Throne Of The Uchiha

Hinata and the Uchiha Patrol

At this hour, Konoha's streets were deserted. The bustling commercial districts had long dimmed their lanterns, and most of the village lay in peaceful slumber. The silence of the night was only broken by the faint rustling of wind through the trees and the occasional flicker of chakra.

Shadows moved across the rooftops—swift and disciplined. Scarlet eyes gleamed in the darkness. The Uchiha Clan, entrusted with village security, had significantly increased the frequency and coverage of night patrols.

Following the incident involving the deaths of key elders last winter—an event still wrapped in silence and secrecy—Uchiha Tenjo had tightened the watch over Konoha. The presence of the clan's feared dōjutsu, the Sharingan, now blanketed the village under constant scrutiny.

This heightened vigilance forced not only enemy spies to tread carefully but also compelled certain factions within Konoha's own political web to operate with restraint. Hidden schemes, black ops missions, and unsanctioned Root activities risked exposure if caught by the patrolling Uchiha. More than one conspiracy had already been quietly aborted in fear of detection.

---

"Nogi, where's the nearest toilet?" Fugaku asked casually, slowing his pace.

He and his assigned partner were now patrolling near a residential block—conveniently close to the target's home.

Fugaku's question was a pretext. He needed a moment alone to set his plan in motion, undetected even by his own clan.

As he spoke, Fugaku subtly activated his Sharingan, scanning the surroundings. No movement. No chakra disturbances. No signs of fellow Uchiha nearby. The timing was ideal.

Nogi, a guard squad chunin, didn't question the gesture. After all, using the Sharingan during patrols was standard practice to observe chakra signatures.

"There's a corner ahead," Nogi pointed. "Or just use an alley. When we're out long enough, most of us do."

Fugaku's expression turned stern. "We shouldn't encourage bad habits like public urination. I'll find a proper spot. Wait here—I won't be long."

---

With a quiet Body Flicker (Shunshin no Jutsu), Fugaku vanished, reappearing near the end of a dark street. A minute later, he returned—seemingly uneventful.

But behind, hidden in the shadows, a wild cat emerged where Fugaku had stood.

Unremarkable in appearance, the feline crept across the rooftops and windowsills. As it neared the target residence, it paused to assess. From within the house, soft breathing could be heard—several residents, all asleep.

The cat stopped outside one window, and with a silent puff of smoke, transformed back into Fugaku's shadow clone.

Crouching beside the bedroom door, the clone picked the lock using a silent, practiced technique.

Inside, a civilian man slept soundly.

The clone approached slowly and gently pried open one eyelid with two fingers. With the Sharingan already spinning, Fugaku cast a subtle but carefully prepared Genjutsu—one designed not to control, but to implant.

Rather than triggering an immediate reaction, the illusion seeded blurred memories, anchored to a visual trigger: the wood carving of the First Hokage outside the Hokage Monument Plaza.

Once the man encountered the carving in the future, dormant memories—visions of the First Hokage using Wood Release to pacify the Warring States—would resurface. These recollections, fabricated by the Sharingan, would appear as genuine childhood memories.

Crucially, there would be no mention of the Uchiha or the Sharingan, leaving no hint of manipulation.

Fugaku's clone exhaled silently. Civilians were easy to manipulate—too easy. The real challenge was leaving no trace behind. Konoha's upper ranks—especially the Anbu and Root—would not hesitate to conduct a full investigation if even a whisper of "Wood Release" surfaced in the village.

The clone locked the door again, then dispersed in a quiet swirl of white smoke.

Far away, the real Fugaku, still beside Nogi, twitched slightly as the shadow clone's memories returned to him. His face remained unreadable.

---

They proceeded toward Patrol Area One, a zone northeast of the village center, adjacent to training fields and woodland—a peaceful district compared to the borders.

Soon, a series of scarlet lights appeared ahead—Sharingan eyes in the dark. Patrol was active.

Nogi's two-tomoe Sharingan spun briefly. With a few hand signals, nearby patrol members dispersed into the shadows, leaving only one team behind.

From their ranks stepped a tall man with a three-tomoe Sharingan. His gaze landed on Fugaku.

"Nogi, weren't you scheduled for desk duty tonight? And Fugaku..." He narrowed his eyes, "I thought you were still deployed in Amegakure."

"Ao, long time no see," Fugaku greeted calmly.

Uchiha Ao—Captain of Area One. While not personally close, they were kin. In the Uchiha, that counted for a great deal.

"Captain Ao," Nogi said, "Fugaku will be attached to the Guard temporarily. Captain Saki wants him briefed on internal security structure."

Ao nodded. "Understandable. Every Uchiha should be familiar with the Guard, whether they serve in it or not." He gestured. "You're in luck. I know this area better than most."

Fugaku took note—this was the second time he'd heard that exact sentiment. The Uchiha Police were not just a military unit. They were a symbol. A foothold of Uchiha power in Konoha.

Compared to the uncertainty of battlefield assignments, the Guard offered security and authority. No wonder the clan had come to rely on it so heavily.

---

They moved toward a raised observation point.

Ao gestured below. "This is the edge of Area One. Ahead is the Third Training Ground. To the left is the Hyuga Clan compound—second only to ours in size and power."

Fugaku nodded thoughtfully. The Senju were gone, and Madara had vanished long ago. Now, it was the Uchiha and Hyuga who vied for supremacy.

The rivalry was almost inevitable. Both wielded ancient dōjutsu. Both served as the backbone of Konoha's elite forces.

The Uchiha had the Sharingan—evolving from one tomoe to three, then to Mangekyō, and even, in legend, to the Rinnegan. The Hyuga had the Byakugan—powerful, but static. No known evolutionary form.

In theory, the Uchiha should have surpassed the Hyuga long ago.

But Mangekyō awakenings were rare. Since Madara, none had surfaced publicly—until Shisui, Itachi, and Sasuke, each under tragic or secretive circumstances.

Itachi destroyed the clan.

Shisui vanished into legend.

Sasuke returned after the war to find the Uchiha gone.

With the Uchiha's fall, the Hyuga had become the new cornerstone of Konoha's noble houses.

Fugaku narrowed his eyes.

Not this time.

This time, the Uchiha would not fall prey to fate.

He would change their destiny—with or without Konoha's blessing.