Chapter 9. The happy fourth elder

Konoha Third Street is a bustling commercial hub, featuring izakayas, restaurants, hot springs, and gambling houses. However, crowded places like this often become hotspots for disputes.

Normally, this street is patrolled by a small group of Uchiha guards, but today they are nowhere to be seen.

In the midst of this, a person stumbled out of an izakaya, reeking of alcohol and clearly inebriated.

The izakaya owner, irritated, stood up and exclaimed, "You dare to cause trouble after just a few drinks, and you still expect a feast fit for a king?"

The drunk man, unfazed, burped and retorted, "What's so great? Don't I owe you money for a drink? If you dare to be so arrogant without getting your money, go ahead, hit me!"

Taking the challenge seriously, the owner called over two guys who proceeded to pummel the drunkard with fists and kicks.

The beating continued for a while until the drunk man, sporting a bruised nose and a swollen face, finally gave up. A small crowd had gathered to witness the spectacle.

Normally, in the event of a fight, the police force would swiftly intervene. However, today, their absence turned the scene into an unexpected spectacle for the onlookers.

After a while, the drunkard managed to pick himself up from the ground, his anger evident as he faced the villagers who were now pointing at him.

Cursing bitterly, he distanced himself from the crowd and left, feeling the weight of the onlookers' judgment.

Surprisingly, within a short span of ten minutes, the drunk man returned, carrying another pot of wine.

However, something seemed off about him. His expression was vacant, and his movements were mechanical.

Ignoring the wine, the drunkard instead stuffed a cloth into the pot's mouth, lit it, and smashed it against the door of the izakaya.

A loud bang ensued as the flames quickly caught the izakaya's door curtain on fire. Initially small, the fire began to grow.

In the shadows nearby, a member of the secretive Root organization, masked and clad in white, silently formed a hand seal.

Executing Wind Release: Great Breakthrough, he controlled the chakra's intensity, opened his mouth, and unleashed a gust of wind that swept along the flames.

As the izakaya was constructed entirely of wood, the fire exploited the wind, causing it to rapidly escalate. The flames grew, and panic spread among the nearby residents, reminiscent of a sudden explosion.

After burning for a brief period, a chuunin happened to pass by and employed Water Release to extinguish the fire. Despite the swift response, the door of the izakaya had already turned black from the flames, and the entrance was entirely destroyed.

Although no casualties were reported, the izakaya would inevitably have to close for a few days due to the damage.

The drunk man, who had seemingly awakened after the bottle-smashing incident, was perplexed about what had transpired. Realizing that something had indeed occurred, he took advantage of the ensuing chaos to slip away unnoticed.

Furious, the izakaya owner vented his anger: "Those useless police! They're always wandering around doing nothing when there's peace, and when trouble brews, they're nowhere to be found. I'm filing a complaint against them!"

...

The door of the izakaya had been burned down, rendering the owner unable to conduct business. In frustration, he hurriedly made his way to the Konoha Guard Building.

Despite many people passing by, all of them left quickly, wearing peculiar expressions. The queue eventually reached the izakaya owner. Pushing the door open, he found the fourth elder of Uchiha, sitting in a relaxed manner.

"Elder! I want to complain!"

He pulled out a complaint form and placed it in front of him: "What do you want to complain about?"

The izakaya owner voiced his grievance: "I want to complain that when security problems occur at my place, there are no members of the police to take care of it."

"Oh, where is your place? What's the name of the store?"

"I'm at Izakaya on Konoha 3rd Street."

"Let me take a look." He grabbed a stack of complaint forms and started flipping through them.

"Ah, here it is."

He retrieved a complaint form.

"The security team you have there is the Ninth Guard Team, and the leaders are Uchiha Haruki, Oura, and Rikuto. They have been suspended, so you don't have a security team to manage security there for the time being."

The izakaya owner was taken aback, "What!? Why have they been suspended?" 

"That's a question for you. About a week ago, there was an incident at your izakaya. You, along with a few others, resorted to violence against a troublemaker. The Ninth Guard intervened and arrested everyone. Subsequently, you filed a complaint against them for what you considered violent law enforcement. Have you forgotten?" The elder reminded him.

Suddenly recalling the incident, the izakaya owner was struck with a realization. He had indeed asked some individuals to deal with the troublemaker, and the Uchiha Guards had promptly intervened, putting a stop to the altercation. Fueled by anger, he subsequently filed a complaint against the Uchiha individuals.

"Well, I thought they were doing quite well. Can I withdraw the complaint?"

Elder waved his hand, "That's not possible. Our deputy clan leader has instituted new clan rules."

"All Uchiha clan members need to maintain harmonious relationships with the villagers. Since we, as Uchiha, have made mistakes, it's only right to suspend our duties and reflect."

The izakaya owner felt a bitter taste in his mouth. In the past, when trouble arose, the Uchiha would swiftly intervene. Why were they being so strict now?

"So, when will the new security team be assigned?"

He reassured him, "You don't need to worry about that. We will promptly allocate personnel to complete the deployment of the guard team."

Leaving the building, the izakaya owner couldn't shake the feeling that something was amiss. Typically, he would feel a sense of relief after filing a complaint.

However, today, as he walked towards the dormitory, it seemed as if he had been punched in a pile of cotton, with hidden needles awaiting him.

Feeling disheartened, the izakaya owner left the premises with a depressed heart.

The fourth elder felt a sense of refreshment after a day of dealing with complaints. He had begun to grasp the underlying intention of the deputy clan leader in orchestrating such actions.

Contrary to his usual experiences handling complaints, which left him infuriated and drained, today was a different story. He found comfort in every interaction. The complainants, frustrated and angry, departed in despair.

A hearty laugh escaped the lips of the fourth elder.

...

Obito, disguised with a mask, infiltrated the Uchiha clan's territory.

Observing the events of the previous night from start to finish, he couldn't fathom the purpose behind Fugaku's actions.

Was it merely for the Sharingan of an ordinary clansman?

Having regained his Sharingan, Fugaku then proceeded to suspend numerous individuals from the police department.

Was this an attempt to curry favor with the Third Hokage?

Had Fugaku shifted to the side of the doves?

Yet, with so many people in the clan, Obito sensed a need for caution in future visits.

Perhaps it was time for Kirigakure to investigate the situation.

Finding no further useful information, Obito manipulated space, and in an instant, he vanished.

...

Kirigakure

Ao, who had been ridiculed after his previous encounter with Uchiha Shisui, received a new order from the Great Elder to explore Konoha once again. This time, the directive included capturing the Nine-Tailed Jinchuuriki if the opportunity arose.

In the wake of recent events, most of Konoha's Uchiha Guards had been replaced, and Shisui had lost his Sharingan due to an attack by the village elder Danzo. Although Danzo later returned the Sharingan, the rift between Shisui and the village seemed irreparable.

News of these developments in Konoha swiftly reached Kirigakure, despite the considerable distance between the two villages. The people of Kirigakure believed in the Great Elder's capabilities, attributing his timely intelligence to a secret force specializing in exploring the ninja world.

Upon receiving the order from the Great Elder, he saw this as an excellent opportunity. He swiftly organized his team members, and they set off for Konoha.