While exchanging small talk, they passed through the dark, dense forest. Soon, flickering lights came into view, and the Police Department finally appeared in the distance.
In the blink of an eye, they crossed the remaining hundred steps. At the entrance of the Police Department, Sougen paused and looked up at the moonlit sky. Hanging high on the building's facade was the symbol of a flaming fan embedded in a shuriken — the emblem of the Konoha Police Department. It symbolized the Uchiha clan's ownership of the department, representing both their pride and their burden.
The chunin guards at the entrance were startled by the unexpected arrival.
Seeing the sudden appearance of Clan Leader Fugaku and Captain Hachiyo, along with renowned figures like Sougen, Shisui, and other prominent jonin of the clan, the guards felt an overwhelming pressure that made their breaths quicken.
Their minds began to race with wild speculations, wondering if something serious had happened.
Could it be that the clan was truly about to break with the village and go to war?
The rumors of a coup were still only circulating among some of the higher-ranking jonin. There was no way they would be foolish enough to share such things with chunin or genin. Still, as the saying goes, "A bird leaves a trail, and water leaves a trace." Some had picked up on subtle clues from the behavior of their parents or close friends...
"Chief!"
"Captain Hachiyo."
The guard on duty hurriedly stepped forward to greet them, suppressing his chaotic thoughts.
"Gather all clan members on duty. Have them meet on the rooftop. I don't care what they're doing, tell them to drop everything and get to the roof. There's an important announcement," Uchiha Fugaku ordered, his words concise and direct, carrying out Sougen's will with precision.
Despite his previously indecisive nature and tendency to be easily swayed, Fugaku was still a capable leader. The well-organized Police Department was proof that Fugaku wasn't entirely incompetent.
In truth, Fugaku was better suited to be an executor than a decision-maker.
Still, no matter how capable Fugaku was, Sougen had no intention of relying on him for long. He planned to give him a modest role, letting him return home to his refined wife and focus on expanding the Uchiha family. After all, "New kings bring new Chiefs," and it's best not to have the old ruler around to confuse the people. But for now, Sougen still needed Fugaku's help to take full control of the Police Department.
"Yes, Chief!"
The guard sprinted inside the building to carry out his orders.
Sougen and his group didn't enter through the doors but instead leaped directly up to the rooftop.
The rooftop was an ideal place for group discussions.
It was open, elevated, and less prone to eavesdropping. Plus, its spaciousness made it better suited for gatherings than the hall or meeting rooms. In fact, ninjas often preferred the rooftop for important conversations. It was on this very rooftop that Sougen had revealed his ambitions to Shisui and won his support.
The Police Department wasn't immune to such practices either. Unlike the Naka Shrine, which had secret rooms for meetings, the rooftop was the best choice here. Whenever something important needed to be announced, everyone gathered on the roof. If the group was too large to fit, they would move to the nearby tactical training grounds.
About twelve or thirteen minutes later, the last patrol team hurried back. They had been contacted via radio. Although the current radios couldn't be used for long-range communication, they worked perfectly within the Police Department's boundaries, as patrols rarely ventured beyond the range.
"Raiden, is everyone here?" Fugaku asked the man standing at the front.
"Chief, all 153 duty officers from the Police Department are present. No one is absent," Uchiha Raiden, a man in his early thirties, replied solemnly.
One hundred and fifty-three members — less than a third of the department's total.
But with the bright, round moon overhead, it wasn't surprising. If it weren't for the need for night patrols, there wouldn't even be this many here. Normally, only about twenty or thirty people would be left to work the night shift.
That's how it was in other departments like the Administrative Department and the Education Department.
Only the Medical Department shared a similar situation with the Police Department, as both operated around the clock, with staff working day and night.
"Everyone, listen up."
Fugaku's fierce expression was indeed intimidating, and the gathered clan members didn't dare breathe too loudly under his gaze. They waited silently for their clan leader to speak.
"I am no longer the head of the Uchiha clan, nor am I the Chief of the Police Department."
This announcement struck the crowd like a bolt of lightning.
The clan members stared at Fugaku in shock, their faces filled with confusion and disbelief. But Fugaku gave them little time to digest the news, continuing, "Not long ago, in the presence of the elders and 47 jonin from the clan, a new clan leader was selected…"
"I'll take it from here, Fugaku-senpai."
Sougen stepped forward, interrupting Fugaku's speech.
Fugaku silently stepped back, allowing Sougen to take the spotlight. This simple act made it clear to everyone who the new clan leader was: the 15-year-old Uchiha Sougen.
"Everyone!" Sougen's Sharingan flared to life, the red eyes sweeping over the 153 gathered clan members. "I know you all have a lot of questions, but I don't have time to ease your concerns. All you need to know is that, from this moment on, I am the Chief of the Police Department — Uchiha Sougen. From now on, you will follow my orders. If I tell you to go east, don't go west. If I tell you to catch a chicken, you better go to the red-light district and do just that. In short, I'm in charge here. Got it?"
After a brief pause, scattered voices replied, "Got it."
The weak response didn't surprise Sougen. Many of the clan members present were looking at him with doubt, confusion, and defiance.
The Police Department was different from the clan's territory. This was the clan leader's personal domain, where the elders held no sway. To avoid tipping Fugaku off too early, Sougen hadn't developed many connections within the department. Plus, the news of the leadership change hadn't had time to spread.
So, their reactions were understandable.
But understanding didn't mean Sougen would tolerate it.
Now that he had seized the title of clan leader, it was time to assert full control over the Police Department as well.
(End of Chapter)