Hiruzen Sarutobi's voice was ice.
"It's simple. Every debt has its debtor."
"I'll do everything to persuade Kumo and avoid war—but if it's inevitable, I already have troops in mind to send."
"Who?"
"The Uchiha. The Hyūga. The Nara, Akimichi, and Yamanaka—the Ino-Shika-Chō trio."
He listed them off like a death sentence.
The two elders exchanged glances.
"You're retaliating…"
"This isn't retaliation. It's their own choice."
"The Hyūga brothers dared act behind my back, undermining the Hokage's authority. Hiashi has been resistant from the start, reluctant to sacrifice himself. His loyalty is questionable. They will go to war."
"Let them reap what they've sown."
"The Uchiha are no different. This kills two birds with one stone: fighting Kumo while weakening their clan."
Homura frowned. "And Ino-Shika-Chō? They've always been the Sarutobi's allies…"
"Allies?" Hiruzen scoffed. "They've always had their own agendas!"
"Shikaku's involvement in the Yoru investigation made his stance clear."
"Even Chōza and Inoichi supported Yoru after Shinnosuke's death."
"It's time they learned their place."
Koharu and Homura hesitated but didn't object.
Besides—if these clans didn't go, who would? The village elders themselves?
Homura nodded slowly. "The Raikage won't commit his full force. With the Uchiha, Hyūga, and Ino-Shika-Chō, we should hold the line."
"But the Uchiha… will they obey?"
Hiruzen's smile was thin. "If they comply, the frontlines will bleed them dry. If they refuse and stay, I have other ways to deal with them."
"Beyond my ANBU, I have another plan…"
"What plan?"
"I'm placing the combined might of the Sarutobi and Shimura clans…"
"Under your command."
The elders stiffened.
"Hiruzen, what's the meaning of this?"
"After that fool Sarutobi Hideo's death, I took direct control of my clan—but as Hokage, my attention is divided."
"As for the Shimura… handing them to you keeps Danzo in check."
Understanding dawned.
"So you've thought this through…"
For them, this was a boon. Though influential, neither elder came from a major clan. Now, they'd wield real power.
"Very well. The Sarutobi and Shimura are ours."
"With your ANBU and our two clans, crushing the Uchiha will be effortless."
"Leave Yoru to Danzo."
"And the Kumo front? As you said—let those clans handle it."
Hiruzen exhaled smoke.
"Exactly. Once Kumo and the Uchiha are contained, and Danzo kills Yoru…"
"Victory will be ours."
The Aftermath
Shisui's death sent shockwaves through Konoha.
On the surface, the village was calm—but beneath, tensions simmered.
Everyone knew: Shisui was Hiruzen's man.
By killing him, Yoru had openly declared war on the Hokage's faction.
And everyone knew—Hiruzen would retaliate.
But Yoru didn't care.
The Police Revamp
At the Uchiha Compound's Police Headquarters, Yoru wasted no time.
As the newly appointed Chief, he overhauled the entire force.
Though Fugaku remained clan leader, his authority over the police was stripped.
The Uchiha's power now split evenly:
Half to the Police (under Yoru). Half to the clan guard (under Fugaku).
The Police, brimming with young, fervent Uchiha, became Yoru's personal army.
He rewrote the laws—harsher, stricter, uncompromising.
"In chaotic times, severity is mercy."
"To straighten a bent branch, you must bend it the other way."
Loyalists like Uchiha Tekka, Inabi, and Yoru's own subordinates—Aoki and Yamakaze—became his zealots.
Despite their past suffering, their Sharingan had grown stronger.
So had their devotion.
Under Yoru's rule, Konoha's streets grew orderly.
Crime plummeted. Punishments were swift and brutal.
The wicked cowered.
The innocent thrived.
And Yoru's reputation?
It soared to the heavens.
His defiance against Hiruzen, his execution of Hideo—each act cemented his legend.
Now, only one name eclipsed his in Konoha:
The Hokage himself.
And that?
That terrified Hiruzen.
War Breaks Out
When news of the Kumo envoy's massacre reached the Raikage, his fury shook the mountains.
Ignoring Advisor Ōnoki's warnings, he mobilized for war—only to be persuaded (barely) to stay behind.
Instead, Ōnoki would lead the assault, joined by:
Yugito Nii (Two-Tails Jinchūriki). Darui (Black Lightning wielder). Shi (Elite Sensor).
The battlefield awaited.
The Hokage's Gambit
In the Hokage's office, tension choked the air.
Hiruzen deliberately avoided looking at one man—
Yoru.
The man who'd killed his ANBU Captain, destroyed his strongest piece…
Now sat across from him as an equal, attending the war council by right as Police Chief.
The insult burned.
Officially, Shisui's death was labeled a "personal duel." No charges were filed.
(What could Hiruzen do? Arrest him? Impossible.)
Exhaling smoke, Hiruzen spoke.
"Kumo's army marches. War is unavoidable."
"As Hokage, I hereby deploy the following forces—"
"The Hyūga. Ino-Shika-Chō. And…"
*"The Uchiha Police."*
Every clan head present flinched.
They weren't fools. This was punishment for defying him during the Kumo envoy crisis.
The Hyūga and Ino-Shika-Chō leaders swallowed their protests.
But then—
"I refuse."
Yoru's voice cut like a blade.
The room froze.
Uchiha Yoru… was openly defying the Hokage?!
Hiruzen's face twisted.