Police Force Reform!

The next day!

Early in the morning, Uchiha White Dove, who had spent the night studying the Mangekyo and made a discovery, arrived at the Konoha Military Police Force.

"Captain White Dove!"

"Captain White Dove!"

The continuous, enthusiastic shouts showed just how popular White Dove had become.

Not only had he slapped the village leaders in the face right there yesterday, he had also won them a share of the missions, gotten the surveillance called off, and cleared their name over the Nine-Tails' rampage. If his system panel had a "prestige" attribute, it would have maxed out long ago.

"Mm!"

White Dove nodded with a faint smile. His gaze swept over the notice board between the two entrances. It was covered with trivial matters like catching cats, finding dogs, and breaking up fights.

It would be more accurate to call this place the Department of Odd Jobs than the Police Force.

After he entered the building, he saw the broad hall filled with Uchiha whose spirits were completely different from before. They stood at attention, watching White Dove and the others enter with bright eyes.

White Dove didn't greet the Police Force members.

The urgent task now was to consolidate his authority, not waste time on this.

Rumble!

Tekka and Inabi slid the meeting room's doors open to either side, revealing the Police Force's senior and mid-level officers, who had arrived early.

The Konoha Military Police Force!

It was the Uchiha Clan's own territory. It was divided into four divisions, each with four companies, and each company with four squads. The entire force numbered several hundred, all of them shinobi. It was the Uchiha Clan's armed organization.

Here, even the people who cleaned the place were Uchiha.

Today's meeting was naturally being held to mark White Dove taking charge.

There usually weren't this many people around.

"Captain!!" N

Their loud, orderly voices made their attitude abundantly clear.

They supported him!

They supported him wholeheartedly.

After all, whatever else could be said, White Dove wouldn't go easy on Konoha's unruly civilians.

Shinobi above all!

That was his philosophy.

When Uchiha Fugaku was in charge, even if they enforced the rules a little strictly—or simply did their jobs—they'd be called into his office and lectured for ages.

They hadn't been deliberately picking on anyone, but whenever villagers complained, they'd get an earful.

Now, the Police Force was about to welcome its "new king."

Uchiha White Dove!

Though he'd only taken over yesterday, he was already a "new captain" they looked forward to with great anticipation.

Uchiha Fugaku wasn't there today.

After White Dove had stripped him of his position as Police Force Captain in front of so many people yesterday, he'd been left with no way to save face.

So, the previous night, he'd sent Uchiha Yakumi to deliver some of the documents and tokens of authority that only a captain could access. Then he'd stayed away from the Police Force.

As the former captain who'd been forced out, how could he show his face here? He'd shut himself away at home.

White Dove didn't make a show of going to pay him a visit, either.

He didn't like Fugaku, and he made no effort to hide it.

After all, anyone who knew what Fugaku had done, as well as what he'd do in the future, couldn't possibly feel any warmth toward him.

"Take your seats!"

White Dove walked to the seat beneath the clan crest at the head of the room and sat down.

Swish, swish!

More than ten company commanders and all four division commanders were present.

Tekka and Inabi were company commanders, too, but they didn't take their seats. Instead, they stood behind White Dove, making it clear that they were attending the meeting as his followers, not as Uchiha company commanders.

"I've called this meeting to announce a few things!"

White Dove spoke.

Even though these Uchiha were all company or division commanders, and were older than him, the Shinobi World didn't care about seniority. It cared about strength.

After he defeated Uchiha Fugaku, he became the "strongest Uchiha." Shisui, who'd once held that title, had disappeared, so there was no dispute over who was strongest.

That was why they'd accepted him taking over as Police Force Captain so quickly.

To put it bluntly, even Uchiha Fugaku wasn't standing up for himself. What right did they have to stand up for him?

Besides, the one taking over was a strong man they were all happy to accept.

"The first thing is that we're going to reform how the Police Force enforces the law!"

White Dove had wanted to reform the Police Force for a long time.

He simply hadn't had the authority or the strength to do so before.

"Reform?"

Everyone focused on that word.

"That's right." White Dove nodded and explained, "We're shinobi, not errand boys. From now on, shinobi will handle shinobi matters, and ordinary people will handle ordinary people's matters. Ordinary patrol and enforcement duties will be handled by teams of civilians. If they run into trouble, Uchiha squads will step in!"

The village had some nerve, making shinobi act as "city managers."

It was like using a cannon to swat a mosquito. It wasn't merely a waste; it was an utter waste.

As far as White Dove was concerned, elite Uchiha like them were never suited to this sort of work.

It wasted their time and energy!

They'd be better off using that time to improve their abilities as shinobi.

So, most of the work would be handled by "temporary workers" from now on, while the Uchiha would just provide armed support.

And then it would be someone else who got the complaints.

Without having to clash directly with the villagers, the Uchiha could naturally improve their reputation.

Especially when it came to public opinion. Since the village leaders could work so hard to smear them, he could just as easily turn the Uchiha into a pitiful clan of strong, beautiful victims.

"But the village leaders won't agree, and there's also the funding..." Uchiha Yashiro reminded him.

He was the commander of the Police Force's Second Division, overseeing four companies of Uchiha officers. His position at the One Heart Chamber of Commerce was just a "side job."

However, Yashiro treated that side job as his main work. He left most of his Police Force duties to his subordinates.

"Temporary civilian workers will be paid thirty thousand ryo a month. We'll hire two hundred to start. The One Heart Chamber of Commerce will cover the cost, and the positions will go to the other shinobi clans!"

White Dove laid out the plan.

Money really didn't matter to him.

He hadn't dared to earn money on a large scale before, because he hadn't had the strength or influence to protect his business.

But now?

He was gradually taking control of the Uchiha, and he'd already secured the family's armed organization, the Police Force. He had the standing to sit at the table and "eat," too.

"Captain, why not give the positions to our own clan members?" Uchiha Yuki, the First Division commander, spoke up.

Two hundred jobs!

That was a huge prize. Uchiha only earned fifty thousand ryo a month, and they were shinobi. These jobs were for ordinary people.

"Exactly. Our clan members can do the work, and we'd feel more comfortable with them!" Uchiha Kuman, a core member of the Hawk Faction known for Taijutsu and a body as sturdy as a bear, added. He was also the Third Division commander.

He might usually be at odds with Uchiha Yuki, but that didn't mean he wouldn't help with something that could benefit the clan.

"No." White Dove shook his head and explained, "These jobs are meant to 'buy off' the other shinobi clans. Once members of their clans join the Police Force, the villagers' complaints and curses won't fall on the Uchiha alone anymore!"

As for the Police Force's authority?

As long as they didn't recruit shinobi from other clans, they'd keep a firm grip on the department. There was no need to worry about their power slipping away.

The Uchiha weren't stupid, either. No one suggested that the Police Force shouldn't recruit people from other clans. They just wanted to make sure no one took their authority.

"I see!" Uchiha Tomohiko said, suddenly understanding. He was full of praise for White Dove's idea of getting the other shinobi clans to share the burden, but frowned as he asked, "Would those clans worry about the village leaders and stop their members from joining?"

It wasn't impossible.

The village leaders had never openly admitted their hostility toward the Uchiha, but their actions had never let up. The other clans wouldn't side with the Uchiha.

"We're only hiring 'ordinary people,' not shinobi. Those workers don't represent much, do they?"

White Dove gave a pointed hint.

Ordinary people and shinobi were two different things in the eyes of the village leaders.

They wouldn't think that other clans were taking the Uchiha's side just because the Police Force hired a lot of ordinary people.

But White Dove saw it differently.

Those ordinary people might have shinobi among their relatives. They could influence the shinobi in their clans through them. If enough people were swayed, the clans would have no choice but to take a side.

Wasn't that how he'd won over the Uchiha Clan? He'd hired ordinary clan members through the One Heart Chamber of Commerce, then used them to influence the shinobi in the clan.

Once these people joined the Police Force, he'd pour plenty of money into them. He didn't believe he couldn't win over the other clans.

Besides, the Hokage Position went to those with the strongest forces!

Once his clan had grown strong enough, that seat wasn't out of reach.

Of course, when the time came, he'd decide between the "Xuanwu Gate Succession System" and "New Konoha" based on the circumstances.

"Then there's no problem!" Uchiha Tomohiko nodded, indicating that he'd follow orders.

With that, the decision to hire two hundred "temporary workers" for the Police Force was settled.

They weren't sharing power, the One Heart Chamber of Commerce would pay their wages, and the Uchiha wouldn't have to put up with the villagers' abuse. There was no reason not to support the plan.

"By the way, the Police Force's overdue wages will be paid in full shortly. There'll be other benefits from now on, too, so just wait and see!"

As if he'd "suddenly" remembered something, White Dove announced the good news.

"What!"

"Really?"

"Long live Lord White Dove!"

"Loyalty!"

The people in the meeting room were surprised at first, but soon they all stood and thumped their right fists against their chests in salute.

The Uchiha outside soon heard about it, too. Their cries of salute soared into the sky as if they would tear the Police Force building apart.

"Loyalty!"

"Loyalty!"

He'd paid back the wages the village owed them as soon as he took office. Of course they'd be loyal to a Police Force Captain like that.

Even if Uchiha Fugaku tried to take back power now, they wouldn't support him.

He was giving them too much!

But just then, an unwelcome guest rushed into the Police Force building.