The Shadow Danzo, the Regretful Sarutobi-Here We Go Again

Whoosh!

Uchiha Qingcheng soon came rushing back.

Panting, he said, "Don't worry, ma'am. I covered it with clothes bearing the Uchiha Clan Crest. No one in Konoha would dare touch it!"

The old woman froze. Her lips moved as though she wanted to say something.

"Ma'am, just tell me what's on your mind. If I can help, I will!"

"Oh... you're a good boy. But why do you always bring up your clan's pride? It's not good. It makes people feel distant from you..."

Uchiha Qingcheng went still.

Then, all at once—

His eyes widened. Blood-red Two Tomoe appeared in his pupils and spun rapidly. When they stopped, what filled his eyes was...

Three Tomoe!

Ao Cheng was overjoyed. "Ma'am! Thank you! I get it now! I'm going to tell those arrogant guys you can awaken your eyes this way!"

Scenes like this were playing out all across Konoha.

The details differed.

So did the people.

Some of their awkward attempts at friendliness came off as painfully overeager. They often did more harm than good, throwing streets and alleys into chaos and leaving villagers unsure whether to laugh or cry.

But no one could bring themselves to scold them.

After all, they genuinely wanted to help.

What did a few little missteps matter?

Petty disputes between neighbors left the Uchiha ninja with Two Tomoe scratching their heads even harder.

In the past, they had simply put a forceful stop to conflicts and arguments. They used their authority to cow people into silence; as long as everyone was afraid, every dispute would end.

But...

The new law-enforcement rules made them deeply uncomfortable.

A group of clumsy fighters with no gift for words, who knew little beyond combat and killing, were carefully learning to speak kindly, communicate patiently, and understand how people felt.

All so they could grow closer to the villagers and become part of the village!

With all three hundred-plus officers of the Konoha Military Police Force on duty, it took only half a day.

The people of Konoha noticed: the Konoha Military Police Force had changed!

The proudest clan in the village...

It had changed.

Only then did the various ninja clans, large and small, learn that the Uchiha Clan Head had changed.

Hyuga Hiashi stood on the second floor of a teahouse with his hands tucked into his wide sleeves, gazing thoughtfully at the little scenes unfolding every few steps along the street.

He shook his head and said nothing.

In a barbecue restaurant on another street, Akimichi Choza sat like a mountain of flesh, clutching a huge bowl of piping-hot grilled meat and eating until grease shone around his mouth.

Inoichi Yamanaka turned slices of meat on the grill with practiced grace, then glanced curiously at Shikaku Nara by the window.

"What are you looking at? The meat's ready."

Shikaku Nara folded his arms, his gaze deep. "Did you hear? The Uchiha changed clan heads last night."

Inoichi Yamanaka nodded. "I heard the new Clan Head is that kid Shinji Uchiha—the famous number-one genius. Come to think of it, during the last war, the Analysis Team worked with him on an operation. We got the defense plans for the Kirigakure Frontline Outpost. What an impressive young man!"

Shikaku Nara narrowed his eyes. "Yes. That kid... is no ordinary person. I expect the Third Hokage will call us in for a meeting soon."

"A meeting?"

Akimichi Choza kept eating, grease glistening around his mouth. He could not have cared less. "Nothing to do with me, anyway!"

Inoichi Yamanaka shook his head helplessly. "It's about time you took some of the burden off Torifu's shoulders."

Uchiha Itachi wandered through the streets and alleys, his expression calm.

He saw how the Konoha Military Police Force had changed. Without realizing it, a faint smile appeared on his face...

At the Hokage Building, however, the atmosphere was strange.

Bang!

Danzo shot to his feet in a rage.

He slammed a palm on the table. "Impossible! I won't accept this! A clan head isn't someone they can replace on a whim!"

"What do they think Konoha is? Do they have no respect for the Hokage at all?"

"..."

"..."

Utatane Koharu and Mitokado Homura looked utterly speechless. Another clan changing its Clan Head really had little to do with Konoha.

Hiruzen Sarutobi laced his fingers together and corrected the furious Danzo. "Choosing a new Clan Head is an internal Uchiha matter. The village has no right to interfere. But... they also handed over control of the Konoha Military Police Force in the blink of an eye. Danzo, you're missing the point."

Danzo drew a breath, then snapped, "Right! The Konoha Military Police Force! It's a village institution. How can they pass its positions around among themselves?"

Hiruzen sighed. "The Konoha Military Police Force is now staffed by Uchiha Chunin. They've recalled all their Jonin into the clan. Apparently... they've formed the Uchiha Self-Defense Force, with the former Clan Head, Uchiha Fugaku, as its chief instructor."

Danzo's pupils contracted. "What?!"

Hiruzen gave him an odd look. "Danzo, aren't you usually well informed about village affairs? What's wrong with you today? You seem distracted."

"I didn't sleep well last night!"

Danzo dropped back into his seat, folded his arms, and glowered.

Hiruzen Sarutobi, Mitokado Homura, and Utatane Koharu all turned to stare at Danzo. He hadn't slept well?

Was he joking?

Slap!

Hiruzen Sarutobi tossed several documents onto the table.

"Take a look. They haven't violated a single fundamental rule. They filed paperwork for everything they did. It's just..."

Hiruzen said helplessly, "Before I even had time to read it, they'd made it a done deal overnight."

Danzo snatched up the documents. His face darkened with every line. "Head of the Konoha Military Police Force, Shisui Uchiha?! Prosecutor's Office? Legal Affairs Office? A rapid-response unit directly under the Konoha Military Police Force?! Forming a clan self-defense force is bad enough! They dare create a private unit inside the Konoha Military Police Force?"

"The nerve! Are they planning a rebellion?!"

Slap!

Hiruzen Sarutobi did not answer.

His face dark, he threw another document in front of Danzo.

Danzo paused. "What's this?"

The paper in front of him had yellowed with age. It looked less like a Konoha Military Police Force filing and more like something from the Hokage's office. It even bore the Hokage's seal...

It looked like an authorization from years ago.

Puzzled, Danzo picked it up and read aloud. "The Konoha Military Police Force's primary duties are to maintain peace and stability within Konohagakure, formulate village regulations, strengthen and uphold order and public security in Konohagakure, apprehend individuals suspected of criminal activity, and provide ninja support to ANBU in village security operations..."

"Th-this is?!"

As he read, Danzo's eyes widened. He abruptly flipped the lengthy document to its last page and stared at the signature beside the Hokage's seal.

He went rigid...

Tobirama Senju!

Hiruzen gave a bitter smile. "Everything they've done is within the rules. Shinji Uchiha spent the night plastering this document from my teacher and the notice restructuring the Konoha Military Police Force across Konoha's streets and alleys. He's forcing my hand. Am I really that poor a Hokage?"

Danzo clenched his fists, released them, then clenched and released them again.

After a long silence...

He fixed Hiruzen Sarutobi with a fierce stare and ground out, "Hiruzen! Your indecision caused all of this!"

"I warned you long ago that Shinji Uchiha was a deceitful, wicked brat! Now that it's come to this, how do you intend to clean up the mess?"

Hiruzen Sarutobi clenched his fists too. At last, he could no longer keep up his smile.

He snapped.

Bang!

"Danzo! I am the Hokage!"

"Where are your manners? Your restraint? This is a meeting, not a marketplace! If you can't control your temper, go back to Root!"

Hiruzen Sarutobi erupted.

The veins at his temples throbbed and stood out. His face twisted with rage.

Hiruzen Sarutobi was furious too!

Konoha was not just Danzo's village. It was Hiruzen Sarutobi's village as well!

Did Danzo think he wanted things to reach this point?!

His hands were tied!

The Uchiha were powerful, a tiger sleeping at Konoha's side. Hiruzen Sarutobi knew full well the danger of letting another sleep beside one's bed!

But if they broke no rules, what could the Hokage do?

And so...

He could only deal with them within the rules. Just as Shinji Uchiha had said, Konoha had many powerful clans. It was not an empty shell with nothing but a Hokage!

He had to consider all sides. That meant he could not act with the same reckless abandon as Danzo!

When Danzo caused trouble, Hiruzen could clean up after him. But if Hiruzen acted recklessly, no one would be there to clean up his mess!

"Hiruzen, calm down. Let's sit and talk this through." Utatane Koharu, ever the peacemaker, could only keep trying to soothe her two old friends.

Hiruzen Sarutobi leaned back in his chair and closed his eyes.

Danzo gave a cold snort.

He turned his head away.

"I can't understand what you're thinking. If you've lost the judgment a Hokage ought to have, then... hmph!"

Hiruzen Sarutobi's eyes flew open, gleaming sharply. "Oh? Then who do you think should be the Fifth Hokage?"