Hiko's voice didn't just rise; it cut through the murmurs of the ancestral hall like a blade.
"Everyone, let's stop pretending," Hiko said, his gaze sweeping over the gathered Uchiha. "The Police Department is a branch of the Uchiha, and our clansmen are law enforcement officers. Our job is to handle messy emergencies and secure this village—not to act as a public relations firm for people who don't like being caught."
"Nonsense!" the Sixth Elder barked, his gray beard twitching with rage. "Then tell me, Captain—how do you propose we solve the complaint problem?"
Hiko let out a low, disdainful laugh. "Solve it? Why should we solve it?"
The hall went silent.
"Is that not the responsibility of the Hokage's administrative staff?" Hiko continued, stepping into the center of the room. "Why is the burden of coordination being pushed onto us? We restrain ourselves daily while dealing with criminals. Does the Sixth Elder truly believe that when we arrive at a crime scene, our priority should be 'gentle enforcement' over 'justice'?"
Hiko turned, mocking the Elder's stance. "What do you want, Elder? Should we offer a smile and a cup of tea to every murderer we arrest? Should we apologize for the inconvenience of handcuffs?"
A ripple of laughter—sharp and bitter—erupted from the younger officers in the back. The Sixth Elder's face turned a deep, bruised purple. He pointed a trembling finger at Hiko, but the words were stuck in his throat.
Hiko wasn't finished. He slammed his hand against the floor.
[Note: A faint pulse of cold Indra Chakra ripples through the floorboards, making the wood groan under the weight of his intent.]
"As a Captain, I've done my duty. My subordinates have done theirs. We handle the filth, the crimes, and the things that offend the delicate sensibilities of this village—and yet, the Police Department bears the brunt of the blame. Why?"
He looked directly at Fugaku, the Patriarch. "It is a matter for the Hokage Office to coordinate, not for us to internalize. Why are we carrying a burden that isn't ours?"
"Well said!" Hikaku was the first to shout, his fist raised. "I've had enough. Today it's 'restraint,' tomorrow it's 'apologizing for breathing.' If we follow this path, we might as well lock ourselves in our homes and wait for the complaints to find us there!"
The resentment that had been simmering for years finally boiled over. The younger generation, the backbone of the force, erupted in applause. They weren't just cheering for Hiko; they were cheering for the spine he had just given them.
The Sixth Elder slumped into his seat, silenced. Fugaku's expression was unreadable, but his jaw was tight. He knew what Hiko was doing—he was beating around the bush to accuse Fugaku of being a weak leader.
"Enough!" The Third Elder stood up, his voice cracking with the strain of a dove-factionist trying to hold onto power. "Hiko, you speak as if there are no consequences. Have you considered that this defiance will bring punishment from the Hokage's office?"
Hiko's disgust was visible. He looked at the Third Elder as if he were a stain on the floor.
"Tell me, Elder," Hiko asked with biting contempt. "What has Uchiha done wrong that warrants punishment? Since when is enforcing the law a crime in Konoha?"
"Yes! What did we do wrong?" "Why should we be punished for their failures?"
The fire had spread. Even the moderate members of the clan were nodding, their faces flushed with a newfound anger. At the head of the table, the Hardline Elder looked at Hiko as if he were a long-lost son, his eyes burning with pride.
"The boy is right!" the Hardline Elder roared. "The complaints are for the Hokage to deal with. What say you, Patriarch? Will you stand with your kin, or will you stand with the bureaucrats?"
Fugaku's mouth twitched. He was trapped. To oppose Hiko now was to lose the clan entirely. He sighed, the weight of his office visible in his shoulders.
"I will go to the Hokage's office tomorrow," Fugaku declared. "I will report that the Police Department will no longer be held responsible for administrative grievances. The meeting is adjourned."
As the hall cleared, the Great Elder approached Hiko, clapping him on the shoulder with a heavy hand. "Very good. The family lacks people with a spine—people who dare to speak the truth. Come find me when you have time, boy. We have much to discuss."
Zhiyan was beaming, his eyes bright. "Captain! That was incredible! Everyone is talking about you!"
Hiko sent Zhiyan home with a faint smile, but as he stood at the entrance of the ancestral hall, his eyes remained cold. He had flipped the table, but he knew the "Higher-ups" would be reaching for their knives soon.
Fugaku appeared from the shadows, his guards trailing at a distance before he signaled them to leave. The two of them walked in silence for a time.
"You made me look very embarrassed tonight, Hiko," Fugaku admitted softly.
"But it was the Patriarch's responsibility," Hiko replied.
Fugaku stopped and stared at him, his gaze heavy with caution. "I will go to the Hokage. The clan has suffered, and you were right to point it out. But have you thought about what comes next? You will be feared by the higher-ups now. You are no longer just another Uchiha; you are a target."
"Is it important?" Hiko smiled. "They've been targeting us since the Nine-Tails. If we step back, they take a mile. If we wait for them to love us, we'll be waiting in our graves."
Fugaku looked at him for a long moment, then turned away. "I hope you don't regret it."
Hiko watched him go. He didn't regret it. If he hadn't jumped out now, it would have been too late.
"Come out," Hiko called, turning toward a dark alley. "You've followed me the whole way."
Shisui stepped out from the shadows, his expression pained, his eyes wide with disbelief. "Hiko… what you did tonight was dangerous. Have you joined the hardliners? Are you planning a coup?"
Hiko looked at his friend—the village's "perfect" soldier—and felt a wave of pity. "I haven't joined anyone, Shisui. I'm just the only one who realized that while you're busy being a bridge, the village is busy burning down the banks."