Mitokado Homura gave his agreement.
"It's fine for them to live together," he said, tone firm, "but Renzhuli cannot leave the village. That is the bottom line."
"I'll try to talk to him," Sarutobi Hiruzen replied. But even he wasn't confident he could persuade Jiraiya.
"Go and talk to him, then."
Once they exited the Hokage's office, some Uchiha wanted to voice their objections, but Uchiha Fugaku quelled them with a sharp glare. No one dared challenge his authority.
They returned swiftly to the Konoha Police Department, expressions grim and silent.
By the time Yan and the others arrived, the investigation report had already been delivered.
"Minister," an officer reported, "after interrogation, the suspects involved in the brawl confessed that a man named Komura Taro approached them. He told them to 'teach the Uchiha Police a lesson.' It was all orchestrated to drag down our department."
There were too many people involved for everyone to hold their silence. Uchiha operatives had ways of making them talk—one Genjutsu was often enough to uncover the truth. Most folded quickly under pressure.
Kazuhiko's suspicions had been correct—someone was deliberately targeting the police department, specifically Uchiha.
"Did you catch the instigator?"
"…We only discovered during the arrests that 'Komura Taro' was using a fake identity."
"…"
No further investigation was necessary. The man's identity had been fabricated—this was an elaborate setup to frame Uchiha and the police department.
This wasn't unprecedented. In the past, there had been both overt and covert attempts to undermine Uchiha. Every time they tried to dig deeper, the trail would vanish.
In the end, only scapegoats remained—beaten, hospitalized, or awaiting trial.
"Report everything."
Fugaku inhaled deeply, trying to suppress his anger. His eyes, however, burned with fury.
"This was a calculated attempt to frame us," he declared, voice low but firm. "They're smearing the reputation of the Uchiha and the Konoha Police. They want the villagers to fear us, hate us."
"Same as the previous incidents," someone muttered. "No trace of the real perpetrators. Even if we try to track them, we hit a wall."
"Who is targeting the Uchiha?" the crowd murmured among themselves.
"Enough!!"
Fugaku slammed his palm on the table, silencing the room. His face was livid.
"I asked for your opinions—not for chaos!"
The meeting room quieted immediately. All eyes shifted to Yan.
"Yan," Fugaku said, "what's your assessment?"
Unlike the others, Yan had remained silent, calmly observing the turmoil. Now he swung one leg over his chair, arms folded behind his head.
"What is there to assess?" he asked, voice dripping with disdain. "This is clearly a crude and blatant setup. The perpetrators are confident. They know Uchiha can't investigate this deeply—and they're right. They've done this before."
"The arguing is pointless. If you want a lead, try using the method of elimination."
"Elimination?"
Many looked at him, confused. Was that even possible in an investigation like this?
Yan sighed, exasperated. "This whole operation is a waste of time. No ordinary clan or rival would dare do something this reckless. If it draws Anbu's attention, they'd face severe consequences."
He continued, "So we eliminate suspects that wouldn't risk it."
People exchanged glances. It was worth trying. And as they ruled out the usual suspects—petty clans with grudges, competitive rivals—the picture became clearer.
The minor clans lacked the guts. The major ones had no reason to risk it; they knew Uchiha would retaliate if provoked.
With most factions eliminated, only one suspect remained.
Yan spoke what they all realized.
"Danzo. Only Danzo would be shameless enough to stage something like this. It's his style—cunning, manipulative, thankless."
"The other elders may dislike us," Yan continued, "but they've pulled back recently. They wouldn't provoke us openly—not now, not with the entire ninja world watching Konoha. A scandal like this reflects poorly on the village."
"No one but Danzo."
Everyone fell silent. Memories flooded back. Every time Uchiha investigated one of these incidents, it ended up under Anbu's jurisdiction. Every time, the trail vanished. Every time, there was no justice.
Danzo's fingerprints were all over it.
Root had been disbanded, and Danzo was supposedly in retirement—but that man didn't rest. He could still manipulate from the shadows. And Anbu? They wouldn't lift a finger against him.
It was suffocating. Knowing your enemy, yet being powerless to retaliate.
If it had been anyone else, Uchiha could have responded in kind. But Danzo? If they made a move against him, the village leadership would accuse Uchiha of rebellion.
Yan leaned back, rocking his chair slightly, his fingers interlocked as he stared at Fugaku.
He waited. Would the clan head finally act?
The moment was tense. Fugaku, after all, was their leader. He needed to act—he had to act.
"Let's discuss law enforcement," Fugaku suddenly said, dodging the issue entirely.
Yan's expression fell. Disappointment flooded his eyes.
Fugaku… hadn't changed.
He always diverted. Always chose silence over resistance. Always waited instead of acting.
Yan wasn't the only one disappointed. The room grew heavier. The others said nothing, but their silence was telling.
They'd had enough.
Fugaku rambled on, outlining changes to patrol routes and law enforcement procedures. But no one was really listening. His words hung in the air, stale and ineffective.
Yan said nothing. He wanted to see just how long the others would endure this.
Fugaku was their patriarch, yes—but he had let them down again and again.
The longer this went on, the closer the breaking point came.
"Yan, can we talk?"
As the meeting ended and the group dispersed, Uchiha Yan—one of the neutral faction's more respected voices—called out.
The others exchanged glances, then moved on. Yan paused, curious.
"Now?" he asked.
There was a mischievous smile in his eyes. The fact that Uchiha Yan had come to him said everything.
The clan's patience was running thin. Even the moderates couldn't take much more.
Uchiha had pride—righteous pride. They had been stepped on too many times. In the past, no one dared speak up. But now? Now they had Yan standing at the front.
The weight of injustice, the constant suppression, and Fugaku's endless passivity—it was too much.
"After work," Yan said. "There's a tavern in the district with good sake. Let's talk over drinks."
"…Alright."
Uchiha Yan nodded and walked off. The tension was clear. Something was brewing.
By 11:00 p.m., the last of the work was done. The department had processed dozens of arrests.
Yan approached Itachi, who had just finished organizing files.
"Itachi. Come with me."
"Yes, sir."
Itachi paused, then followed without question.
Yan intended for Itachi to attend the gathering.
This wasn't just about drinks. This was about the future of the Uchiha.