“I just said a couple of words to him, so what?” the civilian struggled.
“He bumped into me first!
How can you arrest me?!” “So what if I arrest you?” Tonka sneered.
“Being arrested by the Uchiha Clan is your honor!” “You!” The civilian turned red with rage.
The surrounding onlookers couldn’t hold back anymore either.
“So what if you’re Uchiha?
Are you above the law?” “Exactly!
Arresting the wrong person and acting like you’re in the right!” “Can the Police Force just arrest whoever they want?” Tonka swept his glare across them.
“What, got a problem?” He released the civilian and rested a hand on his ninja tool pouch.
“Anyone with a problem, step forward.
I’ll arrest all of you together!” The crowd went instantly quiet.
No one dared to speak.
Obito couldn’t watch this any longer.
He took a step forward.
“Tonka, you—” Before he could finish, Makoto Uchiha pulled him back.
“Makoto-niisan?” Obito looked back.
“Stay out of it,” Makoto whispered.
“But…” “I said, stay out of it.” Obito looked into Makoto’s eyes.
In those eyes, there was no anger, no excitement.
There was only calm—a chilling, blood-curdling calm.
Obito gritted his teeth and stepped back.
Tonka glanced at them, let out a sneer, and dragged the civilian away.
The crowd dispersed, buzzing with discontent.
“The Uchiha are getting more overbearing by the day.” “Exactly.
Arresting someone over such a small thing.” “Is the Police Force their personal family business?” “It always has been.” Obito hung his head, his fists tightly clenched.
“Makoto-niisan, why didn’t you stop him?” Makoto didn’t answer right away.
He pulled Obito and Guy along as they walked toward home.
After walking a distance, Obito asked again, “Makoto-niisan, why didn’t you let me stop him?” Makoto stopped in his tracks and looked at Obito.
“What did you want to stop?” he asked.
“Stop…
stop him from making arbitrary arrests,” Obito said.
“The Police Force is supposed to maintain public order, not bully people.” “You’re right,” Makoto nodded.
“But do you know why the Police Force was handed over to the Uchiha in the first place?” Obito froze for a moment.
“Because…
because the Uchiha are powerful?” “Because Konoha wants the Uchiha dead,” Makoto said.
Obito’s eyes widened.
Guy was stunned as well.
“Konoha handed the greatest authority to the Uchiha not out of trust, but to set us up to fail,” Makoto continued.
“By wielding this power, the Uchiha offend everyone.
The civilians hate us, the other clans hate us, and the higher-ups are delighted to sit back and watch.” “Once the Uchiha have offended enough people, Konoha can justify saying that the Uchiha abused their authority, oppressed civilians, and are unfit to run the Police Force.” “Then they’ll strip away our power, suppress us, ostracize us, and in the end…” He didn’t finish, but Obito understood.
“But…
but we can change that!” Obito said.
“We can use this authority properly and stop bullying people.” “What good does it do if you’re the only one changing?” Makoto asked.
“Will Tonka change?
Will the other Uchiha change?
They’ll only think you’re an idiot and a traitor to the clan.” Obito fell silent.
He lowered his head, his shoulders trembling slightly.
“Obito.” Makoto patted his shoulder.
“If you want to change things, get strong first.” “Strong enough that when you speak, people listen.” “Strong enough that when you act, people notice.” “Strong enough…
that you can protect the people you want to protect.” Obito raised his head, his eyes slightly red.
“Then…
how strong do I need to be?” “Strong enough…” Makoto thought for a second.
“Strong enough that Konoha wouldn’t dare touch you.” “Strong enough that the Uchiha wouldn’t dare criticize you.” “Strong enough…
that you can do whatever you want.” Obito fell silent.
Guy was silent as well.
The three of them kept walking.
“Makoto-niisan,” Obito suddenly spoke up.
“I will become strong.” “Incredibly strong.” “Strong enough…
to change all of this.” Makoto glanced at him.
“Mm!
I believe in you.” *** In the following days, daily life resumed as usual.
“Makoto-niisan, what’s wrong with your eyes?” At the training ground, Obito stared at Makoto’s face, deeply concerned.
Makoto blinked a few times, then rubbed his eyes.
“I don’t know.
Lately, they’ve been itchy and feeling swollen,” he pretended casually.
“It feels like something is about to grow out of them.” Obito was stunned.
Itchy eyes?
Swollen eyes?
For the Uchiha Clan, what else could grow out of their eyes besides the Sharingan?!
“Makoto-niisan!” Obito suddenly grabbed Makoto’s shoulders, his voice shaking.
“Are…
are you about to awaken your eyes?!” “Awaken my eyes?” Makoto put on a completely bewildered look.
“Awaken what eyes?” “The Sharingan!” Obito’s face flushed with excitement.
“Our Uchiha Clan’s Sharingan!
Uncomfortable eyes are supposed to be a sign of awakening!” Makoto laughed silently inside.
*Hook, line, and sinker.* Yet he kept a stern expression on his face: “That’s ridiculous, isn’t it?
I’m only six years old.
Besides, isn’t the Sharingan awakened through intense emotional distress?
I’ve been eating well and sleeping well these past few days.
Where would any emotional trigger come from?” “That’s not necessarily true!” Obito shook his head vigorously.
“Makoto-niisan, you’re a genius!
How could a genius awaken their eyes like an ordinary person?
Maybe you’re the type where…
where it just happens naturally when the time is right!” *Happens naturally when the time is right.* Makoto almost burst out laughing.
That choice of words was surprisingly fitting.
“Alright, alright,” he waved his hand.
“Stop making wild guesses.
Maybe it’s just eye fatigue from training too hard lately.” “No!
It definitely is!” Obito insisted.
“Makoto-niisan, we have to tell the Clan Leader and the Elders!
Awakening the Sharingan at six years old is a huge deal!” Makoto’s heart tightened.
Tell the Clan Leader?
Tell the Elders?
That would be disastrous.
He hurriedly held Obito back.
“Don’t!
Whatever you do, don’t!” “Why?” Obito asked in confusion.
“Awakening at six is such an honor!
The Clan Leader will definitely be thrilled, and maybe he’ll even reward you!” “Reward my ass,” Makoto rolled his eyes.
“My eyes are just uncomfortable right now; I haven’t actually awakened them.
If you run around boasting that I’m about to awaken my Sharingan, and a few days later it turns out to just be an eye infection, wouldn’t I become a laughingstock?” Obito opened his mouth, unable to argue.
“Think about it,” Makoto continued his bluster.
“If the whole clan knows Makoto Uchiha is about to awaken his Sharingan, and the Elders eagerly come to check, only to find out I just have pink eye, I’ll never be able to hold my head up in the clan again.” Obito thought about it.
That…
actually made sense.
“But…” He was still a bit reluctant.
“What if you really do awaken it?” “We’ll talk about it when it actually happens,” Makoto patted his shoulder.
“Nothing is certain yet, so don’t go shouting it everywhere.
Keep a low profile, got it?
Discretion is king.” Obito agonized for a long time before finally nodding.
“Alright,” he said.
“I won’t tell.” “Good, don’t tell anyone,” Makoto let out a sigh of relief.
“Not even Rin.” “Not even Rin?”