Throne Of The Uchiha

Doubts

Area 1 not only includes the Hyuga clan's estate, but also houses many members of the Yamanaka, Nara, and Akimichi clans—collectively known as the Ino–Shika–Chō trio, whose families have long-standing ties and strategic alliances within the village.

Aside from the main clan compounds used for training and meetings, most other members of the Akimichi, Yamanaka, and Nara clans live among the general populace of Konoha, blending in with the civilian sectors. This decentralized arrangement has existed since the founding of the village under the First Hokage, Hashirama Senju.

After hearing Ao's (青) introduction, Fugaku developed a general understanding of Area 1. It was a relatively peaceful district, especially due to the Yamanaka clan's specialization in sensory and mental techniques. With their sensory network and Mind Body techniques, any espionage activity would be difficult to hide for long.

"Spies from the Five Great Nations tend to avoid this area during infiltration," said Ao, folding his arms. "They know better than to walk into the lion's den. But small nations, without such intelligence, see the forests and the lack of clear military presence and get ideas."

A few days ago, a group of spies attempted to sneak in through the forested edge of Area 1. They were intercepted almost instantly by Yamanaka sensors working in coordination with the village's outer perimeter patrols.

"Most other districts follow a similar structure," Ao added. "The major clans either cluster in secure compounds or are spread along the periphery, while civilians tend to fill the central and inner rings of Konoha."

Fugaku was momentarily surprised but quickly grasped the strategic intent. The layout wasn't random—Konoha's planners had been thoughtful. In the event of an invasion, outer-lying clan members could form the first line of defense, buying time for civilians to evacuate and allowing shinobi reinforcements to mobilize.

It was a structure born out of war, and it reflected a village built not just for peace, but for survival.

However, Fugaku thought grimly, no matter how sound the village's design was, the strength of Konoha now paled compared to the era of the First Hokage. In those days, one man with Wood Release could turn the tide of entire wars.

The next two days passed quietly. At night, Fugaku performed genjutsu-based memory recall on two more civilians. His goal was simple: plant seeds of admiration for the First Hokage and awaken recollections of the Wood Release's protective might. With three civilians now subtly guided, the narrative would begin to spread—softly at first, then louder.

Unless the higher-ups stamped it out.

By the fourth day of his current rotation with the Konoha Military Police Force, Fugaku and his comrade Nogi were patrolling the southeastern quadrant—Areas 13 through 16. The Uchiha compound was located in Area 16, so that district was patrolled internally by Uchiha shinobi, allowing them to focus efforts elsewhere.

The streets were nearly empty as they walked through the main road toward Area 13, their shadows stretching under the soft flicker of street lamps.

Suddenly, a deafening explosion rocked Area 15, near the outskirts by the forest.

Smoke and chakra signatures surged into the night.

"It looks like someone finally snapped," Fugaku said quietly, his Sharingan already active. "Let's move—check for casualties."

He suspected this was the result of months of martial law. The Uchiha had been placed under intense scrutiny ever since the previous year's political unrest. Some might have grown desperate—outsiders or even traitors probing the system for weaknesses.

If the damage wasn't too severe, the Guard wouldn't come under fire. After all, while the Uchiha led the Military Police, they didn't control gatekeeping operations.

Access control—monitoring who entered and exited the village—was a task entrusted not to the Guard but to the Hokage's administration. It had always been so. Even now, those stationed at the gates were directly under the jurisdiction of the Hokage's office, not the Uchiha.

The reason was simple: through gate logs, one could track every movement—be it ANBU, Root operatives, or even defectors. The village's true security was rooted in information, not just steel. The Third Hokage and his inner circle would never allow that kind of leverage to fall into the hands of the Uchiha.

Likewise, the outermost chakra barrier—installed to detect intrusions or unauthorized movement—was still monitored by elite barrier team specialists. Again, none of them were Uchiha.

The skirmish ended swiftly. The attackers—Sunagakure shinobi posing as travelers—had tried to infiltrate the village to cause internal disruption but were detected before they could fully execute their plan.

With war looming, the Five Great Nations were resorting to covert operations, pushing shinobi and spies into rival territories. Civilians-turned-spies caused minimal harm, but skilled shinobi could cause irreparable damage to village stability.

Even a clan as powerful as the Uchiha could be worn thin by constant infiltration attempts, eroding both morale and reputation. Fugaku realized the only solution was to intercept enemy shinobi before they ever set foot inside the village.

And yet, it baffled him. The Hyuga, with their Byakugan, were natural sentries. The Uchiha possessed superior perception through Sharingan. Why were neither clan entrusted with gate control or outer defense?

There was only one man who could answer his growing suspicions: his father, Uchiha Tenjo.

Though not renowned for exceptional combat prowess, Tenjo was a shrewd leader who had guided the Uchiha through political storms with a steady hand. In Fugaku's eyes, he lacked only the legendary power of Uchiha Madara—but in all other aspects, he was a worthy patriarch.

When Fugaku returned home from his patrol, he found his father preparing to leave.

"Father," Fugaku called, bowing slightly. "I have a doubt that weighs on my mind—like a kunai stuck in my throat. I hope you can help me resolve it."

Tenjo paused, eyes narrowing thoughtfully. "Let's talk in the study."

They sat across from each other, the study's paper walls dimly lit by the morning sun.

"You've been thinking deeply," Tenjo said. "Speak freely."

Fugaku took a breath. "About the gates—why aren't the Uchiha or Hyuga entrusted with monitoring them anymore? We are far more capable than regular shinobi at detecting infiltration. It feels deliberate. The recent increase in spy activity—shouldn't that have forced a reassessment?"

Tenjo's expression didn't change, but his tone softened. "Your insight pleases me, Fugaku. You're connecting the dots. You've realized that infiltration and assassination are tied directly to gate control and intelligence flow."

He paused, then continued.

"During the time of the First and Second Hokage, the Uchiha and Hyuga took turns guarding the gates. It was natural—our dojutsu made us ideal sentries. Konoha was more secure then. But after the Second Hokage's death, the village entered a period of transition."

He leaned forward slightly.

"Tobirama named Hiruzen as his successor, but many opposed it. To gain political support, the Third Hokage struck compromises. One of those was removing the Uchiha from gate duty. In exchange, we were given a greater presence within the Military Police."

"The Hyuga accepted a separate arrangement—one known only to their clan head."

Fugaku frowned. "Then the loss was deliberate?"

"Yes. With the Uchiha off the gates, the Hokage and his advisors could use gate logs to track potential dissenters. They even used that data to quietly eliminate certain elders and clan leaders—those who dared to challenge the Hokage's authority."

"The purges didn't stop until Hiruzen fully consolidated power."

Tenjo closed his eyes briefly. "It's why our clan has always walked a fine line. The more power we have, the more suspicion we draw."

Fugaku clenched his fist, but he understood now. The problem wasn't just infiltration—it was about control. Information. Politics.

And unless something changed, the Uchiha would always be kept at arm's length from the village's true core.