As the two walked and talked, they passed through several streets and arrived at the Hokage Building. The building, with its red-painted outer walls, was considered a landmark in Konoha Village, though in truth, it lacked any real distinction. From Sougen's perspective, it looked like nothing more than an oversized, upside-down plastic bucket.
There was no architectural beauty to speak of!
Nor did it convey the authority and solemnity expected of a government building.
"This aesthetic..." Sougen shook his head, recalling how his own police department wasn't much better in terms of appearance. He immediately entertained the thought of rebuilding the Police Department headquarters. However, there was no rush. Like the establishment of the Legal Affairs Department, this could be done gradually. For now, the priority was making it clear to the village that the Uchiha were not some pushover clan to be trifled with.
He stepped forward and walked up the stairs toward the wide-open entrance.
As soon as they entered the lobby on the first floor, someone immediately approached them.
It was Kakashi!
"Patriach Uchiha, please follow me," said Kakashi, wearing a fox mask but with his distinctive messy white hair standing out as usual. "Lord Hokage is waiting for you in the meeting room."
"The meeting room? So besides Lord Hokage, there are quite a few others as well?"
"Yes, the heads of the Hyūga, Aburame, and Nara clans, among others. I won't list everyone—you'll see when we get there."
After that, they walked in silence.
When the door to the meeting room opened, not a sound could be heard—an indication that the staff likely made sure to oil the hinges daily.
As the door swung open, voices flooded out like a tide, and a light gray haze of smoke drifted lazily toward him. However, even the secondhand smoke couldn't obscure the keen sight of his Sharingan.
After all, the Sharingan was once known as the "Eye of Insight."
Sougen's gaze flicked around the large meeting room, taking in the sight of the village's most prominent figures, all seated at the long table. The gathering of elites gave the impression of lions preparing to pounce on their prey.
"And I... I must be the rabbit they've set their eyes on!"
The thought came to Sougen instinctively.
Sure enough, the moment he stepped into the room, the lions wasted no time baring their teeth.
"Uchiha Sougen, just what is your clan trying to do?" Elder Homura Mitokado, known for his usually inscrutable expression, was visibly furious today. His anger was nearly written on his face. As Sougen walked casually into the room, Homura slammed the table and raised his voice even further.
"Appointing yourself head of the Police Department without approval—do you even acknowledge the village anymore? Are you planning to betray the village and secede?"
The accusation of treason was thrown out immediately.
The faces of the clan heads and Patriachs seated at the table subtly shifted. They had already agreed, long before Sougen arrived, that they would suppress the Uchiha. There was no way they would allow such a dangerous clan to be led by a mere fifteen-year-old boy.
Indeed, in the eyes of these elders, the idea of a teenager being in charge of an entire clan was absurd. Leadership wasn't just about strength; this wasn't the Warring States period anymore. Even back then, overly aggressive clan leaders sometimes dragged their clans into endless wars.
Now that the Uchiha were showing signs of that same aggressive spirit, the elders were understandably uneasy, which is why they had agreed to unite in pressuring the Uchiha.
However...
Homura's attitude seemed a bit too forceful.
None of them actually wanted to start a war with the Uchiha. Even if they could destroy the clan, the village itself would be severely weakened in the process, and that wasn't an outcome they desired.
"Homura, calm down," the Third Hokage intervened, stopping his old friend before he could escalate further.
"Even if there's punishment to be handed out, we should at least give him a chance to explain. Sougen, explain what happened last night with your clan and the Police Department. I know that the Police Department was entrusted to the Uchiha, but you must remember that the Uchiha are still part of Konoha. The position of Police Chief isn't something that can be handed out at will..."
"Click!"
The sound of Sougen's tongue clicking in disdain echoed through the meeting room, cutting off the Hokage's words.
The wrinkles on the elderly Hokage's face twitched slightly as he stared intently at Sougen's lower face. His previously calm tone turned icy. "Is that your response, Sougen?"
"And what if it is?"
Sougen's expression hardened, his voice equally cold.
He stood just three steps from the door, chest puffed out, eyes sharp, like a gleaming blade drawn from its sheath. The clan heads and Patriachs seated around the table could feel the sting of his presence, as if an invisible force had cut into them. One particularly heavyset elder shifted in his chair, a frown creasing his face.
For some reason, this scene felt strangely familiar to him, like he had witnessed something similar in the past.
"The Uchiha's autonomy over the Police Department was granted by the Second Hokage. I've personally reviewed the documents in the Police Department archives, signed by the Second Hokage himself. Nowhere does it say that appointing a new Police Chief requires anyone's approval," Sougen said, his cold gaze sweeping over the room's most powerful figures. He then sneered, "Or are you suggesting that we should now abolish the rules set by the Second Hokage?"
"Times change! Your clan has acted recklessly—do you expect me to stand by and do nothing? Don't try to use our teacher's name to pressure me. He taught us that no rule is set in stone; even rocks are eroded by wind and water, let alone people and institutions."
The Third Hokage remained seated, unperturbed by Sougen's taunts. "If the Uchiha treat the Police Department with such disregard, as Hokage, I cannot remain idle. While the department is your clan's domain, it's still part of Konoha. Even if the Second Hokage were here, he would understand my stance."
"So, what kind of explanation do you expect from me?"
"Don't worry. I don't intend to break the autonomy of any clan. But your clan's actions this time were too out of line. I've already sent for your clan leader, Fugaku. Once he arrives..."
"Uchiha Fugaku is no longer the clan leader."
Sougen interrupted the Hokage again, his scarlet eyes sweeping over the assembly. Only the Hyūga dared to meet his gaze. "To be honest, I was mentally prepared for a situation like this... But since you're waiting for Fugaku, then I'll wait too. I'm very curious to see what kind of Uchiha you want us to become!"
(End of Chapter)