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"Don't kill me… don't kill me…"
The captured ninja muttered incessantly, as if those were the only words he could say.
Smack! Smack!
The captain of the team slapped him hard across the face twice, loud smacks echoing through the tense air.
Earlier, the culprit had used his numbers to intimidate and bully the guards. Now that he was caught, how could he not try to exploit any chance to turn the tables?
Most of those selected by Uchiha Haru to join the Police Department had prior experience working in Konoha's guard units.
And those who became team captains were known for their ruthless efficiency, no exceptions.
They knew exactly how to handle troublemakers like this.
Yet, even after two slaps, the ninja only stared blankly, face pale and shaking, muttering, "Don't kill me… don't kill me…"
The captain leaned closer, inspecting the man's expression carefully, then approached Haru.
"Minister, he's terrified—he might be… insane."
Insane?
Ao, the Byakugan user, frowned deeply.
If that was true, it might mean the investigation had hit a dead end.
But maybe that wasn't all bad.
Judging by the strength of these ten ninjas and their behavior once captured, they were no ordinary thugs.
Behind them was likely a powerful backer or organization.
And whoever supported them was definitely influential.
Kirigakure had been left in ruins after enduring countless catastrophes.
Right now, its most urgent need was recovery and stability—to bring the village back on track.
Creating major disturbances would only set that progress back.
Fifth Mizukage Mei Terumi had assigned Ao to Haru not only as a trusted aide to oversee him but also for another crucial reason.
Terumi knew what kind of person Haru was.
He had slaughtered more than a dozen ninjas in front of her without hesitation.
By making Haru head of the Police Department, she hoped he would not just kill recklessly without thinking of consequences when a crisis arose.
She sent Ao to persuade Haru when necessary and prevent impulsive actions—like what might happen now.
If Uchiha Haru truly knew who was behind these ninjas and still insisted on following protocol no matter what, that was the right approach.
Rules existed to be obeyed. Breaking them came at a cost.
But timing was everything.
Kirigakure simply could not withstand too much shock at once.
Seeing that the last captured ninja had indeed lost his mind, Ao felt some relief.
"Minister, this man is insane. Perhaps we should detain him temporarily and get a medical ninja to see if he can recover," Ao whispered beside Haru.
"If he remains mad, we won't get any useful information."
"As for the frightened woman, we can offer her some compensation out of moral obligation and settle this matter quietly for now. What do you think?"
Ao's suggestion was reasonable, taking care of both sides.
Nothing seemed wrong with it.
But Haru was unwilling.
"Insane and no clues to find?"
He muttered to himself, his eyes suddenly glowing blood-red as the three magatama in his Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan connected like deadly blades.
Ao's heart skipped a beat at the sight.
Insanity with means?
If anyone else had said that, he wouldn't have believed it.
But now it was Uchiha Haru speaking—especially after revealing the Mangekyō Sharingan.
The Sharingan's three core abilities—perception, illusion, and replication—were beyond ordinary understanding.
What others could not do, Haru might very well be capable of.
Activating the Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan, Haru pulled the insane ninja into his genjutsu space.
This space wasn't conjured by Haru's imagination, but reflected the deepest memories buried in the ninja's subconscious mind—each person's inner world unique.
Inside the illusion, the ninja was sitting in an elegant, luxurious room, flanked by a woman on either side, whispering about secrets clearly meant to be hidden from outsiders.
That woman wasn't just anyone—she was his successor's guardian.
This was… surprising.
But it was not what Haru sought.
The scene shifted.
Now the ninja was in another strange chamber.
A group of women spun and danced gracefully in the center.
The ninja nodded happily, laughing with a carefree face.
This man's mind was clearly fractured—why were there so many bizarre visions?
Yet the place looked familiar.
If Haru wasn't mistaken, it resembled a specialty shop in Hidden Mist Village.
Nothing unusual on the surface, but inside, it was an entirely different world—could this be the legendary "second floor"?
Next, several strange images flashed in rapid succession.
Uchiha Haru was about to give up.
But at that moment, he suddenly caught sight of a familiar face amid the lively crowd depicted in the illusions.
He knew immediately who was backing these men.
"Send two people to stay with the prisoners. The rest, follow me!" Haru ordered coldly.
Just now, within that confusing flood of images, he had unexpectedly spotted someone he recognized.
He then pushed the captured ninja deeper into the illusion, searching for more clues.
Sure enough, something extraordinary emerged.
This matter had to be resolved.
"Where are we going?" Ao asked quietly.
He didn't know what Haru had seen, but judging from Haru's expression and tone, this was no trivial matter.
"Catch those who deserve to be caught. Someone deserves to die," Haru said, his voice dripping with murderous intent.
Ao's expression darkened. He understood that this situation would not be simple.
Another upheaval might soon rock Hidden Mist Village again.
And this incident did not align with what Fifth Mizukage Mei Terumi had previously told him.
Ao also knew he couldn't stop Haru alone.
His only option was to delay Haru and immediately inform Mei Terumi—perhaps that would help.
He hurried up beside Haru and said, "Minister, this matter is critical. Should we request instructions from the Mizukage before acting?"
"No need. This is the duty of my Police Department. I don't need to ask anyone for orders," Haru replied calmly as he pressed forward.
"But—"
"Get out of my way!" Haru interrupted sharply.
Ao wanted to protest further but was met with Haru's cold, icy stare.
Under that gaze, Ao involuntarily stepped back and made way.
Haru continued advancing.
Today was the first day of the Police Department's mission.
He would not allow anything to violate his rules.
If it happened, the punishment would be severe.
But that was not enough.
He wanted to send a clear message to everyone: under the Uchiha-led Police Department, everything old must change.
He didn't want to kill a chicken to scare the monkeys.
He wanted to kill a tiger to show that no one who breaks the rules could escape.
Fortunately, he had found exactly such a target.
This person's status was high enough to shock many.
Ao knew something major was about to unfold in Hidden Mist Village, so he quickly pulled a villager aside and asked them to report the news immediately.
Ao still held some influence in the village—if he asked for help, the locals would not refuse.
Once the arrangements were made, Ao hurried after Haru, determined to delay him as long as possible until Mei Terumi arrived.
Haru led his team to a mansion that radiated wealth and power.
The occupant was obviously no ordinary person.
Ao's face darkened upon seeing the estate.
What they feared was about to happen.
But he didn't stop Haru immediately, knowing that at this moment, resistance would be futile.
"Open the door!" the Police Department members shouted loudly at the massive gates.
After several calls went unanswered, they exchanged glances.
Then, with coordinated ninjutsu, they blasted the door open.
The gates crashed down with a heavy thud.
Nearby villagers of Hidden Mist noticed the commotion and gathered, whispering anxiously.
"This family is not ordinary," they murmured.
"Even among the village elders, their rank is very high."
"The newly established Police Department is already offending powerful people on their first day? Seems like this department is different from what we thought."
Haru led his men inside.
Soon after, several servants appeared, faces twisted with anger.
"Who are you? How dare you come here and cause trouble?" one shouted harshly.
"Do you want to die?" he added, rolling up his sleeves to attack.
But before he could reach Haru, he was immobilized by Haru's Wood Release: Deep Forest Emergence, his limbs trapped and unable to move.
Haru and his men pressed onward.
More servants rushed out to block their path, but each was swiftly restrained by the same Wood Release technique.
They never had a chance to react.
Suddenly, a furious shout echoed from inside a room.
"Who is it?!"
"How dare you barge into my house and act so wildly!"
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