Chapter 24: Why Does the Village Target the Uchiha? Then Let Me Give Itachi the Answer!

Uchiha Shana opened his mouth, his eyes flickering with confusion.

Almost, in an instant.

With Shana’s words, all Uchiha turned their gaze toward him.

Obviously.

Earlier, everyone had thought nothing of it; now, they suddenly realized.

That’s right!

It’s a simple matter to resolve—after all, maintaining village security is trivial for the Hidden Leaf’s high command.

But why?

Why would the Hidden Leaf’s high command rather return the ancestral lands to the Uchiha than handle this matter themselves?

Uchiha Jin paused, stunned.

He hadn’t expected Shana, this old radical, to ask such an insightful question.

Has this guy actually gotten smarter since stepping down as elder?

But.

Though deeply puzzled inside, he still laughed outright.

“Elder Shana, that’s a sharp question!”

“I’m sure everyone here is curious about this—so let me explain it simply.”

“The root of this issue cannot be separated from the Second Hokage—Hashirama Senju!”

“Back then, when Clan Leader Madara lost the Hokage election, Hashirama Senju created this so-called Police Department to appease the Uchiha.”

“In truth, it was utterly unnecessary!”

“Think of the other four ninja villages—who among them has a Police Department?”

“The Police Department’s duties could easily be handled by the Anbu Black Ops.”

“Why do Itachi think that is?”

Uchiha Jin narrowed his eyes slightly.

In the past, he wouldn’t have bothered explaining so much.

On one hand.

The Uchiha are all stubborn fools—if they don’t accept Itachi, they won’t listen to a word Itachi say.

On the other hand, there was no time!

When he truly decided to join the radicals, the Uchiha clan was already unstable; his greatest need was to strengthen the radicals’ voice and stabilize them.

Now, it’s different.

The radicals are now completely stabilized, fully loyal to him; even most of the moderates and centrists now follow his orders.

Though he is not clan leader, as a leader, he must now demonstrate his wisdom!

So.

At this moment, he narrowed his eyes, giving everyone time to think.

Meanwhile, on the other side.

With Uchiha Jin’s words, everyone present began to ponder.

Though they hadn’t yet reached conclusions, hearing that other ninja villages had no Police Department—combined with Hashirama Senju’s cunning cruelty—they immediately sensed something was wrong.

Although everyone hadn’t yet begun to think deeply, hearing that other ninja villages had no Police Department, combined with Tobirama Senju’s cunning and ruthlessness, they immediately sensed something was amiss.

Seeing no one speak, Uchiha Jin knew the Uchiha were stubborn fools, so he didn’t wait any longer.

He took a deep breath and spoke gravely.

“The Police Department is a conspiracy!”

“Hashirama Senju knew the Uchiha are proud and poor at socializing, so he deliberately assigned them this task—to create distance between the Uchiha and other clans and villagers, so he could isolate the Uchiha by winning over the rest.”

“In Hashirama Senju’s own words, because the Uchiha are too strong, they must be locked in a cage!”

“After the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, took power, he exploited countless rules and, due to Clan Leader Fugaku’s weakness, forced the Police Department to relinquish many of its original key authorities.”

“Intelligence gathering, spy detection, interrogations—all lost under this fool Fugaku’s hands.”

“Today, the Police Department retains only one authority.”

“Public order.”

“The most insignificant, and the one most likely to breed distance from villagers and other clans.”

“Hiruzen Sarutobi would never allow the Uchiha to abandon the Police Department—if villagers and clans no longer felt alienated from the Uchiha, how could the Hidden Leaf’s high command continue targeting them?”

“Hiruzen Sarutobi would never allow the Uchiha to abandon the Police Department—if the villagers, ninja clans, and the Uchiha lost their separation, how could the Hidden Leaf’s high command continue to target the Uchiha?”

“The village will never send its own people—it will only force the Uchiha to run the Police Department!”

Uchiha Jin spoke coldly.

Hiss!

With Uchiha Jin’s words, everyone froze in place.

Everyone was stunned.

No one had imagined that such a small Police Department carried so much calculation.

The atmosphere fell silent.

The entire courtyard grew oppressively heavy.

The entire courtyard was suffused with an eerily heavy silence.

One Uchiha couldn’t bear it anymore and blurted out: “Why does the village force us? What crime have the Uchiha committed?”

“Damn village!” another Uchiha shouted.

“Damn this village!” another Uchiha spoke up.

Everyone was filled with righteous fury.

Even Shana, at the front, was deeply confused.

He couldn’t help but look at Uchiha Jin: “Jin, I know Itachi’re brilliant.”

“Do Itachi know why?”

Almost, in an instant.

With Shana’s question, everyone turned again toward Uchiha Jin.

They all desperately hoped he would give them an answer.

And as for this,

Uchiha Jin hesitated briefly, then smiled and spoke.

“The reason? I know it well!”

“Since everyone wants to know, I’ll say it plainly.”

“One word: money.”

"Though the Third Shinobi World War has ended and the Hidden Leaf appears victorious, we received no war reparations—nor have we even paid the death benefits to the fallen ninja."

“Remember, although the Third Shinobi World War has ended, and although Konoha appears to be a victor, in truth Konoha received no war reparations—even the pensions for countless fallen ninja remain unpaid.”

“Because the Hidden Leaf has no money!”

"We must pay the death benefits to fallen ninja, and replenish food, ninja tools, and other supplies consumed during the war."

“The Daimyo says the Land of Fire will give us nothing.”

“So, where does the money come from?”

“Given the sudden tension between the Hidden Leaf and the Uchiha since the Nine-Tails attack, I have every reason to suspect the Hidden Leaf’s high command has set its sights on the Uchiha.”

"Think carefully—whenever ninja demand death benefits or the village faces financial trouble, doesn’t Danzo always suddenly turn against the Uchiha?"

"I can think of two reasons: one, to shift public attention—using the Uchiha, the most feared clan, to mask problems like death benefits and budget gaps."

“I can think of two reasons: one is to shift the focus of attention, using the Uchiha—the very entity everyone fears—to mask issues like unpaid pensions and fiscal shortfalls.”

“What is the Hidden Leaf waiting for?”

“Consider this: if the Uchiha are destroyed, their millennia-worth of wealth will fall entirely into the village’s hands.”

"Then the death benefits for fallen ninja would be paid, the village’s budget gaps and food shortages would be filled, and the high command could even profit beyond that."

"Sacrificing an uncontrollable, feared clan like the Uchiha solves the death benefits crisis, fixes the village’s finances, and lets the high command make a profit—while Danzo gets the Sharingan he’s craved for years."

“Sacrifice one Uchiha, and ten thousand families benefit!”

“What do Itachi think of this deal?”

“This is why I joined the radicals—and never once considered compromising with the Hidden Leaf.”

“Because the Hidden Leaf won’t allow us to surrender!”

"If the Uchiha surrender, who pays the death benefits? Who fills the village’s budget gaps?"

“Think carefully—why has the Hidden Leaf suddenly rushed to crush us?”

"Wasn’t it just a month ago that many ninja demanded the village pay the death benefits immediately?"

"Wasn't it about a month ago that many ninjas proposed the village should quickly distribute compensation to the families of fallen ninjas?"