"As the Grand Elder, I believe I am perfectly suited for this position!" Uchiha Setsuna spoke up immediately, a hint of smugness in his tone. "What do you all think?!"
"Uchiha Setsuna! You're being presumptuous!" Uchiha Yakushi roared, his eyes nearly splitting from rage. "You ambitious weasel! You just want to seize power! How dare you lay a finger on the position of Head of the Police Force?!"
"I, for one, think Elder Setsuna is quite suitable."
Just then, a cold voice suddenly rang out, breaking the chaos within the shrine.
Everyone's gaze instantly focused on Uchiha Xia Yin in the corner.
He slowly opened his eyes, the crimson Mangekyo Sharingan flickering with a heart-stopping light under the candlelight. His tone was calm, yet carried an unquestionable authority.
As his words fell, more than seventy Clan Members below who supported Xia Yin immediately echoed in unison: "We agree with Lord Xia Yin's opinion! We support Elder Setsuna as the Head of the Police Force!"
The voices were uniform and deafening.
The Faces of Uchiha Fugaku, Yakushi, and Nanadai instantly turned incredibly dark, like the bottom of a pot.
They stared fixedly at Xia Yin, their eyes full of resentment and anger, yet they were helpless.
Sitting in the corner, Uchiha Shisui watched the scene with mixed emotions.
He knew clearly that Setsuna was merely a Puppet pushed forward by Xia Yin; the one truly in control of everything was this clansman who had awakened the Mangekyo Sharingan.
Xia Yin appeared not to participate in the dispute, yet at the most critical moment, he decided the outcome with a single sentence, firmly grasping the power in his hands.
Fugaku's body trembled slightly. Looking into Xia Yin's cold Mangekyo eyes, he felt only endless frustration and powerlessness.
He knew very well that as the Clan Chief, he had been reduced to a complete figurehead.
Uchiha Setsuna was nothing more than a dog raised by Xia Yin, and the true master was this young Uchiha Genius.
"Since... since the majority of the Clan Members agree, then it is decided." Fugaku's voice trembled slightly as he slowly sat down, looking as if he had aged ten years in an instant. "Are there any other matters?"
The shrine fell into silence; no one dared to raise any further objections.
Xia Yin slowly closed his eyes, returning to his previous posture as if he hadn't spoken those words.
But everyone understood that from this moment on, the center of power in the Uchiha had completely shifted.
With the position of Head of the Konoha Military Police Force falling into Setsuna's hands, it meant that the core power of the Uchiha was now entirely controlled by Xia Yin.
The candlelight flickered, reflecting Fugaku's lonely silhouette and Xia Yin's cold profile.
This clan meeting at Naka Shrine appeared to be a dispute between Setsuna and Fugaku, but it was actually a total turnover of Uchiha power.
And all of this was just the beginning of Uchiha Xia Yin's grand design.
What he wanted was not just control over the Uchiha, but hegemony over the entire Ninja World.
Outside the shrine, the night grew deeper, and the lights of Konoha sparkled like stars.
No one knew what kind of storm this seemingly calm clan meeting would bring to Konoha and the entire Ninja World.
As the morning sun pierced through Konoha's clouds the next day, Uchiha Fugaku entered the Hokage Building carrying a heavy air of exhaustion and loneliness.
He placed a pre-prepared document for the transfer of power on Hiruzen Sarutobi's desk, his voice hoarse: "Hokage-sama, I have officially handed over all affairs and authority of the Konoha Military Police Force to Grand Elder Uchiha Setsuna."
Hiruzen Sarutobi's hand froze as he picked up the document, his pupils shrinking abruptly.
In an instant, he understood what this meant—the sugar-coated bullet personally established by the Second Hokage, Senju Tobirama, to "imprison" the Uchiha, the violent organization that held Konoha's law enforcement power, had actually fallen into the hands of the Uchiha's most radical member, Setsuna!
And standing behind Setsuna was Uchiha Xia Yin!
That terrifying Genius who had undergone a drastic personality change and possessed the Mangekyo Sharingan and Susanoo!
"Preposterous!" Hiruzen slammed his hand on the desk and stood up, his chest heaving violently, fuming with rage.
He stared fixedly at Fugaku, his voice filled with unbelievable anger, "Fugaku! As the Uchiha Clan Chief, how could you hand the Military Police Department over to a radical like Setsuna? Do you have any idea how much turmoil this will bring to Konoha?!"
Fugaku lowered his eyes, which were filled with powerlessness: "Hokage-sama, this was the will of the majority of the clan. I... was unable to turn the tide."
Hiruzen trembled with rage, yet he couldn't lash out.
He knew better than anyone the unique nature of the Konoha Military Police Force—it was an institution established by Senju Tobirama to appease the Uchiha while simultaneously limiting their influence. Tobirama had personally handed over ownership, law enforcement power, and even the right to revise the penal code to the Uchiha Clan, making it an independent law enforcement organization that existed outside Konoha's core power yet held the power of life and death.
The Hokage had no authority to dismiss or appoint the Head of the Police Force.
In the past, the reason Hiruzen could secretly squeeze the power of the Military Police Department was entirely because the then-Clan Chief, Fugaku, belonged to the Moderate Faction and yielded at every turn.
But now, the one in power was Setsuna, and behind him was Xia Yin, who wouldn't give Konoha any Face at all!
He couldn't even imagine what kind of chaos this Military Police Department, controlled by the Radical Faction, would bring to Konoha.
Hiruzen's fears became reality that very afternoon.
Inside the Military Police Department building in the Uchiha Clan Compound, Uchiha Setsuna, who had just taken over power, was standing respectfully before Uchiha Xia Yin.
This old Elder, who had lived from the Sengoku period to the present, showed no arrogance of seniority before Xia Yin, who was younger than his own grandchildren. There was only near-fanatical admiration and respect: "Xia Yin, the power transfer is complete. What should we do next?"
Xia Yin was sitting by a low table near the window, holding a cup of warm tea. Upon hearing this, he took a slow sip, his tone flat and emotionless: "Hand this new Konoha Penal Code to Hiruzen Sarutobi, then post it all over Konoha's bulletin boards. Let everyone see it clearly."
He raised his hand and pushed a thick scroll toward Setsuna.
Setsuna was stunned, his eyes full of confusion—revising the penal code?
While this appeared to be within the jurisdiction of the Military Police Department, in Konoha's current landscape, this was undoubtedly a provocation to the Hokage's authority. What was the point?
"See for yourself." Xia Yin's voice carried a hint of a cold smile. "These unruly people of Konoha, and those high-and-mighty higher-ups, it's time to teach them a lesson. A bunch of trash, thinking they're worthy of bossing us Uchiha around? It's time to let them know who the true masters of Konoha are."
These words were like a clap of thunder, making Setsuna's whole body tremble.
He hurriedly picked up the scroll and unfolded it with trembling hands, his crimson Three-Tomoe Sharingan staring fixedly at the text written upon it...
Advance chapter available on pãtrêon Got1808