"I'll become clan head, and I won't give up the Police Force, either!
"I'm not doing this to grab power. I can already see where the Uchiha's current course is leading us: our eventual destruction!
"This isn't for my sake, or yours, or my uncle's, or Fugaku's. It's for the entire Uchiha Clan!"
Uchiha Naraku's usually calm expression suddenly broke into a furious shout.
Hearing him, Sanzang could feel Naraku's resolve. The Uchiha's strongest ninja of the past had just retired.
Now the Uchiha's strongest ninja stood right before Sanzang.
Uchiha Sanzang closed his eyes and took a deep breath.
"All right. I understand your determination."
The next day, in the Konoha Military Police Force conference room, Uchiha Sanzang sat in the seat of honor.
Below him, the division leaders and deputy division leaders, squad leaders, and jōnin of the Konoha Military Police Force knelt on the mats. The head of the Konoha Military Police Force had called the meeting.
"Every one of you is an elite member of the Konoha Military Police Force. As its leader, I'm honored to serve alongside you. Today, I have an important announcement. Starting now, our clan head, Uchiha Naraku, will lead the First Division.
"Uchiha Jiro, the former leader of the First Division, will be promoted to my assistant and help oversee the entire Police Force."
Uchiha Sanzang's words caused an uproar.
When Uchiha Sanzang appointed Uchiha Naraku as head of the First Division, everyone in the Police Force understood what the appointment meant. It was clearly the prelude to a transfer of power within the Konoha Military Police Force.
The First Division of the Konoha Military Police Force was staffed entirely by Uchiha ninja. The Second and Third Divisions might include some civilian ninja and ninja from smaller clans.
But the First Division was where the Uchiha drew their salaries from Konoha and trained their finest.
Controlling the First Division was practically the same as controlling the Police Force. There was no need to worry about what the Second and Third Divisions thought.
Uchiha Jiro considered what the reassignment meant, his brow furrowing slightly.
"Jiro, do you have any objections to the reassignment?" Uchiha Sanzang asked.
"I'll follow your orders!" Jiro came to his senses and quickly replied.
Uchiha Sanzang had controlled the Police Force for nearly twenty years. His authority as its leader was already deeply rooted.
Uchiha Naraku sneaked a glance at Uchiha Fugaku and saw his brow tightly furrowed, his expression tinged with anger.
When Konoha was first founded, the Uchiha Clan had stood united and fought for power within the village.
They had fought hard to wrest control of the Konoha Military Police Force from the Second Hokage. Ever since, the clan's two major factions had managed it between them.
Uchiha Okura and Sanzang were both masters of ninjutsu, and the brothers had seized all the Uchiha Clan's power. They had agreed that one would manage clan affairs and the other would lead the Konoha Military Police Force.
The Great Elder had already handed over the clan's authority, but Sanzang seemed to be going back on his word.
The other division and squad leaders had some doubts about the appointment, but Naraku was the clan head, and the Clan Affairs Hall kept him busy with all aspects of the Uchiha ninja's lives.
They had no objection to the clan head taking control. It simply meant that Uchiha Naraku's power and prestige would reach their peak.
With the Uchiha Clan and the Police Force effectively united, Uchiha Naraku would wield considerable influence throughout Konoha.
"Captain, I'm afraid this goes against tradition. There's never been a case of the clan head also serving as the leader of the Konoha Military Police Force," Uchiha Fugaku said quietly.
Fugaku realized that uniting the Police Force and the Uchiha leader would give them so much power that Konoha would grow deeply wary of them.
But in the anime, with Naraku absent, Fugaku eventually reached the same position. By the time he realized the problem, the situation had already become impossible to change.
Now that someone else had snatched that power from him, Fugaku could see the issue clearly.
Naraku knew it was his turn to speak.
"He's only taking charge of the First Division. What does tradition have to do with it? After the previous clan head left Konoha, the Uchiha went more than thirty years without choosing a new one. Wasn't that a break with tradition?
"Besides, tradition never had anything to say about wars on the scale of the First and Second Shinobi World Wars. The world keeps moving forward. Those who cling blindly to tradition will eventually be left behind by history.
"Just look at the Senju Clan."
Uchiha Naraku spoke calmly, his expression unreadable.
After learning about the deal between Uchiha Okura and Sanzang, Naraku had still resolved to take control of the Police Force. Even so, facing Fugaku left him feeling a little ashamed.
Fortunately, Naraku had lived two lives and knew how to keep his emotions in check. His expression betrayed nothing.
Fugaku pondered Naraku's words for a moment and found some sense in them.
But they were also a little absurd. The Senju Clan had withdrawn from the village, and it was that departure from tradition that had led to their gradual extinction.
Meanwhile, the Uchiha and Hyuga Clans, along with the other major clans that followed tradition, were still doing just fine.
Uchiha Fugaku didn't argue, though. He planned to ask Naraku about it privately after the meeting. It wasn't a subordinate's place to question their leader's decisions again and again in front of everyone.
Uchiha Fugaku truly was a peace-loving, respectful, and caring ninja. Those were his strengths.
But those same fine qualities meant that, in the anime, once Fugaku took power, he repeatedly compromised with the Hokage and the others in Konoha's leadership, eventually leading the Uchiha into the abyss.
"The other divisions' work will continue as usual. If anyone has work to report, go ahead," Uchiha Sanzang said.
Aside from announcing an important appointment, the Police Force meeting moved on to work reports and instructions.
Naraku listened for a while. Most of the reports involved spies, dangerous ninja experimenting with techniques and endangering residents, and similar matters.
Mixed in were all sorts of petty issues, like a cat going missing, a dog disappearing, or someone being arrested while selling goods on the street.
The Konoha Police Force staff had certainly done a great deal to keep Konoha safe.
But because they also handled minor incidents, came across as unapproachable, and were arrogant, the villagers often feared them.
It was hard to imagine that the Konoha Police Force staff, who carried out dangerous missions like arresting ninja with criminal tendencies, also acted as village wardens, dealing with small-time merchants and street vendors.
The first group handled dangerous ninja with serious psychological problems, spies, and other high-risk missions. The staff worked quietly, and the villagers knew nothing about those assignments.
What the villagers did know was that someone next door had set up a stall yesterday and been hauled away by the Uchiha Military Police Force.
Naraku listened for a while and shook his head. Still, he stayed put, patiently learning about the Police Force's work.
At the same time, a thought occurred to him.
The name "Uchiha Military Police Force" won't do. It has to be changed to "Konoha Military Police Force."
These Uchiha clan members took pride in controlling a Konoha department. They called the Police Force the Uchiha Military Police Force and were extremely proud of it.
That had to change. It was a Konoha department, and if the villagers were unhappy, they should direct their resentment at Konoha.
If the department carried the Uchiha name, people would only resent the Uchiha and never think to blame Konoha.
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