The Uchiha Clan's Development

"Alright! Go make preparations! And this illustrated guide to herbs—arrange for your relatives and friends to collect and cultivate them as soon as possible. They'll be of great use before long."

At the same time, Hane took out a pile of simple Spirit Energy Formation Discs and handed them to the youths as well.

"Remember, when cultivating medicinal herbs, you must place this formation disc in the center of the field. Only then will the herbs you grow be what I need. If you don't have enough, come ask me for more!" Hane instructed them one by one.

The youths listened carefully as well. Having experienced the effects of the pills, they did not dare take anything their young clan leader assigned them lightly.

"Yes! Young Clan Leader, we will teach the elders in the clan as quickly as possible and complete the task you have given us."

The twelve young Uchiha all lowered their heads and spoke respectfully.

"Mm. The clan grounds have nearly finished relocating, and we do not have much time! Think of every possible way to grow stronger. If you have close younger or older clan brothers, even One-Tomoe ninja, you can bring them here to try. Choose your candidates and bring them before me together. I assume you understand the rules. Think it through before coming."

Hane looked at them with a solemn expression.

The other youths agreed to Hane's request almost without thinking. They could become stronger so quickly—so what if they were controlled by the young clan leader? Besides, obtaining a Spirit Mark was practically a benefit for them. If they did not quickly recommend such a wonderful benefit to their friends and relatives, were they supposed to wait for others to claim it first?

Seeing them flush red with excitement, Hane smiled faintly.

From this day onward, the Uchiha Clan would enter a Nothingness-fast lane of development. Moreover, this future powerhouse of a clan would have only one voice and be Nothingness united.

Hane was confident that the Uchiha Clan of the future would never remain confined to a tiny Konoha.

Time passed quickly, and before they knew it, the New Year at the end of the year had arrived.

For Hane, the past half year had been uneventful. Other than growing another year older and celebrating a Nothingness-happy birthday with his family and subordinates—

Nothingness major happened afterward, and the war at the border of the Land of Lightning was nearing its end as well.

Sasuke had also turned three. The little fellow could now run and jump, and he spoke quite fluently.

However, compared to how Nothingness attached he had been to Hane at two years old, he had now become Nothingness clingy toward Itachi. Toward Hane, his eldest brother, he instead felt a slight fear and even greater admiration.

Compared to the changes in Hane's home, the changes in how the village's civilians viewed the Uchiha Clan were even greater.

Nowadays, when Uchiha walked outside, they rarely heard ordinary civilians daring to gossip about them behind their backs.

Since the restructuring of the Military Police Force, aside from patrol officers enforcing the law with increasing severity, the greatest credit went to the Legal Affairs Department established by the civilian staff, which had played a major role.

Unlike the noisy, inconclusive mess that used to accompany Uchiha law enforcement, the Uchiha enforcing the law now did not lecture anyone about personal relationships or social niceties. Everything was carried out strictly according to the legal statutes.

First came the facts, then the evidence, and finally an explanation of what the law stipulated. If someone was dissatisfied, they could file an appeal with the Military Police Force's Legal Affairs Department. If they could produce stronger proof, they could win the case. If they could not and still dared cause trouble at the Military Police Force, then its holding cells would be waiting for them.

If they were dissatisfied with the legal statutes, they could go find the Third Hokage. The Military Police Force did not handle that matter. Everything was reasoned and supported by evidence, without the slightest trace of human sentiment.

Under this strict approach to law enforcement, every villager who saw a member of the Uchiha Military Police Force gradually began to feel a sense of awe.

Whenever an Uchiha officer questioned a villager, the person being questioned would feel somewhat guilty, terrified that they had committed some mistake and the Military Police Force had come for them.

At the same time, the Military Police Force's fairness gradually spread throughout Konoha. In the past, when Uchiha dealt with civil disputes, many clan members either offended neither side or offended both sides. They ran around tirelessly, only to receive no thanks in the end.

Now, the police officers generally only needed to keep straight faces while the civilian staff handled the legal negotiations. If anyone dared cause trouble in the courtroom, there was no need for much talk—they would all be charged with obstructing law enforcement.

They would not torture anyone. They would first lock them in solitary confinement for two days, then let them out once they could speak properly. If they still caused trouble, then sorry—Nothingness matter how much legal reasoning they thought they had, the judges could exploit the loopholes and make sure they received no benefit at all.

Dissatisfied? Produce evidence before speaking. The Legal Affairs Department was right there.

In the end, those who wanted to resolve matters by causing trouble could only obediently follow the legal process. When the results came out, they beat their chests in regret. If they had known it would turn out like this, why the hell had they made such a fuss in the first place?

Meanwhile, the lives of the entire clan also changed greatly. At Hane's suggestion, his father overrode all objections and did not directly sell the shops in central Konoha.

Instead, they were planned out as commercial storefronts. There were four shops in total, and the best one was reserved for Hane's future use. At present, one-third of the clan was growing medicinal herbs for Hane. Once this batch of herbs was ready, that shop would immediately be put into operation.

Hane taught some loyal clan members who believed in him several methods of refining medicine used by ordinary people rather than cultivators. Though their effects were nowhere near as miraculous as pills, they were still far more effective than many medicines in the Ninja World.

Ninja medical methods were certainly impressive, but ordinary people with minor illnesses or injuries could not possibly run to the Konoha Medical Department every day.

Those fees were simply beyond what ordinary civilians could afford.

Hane believed that once the clan members refined these relatively simple medicinal powders and ointments,

they would gradually become products made specifically for ordinary civilians.

Once the medicinal herbs matured on a large scale, the pharmacists trained by the clan would immediately be able to fill this gap.

When the time came, medicine and pharmaceuticals would become one. The Uchiha Clan would enter the medical field with force, claiming a share of the high-end market while swallowing up the low-end market as well, completely breaking free from the village's control through money.

Then it would be the village that needed the Uchiha Clan. As for whether the Uchiha Clan needed the village, that would be another matter.

As for the other three shops, business was now booming. There was a restaurant, a milk tea shop, and a general store, all operated according to the business concepts from Hane's previous life.

It had to be said that the Uchiha genes were remarkably consistent. Even ordinary Uchiha clan members who were Nothingness-able to awaken the Sharingan were all more attractive than the last.

Could anyone understand the feeling of being served by beautiful women in maid outfits—some cute like little girls, some elegant like mature beauties, some with the bearing of queens, and others gentle like older sisters? Add in food unlike anything in the Ninja World, prepared in endlessly varied ways, along with refreshing decor.

The restaurant opened by the Uchiha Clan in Konoha had now nearly become the hottest place in the village. Everyone had to visit it at least once; it was one of Konoha's must-see spots.

The milk tea shop went without saying. It had become a drink every child had to have, while the general store had the most complete selection of goods. One could buy nearly every product they wanted inside.

Through these three stores, there was now practically no possibility of unemployment among the Uchiha Clan.

No clan member wanted to make trouble with Konoha's higher-ups anymore. They were too busy making money.

If Konoha would not provide jobs, then the Uchiha Clan could create its own, right? And the salary and benefits were simply far better than being a ninja.

Furthermore, the Uchiha Clan controlled the Military Police Force, this great weapon. No one dared come looking for trouble.

And even if they did, they would first have to test the strength of the Three-Tomoe Uchiha standing at the entrance.