By the fifteenth day of the observation period, the Uchiha Konoha Military Police Force's daily reports already covered half a desk.
At first, the clan members had found it a hassle.
Settling disputes required a report.
Clearing rubble required a report.
Using ninjutsu required a report.
Even correcting a single error in a timestamp required an attached record of verification by three parties.
But after half a month, many of them finally realized that these cumbersome records were like layers of wooden planks, gradually shielding the Uchiha where they were most vulnerable to attack.
If someone accused the Konoha Military Police Force of excessive force, there was an answer.
Check the enforcement records.
If someone accused the Uchiha of withholding supplies, there was an answer.
Check the distribution records.
If someone claimed that Fire Release had nearly burned down the Medical Station, there was an answer.
Check the rescue ninjutsu filings.
Rumors still existed.
Suspicion still existed.
But they could no longer drive the Uchiha into a corner with a single sentence, as they had immediately after the night of the Nine-Tails.
That evening, Uchiha Gen placed a thick scroll in front of Fugaku.
"The midterm observation report."
Fugaku unrolled it. After reading only the first page, his gaze darkened.
The first page did not list the police force's achievements.
It listed records of suspicious contact.
Before the first conflict in the Resettlement Zone, three unidentified individuals had repeatedly moved through the lines.
Before the near-stampede in the medical access corridor, two unidentified individuals had pushed the crowd from the rear.
Before the original supply ledgers were moved, temporary porters had handled the wooden crates containing old medicine bottles.
Before the timestamp error appeared in the first daily report of the observation period, temporary porters had briefly handled the record scroll.
Not a single entry mentioned "Root."
But every entry pointed to the same problem.
Someone was persistently interfering with recordkeeping and public order.
Fugaku read for a long time.
"You want to send this to the Hokage Building?"
"Yes."
"Under what designation?"
"A midterm review report for the observation period."
Uchiha Gen said, "The first half covers the police force's performance. The second half covers suspicious contact and individuals requiring investigation."
Fugaku looked up at him.
"Do you know what this means?"
"I do."
"If the leadership decides the Uchiha are using the reform to turn accusations back on the village's Anbu, the Relocation Order will be reinstated immediately."
Uchiha Gen nodded.
"That's why the report doesn't mention Root."
Fugaku frowned. "It doesn't?"
"No accusations. Just observations."
Uchiha Gen turned to the second page.
Each entry contained only a time, a location, an action, witnesses, and an outcome.
Unidentified individuals.
Suspicious contact.
Suspected attempts to direct crowd movement.
Suspected interference with the handover of records.
No determination made.
Pending independent review.
Uchiha Gen said, "We have no authority to investigate Root directly right now, and we don't have the evidence to pin down every person's involvement. Insisting on naming Root would only turn this report into a political accusation."
Fugaku fell silent.
Uchiha Gen continued, "But if we only provide verifiable leads, the Third Hokage will have to confront one question."
"What question?"
"The Uchiha aren't the only ones who need to be observed during this period."
Fugaku's gaze shifted slightly.
"Someone else is interfering with the Uchiha during the observation period."
The words were softly spoken.
But they carried weight.
Uchiha Gen turned to the appendix.
Each suspicious incident was followed by three columns.
The first contained confirmed facts.
The second contained unresolved questions.
The third contained recommended avenues for review.
For example, in the entry concerning the near-stampede in the medical access corridor, the confirmed fact was that abnormal pushing had occurred at the rear of the crowd. The unresolved question was the identity of the two people doing the pushing. The recommended avenues for review were the Resettlement Zone's entrance register and the Transport Squad's list of temporary personnel.
In the entry concerning the relocated ledgers, the confirmed fact was that the original records had left the Supply Tent. The unresolved question was whether the person who moved them had acted on someone else's instructions. The recommended avenue for review was the old storehouse's entry and exit records.
This was not an accusation.
It was more like a checklist that placed the hilt of a blade in the Hokage Building's hands.
Whether to investigate was the Third Hokage's choice.
But the leads were already on the table.
Fugaku looked at the report, slowly pressing his fingers against the edge of the scroll.
In the past, he had been reluctant to bring these conflicts before the Hokage Building.
He feared that once they were brought into the open, they would become a direct confrontation between the Uchiha and the leadership.
But the events of the past half month had made one thing increasingly clear to him.
Keeping the conflicts out of sight would not make them disappear.
It would only let them turn, in the shadows, into charges the Uchiha could not explain away.
"I'll deliver this report myself."
Fugaku finally spoke.
Uchiha Gen shook his head. "You deliver the main report as clan head. I'll deliver the appendix."
Fugaku looked at him.
"Why?"
"The clan head has to present the main report to show that these are the official results of the police force's reform."
Uchiha Gen said, "If I explain the appendix, the leadership can focus their challenges on me instead of bringing pressure directly on the entire clan."
Fugaku's expression darkened.
"You want to make yourself a target?"
"I already am one."
Uchiha Gen said calmly, "Danzo has had his eye on me for a long time. Hiding every conflict won't make me any safer."
The Clan Meeting Hall fell quiet.
Shisui stood to one side, his gaze shifting slightly.
He understood those words.
In the past, he had always thought of stepping forward himself to act as a buffer.
But Gen was different from him.
Gen did not shoulder the burden in silence.
Gen stepped forward with records, evidence, and verifiable procedures, making sure no one could casually rewrite what he had taken upon himself.
The Hokage Building.
Hiruzen Sarutobi received the midterm observation report that night.
The report was thicker than he had expected.
The first half covered the results of the Konoha Military Police Force Reform.
Twenty-seven publicly available enforcement records.
Forty-three post-disaster assistance assignments.
Three rescue ninjutsu filings.
Six mediated conflicts in the Resettlement Zone.
One major correction to the records.
Every item was accompanied by witnesses and a filing number.
When Hiruzen Sarutobi reached the second half, he finally frowned.
Records of contact involving suspicious individuals.
There were no direct accusations.
But there were too many to ignore.
Mitokado Homura said gravely, "If these leads are accurate, someone has been persistently interfering with the police force during the observation period."
Utatane Koharu frowned. "Or the Uchiha may be deliberately portraying ordinary disorder as targeted interference to delay their relocation."
Hiruzen Sarutobi did not answer immediately.
He turned to the last page.
Uchiha Gen had written one sentence in the appendix.
The Uchiha have no authority to determine whether the unidentified individuals belong to any department; we request an independent review by the Hokage's Anbu.
Independent review.
Those words kept Hiruzen Sarutobi silent for a long time.
If he did not investigate, he would effectively be suppressing all these irregularities.
If he had Root investigate, he would effectively be asking a potentially implicated party to investigate itself.
At last, he closed the scroll.
"Have my Anbu review the suspicious individuals in the Resettlement Zone."
The Anbu operative bowed his head. "Should we notify Root to assist?"
Hiruzen Sarutobi said gravely, "Not for now."
The meeting room went quiet for a moment.
Utatane Koharu looked at him.
"Third Hokage?"
Hiruzen Sarutobi rubbed his brow.
"This is only a review, not a verdict."
He seemed to be saying it to the others as much as to himself.
But the order had already been given.
That night, beneath Root's headquarters.
When Danzo received the news, his expression turned truly cold for the first time.
"An independent review by the Hokage's Anbu?"
The kneeling Root ninja lowered his head. "Yes. The Third Hokage did not notify Root to assist."
Danzo struck the floor hard with his cane.
Uchiha Gen's report had not named Root directly.
But that very omission had made it easier for Hiruzen to order a review.
Had it named Root, Danzo could have accused the Uchiha of slander.
By leaving Root unnamed and providing only leads, it had placed the question back in the Hokage's own hands.
"Very good."
Danzo's voice was low.
"He knows how to get around Root."
The Root ninja did not dare respond.
Danzo looked at the copy of the report on his desk, his gaze growing colder.
"Since he wants Hiruzen to see the leads, we'll give him an incident he can't explain."
"Records can be written."
"Leads can be investigated."
"But he can't make both choices work out."
The Root ninja raised his head.
Danzo said slowly, "Prepare an interregional supply transfer."
"Make two resettlement sites run short of medicine at the same time."
"I want to see which one the Uchiha Konoha Military Police Force saves first."
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