The so-called Konoha F4 sat in council, but no matter how long they argued, no clear method emerged to completely halt the Police Force's expansion.
The truth was simple; Gen's plan was an open scheme, perfectly reasonable on paper. If it hadn't been, Hiruzen Sarutobi could have crushed it with a single order.
Their usual three weapons, slander, rumor, and moral pressure, were blunted this time. The Police Force announcement had been written with care, and any attempt to brand it propaganda would collapse under scrutiny.
The most straightforward method would have been forcing Uchiha Gen to retract his decree. But that would mean humiliating himself before the village and Gen was not a man to yield to pressure, not from anyone.
When proper methods failed, darker thoughts crept in. Danzo, scowling at the table, could no longer hold his tongue.
"Hiruzen," he said, "what if we threaten someone Gen cares about?"
Hiruzen's expression turned black, his voice sharp as a whip.
"Danzo, what poison festers in that head of yours? Gen may be ambitious, but he is still Konoha's ninja. Do you propose we use underhanded tricks against our own? These are tactics for enemies, not our comrades. If you open this door, others will follow. Do you think Gen himself would hesitate to answer in kind?"
He slammed the table. "Once we tear off our masks, what will be left of peace in Konoha?"
Danzo shrank back under the scolding, muttering, "I was only speaking hypothetically…"
"The fact you dared suggest it proves the thought was real," Hiruzen shot back. "Had I not rejected you outright, you'd have taken it as tacit approval. Don't think I don't know your ways. You understand me, Danzo, but do you truly think I don't understand you?"
Spittle flew as the Hokage's fury poured down on him. Danzo sat silent, face tight with humiliation.
Koharu and Homura quickly stepped in, soothing the Hokage and ending the clash before it spilled further.
The truth was, Hiruzen had just saved Danzo's life. If Root truly tried to harm those dear to Gen, he would never respond with restraint. He wasn't Hiruzen, who tolerated Danzo's games. Gen's vengeance would be absolute, Root will be purged from root to branch, and Danzo will be cut down without mercy.
Gen was not afraid of retaliation.
At worst, he would tear off the mask of civility and fight to the death. He wasn't Hokage yet; he owed no allegiance to Konoha's political machinery. And in the end, if Hiruzen found himself cornered, he would compromise for the village's sake, though only temporarily. Secretly, he would continue plotting to remove Gen, for Konoha's 'future.'
Koharu broke the silence with a weary sigh. "Hiruzen… stopping the Police Force entirely may be impossible. Perhaps we should settle for second best."
The Hokage narrowed his eyes. "Explain."
"Since the Police Force is recruiting," Koharu said, voice steadier now, "we can recruit as well. Our five departments each have openings. If we expand at the same time, we can claim the most elite shinobi before they fall into Uchiha hands. Better that than Danzo terrorizing people into obedience. That only breeds hatred."
Homura's eyes lit with inspiration. "And more than that… this expansion may actually work to our benefit. The Police Force has always been closed, impenetrable since Gen took power. But with outside recruitment, cracks have opened. We could place our own people within. Trusted agents. Eyes and ears."
At that, Hiruzen and Koharu both sat up straighter. The realization cut through their earlier despair. They had been trapped in their own thinking. True, the Police Force grew stronger outwardly but at the same time, it had created an opening. One they could exploit.
"Homura's thinking is sharp," Hiruzen said approvingly. His eyes flicked to Danzo. "You should learn from him."
Danzo's jaw tightened. The barb stung, but he swallowed it. He hadn't seen the angle, and there was no defense against the Hokage's reproach.
"Anbu won't be part of this. Leave that out," Hiruzen added curtly. "The rest is yours to arrange."
And with that, he rose and left the chamber.
The three left behind shared a knowing look.
They were long used to Hiruzen's way of keeping his own hands 'clean' while they carried the weight. Danzo bore the heaviest burdens, they the lighter.
And that was fine. So long as Hiruzen remained standing, so did they. Even if they were forced to retreat now, they could resurface when the storm passed.
Unspoken, but deeply understood.
The three continued discussing details a while longer before breaking apart to set the plan in motion.
On the other side of the village, the Police Force was drowning in applicants. So many had come that Gen ordered two full rounds of assessment to pare down the numbers.
Officially, the screening was strict and fair. In truth, there were small favors extended, particularly for three women; Kurenai Yuhi, Uzuki Yugao, and Mitarashi Anko.
Gen had quietly arranged with the examiners to ensure no mishap blocked their passage.
But this was not nepotism. All three were exceptional; at the peak of chūnin, their strength already at special jōnin level. The only reason they hadn't been promoted was lack of mission quotas. With their skill, gender advantage, and their positions as Gen's subordinates, their passage was almost assured. His 'backdoor' ensured chance didn't rob them.
And the women themselves had no idea.
For everyone else, the exams were brutally honest. The strong advanced; the weak were cut.
Three days later, the results were posted. Fifty-one names. Fifty-one shinobi officially welcomed into the Police Force starting tomorrow.
Celebration rippled through the winners.
Kurenai, Yugao, and Anko even invited Gen to join them. He accepted, and they drank together into the evening. With duty calling the next morning, they kept it moderate. And with Anko playing the third wheel, the most Gen and the other two could share were glances, a hand squeezed beneath the table. He wasn't worried. Time was on his side.
That same night, the new recruits returned home, only to find themselves intercepted by Root.
Threats. Bribes. The promise of safety for their families or ruin. Ordinary shinobi might not know Root by name, but the elite certainly did. And with Root's reputation for shadows and knives, many bent quickly.
The next morning, only three reported for duty, Kurenai, Yugao, and Anko.
No one else came.
The absence was glaring, unnatural and exactly what Gen had expected. He wasn't rattled. If nothing had happened, that would have been the true surprise. The only oddity was how long the High Council had taken to strike.
Calmly, he ordered an investigation. Then he summoned Kurenai, Yugao, and Anko into his office.