The longer Mokurō ranted, the more vulgar his words became. Every insult made the Uchiha officers' faces darken with rage, yet none of them dared to act. Even those who clenched their fists and stepped forward were quickly stopped by Shisui.
And so, the troublemaker grew even bolder. His arrogance filled the entire police headquarters like a stench no one could stand.
Tension thickened in the air.
From the second floor, Lance Uchiha watched in silence. His patience had finally run out.
"Trouble," Shisui muttered under his breath as he saw Lance descend the stairs, his coat swaying behind him. The moment Lance showed up, Shisui knew things were about to spiral out of control. Lance was not someone who believed in gentle persuasion.
The crowd barely had time to react before a loud crack split the air.
Mokurō, who had been shouting a moment ago, suddenly flew backward as if struck by lightning. He hit the wall with a heavy thud and crumpled to the ground.
The entire hall fell silent.
Lance stood at the bottom of the staircase, his expression cold and calm. His voice, when he finally spoke, was icy enough to freeze the room.
"Who gave you the courage to cause trouble inside the Konoha Police Force?"
He swept his gaze over the officers and barked, "And you what are you all standing around for? Are we running a circus here? Someone insults your department, spits on your pride, and you just watch?"
No one moved. The officers burned with anger, but they hesitated, bound by protocol and by Shisui's earlier orders.
Lance's eyes hardened. "What are you waiting for? Do your job!"
That was all it took. The restraint that had been building in the officers finally broke. Like a dam bursting, they surged forward as one, overwhelming the crowd of troublemakers.
Shouts and pleas filled the air. Within moments, every villager who had come to make a scene was pinned to the floor. The officers dragged them, still yelling, toward the detention rooms.
Shisui's heart sank. He stepped forward in panic. "Lance, stop! Please don't "
Lance turned to face him, his tone sharp and cold. "Shisui, I'm disappointed in you."
He appeared before Shisui in a blur of motion, his eyes full of restrained fury.
"I thought your kindness came from compassion," he said quietly. "But I see now it's just weakness. You'll show mercy to everyone except your own people."
Izaya, who had been seething nearby, shouted, "I told you he was a problem! These villagers came here to cause trouble, and instead of defending us, Shisui tells us to stand down! He lets them curse at us, insult our clan, even spit on us and we're just supposed to smile and take it?"
The officers murmured in agreement. Shisui's behavior, once seen as noble, now seemed like betrayal.
Where did his loyalty lie?
He always demanded the police be "gentle" and "understanding," always holding them back with endless restrictions. But now, when outsiders came to their own headquarters to hurl insults, he still told them not to fight back.
Had Shisui forgotten he was an Uchiha?
The muttering grew louder until one of the villagers shouted from the floor, "You can't arrest me! I'll report you to the Hokage! You'll all pay for this!"
Lance looked down at him, expressionless. "You'll have plenty of time to think about that in a cell."
He turned to his men. "Take them all away. Charge them with instigating a public disturbance."
That was no small offense. And to cause a riot inside the police department? That would guarantee them a long stay behind bars.
The villagers' bravado dissolved into panic as they were dragged away, shouting and pleading. But the Uchiha officers, emboldened by Lance's authority, didn't flinch. For the first time in a long while, they acted like a true force again.
"I only wanted to prevent things from getting worse," Shisui said quietly, his voice trembling.
Lance shook his head. "Save your excuses. Tell them to the clan members you just let get humiliated."
His tone softened slightly but carried a sting. "I'll report this to Clan Leader Fugaku myself. And I'll recommend you be removed from your position as squad captain."
There was a time, in another life, when Lance had admired Shisui. He had seen him as a noble soul perhaps too idealistic, but well-meaning.
Now he understood. Kindness without judgment wasn't virtue; it was negligence.
Just then, heavy footsteps echoed through the hall.
"What in the world happened here?" a deep voice demanded.
Fugaku Uchiha had arrived, cloak still half-fastened from rushing out of his house. The officers immediately stood straighter, their anger giving way to nervous silence.
The clan head's authority was absolute within the Uchiha district. When he was angry, even the boldest fell quiet.
Fugaku's eyes moved from the trembling villagers to Shisui, then to Lance. "Explain," he ordered.
Lance didn't hesitate. "Sir, after the new regulations were announced, a group of villagers came to protest. Shisui tried to reason with them, but instead of defusing the situation, he allowed it to escalate. The officers were insulted and disrespected in front of everyone."
He paused, then added evenly, "When I intervened, I simply restored order."
Fugaku turned to Shisui, his expression dark. "Is that true?"
Shisui looked down, unable to meet his leader's gaze.
Fugaku exhaled slowly, disappointment flickering in his eyes. Whatever faults he had, he would not tolerate anyone villager or shinobi disgracing the Uchiha name.
The silence stretched until Lance spoke again.
"Clan Leader, with all due respect, I don't believe Shisui is suited to his current role. He's too softhearted for law enforcement. Perhaps he could be reassigned to the complaints department. He'd be great at listening to grievances there."
It was a sharp jab, but Lance didn't flinch as he said it.
Fugaku regarded both men for a long moment, then nodded. "I'll consider it."
He couldn't show favoritism not here, not in front of so many witnesses. The officers had been insulted, and if he didn't act, their faith in him would crumble.
Lance turned to the gathered clan members, raising his voice so all could hear.
"Remember who we are," he said, his voice ringing through the hall. "We're not just officers of the Konoha Police Force. We are members of the Uchiha clan the proud heirs of the greatest bloodline in the shinobi world."
A spark lit in his eyes.
"Our pride is not something to be trampled. We don't bow to mockery, and we don't beg for mercy. The Uchiha stand tall, no matter the odds."
The officers stared at him, their hearts pounding. His words filled the air like fire, rekindling something that had long been buried under fear and restraint.
Izaya clenched his fist and shouted, "Well said, Captain! You're damn right Captain Lance is fearless!"
Applause burst through the hall. One by one, every officer joined in, their cheers growing louder and louder.
The energy was electric. The humiliation they'd suffered moments ago was gone, replaced by pride, unity, and a fierce determination that burned in their eyes.
Shisui stood silently at the edge, his face pale.
Lance, surrounded by his cheering comrades, looked every bit the leader his clan needed unyielding, sharp, and commanding.
Konoha's police force had just witnessed the rise of a new kind of captain
one who led not with hesitation, but with strength.
And from that moment on, the name Lance Uchiha began to echo throughout the village spoken with both respect and awe.