The Truth About the Konoha Military Police Force

The wait lasted more than ten minutes.

At last, the arguments in the Meeting Hall began to die down.

Everyone turned to Uchiha En, waiting for an explanation.

They opposed the idea, but they did not dare defy the Clan Head's orders.

After all.

The Clan Head had awakened the Mangekyō Sharingan.

He was the strongest member of the Uchiha Clan.

They could voice their objections, but the final decision still rested with the Clan Head.

Seeing that everyone had quieted down, Uchiha En gave a faint smile.

"Finished arguing?"

His voice was calm.

The others exchanged glances. No one dared answer.

Uchiha En rose and swept his gaze across the room.

"You all think the Konoha Military Police Force belongs to the Uchiha Clan, and that we can't let outsiders touch it?"

"Is that right?"

Heads nodded throughout the room.

"That's right!"

"The Konoha Military Police Force is ours!"

"We can't hand it to outsiders!"

Uchiha En smiled.

Then his voice turned cold.

"Have you ever stopped to think?"

"Who gave us the Konoha Military Police Force in the first place?"

Everyone froze.

Who gave us the Konoha Military Police Force...?

Uchiha En did not wait for an answer.

"Tobirama Senju."

"The Second Hokage, Tobirama Senju."

He paused, his voice growing colder still.

"Do you know why Tobirama Senju gave the Konoha Military Police Force to the Uchiha Clan?"

The others looked at one another. No one could answer.

Uchiha En let out a cold laugh.

"Because he knew that we Uchiha tend to be extreme and quick to make enemies."

"He handed us the Konoha Military Police Force so we would take on the thankless work."

"So we would arrest people, detain them, and make enemies."

"So the Uchiha Clan would become the most hated clan in all of Konoha."

"And over the years."

"How many people has our force made enemies of?"

The hall fell deathly silent.

Everyone stared, mouths open, unable to speak.

Uchiha En's voice grew colder with every word.

"Tobirama Senju never trusted us."

"He wanted to put the Uchiha Clan on the spot and let us take the heat."

"To make us Konoha's watchdogs and villains in the villagers' eyes."

"That way, the villagers would never like us."

"That way, the Konoha High Command would have an excuse to suppress us."

"That is the truth about the Konoha Military Police Force."

When he finished, not a sound could be heard in the Meeting Hall.

Every face had turned grim.

They had never considered it that way.

They had always believed the Konoha Military Police Force was a sign of the Konoha High Command's trust.

An honor for the Uchiha Clan.

But now.

The Clan Head had told them it was all a lie.

The Konoha Military Police Force had been a trap from the start.

Uchiha Yashiro's face turned livid.

He clenched his fists and spat through gritted teeth, "That damned Tobirama Senju!"

"No wonder he was so generous about handing the Konoha Military Police Force over to the Uchiha Clan!"

"This was what he had planned for us all along!"

His voice shook with anger.

"If the Clan Head hadn't laid it out for us today, we'd still be in the dark, congratulating ourselves!"

The other clan members began to catch on.

"That's right! So that's what happened!"

"We thought the Konoha Military Police Force was an honor, but it was a damn trap?!"

"That old bastard Tobirama Senju was devious!"

"No wonder the Uchiha Clan has been pushed further and further aside in Konoha. This is why!"

"Damn it! He fooled us for years!"

Their anger gave way to a lingering fear.

If the Clan Head had not pointed it out today.

How much longer would they have remained in the dark?

Watching their reactions, Uchiha En continued.

"There are three reasons I've decided to recruit civilians into the Konoha Military Police Force."

He raised three fingers.

"First, bringing civilian ninja into the force will draw some of the villagers' attention away from the Uchiha Clan."

"When villagers are detained or fined, they won't think only the Uchiha Clan is responsible."

"They'll see that civilians serve in the force too."

"That will lessen their resentment toward us."

"Second, we need to unite the civilian ninja."

"You all know where civilian ninja stand in Konoha."

"They don't have our family backgrounds, our resources, or our opportunities to advance."

"If we reach out and give them a chance to join the Konoha Military Police Force."

"How do you think they'll feel?"

Uchiha En looked around the hall.

"They'll be grateful to us."

"They'll feel that the Uchiha Clan respects them."

"And that will earn us supporters among the civilian ninja."

"Third."

He paused, his tone turning solemn.

"The Uchiha Clan cannot afford any more turmoil."

"You all know how many of us there are."

"Just over fifty ninja, with barely more than ten Jonin."

"Where does that put us in Konoha?"

"And you know better than I do how much ground the Konoha Military Police Force has to cover."

"Can we really manage it with so few people?"

Uchiha En's gaze sharpened.

"When we aren't strong enough to overpower everyone."

"What we need to do now is unite every force we can."

"Bring more people over to our side."

"Instead of clinging to that scrap of authority and isolating ourselves completely."

The Meeting Hall fell quiet again.

This time, no one objected.

Everyone was deep in thought.

They had to admit the Clan Head had a point.

The Konoha Military Police Force was a poisoned chalice.

Clinging to it would only leave the Uchiha Clan more isolated.

Letting civilians join would both spread the resentment and win people over.

It would solve two problems at once.

A Jonin stood up.

"Clan Head... you're right."

He sighed, then his gaze steadied.

"We've been... too attached to that bit of authority."

"If you hadn't opened our eyes, we'd still think we were on the right path."

"I support your decision, Clan Head."

Once one person spoke up, another followed.

"I support it too!"

"The Konoha Military Police Force really is a poisoned chalice. Letting civilians in is a good idea!"

"The Clan Head is right! We aren't strong enough yet. We need to unite with everyone we can!"

"I'm for it!"

"So am I!"

The voices in the meeting room grew louder until everyone agreed.

Uchiha En looked at the people before him and nodded in satisfaction.

He did not speak at once.

He waited in silence for two seconds. When everyone quieted down, he spoke slowly.

"Good."

"Since no one objects, it's settled."

He paused, his gaze growing thoughtful.

"I'll announce the details of the reforms to the Konoha Military Police Force in due course."

"When you return, think about whether there are any suitable civilian ninja you could recommend."

"But remember one thing."

Uchiha En's voice turned stern.

"We will not lower our standards."

"We're looking for help, not burdens."

"Understood?"

"Understood!"

They answered in unison.

Uchiha En nodded.

"Good. All Jonin, stay. Everyone else is dismissed."