Chapter 5

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Before Uchiha Fugaku could finish speaking, Sarutobi Hiruzen cut him off, clearly frustrated:

"Fugaku, you are the captain of the Konoha Police Force, directly under the Hokage's authority, and you have a certain degree of autonomy. How could you not have your own judgment? Danzo is just suspicious by nature, but in such a crisis, as captain of the Police Force, you must make decisions for yourself. What am I supposed to say about you?"

Uchiha Fugaku opened his mouth, feeling confused. He had thought that Danzo's orders as the Hokage's advisor reflected the Hokage's own will. But Sarutobi Hiruzen's words now made him unsure.

Toki watched Sarutobi Hiruzen's performance from the side and sneered inwardly. If he hadn't known the whole story, he might have actually believed Sarutobi's attempt to shift the blame onto Danzo. In truth, Danzo had consulted with Sarutobi when making the decision regarding the Uchiha clan, and everything had been done with Sarutobi's tacit approval.

Now that the truth was coming to light, Sarutobi was quick to place the blame on Danzo. Truly, Sarutobi Hiruzen deserved his reputation as Konoha's "King of Scapegoating."

Toki spoke up coldly:

"Yes, while I regret it as well, if Fugaku continues as captain, the entire Uchiha clan may resign from the Konoha Police Force. After all, we serve in such a hated role for the sake of Konoha's peace, yet we are led by someone who has lost the clan's trust..."

Sarutobi's face changed at Toki's words.

The Uchiha clan resigning from the Police Force? That was unthinkable. The role of the Police Force had been part of the Second Hokage's plan to gradually weaken the Uchiha by isolating them from other positions of influence. If the Uchiha elites returned to taking on regular ninja missions, their strength would certainly increase. If their reputation recovered, it would be dangerous for Konoha's power structure.

Sarutobi quickly responded:

"Toki, don't be hasty. I understand the clan's concerns. While this wasn't entirely Fugaku's fault, I won't ignore the voices of the people. Therefore, Fugaku, you should take some time to rest. Once things calm down, we'll think long-term. In the meantime, Toki will take over as captain of the Police Force."

Toki stood up without hesitation, nodded, and said:

"Thank you, Lord Hokage."

Without showing any further respect or courtesy, Toki turned and left the room.

A flicker of anger flashed across Sarutobi's eyes. This insolent Uchiha! He didn't even show him the slightest bit of respect.

And indeed, the Uchiha clan had little respect left for Sarutobi Hiruzen. Though weakened, the Uchiha still remained the most powerful clan in Konoha. Even though the Sarutobi clan's strength had been preserved during the Third Great Ninja War and had grown stronger than ever, it still paled in comparison to the Uchiha.

If it weren't for the actions of Uchiha Itachi and Uchiha Obito, who both had turned against their clan, it would have been nearly impossible for Sarutobi to eliminate the Uchiha without significant cost. In the current weakened state of Konoha, especially after the Nine-Tails attack, there was no way Sarutobi could afford to go to war with the Uchiha.

Toki understood this perfectly well. He knew that Sarutobi would never truly reconcile with the Uchiha. Therefore, he saw no need to put on a polite front. His attitude essentially conveyed: "I enjoy how much you despise me, but you can't do anything about it."

However, to Uchiha Fugaku, Toki's defiance seemed reckless. It was an action that threatened to further disrupt the delicate peace between the Uchiha and the village. Watching Toki leave, Fugaku quickly turned back to Sarutobi with an apologetic expression:

"I'm truly sorry, Lord Hokage. Toki didn't mean to disrespect you. It's just that the clan's emotions are running high, and he acted impulsively."

Sarutobi Hiruzen gave Fugaku a reassuring glance and said:

"I understand. Patriarch Fugaku, you've worked so hard to maintain the harmony between the Uchiha and the village. It's a shame... The Fourth Hokage passed away too soon…"

Suddenly, Sarutobi changed the subject.

"With the Fourth Hokage's death, the village cannot go without a leader for long. We need to choose a new Hokage soon."

He paused for effect.

"Given that the next generation has not yet fully matured, I am willing to step forward and shoulder the responsibility once again. What do you think?"

Fugaku was stunned, but quickly replied with joy:

"That would be wonderful! If you were to return, it would certainly ease tensions between the village and the Uchiha."

Sarutobi looked at Fugaku with satisfaction. Despite no longer being captain of the Police Force, Fugaku still retained influence within the clan. He could certainly help sway the vote when it came time to select the next Hokage.

"In that case, Fugaku, take some time to rest. Even though you won't remain captain of the Police Force, there will still be a place for you within the village's leadership."

Fugaku was taken aback but hurriedly bowed in gratitude.

"Thank you, Lord Hokage!"

For years, the Uchiha clan had been denied access to Konoha's central power structures, especially the elite Anbu. Fugaku believed that with his new position, he could finally convince the clan to reconcile with the village.

Meanwhile, Toki had returned to the Uchiha clan's new settlement on the outskirts of Konoha. The area was vast but isolated, separated from the village by the Naka River and a deep valley. Originally, the Second Hokage had already forced the Uchiha into the corner of the village. Now, they were more isolated than ever.

Several Uchiha members were using earth jutsu to construct a wall around the clan's new land. Inside the wall, a training ground was already being built, as Toki had instructed.

A clan member approached and reported respectfully:

"Patriarch, we've completed the training ground as requested."

Toki nodded. The training ground was simple—just an open area with a few wooden posts for practice. But the large space would make it easy to hold full-scale combat drills.

"System?" Toki thought to himself.

[Ding! The current terrain meets the requirements for building the clan's 'Training Ground.' The system is updating…]

[Ding! Congratulations, host! You've built your first clan facility: Training Ground No. 1. The patriarch can now spend clan prestige to begin targeted training for the clan members.]

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