Throne Of The Uchiha

Responsibilities

As the internal defense force of Konohagakure, the Uchiha Police Force maintained constant vigilance—even at night, their headquarters brightly lit and bustling. Ever since the high-profile assassination of several village elders last year, Uchiha Tenjo had increased the frequency and intensity of patrols across the village.

When Fugaku entered the front gate of the Police Force building, only a handful of shinobi remained inside. Most of the Uchiha officers had already dispersed across the village, patrolling their assigned sectors. The ones still present were either support staff or those handling emergencies.

As a rising genius of the Uchiha clan, nearly every Chūnin in the force recognized Fugaku. The moment he stepped through the door, he heard a familiar voice call out.

"Fugaku!" someone said warmly. "Didn't expect to see you at the station."

Turning toward the sound, Fugaku recognized Uchiha Nogi—a childhood friend, two years his senior. Now a Chūnin, Nogi had awakened the two-tomoe Sharingan and was particularly skilled in Fire Release techniques.

"Nogi. It's been a while," Fugaku replied with a nod. "I had some free time recently and thought I'd help out with the patrol unit for a few days. Is Saki-senpai here?"

"Hah, I heard you made a name for yourself in the Land of Rain. Word's been spreading in the clan," Nogi said with a grin. "Still, it's rare to see someone like you with battlefield achievements take time to serve here. Senior Saki's upstairs in the operations room—I'll take you to him."

"Thanks. Let's catch up properly another time," Fugaku said politely.

As they walked, Nogi smirked and muttered, "I honestly thought you'd have outgrown us after making jōnin. Glad to see you're still the same guy."

Fugaku offered only a faint smile. No, he thought. Things have changed. The old Fugaku was hesitant, passive… I didn't truly awaken until the clan was destroyed.

He would not allow history to repeat itself. If he wanted to prevent another tragedy, he would have to change.

The second floor of the station was divided according to patrol sectors. During night shifts, at least one senior Uchiha remained stationed to oversee emergency responses and report directly to the Hokage's office if needed.

The conference room door stood open. A familiar silhouette stood at the window, watching the lantern-lit streets of Konoha. It was Uchiha Saki.

Nogi knocked gently on the door. "Saki-senpai."

Saki turned around. Fugaku was greeted by a different version of the man he'd seen at clan meetings. Gone was the cheerful smile and warm demeanor. The man before him radiated sharpness and command—his gaze unwavering, a seasoned Uchiha warrior who had survived countless missions.

In recent months, Fugaku had encountered several of the clan's elites: Uchiha Kin, En, and now Saki. A question crept into his mind—How had the Uchiha clan really fallen so swiftly back then?

Itachi, even with the Mangekyō, couldn't have done it alone. Before obtaining the Eternal Mangekyō, each use of the eye brought debilitating strain. It seemed inconceivable that even the Root could have suppressed the entire clan. Unless… ANBU operatives directly under the Hokage had been involved.

These thoughts vanished as quickly as they came.

When Saki saw Fugaku, his stern demeanor softened. "Fugaku, I didn't expect you to stop by."

"Senior Saki," Fugaku greeted respectfully. "I wanted to spend some of my vacation here in the Police Force. As an Uchiha, I should understand our clan's lifeblood more thoroughly."

Saki nodded with approval. "That's thoughtful of you. The Police Force is the cornerstone of our clan's standing in Konoha. Even if an Uchiha doesn't serve directly, he should at least be familiar with it. I assume the clan head knows?"

"Yes. My father gave his approval. I'm assigned to seven night shifts to observe patrol duties and internal operations."

Saki turned to Nogi. "You're close to Fugaku. I'll entrust you with helping him get oriented. Show him the patrol structure and the block designations."

"Understood," Nogi said with a smile. "I'll start by giving him a tour of the station."

The Police Force was theoretically responsible for all internal security matters—civil disputes, theft, disturbances, and even responding to intrusions. Their mandate was broad. But over the years, their actual authority had dwindled. The Uchiha hadn't produced a Mangekyō Sharingan wielder in decades. Without overwhelming power, influence slipped through their fingers.

Nogi unrolled a folded map and handed it to Fugaku. "Here's a layout of Konoha. The village is divided into four quadrants along the main street axis. Each quadrant is subdivided into four districts. So that's sixteen blocks total, all numbered. Patrols are assigned by block number."

Fugaku examined the map carefully. The person he was monitoring lived in Block 3. The Police Force headquarters was in Block 6, close to the main commercial hub.

"Start with the first four blocks," Fugaku said. "If I cover four a day, I'll get a full circuit in four days. Then I can spend the remaining three observing internal operations."

He knew that even within a clan, unity was rare. Without the power of the Mangekyō, even a strong leader like Tenjo couldn't hold every faction together.

First, figure out who is an ally. Then, identify who can be persuaded… and who must be eliminated.

"Fair enough," Nogi said. "Let's head out now—it's getting late. We'll move through Blocks 1 to 4. We'll have to pass through Block 3 anyway."

Perfect. That aligned with Fugaku's true objective.

Once a formal patrol began, he would be surrounded by other officers—some of whom might recognize him. Adjusting routes or straying off course would raise suspicions. But now, during this familiarization round, he had the flexibility he needed.

And he would use it.