Chapter 43

The No. 3 area is not only the land belonging to the Hyūga family but also home to many members of the Ino–Shika–Chō clan.

Apart from having a Clan compound as a meeting place, the Ino–Shika–Chō trio's clansmen are mostly integrated with the civilians of Konoha, a tradition that has been maintained since the village's inception.

After listening to Qing's introduction, Fugaku gained a general understanding of the No. 1 area. It is a relatively peaceful region, especially the Yamanaka family, who are primarily Sensor-Type Shinobi. Any acts of espionage are easily exposed in this area.

"Spies from the other four countries usually avoid this place when infiltrating Konoha. After all, the intelligence systems of major nations are not to be underestimated," Ao explained. "Only some smaller countries with limited information perceive this area as desolate, with dense forests and no clear endpoint."

A few days ago, a group of spies from foreign countries infiltrated the area but were captured swiftly. The Shinobi of the Nara clan sensed their actions.

The other areas follow a similar pattern. Major clans tend to gather or reside together on the outskirts of Konoha, while the central area is primarily occupied by civilians.

Fugaku immediately grasped this fact. The village planners had indeed taken precautions when laying out the village. In the event of a foreign invasion, the children of the clans living outside the village would take the lead in defending against the attackers.

Meanwhile, the civilians could be evacuated, and forces could be assembled to minimize casualties. Konoha's approach to village construction was indeed admirable, but the current state of the village fell short of the ideals of a true Shinobi village.

Although the night passed without incident, Fugaku remained vigilant, fully aware that spies and assassins could appear at any moment.

Over the next two days, Fugaku used Genjutsu to manipulate the memories of two civilians. He believed that these three manipulated individuals would serve as guides, and others would recall the greatness of the previous generation, thus bolstering their resolve and unleashing the power of Mu Dun.

Once the topic gained traction, it would not easily fade away unless the high-ranking officials of Konoha suppressed it forcefully.

Today marked the fourth day of Fugaku's duty as a police guard. He was responsible for patrolling the southeastern corner of Konoha, covering areas No. 3 to No. 6. The Uchiha Clan resided in the No. 6 area, but Fugaku was not required to patrol within the clan's territory. The Shinobi assigned to patrol inside the clan would take care of it.

Fugaku and Noboku walked along the central street, where the flow of people had significantly diminished. They were about to enter the third area when a violent explosion erupted in the distance, near the outer forest of the fifth area.

It seemed that someone could no longer bear the isolation and took the initiative to act. After all, the Uchiha Clan had been under martial law for half a year, and there was no certainty as to how long the martial law would last. Fugaku speculated that some may have reached their limits, leaving them with no choice but to fight.

"It appears that someone couldn't resist any longer," Fugaku remarked, observing the numerous figures rushing toward the center of the explosion. "Let's speed up and assess the casualties."

If the casualties were not significant, the Uchiha Clan wouldn't bear excessive pressure. After all, despite controlling the Police Guards, they didn't have control over Konoha's gates. The registration of Shinobi entering the village was always managed by a member of the Hokage's family. Although gate duty may seem insignificant, it granted control over the entry of Konohagakure's Shinobi into the village.

This position allowed for the monitoring of Anbu operations and even some members of the clandestine Root organization. Naturally, Konoha's high-ranking officials wouldn't hand over such a critical position to the Uchiha Clan.

Even the outermost formations of Konoha were always entrusted to the village's Shinobi under the Hokage's command.

Wars erupted swiftly and concluded even faster. This particular skirmish involved a group of Shinobi from Sunagakure attempting to wreak havoc within Konoha, but they were discovered before they could carry out their plans.

As the war approached, each country dispatched spies and assassins to infiltrate other nations. The damage caused by spies composed of ordinary individuals was manageable. However, the presence of Shinobi spies or assassins often led to significant casualties.

Even with a larger number of Uchiha members, they would be overwhelmed by the relentless assassins from other countries, and the reputation of the Police Guards would be tarnished repeatedly. The only solution was to block these Shinobi from entering Konoha in the first place.

The problem was evident to Fugaku. He did not believe that both the Uchiha Clan and Konoha's high-ranking officials were unaware of it. Additionally, the Hyūga family, which possessed considerable influence, had no Shinobi responsible for gate defense.

Only one person could address the doubts in Fugaku's mind—his father, Uchiha Tenjō. After observing his father for an extended period, Fugaku had developed an improved understanding of him.

As the patriarch of the Uchiha Clan, he was qualified in all aspects except for his lack of strength. However, as the Uchiha Patriarch, his aura paled compared to that of Uchiha Madara. The current Patriarch appeared rather lacklustre.

After completing his overnight patrol, Fugaku returned home, only to find his father preparing to leave.

"Otōsan," Fugaku respectfully called out. "Recently, I've been troubled by a doubt that feels like a fishbone stuck in my throat. I hope that my father can assist me."

Uchiha Tenjō paused momentarily, then replied, "Let's discuss it in the study."

Uchiha Tenjō knew that the chances of awakening Mangekyō in his lifetime were extremely slim. At his current age, it was practically impossible. Consequently, he placed most of his hopes on his son.

Fortunately, Fugaku had proven to be exceptional thus far, possessing a stable personality and a determined nature that surpassed his own.

The two of them entered the study and sat facing each other. Uchiha Tenjō broke the silence first, saying, "Feel free to voice your doubts."

"It's about the gate," Fugaku began. "Both the Uchiha and Hyūga clans are more suited for guarding the gates than regular Shinobi. They are better equipped to prevent the infiltration of spies and assassins."

"I'm pleased with your progress," Uchiha Tenjō responded, a genuine smile on his face. "It's also satisfying to see you connecting the dots between the guards at the gate and the assassinations and attacks on the village."

"Then you must also be aware that the Uchiha are unaware of Anbu and their basic operations," he continued. "During the era of the Second Hokage's rule, the Uchiha and Hyūga clans took turns guarding the gates of Konoha. With these two groups in charge, hidden enemies could be detected, resulting in a relatively peaceful environment within Konohagakure. Most conflicts occurred outside the village."

"After the Second Hokage's sacrifice, Konoha fell into a state of turbulence. Although the Third Hokage passed the mantle to the current Third Hokage, he was relatively young and lacked the necessary credibility to unite the village."

"It was only when the Third Hokage discovered the potential of the Uchiha Clan and exchanged regular Shinobi assignments for the gate guard duty of the Police Guards that the Hyūga Clan's situation became known to the interim clan head."

"The Third Hokage took charge of the gates and, with the help of several of his former students, used the registration information from the gate to purge elders and certain clan heads with ulterior motives from the village."

"Until the Third Hokage successfully assumed the position of Hokage, the bloodshed did not cease for quite some time."