Uchiha No Longer Protect Their Own?

The entrance to Konoha Hospital was already surrounded by people.

A noisy jumble of shouting and crying filled the air. Several members of the Konoha Military Police Force, wearing vests emblazoned with the Uchiha Clan Crest, stood in a row before the hospital entrance, hands on their sword hilts. They faced off against several agitated villagers, their expressions arrogant.

"Back up! All of you, back up!"

The Uchiha leading them was named Uchiha Ryo, a trusted subordinate of Uchiha Setsuna.

He looked at the crowd of civilians before him with disdain, as if they were nothing but ants. "The Police Force is investigating a case. No unauthorized personnel are allowed near! Anyone who takes another step forward will be obstructing official business. We'll arrest every last one of you!"

"What case?! You beat someone half to death, and now you won't even let his family see him?!" A middle-aged woman cried out and tried to rush past, but they shoved her roughly to the ground.

"He brought it on himself! He dared to insult the Uchiha in public. This is what he gets!" Uchiha Ryo sneered.

The crowd erupted into an uproar. Even the villagers who had only come to watch now had anger flaring in their eyes.

In the shadows among the crowd, several inconspicuous figures were quietly fanning the flames.

"Look at them! That's the Uchiha for you! They don't treat us like people!"

"They beat someone nearly to death and then sealed off the hospital. They're trying to kill him to keep him quiet!"

The situation was on the verge of spiraling out of control and turning into a violent clash.

"Stop!"

A furious shout infused with Chakra cracked through the air like thunder.

Uchiha Fugaku strode over, his expression so dark it seemed he might start dripping water. Nishikawa Tetsu, Namikaze Minato, and several Uchiha clan members followed close behind.

When Uchiha Ryo saw the Young Clan Leader arrive, he didn't rein himself in. Instead, he seemed to have found someone to back him up. Pointing at the woman on the ground, he said:

"Captain Fugaku, you've come at just the right time. These unruly civilians tried to break through the Police Force's cordon, and that drunk even insulted our clan..."

"Smack!"

The sharp crack of a slap instantly silenced the uproar.

Uchiha Ryo clutched his rapidly swelling cheek and stared at Fugaku in disbelief. "C-Captain?"

"Who gave you the right to draw your weapons on the villagers?"

Fugaku's voice was low and strained, a storm churning in his dark eyes. "The Police Force is responsible for maintaining order, not spreading fear. Put your weapons away!"

"But... Elder Setsuna said the Uchiha's dignity must never be violated..." Uchiha Ryo tried to explain.

"I'm the captain here!"

Fugaku suddenly grabbed Uchiha Ryo by the collar and lifted him up. His gaze was as vicious as a tiger about to pounce on its prey.

"You severely injured someone and then strutted around like you owned the place. Is that what you call protecting our dignity? You're bringing shame on the Uchiha!"

With that, Fugaku flung him toward Minato behind him.

"Namikaze Minato, as a special adviser to the Police Force, confiscate his ninja tools, strip off his vest, and take him to the holding cell! No one is to let him out without my orders!"

Minato reacted swiftly, immediately pinning Uchiha Ryo's hands behind his back. His face still wore his trademark smile, but his grip was so strong that Ryo couldn't move.

"Sorry about this."

The scene left everyone present utterly stunned.

The watching villagers stared, mouths agape, unable to believe their eyes.

The Uchiha, who had always been arrogant and protective of their own, had punished one of their clan in public?

And for a civilian?

"Senior Fugaku, leave the rest to me."

Nishikawa Tetsu stepped forward from behind. He paid no attention to the stunned members of the Police Force and walked straight over to the woman who had fallen to the ground.

He crouched down and took a spotless handkerchief from his pocket, offering it to her with a courteous, gentle gesture. "Ma'am, I'm truly sorry. The Police Force failed in its oversight. I'm Nishikawa Tetsu, Captain Fugaku's assistant."

"Please don't worry about your husband's injuries." Nishikawa Tetsu gestured toward the hospital entrance. "The best Medical Ninja are already treating him inside. The Police Force will cover all of his medical expenses, lost wages, and recovery costs."

"Also..."

Nishikawa Tetsu stood and turned to face the crowd. He raised his voice so it carried clearly to everyone there:

"Captain Uchiha Fugaku has just ordered the immediate dismissal and investigation of the officers involved in this violent abuse of authority. The Police Force will never protect any rotten apple!"

"If you don't believe us, you can come see the notice board outside the Police Force headquarters tomorrow. We'll make the results of the hearing public!"

The crowd fell silent for a moment, then broke into hushed whispers.

"Is that true? The Uchiha really admitted they were wrong?"

"That captain was fierce. He even hit one of his own..."

"Looks like what the papers said was true. Captain Fugaku really is an honorable man."

The Root shinobi in the shadows changed expression. They were just about to stir things up again when they noticed several sharp gazes fixed on them.

They belonged to the Uchiha elite who had come with Uchiha Fugaku.

Seeing that things had turned against them, the Root shinobi quickly withdrew.

Half an hour later, outside the hospital's emergency room.

"How is he?"

Fugaku immediately approached the doctor as he came out.

"We saved his life."

The doctor removed his mask, looking somewhat perplexed. "However... I detected traces of a special stimulant in the injured man's blood. The drug can make someone agitated and irrational, and... it dulls their sense of pain."

"So someone used him as a pawn."

Nishikawa Tetsu leaned against the wall, a cold glint flashing in his eyes. "They drugged him, deliberately sent him to provoke the Police Force, then let him get beaten and badly injured to whip up public anger. That's quite a script."

"Danzo..." Fugaku slammed his fist into the wall, cracking it. "That old bastard will stoop to any low trick to take me down."

Other people might not know, but as the Uchiha Young Clan Leader, how could he not know about that old bastard who controlled Root?

"Calm down, senior."

Nishikawa Tetsu held back the furious Fugaku. "This may not be a bad thing. Danzo has handed us the perfect opportunity to establish our authority."

"What do you mean?"

"Think about it. If you'd protected your clan member this time, it would have confirmed the Uchiha's reputation for tyranny. But instead, you punished him in public and stood up for a civilian."

Nishikawa Tetsu's lips curled into a smile.

"That's called putting justice before family."

"Tomorrow, I'll have the newspaper rush out a special edition. I've already come up with the headline: 'Impartial and Unrelenting! Uchiha Young Clan Leader Brings Himself to Tears as He Punishes a Clansman to Restore Justice to Konoha!'"

Fugaku's mouth twitched. He was starting to feel like hitting someone again.

"Can't you come up with a more normal headline?"

"No. It's all about the views." Nishikawa Tetsu shrugged.

"But public opinion alone isn't enough."

Nishikawa Tetsu's expression turned serious. He took a document from his pocket and handed it to Fugaku.

"Since Danzo has given us an excuse, let's make the most of it. We can use the need to reform discipline in the Police Force as grounds for a thorough purge."

"Replace all the hardliners Elder Setsuna placed in key positions."

"We already have the perfect justification: their poor judgment could easily cause clashes between the Police Force and the villagers, damaging the Uchiha's reputation."

Fugaku looked at the list and took a deep breath.

It was a sharp blade. Now that he'd drawn it, it had to draw blood.

Only this time, the blood would come from the rotten flesh within the Uchiha clan.

"Fine."

A resolute gleam flashed in Fugaku's eyes.

"We'll act tonight. Minato, take a team and secure control of the Third Squad. It's full of Setsuna's people."

"Understood!" Minato nodded, not the least bit hesitant.

"Tetsu, contact the Nara Clan. Ask them to prepare an official report on this incident and have it placed on the Hokage's desk first thing tomorrow morning."

"No problem."

Looking at Fugaku now, Nishikawa Tetsu finally saw a hint of what a true leader looked like.

No longer being dragged along by his clan. No longer letting his emotions control him.

Outside, the moon was hidden, and the wind howled.

Tonight, the Uchiha Clan Compound was destined to remain sleepless.