"Report, Commander!"
"We captured two members of Jiraiya's unit. They attempted to break into a civilian house and were knocked unconscious and detained by Ryūichi."
Ryūji spoke quickly, but every key detail reached Uchiha Shin clearly.
"Oh?"
"Where are they? Take me there."
Uchiha Shin clasped his hands behind his back, smiling faintly as he spoke.
Ryūji immediately led the way.
Tsunade had also heard the report. She stood up and followed behind them.
She wanted to see how Uchiha Shin would handle this.
—
Before long, the three arrived at Ryūichi's position.
Seeing them, Ryūichi spoke:
"Tsunade-sama, Uchiha Shin… com—Uchiha Shin-kun, you're here."
Tsunade and Uchiha Shin exchanged a glance.
Uchiha Shin took a step back, standing slightly behind her.
Tsunade understood immediately.
"Wake them up."
A subordinate grinned.
The Land of Rain had no shortage of water.
He grabbed a wooden bucket filled with fresh rainwater and splashed it onto the two unconscious men.
The two Uchiha ninja woke up instantly.
They were about to curse—
But upon seeing Tsunade's blonde hair, they immediately changed their tone.
"Tsunade-sama, we don't understand what we did wrong!"
"This is the Land of Rain, not the Land of Fire—why can't we 'borrow' some food?"
The two-tomoe Uchiha pleaded.
Tsunade's gaze turned cold.
"Is this what Jiraiya taught you?"
"Men—slap them. Thirty times each."
"Yes!"
Ryūichi and Ryūji's eyes flashed with excitement.
Uchiha—
Except for Uchiha Shin, they were all worth hitting!
Right in front of the entire unit—
And the watching civilians—
The punishment was carried out publicly.
The humiliation was immense.
Under such emotional strain—
Their Sharingan evolved.
The two-tomoe became three-tomoe.
The one-tomoe became one-and-a-half tomoe.
Seeing the moment was right, Uchiha Shin gave Tsunade a glance.
She understood and allowed him to step forward while she observed.
"Oi, Yamazaki. Ryūichi."
"Do you still recognize me?"
Uchiha Shin smiled.
These two—
Uchiha Yamazaki and Uchiha Ryūichi—
Were well-known geniuses in the clan.
And also the ones who had bullied him the most.
"You bastard… you useless trash!"
"I knew it! You must have said something to make the Senju attack us!"
"Just wait! When we return to the village, I'll have the Great Elder punish you as a disgrace to the Uchiha!"
Yamazaki shouted arrogantly.
The other, Ryūichi, remained silent.
He glanced at Tsunade, then at Uchiha Shin, frowning slightly.
Something felt off…
Before Yamazaki could continue—
Uchiha Shin's expression turned cold.
He signaled the others to step aside.
Then—
He raised his right foot—
And stomped Yamazaki's head into the ground.
Boom!
The ground shattered under the force.
Yamazaki's head was driven deep into the earth.
Ryūichi's face turned pale.
He looked at Uchiha Shin—
Only to see a calm expression, even a faint smile.
The gaze—
As if looking at an insect.
After the stomp, Uchiha Shin crouched down, grabbed Yamazaki by the collar, and pulled him up.
He even brushed the dirt off his clothes.
"What did you just say?"
"I didn't hear you clearly. Say it again."
He smiled.
Uchiha Shin had held back.
Otherwise—
Even as a Jonin, Yamazaki wouldn't have survived that blow.
Now—
All arrogance was gone.
Looking at Uchiha Shin's calm smile—
Tears unconsciously streamed down Yamazaki's face.
How could he be so cruel?
They were from the same clan…
Both Uchiha…
Uchiha Shin seemed to read his thoughts.
"Heh… are you wondering why I'm so ruthless to my own clan?"
He turned his head toward the other Uchiha.
"You tell him."
With that, he tossed Yamazaki like trash in front of him.
Ryūichi inhaled sharply.
"Yamazaki… have you forgotten how you treated Uchiha Shin in the past?"
"Everyone followed you because of your talent—and your father being the Great Elder."
"We all joined in bullying him."
Yamazaki was furious.
What was this?
Trying to wash his hands clean?
Back then—
He didn't even know Uchiha Shin.
It was Ryūichi and others who told him there was a useless nobody he could vent on.
That's how he got involved!
Uchiha Shin laughed.
A strange, eerie laugh.
"Uchiha Ryūichi…"
"If I didn't already know what kind of person you are, I might have believed you."
"Today, you trespassed into civilian homes."
"Our unit detained you."
"Even if this goes to the Hokage, you're in the wrong."
"Are you ninja—or bandits?"
"And this is the battlefield—not the Uchiha clan compound."
"Watch your mouths."
"Otherwise, I can't guarantee that Rain ninja won't 'ambush' you and leave you dead on the battlefield."
Uchiha Shin smiled.
Ryūichi's face turned pale.
He glanced around.
The Senju ninja were watching with interest—
Even excitement.
He was shocked.
How had Uchiha Shin gained such influence among them?
Could it be just because he was Tsunade's subordinate?
No… something was wrong.
He carefully observed—
The Senju unit, though not all present—
Were almost entirely uninjured.
Their spirits were far better than his own group.
Was it Tsunade's command?
No.
Among Tsunade, Jiraiya, and Orochimaru—
Only Orochimaru could achieve such results.
Even he couldn't do it flawlessly.
Tsunade definitely couldn't.
Unless—
His eyes lifted—
Meeting Uchiha Shin's gaze.
Uchiha Shin's eyes—
Were blood-red.
And within them—
Two tomoe spun.
Ryūichi's pupils shrank.
Two-tomoe Sharingan!
Uchiha Shin had awakened the two-tomoe Sharingan!
A pressure from bloodline superiority suffocated him.
In truth—
When Uchiha Shin stomped Yamazaki—
The lingering resentment of the original owner dissipated.
And with it—
His Sharingan evolved.
Even Uchiha Shin himself hadn't realized it yet.
Tsunade was startled.
"Uchiha Shin-kun… your eyes…"
Only then did Uchiha Shin snap out of his earlier satisfaction.
A burning pain surged through his eyes.
He inhaled sharply.
"Uchiha Ryūichi—you're a smart man."
"I don't know what you've figured out."
"But if you dare speak recklessly…"
"You'd better pray your family never leaves the village."
A threat.
A naked threat.
Ryūichi broke into a cold sweat.
"Uchiha Shin-kun… I won't say a word!"
He immediately kowtowed repeatedly.