Although what Sarutobi Hiruzen said was reasonable—now was indeed not the time to move directly against the Uchiha clan. A rash attack could ignite a full-blown civil war and drag Konoha into an unrecoverable disaster.
As senior officials who had long benefited from Konoha's power structure, none of them truly wished for the village's destruction. But even so, the humiliation they suffered at the hands of the Uchiha clan was not something they could easily swallow.
More than that, the Uchiha Police Force had sealed off several shops connected to their families, and some of their relatives had been detained under charges of corruption and abuse of power.
"Sarutobi, what should we do about our stores?"
"Yes! My relatives are still being held by the Uchiha Police!"
Utatane Koharu and Mitokado Homura both questioned with urgency.
Originally, Danzo Shimura had led the Root forces to the Uchiha district under the pretext of "restoring order"—his real objective being to force the clan to back down and reopen the seized properties. But things had gone terribly wrong.
Danzo not only failed his mission, but was also critically injured. His right eye—once harboring a stolen Sharingan—had been destroyed, and one of his arms severed during his confrontation with Uchiha Byakuya.
A true case of "losing the rice while trying to steal the chicken."
He had tried to flex his authority… and been brutally cut down instead.
Yet the losses they suffered weren't something they could easily accept. Those shops represented years of wealth and power acquired through under-the-table dealings. Letting them go would mean watching the foundations of their family prestige crumble.
"We might have no choice... we'll have to pay them off," Hiruzen sighed, his expression bitter.
"Damn that Uchiha clan..."
"Damn Uchiha Byakuya…"
Koharu and Homura gritted their teeth in helpless rage.
But in the end, there was no alternative. Without a solid legal pretext, and with Danzo discredited and injured, they were forced to accept Byakuya's terms and pay a "protection fee."
In their hearts, they cursed Byakuya endlessly. But unbeknownst to them, every ounce of resentment only strengthened him.
[Ding! Sensed Sarutobi Hiruzen's anger. +200 negative energy, Ninjutsu +21]
[Ding! Sensed Utatane Koharu's anger. +300 negative energy, Taijutsu +25]
[Ding! Sensed Mitokado Homura's anger. +400 negative energy, Genjutsu +32]
[Ding! Sensed Shimura Danzo's rage. +500 negative energy, Chakra +35]
[...]
Elsewhere, under the warm sunlight, Uchiha Byakuya sat calmly in the Uchiha compound. A satisfied smile crept across his face as he basked in the growing power being fueled by the resentment of Konoha's elite.
"Haha… These old fools are better than leeks—just keep feeding me hate," Byakuya muttered gleefully.
His strike against the village leadership had been devastating, especially to Danzo, who now bore permanent injuries. It was no surprise that they cursed his name every day—but that only served Byakuya's goal.
The more they hated him, the faster he grew.
Just then, Mikoto Uchiha arrived with a tray of tea.
"Lord Byakuya, your tea," she said gently.
"Mikoto… it's good to have you," Byakuya replied with a smile, taking the cup.
In the past, he had been focused entirely on survival and power, leaving no time for romance. But now that he had awakened the Mangekyō Sharingan and stood as the strongest within the clan, things were different.
He found himself appreciating the presence of someone like Mikoto—graceful, kind, and strong.
"Lord Byakuya… what do you plan to do about my father?"
"I beg you… please don't hurt him."
Mikoto's tone was cautious, her eyes filled with concern. She knew her father, Uchiha Fugaku, was the clan head, but support within the clan was shifting toward Byakuya. Many considered him the true leader now.
"Don't worry. As long as your father behaves himself, no harm will come to him," Byakuya said calmly.
"He's still the clan head. No one will touch him as long as he stays out of the way."
Byakuya had no interest in political titles. Whether he held the position officially or not, he already controlled the clan.
Besides, Fugaku was not long for this world. His usefulness as a figurehead and a source of resentment was far from over.
"I'm relieved to hear that. Thank you, Lord Byakuya," Mikoto replied, bowing her head with gratitude.
Apart from the shocking incident where Byakuya had once attacked her own father, Mikoto still held a complex admiration for him. Despite his ruthlessness, Byakuya had done what no Uchiha had dared in recent memory—he stood up to the Hokage and walked away victorious. In the eyes of many within the clan, he had restored their pride.
For Mikoto, like many young members of the Uchiha, it was difficult not to admire someone who had become a symbol of strength and defiance. Byakuya had done what even their clan leader, Fugaku, could not—force Konoha's leadership to bow their heads.
Byakuya had become a hero among the Uchiha.
…
After witnessing the Sarutobi clan—linked directly to the Hokage—begin to pay reparations and "protection fees" to the Uchiha clan, many other Konoha families followed suit. They paid not out of goodwill, but to secure the release of detained family members and regain access to their sealed-off businesses.
If even the Hokage's own clan had given in, what argument could the others make? Quietly, they paid.
Within days, the Uchiha Police Force was inundated with administrative work. Collecting payments, organizing releases, and maintaining control had become an overwhelming task.
"Lord Byakuya, all the shops have paid their dues. The clan treasury is full," reported Uchiha En, eyes gleaming with pride. "Compared to the days when we were pushed to the outskirts of the village, this is like a dream. All of it—thanks to your leadership."
Indeed, under Byakuya, the Uchiha had not just regained influence—they were enforcing authority across the entire village. For the first time in years, the clan didn't have to beg for respect. They took it.
"We now control security in all commercial districts of Konoha," En continued. "But we're critically short on manpower."
Byakuya nodded. "Then we recruit."
En hesitated. "Recruitment won't be easy. Many within the clan still refuse to join the Guard. The old loyalists… the ones who still back Fugaku or the traditionalists. They see this as going too far."
Despite Fugaku and Uchiha Moto now being imprisoned—one in a private cell beneath the clan compound and the other under constant surveillance—many within the Uchiha still held onto the old ways. They believed in restraint. Diplomacy. Compromise with the village leadership.
Byakuya had no patience for that.
"If we can't recruit from our own," Byakuya said coldly, "then we'll recruit from outside."
En's eyes widened. "Recruiting from other clans? But... the Police Force has always been Uchiha-exclusive."
"That's the old rule," Byakuya replied. "We've outgrown it. If they won't walk with us, we'll lead without them."