Taking Office, Security Division!

"Shisui, coming to see this old man so late at night, you must have some important information to report."

Sarutobi Hiruzen walked behind his desk, instinctively reaching for his pipe to take a few puffs and clear his head.

But the moment he lit it, Shisui's next sentence made him cough violently; even a veteran smoker like him was choked to the point of tears.

Shisui spoke immediately:

"Lord Third, it is a disaster! The Uchiha clan is currently in a state of extreme agitation. Clan Head Fugaku has been feigning weakness all this time; he is actually the biggest hawk of them all!"

"He incited the emotions of the entire clan tonight. If this isn't handled properly, an internal Uchiha rebellion could happen right before our eyes!"

Sarutobi Hiruzen coughed several times before he could barely digest the news.

He no longer cared about his pipe, tossing it aside as he hurriedly asked Shisui:

"Tell me everything you know, from start to finish."

Shisui recounted what he had witnessed during the clan meeting.

He focused especially on the sudden rise of Xuanye and how, with Xuanye's "assistance," the Clan Head's prestige within the clan had skyrocketed.

When the meeting concluded, Xuanye was even called out by Fugaku for a private discussion, though the topic remained unknown.

However, it was highly likely that they were discussing the timing and specific arrangements for an Uchiha uprising.

Hearing this, combined with Fugaku's performance at the meeting, Sarutobi Hiruzen felt completely numb.

Was this really the same Fugaku who was usually so timid, the man who never dared to resist even as the village pushed them step by step into a corner?

Why did he smell a hint of conspiracy in all of this?

Yes, he was certain of that much.

Every time Danzo prepared to stir up trouble, he would get this exact same premonition.

Over time, it had developed into something akin to a sixth sense.

Yet, Shisui's intelligence could not possibly be false. Could Fugaku really be a hawk disguised as a dove?

The fact remained that, through Xuanye's maneuvering, the emotions of the entire Uchiha clan had been ignited.

And Fugaku's prestige had, unsurprisingly, reached its highest peak since he became the Uchiha Clan Head.

Holding to the theory that the one who benefits most is the most suspicious, Fugaku was indeed the most likely mastermind behind the scenes.

Could it be that for all these years, Fugaku had been playing the fool?

Now that the Third Great Ninja War had just ended, Konoha had suffered heavy losses.

With a large number of ninja stationed at the borders to guard against counterattacks from other villages, this was indeed the best time to launch a coup.

Did Fugaku believe this was the perfect opportunity, and thus, he no longer felt the need to keep up the act?

If that were the case, the temperament and patience of Uchiha Fugaku were truly unfathomable.

At this thought, Sarutobi Hiruzen's sleepiness vanished, and a cold sweat broke out across his back.

If the Uchiha, whose ninja were generally capable of taking on three opponents each on the battlefield, were to stage a coup within Konoha, the destructive power to the village would be unimaginable!

One had to remember that the Uchiha compound had not yet been relocated to the outskirts; it was still located in the very heart of the village!

Thinking of this, Sarutobi Hiruzen panicked completely, wishing he could summon the Konoha F4 right now to discuss how to suppress the impending Uchiha riot.

But before that, there was one very important thing to do.

Sarutobi Hiruzen forced a smile at Shisui and said, "Shisui, the intelligence you provided is vital. It may very well prevent a large-scale catastrophe."

"You are a hero of Konoha."

Shisui immediately straightened his posture and said, "Where the leaves of Konoha dance, fire shall burn."

"I have always kept Lord Third's teachings in my heart."

Sarutobi Hiruzen patted Shisui's shoulder with a look of gratification and watched him leave.

But once Shisui's footsteps faded, Sarutobi Hiruzen's expression turned cold.

"Come in!"

At Sarutobi Hiruzen's command, an Anbu operative on twenty-four-hour standby appeared behind him, kneeling on one knee.

"Immediately summon the Hokage Assistant and the two Hokage Advisors to the Hokage Office for a meeting!"

Early the next morning, Xuanye dressed and prepared to report for duty at the Uchiha Police Force.

He still remembered that Elder Yashiro had promised him the position of a squad leader.

The system-issued mission required him to possess sufficient prestige within the Uchiha, and he couldn't rely solely on manipulating Fugaku from the shadows; he had to show his face and do some real work.

Take the Konoha Security Division, for example. In Xuanye's view, it was baffling that the Uchiha, who held total control over the village's internal security forces, had been reduced to a state where everyone reviled them.

Beyond Fugaku's constant concessions, the Uchiha clan's arrogant nature was also a significant factor.

The power of the Security Division was immense during peacetime, and there was plenty of room for maneuver. As long as one was a little flexible, one could secure many benefits for oneself.

It was time to let all the unruly Konoha commoners know that the power of the Konoha Security Division could be limitless!

Xuanye registered his information as a Jonin; since arrangements had already been made, he easily obtained the right to form his own squad.

The entire Konoha Security Division, including Xuanye, consisted of only eight companies, and every captain was an Uchiha elite who had awakened the Three-Tomoe.

Each company oversaw three to five squads, with each squad consisting of the standard three members, all of whom were Uchiha clansmen who had awakened their Sharingan, with even the weakest being standouts among Chunin.

The Security Division was, in essence, the Uchiha's enforcement arm, gathering the elite ninja from across the entire clan.

However, Xuanye's company was currently a one-man show, and he would need to recruit members from within the clan himself.

Xuanye was still considering whether to pull Inabi into his company and let him serve as his vice-captain.

He didn't need his direct subordinates to be incredibly powerful right now, but they absolutely had to be trustworthy.

He couldn't very well go out on patrol as a company captain while still being a lone commander, could he?

As for Xuanye skipping the rank of squad leader to be promoted directly to company captain, almost no member of the Security Division held any objections.

Because the Uchiha did not care for seniority; since Xuanye had already awakened the Three-Tomoe and proven his strength by defeating Kakashi, he was fully qualified to be a company captain.

Xuanye prepared to head out first to familiarize himself with the duties, and incidentally, to beat a few people up to get a feel for things.

Walking through the streets of Konoha, Xuanye could clearly perceive the fleeting disgust in the eyes of the surrounding villagers whenever they caught sight of the clan crest on his attire.

Xuanye was not like other Uchiha who had fragile egos, easily having their self-esteem bruised by the glares of a few commoners.

In his view, these unruly Konoha commoners simply hadn't been subjected to a proper beating yet.

They only resented the Uchiha Security Division for meddling in their daily affairs, never stopping to think about how many potential crimes the Security Division had resolved for them.

Such disloyal mindsets were quite dangerous, and it was time for Uncle Xuanye to help them correct the thoughts inside their heads.