69. The Next Moves of The Hokage’s Faction

69. The Next Moves of The Hokage’s Faction

"Firstly, I trust you all already understand the impracticality of taking any direct action against individuals like Sakumo Hatake or young Hikari Hyuga at this time. Their positions within the village's overall framework now, coupled with the sheer force and a team we would need to employ to confront them, make any covert operation exceedingly difficult.",

"Moreover, considering the current tensions within the broader shinobi world and the looming threat of another world war on the horizon, such actions could only make it worse for the overall village interests...",

Hiruzen explained while mainly sending a few glances in Danzo's direction while speaking.

Danzo, known for his aggressive and uncompromising approach, surprisingly concurred without hesitation, nodding in acknowledgment, "It's self-evident, Hiruzen. Sakumo Hatake's strength is well-recognized, and Hikari Hyuga enjoys the full protection of his entire clan.",

"Beyond the complexities of taking action against them, their support will also be crucial in the war that looms on the horizon. My intelligence sources indicate that tensions are escalating.",

"Skirmishes between the major nations and smaller neighboring states are becoming more frequent, the big nations themselves getting weaker hence more wolfish and more militant in their policies signaling a potential for these conflicts to escalate and eventually draw all of the major villages into a full-scale war amongst themselves in a few years time...", Danzo admitted. His agreement underscored the gravity of the situation and the external pressure.

"However, it is good that you started considering that kind of option more seriously, Hiruzen. Sakumo's continued existence poses a direct threat to us—it's become a matter of him or us. Right and wrong aside, if we don't address the Sakumo situation decisively, he could very well spell our collective downfall.",

"He's already seized such an invaluable, critical position from under us. What's to stop him from aiming for the Hokage title next, even potentially seeking to usurp you, Hiruzen? Sooner or later, we'll have to confront this, it is just a matter of the most optimal timing at this point...", Danzo said, his expression darkening at the mention of Sakumo, a clear sign of his deep-seated animosity and the perceived threat Sakumo represented to their positions.

Danzo continued, slightly shifting his focus but maintaining his strategic perspective, "Regarding Hikari Hyuga, I think we're giving him too much credit as an individual threat.",

"He doesn't compare to Sakumo in terms of immediate danger, he is nowhere near that level. It's the political maneuverings of his entire clan that we should be wary of, much like with the entire Uchiha clan.",

"Yes, the boy certainly exhibits a remarkable talent for someone from the Hyuga clan especially, but we mustn't lose sight of the broader context, in terms of both the powerhouses of the entire village, that we have on our 'side', and the history of that clan.",

"Historically, no Hyuga has surpassed what might be considered early Kage-level strength, and only one person ever achieved that level as well. Even the most formidable among them, in each generation, typically the clan leaders themselves, hasn't posed a significant threat beyond the Quasi-Kage level. Their capabilities do not fundamentally endanger our position...",

"Besides, we've already significantly undermined Uchiha's position. It might be wise to pause and continue our long-term policy toward them after the dust settles...", Homura interjected, his strategic foresight the evident as always.

Ever since the era of their teacher, Tobirama Senju, there had been a subtle, gradual strategy akin to a 'boiling-the-frog' approach, established and directed towards the Uchiha clan.

From the outset, Tobirama had conceded leadership of the Police Force to the Uchiha, a move perceived by some as a double-edged sword. This position placed the Uchiha in direct oversight of law enforcement, exposing them to resentment and animosity from those they policed and incarcerated effectively isolating them from the village's overall community.

However, the Uchiha, valuing power over popularity, seemed indifferent to these sentiments, prizing their authority and autonomy above the need for social acceptance.

They were a very asocial clan in nature and all that ostracization didn't bother them much if they had power. In fact, they even preferred it that way, thinking of them as being a cut above everyone else.

However, this dynamic underwent a significant shift under Hiruzen's leadership, with the advisors playing a pivotal role. They began to systematically redirect significant cases from the Police Force to the Anbu, effectively diminishing the Uchiha's role in handling minor civilian disputes and low-level shinobi infractions. Meanwhile, Anbu took on more critical security tasks, such as dealing with Jonin-level betrayals and foreign espionage activities.

Moreover, a policy was established early in the village's foundation stipulating that any arrest of a Police Force member by Anbu (and vice versa) required the Hokage's approval.

Given the Hokage's oversight of Anbu, this policy invariably skewed power dynamics in favor of Anbu, particularly during Hiruzen's tenure, as it was during this time that masks were torn off and Hiruzen began to openly exercise those loopholes purposefully put in law by Tobirama.

In recent times, particularly during the last few years, the Konoha Military Police Force, predominantly overseen by the Uchiha clan, saw a significant decline in its influence and operational capacity, rendering it, in many respects, a 'toothless force' to Hokage's Faction.

Their activities were largely confined to routine patrolling, conducting investigations into low-profile cases, maintaining order among both shinobi and civilians, managing a detention facility for those arrested, doing manual trials, and ensuring adherence to village laws overall.

These tasks, while essential, lacked the prestige and visibility of higher-profile missions that Hiruzen rerouted to Anbu thanks to other loopholes in law purposefully placed by Tobirama and thanks to Uchiha's losing power in proportion to Hokage's Faction and getting more and more isolated, without allies, falling essentially in some kind of a negative endless loophole od degradation of their power. However, that was evidently about to pause or change now.

The shift became more pronounced with the Anbu taking precedence in handling any high-stakes, publicized security matters. Under the direction of Hiruzen's son, Shinsuke Sarutobi, the Anbu also developed secret cells throughout the village, further encroaching on the jurisdiction and traditional responsibilities of the Military Police in the most obvious sense.