Kijiro's voice was a jagged rasp, growing bolder with every second Shisui remained passive. Seeing that the "legendary" Uchiha were hesitating—and seeing Shisui actually holding back his own men—the farmer felt invincible. He spat on the floor, the spray nearly hitting an officer's boot.
The atmosphere in the lobby was a powder keg. The Uchiha officers were shaking with repressed fury, their knuckles white on their sword hilts. They weren't just being insulted; they were being humiliated in their own home while their Captain stood by and watched.
Then, the stairs creaked. Hiko descended, his eyes like chips of flint.
Shisui looked up, his face pale. "Hiko, wait! Let me talk to them, I can resolve this—"
BOOM.
Before Shisui could finish, Hiko moved. There was no flicker of a sign, just a blur of motion. Kijiro, who had been mid-sentence, was suddenly horizontal. Hiko's boot buried itself in the farmer's chest, sending him hurtling across the lobby. He slammed into the stone wall with a sickening thud and slumped to the ground, unconscious.
The silence that followed was absolute.
"Who gave you the courage," Hiko said, his voice a low, dangerous rumble that filled the hall, "to gather a mob and desecrate the Uchiha Police Headquarters?"
He turned his gaze to the stunned officers standing in the lobby. "And what are you doing? Are you here to watch a play? These people are spitting in your faces and you're standing there like statues. If you've forgotten how to be Uchiha, turn in your badges and go home."
"But Captain Shisui said—" one officer began, his voice trembling with frustration.
"I don't care what he said," Hiko interrupted. "Arrest them. Every single one. Charge them with inciting a riot and assaulting military personnel. If they resist, use force. Move!"
The dam broke. The Uchiha officers, fueled by hours of suppressed rage, surged forward like a red-eyed tide. The farmers, who had been so arrogant seconds ago, were suddenly screaming as they were tackled to the stone floor.
"Hiko, stop!" Shisui cried out, trying to grab Hiko's arm. "This will only make the village hate us more! We're making it a bigger deal than it needs to be!"
Hiko didn't even look at him. He shoved Shisui's hand away with a cold efficiency. "Shisui, I'm disappointed in you. I thought you were just an idealist. I didn't realize your 'kindness' was a weapon you only used against your own family."
"I'm just trying to keep the peace!" Shisui defended, his voice cracking.
"At what cost?" Zhiyan stepped forward, his eyes burning with resentment. "They were spraying saliva on our faces, Shisui! They were calling us dogs! And you stood there and told us to 'be gentle.' Whose side are you on? Are you an Uchiha, or are you just the Hokage's pet?"
The words hit Shisui like a physical blow. He looked around the room and saw the same expression on every face: cold, hard disappointment.
"Lock them in the interrogation wing," Hiko commanded as the last of the farmers was dragged away, wailing about 'complaining to the Hokage.' "Let them see what Uchiha hospitality looks like when the manners are gone."
The Patriarch Arrives
The doors to the headquarters burst open. Fugaku, having heard reports of a "riot," rushed in with his personal guard. He stopped, taking in the scene—the scuff marks on the walls, the lingering smell of ozone, and the heavy tension between his two most prominent young officers.
"What happened here?" Fugaku demanded.
No one spoke. Zhiyan looked to Hiko. Hiko didn't flinch.
"A mob gathered to protest the new regulations," Hiko reported calmly. "Shisui attempted to 'negotiate' while they insulted our clan and physically harassed our officers. I stepped in to restore order and maintain the dignity of the Police Force. The agitators are currently in custody."
Fugaku turned to Shisui. "Is this true? Did you allow civilians to abuse our men in our own halls?"
Shisui lowered his head, his shadow long on the floor. "I didn't want it to escalate... I thought if I explained—"
"You don't explain the law to a rioter, Shisui," Fugaku snapped. Even a man as cautious as Fugaku couldn't ignore the blow to the clan's prestige.
Hiko took the opening. "Patriarch, I personally believe Shisui is ill-suited for the position of Captain. A leader who cannot protect the dignity of his subordinates has no business leading them. If he enjoys 'explaining' so much, transfer him to the new Complaint Department. He can be a peacemaker there."
The room held its breath. It was a bold move—effectively demoting a Mangekyo wielder to a desk job.
Fugaku looked at the eager, expectant faces of the younger generation. He saw the fire Hiko had lit in them. He looked at Shisui's defeated posture. "I will take it under consideration," Fugaku said heavily.
The New Creed
Hiko turned back to the room. He didn't wait for Fugaku's permission. He raised his hand, and the attention of every officer in the building snapped to him.
"Remember who you are!" Hiko's voice echoed through the rafters. "Beyond this badge, you are Uchiha! We are the masters of the Eye, the first clan of the Ninja World! The dignity of our blood cannot be trampled on by anyone—not farmers, not bureaucrats, and not the village!"
He stepped closer to the men. "Uchiha does not wag its tail for scraps. We do not bow for 'good impressions.' We stand tall, or we don't stand at all! Our pride is our strength!"
"UCHIHA!" Zhiyan roared, thrusting a fist into the air.
"UCHIHA!" the room answered in a deafening chorus.
Fugaku watched from the shadows of the doorway, his heart pounding. He saw a new Uchiha being born—one that was aggressive, unified, and dangerous. He looked at Hiko and realized that the "Lone Wolf" had just become the Alpha.