Naruto: I am Uchiha Shirou

Uchiha Clan Grounds

That night, countless ninjas from the Police Force braced themselves for harsh criticism. Instead, they were met with the clan leader's high praise.

Confused, they exchanged glances as they left. They had caused such a huge mess—how could there be no consequences? How could they even be praised?

Inside the clan leader's house, laughter could be heard from time to time.

"Shirou-kun, you've finally arrived."

In the room were the clan leader, Fugaku, Mikoto, and several other elite members of the Uchiha clan—those who had awakened the three-tomoe Sharingan and held significant positions of power.

Although the group numbered fewer than twenty, they represented all the influential ninja of the Uchiha clan.

"Clan Leader!"

When Uchiha Shirou entered, the others looked at him not with disdain but with respect.

The Uchiha revered strength, but they also admired heroes who fought valiantly for the clan's honor. Shirou's actions in the Land of Grass had already solidified his reputation.

As Shirou entered, the clan leader, who had never shown such delight before, warmly gestured for him to sit. The flush of excitement still hadn't left his face.

"Everyone, our clan's greatest contributor has arrived! Without the bridge Shirou-kun built, today would not have been possible. Tonight, the Uchiha and Senju clans have formed an alliance once more, deciding to face the impending shinobi world war together..."

As the clan leader, still flushed with excitement, recounted the current state of the clan, the gathered Uchiha ninja grew equally enthusiastic.

The battlefield?

 The Uchiha weren't afraid of death!

What thrilled them was the recognition of the Uchiha clan's honor. As the clan leader and others displayed their excitement, and Mikoto cast Shirou a proud look, Shirou's expression remained serious.

"The revolution is not yet complete; how can we celebrate halfway?"

"Clan Leader! Everyone!"

When the clan leader finished speaking, Shirou lifted his head with a grave expression and addressed the group solemnly,

"While the clan has taken its first step and formed an alliance with the Senju, has the village truly lessened its vigilance toward the Uchiha?"

This single question left everyone stunned. Taking advantage of the moment, Shirou continued in a firm tone,

"From tonight's actions, it's evident—the ANBU, Root, Intelligence Division, and even the village's ninja cooperated seamlessly. Only the Police Force was kept in the dark.

 Not only were the patrol routes and timings of the Police Force fully exposed, but if not for the Senju's covert warnings, this wouldn't just be a matter of distrust—it would also highlight the Police Force's incompetence!"

As Shirou's serious words sank in, the atmosphere in the room grew heavy. Some members even grumbled in frustration,

"How infuriating! Shirou-kun is right—why were we, the Uchiha, the only ones left out?"

 "Shameful! It's disgraceful for the Police Force to have let this happen without even knowing it..."

 "The Hokage doesn't trust us!"

The room filled with angry voices. The clan leader, now fully aware, calmed himself and regained his composure.

Indeed, he had been too quick to rejoice. The village's distrust of the Uchiha had never truly diminished.

"Shirou-kun, do you have any suggestions?"

The clan leader looked gravely at Shirou, seemingly hoping he had a solution in mind. Beside him, Fugaku also felt the weight of the clan's responsibilities. Gone was the pride of being the heir—only a heavy burden remained.

"Suggestions?"

Shirou took a deep breath, scanned the room, and finally locked eyes with the clan leader. He spoke firmly,

"Clan Leader, the Police Force currently has nine divisions, each led by a captain and two vice-captains. I believe the current structure of the Police Force is no longer sufficient. The village today is far more complex than it was back then..."

As Shirou calmly explained that the Police Force was no longer adequate for the village's needs, some Uchiha jonin frowned and said,

"The Police Force's authority was granted to the Uchiha by the Second Hokage. If we expand it further, wouldn't that provoke..."

 "Exactly. The Uchiha have already been feared for their strength for years. Expanding now might backfire..."

 "I support Shirou-kun's proposal! The Police Force is the power of the Uchiha. Expanding it is better than restraining it!"

Some hesitated, believing the Police Force was already strong enough and that further expansion would only deepen the village's distrust. Others, valuing strength above all, supported the idea of increasing their power without regard for the consequences.

Sitting at the head, Shirou's eye twitched in frustration.

"At least you understand why you're being feared!"

The Uchiha were isolated and ostracized not just because of historical grievances but also due to their overwhelming strength.

The Police Force, established during the Second Hokage's reign, had independent law enforcement authority, operating without needing to report to the Hokage. It even held the power to act first and inform later.

Within the Police Force were divisions for interrogation, intelligence, logistics, armaments, and more—a fully-fledged political system in miniature.

This revealed the Uchiha clan's deep roots but also the reason for their ostracization.

"The era of the Second Hokage is long gone."

Shirou's quiet remark highlighted reality. Many were stunned into silence, and the clan leader sighed deeply.

Indeed, during the First and Second Hokage's rule, they could grant the Uchiha such authority because they had the strength to suppress them if necessary.

The Uchiha clan's lands were next to the Senju's. What could the Uchiha do? Moreover, the Police Force's visible power allowed the Second Hokage to monitor the Uchiha and even capture those who followed Madara's ideology.

The Second Hokage could play this game because he had the power to control the Police Force. But the Third Hokage felt the Police Force's sword hanging over his head.

In the end, it came down to the gap in strength between the Second and Third Hokage.

"Shirou-kun, what's your suggestion?"

The clan leader seemed to have an inkling of Shirou's plan and looked at him with anticipation.

Taking a deep breath, Shirou replied,

"With the shinobi world war escalating, the Uchiha clan will deploy many of its elite. This will naturally weaken the Police Force's strength. I suggest taking this opportunity to bring in the Senju and other clan ninjas..."

"The Senju joining the Police Force?!"

Many Uchiha looked shocked but quickly realized the idea had merit.

The clan leader's eyes gleamed with understanding. Though the Uchiha revered strength, they weren't entirely without reason.

"While the Police Force's authority is supreme, it has also confined the Uchiha. This is why most of the village's ninjas ostracize us. But if this privilege were extended to others?"

As Shirou spoke, a slight smile appeared on his face.

"By allowing the Senju, Aburame, and other major clans' ninjas to join, as well as permitting civilian ninjas from the village to participate, we wouldn't just be recruiting elites. We'd also take this chance to... When this privilege is no longer exclusive to the Uchiha, naturally..."

Shirou's voice echoed in the room, leaving the Uchiha ninjas with solemn expressions.