"Captain, everyone's here."
Uchiha Tekka stood at the front, with over a dozen clan members behind him—the full roster of on-duty personnel for the Military Police today.
Uchiha Tekka stood at the front, with over a dozen clan members behind him—the full roster of on-duty personnel for the Military Police today.
Like many long-standing clans, the Uchiha often reused names across generations. The Tekka and Inabi of this era were predecessors of names that would appear again decades later.
Under normal circumstances, most of them would be out patrolling Konoha's commercial streets and food districts.
Even after eight years of war, civilian life in Konoha had remained largely stable.
Life-and-death battles were the concern of shinobi.
What did that have to do with ordinary people?
On that point, the Five Great Villages had a tacit understanding.
The smaller villages, however, were a different story.
When things fell apart, they turned inward—seizing civilian property, exploiting their own people.
Some shinobi even deserted outright, becoming rogue ninja to avoid being sent to die, knowing their villages lacked the power to hunt them down.
As a result, refugees from smaller nations steadily flowed toward the Five Great Villages.
And among them—
Konoha was the most desirable destination.
While the number of active shinobi had decreased due to the war, Konoha's civilian population had actually grown.
The village prospered.
Commerce flourished.
And with it—
The workload of the Uchiha Military Police skyrocketed.
More people meant more trouble.
Petty theft, disputes, disturbances—endless minor incidents that all fell under their jurisdiction.
And hidden among the civilians…
Spies.
Agents from other great villages.
The Police Force often worked in secret coordination with the ANBU to quietly eliminate them.
"Captain, what's this about? Calling in everyone on duty like this—we've been swamped these past few days."
"Yeah, Captain. What's the status on expanding our department? The Hokage still hasn't given a response. We're seriously understaffed. At this rate, we might as well start pulling in civilians from the clan to help manage things."
"…"
Uchiha Inabi stood behind Tekka, already complaining.
He and Tekka were twins.
They had fought alongside Ren on the battlefield.
Unlike standard Konoha shinobi, they weren't officially registered within the village system.
They were trained internally by the Uchiha—
Private forces.
Even those had been partially deployed during the war.
The twins had a good relationship with Ren. After all, they had fought together—and Ren had once saved Inabi's life.
The moment he walked in, Inabi had started venting nonstop.
"Captain, honestly, I'd rather stay on the front lines than deal with this trivial nonsense every day."
"Captain?"
Ren didn't respond.
He simply stared at him.
That gaze—
It made Inabi's heart tighten.
The last time the captain looked like this…
They had been trapped inside a cave, surrounded by over a dozen elite Kumogakure jonin.
If not for Ren erupting in a burst of overwhelming power, they would all have died there.
"C-Captain… did I say something wrong?"
Inabi forced a laugh, glancing at his brother for help.
"Inabi, shut up."
Tekka smacked him on the head.
"The captain hasn't spoken yet. Stop running your mouth."
Then he turned back toward Ren, waiting.
The rest of the Uchiha fell silent as well.
Though Ren was known within the clan as approachable and mild-mannered, no one dared test his patience.
On the battlefield—
He was a monster.
Lightning cloaked his body.
Within that dazzling brilliance, a blade flashed—
And heads fell before anyone could react.
His position as captain wasn't handed to him.
He had earned it through war.
Through blood.
And today—
Something about him felt different.
"Inabi," Ren finally said, rising slowly to his feet, releasing Kuro from his hands.
"You were just complaining that the Hokage hasn't approved the expansion of the Police Force?"
"…Was I wrong?"
Inabi rubbed his head, still feeling the sting from his brother's hit.
Ren let out a cold chuckle.
"The expansion will have to wait."
He paused.
"The Hokage won't be approving anything anymore."
Silence.
Then—
"Just now, I received confirmation."
"The Second Hokage… has fallen."
The words landed like a hammer.
Every Uchiha present froze.
"Captain…?"
"You're joking, right?"
"The Hokage… died?"
"And during negotiations?"
Tekka's voice carried disbelief.
To him, the very idea was absurd.
Senju Tobirama—
A man infamous for his cunning.
Among the elders who had survived the Warring States era, even their curses were consistent:
Cunning.
Ruthless.
A schemer with a black heart.
Some had even said—
"With how slippery Tobirama is, he'll probably outlive all of us."
"For decades, the Uchiha won't have a chance."
"Who in this clan can outplay that bastard?"
"Heaven truly doesn't favor the Uchiha…"
Tekka had grown up hearing those words.
Even those who hated Tobirama to the bone…
Still agreed on one thing.
He was not someone who died easily.
"Do I look like I'm joking?"
Ren's voice was steady.
"According to my intelligence—Kinkaku and Ginkaku staged a coup during the negotiations."
"They ambushed both the Second Raikage and Lord Tobirama."
"The Raikage died."
"Lord Tobirama was heavily injured and forced to retreat with the guard unit."
"They were pursued by an elite force."
Ren's eyes narrowed slightly.
"And in the end—"
"He chose to stay behind."
"To draw the enemy away."
"To ensure the others could escape."
Silence.
A suffocating, heavy silence.
Tekka felt his head buzzing.
If anyone else had said this—
He would have slapped them on the spot.
What kind of nonsense was this?
Since when did a Hokage cover the retreat of his subordinates?
What kind of guard unit lets their Kage die for them?
Even if they survived—
Wouldn't that be the greatest disgrace imaginable?
The room remained still.
But beneath that stillness—
Something was beginning to shift.
And no one yet knew…
Just how far the consequences would spread.
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