Prelude to the Struggle

"So, do you really care that much about the village's attitude?"

Uchiha Yuan suddenly asked.

Shisui froze for a moment. Once he habitually began thinking deeply about the question,

he realized that his love for the village and his ninja clan always seemed to produce a subtle sense of conflict.

Shisui had originally thought that he simply was not mature enough, that his ideological awareness was lacking.

But after Uchiha Yuan's reminder, he suddenly understood.

There was nothing wrong with his feelings toward the village and his clan. It was precisely those feelings that made him faithfully uphold his duties as both a ninja and a Military Police Force member.

"Then, Brother Yuan, could it be that our Uchiha Clan really does have a problem? Is that why the village has delayed declaring our innocence?"

"Or is the problem with the village—or, more accurately, with the Hokage and the advisors?"

Shisui lowered his head and looked at the pale, youthful face of the corpse. It was about the same age as him.

One stood there in thought, while the other lay there as though immersed in a dream.

"Who knows? Maybe you'll understand once you're older."

Uchiha Yuan sighed.

"But Shisui, let me remind you: for an individual, both the village and the ninja clan hold far too many dangerous secrets. You can be curious, but be careful—curiosity killed the cat."

Sometimes, progressing too quickly was not necessarily a good thing.

Shisui needed time to think. He needed time to settle himself even as he improved.

But one thing was certain: all the ninjas living in Konoha Hidden Village

might think things through, come to understand themselves, their clans, and the village, then ultimately choose to follow the Will of Fire and place the village above all else.

But the Uchiha clansmen could not. They needed a new way forward.

"All right, Shisui. Let's head back. It seems that after taking over the Police Force's duties, ANBU still isn't used to it."

"Got it, Brother Yuan. I've learned a great deal tonight!"

It was already past nine at night when he and Shisui, who was carrying the corpse, returned to the clan grounds.

Uchiha Yuan had originally planned to visit his uncle with Shisui—the clan head and commander of the Police Force, Uchiha Fugaku.

But to his surprise, Fugaku was standing at the street corner with his arms crossed. It was a place Uchiha Yuan had to pass through on his way home.

"Yuan, Shisui. What a coincidence. I came out for a walk and ran into you two."

Yeah, right. Uncle, you were probably waiting here on purpose.

Uchiha Yuan did not expose Fugaku. A warm smile appeared on his face.

"Clan Head, it's been a long time. Have you been well lately?"

Fugaku's eyelid twitched. He nodded toward the corpse Shisui was carrying.

"What happened here? According to the public safety regulations, you aren't allowed to carry corpses around the village."

"Captain, this guy ambushed Brother Yuan and me. Several ninjas were sealed inside his body."

Having commanded the Police Force and maintained Hidden Leaf Village's security for years, Fugaku had rarely seen such a self-destruction setup.

He immediately brought Uchiha Yuan and Shisui to the dark Police Force office building.

In the basement specially used to handle corpses, Fugaku examined the body with a complicated expression.

It really is the Reverse Four Symbols Sealing Technique. Such an advanced ninjutsu... Yuan, Shisui, is what you just said true?

Shisui's expression was resolute.

"Captain, Brother Yuan and I were practicing shuriken techniques when seven people suddenly attacked us. After a fierce battle, they killed themselves, and only then did we manage to survive."

Fugaku crossed his arms and pondered for a long while.

"What about ANBU? Logically, they should be handling this."

Shisui said in disappointment,

"We waited a full half hour, but ANBU never showed up. We had no choice but to bring the corpse back."

With things put that way, Fugaku naturally would not ask why the two had not delivered the corpse to ANBU.

Ever since the Military Police Force had been established, the Uchiha Clan had been responsible for maintaining the village's security.

Now, although those duties had temporarily been transferred to ANBU, they still needed to save face.

What would it mean for the Uchiha to deliver a criminal's corpse to ANBU? Wouldn't that be slapping themselves in the face?

"When you fought these ninjas, did you notice whether they revealed any information about their identities?"

Shisui shook his head. Even with his Sharingan, he had not discovered anything extra.

As for Brother Yuan, Shisui felt certain that he knew something.

But if Brother Yuan did not say it, Shisui would not ask, much less reveal it himself.

That was the tacit understanding between them.

"Whew..."

Uchiha Fugaku let out a long breath and raised his head, closing his eyes for a while.

Advanced Sealing Techniques, extreme personalities... rather than appearing out of nowhere, these nameless ninjas had likely been living in the village all along.

Were they hidden within Root? Was that why ANBU was unwilling to get involved?

"Shisui, notify ANBU about this matter."

"Yes, Clan Head!"

After Shisui left, Fugaku narrowed his eyes as he examined his nephew.

"You came back, but you didn't even go home first? The one lying there was after you, wasn't he?"

Having commanded the Police Force for many years, Fugaku was highly experienced and exceptionally perceptive.

Uchiha Yuan turned serious.

"I could tell that the ninja who used the Sealing Technique was targeting me."

Fugaku sighed.

"So Lord Orochimaru has a chance of becoming the Fifth Hokage?"

"I always knew that some among the higher-ups couldn't stand to see the Uchiha doing well. Yuan, you've had it hard."

"If you..."

Uchiha Yuan coughed.

"Teacher Orochimaru no longer has any intention of becoming the Fifth Hokage."

"What?"

Uchiha Fugaku looked stunned.

Yuan was the son of his older brother, Tomiyama. On the battlefield, his older brother had died protecting him.

Agreeing to Yuan's request and introducing him as Orochimaru's disciple

had indeed been an investment in the Uchiha Clan's future, but it had also been compensation for his nephew.

But now, it had all come to nothing.

Uchiha Yuan understood Fugaku's thoughts.

He wanted the Uchiha to have a presence in Hidden Leaf Village's core decision-making circle.

He had recommended Obito as Minato Namikaze's student and recommended Yuan himself as Orochimaru's student.

Even in the unchanged timeline,

Fugaku had also tried every possible way to send the grown Itachi into ANBU.

Uchiha Yuan always felt that Fugaku had the air of a stereotypical Chinese parent.

Middle-aged Uchiha Fugaku could not hide his dejection.

Even before becoming clan head, he had known that there were conflicts between the ninja clans and the Konoha Higher-Ups.

Back then, young Fugaku's thinking had been simple.

As long as an Uchiha clansman entered the Konoha Higher-Ups, that situation would change.

What was more, as one of the founding clans of Konoha Hidden Village,

what was wrong with a future Uchiha genius becoming Hokage?

"Orochimaru can't become the Fifth Hokage... Then what do you plan to do, Yuan? Keep following him? No, you should return to the Police Force!"

Fugaku began proactively planning his nephew's future.

Uchiha Yuan smiled leisurely.

"Clan Head, ANBU is currently maintaining the village's security."

Fugaku's back hunched a little further.

"Then what are your plans? As your uncle, I support your decision."

Uchiha Yuan patted the corpse on the autopsy table.

"Of course, I'm going to take back the authority of our Police Force."

From now on, his activities in the village would become more frequent. Having a Police Force identity as cover would be incredibly convenient.

Besides, he had leverage over the Konoha Higher-Ups, and this was an especially sensitive time with the Fifth Hokage being selected.

Naturally, Uchiha Yuan intended to make good use of it.