"Change?"
The Uchiha gathered in the underground chamber looked puzzled.
"Yes. Change." Jin drew in a slow breath. "I call becoming Hokage the more stable path because the greatest obstacle on that road is not Hiruzen Sarutobi and his faction, nor the other clans, nor even the villagers."
"It's us."
The words landed heavily.
"The recent rumors were indeed instigated by the higher-ups," he continued, "but let's be honest—resentment toward the Uchiha had already been simmering for years. Otherwise those rumors would not have spread so quickly."
He paused.
"Think back to when rumors about the Third first appeared. The villagers' initial reaction was doubt. Suspicion. Not belief."
"Only after evidence surfaced and the whispers grew louder did people start to accept them."
"Why?"
"Because Hiruzen's image as a benevolent leader runs deep in the hearts of the villagers."
A murmur passed through the chamber.
They had lived through that moment.
At the time, they had only cursed the villagers for hypocrisy.
Now, they were beginning to understand the underlying mechanism.
Jin continued.
"Why do villagers hold longstanding resentment toward us?"
"One reason is the deliberate suppression by the leadership. Our contributions have been obscured. The average villager does not know how many Uchiha have bled for this village."
"No awareness. No gratitude. No respect."
"But the larger reason—"
He paused deliberately.
"—is our own failure."
The words stung.
"Since Konoha's founding, we have controlled the Konoha Military Police Force."
At the mention of the Konoha Military Police Force, many straightened unconsciously.
"Whatever political maneuvering led to that arrangement is beside the point."
"The Police Force gave us direct, daily contact with civilians."
"And what do they handle?"
"Neighborhood disputes. Market violations. Domestic quarrels."
He let out a faint breath.
"Even a wise judge cannot easily resolve family matters. No matter how impartial we were, enforcement inevitably offended someone."
"And most of us," he added evenly, "carry pride in our bones. We are not eloquent. We do not soften our tone."
"Over time, resentment accumulated."
"In such an environment, when rumors emerged—"
"We were defenseless."
"Let alone competing for Hokage."
Silence.
Yashiro nodded slowly.
"That analysis is reasonable. If we are to change… where do we begin?"
Jin raised one finger.
"First."
"We must change the villagers' fixed impression of the Uchiha."
"And the most effective entry point is reforming the Police Force."
Setsuna frowned.
"Reform how? Hand over its authority?"
"A portion, yes," Jin replied calmly. "Because true reform requires revising the code it operates under. We must draft new laws."
That stirred unease.
For decades, the Police had operated under frameworks originally drafted during the era of the Second Hokage, Tobirama Senju. Those early codes, written in the turbulent years of Konoha's founding, had never been meaningfully revised.
Time had changed.
The law had not.
"That old code," Jin continued, "was written for a different era. We never bothered to adapt it."
"And that disconnect has deepened friction."
Yashiro and Setsuna exchanged a look.
"Legislation?" Setsuna muttered. "That sounds… troublesome."
"Without law," Jin replied sharply, "authority cannot stand. Without rules, there is no order."
"Only when we establish a clear and reasonable legal framework can enforcement gain legitimacy."
"If the Police operate by four principles—law exists, law is followed, enforcement is strict, violations are punished—then even if we appear stern, no one can accuse us of arbitrariness."
"Right and wrong will be clear."
He did not stop there.
"Furthermore, enforcement power and adjudication power must be separated."
The room went still.
"Those who enforce the law should not also judge it. That distinction ensures fairness."
"And not every position within the Police needs to be filled by shinobi."
He let that sink in.
"Using trained ninja to mediate minor civil disputes is like firing a cannon at a mosquito. It breeds resentment on both sides."
"We can recruit civilians, civilian shinobi, even members of other clans into certain administrative and enforcement roles."
A stir passed through the hall.
"You mean… outsiders inside the Police Force?"
"Yes."
"The core authority remains in Uchiha hands. But routine, thankless duties can be distributed."
"That creates shared responsibility."
"And over time, resentment toward the Uchiha will diffuse."
Yashiro stroked his chin.
"As long as core authority remains with us… it may be worth attempting."
"Beyond that?" he asked.
Jin's gaze sharpened.
"Second."
"We must build alliances."
A heavier silence followed.
"Alliance is built through exchange of interests."
"The Police Force itself can serve as a bargaining channel."
"Allowing members of other clans to participate creates mutual stakes."
"Details are complex," he said lightly, "but the principle is simple."
"Repair relations with civilians."
"Establish shared interests with clans."
"Once we achieve those two foundations, the Uchiha will have the base necessary to compete for the Hokage's seat."
He paused before delivering the final point.
"Hiruzen appears deeply trusted."
"But the other clans see his maneuvering as well."
"Why else would he announce his resignation at such a sensitive moment?"
The implication was obvious.
Power was shifting.
"If we possess the foundation to compete," Jin concluded, "and are willing to exchange appropriate benefits—"
"The position of Hokage is not beyond the Uchiha."
The chamber no longer buzzed with fury.
Now it hummed with calculation.
This was not rebellion.
Not retreat.
Not blind pride.
It was strategy.
And for the first time in years—
The Uchiha were thinking politically.
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