Lord Yatsuhashi

"Back already?"

Uchiha Uruchi was wiping the table, and seeing Yatsuhashi enter, a gentle smile appeared on her face.

"Did the mission go smoothly these past few days?"

Because she knew her son had joined the Anbu, Uruchi had long since grown accustomed to Yatsuhashi's occasional disappearances.

In her mind, those Anbu ninjas were all elusive, and unpredictable whereabouts were the norm.

"Yeah, it was alright," Yatsuhashi replied vaguely. "I learned some new things these past few days."

"You must be starving, right? Sit and wait a moment, Mom will make you something."

Uruchi turned around and busied herself at the griddle again.

Just as Yatsuhashi picked up his chopsticks, Uruchi poked her head out, lowering her voice mysteriously.

"By the way, that girl named Anko has been asking me about you these past few days."

Yatsuhashi's hand, holding the Okonomiyaki, froze. "What... did she ask you?"

"Nothing much," Uruchi shrugged, smiling with a meaningful look.

"Whenever she helps out, she often asks me: 'Auntie, is Yatsuhashi back yet?'"

Yatsuhashi's chopsticks hovered in mid-air, trembling slightly.

Uruchi paused, then added, "She also said, once you get back, don't forget to find her at the Ninja Academy."

"...Got it."

Yatsuhashi guiltily shoveled a large mouthful of Okonomiyaki into his mouth.

Returning to his rented room and seeing the place cleaned until it was spotless, Yatsuhashi actually felt a sense of unfamiliarity.

Fortunately, he was the only one left in the room this time.

Sensing the faint fragrance still lingering in the air, Yatsuhashi sighed helplessly.

Just as he was preparing to review the sealing jutsu he had learned today, a rapid knocking sounded at the door.

"Knock, knock, knock!"

The urgent knocking echoed.

This made Yatsuhashi's heart tighten; he thought Anko had tracked him down so quickly.

"Open the door! The clan leader sent me to get you!"

Hearing Uchiha Tekka's impatient voice, Yatsuhashi finally breathed a sigh of relief and pulled the door open.

Tekka unceremoniously tossed a neatly folded Konoha Military Police Force uniform into Yatsuhashi's arms.

"The clan leader wants you to join the Military Police Force."

Yatsuhashi was just about to refuse.

Tekka interrupted him, "It's an honorary position!"

His tone carried unconcealed jealousy.

"It's just a name on the roster; you don't have to go to the Military Police Force regularly, and it won't affect your status in the Anbu."

Tekka stared at Yatsuhashi, his eyes full of resentment.

Most of the Uchiha Clan served in the Military Police Force, and those selected by the Hokage to join the Anbu could be counted on one hand.

Currently, apart from Uchiha Shisui, there was only this Yatsuhashi, whose luck was off the charts.

"So what if you awakened the Three-Tomoe Sharingan? What's so great about that!"

The more Tekka thought about it, the angrier he became.

He had also just evolved from a two-tomoe to a Three-Tomoe Sharingan a few days ago.

He had expected to hold his head high, but he didn't even get a summons from the Hokage, let alone an invitation to the Anbu.

Everyone has a Three-Tomoe Sharingan, so what makes you, Yatsuhashi, worthy of entering the Anbu?

Thinking of this, the more Tekka looked at Yatsuhashi, the more displeased he became.

Burning with rage, Tekka's eye sockets suddenly turned red, and he abruptly activated his Three-Tomoe Sharingan.

He prepared to give this arrogant fellow a taste of his own medicine.

Yet, facing the provocation from Uchiha Tekka, Yatsuhashi did not even activate his Sharingan.

He merely offered a faint smile, his gaze meeting the other's with calm indifference.

The next second, their eyes locked in mid-air.

In that very instant, Uchiha Tekka felt as if he had fallen into an ice cellar.

"Ugh..."

His body shuddered violently; the Three-Tomoe Sharingan he usually took such pride in, now, under the gaze of Yatsuhashi's ink-black eyes, actually began to tremble uncontrollably, as if encountering a natural predator, and in a flash, it retracted deep into his pupils, his eyes reverting to ordinary black.

"What... what is going on?!"

Uchiha Tekka was struck with terror; it was one thing to be suppressed when he had two tomoe, but this time, even his Three-Tomoe Sharingan had been forced back by a single glare from Yatsuhashi?!

Yatsuhashi looked at Uchiha Tekka coldly.

"It seems you have forgotten your lesson."

How could a Three-Tomoe Sharingan possibly defeat a Mangekyo? he mused to himself.

Truly ridiculous; this guy is simply delusional.

The Uchiha Tekka before him was just like Tenzō before.

It seemed he was in need of some discipline as well.

"You bastard must have used some forbidden technique!"

Uchiha Tekka roared and prepared to unleash a ninjutsu.

He intended to subdue Yatsuhashi and then force him to reveal the secret behind his ability to suppress the Sharingan.

However, faced with Uchiha Tekka's repeated provocations, Yatsuhashi no longer held back.

His movements were so fast that only afterimages remained.

"Bang!"

A dull thud echoed.

Yatsuhashi landed a heavy punch directly into Uchiha Tekka's abdomen.

This strike was purely a crushing display of Yatsuhashi's base physical strength.

Uchiha Tekka's eyes rolled back instantly, and he nearly fainted on the spot.

He clutched his stomach and staggered backward, his face turning ashen.

"Yatsuhashi! You... how dare you hit me?!"

"Bang!"

Before the words had even left his lips, Yatsuhashi stepped forward and delivered another punch, knocking Uchiha Tekka's legs out from under him.

"Call me Lord Yatsuhashi!"

Yatsuhashi said coldly.

"Yatsuhashi... you..."

Uchiha Tekka was sweating profusely from the pain, still wanting to spout threats.

However, Yatsuhashi raised his hand as if to strike again.

"Lord Yatsuhashi! Lord Yatsuhashi!"

Terrified, Uchiha Tekka quickly changed his tune, his back pressed against the wall, fearing another blow.

"Hmm, that's better."

Yatsuhashi nodded in satisfaction and reached out to pat Uchiha Tekka on the shoulder.

This slight gesture made the other man shudder in fear.

Uchiha Tekka had always relied on his Sharingan, which allowed him to predict and perceive his opponent's movements in advance.

This had ensured he had never suffered a defeat in a taijutsu exchange.

He had never imagined a day like this would come, where he would be completely suppressed by Yatsuhashi's taijutsu.

He could clearly see Yatsuhashi's movements, but his body simply could not keep up.

Was this the gap between them?

After taking a few punches, Uchiha Tekka even forgot about the inexplicable disappearance of his Three-Tomoe Sharingan.

He was completely stunned by the sheer gap in their taijutsu.

Seeing Uchiha Yatsuhashi about to shut the door, Uchiha Tekka endured the sharp pain and hurriedly shouted, "Yatsuhashi, the Clan Head..."

"Hmm?"

Uchiha Yatsuhashi let out a heavy grunt.

Uchiha Tekka's face flickered between shades of green and white, Until he finally forced out, "Lord Yatsuhashi, the Clan Head wishes to see you."

Uchiha Yatsuhashi's lips curled slightly.

"Hmm, that title sounds much more pleasant."

As expected, there was nothing that couldn't be solved with a few punches.

If there was, then just throw a few more.

Besides, he found that the word "Lord" actually sounded quite nice.

Uchiha Yatsuhashi did not know what Uchiha Fugaku wanted with him again.

But as a member of the Uchiha Clan, he could not refuse, So he left Uchiha Tekka behind and headed toward the Ancestral Grounds alone.

As Uchiha Yatsuhashi walked along the bluestone path, His brows were tightly locked.

Strange; at this hour, he would usually see clansmen patrolling, Yet so far, he hadn't encountered a single Uchiha clansman along the way.

Uchiha Yatsuhashi stopped before the gate, staring at the prominent Uchiwa Crest on the doors of the Ancestral Grounds, And for some reason, a bad premonition suddenly rose in his heart.

Just as he hesitated whether to enter, Uchiha Fugaku's cold voice drifted from within.

"Since you're already here, why are you still standing outside?"