"Ahem!"
Though somewhat bewildered, Shinichi had to admit that Fugaku's words reminded him it was time to draw up a plan for the Uchiha Clan. At the very least, he needed to stabilize their position in the village so those Hawk Faction members would stop thinking about stirring up trouble all day.
Shinichi composed himself and said seriously, "You're right. My next step is to reshuffle the Konoha Military Police Force! The Uchiha absolutely cannot monopolize every position in it, so you need to approach the Third Hokage yourself and propose sharing authority. Divide the positions evenly among the three Ino-Shika-Cho clans and the Hyuga Clan."
The Konoha Military Police Force seemed to wield considerable authority, but in reality, it was a calculated trap laid by the Second Hokage.
If the Uchiha kept controlling the Konoha Military Police Force, they would not only be ostracized by the village but also draw criticism, giving everyone the impression that they craved power.
And that was precisely what Konoha High Command did not want to see.
Share the power, shift some of the pressure onto the other major clans, and establish multiple powers that would keep one another in check.
Preventing any single faction from becoming dominant was the arrangement rulers had favored since ancient times.
This was also one of Shinichi's strategies for lulling the Third Hokage and the others into a false sense of security.
"I have no objections."
After hearing Shinichi's analysis that day, Fugaku was no longer so attached to the Konoha Military Police Force. He said gravely, "But my clansmen certainly won't agree. I'm afraid it'll cause quite an uproar."
"Who cares whether they agree? You're the clan head. You should have the final say to begin with!"
Shinichi snapped, "If they won't submit, beat them into submission! Let's see who dares question your decisions after that!"
Fugaku needn't think Shinichi was unaware that he had already awakened the Mangekyō Sharingan. His strength was nothing to scoff at. Within the current Uchiha Clan, Shisui was probably the only one who could match him.
Shinichi believed Fugaku was perfectly capable of intimidating his clansmen with overwhelming strength.
Then again, the fundamental reason the Uchiha had split into multiple factions was that Fugaku had not done enough as their clan head.
Shinichi intended to force Fugaku to abandon his naive ideas and take complete control of the Uchiha Clan. Only then could he cooperate perfectly with Shinichi's plan.
"Well..."
Fugaku fell silent.
Just as Shinichi had said, he did possess that strength, but he was unwilling to use it that way.
He worried that ruling through violence alone would only address the symptoms rather than the cause and might not win his clansmen's genuine trust.
"Forget it. One look at you tells me you won't do it."
Shinichi did not press him. With a soft sigh, he said, "Since I'm helping, I might as well see it through. Let me stage a little show for you! I guarantee it'll make those clansmen of yours abandon their plans for a coup completely. As long as we can keep them settled for six months or a year, I'm sure they'll eventually understand your good intentions."
"What kind of show?"
Fugaku asked at once.
Rather than answer directly, Shinichi beckoned him closer and explained everything into his ear.
"Are we really going to do that?"
Fugaku's expression turned rather odd.
From what he knew of Shinichi, he could not shake the feeling that the man was up to no good.
"Then how about you come up with a better idea?"
Shinichi shot him a fierce glare.
"Forget it. We'll do it your way!"
After thinking it over, Fugaku realized he really did not have the brains for this.
If their plan succeeded, they could resolve the problem posed by the Uchiha's Hawk Faction members and gain enough time to improve the clan's situation in the village.
Simply put, what they needed most right now was time!
"Wait, you nearly led me around in circles! Everything you just said seems to have nothing to do with you deliberately causing trouble in the police force and getting complaints filed against you! Even if there is a connection, you could have someone else take your place. There's no need for you to do that personally."
For some reason, Fugaku suddenly caught on. With an odd look, he asked, "Could it be... you're deliberately ruining your heroic image in the village because you don't want me pressuring you into becoming Hokage?"
When did this old bastard get so clever?
"How is that possible? Would I, Hatake Shinichi, be that shameless?"
Shinichi's heart pounded, but his expression remained utterly disdainful.
At his reaction, Fugaku's face darkened on the spot.
Confirmed!
That was absolutely what was going on!
The Uchiha Clan Compound.
The gathered Uchiha clansmen were puzzled, discussing why their clan head had suddenly called this meeting.
Only a few days had passed since that month's regular clan meeting. Fugaku would never have issued such an order unless there was something important to discuss.
In a secluded corner, Shisui stood as straight as a pine, with hardly anyone coming over to speak to him.
It was hardly his fault. He simply was not very popular within the clan.
He had supported the doves from the very beginning, always insisting on living peacefully with the people of the village. With Hawk Faction thinking now dominating the Uchiha Clan, how many people were willing to befriend him?
Apart from Itachi, who understood his thoughts, Shisui truly had few friends.
"Everyone is here, I trust."
Standing on the raised platform, an expressionless Fugaku lowered his hand to signal for silence and said gravely, "I called this sudden meeting because I have something very important to announce to everyone."
"Lord Clan Head, what is so urgent?"
"Has Lord Clan Head finally decided to launch a coup and seize the Hokage position?"
"That's wonderful! I've had enough of being ostracized day in and day out. Those people in the village are always targeting us Uchiha. It's time we taught them a lesson!"
The entire compound became incredibly noisy, with the Hawk Faction members' voices ringing out loudest of all.
"I never imagined the resentment our clansmen have built up over the years had reached this point..."
Shisui frowned deeply and thought, Thank goodness Shinichi had prepared in advance. Otherwise, sooner or later, the Uchiha Clan would go to war with the village!
On one side was the village he was willing to give his life to protect, and on the other were the clansmen who shared his blood.
He could not imagine how much pain and anguish he would feel if that day truly came.
"All of you, quiet!"
Fugaku spoke coldly.
In an instant, the marketplace-like clamor died away. No one dared make another sound.
Clearly, Fugaku still commanded considerable respect as clan head.
"I have no intention of launching a coup. Instead, I plan to reduce the number of positions our Uchiha Clan holds in the Konoha Military Police Force and allocate more than half of them to shinobi from the other major clans."
Faced with his clansmen's expectant gazes, Fugaku delivered that stunning announcement.
"What?!"
The moment he finished speaking, his clansmen's emotions erupted.
"Lord Clan Head, you must be joking!"
"The Konoha Military Police Force has been our Uchiha's 'private domain' for all these years. Why should we share it with outsiders?"
"I refuse! Ever since the Nine-Tails' Rampage, the people in the village have ostracized us at every turn and insisted on pinning the blame on us. Why should we Uchiha extend an olive branch to them?"
"Lord Clan Head, someone must be controlling you with Genjutsu! How else could you make such an absurd decision?"
Many clansmen protested fiercely, their faces flushed and necks strained. Some even openly accused Fugaku of being maliciously controlled.
"My decision is final!"
Faced with his clansmen's doubts and abuse, Fugaku remained perfectly calm. In a tone that brooked no argument, he said, "This is an order from your clan head, not a discussion. You have no right to object!"
"What?"
For a moment, everyone was stunned by Fugaku's forcefulness and determination.
The clan head they remembered was not like this. However stern and rigid he usually was, Fugaku always consulted his clansmen before making any major decisions!
How had he become so overbearing in just a few days?
"If anyone refuses to accept it, come and challenge me! Whoever defeats me will become the next head of the Uchiha Clan!"
Fugaku snorted coldly. Before everyone's eyes, his three-tomoe Sharingan transformed into a strange triangular shuriken pattern.
This was his Mangekyō Sharingan!
"That's... the Mangekyō Sharingan!"
If Fugaku had surprised them and made them suspicious before, now the Uchiha clansmen were utterly shaken.
As members of the Uchiha Clan, how could they fail to recognize the pinnacle of the Sharingan-the Mangekyō Sharingan, which held terrifying power?
"So the clan head really isn't being controlled. He's even awakened the Mangekyō Sharingan!"
Understanding dawned on everyone.
With his Mangekyō Sharingan, Fugaku could not possibly be controlled by someone else's Genjutsu. They should be thankful he was not controlling other people.
That meant all of this was Fugaku's own will!
"Lord Clan Head, I don't understand!"
One especially radical Hawk Faction member could not help shouting, fanaticism filling his scarlet Sharingan. "You possess such tremendous power, so why don't you simply control the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki and launch a coup?"
The clansmen who heard him nodded inwardly, clearly agreeing wholeheartedly.
Who did not know that the Mangekyō Sharingan could control a tailed beast?
As long as they found a way to capture the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki, what could stop the Uchiha Clan from conquering Konoha and seizing power?
"As for that question... I'm afraid your esteemed clan head can't answer it. Allow me to answer instead!"
A flippant voice suddenly rang out.
The voice sounded both unfamiliar and infuriating. It certainly did not belong to an Uchiha!
At that thought, the Uchiha clansmen's expressions changed drastically. Had an outsider intruded into their compound?
This was bad!
They were discussing launching a coup!
If word got out, Konoha High Command would never tolerate it. They would certainly strike first!
It could even turn into a crisis that wiped out the Uchiha Clan!
"Who's there?"
"Stop skulking around! Get out here!"
Under the murderous gazes of the gathered Uchiha clansmen, a languid figure appeared without warning.
Beneath the moonlight, his long silver-white hair was striking, and a faint smile lingered on his handsome face.
Who else could it be but Hatake Shinichi?
Before you continue