Konoha Year 57 – One year before the Uchiha Clan Massacre
At the Konoha Police Force headquarters, Uchiha Fugaku stood sternly before a group of young Uchiha recruits, all between the ages of twelve and sixteen—the clan's next generation.
In his hand was a list of names. "These are the candidates for this year's recruitment exam," Fugaku announced, his tone grave. I will be reading them out loud, "Next… Uchiha Izumi."
"Here!" a young girl responded, raising her hand quickly. Twelve-year-old Izumi stepped forward, a mixture of nerves and excitement in her eyes.
Fugaku's eyes sharpened. "Are you certain you're prepared to take the Uchiha Police Force recruitment exam?" Izumi straightened her back. "Yes, sir! I'm ready."
He nodded. "The exam will last for one month. During that time, a full member of the police force will be assigned to evaluate you. If they deem your performance satisfactory, you'll be formally inducted into the Uchiha Police Force as a law enforcer of Konoha."
Behind Fugaku, a large wooden board was covered with names—some circled, others left untouched. "You may choose your own examiner," Fugaku continued. "But only from the names that are not circled."
Izumi squinted at the board. There were a few names on the board: Uchiha Shun, Uchiha Renji, Uchiha Takuma, Uchiha Kaito... She didn't recognize any of them. Then her eyes landed on a name: Uchiha Kaede.
Uchiha Kaede. She had heard his name in passing a lot. "He must be famous". "This one… Uchiha Kaede-senpai," she said uncertainly. Fugaku's expression shifted subtly.
"Kaede... Are you sure?" he asked, his voice low and cautious. "You can't change your decision afterward." Thinking he was pressuring her to choose quickly, Izumi nodded firmly. "Yes. I'm sure."
Fugaku exhaled through his nose, something like concern flashing in his eyes. "Uchiha Kaede is an elite officer. His standards are strict—far stricter than anyone else's. If you want to survive this month, obey his every order. Without question."
Izumi's breath caught in her throat. None of the other cadets had received such a warning. had she made a mistake?
As she left the police headquarters, still in a daze, Izumi held the signed test requisition form in her trembling hand. All she had to do was deliver it to Kaede-senpai, and the exam would officially begin. "If only Itachi-kun were here…" she muttered. "He'd know what kind of person Kaede-senpai is…"
But she didn't really have anyone else to ask. Her father had been a common-born ninja, not of the Uchiha. She had only taken the Uchiha name after the Nine-Tails attack, when her father died protecting her and her mother brought her back to the clan.
Since then, she hadn't fit in. An outlier among the pure-blooded Uchiha's. "Maybe I should buy him a gift first… Maybe he'll go easier on me if I'm polite." But before she could act, a voice cried out nearby:
"The police force is back!" Izumi turned. A squad of Uchiha officers marched through the village gate—stoic, imposing, armed to the teeth with kunai, scrolls, and standard-issue armour. No time to shop. If Kaede-senpai was among them and she didn't approach now, she might leave a bad impression.
Summoning her courage, she rushed up to the group. "Excuse me—are any of you Uchiha Kaede-senpai?" She held out her exam form with both hands. "I'm a cadet for this year's recruitment. My name is Uchiha Izumi."
The entire group of officers fell silent. Their eyes fixed on her like she was a stray kitten asking to be adopted by a tiger. One female officer stepped forward with a bemused expression. "Wait. You picked Kaede... as your examiner?"
Izumi nodded quickly.
"…Good luck," the woman said, patting her shoulder sympathetically. "He's not with us right now. If you want to find him, your best bet is checking the gambling and red-light districts. He usually lurks there."
Her tone dropped. "And… I'd suggest writing a will. Just in case." Izumi blinked."…Huh?" The other officers gave her similar looks of pity, shaking their heads. Not one person tried to reassure her.
At that same moment—
In Konoha's infamous nightlife district—home to bathhouses, bars, and casinos—a figure clad in Uchiha Police armour walked alone down the main street.
As he appeared, the street fell deathly silent. For a heartbeat, the world paused.
A group of passerby's saw him and exclaimed: "Crap, it's him!" "The Justice God of the Uchiha Police Force!"
"Close the casino! Hide the women! Lock up the booze!" "He came last month and arrested over fifty people!" "Oi! Kaede! Why are you here again?! We're just running legal businesses—prostitution, gambling, booze—it's all allowed in Konoha!"
"SHHHH! Don't provoke him! You want to rot in prison?!" "Hide! Pretend you're just passing by!" Uchiha Kaede rested his hand on the hilt of his sword, cold eyes scanning the crowd.
His gaze was calm, precise, and utterly merciless. He seemed to be deliberating and softly whispered: "I've found a little rat."
His eyes locked onto a man slinking through the crowd—a short, unimposing figure trying too hard not to be noticed. To Kaede, he was unmistakable.
Above the man's head, a red rectangle hovered, displaying damning words in vivid crimson:
[Tatsuo Genda – Two days ago, after losing money gambling, he drank and beat his four-year-old child to death. CRIME LEVEL: RED]
This was Kaede's secret weapon—his "cheat" or so called golden finger in this life. The red tags allowed him to see the criminal sins of anyone he looked at. Uchiha Kaede took a step forward. The crowd scattered like birds.
Tatsuo Genda turned, trying to slip away but it was too late."Genda Tatsuo," Kaede said, his voice low. "Where do you think you're going? "He looked down on the man with the quiet certainty of someone who had already passed judgment.
At that very moment—A breathless girl's voice rang out behind him. "Excuse me! Are you Uchiha Kaede-senpai?" Kaede turned slightly. Behind him stood a nervous young girl, holding a form in both hands. "I'm Uchiha Izumi," she said quickly. "I'm here for the recruitment exam!"