"The Konoha Military Police Force is hiring! Generous benefits, thirteen months' pay a year! Anyone interested can visit the Uchiha Compound Office for details!!"
"Extra, extra!! The Uchiha..."
All of Konoha.
Just as everyone recovered from the news that the Uchiha would outsource the police force's work...
The Uchiha dropped another bombshell on top of it.
People had assumed the Uchiha were just talking. Even if they really intended to leave, they couldn't possibly act that quickly.
How long had it been? They already had a plan in place?!
"What's going on? The Uchiha are actually hiring?! Not even a dog would work for them!!"
"Is that true?! I heard they're paying a hundred thousand ryo a month, with other benefits too."
"I would!! I mean, of course I'd work for the Uchiha! You can have a problem with anyone, but you can't have a problem with money. Let's hurry over!!!"
The moment ordinary civilians heard that figure, they couldn't sit still.
That was a hundred thousand ryo!
A Genin barely earned seventy or eighty thousand ryo a month from missions.
In other words, joining the police force could actually earn them more each month than a Genin made!
And there were no restrictions.
After all, most people in the village weren't ninja. They were ordinary civilians.
They couldn't do the missions a Genin could.
But this job was different!
This was something they could do!
At the office in the Uchiha Clan Compound.
The place was already packed. Some had come to watch the excitement, while others were struggling to support their families and hoped to join the police force.
At the office.
A representative from the contracted staffing company looked at the crowd, picked up a megaphone, and shouted, "Applicants, line up!!! Ninja on the left, civilians on the right, spectators at the back!!"
Such an incredible turnout.
Even he was surprised.
After all, the Uchiha had never enjoyed a good reputation in the village.
Having so many people show up was completely beyond his expectations.
Although most had come to watch...
There were indeed plenty who had come to apply for the police force.
After he finished speaking, some civilians asked, "Can we really join the police force too?! And are all those advertised benefits real?!"
The advertised pay was enough for an entire family to live comfortably.
That much money, and so many openings-was this really true?!
"That's right, all the benefits are real, exactly as advertised. A hundred thousand ryo a month, plus an extra month's salary at the end of the year!!!"
His words immediately sparked a chorus of astonished cries.
Many had thought this might be a scam.
Now that it was confirmed, even quite a few spectators were tempted.
Didn't that mean they could earn 1.3 million ryo a year?!
Even a Chunin couldn't earn that much, could they?!
After all, this was pure profit. Ninja had to buy all sorts of supplies and ate more, so they certainly wouldn't have that much left over!
Besides, Chunin usually worked in teams. Once the earnings were split among their teammates and the village took its cut, their actual take-home pay wasn't nearly that impressive.
The ones who truly made money were Jonin and above, who could complete missions independently.
But their mortality rate was also extremely high.
So no matter how they looked at it, taking a contracted position in the police force seemed like a pretty good option!
"However, we do have requirements!!"
Of course!!!
They knew it!!!
Hearing that, everyone immediately realized the money wouldn't be so easy to earn!
It seemed the Uchiha had something else in mind.
"Our requirements are simple. We use an assessment system. Anyone who consistently fails will be dismissed. The police force is recruiting people who can solve problems, not feeding useless freeloaders!
"Also, among ninja applicants, we will prioritize those who retired due to disabilities. We're offering these ninja a chance to work again.
"Our Clan Head Bai Ye said that you shed blood for Konoha. You are Konoha's heroes, and we must not let our heroes shed tears!!!"
Those words instantly brought tears to the eyes of many ninja.
Previously, they had been ninja who no longer served any purpose in the village.
Once they were disabled during missions or wars, they could no longer continue working as ninja.
And after spending the first half of their lives as ninja, they didn't know how to do anything else.
All they could do was live off a lump-sum compensation payment, waiting until the money ran out.
But now, the Uchiha were willing to hire them and give them jobs, so they wouldn't starve or drag their wives and children into suffering with them.
This!!!!!
The Uchiha were truly good people!!!
If anyone spoke ill of the Uchiha from now on, they would be the first to object!!!
We must not let our heroes shed tears!!!
So, to the Uchiha, they were heroes!!!!
They had initially come with some hesitation.
After all, the Uchiha had a bad reputation in the village.
But now!!!
Fuck their reputation! Anyone who let me make a living was a good person!!!
"Hey, hey, hey!!! Line up!!! Everyone, line up properly! Register your information here, then go for an interview. We'll notify you if you pass. One at a time!!!"
The man in charge was utterly stunned by the scene before him.
In a single day.
The entire village learned what the Uchiha had done.
Many ninja disabled during missions or wars came to try their luck, hoping it might work out.
As word spread that the Uchiha were recruiting retired veteran ninja...
The rumors surrounding the Uchiha began to take on a kinder tone.
"I went to the Uchiha Clan Compound today. I really don't know who said they were all overbearing or whatever. They're perfectly nice! Even people who didn't apply got free eggs from them!"
"Exactly! I think the Uchiha are really good people. My boy lost an arm in the war and could never work as a ninja again. The Uchiha gave my son a job. When my time comes, I can finally close my eyes in peace!!"
"You're telling me!! The village gave us some money and then washed its hands of us. They're not even as good as the Uchiha!!"
"Exactly, exactly. When they need you, it's all about the Will of Fire. Once you're no longer useful, they throw you away!!"
"Could it be that the Uchiha are actually good people, and certain people just can't stand them?"
"That's right!! That has to be it!! Let's all get to bed early tonight. Tomorrow, I'm definitely finding people to talk to about this. Oh, right... the Uchiha are giving out eggs tomorrow too. Let's go together!!!"
In the village.
Villagers and even lower-ranking ninja who had once been full of prejudice against the Uchiha...
Were now seriously questioning everything they knew.
Their old stereotypes had practically branded the Uchiha as villains outright.
Yet what was happening now was completely different from what they had imagined!
Were the Uchiha really bad people!?
Within the Uchiha Clan.
Uchiha Huo, Uchiha Hui, and Uchiha Setsuna went to see Bai Ye together.
They gathered around him, looking rather moved. "That move of yours was brilliant. We can't say our reputation in the village has completely turned around yet!
"But at least it's much better than before!
"From what many of our clansmen experienced outside today, quite a few villagers have become much friendlier toward us.
"Even plenty of people in the Radical Faction are feeling a little embarrassed now!!"
Previously, the Radical Faction had the worst relationship with the villagers.
But faced with so many enthusiastic villagers today, they couldn't exactly scowl at them.
Instead, they felt a little embarrassed. They had never been treated with such warmth before.
The Uchiha Clan was indeed easily stirred by emotion, but they also returned kindness with kindness. Many members of the Radical Faction hadn't always been so extreme.
It was the same now. Once they noticed the villagers' attitudes toward them changing...
Many clansmen who had still been questioning Bai Ye suddenly felt that having him take charge might actually be a good thing.
Uchiha Setsuna picked up the conversation and nodded. "Yes, everyone in the clan feels pretty good about it right now. But... we're spending too much money... are we still giving out eggs tomorrow?!"
Once they hired a batch of people to take over the police force's work...
Their monthly expenses would be considerable.
Admittedly, this had done a great deal to restore their reputation among ninja.
After all, who would dare insult the Uchiha now?!
If you did, you'd have to make sure you either died in battle or never became disabled.
Otherwise, what if the Uchiha refused to hire you for the police force later?!
What would you do then?!
You couldn't possibly count on the village to support you in old age, could you?!
Together with Bai Ye's earlier statement calling these people heroes, it had indeed improved the Uchiha's reputation considerably among them.
But all of that depended on money.
"Keep giving them out. We'll do it for a few days first. Eggs aren't expensive, and we stocked up on plenty earlier. Once we're done handing them out, we'll begin the next step.
"We've always been led around by the nose. If we want to take control of the situation now, we have to control public opinion. After that, we'll establish a newspaper. That can make money.
"Then we'll open the compound to trade, allowing people from the surrounding area to come here to buy daily necessities, food, and so on.
"We'll also establish an Uchiha Superstore and offer a few special deals inside every day to draw people here.
"We can assign some clansmen to work there. That will solve employment problems within the clan while earning some money for the Uchiha Clan."
Bai Ye laid out the plans he had come up with earlier, one by one.
Right now, the most important thing for resolving the Uchiha's predicament was military strength!
But their overall strength was still far from sufficient.
So that route wasn't viable at present.
The best option now was to make money.
They needed to improve conditions within the clan. After all, not every Uchiha was wealthy. Quite a few were poor.
Since Bai Ye was the Clan Head, he certainly had to help those people rise along with everyone else.
Although this world had most of the things from his previous life, there were still some things it lacked.
He would try introducing those things. If they made money, all the better. If not, he would abandon them.
Then there was controlling public opinion.
Bai Ye also felt that a newspaper would be a powerful weapon for turning the tables on Hiruzen Sarutobi and the others and taking control of public opinion.
Previously, those people had controlled public opinion within the village.
Didn't that mean people only knew whatever they wanted them to know?!
But now Bai Ye was entering the game, and he certainly wouldn't give them that opportunity.
"Whatever you say, we'll do it. We're following your lead!!!"
The Uchiha were now united from top to bottom.
After all, they could genuinely see that under Bai Ye's leadership, their relationships with villagers and ordinary ninja seemed to be improving.
That had never happened while Uchiha Fugaku was Clan Head.
"In that case, I'll give you a detailed plan later!"
Bai Ye nodded. This matter needed a proper plan before they could proceed.
Elsewhere, Uchiha Fugaku watched the changes taking place among the Uchiha with mixed feelings.
He hadn't expected Bai Ye to actually pull it off.
Although this didn't mean he would succeed, he was at least doing far better than Fugaku had.
"Sarutobi, we can't keep letting Bai Ye do whatever he pleases! If this goes on, how will people see the village? How will they see the Uchiha!!!?"
Danzo was currently in full rampage mode inside the Hokage's Office.
Not a single comment circulating that day had explicitly mentioned Konoha, yet every word might as well have been about it!
More importantly, there was the image of the Uchiha they had spent so many years cultivating.
After this one incident, it felt as though that image might collapse in an instant.
He wasn't even sure anyone would believe it in the future.
And now even the village had been affected.
He truly hadn't expected Hiruzen Sarutobi to remain so calm at a time like this?!
Was Hiruzen Sarutobi really not worried at all?!
"Didn't the Uchiha do a good thing?! Why are you so angry? All they did was hire people to handle police duties. Why are you getting so worked up?!"
Hiruzen Sarutobi shook his head. His lips moved hesitantly before he finally said those words.
In truth, setting their positions aside, Hiruzen Sarutobi felt that the Uchiha had done a good thing this time.
After all, with these people joining the police force, at least some of the village's injured ninja now had somewhere to go.
But it did stir up more controversy around Hiruzen Sarutobi.
Hiruzen Sarutobi did not care, though. After all, he could make it go away.
"Do you really not see it, or are you just pretending?!"
Danzo narrowed his eyes, fixing Hiruzen Sarutobi with an unwavering stare.
After hearing what he said, Danzo seriously wondered whether Hiruzen Sarutobi had gone senile.
Could he not even see this?!
That Uchiha wanted to become Hokage!!!
He wanted to be Konoha's new leader, to build a new Konoha!!!
And you could still put up with that, Hiruzen Sarutobi!?
"It's useless. The Uchiha only have so much money. Once some time has passed, everything will be more or less as it was before. What are you so anxious about?"
Hiruzen Sarutobi spoke calmly.
Of course he could see it.
But so what?!
In Hiruzen Sarutobi's eyes, this was nothing more than something bought with money.
Once the Uchiha ran out of money, would you keep helping all those people who had benefited so much from your generosity?
If you didn't, would they resent you? What would the other villagers and shinobi think of you?!
That you couldn't keep your promises?!
But if you kept helping despite having no money left, what would your own clan think of you as their Clan Head?!
You gave money to outsiders instead of your own people?!
Wouldn't Bai Ye end up alienating both sides then!?
Still far too inexperienced in the end!!
Hiruzen Sarutobi sighed inwardly, thinking that although the young man had plenty of drive,
his methods were truly childish.
Otherwise, he would never have done something like this. And those old Uchiha fools had actually joined him in his folly!
The Uchiha... were no longer anything to fear!!!
Hiruzen Sarutobi, who had been so worried about the Uchiha before, suddenly felt they were nothing special after all!!
Danzo caught on then, too. That really did seem to be the case.
What had I been so worried about before?!
Thinking it over carefully...
This was quite a hefty expense!
Even if the Uchiha still had money now, what about later?!!
"Heh, it looks like the Uchiha have already set themselves on the path to destruction!!"
A cold sneer flickered across Danzo's face, and his anxious heart finally settled down.
He would simply wait for the day the Uchiha trapped themselves in their own web!
And that old fox Hiruzen-I'd better keep my guard up around him, too. That old fox really was even more devious than I was!!
Before you continue