Uchiha Military Police Force
Inside the room, Uchiha Nan looked at the agitated crowd of clan members and revealed a satisfied smile.
"Quiet."
He raised a hand. The Uchiha under him quickly fell silent.
Everyone's eyes fixed on their captain.
Nan had been the first to learn of the Hokage's death and had immediately summoned them. There was no way he would simply accept Sarutobi Hiruzen becoming Konoha's Third Hokage.
Nan opened his mouth slowly.
"Konoha was founded jointly by the Uchiha and the Senju."
"The First Hokage—peerless in combat—could suppress the entire shinobi world with one hand."
"The Second Hokage—brilliant beyond measure—wielded forbidden techniques as casually as breathing."
"These two were unquestionably worthy of being Hokage."
He let out a soft scoff.
"But what is Sarutobi Hiruzen, exactly?"
"Entrusted with protecting Lord Tobirama, he ultimately abandoned Konoha's Hokage and fled back in disgrace, like a stray dog."
"He returns with Lord Tobirama's final words and, without a shred of shame, wants to become the Third Hokage."
"Do you accept such a ridiculous thing?"
"We don't!"
The response was ujinimous.
Someone like that becoming Hokage would be nothing short of Konoha's greatest humiliation.
"Good," Nan nodded. "Neither do I."
In his past life, this outcome had been written into the original story—clearly the result of a deranged manga artist losing his mind.
But in the real shinobi world?
The only reason this could happen was because Uzumaki Mito stood as a pillar holding up the heavens—crushing all dissent with her overwhelming strength and prestige, forcing Konoha's clans to swallow this pile of filth.
What a joke.
She refused to let her own son become Hokage, yet chose Sarutobi Hiruzen instead.
Blind to people's true nature.
No wonder the Senju fell, the Uzumaki were wiped out, and in the end—even the Uchiha were dragged into annihilation.
When the dead came knocking in her dreams, did she never fear they'd demand their lives back?
"Tetsuka," Nan ordered calmly, "take your squad to your jurisdiction. Spread the news that the Hokage Guard abandoned the Hokage and fled alone."
"Inaho," he continued without pause, "take your squad to yours. Spread the word that the Hokage Guard colluded with the Raikage and caused the Hokage's death."
"Tetsumoku—"
Nan issued orders in one breath, mixing real intelligence with fabricated rumors.
Truth and lies together.
Add in the public's talent for distortion—
Even Nan himself didn't dare imagine what kind of version would ultimately circulate through Konoha.
The Uchiha under him stared at him in shock.
You can do it like this?
This was driving the surviving Hokage Guard straight into a dead end. At this rate, forget inheriting the Hokage's seat—Sarutobi Hiruzen would be lucky to keep his life.
"Captain… that's brilliant. Absolutely brilliant!"
"You're even more ruthless than Lord Tobirama!"
Inaho spoke without thinking.
The moment the words left his mouth, regret hit him like a thunderbolt. He looked at Nan in horror.
"No—Captain, that's not what I meant! I was praising you! Strategic—yes, strategic!"
Nan really wanted to punch him.
Inaho, if you don't know how to talk, you can always keep your mouth shut.
This isn't 'ruthless.'
This is strategy.
Do you even understand what a public-opinion offensive is?
Nan looked at Inaho and gave him a standard smile—one that didn't reach his eyes. The sight sent a chill down Inaho's spine.
"I know. I understand exactly what you mean," Nan said gently. "After you finish your task, come to my place."
"I'll personally test how your training has been going lately."
"No—Captain, I was wrong!"
"Brother, say something!"
"Help me out here!"
Inaho panicked and looked desperately at Tetsuka.
If the captain really beat him senseless, he'd be bedridden for at least half a month.
Tetsuka decisively took several steps away from his idiot brother.
Hopeless. Completely hopeless.
This guy just kept ramming himself straight into the captain's gun barrel. He was clearly overdue for a beating—and Tetsuka had no intention of redirecting that fury onto himself. One Nan was more than enough to beat both of them senselessly.
"Inaho, shut up," Nan snapped coldly. "Everyone—carry out your orders."
"When you're done, come see me."
"Don't make me come looking for you."
He shot Inaho one last vicious glance and waved them off, signaling the meeting's end. He needed some time alone.
Soon after, the Uchiha Military Police became active across Konoha's busiest districts.
Every bustling street corner had Uchiha-owned shops. In many places, even the land itself belonged to the Uchiha.
A clan that large wasn't easy to sustain.
Food, clothing, housing—those could be handled internally. But cultivation was another matter entirely.
Ninja tools.
Jutsu training.
All kinds of rare medicinal supplements.
These weren't things ordinary clan members could afford on their own.
A D-rank mission paid roughly five hundred to one thousand ryō. Low risk, usually handled by genin.
C-rank missions paid more—two thousand to ten thousand ryō—but often came with danger, such as suppressing bandits. In peacetime, a jōnin was often assigned as protection and would take half the payout.
B-rank missions were significantly more dangerous, involving enemies at least at chūnin level. Only chūnin and above could accept them. Rewards ranged from fifty thousand to one hundred fifty thousand ryō.
A-rank missions were essentially wartime operations—intervening in foreign conflicts or conducting high-level exterminations. Rewards ranged wildly, from one hundred fifty thousand to over a million ryō, depending on the opponent.
Most shinobi only ever touched missions up to B-rank. They worked in teams, sometimes finishing in days, sometimes weeks—or even months.
An average shinobi earning forty to fifty thousand ryō a month was already considered fortunate.
An iron kunai cost two thousand ryō.
Shuriken, twenty-five hundred.
Explosive tags, five thousand.
After covering basic living expenses, there was barely anything left for training, ninja tools, or secret medicines.
Many lower- and mid-ranked shinobi would empty their savings just to afford a suit of armor, a few kunai and shuriken, and two or three explosive tags.
That was when clans had to step in—subsidizing cultivation costs for their members.
Even now, civilian-born ninja make up less than a third of Konoha's forces.
The backbone of the village remained the great clans.
As the Uchiha Police entered shop after shop, each visit carried a message. Clerks would casually slip bits of information into everyday conversation during business transactions.
By afternoon, news of Senju Tobirama's death had spread throughout Konoha.
As for the tale of the Hokage Guard abandoning their Hokage?
That story mutated into countless versions.
Decades later, the most widely circulated rumor turned out to be this:
Senju Tobirama and Sarutobi Hiruzen shared a forbidden relationship.
That Hiruzen had long "sold favors" to Tobirama to become his disciple—
And that Tobirama had ultimately thrown away his life to protect the one he loved.
Thus proving one eternal truth:
Hook fiction never goes out of style.
Advance Chapters available on Patreon
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