Duties

As Konoha's internal defense force, the Security Force kept its lights burning even at night. After an elder was murdered the previous year, Uchiha Tenjo had stepped up its patrols.

Few ninja were inside when Fugaku entered the Security Force headquarters. By this hour, most had gone out to patrol the village. Those who remained were on standby to handle emergencies and provide support.

As a young genius of the Uchiha, Fugaku was recognized by nearly every Chunin in the clan. The moment he stepped through the door, someone called out to him.

"Fugaku." A familiar voice came from nearby. "What brings you to the Security Force?"

Fugaku turned and saw an old friend: Uchiha Noki, whom he had been close to as a child. Noki was two years older, a Konoha Chunin with a Two-Tomoe Sharingan who specialized in Fire Release.

"Noki, it's been a while," Fugaku said. "I have some time lately, so I thought I'd put in a few shifts here. Is Senior Saki around?"

"Haha, I heard you did well in the Land of Rain. The whole clan's talking about it," Noki said. "It's rare for you to have time to come here. Senior Saki's in the second-floor office. I'll take you up."

Fugaku nodded. "Thanks. Let's catch up when we have time."

"I thought you'd look down on old friends like us after becoming a Jonin," Noki said. "But you haven't changed a bit since we were kids."

Fugaku shook his head inwardly. I have changed. The old Fugaku Uchiha had been indecisive, unable to see the truth even before the clan's destruction.

Fugaku would not let that happen again. He had to change himself.

The Security Force's offices were divided according to their patrol districts. At night, after the day shift ended, a senior Uchiha would remain at headquarters to handle emergencies.

The door to the second-floor meeting room stood open. A familiar figure stood by the window, watching the ceaseless traffic on Konoha's streets. It was Uchiha Saki.

Noki knocked on the door. "Senior Saki."

Saki turned. Fugaku saw a stern-faced middle-aged man with a sharp, commanding gaze. He seemed like a different person from the one Fugaku had seen at meetings back home.

There, he had been all smiles, like an ordinary middle-aged uncle. Here, he looked every bit an elite Uchiha ninja who had survived countless battles.

Over the past six months, Fugaku had met quite a few elite Uchiha, from his good friend Uchiha Jin to En, and now Uchiha Saki. A question rose in his mind.

How had the Uchiha been wiped out? Itachi, with a newly awakened Mangekyo Sharingan, could not have killed the entire clan so quickly on his own. Before obtaining the Eternal Eye, every use of the Mangekyo Sharingan placed an enormous strain on its wielder.

The clan's senior members might have lacked vision and breadth of mind, but each was battle-hardened and formidable. Even with Danzo's Root involved, destroying them would have been difficult—unless some of the ANBU elites directly under the Hokage had joined in.

Those thoughts flashed through Fugaku's mind the moment he saw Saki, then vanished.

Saki glanced over. His stern expression gave way to a smile. "Fugaku, you're here too."

"Senior Saki," Fugaku said, "I'm on leave and thought I'd spend a few days learning how the Security Force works. As a member of the Uchiha, I ought to know something about it."

Saki nodded. "I'm glad you thought of that. The Security Force is the foundation that lets the Uchiha maintain their place in Konoha. Even clan members who don't serve here should understand it. I take it the Clan Head knows you're here?"

The foundation of our place in Konoha? Fugaku sighed inwardly. For the proud Uchiha, who had no one at the pinnacle of the Shinobi World and faced rejection from the Konoha leadership, the Security Force truly was just that.

Fugaku was beginning to understand why the Second Hokage had established it. It could gradually wear down the Uchiha's strength while giving this deeply emotional clan something to anchor itself to.

Without it, unexpected upheavals might have come all too easily. Yet who could have foreseen that, even with the Security Force, someone like Obito Uchiha would emerge?

Fugaku could only marvel at it. No young Uchiha could be underestimated, whatever his talent. Their limited experience and unguarded hearts meant that one or several tragedies might awaken the Mangekyo Sharingan and turn them into a powerhouse of the Shinobi World overnight.

"Yes, Senior Saki," Fugaku said. "I spoke to Father before coming. He told me to work seven consecutive night shifts and get to know the whole Security Force."

"Good. Noki, you're Fugaku's friend, so I'm sorry for the trouble over these seven days," Saki said. "Help him learn the patrol routes and how the districts are divided."

"Yes, Senior Saki." Noki broke into a genuine smile. "I'll show Fugaku around headquarters first. Come with me."

The Security Force's main duty was maintaining safety within Konoha, and its authority was broad. In theory, it could handle anything from an invasion of the village to a fight between two residents.

But that was only in theory. Authority was tied to strength, and no Uchiha had awakened the Mangekyo Sharingan in years. The Security Force no longer held the power it once had.

Noki handed Fugaku a map. "This is a map of Konoha. Central Street divides the village into four large districts, and each of those is divided into four smaller ones.

"That makes sixteen areas in all, numbered one through sixteen. Patrol assignments are made by number."

Fugaku nodded and spread out the map. It showed Konoha from above, with each area numbered from one to sixteen.

The person Fugaku had been watching was in Area Three. Security Force headquarters was in Area Six, not far from Konoha's busiest streets.

"Take me through the first four areas," Fugaku said. "At four a day, I can cover all of Konoha in four days. That leaves three days to learn how the Security Force operates internally."

No clan was free of conflict. In an era without the Mangekyo Sharingan, even Uchiha Tenjo, as Clan Head, could not unite every clan member behind him.

First, Fugaku needed to determine who his enemies were, who his allies were, who could be won over, and who needed to be eliminated.

"All right. It is getting late," Noki said. "I'll take you through the first four areas and show you how things work."

They left headquarters and headed straight for Area One. To get there, they had to pass through Area Three—which was exactly what Fugaku wanted.

Once they began patrolling, there would be too many variables. Some of the regular patrol members might know Fugaku. They could change the patrol assignment and stay by his side the entire time, which would make things troublesome.