The shinobi world.
Konohagakure.
Police Force.
Young men and women with fan crests on their backs stood in two lines.
They stared up at the tight-suited ninja on the platform, his pupils a bloody scarlet.
He met each of their eyes in turn, pressing down with silent menace.
A few whose resolve wavered already had cold sweat beading at their temples.
It was the pressure of a three-tomoe Sharingan.
The tight-suited ninja glanced at Uchiha Senya, whose face remained calm as ever, and sighed inwardly.
"What a waste."
Under his probing, only this brat had stayed unaffected.
It showed a tenacious mind, perfect for a frontline fighter.
But as far as he knew, the kid's ninjutsu talent was nothing special and he had not awakened the Sharingan. The future did not look promising.
Senya had made it into the Police Force mostly on the strength of his taijutsu, and also because this class had fewer applicants.
"Good. As of today, you are members of the Police Force. Remember this: you are Uchiha first, shinobi of Konoha second."
"Your clan is your foundation."
He closed his Sharingan and swept a cold gaze over the young faces below.
This tight-suited ninja was a squad captain of the Police Force, Uchiha Mori, in charge of today's trials.
These new graduates had been selected to bolster the Police Force.
The clan's directive to him was simple: forge them into the next generation loyal to Uchiha.
"Yes!"
With the pressure gone, the recruits let out a subtle breath.
At the far right in the back row, a flicker of excitement crossed Uchiha Senya's eyes.
He was not native to this world. He was a transmigrant.
A year ago, he had arrived in this perilous shinobi world.
Peace was scarce. Conflicts and wars flared often.
Even as a ninja, once a Great Ninja War erupted, most were cannon fodder.
Perhaps only those who reached the level of the Sage of Six Paths could truly protect themselves.
So, as graduation neared, he applied to join the Police Force.
The unit took orders from ANBU and Root, but before the night of the massacre it rarely faced real danger.
Senya could grow stronger here in relative safety.
That was his reason for joining.
Before the Second Great Ninja War, missions outside the village were extremely risky.
And the Police Force recruited only Uchiha.
Pass the trial, and you became one of them.
After a round of bouts, his excellent taijutsu barely earned him a place.
His ninjutsu, however, dragged him down.
"Very well. The captains have been watching for a while. Take your chosen recruits."
Uchiha Mori leaned back a little and spoke toward the dark folding screen.
The screen slid aside. A dozen squad captains filed in.
Each wore a black mask and a stern expression.
Even without activating the Sharingan, their presence together was oppressive.
While Mori delivered his speech, they had read the dossiers and, after conferring, made their picks.
One Uchiha casually twirled a kunai, stepped forward first, and led away a new recruit.
Soon the other captains each took their choices.
Only Uchiha Senya was left standing.
As the last captain departed with his newcomer, Senya frowned.
So realistic. His ninjutsu might be lacking, but his taijutsu ranked among the best here.
Of course, what the Uchiha valued was skill with the Sharingan and the ninjutsu that paired with it, while taijutsu was considered auxiliary.
Among these captains there were no pure taijutsu specialists.
In truth, much of the Uchiha's taijutsu also relied on the Sharingan.
Senya had considered giving up on the Police Force to seek a non-Uchiha taijutsu jonin as a mentor.
But Maito Dai was only a genin now. Approaching him might draw suspicion.
The Uchiha identity was sensitive.
He knew no other taijutsu jonin.
He also disliked gambling with his life.
He had not expected it to end like this.
Uchiha Mori stepped down from the platform. He had noticed the change in Senya's expression.
After a moment's thought, he decided where to place the boy.
"Uchiha Senya, you will go to the clan compound's Guard Tower as a sentry."
The Guard Tower?!
As an Uchiha, Senya knew the place.
Officially, the Konoha Police Force kept order across the village, so the clan compound had its own post with assigned guards.
But no one dared cause trouble on Uchiha grounds.
And the guards would never report internal clan matters to the Hokage.
The post was largely for show.
Because it stood close to the clan shrine, few clansmen passed by, and outsiders never did.
It was the ideal place to slack off.
Such a quiet, unchanging post was poor for a ninja's growth, and worse for awakening the Sharingan.
So hardly anyone wanted it.
The clan shrine was where Uchiha meetings were held.
It stored secret lore, and elders guarded it daily.
In terms of security, it was one of the safest areas.
ANBU and Root watched less closely there.
For Senya, who prioritized safety above all, it fit perfectly.
At least the safety margin was high.
Perhaps because it was so safe and dull, a fresh graduate could be assigned there.
"Understood."
Senya nodded, expression flat.
There was no room to negotiate, and he did not mind.
The Uchiha training grounds were not far from the Guard Tower.
After duty, he could train alone in peace.
Seeing Senya regain his composure, Uchiha Mori spoke in a gentler tone. "Do not lose heart. When you awaken the Sharingan, I will pull you out."
He did not think the boy would awaken it anytime soon, but he offered encouragement anyway.
It was habit, as a captain.
Senya listened without taking it to heart.
After a few more words, Mori turned and left.
A captain in the Police Force had plenty to do.
Once he was gone, a police trooper led Senya at a swift run toward the guard post.
After a stretch at speed, they stopped before a small, two-story wooden building black as pitch.
The trooper glanced at Senya's steady breathing and softened a little.
"This kid has good speed and stamina. A shame about his ninjutsu."
He muttered inwardly, then handed Senya a sealed directive scroll, gave a few reminders, and vanished.
Stowing the scroll, Senya took in the forlorn little building and walked toward the door.
He climbed the steps and lifted a hand to tap the ring.
Just then.
DING!
A cold, mechanical voice rang in his mind.