Izumi trudged through the streets of Konoha, the weight of the bodies slung over her shoulder drawing confused, pitiful, and even fearful gazes from passersbys. Her cheeks burned, but she kept her head low and marched forward. No one stopped her. No one dared. The Uchiha crest on her uniform was more than enough to ward off questions.
When she finally stepped into the Uchiha Police Force base, her knees nearly gave out from relief. As soon as her eyes landed on her commanding officer, Uchiha Kaede, a sense of safety returned to her like a tide pulling in. Her breath, which had been shallow and nervous the whole way back, finally steadied.
Yet her relief was short-lived.
The moment she stepped inside, dozens of eyes locked onto her. Veterans of the Uchiha Police Force murmured amongst themselves, shooting her looks of curiosity, disbelief, and something bordering on pity.
Izumi straightened up instinctively.
"Leave the bodies here," Kaede ordered coolly. "Others will handle them. Now come with me. We're going to see the clan head."
His words—sharp and direct—brought calm to her restless heart. As she followed him, she realized how much she'd come to rely on his presence. His cold demeanour, rather than frightening her, anchored her.
"Yes, Senpai!" she said, louder than necessary.
They walked through the halls of the station, the silence between them broken only by Kaede unexpected question:
"If a civilian resists arrest during law enforcement, what do you do?" Izumi blinked. Was this a test?
Her brain immediately flipped to the training manuals she had memorized before the recruitment exam. She had aced the theory—every rule, every clause, every ethical line.
"The code says... if resistance is minimal, use non-lethal restraint. If extreme, escalate only enough to subdue. Civilians aren't enemy shinobi..."
Her voice trailed off. She remembered today's events. How Kaede had struck a man with such force that it made her question the difference between justice and execution. That hadn't looked like the 'gentle restraint' in the manuals.
She hesitated, then added weakly, "Or... perhaps some force is justified... more violent, I mean... depending on the situation?" Kaede stopped walking. They had reached the door to the clan head's office.
He turned his gaze to her. "Newbie, I hope you're not saying that to please me. Absolute Justice stems from absolute enforcement. In peaceful times, restraint is fine. But these are not peaceful times. Evil is like rot—catch it late, and the whole tree dies."
His voice had no doubt, no room for interpretation.
Izumi nodded quickly, though part of her disagreed. Wasn't the war over? The world had been recovering for years. The Uchiha clan, if anything, seemed to be prospering—new homes, rising ranks, a renewed place in the village.
But she dared not voice any of that. Knock. Knock. Knock. The sharp rhythm interrupted her thoughts. The voice of Uchiha Fugaku came through the door, steady as always. "Come in."
Kaede opened the door and strode in casually, not offering so much as a bow. Fugaku's eyes narrowed slightly. "Kaede? And... Uchiha Izumi?"
"You explain," Kaede muttered and found a chair. He sat without permission, absently rubbing the polished wood armrest.
"Ah—yes, Kaede-sama!" Izumi blurted, surprised he'd passed the responsibility to her.
She stammered through the report, detailing the events of the day, from the crime scene to the apprehension and the bodies now resting in the base. Fugaku listened silently. When she finished, his brow furrowed.
"Kaede, your actions were too severe." His voice was calm, but stern.
"Our clan is under scrutiny. We've already been pushed to the edge of the village. Alienated. Any further escalation only reinforces the village's suspicion. We must act with restraint—if not for diplomacy, then for survival."
Kaede looked up slowly. "So you want me to compromise justice."
Fugaku held his gaze. "I want you to be wise." Kaede retorted, "Then start by fixing your own family. That son of yours needs a therapist. Urgently."
The words landed like shuriken. Fugaku's face darkened. Even Izumi felt the change in the air. She saw the clan head's fist tighten slightly. She didn't dare move.
Kaede stood, brushing imaginary dust off his cloak. "I'm done here." He turned and walked out without another word. Fugaku remained seated, face unreadable.
Izumi, now alone in the storm's eye, could only bow deeply and quietly excuse herself. As she closed the door behind her, her mind raced.
That's Itachi's father... and Itachi is his son... then Kaede means Itachi. The clan genius.
Her knees nearly buckled again. She had chosen an insane mentor. The future looked terrifying.