The accusation hit like a hammer. Not only the woman but everyone watching went pale. They instinctively backed away, afraid they might get caught in the fallout.
Several Root members hidden in the crowd had been trying to stir people up and further tarnish the Uchiha's reputation. Now they fell silent too.
This Uchiha had invoked the Second Hokage himself. How could they keep talking?
After all, the Second Hokage had been their superior Shimura Danzō's teacher!
If they kept slandering him now, wouldn't they be speaking ill of Lord Danzo's teacher?
Did they want to ruin their chances of promotion?
"Y-you're talking nonsense! I... I didn't!" The woman could barely string a sentence together.
Petty troublemakers who knew little of the world often panicked when falsely accused and trapped themselves with their own words. That was exactly what Xuanye intended.
As though he had caught another flaw in what she said, Xuanye pressed his advantage.
"You say I'm talking nonsense. Are you saying the Second Hokage didn't establish the Uchiha Security Force? Or are you saying our Security Division has wronged you?"
"You dare question a policy laid down by the Second Hokage?!"
"Do you know that the Second Hokage was the beloved teacher of the Lord Third, Sarutobi Hiruzen, the Hokage Assistant, and the two Hokage Advisor Elders?"
"I'd say you're not merely showing disrespect to the Second Hokage. You're placing yourself above all of Konoha."
"I... I..."
Uchiha Genya's voice was perfectly calm, with even a hint of mockery.
But the woman was so frightened she could barely speak. She didn't dare finish a sentence.
She was afraid that if she said anything else, he would seize on another slip and level an even graver accusation.
The onlookers were dumbstruck. The smarter ones kept backing away, eager to leave the scene.
Wait, was that something he could just say out loud?
He might dare say it, but I don't even dare listen! The woman bearing the accusation stood frozen, cold sweat pouring off her.
If she hadn't had one last shred of composure, she might have fainted on the spot.
Xuanye swept his crimson Sharingan over the two stunned Uchiha Security Force members.
"What are you waiting for? Arrest this reactionary who dares place herself above all of Konoha and plots rebellion!"
Uchiha Genya had pinned one final charge on her: rebellion.
It had been nothing more than an ordinary street dispute, yet Uchiha Genya had forced it into a capital offense.
If the charge of rebellion stuck, this ignorant troublemaker might well be found tomorrow with a dozen Kunai in her back, her death ruled a suicide.
"Yes, sir!" they answered in unison.
The two Uchiha were not Xuanye's subordinates, but under his gaze, they instinctively snapped to attention and obeyed.
As if obeying Xuanye were the most natural thing in the world.
They ignored the Genin who had caused the earlier disturbance and went straight for the loudmouthed woman, pinning her to the ground.
Arresting a Genin for causing trouble in the street and catching a reactionary brought very different rewards.
Only then did she come to her senses and reach out to the surrounding crowd.
"Help! The Uchiha Security Force is beating me! Somebody save me!"
But none of the onlookers moved. Even her Genin husband lowered his head, trying to make himself as inconspicuous as possible.
He was completely sober now, and cold sweat was pouring off him.
Placing herself above Konoha and plotting rebellion!
Either accusation would be enough to ruin a Jonin.
For ordinary people like them, it was far worse.
Xuanye was very pleased with the attitude of these Konoha troublemakers.
In his view, the Uchiha had been too lenient in the past, giving them the mistaken impression that the clan was easy to push around.
Now that the Security Division had brought down the hammer, they finally knew fear.
Watching the crowd fall silent and tremble like quail, Xuanye appreciated just how effective the old-school approach was.
Xuanye waved a hand. "Take this criminal who plotted to overthrow Konoha back to the Uchiha Security Force. Interrogate her thoroughly and find out if she has accomplices!"
"If you find any, deal with them severely. Show no leniency!"
"Yes, sir!" they answered in unison.
The two Uchiha Security Force members dragged the woman back to the Konoha Security Division like a dead dog. To stop her shouting along the way, one of them struck her hard across the mouth with a baton.
Once she was in the Security Division's Prison, they could even make her confess to trying to assassinate the First.
The onlookers parted to let them through. No one dared block the two Uchiha Security Force members.
After all, no one wanted to be branded an "accomplice."
The two Uchiha, meanwhile, felt wonderfully refreshed.
It seemed that since the Uchiha Security Force had been established, they had never had such a satisfying moment.
Was that the newly appointed Captain Genya? Should we put in a transfer request to join his squad?
If we followed him, maybe we wouldn't have to swallow these troublemakers' abuse every day!
Several people in the crowd exchanged glances, each sensing that something had gone badly wrong.
In the past, the Uchiha Security Force had taken blows and insults without fighting or talking back.
But today, in front of everyone, they had blatantly pinned a charge on someone, as though Konoha's laws meant nothing to them.
They had to tell Lord Danzo as soon as possible. The Uchiha seemed to be slipping out of control!
With his work done, Xuanye returned to the Ichiraku Ramen Shop.
The noodles in front of him had not quite gone cold. They had clumped a little, but they still tasted the same.
Uncle Teuchi had witnessed what happened. Seeing Xuanye back to his warm, easygoing self, he hesitated.
"She only made a few remarks. Did you really have to send her to Prison?"
And judging by the blood around the woman's mouth, even if she was released later, she would carry the trauma for the rest of her life.
Xuanye sat back down and smiled. "As long as everyone obeys the law, the Uchiha Police Force will be their safest haven."
"But if anyone tries to challenge the order the Second Hokage established, the Uchiha Security Force will remind them why the Uchiha are called the foremost clan in the Ninja World and why they control the Konoha Security Division."
Teuchi opened his mouth, then decided against saying anything more.
He only sold ramen. All he needed to do was his job each day.
As Xuanye had said, the Uchiha had never targeted ordinary people.