Uchiha Yao's Police Force Reform!

After defeating Itachi, Uchiha Yao left him with a single admonition to take care of himself, then turned and walked away without another glance.

Uchiha Itachi knelt on one knee, the exhaustion in his body far less severe than the collapse in his heart.

He had lost.

He had lost completely.

Tsukuyomi had been directly immune!

Amaterasu's inextinguishable black flames had been effortlessly blocked.

Why?

Itachi's body trembled uncontrollably.

He had clearly awakened the Mangekyō Sharingan as well.

He had clearly endured the ultimate pain of losing his closest friend.

Why was the gap between him and Elder Yao so unimaginably vast?

Itachi raised a hand and covered his left eye, from which bloody tears streamed.

Was this... the difference in their capacity?

Itachi had always believed himself to be a genius standing at the very pinnacle, qualified and capable of shouldering everything and correcting the family's misguided path.

But reality had dealt Itachi its heaviest blow.

Before absolute power, his so-called resolve and his promise to Shisui all seemed so pale, so ridiculous.

"Take care of yourself..."

Several days later, the Uchiha high-level council convened once again.

The atmosphere was completely different from when the Hawk and Dove Factions had faced off before.

The elders, once sharply divided, now all sat upright and solemn.

Uchiha Yao merely sat there quietly, yet he became the invisible center of the entire meeting room.

Uchiha Fugaku sat in the seat of honor, looking more like an outsider.

"Everyone."

Uchiha Yao spoke.

"I have gathered you today for one matter."

"The Police Force's training model needs reform."

An elder from the Dove Faction, relying on his seniority, could not help frowning as he spoke.

"Elder Yao, the Police Force has used its current model for decades. It is enough to maintain order within the village and has proven effective."

"Why make such sweeping changes all of a sudden?"

"This will not only consume the family's already limited resources, but may also draw unnecessary attention from the village leadership."

His words represented the final concerns lingering in the hearts of some Dove Faction members.

They had already submitted to Uchiha Yao's strength, yet they still instinctively feared completely tearing ties with the village.

Uchiha Yao did not refute him directly.

"Theoretical arguments are meaningless."

"I place greater faith in facts and data."

Uchiha Yao's gaze swept over the elder.

"I propose a live combat exercise."

"Let the results speak for themselves."

Uchiha Yao turned slightly and gestured toward the door.

A moment later, twelve figures entered the meeting room.

They were Uchiha Yao's Elder Guard.

Leading them were Uchiha Kenji and Uchiha Shunichi, both radiating the unmistakable aura of Jonin.

The ten behind them were young, but the refinement of their Chakra had already come infinitely close to that of Jonin.

Fugaku's pupils contracted slightly.

The elders present all held their breath.

They knew Uchiha Yao's guard was strong, but they had never expected them to become this powerful in such a short time.

"The exercise is simple."

Uchiha Yao's voice rang out again.

"We will simulate Root ninja infiltrating the clan grounds with malicious intent."

"My guard will face them."

"The opponents will be a mixed twenty-man unit drawn from the Police Force, including five Jonin."

"Twelve against twenty, with five Jonin among them?"

An elder cried out in disbelief.

It sounded utterly fantastical.

The Police Force's elites were no ordinary fighters.

Yet there was not the slightest hint of concern on Uchiha Yao's face. Instead, a faint confidence showed in his expression.

"Let's go to the training ground."

The spacious training ground was filled with a grim, murderous atmosphere.

Twenty Police Force members had already formed up, the five Jonin at their head wearing grave expressions.

"Lord Fugaku, isn't... Elder Yao being too overconfident?"

"Exactly. Those are five Jonin and fifteen Elite Chunin, all working in perfect coordination."

Soft murmurs of doubt rose among the elders.

Uchiha Fugaku said nothing, merely fixing his gaze on Uchiha Yao.

"Begin!"

At the command.

The twenty-man Police Force unit across from them moved instantly.

The five Jonin charged first, pouncing from five different directions like tigers descending the mountain. The Chunin behind them rapidly formed hand seals, preparing a blanket Fire Release Ninjutsu assault.

This was the Police Force's most common and most effective encirclement tactic.

However, they were facing Uchiha Yao's guard.

The instant their opponents charged, the twelve guards moved.

But they neither met the attack nor scattered.

Four of them formed dozens of different hand seals in an instant.

Wind Release: Great Breakthrough!

Earth Release: Earth Flow Wall!

Genjutsu: Darkness and Darkness Technique!

A howling gale instantly scattered the Police Force members' formation, stalling their forward momentum.

A thick earthen wall rose from the ground, perfectly blocking their follow-up Fire Release Ninjutsu.

Most bizarre of all was the silent Genjutsu.

Several weaker Chunin were instantly plunged into darkness, stumbling on their feet.

When experts clashed, victory and defeat were decided by the smallest margin.

Amid that brief chaos.

The other eight guards cut into the Police Force's disordered formation from four directions like ghosts.

They worked in pairs, their coordination flawless.

One launched a frontal taijutsu assault to draw attention.

The other silently appeared in the enemy's blind spot, pressing a kunai precisely against their throat.

Thud! Thud! Thud!

In a single exchange.

Six Chunin were instantly knocked unconscious and sent crashing to the ground.

The elders on the platform abruptly rose to their feet, their faces filled with disbelief.

"This... what kind of coordination is that?!"

The Police Force's five Jonin finally reacted, roaring as they tried to regroup.

But the guards gave them no chance.

After completing the first wave of surprise attacks, the remaining six guards did not pause in the slightest, immediately engaging the five Jonin.

The battle instantly became an encirclement where many fought few.

One Police Force Jonin had just unleashed the Great Fireball Technique when he was met head-on by a combined technique of Water Dragon Tornado and Wind Blade.

Water bolstered the wind, and wind shredded the water.

A composite Ninjutsu!

Boom!

A massive burst of steam exploded outward, blasting that Jonin away in a miserable tumble.

Elsewhere, a Jonin skilled in taijutsu was entangled by two guard members.

Both guards possessed Two-Tomoe Sharingan. They perfectly anticipated every one of the Jonin's attacks, moving as smoothly as flowing clouds and always neutralizing him at the smallest possible cost.

What frustrated the Jonin even more was that he felt as if he were fighting just one person.

The person on his left had barely forced him back when the one on his right immediately sealed off every route of retreat.

Their coordination was without a single flaw.

The battle had already become overwhelmingly one-sided.

Then, a sudden change occurred on the field.

One of the twelve guard members actually broke through in the middle of his fight against a Jonin.

His One-tomoe evolved into Two-Tomoe!

His Chakra surged as well, reaching the level of a Jonin.

The platform fell deathly silent.

Every elder, including Uchiha Fugaku, stared fixedly at the young man who had just broken through in battle.

The shock in their eyes was impossible to conceal.

Uchiha Fugaku's expression was incomparably grave.

As clan head, he had to admit that the strength displayed by the guard had already surpassed his understanding.

The five Jonin were swiftly defeated one by one.

Back in the meeting room.

No one raised another objection.

The elder who had questioned him earlier now lowered his head, no longer even daring to look Uchiha Yao in the eye.

"I propose that this 'efficient training model' be expanded to every elite squad in the Police Force."

Uchiha Yao's voice broke the silence.

"Agreed."

Uchiha Yashiro was the first to state his position.

"Agreed."

Uchiha En followed immediately after.

"Agreed."

"Agreed..."

One elder after another rose to their feet and lowered their once-proud heads toward Uchiha Yao.

In the end, everyone's gaze focused on Uchiha Fugaku.

Fugaku slowly closed his eyes. When he opened them again, all struggle had faded from his gaze, leaving only deep helplessness.

"...Agreed."