Kei suddenly opened his eyes.
He had figured everything out.
If you’re brave, you don’t fear difficulties.
Just do it.
A bright smile spread across his face.
Now that he had a way to deal with everything, he tossed his worries aside and turned to Uchiha Hotaru.
“Hotaru.” “Notify everyone.” “We’re conducting an inspection today.” “Yes, sir!” Without asking a single question, Hotaru vanished with the Body Flicker Technique, heading off to find her husband, Uchiha Maru, and relay Kei’s orders.
That was one of the greatest strengths of Kei’s summoned followers.
They carried out every order without question.
Of course, that unwavering trust had been earned over the past two years.
Kei had reconciled the longstanding feud between the Iga Group and the Kōga Group.
He had brought together lovers separated by factional hatred.
He had given those whose affections had gone unanswered a new purpose in life.
He had transformed people who once saw themselves as mere tools into people with dreams of their own.
Watching everyone bustle about, the once run-down compound became lively once more.
Yet Kei merely shook his head.
“We’re running out of room.” “Once the Red-Eye Clan arrives…” “Things will become even more crowded.” “It’s about time we found a new base.” Although today’s decision had been made on impulse, the contingency plan had existed for a long time.
Normally, whenever Kei left the compound, only a few dozen elite shinobi accompanied him.
The majority remained behind to protect both headquarters and their leader.
Small teams would then disperse to carry out various missions.
But the moment Kei announced that everyone was going out…
Contingency Plan One automatically took effect.
No one ever knew when that order would come.
But everyone knew exactly what they were supposed to do once it did.
Everyone moved…
Except for the handful of orphans who had endured hardship alongside Kei in the past.
Every member of Kei’s faction sprang into action.
There was a saying: Success depends on secrecy.
Failure comes through carelessness.
Those orphans who had once shared food with him…
Who had stood behind him in support…
Could no longer be fully trusted.
To the rest of the Uchiha…
To all of Konoha…
They were still regarded as an inseparable part of Kei’s faction.
Even they themselves believed as much.
But in Kei’s eyes…
Ever since they had stepped into the Hokage’s sunlight and begun believing in Konoha’s future…
Their paths had already diverged from his.
With a single command from Kei, nearly two hundred Uchiha immediately began preparing as though marching off to war.
Weapons.
Supplies.
Medical equipment.
Everything was packed with military precision.
Anything unnecessary was discarded.
Only essential belongings remained.
Within minutes…
A lightly equipped but impeccably disciplined force assembled in the square before the Uchiha compound.
They wore the unmistakable uniforms of the Shinsengumi.
The style was unlike anything else in Konoha.
Every uniform was perfectly tailored.
Waist cinched.
Sleeves fitted.
And with the Uchiha Clan seemingly blessed with an endless supply of handsome men and women blessed with long limbs…
They wore those uniforms exceptionally well.
The clothing made them appear even more imposing.
Apart from a handful of special Purple-tier Summon shinobi whose unique techniques had drastically altered their physiques—such as Jōsuke, whose body was unusually bulky, or others who appeared unnaturally gaunt—the rest of the Uchiha were uniformly strong and athletic.
Years of disciplined living had instilled in them an air of noble elegance.
Their education…
Their artistic refinement…
Their meticulous bearing…
All combined to create an image that was almost impossibly perfect.
True…
Clan Head Fugaku often criticized the uniforms as flashy clothing that served no practical purpose beyond looking handsome.
What does that country bumpkin know?
Strength is only ever a matter of training.
But style lasts a lifetime.
Ever since adopting those uniforms, Kei’s Shinsengumi had become the object of admiration for countless young people throughout Konoha.
Even the Hokage had privately admitted that no attire better embodied the spirit of the Will of Fire.
Strong.
Elegant.
Disciplined.
Unfortunately…
Konoha simply couldn’t afford to outfit its tens of thousands of shinobi in uniforms of that quality.
Even more unfortunate…
The people wearing them…
Were Uchiha.
As the two hundred shinobi gathered together…
An overwhelming pressure spread across the square.
It was astonishing.
A village with over a hundred thousand civilians and tens of thousands of shinobi…
Fell silent because of only two hundred people.
Kei gave a single command.
“Move out.” The formation advanced.
Only two hundred shinobi…
Yet they marched with the momentum of an army numbering in the thousands.
The entire village erupted into chaos.
The ordinary members of the Uchiha Clan who had no idea what was happening immediately burst into cheers.
Who cared where these newcomers were going?
Just looking at them made the Uchiha proud.
Meanwhile…
The elders from the other branches of the clan, who had been secretly discussing matters among themselves, immediately panicked upon hearing the news.
They became cautious…
Almost frightened.
The villagers of Konoha were even worse.
Over the past few years, they had long since stopped fearing the ordinary Uchiha serving in the Konoha Military Police Force.
Whenever disputes over public order or local regulations arose…
As long as someone clashed with the Uchiha…
The ANBU would inevitably step in and side with the civilians.
Once that happened often enough…
Who still respected the Military Police?
People simply found them annoying.
Their authority gradually evaporated.
The Uchiha themselves were equally frustrated.
The Military Police Force was the last meaningful authority the clan still possessed.
They had to defend it.
They had to perform their duties faithfully.
Yet the indecisive attitude of the clan’s upper leadership meant that whenever conflicts arose with the ANBU…
The officers dared not escalate matters too far.
The result?
The already unpopular Uchiha police became increasingly constrained.
Increasingly powerless.
But Kei’s Shinsengumi were different.
Whenever they enforced the law…
They didn’t care who had started the trouble.
As long as the other party wasn’t an Uchiha…
They overturned the table first and asked questions later.
If the ANBU arrived to mediate…
They’d receive a slap or two for their trouble.
If there happened to be a dog nearby…
It might get kicked.
If a child had already finished their homework…
They might even tear it up just because they could.
If it was merely two civilians fighting…
Both would receive equal punishment.
But if someone had clashed with an Uchiha…
They had better consider themselves unlucky.
At least the ANBU maintained the appearance of impartiality.
The Shinsengumi…
Didn’t even bother pretending.
Their favoritism toward fellow Uchiha was completely open.
It didn’t matter how many years you had lived in Konoha.
It didn’t matter who was right.
It didn’t matter who was wrong.
The moment they arrived…
They would point at you and say: “We suspect you’re an enemy spy infiltrating Konoha.” “Come with us.” There was nowhere to appeal.
Because they had no interest in reason.
Hanging prominently inside the entrance hall of the Shinsengumi detention facility was a banner that read: “We stand with our own, not with abstract justice.” Anyone who saw those words immediately understood one thing.
I’m finished.
Spend fifteen days locked up.
Reflect on your actions.
Pay a hefty fine.
Then you could go home.
Couldn’t afford it?
That was your problem.
Plenty of people disappeared into illegal labor camps and were never seen again.
Was Konoha really going to go to war with the Shinsengumi over a few ordinary civilians?
Of course not.
Over the past two years…
The villagers had learned their lesson.
Throwing tantrums worked against the ordinary Military Police.
Against the Shinsengumi…
Courtesy was the only sensible option.
Admit your mistake.
Offer compensation.
Be polite.
Because there wasn’t a single righteous authority left who would stand up for you.
Even Shisui Uchiha, famous for his sense of justice…
And even the eldest son of the Sarutobi Clan…
Had both been beaten by the Shinsengumi before.
They gave face to no one.
To Konoha’s leadership…
And even to the senior leadership of the Uchiha Clan…
The Shinsengumi’s behavior was outrageous.
It deepened the rift between Konoha and the Uchiha.
It created conflict.
It undermined unity.
It was intolerable.
But to the ordinary members of the Uchiha…
This…
This was exactly what the Konoha Military Police Force should have been.
So when the Shinsengumi assembled…
They cheered without hesitation.
Who cared where they were going?
Someone who had offended the Uchiha was probably about to have a very bad day.
The villagers, meanwhile, reacted very differently.
Entire streets fell silent.
Parents hurriedly carried their children indoors.
Shopkeepers didn’t dare close their stores, afraid the Shinsengumi might misunderstand.
Instead, they quickly cleaned away anything cluttering the storefront.
Then the entire family stood respectfully at the entrance…
Bowing politely…
Remaining that way until the Shinsengumi had completely passed.
Only then did they dare straighten their backs.
It was humility bordering on fear.
The Uchiha elders had never been able to understand this.
Why was it…
That the Uchiha who tried to be fair, restrained, and reasonable were hated by the village…
While the Shinsengumi, who behaved little better than tyrants…
Inspired such respect?
The answer was simple.
People often fear power more than they appreciate virtue.
They may observe small courtesies…
Yet care little for higher principles.
That described many ordinary people all too well.
The elders never understood it.
But Uchiha Kei understood it perfectly.
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