After returning from the village entrance to the Konoha Military Police Force headquarters, the once-imposing squad instantly took on a completely different air.
"It hurts! It hurts so much!"
"Uchiha Itachi, why are you hiding so far away?!"
Bloodcurdling howls echoed through the hallway.
Uchiha Itachi stared expressionlessly at the Third Squad captain before him, sinking deep into self-doubt.
What kind of bizarre department had I joined?
These people were a completely different species from the clansmen in the compound who put on airs all day with their noses in the air!
Take Uchiha Cong, for instance. Half an hour ago, he had been sweeping all opposition aside at the village entrance. Now he lay shirtless on a bench, baring his teeth and shouting at Itachi.
"Deputy Captain Shanyang, is the squad captain always like this?"
Utterly baffled, Uchiha Itachi turned to the veteran for advice.
"You'll get used to it. Take a bottle of medicinal liquor and rub his bruises."
With a cigarette between his lips, Uchiha Shanyang waved a hand, long accustomed to the sight.
Of everyone in the entire office building, Uchiha Cong made the biggest fuss.
Although they had swiftly taken down the Kumogakure Envoy Mission at the village entrance, their opponents were elites selected by Kumogakure, after all. The Police Force members had inevitably picked up a few injuries during the fight.
"New guy, let me fill you in."
Uchiha Shanyang exhaled a cloud of smoke and said leisurely:
"This is a rule Captain Xuanye established. Personally applying medicine to an injured teammate is the fastest way to build a bond."
"You didn't fight today, so you probably didn't get much out of just watching from the sidelines. You'll understand after a few missions with the squad."
"Once you've put medicine on a brother's wounds, the next time you run into a tough opponent, he'll absolutely risk his life to take a blade for you. And in turn, you won't hesitate to put your life on the line for the comrades beside you. As the captain puts it, that's the bond between brothers-in-arms."
Uchiha Itachi paused, feeling a little moved.
Thinking back to the village entrance, Kumogakure's Atsui had clearly been coming for him, yet Uchiha Cong had immediately shielded him without a word.
Such unreserved protection was something he never saw in the cold, indifferent Uchiha Clan Compound.
Itachi asked no more questions. Silently, he picked up the medicinal liquor from the table, walked over to Uchiha Cong, and began massaging him to improve his circulation.
At the end of the hallway nearby, Xuanye leaned against a window, smoking and watching the scene calmly.
Beating the troublemakers into submission was only the first step.
Using rules and benefits to unite the entire force and give everyone a sense of belonging was the key to controlling the Konoha Military Police Force.
As for whether Uchiha Itachi could be assimilated, Xuanye did not care at all.
The force still needs a dedicated medical ninja who's available on call.
Xuanye flicked the ash from his cigarette, making plans in his head.
Since Tsunade had left the village, Konoha had already been short of medical ninja. With constant clashes along the borders, the hospitals behind the lines were even busier.
Besides, the village's medical ninja were all so high and mighty that they normally wanted nothing to do with the Uchiha.
But that was no problem for Xuanye.
As the head of the Konoha Military Police Force, he had money, authority, and strength. Why shouldn't his injured brothers receive the best medical care?
One of these days, I'll take a look around Konoha Hospital and pick a medical ninja with good skills who's easy on the eyes. If they refuse to come, I'll just kidnap them and make them our team doctor!
Just as Xuanye was leisurely plotting his kidnapping, a breeze swept past, and an Anbu with long purple hair landed steadily before him.
Just as Xuanye prepared to head for the Hokage Building.
Inside the Hokage's Office, the atmosphere was so oppressive that it was hard to breathe.
With flecks of mud still on her face, Samui clutched her aching shoulder with one hand and stared coldly at Hiruzen Sarutobi behind his desk.
"Hokage! Konoha owes Kumogakure an explanation for this!"
She had come today as Kumogakure's representative precisely to call the Konoha High Command to account!
On her way to the Hokage Building, she had already questioned the reception staff and gotten the facts straight.
Konoha taking a hard line? It was all an illusion!
Their public humiliation at the village entrance had been entirely the Police Force captain's own decision. It had nothing whatsoever to do with the Third Hokage!
In other words, the intelligence Mito Qingteng had sent back earlier was completely accurate.
The Konoha High Command had not changed. The Third Hokage was still a timid pushover!
Threatening all-out war would still be enough to force Konoha to bow its head and back down!
Once she understood that, Samui's confidence instantly returned.
The beating she had taken today could not go unanswered. She had to make Konoha pay dearly!
"I understand how you feel, Envoy."
Hiruzen Sarutobi first gave her an apologetic smile. Then his expression darkened, and he slammed his palm hard on the desk, shouting furiously:
"This disgrace happened entirely because I failed to keep my people in line! Rest assured, I will not tolerate it! I've already sent the Anbu to summon Captain Xuanye. Once he arrives, I will make certain your delegation receives a satisfactory explanation!"
Despite his fierce condemnation, irrepressible delight lurked deep in Hiruzen Sarutobi's eyes.
Uchiha Genya, oh, Uchiha Genya. You've handed me an incredible gift!
Just when I was struggling to find something to use against the brat, he went and beat up the Kumogakure Envoy Mission. What perfect timing!
What a fine beating!
Why couldn't he have accidentally killed a couple of them?
The bigger the incident became, the more legitimate his grounds would be for joining forces with the high command to impeach Xuanye and replace the Police Force captain!
An uncontrollable troublemaker like Xuanye could not be allowed to remain captain of the Konoha Military Police Force. He had to seize this chance to strip him of his position entirely!
"Don't fob me off with empty words!"
Her lovely face frosty, Samui slammed her own palm onto the desk:
"If you can't give us a satisfactory resolution today, Konoha can prepare to face Lord Raikage's wrath!"
"We in Kumogakure are ready to see this through at any time!"
An undisguised threat of war was thrown straight onto the table.
Hiruzen Sarutobi's expression shifted slightly, and he silently cursed Kumogakure for pushing them too far.
Unfortunately, they had pinpointed Konoha's fatal weakness.
The Third Shinobi World War had drained the village's resources. Konoha simply could not afford an all-out war now.
"Please calm down, Envoy Samui. Uchiha Genya has seriously undermined peace between our villages. I will punish him severely..."
Hiruzen Sarutobi was just about to continue placating her with an apologetic smile when someone suddenly kicked the office door open!
Xuanye strode in with measured steps, an amused smile on his face as his contemptuous gaze swept across the room.
"Tsk."
"Lord Hokage?"
"So you still remember you're Konoha's Hokage? In all my nineteen years, this is the first time I've seen a village's Kage side with outsiders and grovel before people from another village so expertly."
Xuanye started laying into him the moment he entered, sparing Hiruzen Sarutobi none of his dignity. The old man's face alternated between pale and livid with rage.
"You bastard!"
Before Hiruzen Sarutobi could slam the desk and erupt, Samui spotted her enemy. Remembering the charred wound his cigarette butt had burned into her back, all her grudges surged up at once. Her eyes reddened as she lunged straight at Xuanye, raising her hand to slap him.
This was the Hokage's Office!
In Samui's eyes, however arrogant this instigator of a diplomatic crisis between their villages might be, he would never dare lay another finger on her in front of the Third Hokage!
Her chance for revenge had come!
It was a lovely idea. Unfortunately, she had picked the wrong target.
Smack!
A resounding slap struck without warning!
Xuanye did not even dodge. A backhanded slap sent Samui spinning twice on the spot before she fell to the floor, seeing stars.
Dead silence!
The entire office instantly became so quiet that a pin dropping could have been heard!
Hiruzen Sarutobi's eyes nearly popped out of his head.
This madman actually dared to assault Kumogakure's chief negotiating envoy again, right in front of him, the Third Hokage?!
Did he have any idea what the bigger diplomatic picture meant?!
Before Samui could recover from her dizziness, Xuanye strode forward, clamped one hand around her throat, and lifted her off the floor.
"Woman."
"It's only been half an hour, and you've already let my warning go in one ear and out the other?"
His five fingers slowly tightened, and a terrifying sensation of suffocation instantly engulfed Samui.
For the first time in her life, Samui caught the scent of death!
Her eyes widened in terror, with only one thought left in her mind:
This madman really would snap my neck right here!
Before you continue