Danzo's Root organisation was busy today, stirring up trouble and creating conflicts on the streets, but the Uchiha Police Force never showed up to handle any of it. The affected merchants flocked to the Police Force headquarters to file complaints, only to find that the Uchiha seemed unmoved. The standard response was that those subject of complaints had been suspended, leaving no available personnel. Meanwhile, Uchiha-owned businesses saw no disturbances as multiple Uchiha patrols roamed their areas, ignoring conflicts on other streets.
Many merchants even took their complaints directly to the Third Hokage. He looked at the thick stack of complaint forms before him and rubbed his forehead.
"So, the Uchiha suspended 80% of their squads in one day?" he asked.
An Anbu member responded, "Yes, this morning the Uchiha suspended all members who had been complained about, leaving the Police Force severely understaffed. Numerous security incidents have occurred on the streets, with no one to address them."
What is Kazuya up to, or is Fugaku up to? The Third Hokage couldn't understand the Uchiha's current strategy. Such minor security issues didn't seem like revenge against Konoha. After all, if things escalated, the Anbu could step in.
Moreover, Kazuya had already contacted the Hyuga clan to replace the suspended Uchiha members.
The Third Hokage took a puff from his pipe. "How are the negotiations between the Hyuga clan and Kazuya going?"
"Uchiha Kazuya handed over all the Police Force's deployment and patrol routes to the Hyuga clan without holding anything back. The Hyuga clan needs about a week to fully allocate personnel and familiarize themselves with the routes."
The Uchiha had always managed the Police Force's deployment and patrol routes, and it would take time for the Hyuga clan to adjust.
The Third Hokage knocked the ash out of his pipe. "The Anbu should monitor the situation for this week. If any major incidents occur, step in immediately. Once the Hyuga clan takes over, you can withdraw."
"Understood!"
...
In the Uchiha compound, at the training ground, Fourth Elder Uchiha Hinata had confined most of the suspended Police Force members to the compound. With nothing else to do, many of them spontaneously gathered at the training ground to practice.
"Hey, Yoshu!" Uchiha Yoshu, practising with shuriken, paused to see his teammates Daiba and Riku approaching.
"What's up?" Yoshu asked. He had worked with these two for a long time, and they were friends.
Daiba grinned. "You haven't heard, have you? The Clear Water Bar on Third Street got burned down today."
Yoshu raised an eyebrow. "The one on Third Street?"
"Yeah, the drunk who got beaten up came back and set the place on fire. The bar will be closed for days," Riku said with a hint of schadenfreude.
"No one stopped it?" Yoshu asked, surprised.
Daiba shook his head. "There was no one to stop it. From First to Seventh Street, all our Uchiha members have been suspended."
"Didn't they complain?" Yoshu wondered.
Riku laughed. "Of course, they did, but it was pointless. The Police Force has no personnel now."
"Those shop owners were always complaining about us, either saying we were too lenient or too violent. Today, without us, they came running back. Serves them right," Daiba said.
"Four Elder seemed really happy today, humming as he walked," Riku added.
Yoshu laughed. "After all the grief we've gotten, they had it coming."
Daiba asked, "The Fourth Elder suspended us but didn't say what for. Do you know what the Deputy Clan Leader plans for us?"
Yoshu shook his head. "I don't know, but the Deputy Clan Leader said we worked hard in the Police Force and deserved a week's break. We'll have assignments after that."
...
Night fell.
Uchiha Kazuya continued training in the compound. Since awakening his Mangekyou Sharingan, his abilities have significantly improved. His perception, genjutsu, and taijutsu had all advanced considerably. However, aside from unlocking Susanoo, he hadn't discovered any unique ocular abilities which puzzled him. Nonetheless, he wasn't in a hurry, knowing he didn't need them yet.
Kazuya could feel that his ocular power was far superior to others. While training, he also used his faction template to identify clan members with business acumen. Most Uchiha ninjas excelled in combat, with few having talents for business or management. One standout was a young man named Uchiha Qiming, who, despite awakening his double-tomoe Sharingan at seventeen, had notable talents in industry, research, and logistics. Qiming had been Kazuya's teammate, and Kazuya saw potential in him that needed nurturing.
Beyond the ninjas, Kazuya also noted ordinary Uchiha villagers who ran small businesses in Konoha. Some of them had promising talents, and he recorded their names, completing the final piece of his plan.
Kazuya practised surrounded by other Uchiha members, occasionally catching snippets of outside news. After tiring from training, he sat down to rest and drink water.
At that moment, Fugaku listened to reports from the Third Elder and Fourth Elder.
"Clan Leader, I have shared all our Police Force's deployment and patrol routes with the Hyuga clan. They will need about a week to fully staff and take over," the Fourth Elder reported.
Fugaku nodded. "Have there been any disturbances among our returning members?" he asked.
The Third Elder shook his head. "No, after returning, those troublemakers either practiced in the training ground or chatted in groups, causing no trouble."
The Fourth Elder added, "They wouldn't dare cause trouble; they've been busy watching others' misfortune."
"What misfortune?" the Third Elder, who mainly stayed in the compound, asked.
The Fourth Elder smiled broadly. "The street merchants. When our Uchiha members were on duty, they constantly complained—too lenient, too slow, or too violent. Today, they all came asking where the Police Force went, looking desperate for our return."
The Fourth Elder clicked his tongue in satisfaction. "Now they see the value of our Uchiha. We aren't serving them anymore."
He was beginning to understand Kazuya's intentions.
The Third Elder also started to see the point, looking at Fugaku. Fugaku nodded. "Kazuya is giving our clan members a way to vent. He said this is just the beginning; there will be more situations requiring the Uchiha."
The Uchiha clan was the best fit for the Police Force, with their proficiency in genjutsu for quick subduing, perceptive eyes for detecting trouble, and swift taijutsu for rapid response. Yet, due to historical issues, Konoha's residents ignored these qualities.
The Uchiha had always sought the villagers' recognition, but they never needed it. Strong individuals don't need recognition.