Lance Shen's voice rose, sharp and commanding, cutting through the tension in the Uchiha Shrine.
"Everyone, the Police Department is under the direct command of the Uchiha clan," he declared, his tone echoing against the stone walls. "Every clan member who serves in the department is an officer of the law."
He paused, scanning the gathered faces elders, captains, young officers all watching him intently.
"As officers, our duty is to handle chaos, crime, and emergencies, not to waste time worrying about how to reduce complaints."
"That's nonsense! Then tell me how should we deal with the complaints?"
The Sixth Elder slammed his cane against the floor, his mustache bristling with rage.
Lance gave a short, humorless laugh. "Why should we deal with them at all?"
The words struck the hall like a whip crack.
He straightened, the faintest smirk tugging at his lips. "Isn't that supposed to be the responsibility of the Hokage's Administration Office? Why should their negligence be dumped onto our department? We keep restraining ourselves, showing patience and mercy. But do the criminals? Do the ones breaking the law ever stop?"
He took a step forward, his voice dripping with irony.
"Or do you think, Elder, that when we arrive at a crime scene, our first priority shouldn't be stopping the offender but making sure we're gentle enough not to hurt their feelings?"
A murmur of suppressed laughter rippled through the crowd.
"Maybe we should greet every criminal with a friendly smile first," Lance added dryly.
That did it.
"Pfft!"
A few younger officers burst out laughing, unable to contain themselves. The tension in the room snapped like a thread.
The Sixth Elder's face turned crimson. His hand trembled as he pointed at Lance, but no words came out only stifled fury.
Lance didn't even flinch. His eyes were sharp, his voice steady.
"As a squad captain, I believe my men and I have fulfilled our duties. Complaints? Those aren't our concern."
He began to pace slowly, each step deliberate.
"All the filth, the dirty work, the ungrateful missions every unpleasant job lands on the Police Department. And yet, we're the ones blamed the most."
He turned back to face the elders, voice rising with emotion.
"I want to ask why?"
He slammed his fist against the wooden floor.
"Why are we the ones held responsible for the Hokage's failures? Why must we shoulder the complaints of others?"
The force of his words reverberated through the hall.
"I agree with Captain Lance!" shouted Zane, his loyal subordinate, standing abruptly. "I've had enough too! Every day it's 'hold back,' 'tone it down,' 'don't make waves.' At this rate, why not just stop working altogether and wait for complaints to roll in?"
That sparked something.
A rumble of voices filled the shrine as others chimed in, their long-suppressed frustration boiling over.
They were Uchiha fighters, defenders of the village and yet, they'd been treated like scapegoats for every minor incident.
Lance's defiance had opened the floodgates.
For once, the voices of the Police Force filled the sacred hall not with obedience, but with outrage.
Even those who had once remained silent now found themselves clapping, cheering, nodding in agreement.
The Sixth Elder's face was as black as storm clouds. He said nothing more.
At the head of the hall, Fugaku Uchiha, the clan leader, sat in silence, his expression dark.
Lance's words, though directed at the system, had carried a secondary meaning one that Fugaku couldn't ignore.
It was, in a way, an indirect criticism of him.
"Enough!"
The sharp voice of the Third Elder cut through the noise. His face was stern as he rose to his feet.
"This is disgraceful! Such disorder in the clan's assembly! Do you think your complaining helps anyone? Lance Shen, do you not realize that speaking like this could bring punishment upon the entire Uchiha clan?"
Lance's eyes narrowed.
So that's what it always came down to fear.
Fear of the Hokage's office. Fear of the village's judgment. Fear of standing up for what was right.
He looked straight at the Third Elder, disdain flickering in his gaze.
"And tell me, Elder," Lance asked coldly, "what exactly has the Uchiha done wrong to deserve punishment?"
His question hung in the air, heavy and undeniable.
"Yes!" someone shouted from the back. "What did we do wrong?"
"Why should we be punished?"
Voices rose, echoing his challenge.
Even those aligned with the moderate faction, the so-called "doves," couldn't stay silent now. They were tired tired of being misunderstood, of being blamed no matter what they did.
"Exactly!"
The First Elder, long known for his hardline stance, slammed his palm on the table and stood. His eyes gleamed with approval as he looked at Lance.
"The Uchiha have done nothing wrong! We've upheld the law with honor, and yet we're treated as criminals! I agree with Captain Lance the Hokage's office should be the one handling these complaints, not us."
He turned toward Fugaku with a pointed look. "What do you say, Clan Leader?"
All eyes shifted to Fugaku.
The clan leader's lips twitched twice, as if he wanted to argue but what could he say?
Even the hardliners had joined Lance's side. The tide of the meeting had already turned.
Finally, with a weary sigh, Fugaku said, "Very well. Tomorrow, I'll personally report this matter to Lord Hiruzen. The clan deserves an explanation."
The hall fell quiet again.
No one missed the hint of frustration in his tone.
The meeting, which had begun as a routine discussion, ended abruptly. Many of the intended topics were quietly set aside.
The monthly clan assembly dispersed soon after, but the air was charged electric with the sense that something had shifted.
As the others filed out, the First Elder approached Lance, his expression warm.
"Well done, Captain. The clan needs people like you bold and unafraid to speak the truth. Come visit me sometime. We have much to discuss."
Whether sincere or not, his attempt at camaraderie was obvious.
Lance offered a polite nod but said nothing.
Outside, Zane grinned like a child. "Captain, that was incredible! Everyone's talking about you you're a legend now!"
Lance gave him a tired glance. "Enough. Go home and rest."
He waited by the shrine's gate as the last of the clan members left. Soon, Fugaku emerged with two guards in tow.
A subtle tilt of the head was all it took for Lance to understand. He followed.
Once they were out of sight, Fugaku gestured, and the guards silently retreated.
Only the two of them remained.
"The things you said at the meeting put me in a difficult position," Fugaku said at last. His tone was calm, but his eyes carried a weight Lance couldn't ignore. "But you're right. This is my responsibility. I'll go to the Hokage myself. Our clan has endured enough."
Lance inclined his head slightly.
He respected Fugaku's integrity, even if he thought the man's restraint would someday destroy them all.
Fugaku stopped walking, turning to face him. "Have you considered that your words tonight might make the village elders wary of you?"
Lance smiled faintly. "Does it matter?"
The political tension between the Uchiha and the Hokage's office had been festering for years. The more the Uchiha bent, the more the higher-ups pressed.
People called the hardliners extremists, but they were only reacting to being cornered again and again.
Fugaku studied him for a long moment, then said quietly, "I just hope you won't regret this."
With that, he turned and walked away, his silhouette fading into the torchlight.
Lance watched him go, a faint bitterness in his chest.
None of this had been his choice. But if no one stood up now, there would soon be nothing left to stand for.
He exhaled slowly, then glanced toward the dark alley beside his home.
"You can come out now," he said. His tone was casual, but his eyes were sharp. "You've been following me this whole time."
A shadow stirred.
From the darkness, Shisui Uchiha stepped forward, his expression conflicted.
"Lance," he said quietly, "what you did tonight was dangerous. Have you joined the hardliners?"
Lance's gaze met his old friend's steady, unflinching.
And for the first time, there was no trace of hesitation in his eyes.