Chidori from Kakashi

The clan meeting ended.

Hayato, Shisui, and Seiichi strolled through the Uchiha district, occasionally greeting ordinary clan members who were preparing to close their shops for the night.

"Hayato, there's something about your plans for tonight that I don't quite understand."

Seiichi suddenly spoke up.

At that, Hayato stopped and turned to look at Seiichi behind him.

"Why is the Police Force recruiting members from all over Konoha?"

Seiichi had always had complicated feelings about Konoha. He couldn't say he hated it, but he didn't love it, either.

Ever since he'd joined the Uchiha Military Police Force, the looks he got had made him uncomfortable.

Besides, the Police Force was proof that the Uchiha stood above others. Hayato was handing that privilege over, and Seiichi didn't understand why.

Shisui also looked at Hayato. He understood some of it, but not the whole picture.

Hayato beckoned for them to follow him.

Only after they arrived at his home did Hayato speak. "We need to give things a chance to ease between us and Konoha. The higher-ups are out of the question, but the other clans and civilian ninja are the people we need to win over. It's also a way to show Konoha where we stand."

At that, Hayato couldn't help sighing.

Fugaku had made him Vice Clan Head, but he could tell that many people still didn't accept him.

Even Yashiro had backed down only because Hayato had used his Mangekyo to intimidate him. After Uchiha Madara had left the clan, many people had already given up on the powerful clan leader.

Then the Second Hokage's actions had brought them together again.

To talk to these clan members, who were clearly somewhat stubborn, he first had to earn the right to be someone they thought could reason with them.

Hayato's Mangekyo gave him that right.

If anyone refused to listen, he could simply reveal his Mangekyo. No matter how difficult the issue was, it would be easy to resolve—but only temporarily.

"Bringing in outsiders will give the Uchiha a sense of urgency. Some people are just missing a little opportunity. Give them one, and they'll be able to grow."

Hayato raised an eyebrow. "The clan members might even start to come together again because of that pressure. Even if it's only the first signs of it."

"Pressure from outside?"

A look of sudden understanding crossed Shisui's face.

"Exactly. The clan's biggest problem is its arrogance. Having the Sharingan makes our people think they're above everyone else. Even if I can force them to back down tonight, that won't keep working forever."

"But if outsiders get the same resources as the Police Force, some of them will surpass our clan members. They don't even have to be especially talented. That will make our people stop and think. Even if all it does is start arguments, in the end, they'll come together as a clan."

"The family's divisions have put the Uchiha far behind. Since the Second Shinobi War, how many Uchiha have risen to the same level of fame as the Sannin or the White Fang?"

Shisui and Seiichi both fell silent.

There hadn't been any. Instead, the Uchiha had simply believed that Konoha was always targeting them and stopping them from growing stronger.

That division had even led to the clan being driven to the outskirts of Konoha after the Night of the Nine-Tails.

This had only deepened the Uchiha's resentment, making the voices within the clan louder and more chaotic.

Fugaku hadn't been able to keep them in check, either. The clan had ended up with several different factions, and sometimes even the clan head was swept along by them.

"So this was your real goal, Hayato," Shisui said with a sigh.

He felt sorry for the Uchiha. At last, one of their people had grown into someone who could see things clearly and was willing to do something for the clan.

Yet he still had to solve the clan's internal problems before he could address anything else.

For the Uchiha, every delay in making a change meant even more trouble down the road.

A weariness he couldn't put into words weighed heavily on Shisui.

"It's fine. This was bound to happen sooner or later." Hayato patted Shisui on the shoulder.

"This is what I need you two to help with. From now on, we need to bring the clan's strength together, at least so that we speak with one voice to outsiders."

"We understand!"

Shisui and Seiichi both looked solemn.

After seeing Shisui and Seiichi off, Hayato sat alone in his room, rubbing his temples.

To be honest, if not for the system, he really wouldn't have wanted to take over such a mess as the Uchiha.

First, he'd forcefully revealed his Mangekyo, calming the Police Force members who had been on the verge of exploding in the meeting room. Then he'd had to deal with villagers swept up in rumors and higher-ups harboring ulterior motives.

There had been so much to handle today that even Hayato hadn't had time to think through his plans in detail.

"I'm still too rough around the edges."

Hayato closed his eyes and carefully went over everything he'd done and said so far that day.

He'd been in too much of a hurry. Some of his actions had left him no time to consider whether they were wise. He'd used his Mangekyo to suppress dissent within the clan, then put himself right at the forefront of the conflict outside it.

Sarutobi Hiruzen had probably set his sights on him by now.

He'd said all those things to Fugaku, but that didn't mean Sarutobi Hiruzen would stop keeping the Uchiha under watch.

For now, he just needed to keep things stable and prevent the Uchiha from becoming a bomb that would go off.

"I'm too green."

Hayato opened the panel and began checking the Bitter Fruits he'd gathered today. He'd made a modest haul.

Danzo's, the village's, and... huh?

Hayato stared in surprise. He'd actually found one belonging to Kakashi.

"What's going on?"

Hayato immediately opened Kakashi's entry.

[Bitter Fruit Entry System]

Detection target: Hatake Kakashi

Triggered Bitter Fruit type: Regret Bitter Fruit

Content: The Uchiha's commotion reminded him of what happened to his father. Seeing how you fought back made him reflect on whether he'd failed to see things from his father's perspective back then.

Harvesting...

[Harvest successful!]

[Hatake Kakashi's Regret Bitter Fruit]

[Extractable entry: Chidori (Proficient)]

"Hatake Kakashi." Hayato rubbed his chin, wondering if Kakashi was someone he could recruit.

He'd thought Kakashi probably didn't feel that much hostility toward Konoha. But after seeing this, Hayato couldn't help letting his thoughts wander.

"I'll find a time to talk to him."

Hayato didn't hesitate for long. Whether or not it worked out, he could at least try approaching Kakashi.

If he managed to bring Kakashi over, it might lead to a few pleasant surprises.

Having made up his mind, Hayato immediately claimed Chidori. It combined changes in both chakra nature and form. Whether it was the Raikiri he'd develop later or the other derivative techniques Sasuke would create from it, it was an excellent ninjutsu.

He could only hope that the hostility toward the Uchiha would grow even more intense from here on.

He was looking forward to it.