Strike First, Report Later-That's the Police Force!

Smack!

With a casual kick from Uchiha Jin, a battered body with disheveled brown hair came crashing down in front of Shisui.

But before Uchiha Shisui could roar in anger, Uchiha Jin's mocking jab followed.

"Aren't you on such good terms with the Anbu? Don't tell me you can't even recognize one of your own!"

Indeed!

On the surface, Uchiha Shisui was a member of the Police Force. Behind the scenes, however, Sarutobi Hiruzen had bought him off long ago. It was no exaggeration to say he was an unofficial member of the Third Hokage's personal Anbu.

Well... basically a temp!

And this...

Was no secret among the Uchiha Clan's upper ranks. After all, Shisui had a grandfather named Kagami Uchiha.

That was exactly why.

Shisui's position within the Uchiha Clan was actually extremely awkward. For a time, he had drifted on the family's fringes.

But this had always been an unspoken understanding among everyone. Now Uchiha Jin had publicly torn away the veil, and Shisui, whose heart had been full of fury, was suddenly overcome by guilt. At last, he emerged from his rage.

This was...

As Uchiha Shisui's gaze scrutinized the body and he used a secret technique unique to the Anbu to examine the chakra traces left behind...

It was true!

The person in front of him really wasn't Anbu!

Shisui abruptly looked up at Uchiha, astonishment in his eyes. He still seemed unable to believe that Uchiha Jin had seen through the "spy's" trick so quickly.

He, Uchiha Shisui, was the real Anbu member, after all. Even if he was only an unofficial one without a salary or stipend, he still shouldn't have made such a serious mistake.

Had I wronged Jin?

Uchiha Shisui felt he must have been worrying too much. That was why he hadn't checked the newcomer's identity right away, nearly putting Uchiha Jin in danger...

Wait a minute!

Shisui had still been making excuses for Uchiha Jin, but as the logical thinking he'd honed over years in the Anbu began to kick in, he suddenly realized there were more details he'd overlooked.

That brown hair...

Those traces of Yin Release chakra with a familiar aura...

And that all-too-familiar, loathsome act of impersonating Anbu...

Ugh!

As Uchiha Shisui kept piecing together the details, beads of sweat formed on his cheeks. The back of his shirt, hidden from view, was already soaked through.

This guy seemed to be from the Yamanaka Clan...

Shisui slowly raised his stiff head again and looked at Uchiha Jin, his expression pleading.

"Th-they... they can't be Root, can they...? Heh... heh heh..."

By the end, Uchiha Shisui couldn't help laughing. Yet anyone could tell from that strange, grating laugh just how hopeless he felt.

They might as well have been real Anbu!

If the dead men really had been Anbu, Shisui believed there would still be room to negotiate with the generous Lord Hokage. As long as Uchiha Jin was willing to atone with his life, perhaps the conflict between the family and the village could be resolved.

But Root!

Just thinking of Shimura Danzō's sinister, domineering face filled Uchiha Shisui with helplessness.

How many times...

Uchiha Shisui had heard that loathsome man sneer "evil Uchiha" from inside the Hokage Building while standing outside it.

He knew very well that throughout Konoha, if Uchiha Jin was the extreme of the "Radical Faction" within the clan, then Shimura Danzō was the other extreme—a "Radical Faction" with his blade pointed straight at the Uchiha.

Now a Root squad had been slaughtered in Konoha on Uchiha Jin's orders. Uchiha Shisui couldn't even begin to imagine what would happen next.

"Oh, so they were Root!"

Uchiha Jin pretended to realize it just then, but his exaggerated expression and unconcerned tone made it clear that he had no regard for Shisui's distress.

His attitude infuriated Shisui, who was already close to breaking. The Mangekyō Sharingan fixed on the man before him once more, and he shouted:

"Do you know what you've done? You're dragging the whole clan down into an abyss of sin!"

"Meh..."

Uchiha Jin nonchalantly picked at his ear with his right pinky. Ignoring Shisui's roar, he turned toward Uchiha Habara, who was walking over.

"Elder Jin, there were eighteen enemy 'spies' in total. They've all been eliminated!"

Uchiha Jin raised his right hand slightly and pointed to his temple, then replied calmly.

"Mm, got it. Clean things up."

"Yes!"

Uchiha Habara shot Shisui a disdainful glance, then turned and directed several men in clearing up the battlefield.

"Did you hear that?"

Only then did Uchiha Jin look back at the bewildered Shisui, speaking with an air of complete nonchalance.

"What?"

Uchiha Shisui had no idea what Jin was doing. After a brief daze, he shouted at Uchiha Jin again.

"They were Root members! How are you going to explain this to Lord Hokage?"

"Heh!"

Uchiha Jin chuckled, then feigned confusion.

"Explain?"

"Ptooey!"

After spitting a glob of phlegm onto the face of the Root ninja lying before Shisui, Uchiha Jin continued with an almost apologetic air.

"Sorry, my throat's been a bit uncomfortable lately!"

This time, however, Uchiha Jin didn't wait for Shisui to fly into another rage. He simply continued, asking:

"Why should I explain myself?"

"My Uchiha Clan bears the heavy responsibility of serving in the Police Force. Naturally, we must uphold all laws within Konoha's borders!"

"Even if these suspicious individuals aren't enemy spies, they dared to impersonate the Hokage's personal Anbu in Konoha and tried to attack me, an elder of a Konoha clan..."

As he spoke, Uchiha Jin's face twisted into another mocking smile. Then he barked at Uchiha Shisui, his voice brimming with killing intent:

"Even if they really were Root members, the Police Force would still kill them!"

"Strike first, report later. Specially authorized by the Second Hokage—that's the Police Force!"

"Any objections?"

Under Uchiha Jin's oppressive gaze, Uchiha Shisui felt his confidence waver. He couldn't help backing away several steps, pointing at Jin and stammering.

"You... you..."

Behind Uchiha Jin, the eyes of more than a hundred elite Uchiha shinobi gleamed with excitement. For the first time, they felt that being part of the Police Force gave them more than just a pile of tedious rules that tied their hands.

As for Shisui, now showing such an "ugly" side of himself, they felt even more disdain for him.

What was the big deal?

"Good!"

Looking around at the expressions of the Uchiha clan members, Uchiha Jin felt that his efforts to shape them over the past few days hadn't been wasted. The spirit of "Jade Shatter" was beginning to take shape.

As for Shisui?

Seeing that Shisui was on the verge of breaking, Jin worried he might turn dark and lose control before the plan began. He gave a cold laugh, then spoke again.

"Shisui, the ones who died here were enemy spies. I want you to understand that clearly!"

After barking the words in an unquestionable tone, Uchiha Jin once again walked slowly up to Shisui. He leaned his head close to the other man's ear and whispered:

"Shisui, you wouldn't want Lord Danzō to find out..."