The Uchiha's Image Undergoes a Major Change

Because of Stilt Football, Konoha's residents underwent a major change in attitude toward the Uchiha. They discovered that the Uchiha were not only handsome, but even more captivating when they fought with all they had. Their nimble movements atop stilts as they fiercely contested the ball left the villagers utterly enthralled.

Gradually, the villagers began to let go of their prejudice against the Uchiha. Once they set aside their deep-rooted biases, they realized that the Uchiha of the Police Force were not nearly as frightening as they had imagined. On the contrary, they were conscientious, responsible, and especially dependable when maintaining the village's security.

The sensitive members of the Police Force noticed the villagers' change in attitude immediately. The Uchiha's tsundere nature was displayed to the fullest at that moment—if you were tough, they were tougher; but if you sincerely drew close to them, they would protect you with everything they had. That was the Uchiha: they possessed an exceptional ability to sense love, and once they felt goodwill, they repaid it with ten times the warmth.

Thus, the Uchiha of the Police Force also gradually began changing their attitudes. They no longer treated the villagers with cold faces, instead taking the initiative to talk with them and even offering help with small matters. The villagers felt the Uchiha's sincerity, and the relationship between both sides slowly eased, eventually becoming harmonious.

And so, a positive cycle began. The villagers' prejudice against the Uchiha steadily diminished, while the Uchiha became increasingly active in integrating into village life. Like a warm current, the Uchiha's transformation quietly melted the years of ice in Konoha.

However, this change made the Konoha F3—the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, Utatane Koharu, and Mitokado Homura—extremely anxious.

"Hiruzen, if we don't come up with something soon, those foolish villagers will be completely deceived by the Uchiha. Then it will be even more impossible for us to target and suppress them." Utatane Koharu spoke anxiously, her voice filled with unease.

"What do you suggest?" the Third Hokage asked in a low voice, his brows tightly furrowed and a trace of weariness in his eyes.

Utatane Koharu immediately fell silent. Although she was uneasy about the Uchiha's rise, she could not think of any effective countermeasure for the moment.

"Sigh, let's go ask Danzo." The Third Hokage sighed, his tone carrying a hint of helplessness.

His heart was full of contradictions. On one hand, he hoped the Uchiha could truly integrate into the village and become part of Konoha; on the other, he remained wary of their strength, especially the changes they underwent after awakening their eyes. The Uchiha's Sharingan was both the source of their power and the fuse that triggered drastic shifts in their personalities. Once the Uchiha were no longer bound by prejudice, as one of the clans that founded the village, they were fully qualified to contend for the position of Hokage.

And that clearly did not align with the Third Hokage's plan to keep the position of Hokage within the Hokage faction.

In short, the Third Hokage wanted the Uchiha to integrate into the village, yet he also wanted to suppress them and make them ordinary and harmless, as obedient as Ino–Shika–Cho. However, as long as the Sharingan existed, the Uchiha could never be as docile as Ino–Shika–Cho. The power of the Sharingan not only granted the Uchiha immense strength, but also made their personalities extreme and difficult to control.

Moreover, the Uchiha were famously a clan of geniuses. It was simply impossible for them to become utterly mediocre. This was a deadlock, one that gave the Third Hokage an enormous headache.

Just as the Third Hokage decided to go to Danzo and gather the wisdom of the Konoha F4 in an attempt to find a way to deal with the Uchiha's rise, Uchiha Chuan sat quietly in a room within the Uchiha compound, gazing through the window at the distant sky.

"It's time for the next step." Uchiha Chuan spoke calmly, with a faint confidence in his voice.

"Good. We've been ready for a long time." Fugaku Uchiha instantly rose to his feet, his face full of excitement and anticipation.

"Now, the villagers' attitudes toward us Uchiha have already changed. Once we carry out the next step, there will no longer be any difference between us and the other shinobi clans." The First Elder nodded, his voice carrying a hint of emotion.

"Hahaha, there will still be one difference: we Uchiha will remain a clan of geniuses. But we will no longer be a clan of geniuses they envy. We will be a clan of geniuses they admire." The Second Elder laughed heartily, his eyes full of pride.

"Yes. I never imagined that such a tremendous change could happen to us Uchiha so easily. All of this is thanks to Little Chuan." The Third Elder spoke excitedly as well, his tone filled with gratitude.

"Clan Head, three Elders, you flatter me. I merely have a little cleverness." Uchiha Chuan smiled faintly, his tone modest.

"Little Chuan is mocking us again. If what you have is merely a little cleverness, then what were we, after leading the Uchiha into an increasingly worse reputation all these years? Stupid? That was what true little cleverness was—and selfish little cleverness at that. What you have, Little Chuan, is great wisdom." Fugaku Uchiha shook his head, his tone self-mocking.

"Yes, before this, all we knew was genius, genius. We deluded ourselves into thinking we could preserve the Uchiha's glory by crushing the geniuses of other shinobi clans, only to end up without even a single friend in the village. But you, Little Chuan, with just a few words—first, 'setting aside the facts,' then a single sentence, 'Human nature cannot withstand testing'—directly exposed the Third Hokage's hypocrisy and won the Uchiha relatively fair treatment. Then you found the Third Hokage's weak point and struck directly at it, leaving them helpless and forcing them to yield, rather than like before, when they yielded while wearing that disgusting expression of I'm letting you have it." The Third Elder spoke excitedly, his eyes full of admiration.

"The design of Stilt Football was even more brilliant. It allowed both training and competition, and finally completely reversed the villagers' attitude toward us Uchiha. We Uchiha had always loved the village, after all. This was the village we created. As long as the villagers treated us well, we would naturally treat them well too. All the resentment and grievances of the past have now begun to dissolve." The Second Elder spoke excitedly as well, his tone filled with emotion.

"Little Chuan, I'll say it again: it is truly wonderful that you were born into the Uchiha. You are the Uchiha's savior, the Uchiha's leader." The First Elder also eagerly voiced his agreement with Uchiha Chuan, his eyes full of trust.

"Clan Head, three Elders, enough praise. I'm afraid I'll get arrogant. Hurry and make the arrangements. It's time for the next step to begin." Uchiha Chuan smiled faintly, his tone teasing.

"Haha, I think you just want to go fishing, right? Fine, go fish. We'll go arrange the next step." Fugaku laughed loudly. They had come to understand a little of Uchiha Chuan's mindset: you do the work, I'll provide the ideas; don't expect me to train; lying flat is best.

"Then I'll leave it to the Clan Head and the three Elders." Uchiha Chuan grinned, a sly glint flashing through his eyes.

Fugaku and the three Elders exchanged smiles, then turned and left the room to begin arranging the next stage of the plan. Uchiha Chuan, meanwhile, leisurely rose to his feet, picked up the fishing rod beside him, and slowly headed toward the riverbank.