Chapter 153: Taking Action
"Captain— no, Deputy Commander!"
The moment Uchiha Kei stepped through the main doors of the Konoha Police Force Headquarters, his unexpected appearance startled the Uchiha ninja on duty.
At this point, there wasn't a soul in the Uchiha clan who didn't know Uchiha Kei's name. Especially after yesterday, when he returned alongside Namikaze Minato with such grand momentum—it would've been hard not to notice.
Now, Uchiha Kei was not only known as one of the clan's most powerful shinobi, even if he didn't have the best relationships with other elites, he was still a force to be reckoned with. Officially, he held the rank of team captain over one of the Police Force's three major divisions—and more importantly, he had just been appointed Deputy Commander.
"Is it just you on duty today?" Kei asked, his tone calm as he scanned the lobby, unconcerned with the ninja's near slip-up in address. "Where is everyone else?"
"Deputy Commander, the others have already headed out for patrol."
The ninja quickly corrected himself, subtly changing how he addressed Kei. "But they should be returning soon. Except for those off-duty today—"
"I understand. Thank you," Kei nodded, then suddenly asked, "What's your name?"
Truth be told, Kei had no idea who this guy was. There were far too many Uchiha he didn't know personally—understandable given his past.
Still, the ninja didn't seem surprised. It wasn't unusual for clan members not to know each other well, especially with someone like Kei, who had never really been part of the Police Force until now.
"Deputy Commander, I'm Uchiha Kazuya," the man replied respectfully.
"Kazuya, huh? Alright," Kei nodded. "I have a task for you. Gather every member of my division—all of them, no exceptions. But before that, find Fukuhiko Kouta, the younger brother of Fukuhiko Kohei. He used to work here. Bring him in—but don't make it look like you're hauling in a suspect."
He paused, then added, "Also, go find Uchiha Asahi and his son. Think you can handle that?"
"Yes, sir!" Kazuya replied with surprising energy. He even looked... excited.
"Good. Thanks. Oh—by the way, where's my office?"
---
Once inside, Kei found his new office surprisingly spacious. But that size also highlighted its flaw—emptiness. It felt too barren.
Since the previous Deputy Commander retired, Uchiha Fugaku had left the position unfilled. Perhaps he saw it more as bait—a lure for the ambitious.
But now, that bait had been served to Kei on a silver platter.
Kei sat down behind the large desk and waited patiently. He wasn't one to sit idle for long, but since he had made his decision, he intended to act swiftly—without giving others a chance to react. Frankly, he didn't even see most of them as people worth worrying about.
Roughly ten minutes passed before a soft, composed knock echoed at the door.
"Come in," Kei called.
As expected, Uchiha Asahi entered with a young man beside him.
Kei didn't recognize the youth, though he looked to be a year or two older—probably around the same age as Imai Kenta. His demeanor was calm, respectful, and—most notably—his gaze carried a trace of fanatical admiration.
Kei wasn't surprised. Like himself, many of these "outsiders" within the clan had experienced similar isolation. Kei's recent rise had given them something to aspire to.
"Asahi-san, it's been a while," Kei smiled. "And this must be your son—Uchiha Kawa, right? A fine young man."
"Thank you for your praise, sir," both father and son said, bowing their heads slightly.
Neither seemed to find it strange that a thirteen-year-old was referring to someone older as a "young man." Kei's status made such things trivial.
"Alright, let's get down to business," Kei said, rising slowly. "You both know my current situation, so I'll be direct—would you be interested in working under me?"
No point dancing around it. Kei didn't have the time or patience for subtle politicking. If they were smart, they'd know exactly what choice to make.
Asahi was a minor figure in the clan, and his son—like Kei once was—was cannon fodder. Now, with a chance to change their fate, they had to seize it.
"Of course, Deputy Commander!" Asahi answered almost immediately, without even clarifying if the offer was for him or his son.
"I meant both of you," Kei said, stepping forward. "You'll be working under me directly—and you'll answer only to me. Understood?"
Bringing Asahi under his command had been a spur-of-the-moment decision, but Kei was already seeing its benefits. In the clan, Asahi was essentially a messenger boy. He'd be just as useful in the Police Force, possibly even as Kei's personal informant.
Kei even began considering the matter of Uchiha Ryoko—his mother in this world—who also worked in the Police Force. But she was unlikely to cooperate easily, and any moves involving her would have to wait until other matters were settled.
"W-We understand," Asahi said after a brief pause.
He hadn't forgotten that Kei had approached him once before—and shortly after that, Uchiha Yuu had mysteriously disappeared. Though Kei had never said anything directly, Asahi was no fool.
Agreeing to follow only one person's orders might sound extreme, but Asahi recognized this for what it was: a signal.
A signal that Uchiha Kei was forming a loyal faction, one that would follow his command alone. And the earlier you joined something like that, the greater the rewards.
---
Uchiha Asahi was a clever man. If not for his lack of a Sharingan limiting his strength, he and his son likely wouldn't be stuck in their current low status.
"Very good, Asahi-kun."
Uchiha Kei nodded in approval, then turned his gaze to Uchiha Kawa.
"Kawa-kun, what about you? What's your answer?"
"I…"
Uchiha Kawa was momentarily stunned, then responded as though it were only natural:
"I'll follow my father's lead."
"No, no, no. That's not the answer I want."
Kei stood calmly before the boy, arms crossed, his eyes steady and unwavering.
"I want your answer—not who you listen to. Believe me, this is important."
"I…"
Kawa paused again, but quickly realized what Kei was after. After a moment's thought, he dropped to one knee and declared firmly:
"I am willing to serve Lord Kei."
Smart kid.
Kei couldn't help but sigh inwardly. The Uchiha Clan had no shortage of talented individuals—so how had things ended up the way they had?
But there was no point dwelling on it. He had received the answer he wanted.
An intelligent and obedient subordinate—that was what Kei needed. Someone worth investing in, even experimenting with.
---
Meanwhile, elsewhere on the streets of Konoha...
A young man eyed the approaching figure warily. The man wore a Konoha uniform bearing the Uchiha clan crest.
"Who are you...?"
"No need to be nervous, Fukuhiko Kouta. I came here because I have business with you. You think I'd waste time coming here for nothing?"
Uchiha Kazuya glanced at the boy with mild disdain.
"Our Deputy Commander wants to see you. Head to the Police Force Headquarters."
"Deputy Commander?"
Kouta looked surprised, his expression shifting into something unreadable.
"Uchiha Kei?"
"You should say Lord Kei," Kazuya's tone went cold.
"Just because your brother was his former commanding officer doesn't mean you can forget your place. Show some respect."
He narrowed his eyes.
"Now stop wasting time. Move. I don't want to drag you there myself—that might make Lord Kei unhappy, and I'd rather avoid that."
Kouta clenched his teeth. He didn't like the way this Uchiha talked—so smug, so arrogant. Few people could tolerate that kind of attitude.
But Kouta knew he didn't have much of a choice. And honestly, he wasn't all that against meeting with Kei. After all, Kei had helped him once. Even if the chain of command between Kei and his brother had long since dissolved… the favor still remained.
Taking a deep breath, Kouta nodded.
"Understood. Let's go, then."
"You can go yourself."
Kazuya suddenly spoke again.
"I'm just a shadow clone. I've got other things to deal with. See you."
With a poof, he vanished in a puff of smoke.
Kouta stared at the fading smoke cloud, feeling more than a little insulted.
Sure, maybe a clone was enough to deal with someone like him, but it still felt disrespectful.
"Seriously... what does my brother's former subordinate want with me?"
---
Back in the Uchiha district…
"Tch. That brat is just trying to throw his weight around."
"Does he really think we're so easy to push around? Just because Lord Yuu went missing?"
"Hmph…"
Inside the Uchiha clan compound, Kazuya stood silently with his head lowered, half-kneeling off to the side.
He was starting to feel the pressure. The chatter among the other Police Force members was growing louder and more toxic by the minute.
He couldn't shake the feeling that something big was going to happen.
And with word spreading fast, all the former members of Uchiha Yuu's team had returned to the clan's compound.
Which only made Kazuya feel more uneasy.
"…Let's hope this doesn't spiral out of control."