What is conflict transfer?

Human beings are incredibly complex creatures, yet at the same time, they can be strikingly simple.

Uchiha Shisui pondered this deeply and realized that Shiroishi's words made sense.

Were the people who created the regulations at fault?

No.

Were the ones who enforced them at fault?

No.

Both of these could be true, yet they naturally lead to conflict with the villagers.

People have selfish tendencies, after all. Different viewpoints lead to different attitudes, and it's easy to grow resentful toward those you directly deal with. There may be some animosity toward those in higher positions, but it's often diluted by a sense of awe.

"It seems like this might actually work," Shisui's eyes gleamed with newfound understanding. "Shiroishi, you're a genius."

"It's still a challenging idea to implement," Shiroishi said with measured caution. "But if it works, it could definitely change the current state of the Police Force."

"You've never even stepped foot in the Security Department. And yet, just through observations and what I've told you, you've come up with such a solution. It's amazing." Shisui couldn't help but sigh in admiration.

—If only Shiroishi's ninja talents were stronger.

For Shiroishi, though, it was simply a borrowed idea from his previous life. In this world, people hadn't yet developed such levels of understanding. Concepts like politics, social classes, and the idea of shifting conflicts were still foreign.

"Implementing this plan is still very difficult," Shiroishi continued. "The first challenge is getting approval from the village's higher-ups. More personnel means higher expenses, and the leadership may not agree to such an increase."

"Second, while I don't know all the internal workings of the Security Department, there are bound to be some who treat their authority as personal power and won't want to share it. They enjoy the control over the villagers."

Shisui frowned, reflecting on these words.

"I've spoken with many in the department," he began. "Most don't particularly enjoy the work and are disillusioned with it. Given other options, a lot of them would choose a different job."

Then, an idea sparked in his mind.

"Shiroishi, what do you think about this?"

"What is it?" Shiroishi asked.

"It's difficult to convince the village leaders to increase spending. So, what if we didn't? Instead, we could lay off a majority of the Uchiha members in the department and use those funds to hire ordinary ninjas and civilians."

"That way, the higher-ups wouldn't object, and most of the Uchiha wouldn't either, except for a few."

"This could resolve the department's problems and ease tensions between Uchiha and the villagers."

Shiroishi nodded thoughtfully.

"It sounds feasible, Shisui. It's definitely worth a try."

As night fell, Shisui left, and Shiraishi returned to his room. However, a lingering doubt clouded Shiraishi's thoughts about the Police Force.

Two theories crossed his mind. One, the very existence of the Security Department could be a conspiracy by Konoha's leadership to sow discord between Uchiha and the villagers, tarnishing the Uchiha's reputation over time.

Or two, the problem could lie with certain members of the Uchiha who were prideful and relished their authority, leading them to act superior.

Or perhaps, it was a bit of both.

Two days later, as Shiraishi tended to the shop, he noticed two figures approaching.

"Senior Shiroishi," one called out.

Looking up, Shiroishi smiled. "Good morning, Itachi." His gaze then shifted to the smaller figure. "Is this Sasuke?"

Uchiha Itachi nodded.

"Sasuke, this is Shiroishi-senpai," he introduced.

Sasuke's curious eyes locked onto Shiroishi. "Good morning, Shiroishi-senpai," he greeted shyly.

"Good morning, Sasuke." Shiroishi gestured them inside. "Come on in, have a seat."

He led the pair into the lounge and signaled to Shinji Hirako, who was nearby. "Hirako, mind the store, will you?"

"Yes, sir," Hirako responded, leaping onto the counter with a serious expression. His arms crossed over his chest and the sword at his waist gave him an air of forced professionalism.

Sasuke, wide-eyed, turned to his brother. "Brother, is that a ninja cat?"

Itachi nodded.

"Do you have one, brother?"

Itachi shook his head, and disappointment briefly crossed Sasuke's face.

"Our Uchiha clan has strong ties with ninja cats. When you're older, you can have one as your partner if you want, Sasuke."

"Really? Then I'll find the strongest ninja cat!" Sasuke declared with newfound excitement.

Shiroishi, meanwhile, chuckled.

"Itachi, what brings you by today?" he asked, glancing at Sasuke.

"Well," Itachi began, a bit sheepishly. "The snacks you gave me last time were so good, Sasuke couldn't stop talking about them. We came by to see if we could buy some, but if it's too much trouble, we can leave."

Shiroishi waved off his concern. "There's no need to buy anything. I'll ask Alice to whip up something for you."

"But I don't want to impose like last time," Itachi insisted, pulling out a small pouch of coins.

"Fine. Just pay for the ingredients then."

Even then, Itachi tried to argue, but Shiroishi cut him off with a pretend frown.

"If you don't agree, Itachi, you're not treating me as a friend."

Reluctantly, Itachi agreed.

Turning to Sasuke, Shiroishi asked, "So, Sasuke, what do you like to eat?"

"Katsuo rice balls and tomatoes," Sasuke replied enthusiastically.

"Perfect," Shiroishi said. "I'll have Alice make some for you."

Shiroishi made his way to the kitchen, said a few words to Alice, and then returned to the lounge carrying a small plate of snacks.

"By the way, Itachi, why don't you both stay for lunch today? I've already asked Alice to prepare everything."

"This…"

Uchiha Itachi hesitated for a moment.

"Shisui mentioned something to me last night that I think you should hear," Shiroishi added with a smile.

Hearing Shisui's name piqued Itachi's interest, and he nodded.

"Then we'll take you up on your offer, Shiroishi-senpai."

Shiroishi handed the small plate to Sasuke.

"Sasuke, why don't you give this a try? Alice made it, and I think you'll like it."

The young Uchiha's eyes lit up, but before taking a bite, he glanced at his older brother for approval. Only when Itachi gave a slight nod did Sasuke open the bag of snacks.

"Smells amazing!"

Sasuke took a small piece and tasted it, his face immediately lighting up.

"It's delicious!"

Despite his excitement, Sasuke didn't devour the snacks. Instead, he offered the next piece to Itachi, and the third piece to Shiroishi himself.

"Shiroishi-senpai, you have some too."

"Thanks, Sasuke."

Shiroishi took the offered piece and smiled.

As they ate, Shiroishi couldn't help but notice a small number floating above Sasuke's head—something only he could see.

[36. A big brother who makes delicious food.]

The number wasn't surprising to Shiroishi. Among the Uchiha, people he hadn't interacted with much typically had a favorability score around 30, fluctuating a bit higher or lower. Within Konoha itself, Uchiha's favorability among villagers hovered between negative and 20, reflecting the strained relations.

Sasuke's score of 36, however, was notably higher, likely influenced both by his brother Itachi and the delicious food Alice had prepared.

They chatted a bit longer, and soon enough, lunchtime approached.

"Sir, lunch is ready," Alice's voice called out from the kitchen.

"Great, Alice, thank you for your hard work," Shiroishi replied before turning to the two brothers. "Itachi, Sasuke, lunch is ready. Let's move to the dining room—there's one next to the sink."

"Sounds good," Itachi agreed, and the three of them stood to move to the dining area.

After washing their hands, they sat down around a table filled with colorful dishes that looked as appetizing as they smelled. Sasuke was visibly excited, while even Itachi, though composed, seemed eager.

The four dishes on the table were hearty and portioned well, with vibrant colors adding to the meal's visual appeal.

"Let's eat," Shiroishi said, picking up his chopsticks.

Sasuke, unable to hold back, immediately followed suit, his small hands adept with the chopsticks despite his young age. He was barely four, but already knew how to manage on his own, a testament to his upbringing and his natural precocity.

Meanwhile, Naruto, a boy Sasuke's age, was somewhere across the village living a far more solitary life. In this world, children grew up quickly, facing the realities of the ninja world earlier than most could imagine.

"How does it taste, Sasuke?" Shiroishi asked after a few moments.

"Delicious," Sasuke replied eagerly. Then, after a pause, he added, "It's the best food I've ever eaten."

"Well, if you like it, have some more."

As the lunch continued, Shiroishi noticed the number above Sasuke's head gradually increasing.

Once the meal was finished, all four dishes were cleaned off, not a bite left. Even the ninja cats who had wandered over in the hopes of leftovers wandered away, disappointed.

A small cat rubbed affectionately against Shiroishi's leg as they rose from the table.

By now, the ninja shop had closed for its two-hour midday break. Shiroishi instructed Shinji Hirako to lock the door, then led Itachi and Sasuke to the backyard.

Sasuke, still curious about Hirako, wandered a bit ahead, allowing Shiroishi and Itachi to have a more private conversation.

"Last night, Shisui and I discussed an idea," Shiroishi began.

"What is it, Shiroishi-senpai?" Itachi asked, his tone immediately serious.

"Right now, the main problem we face is the growing conflict between the Uchiha clan and the village. If things keep escalating, it will eventually lead to disaster. Either the Uchiha or the village—or worse, both—will suffer greatly."

Itachi nodded, listening intently.

"The root of the conflict comes from two fronts. First, there's dissatisfaction among the Uchiha with the village's policies. Second, there's the villagers' dissatisfaction with the Uchiha, mostly stemming from the way the Security Department operates."

"Shisui and I discussed a plan to address the second issue. We think that reducing the number of Uchiha in the Security Department and recruiting regular ninjas or even civilians to take over the direct contact with villagers would ease the tension. The Security Department would then act more as a liaison between these new recruits and the higher-ups in the village."

"And Shisui believes this will work?" Itachi asked thoughtfully.

"He does. But that only addresses half of the issue. We haven't figured out how to resolve the deeper dissatisfaction Uchiha feel toward the village itself. Do you have any thoughts, Itachi?"

Itachi paused, thinking over Shiroishi's words carefully.

"Why do you think the Uchiha clan harbors such deep dissatisfaction with the village?"

"There are many reasons," Shiroishi replied, glancing at Itachi. "For one, Uchiha helped found Konoha alongside the Senju, yet now they're relegated to the outskirts of the village, far from the center of power and decision-making. It's a fall from grace, in a way."

He shrugged slightly.

"That kind of resentment builds over time. The longer it simmers, the harder it becomes to quell."

After a brief pause, Shiroishi added, "And of course, some Uchiha members are too proud, too extreme in their beliefs. They see themselves as superior, and that attitude only makes things worse."

Hearing this, Itachi's expression shifted ever so slightly, a flicker of something darker crossing his face.

After a moment of quiet contemplation, Uchiha Itachi finally spoke.

"Shiroishi-senpai, I believe we can approach the problem from a new angle."

"Oh? And what angle is that?" Shiroishi asked, curious.

Itachi's gaze sharpened slightly. "It's about the mindset of the Uchiha members. I think many of them are still clinging to the ideals of Uchiha Madara's era. They don't fully understand the realities of today."

Shiroishi was taken aback. This statement seemed to reveal more of Itachi's deeper thoughts than he had ever shared before. In the past, Itachi had never openly spoken such views in front of him, not with this level of candor.

But now, something had changed.

Shiroishi glanced briefly at the small number floating above Itachi's head—a detail only he could see. It had jumped to 70 without him noticing.

—Ah, that explains it.

—His favorability towards me has increased. With less distrust, he's willing to share his true thoughts.