Chapter 154: Voices of Rebellion
Uchiha Kazuya's concerns weren't unfounded.
Uchiha Kei's sudden appointment had hit the loyalists of Uchiha Yuu like a thunderclap—a blow they couldn't easily digest.
But the reality was clear: Kei's appointment came directly from the Uchiha Clan Head. On top of that, he had been named head of the Konoha Police Force. Given those facts, what could these officers do other than quietly fume?
Fortunately for them, Kei hadn't shown up at the police department right away. That gave them a temporary sense of relief… and a desperate hope that maybe—just maybe—he wouldn't show up at all.
Unfortunately, that hope was short-lived.
Kei did arrive, and what's more, he immediately demanded to meet with all current team members.
This action sent a message—a clear and uncomfortable one. A message none of them wanted to hear.
They couldn't stop any of this from happening. The best they could do was resist Kei in subtle ways—whatever was within their power.
For instance, they followed his order to assemble—but deliberately delayed doing so. A silent protest. Not outright disobedience, but enough to send a message and maybe embarrass Kei a little.
Of course, Kei had anticipated this. He wasn't in a rush.
Instead, he used the time to chat with someone important—Fukuhiko Kouta.
Yes, Fukuhiko Kouta had arrived early and was being hosted by Uchiha Kawa, someone his own age. No one had dared to stop him from entering, and now he stood in front of Kei—his expression a mix of shock and disbelief.
"You… want me to join the Police Force?"
Kouta's face twisted with surprise. "Why would someone like you want me, a civilian, to join the Uchiha's—"
"Correction," Kei interrupted, "Konoha's Police Force. Not the Uchiha's."
"Anyone can serve in the Force. It just happens that it's been run by the Uchiha for a long time, which led to some… misunderstandings."
And he wasn't wrong.
Originally, the Police Force wasn't meant to be exclusive to the Uchiha. When the Second Hokage created it, the intention was to use the Uchiha's strength—by giving them control over the police and the prison, then relocating the entire department to the outskirts of the village.
It wasn't generosity—it was containment. Of course the Second Hokage understood the dangers of such isolation.
To balance that, he had initially placed non-Uchiha shinobi in the department to monitor and counterbalance the clan.
But after his death and the rise of the Third Hokage—who needed political support from all corners, including the Uchiha—the balance shifted.
Gradually, the Uchiha purged the outsiders. Now, the Police Force was effectively theirs.
"I see…" Kouta muttered, still confused.
"But why me? Surely, you have better candidates from your own clan?"
"I do," Kei admitted. "But what I need is your identity."
"You're a civilian-born shinobi. You know how the Uchiha are perceived—how hated we are among the common people."
"I want to change that. I want to fix what's broken. And to do that, I need someone like you—someone whose voice will actually be heard."
Kouta was left speechless.
He hadn't expected such a bold and idealistic vision from Uchiha Kei. The Uchiha's bad reputation wasn't new—it had been festering for years.
Even though Kouta wasn't politically savvy, he understood just how difficult such a task would be.
And yet… the idea stirred something in him.
To change how the Police Force operated—to change how the Uchiha were seen—that would be something worth fighting for. Something worth joining.
Everyone dreams big when they're young. And Kei's proposal was incredibly tempting—especially to someone like Kouta.
"I… I think I can—"
Before he could finish his sentence, a knock came at the office door. It was Uchiha Kazuya.
"Take your time and think it over," Kei said calmly. He could already tell Kouta was on the verge of saying yes. No need to rush it—best to leave a good impression.
Then, turning toward the door, Kei called out:
"Come in."
"Captain," Kazuya said, stepping inside. "They're here. All of them. Waiting outside. They've asked to see you."
"I see. Thank you, Kazuya." Kei nodded. "If anything comes up, don't hesitate to talk to me."
Kei had gotten good at making vague promises when needed. A little encouragement could go a long way—especially when you didn't know which side someone was really on.
Kazuya smiled, clearly pleased.
Carrying out this task had made him anxious, but now it all felt worthwhile.
"Captain, about them…" Kazuya glanced at the others in the room, hesitating.
"I already know what you're going to say," Kei replied casually.
Of course he knew what the officers outside were thinking. It was obvious.
He stood up and walked toward the door. Uchiha Kawa, sharp as ever, had already opened it for him.
The Police HQ was now full. Patrols had returned, and nearly all teams had gathered.
But the place was dead silent. Every eye was on Kei.
Even the other two captains had shown up.
In other words, every key figure in the department was here—except the former captain.
And their purpose was obvious.
They had come to see what exactly Uchiha Kei planned to do—or perhaps just to take a look at the so-called "war hero kid" and find out what he could actually accomplish in the Konoha Military Police Force.
Not one of them respected him.
What right did this guy have—someone with no experience or prestige—to replace Uchiha Yuu and become deputy commander of the Police Force?
Faced with their cold, indifferent stares, Uchiha Kei remained utterly calm.
Of course he knew what they were thinking.
But he didn't care. In fact, he almost preferred that they'd followed him here.
Kei had always been cautious in his actions, but that didn't mean he'd keep himself trapped in a box.
He understood when to be restrained and when to act with authority. If he didn't, he wouldn't have the influence he now wielded.
As he walked out of the Police Headquarters and saw the Uchiha shinobi standing silently before him, a faint sneer curled on his lips.
So… this was their show of force?
Even more amusingly, the captains of the other divisions had brought their squads out too—standing by with arms crossed, watching the whole thing like it was a performance.
It was clear they were subtly backing this little rebellion.
"So this is what Uchiha Yuu's men are like?" Kei said with a mocking smile.
"Is this how impressive you all think you are?"
Fine. If they wanted a show, he'd give them one.
"We're on duty, Captain," said a burly shinobi stepping forward.
"We didn't know when you'd return. Surely you don't expect us to abandon our missions just to wait around? If Konoha descends into chaos, are you going to take responsibility?"
"Oh? Is that so?"
Kei's sneer deepened—then faded into quiet indifference.
"In that case, from now on, you're all free to go on missions… within the Uchiha compound. All of you."
He didn't waste time arguing. Without hesitation, he laid out exactly what was on his mind.
Even though Uchiha Kazuya had tried to save face for these guys by not exposing where they had really been sent, no one here was stupid.
Even someone as politically clueless as Fukuhiko Kouta probably realized they were deliberately slacking off—blatantly disregarding Uchiha Kei's authority.
Kei wasn't going to tolerate that.
"W-what are you saying?!"
The moment Kei finished speaking, the entire squad exploded like a pot boiling over.
The captains of the other divisions looked at him in stunned disbelief.
They hadn't expected Kei to make such a drastic move—cutting off the entire squad, leaving no room for reconciliation… not even for himself.
The shinobi under Kei's own command were dumbfounded.
Was he trying to disband the whole team? Had he gone mad?
"No respect for your superior, huh?" Kei's voice was cold.
"Seems Uchiha Yuu really didn't teach you anything."
He stared them down.
"If you're still unsure of what I said, I'll repeat it.
You're dismissed. From this moment on, you're no longer members of the Police Force."
"You—you can't do that!"
The same burly man growled angrily, glaring at Kei.
"Even if you're the captain—or the deputy commander—it doesn't matter! We'll go to the clan head! You can't treat the Police Force like your personal toy!"
"Yeah! The Police Force doesn't belong to you! We're going straight to the clan head!"
Led by the large shinobi, the squad erupted in protest.
They had already resented Kei—and now he'd pushed them to the brink.
Their angry voices grew louder and more chaotic, a tide of rebellion crashing forward.
But Kei stood motionless, as if he heard none of it.
He simply inhaled deeply… closed his eyes…
And when he opened them again—
They were glowing blood red.