Hokage's Office.
The Konoha F4 were all present.
Hiruzen Sarutobi had only just returned when Danzo immediately pulled the other three into a high-level meeting.
Danzo still felt deeply dissatisfied.
"Why didn't the Uchiha stir up some trouble?"
"I was waiting to use their mishandling as an excuse to make the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, resign!"
Last time, he had finally found an opportunity to force Hiruzen to step down—only for Hiruzen to turn around and push his own disciple's disciple, Minato Namikaze, into the Hokage seat.
If he could find another chance to make Hiruzen retire, Danzo could recommend himself and ascend as the Fifth Hokage.
Unfortunately, things hadn't developed the way Danzo had imagined.
That left him seething with frustration.
"Too much mercy, Hiruzen!"
"Today, you should have seized the momentum and wiped out the Uchiha clan completely!"
Danzo slammed his cane heavily, killing intent surging in his eyes.
When it came to the Uchiha, Danzo had always advocated extermination.
The power of the Sharingan was simply too terrifying—if it couldn't be controlled by him, how could he ever feel at ease?
Hiruzen shot Danzo a sideways glance.
Danzo's thoughts were perfectly clear to him.
Exterminate the Uchiha while the opportunity arose?
You damn well just wanted me to fight the Uchiha to mutual destruction so you could reap the benefits!
Hiruzen's expression darkened as he spoke coldly.
"The Uchiha are also comrades of Konoha. Do not bring up extermination again!"
Then the Third Hokage changed tack.
"Although extermination is out of the question, the Uchiha still cannot be left unguarded!"
"'Flame Demon' Yusuke's rise fills me with deep concern!"
"What ideas do you all have?"
After a brief moment of thought, Homura Mitokado spoke.
"For now, perhaps we should try to win over Fugaku and make him our informant?"
Danzo sneered at the suggestion.
"Win over the Uchiha's former clan head?"
"Are you sure he'd be on the same side as us?"
Hiruzen shook his head as well.
Judging from today's events, Uchiha Fugaku was clearly standing closer to his clansmen.
Trying to win him over was likely unrealistic.
Still, Homura's proposal gave Hiruzen a new line of thought.
If the old Uchiha core couldn't be won over, what about the younger generation?
Back in the era of the Second Hokage, there had been no shortage of Uchiha willing to step beyond their clan and devote themselves wholeheartedly to the village.
Hiruzen's thoughts first turned to the descendant of Uchiha Kagami—the one known alongside "Flame Demon" Yusuke: Uchiha Shisui.
Then he thought of the prodigy who had just graduated from the Academy—Uchiha Itachi.
As these thoughts formed, a faint smile crept onto Hiruzen's lips.
All for Konoha—arranged by the Will of Fire!
He had already made up his mind to find an opportunity to thoroughly instill his ideals into these young men.
The next day.
As the new clan head, Yusuke convened his first clan meeting.
Same place, same people—only this time, Uchiha Yusuke sat at the seat of honor.
"Greetings, Clan Head."
As Yusuke took his seat, the others offered a simple salute.
The Uchiha were not the Hyuga—there were no excessive formalities!
Yusuke smiled and nodded in return. Aside from maintaining his authority, he showed no airs at all.
Neither servile nor arrogant—measured and composed.
The Uchiha found themselves very satisfied with their new clan head.
Though young, Yusuke's speech and bearing were impeccable, in no way inferior to Fugaku's.
At such an age, he already possessed the presence of a leader.
With someone like this as clan head, the Uchiha's future looked bright indeed.
"Ahem…"
Yusuke cleared his throat and spoke.
"I've gathered everyone here today to announce two matters."
"These two matters are crucial to the Uchiha's reputation."
"I ask that everyone strictly adhere to them."
Yusuke's expression gradually hardened, and the atmosphere in the hall grew tense.
As if by shared understanding, everyone realized the same thing—
The clan head was about to carry out reforms.
Yusuke sat upright and went straight to the point.
"First: Uchiha clansmen must be strictly restrained. There must be no abusing power to bully others."
"Anyone who violates this rule will be punished severely."
His expression was grave.
Since this was a matter of cutting away rot to save the bone, thunderous measures were necessary.
Then Yusuke's tone shifted slightly, half-joking as he added,
"Of course, if others bully us, we're allowed to fight back."
"The proud Uchiha are not to be trampled at will!"
Hearing this, the room erupted in immediate agreement.
Yusuke summed it up succinctly.
"Do not provoke trouble—but do not fear trouble. Please keep these six words firmly in mind."
Yusuke opposed using strength to oppress the weak, but he would also never allow the clan to swallow humiliation in silence.
For a clan that revered strength, expecting complete restraint was unrealistic.
In the past, a single provocation would earn an immediate slap back.
In recent years, due to pressure from Konoha's leadership, the Uchiha's tempers had already been somewhat tempered.
Under Fugaku's leadership, conflicts were usually settled by avoidance and compromise.
But now things were different.
Clan Head Yusuke had made it clear—
As long as the Uchiha were in the right, they need not fear escalation.
After a brief pause, Yusuke spoke again.
"The second matter: reforming the law enforcement procedures of the Police Force."
The first point was merely an appetizer.
Reforming the Police Force was the real core of Yusuke's plan.
He spoke at length.
"I believe everyone here understands that since taking control of the Police Force, the Uchiha have gradually become a target for all."
"If we want to change how others view the Uchiha, reforming the Police Force is imperative!"
Back then, the Second Hokage, Senju Tobirama, had assigned the Police Force to the Uchiha based on clan traits.
Yet this had brought enormous negative consequences.
Even when the Uchiha enforced the law impartially, it still provoked intense resentment among Konoha's civilians.
On top of that, the Uchiha's innate pride meant they disdained explaining themselves to others.
Over time, misunderstandings only deepened.
Konoha's higher-ups were fully aware of the Uchiha's grievances—yet they made no effort whatsoever to help them change the situation.
To wear the crown is to bear its weight.
Holding the power of law enforcement meant enduring some resentment—it was only natural.
After all, we never intended to let an Uchiha become Hokage anyway. Who cared about public opinion?
Fugaku might have been able to endure this.
Yusuke could not.
Konoha's higher-ups refused to take responsibility?
Fine.
Then he would openly reform the system and drag all of Konoha's major clans into it together!
Yusuke took out a sheet of paper and began explaining the specific reform measures.
"No violent law enforcement. Treat suspects humanely before conviction."
"No abuse of punishment. Absolutely no forcing confessions through private torture."
"Establish a jury system. Invite members of all major clans to jointly try criminals, striving for fairness, transparency, and justice."
…
Drawing on experience from a previous life, Yusuke devised a system akin to public review-based adjudication.
In short—
Everyone decides together. No dictatorship.
If problems arise, responsibility is shared.
The Uchiha will never shoulder the blame alone again!
Yusuke's proposal received unanimous approval.
With reforms like this in place, within a year at most, Konoha's civilians would inevitably develop a far better impression of the Uchiha.
To read 40+ future chapters, head over to Patreon:
patreon.com/WhiteDevil7554