First Clash with Hiruzen Sarutobi

After informing the Hokage of everything he had seen and heard, Kakashi left the Hokage's office.

Inside the Hokage's office, Hiruzen Sarutobi was somewhat irritated after receiving the report. He took a deep drag from his pipe. "Go summon Danzo."

The moment he finished speaking, an Anbu appeared in the empty corner of the room. "Yes!" Then he vanished from the office.

At the Konoha Military Police Force, Yushu had already received a copy of his transfer order. Looking at the seals from the various departments and the village, he wrote "Rejected" in the Konoha Military Police Force section before signing his name.

Then he headed toward the Hokage Building with Fugaku. By the time they left the Konoha Military Police Force, they had become a twelve-man party.

After all, he was now the head of Konoha's foremost ninja clan and the chief of the Konoha Military Police Force. He could be considered one of Konoha's senior officials, so he needed to maintain the proper entourage when going out.

Though if they truly encountered danger, Yushu would likely have to protect these guards instead, traveling in a group did indeed spare him a great deal of trouble. At the very least, when he walked through Konoha alone before, there had always been people pointing and whispering. Now, they were nowhere to be seen.

Uchiha Yushu arrived before the Hokage Building. He could not simply walk straight into the Hokage's office.

So, at the registration desk of the Hokage Building, he filled out an application to meet the Hokage. In the position field, he wrote Chief of the Konoha Military Police Force.

When Yushu submitted the application form, the female ninja handling the paperwork stared at him for a long while, her face full of suspicion. Only when her gaze shifted to his ten guards did that suspicion ease somewhat.

Yushu did not have to wait long. Before long, a ninja came to lead him to the Hokage's office.

Looking at the ninja with the topknot ahead of him, Yushu took the initiative to strike up a conversation. "May I ask how I should address this brother from the Nara Clan?"

"Chief Yushu, just call me Shikama." The topknot-wearing ninja clearly already knew Yushu's identity.

"Jonin Shikama is truly young and accomplished. I plan to visit Senior Shikaku in the near future. Would Jonin Shikama be willing to introduce me?"

Yushu was merely sending a signal to the Nara Clan. If he truly wished to see Shikaku, he could simply pay a formal visit. The Nara Clan did not have the nerve to turn away the Uchiha Clan head at their door.

Thus, upon seeing this ninja of the Nara Clan, he decided to reveal his intentions first and see how they reacted.

"If Chief Yushu wishes to meet the clan head, you may simply visit him directly. There is no need for my introduction," Nara Shikama replied politely.

No one spoke for the rest of the way. When they reached the door to the Hokage's office, Shikama knocked and said, "Lord Hokage, I have brought him."

"Come in." Hiruzen Sarutobi's voice came from within the office.

Shikama pushed open the door, stood to one side, and made an inviting gesture.

Yushu and Fugaku entered the Hokage's office. The real office was clearly much larger than it had been in the original work.

Near the window stood a massive desk, piled high with layer after layer of documents.

Behind the desk was an office chair, but it was empty at the moment.

To the left of the office was an area resembling a tea room, with several sofas arranged around a coffee table.

There were already people seated on the sofas. One was the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, and the other was Danzo Shimura.

The moment Hiruzen Sarutobi saw them, he immediately put on a smile, wrinkles spreading across his face. "Clan Head Fugaku, Yushu-kun, please, sit."

Yushu did not believe Hiruzen Sarutobi was unaware that he was now the clan head. Clearly, he had not given up on the idea of transferring him to the border. Still, Yushu did not pay it much mind. That was the confidence his strength gave him.

Without any ceremony, he sat directly opposite the Third Hokage, while Fugaku chose not to sit and instead stood behind Yushu.

Once seated, Yushu spoke directly. "There is something I need to report to Lord Hokage. Senior Fugaku is no longer the head of the Uchiha Clan. Through the favor of my clansmen, I was fortunate enough to become the new clan head, as well as the new chief of the Konoha Military Police Force."

Hiruzen Sarutobi feigned surprise. "Oh? Why did Fugaku-kun suddenly step down? May I ask the reason?"

Looking at the flawless act put on by the Third Hokage, Yushu sighed inwardly at how formidable the old man was and replied blandly, "It is merely a minor internal matter within the Uchiha Clan. There is no need to trouble Lord Hokage with it."

"How could it not? The Uchiha Clan is Konoha's foremost clan. A change in clan head also affects Konoha's stability!"

Watching Hiruzen Sarutobi continue his hypocritical pleasantries with Uchiha Yushu without touching on the crux of the matter, Danzo could no longer hold back. "Hmph! Your Uchiha Clan has some nerve. What do you take the Konoha Military Police Force for? You replace its chief whenever you please? A fifteen-year-old chief? You simply have no regard for Konoha!"

"The Konoha Military Police Force was established because the Second Hokage wished to thank the Uchiha Clan for its contributions to Konoha. He specifically permitted the Uchiha Clan to manage it independently. The document signed by the Second Hokage is still kept within the Konoha Military Police Force. Could it be that Elder Danzo denies the validity of documents signed in Konoha's name during the Second Hokage's era and wishes to abolish the rules left behind by the Second Hokage?"

"Hmph! So many years have passed. If Teacher Tobirama were still alive, I believe he would not let your Uchiha Clan act so recklessly. Besides, nothing in this world remains unchanged forever, much less rules from so many years ago."

The instant Danzo finished refuting Yushu, the Third Hokage followed up at once. "If the Uchiha Clan can replace its chief so casually, then although the Konoha Military Police Force is permitted to govern itself, it is ultimately still Konoha's military police force. As Hokage, I will never stand by and ignore this. I believe Teacher Tobirama would understand my decision as well."

Watching the two sing in perfect harmony, Yushu understood that this hurdle would not be easy to clear.

"The Third Hokage is right. Then what does the Third Hokage intend to do? If the village wishes to reclaim the Konoha Military Police Force, the Uchiha Clan is willing to cooperate. We can all withdraw from it."

During the Second Hokage's era, the Konoha Military Police Force had possessed enormous authority. But after the Third Hokage took office, as the Anbu gradually developed and Root emerged behind them, the Konoha Military Police Force's authority had been almost entirely eroded away.

The little authority it had left was essentially equivalent to that of city guards, and it was nothing but a thankless job that offended people.

When the Konoha Military Police Force was first established, it had possessed a whole range of powers: drafting laws, arresting criminals, investigating spies, participating in wars...

Now, only the village security portion of criminal arrests remained. The Konoha Military Police Force could no longer participate in any of the other major criminal cases.

So if the village wished to interfere, fine. Then it could take over completely. The Uchiha Clan would happen to be able to free itself from this quagmire.

"If the village still recognizes the document signed by the Second Hokage, then since the Konoha Military Police Force is governed by the Uchiha Clan, there is nothing inappropriate about me, as the Uchiha Clan head, serving as its chief. I wonder where the Third Hokage believes we have acted recklessly?"

Of course, it's because you're a young brat who's ruthless besides, nothing like Fugaku, who was obedient and easy to control.

Naturally, he could only think those words and could not say them aloud. "Hahaha, upon further consideration, there does not seem to be anything particularly inappropriate about it. With an outstanding young successor like Yushu-kun joining Konoha's ranks, I am sure Konoha will gain even more vigor."

Since Hiruzen Sarutobi was not confident he could deal with Uchiha Yushu, he ultimately did not tear off the mask of civility. More importantly, merely sitting opposite Yushu gave him considerable pressure based on instinct alone. Hiruzen Sarutobi put away his contempt.

On the other hand, after seeing how readily Yushu was willing to discard the Konoha Military Police Force, Hiruzen Sarutobi naturally could not accept its return. After all, he still wanted to use it to keep tarnishing the Uchiha Clan's reputation.

Once he had the Konoha Military Police Force, whom would he send there? The Sarutobi Clan? Or Ino-Shika-Cho? Simply put, the Konoha Military Police Force's reputation had been ruined so thoroughly that not even a dog would want the job. He could not let the Uchiha Clan toss it aside so easily.

Thus, in the end, Hiruzen Sarutobi acknowledged Yushu as the chief of the Konoha Military Police Force.

Meanwhile, Yushu, seeing that he could not cast off the quagmire of the Konoha Military Police Force, had already come prepared and produced a simple declaration.

The declaration roughly stated that the Hidden Leaf Village recognized the validity of the document signed by the Second Hokage and recognized the Uchiha Clan's autonomous control over the Konoha Military Police Force.

As Yushu took out the declaration, he stared fixedly at Danzo. "I humbly ask Lord Hokage to sign this declaration in Konoha's name, so that certain people will not jump out later and deny the Uchiha Clan's autonomy over the Konoha Military Police Force."

"You..." Yushu's guarded expression, as though he were defending against a thief, filled Danzo with rage.

After giving it a cursory glance and seeing that it was merely a simple declaration, Hiruzen Sarutobi stopped Danzo. "Danzo, it is understandable that young people fear being taken advantage of again in the future. Yushu-kun, although no one will question your position as chief from now on, I shall sign this declaration to put your mind at ease."

He then signed his name in a most formal manner, stamped it respectively with the seals representing Konoha and the Hokage, and solemnly retained one copy in a file box containing important documents in the office.

Yushu cooperatively put on an overwhelmed expression, as if his pride had been deeply satisfied. While sincerely thanking the Hokage, he repeatedly declared that he would follow the Hokage's orders without hesitation.

The tense atmosphere between the two instantly became harmonious and cheerful.

Yet inwardly, they were thinking:

Hmph, Hiruzen Sarutobi, do you think I truly care about autonomy? What I want is for Konoha to recognize the validity of the Second Hokage's document. Next, I'll reclaim the Konoha Military Police Force's authority bit by bit. Sure enough, you people had long tossed such an old document into the archives to gather dust.

He really is just a young man. He is satisfied with a useless declaration so easily. Only you Uchiha treat the Konoha Military Police Force like treasure. Go on and keep wasting your time there. This brat may be powerful, but he is far less shrewd than that slippery Fugaku.

Both of them took the other for a fool, and both believed they had come out ahead.

Yushu felt that the trip had already been worthwhile. At the very least, he had obtained an official promise. From now on, the Konoha Military Police Force would strike hard.

As for Konoha refusing to honor it, Yushu was not afraid. Those who broke the rules first would not meet a good end. To be honest, if Konoha's F4 broke the rules first, the great clans would surely remain still and observe the situation.

At that point, he would only be facing the F4 and the power of their clans. Yushu believed he was capable of wiping them out in one fell swoop. As for others benefiting in the end, Yushu did not care. He knew that no matter who took power, they would not be as hostile toward the Uchiha Clan as the current leadership was. And after displaying its strength, the Uchiha Clan would become an object of their attempts to win favor.

Moreover, Yushu believed it was even more likely that Konoha's higher-ups lacked the nerve to completely tear away the last shred of civility. Danzo might make a few underhanded moves, but Hiruzen Sarutobi, who regarded Konoha as his life, would certainly not allow a full-scale conflict to erupt with the Uchiha Clan.

The strangely friendly atmosphere between the two left Danzo and Fugaku, still standing to the side, each filled with their own thoughts.

Hiruzen, as expected, you are the more hypocritical one!

Yushu-kun, you truly are more suited to be the clan head than I am!