Double Agent Itachi Reports, Sarutobi Hiruzen's Scheme!

"That's true... We can help you come up with ideas. At the very least, the Police Force can be preserved!"

Uchiha Hanjō nodded. When he looked at his son, there was a little more pride in his eyes.

His son truly was a genius.

If his son were to take charge of the Police Force, Uchiha Fugaku would never agree. But things were different now. His son was the nominal leader of the Police Force, so he no longer posed such a great threat to Fugaku.

However, he could also help offer suggestions.

"My son is the smart one!" Uchiha Hanjō once again lavishly praised his son in front of the clansmen. The smug look on his face made it seem as though he had come up with the idea himself.

The other clansmen also smiled in relief.

"Alright, we'll gather at the Merchant Guild tonight. Eat and drink to your hearts' content—my treat!" After saying that, Uchiha Hanjō instructed Uchiha Xia, "Tomorrow, work officially begins. Discuss it among yourselves and make sure to reserve fifty people for patrol duty every day!"

Given the Merchant Guild's current scale, sending so many clansmen out together would be a waste. They could rotate shifts!

Those returning from escort missions could also stay at the Police Force. When there was nothing to do, they could patrol, and if they were particularly busy, he planned to hire some civilians to handle unimportant matters.

To put it bluntly, these people were merely resting at the Police Force, occasionally going out for a patrol.

If Xuan Yu knew what his father was thinking, he would definitely give him a thumbs-up. Wasn't this exactly the City Patrol? The Police Force would only handle important matters, while the trivial stuff would be handed over.

If word got out, plenty of people would surely join the City Patrol.

Uchiha Fugaku simply couldn't bear to part with the money. Otherwise, those dozen or so people he had left would not have ended up in such a miserable state.

Uchiha Fugaku brought the remaining Uchiha clansmen, along with Uchiha Itachi, back to the Police Force. No matter what, the Police Force still had to remain on duty today.

"Father, why did you agree to let a child like Uchiha Xuan Yu take charge of the Police Force on the Merchant Guild's side?" Uchiha Itachi could not understand what his father was thinking. Wasn't this effectively handing the authority over the Uchiha Police Force to Uchiha Hanjō?

They were merely having a little child take over in name.

"What else could we have done? We no longer have the energy to manage such a large area!" Back then, the Third Hokage had handed the most difficult area to manage over to the Uchiha Police Force. These past few days, they had been run ragged.

"But... the Police Force is the symbol of the Clan Head!" Uchiha Itachi still did not understand.

"No, I am still the leader of the Uchiha Police Force. Uchiha Xuan Yu is just a little child. When we no longer need him in the future, we can find some fault and drive him out. Even Uchiha Hanjō would have nothing to say!" Uchiha Fugaku was confident of victory. He was just a child, not enough to threaten his position as Clan Head.

"I understand!" Itachi nodded. A dark glint flickered in his eyes as though he were considering something. After returning to the Police Force, he said, "Father, I still have something to do, so I'll be leaving first!"

Hokage Office.

The Third Hokage was smoking his Smoking Pipe, leaning leisurely against his desk, relaxed and comfortable.

Before him was a Crystal Ball displaying the women's bathhouse. He could even see those graceful, alluring bodies.

If Xuan Yu were here, he would definitely curse him for being shameless. Then, when he got the chance, he would absolutely learn the Telescope Technique. This ninjutsu was the best method for observing enemies.

That was right. Observing enemies, and patrolling areas too!

With the Telescope Technique combined with his Byakugan, his detection ability would certainly become even stronger.

Creak~~

Just then, the office door was gently pushed open.

The Third Hokage, Sarutobi Hiruzen, reacted swiftly. With a sweep of his palm over the Crystal Ball, the image within instantly vanished.

Sarutobi Hiruzen's expression also returned to calm.

"Itachi, you just went to rest. Why have you come back? Is something the matter?" Seeing that Itachi had entered, a false smile appeared on his face as he asked casually.

"Hokage-sama, there is indeed something!" Itachi nodded slightly, then told him about the agreement his father and Uchiha Hanjō had reached today, without leaving out any part of what had happened.

"The Uchiha Police Force has actually split apart?" The Third Hokage now understood what had happened, but then he smiled. "You people actually came up with the idea of having a little child serve as the Police Force leader!"

"Hokage-sama, should we intervene?" Itachi hurriedly asked.

"This is your clan's decision. There is no need to ask me!" Sarutobi Hiruzen shook his head, then added with some annoyance, "Still, the Uchiha truly are a restless clan. You even have to divide a single Police Force, and you dare defy the Clan Head's wishes. Such things could never happen in the Hyuga Clan!"

His meaning was obvious. Xuan Yu and the others were restless, even trying to negotiate terms with the Clan Head. Then he used the Hyuga Clan as an example.

Ridiculous.

It was not as if he did not know why the Hyuga Branch Family endured everything without resistance—it was because of the Caged Bird.

How good could a clan that controlled its own members through Cursed Seals possibly be?

It was nothing more than superficial peace.

Yet Itachi strongly agreed with the Third Hokage's words. He even nodded earnestly, and the disgust in his heart toward the Uchiha clansmen—especially those in the Merchant Guild—grew even deeper.

"Is there anything else?" The Third Hokage took a deep puff from his Smoking Pipe and exhaled a ring of smoke before asking.

"No." Itachi shook his head.

"Then go back and rest. If the Uchiha clansmen make any unusual moves, remember to come report to me at any time!" The Third Hokage waved his hand, signaling that Itachi could leave.

Itachi was not a man of many words. He nodded to the Third Hokage and exited the room.

The moment Itachi left, the smile on Sarutobi Hiruzen's face instantly darkened. No one knew what he was thinking.

A moment later.

Sarutobi Asuma appeared in the Hokage Office.

"Hokage-sama, what is it this time?" Although Sarutobi Asuma and Sarutobi Hiruzen belonged to the same clan, he still had to address him as Hokage-sama in the Hokage Office.

"The Uchiha Police Force is now being managed by two Uchiha factions!" Sarutobi Hiruzen took a puff from his Smoking Pipe and relayed to Sarutobi Asuma what Itachi had told him.

"Hehe... it seems what we've been doing has been quite effective. The Uchiha Clan has already split into two factions!" A cruel, disdainful smile appeared on Sarutobi Asuma's face.

In his eyes, the Uchiha Police Force would belong to the Sarutobi Clan sooner or later.

"No, there are three factions now," Sarutobi Hiruzen added.

"Three factions?" Sarutobi Asuma was taken aback, unable to understand why Sarutobi Hiruzen would say that.

"Itachi and Shisui are close to accepting the Will of Fire. With a little guidance, they will become a sharp blade aimed at the Uchiha!" The Third Hokage took another puff of smoke. Certain of victory, he was quite confident in his ability to control Uchiha Shisui and Uchiha Itachi.

"Haha. The Uchiha Clan would never have imagined that the minds of two Uchiha cultivation geniuses would not be with the Uchiha Clan!" Sarutobi Asuma could not understand it no matter how hard he tried. The two were clearly top-tier talents in both cultivation and tactics, so why had they been brainwashed?

Joking aside, he knew Sarutobi Hiruzen must have summoned him for a reason, so he continued, "What should we do next?"

Sarutobi Hiruzen took a deep drag, leaned comfortably against the back of his chair, and exhaled a smoke ring. "Since the Merchant Guild has taken over there, have someone go take a look tomorrow. It's perfectly normal for a few minor incidents to happen in such a large civilian district."

"I know what to do!"

Sarutobi Asuma understood, and a sinister smile spread across his face.

With a new official taking office, it was only proper to send someone to celebrate. As for the method... hehe.

He wondered whether a little child could handle it.