Shikaku on board means getting the Ino-Shika-Cho Clans on board. With them putting in a good word to the Hokage, we've got an eighty percent chance of success."

"What about the other twenty percent?"

"The other twenty percent is Danzo."

Nishikawa Tetsu's gaze turned cold. "That old bastard will never sit by and watch the Uchiha change. He'll definitely try to sabotage us."

"What can he do? The tide's already turning."

"Create an incident." Nishikawa Tetsu stopped and looked into the shadows. "For example... make the Police Force commit an unforgivable mistake on the eve of the reforms."

Just then, a black crow swooped down from the sky and landed on Fugaku's shoulder.

It was an emergency messenger bird used by the Uchiha Clan.

Fugaku removed the message tube from the crow's leg and unfolded the note. His expression instantly turned livid, and even the hand holding the paper trembled.

"Something's happened."

Fugaku's voice was thick with barely contained fury.

"Just now, several hardliners under Elder Setsuna were patrolling the streets when they beat up some drunk villagers, claiming they were 'acting suspiciously.'"

"And... one of the villagers is said to be critically injured. They've already taken him to Konoha Hospital."

"Have they confirmed who the villager is?" Nishikawa Tetsu asked calmly.

"Not yet, but the note says the villager seems to have deliberately provoked the patrol before he was beaten."

At that, a cold smile tugged at Nishikawa Tetsu's lips.

"No need to check. There's an eighty percent chance he's one of Danzo's people."

"Danzo has made his move, just as expected."

In Naruto, you could never go wrong pinning something like this on Danzo.

Nishikawa Tetsu looked at Fugaku without a trace of panic in his eyes. "That's what this is: even when there's no conflict, you create one."

"Let's go, senior." Nishikawa Tetsu adjusted his arm guard.

"Looks like we're working late at the Police Force tonight. Whether we can hold on to the gains of the reforms will depend on how we handle this 'incident' tonight."