Konoha Prison, death row.
Hiruzen carried a Kusa ninja as if he were a dead dog, chatting idly with Fugaku: "Fugaku, your work has been done well."
"I heard from Sakumo that you cooperated very well with the patrol unit and the Anbu, blocking all those Kusa ninja outside the village without letting a single one slip through…"
Fugaku gave an embarrassed smile. "These small matters are what we ought to do. They're not worth you bringing up…"
They were the Uchiha Clan!
Fighting and killing on the battlefield—that was what they should be doing…
Patrolling inside the village was already considered a waste of their talents. Now, with the patrol unit and the reinforced Anbu added in, the Konoha Military Police Force was practically becoming a sinecure.
Every day they brewed tea and drank it from morning to night…
Other ninja clans might be able to accept that, but the restless blood running through the veins of the Uchiha made them unwilling to be confined within the village…
If not cutting people down, then at least going out to run around and let off some steam? Of course, being able to cut people down would be best…
"What, do you have a request?" Hiruzen said with a smile.
"If you have an idea, just say it! We're all from the same village—there's nothing that can't be discussed."
"We only wish to tell Third Hokage-sama that the Konoha Military Police Force can also go to the battlefield…" After hesitating for a moment, Fugaku still brought it up to Hiruzen.
Isshin had actually told him not to say such things.
Because preventing the Uchiha from going to the battlefield had been the original intention behind establishing the Konoha Military Police Force. That major principle had been set by Tobirama.
Unless Konoha truly reached the point where no one else could fight, Hiruzen would not change it rashly.
Hiruzen was the Third Hokage, and also Tobirama's disciple…
How could he possibly move his teacher's core measure?
But Fugaku had his own thoughts.
He felt that Hiruzen was not the kind of Hokage Isshin described. In truth, he was a rather decent Hokage.
Regardless of whether it was meant to divide the Uchiha, Hiruzen had indeed taken care of some Uchiha who could not go to the front lines, allowing them to regain their dignity and sense of purpose.
Fugaku still remembered.
When Uchiha En, acting as a squad leader in the patrol unit, caught a Kusa ninja, the proud look on his face…
It was something he had never shown even after being idle at home for many years.
So, if Hiruzen truly regarded the Uchiha Clan as his own people—since he could take those elderly Uchiha into consideration—could he also take the predicament of the Konoha Military Police Force into consideration?
This was also a test from Fugaku toward Hiruzen.
If he refused, then perhaps it really would be as Isshin had said—he only wanted to split the Uchiha…
"Go to the battlefield?" Hiruzen nodded thoughtfully, but he did not continue speaking.
It seemed he was thinking about something.
Fugaku's heart sank slightly.
Could it really be as Clan Head Isshin said?
As soon as this topic was brought up, would Hiruzen definitely brush it off and palm it away with a "Eight Trigrams Sixty-Four Palms"?
Just as Fugaku was feeling somewhat disappointed, Hiruzen slowly spoke: "No problem, Fugaku."
"You are also one of the 'Konoha Committee Members.' Let me give you a heads-up in advance."
"Before long, Konoha will be carrying out a special military operation. The personnel requirement is that they be elite and that it must not overly affect the village's day-to-day security…"
"Does the Konoha Military Police Force have any difficulties?"
Fugaku froze, then subconsciously replied, "No difficulties, Hokage-sama!"
Hiruzen patted his shoulder. "Good. I look forward to the Uchiha Clan's performance!"
And only a while after Hiruzen left did Fugaku slowly come back to his senses.
The Third was not thinking about how to shirk it—he was seriously considering it…
And he even gave a definite answer!
Besides, what did it mean to list him as a "Konoha Committee Member"?
This was really too embarrassing…
Fugaku scratched his head, yet he could not help grinning as he started to smile.
Having become a father, he naturally hoped his son could grow up in a peaceful environment…
So at this moment, he naturally hoped the relationship between the Uchiha and Konoha's upper leadership could ease a little.
And becoming a "Konoha Committee Member" was naturally even more fortunate.
Within the Uchiha Clan, the level of discussion about this matter was also very high. Everyone was hotly debating who would be selected, and whether anyone within the clan could obtain a seat…
He had not expected Hiruzen… no, Third Hokage-sama, to actually give it—and to give it to him!
It was just unclear whether there were others.
'If Third Hokage-sama only gave it to me, then that would actually be strange—but who can say for sure?'
'In any case, the Uchiha Clan has been allowed onto the battlefield. I must hurry and report this to Clan Head Isshin…' Fugaku strode out of death row.
As he walked, he noticed that a Kusa ninja seemed to move slightly, letting out a pained groan.
"Hmph. If the Analysis Division weren't already operating at its limit, I'd kill you scum right now!" The three tomoe suddenly surfaced in Fugaku's eyes, and a genjutsu struck the Kusa ninja.
He knew very well that these Kusa ninja had even once set their sights on the Uchiha!
The most despicable part was that they did not dare to lay a hand on Uchiha with the Sharingan—they only dared to kidnap the old, the weak, the sick, and the disabled…
A trace of emotion flashed through Fugaku's heart because of this.
The establishment of the patrol unit truly had not been solely aimed at the Uchiha Clan…
The intelligence that could be extracted from each Kusa ninja was actually limited.
If not for the triple strike of the patrol unit, the Anbu, and the Military Police Force—capturing an elite Kusa shinobi squad in organized formation—they truly would not have obtained so much intelligence about Kusa.
'Third Hokage-sama… he is also very angry.'
'He personally interrogated the Kusa ninja and did not let the Anbu take them. He is someone of temperament!' Fugaku thought to himself.
And one hundred meters beneath Hokage Rock, Inside Senju Tobirama's secret laboratory,
Hiruzen carried the unconscious Kusa ninja, bringing along the research results of Hiruko and Orochimaru, as well as Kakuzu's premium Earth Grudge Fear…
He opened the complicated Fūinjutsu and entered.
The conversation with Fugaku was also one of the preparations in advance for Senju Tobirama's revival.
In Hiruzen's view, Isshin counted as a somewhat troublesome opponent.
If Tobirama were brought back entirely by Konoha's upper leadership…
There was a slight possibility he would grow suspicious. Although Hiruzen believed that Tobirama-sensei's performance would have no problem playing him in circles…
But since something was to be done, it had to be done to the best extent.
Letting the Uchiha Clan participate in discovering Tobirama-sensei at the scene—that would be ironclad, solid evidence!
And considering all this was, in fact, also implicitly telling Senju Tobirama—
I have now been Hokage for more than twenty years.
Everything in Konoha is well managed by me. Some things you once could not accomplish, I can accomplish now as well.
Although you are my sensei, the Hokage of Konoha…
Now it is me!
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