Chapter 8: Uchiha Tohan's Plan

"First, I do not wish to hear any more talk of rebellion within this clan," Uchiha Touhuan announced solemnly.

"Huh?" The young Uchiha members, who had been whipped into a frenzy just moments before, were stunned. Shisui and Itachi, however, breathed a sigh of relief. At least Uchiha Touhuan still possessed his reason and understood that the clan could not afford to rebel.

But the next moment, their hearts sank once more.

"This village was founded by Lord Madara and the First Hokage together. In a sense, the Uchiha clan should be one of the masters of this village. All we must do is reclaim the power that is rightfully ours."

"That’s right! This village has always belonged, in part, to the Uchiha!" Uchiha Inabi shouted enthusiastically.

"The second matter: the Police Force is understaffed. Starting tomorrow, we will recruit civilian ninja. Within a week, I want to see the force's headcount doubled. These civilian recruits are to be paid at least the equivalent of a D-rank mission salary. Furthermore, we shall bring out all clan ninjutsu—excluding those related to the Sharingan—as well as the spoils of war the clan has accumulated over the years, to be used as rewards for ninja who show exceptional merit." Uchiha Touhuan dropped his second bombshell.

The ensuing uproar was even greater. Even Shisui and Itachi could not fathom Uchiha Touhuan’s true objective. If the previous point was merely a matter of semantics, this new order was a literal cutting of their own flesh.

"Quiet!" Uchiha Touhuan waited for the commotion to subside before standing forward. "Most of you here serve in the Police Force. I believe you have all encountered this situation: even when we enforce the law impartially, the villagers still harbor resentment toward us. The Police Force may seem powerful, but it has built a thick wall between our clan and the villagers. This is the trap set for us by that naturally evil old ghost, Senju!"

"If we are to take back our power, the first thing we must do is bridge the distance between us and the villagers. The First Hokage was right about one thing: it is not that you must become Hokage to gain everyone's approval; it is that only by gaining everyone's approval can you become Hokage!"

"The Uchiha clan has been distanced from the villagers for too long. What we must do now is actively embrace them!" Uchiha Touhuan’s voice was incredibly infectious. After his speech, even Shisui began to wonder if he had misunderstood the man. Was Uchiha Touhuan not doing exactly what he himself had wanted to do all along?

"Recruiting civilian ninja is understandable, but is it not too precious to give away our ninjutsu?" an elder asked skeptically.

"The foundation of our clan is our bloodline limit. As for these techniques, rather than letting them gather dust in our storehouse, it is better to let them serve as a bridge between us and the village," Touhuan replied.

"However, Touhuan, have you considered that by hiring so many civilian ninja at once and guaranteeing them D-rank wages, the clan's finances will not last long? After all, the incident six years ago forced the clan to move away from the center of the village," Elder Fugaku reminded him from the side.

"Elder Fugaku, do not worry about that. I will find a way to secure funds for the clan," Uchiha Touhuan said with a calm smile.

"As long as you have a plan. Now, according to clan tradition, the clan head serves as the captain of the Police Force..."

"No, no, no," Touhuan interrupted before Fugaku could finish. "Please continue to serve as the captain of the Police Force, Elder Fugaku. I have more important matters to attend to."

"More important matters?" Fugaku looked puzzled.

"Naturally, I must complete the mission entrusted to me by the Third Hokage," Touhuan chuckled.

"Speaking of which, since you have accepted the task of investigating Danzo and the Root, shouldn't we begin the investigation immediately?" an elder asked.

"How could we possibly start the investigation now?" Touhuan smiled with hidden meaning. "We must give them a little time."

Time to destroy the evidence.

"Inabi, Tekka, starting tomorrow, you two will join me in investigating the Root," Touhuan said, calling the names of the two clansmen who had been following him all day without going into further detail.

"Understood!"

"Understood!"

While the Uchiha were holding their clan meeting, inside the Root base, Yamanaka Fu and Aburame Torune were directing their subordinates to destroy Root documents without a moment's rest. Because their target was the Uchiha clan, and their abilities were naturally countered by the Uchiha, Danzo had left Fu at the base; the same went for Torune. During the Third Great Ninja War, Danzo had sent him to ambush Uchiha Touhuan, who was already beginning to make a name for himself. They had clashed, and the insects Torune cultivated had lost their way the moment they neared the electromagnetic field generated by Touhuan’s Lightning Release. He had barely escaped with his life that day.

That was why Danzo had left them both at the base, yet they never expected to receive the news of Danzo’s death. Under years of brainwashing, the remaining Root ninja performed their tasks like machines, gathering top-secret documents and incinerating them with Fire Release.

As the night passed and everything was nearly taken care of, the two received word that Uchiha Touhuan was approaching the Root base with his men.

They exchanged glances, checked the remaining secret files, nodded to each other, and walked toward the entrance of the base.

...

Uchiha Touhuan walked at a leisurely pace toward the location of the Root base, accompanied by Inabi and Tekka.

"That old bastard's lair is quite remote," Inabi grumbled after walking for a while.

Touhuan smiled at this, then raised an eyebrow. "The bastard's spawn are here."

As he spoke, blue lightning flashed around him. Various insects appeared around the three, only to fall with a crackling sound. The plants beneath their feet withered the moment they touched the insects.

Seeing this, Inabi and Tekka immediately drew their kunai and entered a battle stance.

"Ninja of the Aburame clan, did you not learn your lesson last time? These things are useless against me," Touhuan declared.

The response was a volley of shuriken.

However, when the shuriken reached a distance of one foot from Touhuan, they hovered eerily in mid-air.

With a *bang*, one of the shuriken exploded into a cloud of smoke. Aburame Torune appeared, his kunai aimed directly at Touhuan’s throat.