Ao: Check

"No! I can't agree to that."

Hiruzen Sarutobi replied firmly, "The Military Police Force was established by the Second. It is a vital foundation of Konoha. How can we reform it so lightly?"

Uchiha Ao chuckled. "Lord Hokage, it's precisely because the Military Police Force is a vital foundation of Konoha that it needs reform."

You evil Uchiha brat!

Hiruzen Sarutobi cursed inwardly.

After a moment's silence, Hyuga Hiashi stepped forward from below the stage. "Uchiha... Clan Head,"

Hyuga Hiashi gave a slight nod, his pale eyes fixed calmly on Uchiha Ao. "What you said just now makes sense, but reforming the Military Police Force would affect everything."

"Many clans have been rooted in Konoha for a long time, each with its own role. Making changes rashly would not only disrupt the existing order, but could also spark conflict."

Hiruzen Sarutobi froze, not expecting Hiashi to suddenly speak up in his defense.

"Clan Head Hiashi, I'm afraid you're mistaken. Reforming the Military Police Force won't harm the clans. In fact, it will benefit them."

"First, we'll provide training resources to anyone willing to join the Military Police Force."

"Second, my Uchiha Clan will open the basic portions of our ninjutsu for all Military Police personnel to learn."

Some of the civilian ninja were tempted by his words.

They had no connections and no clan to support them. They had made their way through training entirely on their own.

For them, joining the Military Police Force was an unprecedented opportunity.

The clan heads, however, looked faintly disdainful.

Basic ninjutsu was of little use to them.

"Clan Head Uchiha, if that's all you're offering, I'm afraid it won't be enough to win the clans' trust," Shikaku Nara said with a shake of his head, his tone casual, his eyes appraising. "Basic ninjutsu is hardly worth much to us."

That's right! Give that evil Uchiha brat a good lesson!

On the high platform, Hiruzen Sarutobi gripped his pipe as sparks fell onto his hat. He thought that Shikaku Nara was a sly old fox indeed; just a few words had turned the situation around.

Yet Uchiha Ao remained composed. "Clan Head Shikaku, I haven't finished speaking."

He glanced around at everyone present. "We'll also open our clan's forbidden techniques."

Before he could finish, the crowd erupted. The pipe nearly slipped from Hiruzen Sarutobi's hand.

How dare this brat!

That was what everyone present was thinking.

Forbidden techniques were practically the foundation of every clan. The Uchiha relied more on their Sharingan, but these were still forbidden techniques!

"Clan Head Uchiha, are there any restrictions on obtaining these forbidden techniques?" Shikaku Nara didn't believe the Uchiha Clan would be so generous.

"Of course there are restrictions." Uchiha Ao's words doused the crowd's excitement like a bucket of cold water.

"Even an ordinary Chunin can redeem our clan's complete collection of forbidden techniques after just ten years, as long as they complete the Military Police Force's daily duties."

"Clan Head Ao, you can't make it sound so easy!" Hiruzen Sarutobi finally lost his patience. He slammed his pipe against the armrest, sending sparks scattering at his feet.

If this continued, those old foxes would soon be unable to resist agreeing.

Uchiha Ao, however, seemed to have anticipated the old Hokage's reaction. He calmly raised a hand to signal for a pause.

"This is my first time meeting you all. You may not know me, so it's only natural that you don't trust me." Uchiha Ao stepped back, motioning for Fugaku to come forward.

Fugaku nodded, took Uchiha Ao's place, and faced the clan heads. "I, Uchiha Fugaku, swear in my capacity as deputy head of the Uchiha Clan that every word our Clan Head has said is true."

As soon as Fugaku finished speaking, the clan heads reacted in different ways, and undercurrents stirred.

"Shikaku, do you believe Fugaku?" Inoichi Yamanaka and Choza Akimichi decided to leave the choice to their external brain.

"Uchiha Fugaku has always been cautious and steady. He doesn't seem like the sort to risk his entire clan's reputation."

Shikaku Nara gave a slight nod. "But that doesn't mean the Uchiha have no ambitions. They're dangling forbidden techniques as bait, clearly trying to break the existing balance of power."

Although they belonged to the Hokage faction, they would get almost none of the benefits.

The Sarutobi and Shimura Clans would take them all.

Shikaku Nara's gaze grew more profound. He looked at the two men. "As things stand, this is both a crisis and an opportunity for us.

"The Lord Third has led Konoha for many years, and the Shimura and Sarutobi Clans have deep roots. Our clans may serve under the Hokage system, but the benefits we receive have been dwindling year by year."

"So what should we do? Join them outright?" Choza Akimichi scratched his head.

"No. We'll wait and see. There are people more impatient than us."

Hyuga Hiashi watched Uchiha Ao speak at length, then glanced at Hiruzen Sarutobi's tightly clenched pipe. He already knew what to do.

He stepped forward and said, "I trust Clan Head Fugaku's character."

The Hyuga Clan's situation in Konoha was, in truth, not much different from the Uchiha Clan's.

The only clear difference was that the Hyuga Clan wouldn't be wiped out in the future.

Hinata was the Hyuga Clan's eldest daughter, yet when she went outside, children mocked her eyes.

Was that reasonable?

Hyuga Hiashi unconsciously grasped his daughter's hand.

He had never forgotten the Hizashi incident.

Hiruzen Sarutobi trembled with rage. He hadn't expected Hiashi to betray him at a moment like this. His voice shook as he said, "Hiashi! Do you know what you're saying?"

Hyuga Hiashi answered without hesitation. "Lord Third, I've known Fugaku for a long time. I know exactly what kind of person he is."

Hyuga Hiashi unconsciously stepped in front of Hinata, blocking Hiruzen Sarutobi's view of her.

If the Uchiha Clan failed to hold the line, he would have no choice but to offer his life to earn Hiruzen Sarutobi's forgiveness.

Hiruzen Sarutobi laughed in fury, blood vessels surfacing in his cloudy eyes. "Good! Very good!"

Just as Hiruzen Sarutobi was about to speak again, Shikaku Nara suddenly stepped forward, wearing his trademark lazy smile. "Lord Hokage, please calm down. Clan Head Hiashi must be thinking of Konoha's long-term interests."

Hiruzen Sarutobi whipped around. His cloudy eyes fixed on Shikaku Nara, and a restrained growl rose from his throat. "Shikaku! Are you going to join in this nonsense too?"

Shikaku Nara remained unhurried, as if he couldn't feel the tension in the air. "Lord Third, you've led Konoha for decades. Surely you understand that 'it's better to guide than to block'?"

Utatane Koharu hurried forward, leaning on her cane, her white hair disheveled with agitation. "Absurd! Is the Nara Clan going to collude with the Uchiha?"

"Collude with them? I wouldn't go that far," Shikaku Nara replied with a soft laugh. "But Konoha really does need a reform."

On the high platform, Hiruzen Sarutobi wore a dark expression, his thoughts unreadable.

Watching Hiruzen Sarutobi's expression shift, Uchiha Ao smiled faintly.

"Check..."