The Konoha Military Police Force—an organization entrusted with law enforcement within the village—was the pride of the Uchiha Clan. To them, it was not just a duty but a symbol of their authority and prestige.
So when Uchiha Gen claimed that the clan had been deliberately excluded from the village's political center because of its control over the Police Force, many found his words difficult to accept.
"What, you don't believe me?"
Looking at the skeptical expressions before him, Gen continued, his voice calm yet firm.
"Although I dislike Senju Tobirama, I must admit his political insight was sharp. It was Tobirama who proposed entrusting the Military Police Force to our clan. On the surface, it looked like he was honoring us with responsibility and power."
His eyes narrowed, his tone hardening.
"But in truth, it isolated us. By making us enforcers, he placed the Uchiha in direct conflict with the other clans. To them, we became a symbol of authority to be resented, not allies to be trusted. At the same time, Tobirama created the Anbu—an organization whose role overlapped heavily with ours. Unlike us, however, they answered only to the Hokage."
The murmurs quieted. Gen's words struck a chord. The children and young shinobi before him had never thought of their clan's position in such a light.
"The point is this," Gen went on. "Suspicion toward the Uchiha has existed since Konoha's founding. The clan leaders know it as well. For years, the village and the clan have lived in an uneasy balance. We did not want to sever ties with Konoha, and the village did not wish to lose our strength. But that balance…"
He paused, his voice lowering.
"…was shattered just a few nights ago."
The name Uchiha Daishi stirred. "Do you mean… the Nine-Tails? The one that forced the Fourth Hokage to sacrifice himself?"
"Exactly," Gen answered. "That beast was the Nine-Tails—the strongest of the tailed beasts. Such creatures are living disasters, and only two powers are known to control them: the Senju's Wood Release, and the Uchiha's Sharingan."
Gasps rose when he added:
"And on the night of the attack, the Nine-Tails bore the mark of a Sharingan in its eyes."
"Leader… is that true?"
"Does that mean one of us controlled it?"
Before panic could spread, a boy named Uchiha Feng spoke up. "No! The clan had nothing to do with it."
Another boy, Uchiha Qiren, nodded quickly. "That night, my father and elder brother were both at the clan meeting at Naka Shrine. I overheard them later. They said the clan was just as shocked—wondering whose Sharingan had done such a thing. My father even suspected we were being watched around our territory."
Gen gave a small, weary nod. "The clan did not summon the Nine-Tails. But because of the Sharingan, the village suspects us all the same. To them, appearances matter more than truth. And suspicion… once planted, never dies."
He let out a sigh, the weight of inevitability heavy in his voice.
"Even if the true culprit were found, the village's distrust would not fade. If anything, it would grow stronger. The fear that has always lingered in Konoha's heart became reality that night."
His gaze sharpened, cold as steel.
"From now on, surveillance will tighten. Oppression will increase. And when the clan finally refuses to accept it, the conflict will explode. On that day, neither the village nor our clan will be able to step back."
Silence pressed in on the gathering.
"Only two outcomes will remain," Gen said, his voice like a blade. "Either we win and seize control of Konoha… or we lose, and every man, woman, and child of the Uchiha will be destroyed. A few might flee, but they would spend their lives hunted."
His words burned in the air. "Tell me… as Uchiha, are you willing to accept such a fate?"
Not a sound was heard. Even the bravest of them looked shaken. They had trained since childhood, but this was the first time they truly glimpsed the darkness of politics.
Then, one by one, their eyes rose to meet him. Not with fear, but with fire.
Gen smiled faintly. "Good. That is the Uchiha spirit. No cowards among us."
"Leader," one youth asked, "what do we do?"
Gen's eyes swept across them, calm and commanding.
"For now, you train. You grow stronger. And you hide."
"Hide…?"
"Yes. To the village, you are only ordinary clan members. Nothing more. Until the time comes, you will remain unseen. Because besides Konoha, there is another enemy—a hidden one—the true mastermind behind the Nine-Tails' rampage."
His voice dropped to a whisper, but every ear strained to hear.
"Remember. You are not pawns. You are the clan's hidden blade… It's a trump card."
---
The Night of the Nine-Tails had left Konoha in ruins, and the entire shinobi world took notice. Spies from every village carried word swiftly: Konoha's Fourth Hokage, the Yellow Flash, was dead. The Nine-Tails had run rampant. Konoha's forces were weakened.
The borders, long silent, erupted in skirmishes. The great villages—Sunagakure, Iwagakure, Kumogakure, and Kirigakure—saw opportunity in Konoha's weakness.
War had returned.
Konoha, desperate, mobilized its forces. The Uchiha, with their fire release and their Sharingan, were dispatched against the Hidden Mist, whose illusions and water-style techniques faltered before the clan's eyes. Sunagakure, weakened from its last war, faltered under counterattacks and withdrew into caution.
But Kumogakure and Iwagakure pressed harder, throwing their strength into Fire Country's borders. To them, Konoha's weakened state was too tempting to ignore.
And thus, the Third Shinobi World War, thought to be ending, was reignited in blood and fire.
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