The Uchiha Police Headquarters loomed over the heart of the clan's territory, its dark stone walls and sharp angles radiating authority.
Eiji paused at the entrance, inhaled deeply, and stepped through the grand doors.
Inside, the hall was bustling with activity. Several Uchiha in police uniforms moved between desks and mission boards.
A young police member at the reception desk glanced up. A flicker of surprise crossed his eyes.
"What business do you have here, kid?"
"My name is Eiji. I'm here to submit my application to join the Police Force." Eiji produced the carefully prepared form from his pouch.
"Uchiha… Eiji?" The police's brows rose. Recognition flashed, followed by curiosity. Recently, that name had been circulating throughout the clan with no small amount of gossip.
He scanned the form, then said, "According to regulations, applicants need at least Elite Genin strength."
"I know the rules," Eiji replied, his voice steady. "I'm confident in my strength. I request an assessment."
The young police officer hesitated. The boy's calm confidence was oddly compelling.
"Early assessments require either a recommendation from a platoon leader… or a successful strength test."
"I'll take the strength test," Eiji said without hesitation.
The police nodded and gestured for him to follow. They walked into a small training ground adjacent to the hall.
Leaning casually against a wall was a middle-aged man in an Uchiha Jonin uniform. His sharp, hawk-like eyes snapped open as they approached—eyes that seemed to weigh and dissect Eiji in a single glance.
"Platoon Leader Tekka," the police said respectfully. "This is Eiji. He's requesting an early assessment."
"Eiji…" Tekka repeated, his tone carrying faint recognition. "So you're the boy the clan's been whispering about lately?"
"Yes, sir," the police confirmed.
Eiji met the Jonin's piercing gaze without flinching, calm and composed.
Tekka snorted. "The Military Police isn't a playground. If you're relying on a stroke of luck or a flashy rumor, turn back now. This isn't a place for weaklings."
"Then let's find out whether it's luck," Eiji replied, a faint, confident smile on his lips.
Tekka's stern face cracked into a short laugh. "Hah… you've got balls, kid. Show me your strength."
He pointed to a crystal orb at the center of the training field. "Infuse your Chakra."
Eiji stepped forward, placed his palm against the crystal, and willed his Chakra to surge forth.
Buzz—!
The orb erupted in dazzling blue light, brighter and denser than that of most Genin—brighter even than many experienced Chunin.
Tekka's eyes narrowed in surprise. 'Elite Chunin reserves… at his age?'
"Not bad," Tekka said at last, his tone softening. "Show me your best Fire Release."
Eiji inhaled deeply, hands forming rapid seals.
"Fire Release: Dragon Fire Jutsu!"
A blazing dragon roared from his mouth, twisting through the air with precision before slamming into the distant target.
Boom!
The target exploded into fragments, black smoke curling upward as scorched debris rained down.
Eiji straightened, his Sharingan glinting faintly. He had left no doubt that he was ready to step into the Uchiha Police's world.
The dragon's form was perfect, its power overwhelming, and its precision razor-sharp.
Uchiha Tekka's pupils narrowed slightly.
'Impeccable control…'
As a veteran jonin and a master of Fire Release himself, he instantly recognized the skill behind Eiji's jutsu. This wasn't the clumsy ninjutsu of a typical Chunin—this was deliberate and lethal.
The receptionist, who had initially written Eiji off as an arrogant upstart, stood frozen, mouth slightly agape. He had expected a show-off; instead, he'd just witnessed a prodigy. The power behind that Dragon Fire surpassed anything he could muster himself.
"Very good," Tekka said at last, his voice even but tinged with approval. "Your strength is sufficient to qualify for the assessment. I've approved your application. The official test will be in three days. You'll be notified of the details."
"Thank you, Platoon Leader Tekka." Eiji offered a respectful bow.
"There's no need to thank me," Tekka waved a hand dismissively. "We Uchiha recognize strength alone. I look forward to seeing what surprises you bring in the official assessment."
For the briefest moment, genuine appreciation and anticipation flickered in the Jonin's sharp eyes.
Eiji simply nodded, keeping his calm, and left the testing ground without another word. He had cleared the preliminary hurdle. Now came the real challenge—the official entry assessment of the Uchiha Police.
As he walked through the clan streets, his mind worked quickly, crafting a strategy.
'The Sharingan can be shown, but not its mastery. No Genjutsu that would draw too much attention.'
'Fire Release… I can display the precision and force of an Elite Chunin, but the full extent of my jutsu repertoire stays hidden.'
'Taijutsu will be the same—sharp, but within believable limits. Let them see talent and battle sense, not a monster.'
He knew too well how the Konoha leadership operated. Danzo Shimura and the village elders watched the Uchiha like hawks. Any clan member who appeared too exceptional—too dangerous—would quickly find themselves "eliminated" on a mission.
Over the years, many young geniuses had vanished this way.
Eiji had no intention of becoming another cautionary tale.
'Strength for now must be revealed like the edge of a blade—only to cut, never enough to provoke fear.'
Until he had power that could crush every scheme of the village elders, caution and calculation would be his allies.
And when the day finally came that he held true dominance… even Danzo would not escape his judgment.
—
Three days passed in the blink of an eye.
The Uchiha Police's assessment grounds were already bustling with activity, a ring of spectators gathering to witness the rare special recruitment test.
Three Uchiha Jonin sat in the chief examiner's seats.
Uchiha Tekka was there, his sharp gaze scanning the candidates. At the center sat a stern old man with hawk-like eyes—Uchiha Yatsushiro, a respected elder of the more violent faction, renowned for his strictness and unflinching impartiality. Beside him was the battle-hardened elder, Uchiha Setsuna.
"Silence!" Tekka's voice carried across the training field, instantly quieting the crowd. His eyes swept over the three young applicants.
"Today marks the special recruitment assessment for the Uchiha Police. Only true elites may enter—there is no room for idlers."
He paused, letting the weight of his words settle.
"The assessment will be divided into three parts: Taijutsu, Ninjutsu, and practical combat simulation. Each section will be scored, and only those who excel will be accepted. Understood?"
"Yes!" The three applicants answered in unison.
Eiji stood calmly among them, his young face unreadable. The other two, Uchiha Kyoichi and Uchiha Mitsu—both around fifteen or sixteen and already average Chunin—shot him looks of open disdain.
A twelve-year-old brat fresh from the academy? Rumors or not, they doubted he could truly compete.
"First, the Taijutsu assessment!"
A lean, capable-looking Chunin from the police force stepped forward as the testing opponent.
Kyoichi went first. His flurry of punches and kicks was sharp but unrefined; experience quickly betrayed him. Within a dozen exchanges, the veteran Chunin exploited an opening and had him pinned.
"Uchiha Kyoichi, score: Average," Tekka announced flatly.
Mitsu performed slightly better, but his technique still lacked polish. His score was also "Average."
Finally, all eyes turned to Eiji.
"Brat," the Chunin opponent said with a smirk, "don't waste my time."
Eiji didn't respond. He simply bowed and slid into the standard Uchiha Taijutsu stance.
"Begin!" Tekka barked.
The Chunin lunged first, his fist cutting the air with seventy percent of his strength—a blow that would rattle an average Chunin.
But to Eiji, the attack moved as if in slow motion. He didn't even need his Sharingan.
He shifted his body by a hair's breadth, the punch grazing past him, and his right foot lashed out like a viper at the opponent's supporting knee.
'Fast!' the Chunin thought, startled. He hurriedly blocked, raising his knee just in time.
Thud!
The impact vibrated up his leg, forcing him half a step back. His earlier disdain vanished instantly.
Eiji's attacks didn't stop. His movements were smooth and relentless—every strike flowing into the next, his footwork and timing precise to the point of suffocation.
The Chunin began to realize a chilling truth: his experience was useless.
This boy's Taijutsu wasn't flashy or fast, but every dodge, block, and counter was perfectly timed, as if Eiji could see the future.
On the sidelines, Kyoichi and Mitsu gawked. Their earlier arrogance dissolved into shock.
"Impossible… he's suppressing a chunin from the force?" Mitsu muttered.
At the examiners' table, Tekka's lips curled into a faint, satisfied smile. Even Elder Yatsushiro's sharp eyes glimmered with a spark of interest.
In the arena, the duel reached its climax.
Eiji seized a fleeting opening when the Chunin drew a breath. He closed the distance in a blur and delivered a precise knife-hand strike to the side of the man's neck.
"Whack!"
The Chunin staggered, his legs buckling as numbness shot through his body. Eiji calmly stepped back, ending the bout with quiet dominance.
"Eiji, Taijutsu assessment—score: Excellent!" Tekka's voice rang out.
Whoosh!
Gasps rippled through the crowd.
Excellent.
A rare, coveted evaluation—and one that instantly crushed the confidence of Kyoichi and Mitsu.
In that moment, the "waste" of the Uchiha Clan had officially stepped into the spotlight as a true contender.
"Second, the Ninjutsu assessment!"
Tekka's voice carried clearly over the training ground.
"Each candidate will demonstrate their most proficient Fire Release Jutsu against the distant target. You will be scored on the jutsu's power, range, and your Chakra control."
Kyoichi stepped forward first, performing the Great Fireball Jutsu.
Whoosh!
A bright fireball roughly four meters shot forward, smashing into the target with a loud boom. The power was decent, and the examiners nodded slightly.
"Score: Upper Average," Tekka announced.
Mitsu followed with the same jutsu. His fireball was a little larger, but his control wavered at the edges.
"Score: Upper Average."
Then, it was Eiji's turn.
He walked to the center with a calm expression and took a slow, deep breath.
"Fire Release: Phoenix Sage Fire Jutsu!"
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!
Dozens of head-sized fireballs poured from Eiji's mouth like a blazing storm.
But unlike the usual scattered Phoenix Sage Fire, his fireballs curved and weaved through the air in perfect formation, arcing like a deadly downpour.
Every single one struck the target a hundred meters away—no bigger than a washbasin.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
A series of rapid explosions tore the air apart. When the smoke cleared, the target was gone, reduced to splinters and charred fragments.
Silence.
The entire field fell utterly silent.
Everyone had expected a flashy move, but this… this was on another level.
Phoenix Sage Fire wasn't known for raw destructive power. Its true challenge lay in its complexity—simultaneously generating multiple fireballs and controlling each one with pinpoint precision.
Yet Eiji had not only mastered it… he had perfected it.
Every fireball followed the exact trajectory he willed, striking as if choreographed.
"This… this is still Phoenix Sage Fire?" Kyoichi stammered, disbelief painted across his face.
His own version suddenly felt like a child's toy in comparison.
At the examiner's table, Tekka abruptly stood up, eyes blazing.
"This kid… he's a genius!"
Even Yatsushiro's perpetually stoic face flickered with a trace of surprise.
In his decades of life, he had seen many geniuses rise within the Uchiha Clan—but a twelve-year-old turning a C-rank Fire Release into an art form? That was unprecedented.
"Eiji," Tekka declared, voice carrying across the hushed grounds, "Ninjutsu assessment: Special!"
Gasps rippled through the spectators.
"Special"… an evaluation higher than Excellent. A mark reserved for those whose skill far exceeded the norm.
Eiji stood calmly, showing no hint of pride.
For him, this was just the beginning. With "Fire Release Ninjutsu Complete Mastery (Elementary)," his understanding of Fire Release already rivaled that of many Jonin.
"Final assessment," Tekka said after a long breath, steadying his excitement.
"Practical combat simulation."
He turned to Eiji, a gleam of battle intent flashing in his eyes.
"Eiji—your opponent… is me."
The crowd erupted in a wave of shocked whispers.
Uchiha Tekka—the Police Team Captain, a seasoned Jonin—personally sparring against a twelve-year-old?
"Tekka, are you serious?" Yatsushiro frowned, his voice like cold steel.
"I know exactly what I'm doing," Tekka said, lips curling in an eager grin. "This kid is no ordinary recruit. I need to test him myself."
He turned to Eiji, his battle aura flaring.
"Kid! Show me your full strength. Let me see what kind of genius the clan has birthed!"
Eiji's gaze sharpened, his pulse steady.
A Jonin opponent… perfect.
He wanted to measure the true depth of his current power.
He bowed slightly, his voice calm yet firm:
"Please… guide me."
A powerful aura surged from his small frame.
A bloody red glow flickered in his eyes—
One-Tomoe Sharingan, activated.