The New Police Force

On the training grounds of the Police Force building, two distinct lines of people stood facing each other.

The line on the left consisted entirely of individuals in dark blue, high-collared uniforms, the Uchiha clan crest emblazoned on their backs. They held their chins high with arrogant expressions, the elite Uchiha who remained after the purge.

The line on the right was far more disorganized. It included civilian ninja wearing green vests, members of the Hyuga branch family in mesh undershirts, and even a few people from other clans chewing on potato chips with looks of weary annoyance.

This was the first time in the Police Force's decades of existence that such a motley crew had gathered.

"Are these the new recruits? They look like weaklings," a young Uchiha team member sneered, crossing his arms and casting a provocative glance at the other side.

"The Police Force is for catching criminals, not a daycare. Especially you, with your cataracts, what are you Hyuga doing here? Coming to get pushed around?"

"Cataracts?"

Across the way, a young man from the Hyuga branch family felt veins bulge on his forehead. His Byakugan instantly activated, and he assumed a Gentle Fist stance. "Uchiha's red-eye disease, want to try the taste of Gentle Fist?"

"Bring it on! Scared of you?"

Seeing that the two sides were about to clash as soon as they met, the air grew thick with tension.

"Silence."

There was no roar, no burst of chakra.

Just a calm voice, accompanied by a flash of gold.

Namikaze Minato appeared instantly between the two lines, holding the thick volume of the "New Police Regulations," a smile on his face that was impossible to fault.

"According to the new regulations, Chapter 3, Article 5: Internal brawlers will have their entire month's performance bonus deducted and will be responsible for cleaning all toilets in the Police Force for one month."

Minato squinted and smiled. "I don't think any of you would want the entire village to know that the elite ninja of the Police Force are scrubbing toilets, right?"

"..."

"Hmph," the Uchiha team member turned his head away.

The Hyuga youth also snorted and lowered his stance.

If anyone else had said this, they might have argued, but facing the person who had annihilated the entire Third Division, both the Uchiha and the Hyuga maintained a rational silence.

Before the floor-to-ceiling window on the second floor.

Uchiha Fugaku stood with his hands behind his back, observing the scene below, a flicker of complexity in his eyes.

"Can they really integrate?" Fugaku asked the young man behind him. "Wolves and sheep, or wolves and another pack of wolves."

"It's not integration, it's adaptation," Nishikawa Tetsu replied, flipping through the day's financial reports. "As long as there are common interests and common rules, even if they dislike each other, they can work together. That's how the workplace is."

He pointed to the Hyuga clan below. "The Hyuga branch family members have a hard time getting ahead under the main family's oppression. The Police Force gives them a platform for promotion and showcasing their strength. The Nara clan wants to slack off, but the Police Force's high subsidies make it impossible for them to refuse. As for the Uchiha..."

Nishikawa Tetsu smiled. "They need to learn that this world isn't just about the Sharingan."

In the first week of reforms, the villagers of Konoha noticed that the once intimidating Police Force had changed.

On the commercial street, outside the dango shop.

"My cat! My Little Dragon is lost!" a plump noblewoman, a distant relative of the current Daimyo's wife, wailed dramatically.

Normally, the Police Force would have likely responded coldly with, "File a mission request for such a minor issue," and then turned away.

But today.

"Please describe the cat's features, madam," an Uchiha team member said, his face still showing a hint of impatience, but he took out a notebook.

Beside him, a Hyuga branch family member had already activated his Byakugan, his gaze penetrating through layers of buildings.

"Two o'clock direction, behind the chimney on the roof three streets away, there's an orange cat sleeping," the Hyuga team member reported precisely.

"Received."

A flash of gold.

In less than ten seconds, Namikaze Minato returned to the spot holding the still bewildered orange cat and gently placed it back in the noblewoman's arms.

"Is this the one?" Minato asked with a smile.

"Ah! My Little Dragon! Thank you so much! Wuwuwu, the Police Force is truly reliable!" The noblewoman, excited, tried to hug Minato, who politely dodged using the Body Flicker Technique.

The Uchiha team member nearby watched this scene. Although he pursed his lips, when he heard the applause from the surrounding crowd, he unconsciously straightened his back and adjusted his collar.

This feeling of being thanked... perhaps, it wasn't so bad?

Meanwhile, in the Police Force's archives.

This area had been converted into a temporary "Intelligence Analysis Center."

Nara Shikahisa clutched his hair in distress as he looked at the mountain of scrolls piled before him. "I knew it... I knew it was a huge pit! Why were there so many unsolved cases accumulated before?! Why did the old man make me come here?!"

"Because before, we only focused on arrests, not closing cases."

Nishikawa Tetsu brought a new stack of files to the table. "The capable should bear more burdens. Based on my organization of the case files, I've discovered an interesting statistic."

"What is it?" Shikaku asked listlessly.

"Within Konohagakure, the number of missing persons has increased by 15% in the last six months, and most of them are displaced refugees and orphans without any background."

Nishikawa Tetsu pulled out a map, which was marked with dense red dots.

"These disappearance locations, while seemingly random, if you combine them with the routes of the underground sewers..."

Nishikawa Tetsu drew several lines on the map with a red pen. Ultimately, all the lines pointed to an abandoned experimental area on the outskirts of the village.

Shikaku's eyes instantly sharpened, his laziness vanishing completely.

"Are you saying... someone is trafficking people within the village?"

"Trafficking requires channels, requires leaving the village. But the border is so tightly sealed now, escape is impossible."

A cold glint flashed in Nishikawa Tetsu's eyes. "If they can't get out, and no bodies have been found, then there's only one possibility—they're being 'consumed' within the village."

"Human experimentation?" Shikaku's voice was very low.

Nishikawa Tetsu calmly analyzed, "Although the war just ended, the Sannin and Konoha White Fang haven't returned yet. The village's defenses seem empty, but this is precisely when certain rats are most active."

White Fang had only returned to the village a short while ago before heading to the battlefield again. Fortunately, the war had finally ended a while ago.

Shikaku fell silent.

Excluding Orochimaru, there was only one person in Konoha with such capabilities and who acted so darkly.

"Danzo..." Shikaku whispered the name.

"Root has been recruiting and training orphans in large numbers recently, but the number of disappearances far exceeds the losses from training."

Nishikawa Tetsu handed Shikaku a pre-prepared Joint Surprise Inspection Operation Plan.

"This is an opportunity, Shikaku."

"Captain Fugaku needs a major case to establish his authority and solidify the results of his Police Force reforms. And Lord Hokage... I believe he also needs someone to give that old friend a warning, to let him know that hands that reach too far will be chopped off."

"If, during our 'search for missing persons,' we accidentally stumble upon one of Root's bases..."

Shikaku looked at Nishikawa Tetsu. For the first time, a hint of deep apprehension appeared in his usually sleepy eyes.

This youth, who was a little younger than himself, was not only scheming against the Uchiha, but was now pointing his blade at Root.

"...What a terrifying kid."

Shikaku sighed and picked up his pen, signing his name on the plan.

"This matter must be reported to the Third Hokage. If we're going to move against them, the Police Force alone won't suffice; the Anbu must be present as witnesses."

"Naturally."

Nishikawa Tetsu collected the documents and turned to leave.

"Minato is already waiting outside. Tonight, Konoha's sewers might get a little lively."

He walked out of the archives, the sunlight falling warmly.

Nishikawa Tetsu looked back at the Hokage Rock.

The development of Scientific Ninja Tools required a vast amount of funds and materials. Root's warehouses should contain many good things, right?

After all, as the Police Force, confiscating "illegal gains" was perfectly reasonable.