Upon hearing these words, the white-haired member of the Anbu froze.
What kind of joke is this?
The clan leader has been replaced?
When did this happen? If memory serves correctly, today—or rather, since it's past midnight, we should say yesterday—Uchiha Fugaku had just delivered an official document to the Hokage in his capacity as Uchiha Clan Leader and Head of the Police Force.
Does the Uchiha Clan act so... impulsively? A clan leader can be replaced just like that? And as for the Head of the Police Force, is that a position that can be casually passed on like a family heirloom?
The most surprising part is that Uchiha Sougen has now inherited the clan leadership. The white-haired Anbu thought back to the Hokage's personal orders, feeling a bit troubled and hesitant. This situation was completely unexpected.
However, orders from the Hokage must be carried out.
But in this particular mission, he hadn't been given the authority to adapt to changing circumstances.
Perhaps even the Hokage hadn't anticipated such drastic upheaval within the Uchiha Clan—suddenly, it's like a regime change!
"Chief Uchiha."
The same title, but now directed at a different person.
"Hokage-sama's orders: the application you submitted has been approved. Given the shortage of personnel on the Eastern Coastal Border Defense Force, the Hokage hopes that you can quickly dispatch those listed to take up their positions."
The white-haired Anbu tried to obscure some troublesome terms, handing the document to Sougen.
"...Ha! Interesting!"
Sougen opened the document, seeing his own name listed at the very top, with a bright red stamp placed over it.
He was sure that the Third Hokage had agreed to Uchiha Fugaku's request, sending troublemakers like him far away. Otherwise, there wouldn't have been such a hasty power grab. Originally, he had planned to temporarily handle the Police Force tonight and deal with the Hokage and other elders in the morning.
Who would've thought that the elders would be so impatient, unable to even wait a single night?
Is this what they call "time waits for no man"?
With a few quick thoughts, Sougen chuckled softly and flicked the thin document.
"Please inform the Hokage that, unfortunately, there's been a small disturbance within the clan. This document... I'm afraid it can't be carried out. I will personally visit the Hokage tomorrow to explain the details."
With that, Sougen handed the document back to the white-haired Anbu.
Or rather, back to Kakashi.
Despite being in the Anbu, Kakashi's conspicuous white hair and his covered left eye made it obvious. No wonder the Third Hokage had sent him as a messenger—he didn't exactly blend in for secretive tasks.
"I understand. I'll relay the situation truthfully to the Hokage," Kakashi responded without any objections.
He wasn't stupid—this was the Police Force's turf, and under the watchful eyes of so many Uchiha, voicing any opinions now would be foolish. He dutifully tucked away the document and prepared to leave.
"Wait!"
Sougen called out to Kakashi, just as he was about to step away.
"There's something else I need you to deliver to the Hokage." He glanced at the gathered Uchiha clan members on the rooftop and shouted, "Who's good with paperwork? Step forward, quickly. I need someone to help me write something."
Hearing this, a bespectacled clan member immediately stepped forward.
"Write me a resignation letter."
"Huh?"
The clan member was stunned, unsure who the letter was for or which department it was addressed to. Left without a clue, he cautiously asked, "Uh, Chief... who is this for?"
"For Uchiha Shisui. He's resigning from the Anbu."
Sougen replied without hesitation.
Then—
"What... Sougen, what are you doing?"
This time it was Shisui's turn to be dumbfounded. He hadn't said anything about leaving the Anbu! Though he hadn't exactly enjoyed his time there—the cold and ruthless atmosphere didn't mesh well with his gentle and cheerful nature—this didn't mean he wanted to leave.
After all, joining the Anbu had been his way of easing tensions between the village and the Uchiha Clan. If he left without achieving any results, would that make any sense?
In his fluster, he even forgot to address Sougen properly as clan leader or Chief.
"What am I doing? I'm helping you get out of this mess. Shisui, staying in the Anbu won't resolve the conflict between the clan and the village. In fact, the Anbu has become a prison that's limiting you. Besides... this is an order from your clan leader. Are you planning to disobey?"
Sougen spoke calmly.
"You..."
"Just do it. Hurry up and write it. Don't keep our Anbu friend waiting," Sougen decided, leaving no room for argument.
The bespectacled clan member, efficient as ever, quickly pulled out paper and pen, crouched on the rooftop floor, and began scribbling furiously under the moonlight. In less than a minute, a perfectly formatted resignation letter was ready, only lacking Shisui's signature at the bottom.
"Do I really have to leave the Anbu?" Shisui asked, still hesitating with the pen in hand.
"Why stay? To get caught in someone's crosshairs and lose an arm?" Sougen wasn't shy about speaking openly, even with Kakashi still standing nearby. "The Anbu isn't a place for the Uchiha. Do you really think staying there will change those old men's prejudices against the clan?"
Kakashi played the role of a silent observer, standing there like a scarecrow, not moving a muscle.
Shisui fell silent too.
With Sougen and so many clan members watching, he couldn't say anything against his better judgment.
"Besides, if you stay with the clan, you'll have a chance to change things from within. Together, we can reshape the clan's image in the village. The Leaf Village doesn't belong to any one person—it belongs to all its villagers. Winning the favor of a few people isn't as important as earning the respect of the majority. That's the only way for the clan to truly integrate into the village."
Sougen rambled on, though not entirely nonsense. His plan did include reforming the clan and the Police Force.
But truth be told, he was more worried about Shisui being manipulated. Whether it was by Danzo or the Third Hokage, Shisui wasn't equipped to handle their schemes.
Even Sougen himself couldn't guarantee he could outmaneuver those old foxes.
With a conflict between the village and the Uchiha Clan looming, it wouldn't necessarily end in all-out war, but if Shisui stayed in the Anbu, he'd likely become a target. A wrong step could cost him his life.
In the original timeline, Shisui had been manipulated by Danzo, lost an eye, and ultimately drowned himself in despair...
(End of Chapter)