The Eight-Hour Workday

Only a dozen or so Jonin remained in the Meeting Hall.

After everyone else left, even the air seemed to change.

The Chunin and Genin were their own people too, but some things were not meant for everyone to hear.

Uchiha En sat at the head of the hall, his gaze passing slowly over every face.

None of them looked happy.

It was not that they distrusted him as Clan Head. But although they had agreed to the Konoha Military Police Force reforms, they still had mixed feelings.

After all, that authority had belonged to the Uchiha Clan for decades.

Giving it up so readily was bound to hurt.

Uchiha En knew what they were thinking.

But he did not explain himself right away.

He waited in silence until everyone's attention was on him, then spoke.

"I asked you to stay because there are two things I need you to do."

His voice was calm, but it carried a weight that left no room for argument.

The Jonin straightened in their seats.

They knew what the Clan Head was about to say was the real point of today's meeting.

Uchiha En raised one finger.

"The first matter concerns our clan."

"I want you to account for all the clan's assets."

Everyone froze for a moment.

Account for their assets?

Ignoring their confusion, Uchiha En continued.

"On Clan Massacre Night, we lost many of our people."

"Those who died left property behind."

"But the Uchiha Clan has to rebuild from the ground up. Every last Ryō must count."

His voice grew solemn.

"Gather all the property left by those who died."

"If they have surviving relatives who are ninja and can protect the property, leave half to those relatives."

"The rest goes into the clan treasury."

"If their surviving relatives are civilians, it all goes into the treasury."

"Then pay them a fixed monthly living allowance until the full amount has been paid back."

As soon as he finished, one Jonin could not help speaking up.

"Clan Head... isn't that too harsh?"

"The people who died had families..."

"And how much of an allowance would a civilian get each month? Would they ever receive all that money back?"

Uchiha En looked at him.

"I know what worries you."

"But have you considered something else? If we don't take charge of it, whose hands will that money end up in? Besides, we're not refusing to give it to them. We're only holding it in the clan treasury for now."

The Jonin paused.

That was true... If the Uchiha Clan did not take charge of those assets, who would get them?

After Clan Massacre Night, the Konoha High Command must have had its eye on the houses, land, and savings the Uchiha Clan had left behind.

Better to gather everything and manage it together than let outsiders take it.

Uchiha En went on.

"As for the living allowance, we'll calculate it per person."

"Each civilian will receive 20,000 Ryō a month. If they need more, they can apply for it."

"That's enough to live on."

"The payments will continue until they've received the full value of their property."

The Jonin fell silent.

He still felt uneasy, but he had to admit... the Clan Head had a point.

Now was not the time to let sentiment decide things.

Survival came first.

Uchiha Yashiro stroked his chin and nodded.

"The Clan Head is right."

"The Uchiha Clan can't afford any more upheaval."

"Every last Ryō has to count."

"Gathering the assets first, then distributing them in an orderly way, is the safest approach."

The others nodded as well.

"All right. We'll do as the Clan Head says."

"We'll start accounting for the assets at once."

Uchiha En nodded and continued.

"There's one more thing."

"Pay for everyone in the Konoha Military Police Force will go up."

At that, every eye lit up.

"A pay raise?!"

"How much, Clan Head?"

Uchiha En held up three fingers.

"Genin will receive a monthly allowance of 50,000 Ryō."

"Chunin will receive 200,000 Ryō a month."

"Jonin will receive 350,000 Ryō a month."

Everyone's breathing quickened.

That was twice what they earned now!

For Jonin especially, 350,000 Ryō a month counted as a high salary anywhere in Konoha!

"Clan Head, is that really true?!"

"350,000 Ryō a month... That's far too much!"

"Can the Konoha Military Police Force afford it?"

Some were excited; others were worried.

After all, the Konoha Military Police Force had a limited budget.

If pay went up, could the budget cover it?

Uchiha En waved a hand.

"I'll handle the funding."

"You just focus on your work."

He paused, then continued.

"We'll adopt an eight-hour workday, with three rotating shifts."

"Outside working hours, you can take on other missions as you wish."

"Ninja who join the Konoha Military Police Force can send their children to train at the Uchiha Training Ground for free, alongside Uchiha children."

"Those who perform exceptionally well may also earn the chance to learn standard Uchiha Clan ninjutsu."

The hall erupted again.

"Free training at the Uchiha Training Ground?!"

"Alongside Uchiha children?!"

"And they can learn ninjutsu too?!"

Disbelief was written across every face.

The Uchiha Clan had never opened its training ground or shared its ninjutsu with outsiders before.

Yet the Clan Head was saying that children of Konoha Military Police Force members could train there?

That was an incredible benefit!

Someone asked quietly, "Clan Head... are we really going to let them learn our ninjutsu?"

There was a trace of hesitation in his voice.

After all, those techniques had been passed down through generations of the Uchiha Clan.

Was it really right to hand them to outsiders?

Uchiha En nodded.

His gaze swept over everyone, his tone calm but firm.

"They're only ninjutsu. What's the big deal?"

"You must understand that the Sharingan is the foundation of the Uchiha Clan."

"Ninjutsu is only a supplement."

"As long as a technique isn't forbidden, they can learn it."

"If they earn the right to learn advanced ninjutsu, that means they've made greater contributions to the Uchiha Clan."

Realization dawned on everyone.

Of course!

The Uchiha Clan's greatest strength would always be the Sharingan.

Those ninjutsu were valuable, but compared with the Sharingan, they were nothing extraordinary.

And the further the children of Konoha Military Police Force members progressed in their training, the stronger their bond with the Uchiha Clan would become.

In time, they would become the clan's most loyal supporters.

It was a deal with nothing but upside!

"The Clan Head is right!"

"The Clan Head sees further than we do!"

"We were thinking too small!"

Everyone's spirits soared.

Higher pay, free training for their children, and access to ninjutsu—together, those benefits would make the Konoha Military Police Force far more appealing!

They would have no trouble recruiting promising talent!

Seeing that he had won them over, Uchiha En let a faint smile touch his lips.

He did not rush on to the second matter.

Only when the discussion gradually died down did he speak again.

"All right. That's enough on the first matter for now."

"You can discuss the details of how to carry it out afterward."

"But let me remind you of one thing."

Uchiha En's voice turned stern.

"The accounting and collection of assets must be finished within three days."

"I don't want anyone using this as a chance to line their own pockets."

His cold gaze passed over every person in the hall.

"If I find that anyone has taken so much as a Ryō..."

"You know what will happen."

A chill ran through them, and they lowered their heads.

"Understood!"

"Rest assured, Clan Head. We would never do such a thing!"

Uchiha En looked away and smiled faintly.

"Good."

"Now, for the second matter."