Thud!
With a casual kick from Uchiha Jin, a lifeless body with messy brown hair was sent tumbling in front of Shisui.
Before Shisui could unleash a furious roar, Jin’s taunting voice followed.
“Don’t you work closely with the ANBU? Can’t even recognize your own ‘comrades’?”
Indeed!
While Shisui was officially a member of the Konoha Military Police Force, he had long been co-opted by Hiruzen Sarutobi. Calling him an unofficial Third Hokage’s ANBU member wasn’t far-fetched.
In essence… a temp!
This fact wasn’t exactly a secret among the Uchiha clan’s upper echelons, especially since Shisui’s grandfather was Kagami Uchiha, an ally of the Second Hokage.
Because of this…
Shisui’s position within the Uchiha clan was awkward, often leaving him on the fringes.
While this was an unspoken understanding among the clan, Jin had now exposed this in front of everyone, causing Shisui’s anger to be replaced by a sense of guilt. He finally snapped out of his rage.
This is!
As Shisui scrutinized the body and used the ANBU’s unique chakra detection technique…
He realized it was true!
This person wasn’t from the ANBU!
Shisui looked up in shock at Jin, unable to believe how quickly Jin had seen through the “spy’s” deception.
In this aspect, Shisui, a bona fide ANBU member, shouldn’t have made such a grave error, even if unofficial and unpaid.
Was I wrong about Jin?
Shisui felt he might have overreacted, failing to verify the intruders’ identities in his haste and nearly putting Jin in danger.
But wait!
While trying to find excuses for Jin, Shisui’s ANBU-trained mind started piecing together more details.
The brown hair…
The familiar dark chakra residue…
And the familiar but loathsome act of disguising as ANBU…
Hmm!
As he uncovered these clues, sweat formed into crystalline beads on Shisui’s face, soaking his back.
This guy is from the Yamanaka clan…
Shisui stiffly raised his head again, eyes full of dread as he looked at Jin.
“They… they’re from Root, aren’t they… heh… heh…”
Shisui’s laughter was brittle and filled with despair.
It would’ve been better if they were ANBU!
Shisui believed the benevolent Hokage might find a way out if the dead were ANBU. The clan could still reconcile with the village if Jin took full responsibility.
But Root!
Just thinking of Danzo’s sinister and aggressive face made Shisui feel helpless.
So many times…
Shisui had overheard that despicable man inside the Hokage’s office spitting out, “Those vile Uchiha!” He knew well enough that if Jin represented the Uchiha’s extreme radicals in all of Konoha, Danzo was the other extreme, constantly aiming his blade at the Uchiha.
Now, a squad of Root members lay dead by Jin’s command, and Shisui couldn’t fathom what would happen next.
“Oh, so they’re from Root!”
Jin feigned sudden realization, his casual demeanor and dismissive tone only aggravating Shisui’s despair.
Shisui’s Mangekyo Sharingan flared again as he shouted, overwhelmed with emotion.
“Do you know what you’ve done? You’re dragging the clan into the depths of sin!”
“Meh…”
Jin indifferently picked his ear with his pinky, ignoring Shisui’s outburst, and turned to Uchiha Yuwara, who had approached.
“Elder Jin, the enemy ‘spies’ total eighteen, all neutralized!”
Jin raised his right hand slightly, pointing at his temple, then replied nonchalantly.
“Got it. Clean it up.”
“Yes!”
Yuwara gave Shisui a disdainful glance, then turned to command the cleanup crew.
“Did you hear that?”
Only then did Jin look back at the bewildered Shisui, speaking casually.
“What?”
Shisui, wholly lost, shouted back at Jin.
“Those were Root members! How will you explain this to the Hokage?”
Heh!
Jin chuckled, then asked a question.
“Explain?”
Heh~tui!
Spitting on the Root ninja’s corpse, Jin continued.
“Sorry, my throat’s been a bit scratchy.”
But before Shisui could get angry again, Jin spoke up.
“Why explain?”
“The Uchiha Police Force is tasked with maintaining order in Konoha. Even if these guys weren’t enemy spies, they impersonated ANBU and threatened a Uchiha elder…”
Jin’s tone turned mocking, his gaze sharp.
“Even if they were Root, the Police Force has the right to kill first and report later. That’s how the Second Hokage set it up!”
“Any problems with that?”
Facing Jin’s imposing gaze, Shisui felt a wave of fear, instinctively stepping back, stammering.
“You… you…”
Behind Jin, over a hundred Uchiha elite shone with excitement, for the first time feeling the true power of their Police Force beyond mere petty tasks.
Seeing Shisui’s “pathetic” state, their disdain grew.
What’s the big deal?
“Exactly!”
Jin surveyed the enthusiastic faces around him, feeling gratified at his work. The ‘Jade Shattering’ mentality was taking root.
As for Shisui?
Seeing his near-collapse, Jin worried he might snap prematurely. With a cold smile, Jin spoke again.
“Shisui, those were enemy spies. Understand?”
In a tone that brooked no argument, Jin stepped closer, whispering.
“Shisui, you wouldn’t want Danzo to know…”
…
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