Inside the Sixth Elder's home, the air was thick with the smell of expensive tea and the lingering heat of rage.
Shisui stood by the door, his head slightly bowed. He was nearly a pariah. After Hiko's tactical bombardment in the meeting, Shisui had been backed into a corner: if he continued to oppose the new regulations, he wasn't just a "peace-lover"—he was a man actively trying to keep his own cousins poor. Even the Doves were looking at him with squinted eyes.
The Sixth Elder smashed his teacup against the floor. Shards of fine porcelain sprayed across the tatami mats. "That little bastard! Hiko has no respect for his elders! No respect for the hierarchy!"
Shisui sighed, his heart heavy. "Elder, Hiko isn't targeting us. His ideas are aimed at the entire clan's survival. We just happen to be standing in the path of his logic."
The Sixth Elder looked like he wanted to spit. He had been an Elder for years, yet a junior captain had just stripped him of his dignity in front of the whole family.
Fugaku, feeling the heat of the clan's gaze, didn't wait. By noon, the official announcement was posted: Police Department wages were being increased by 15%, and all "non-essential civil disputes" were being transitioned to the Mission Desk.
The compound erupted in cheers. For many Uchiha, the small salary of the Police Force—combined with the inability to take outside mercenary contracts—meant they were living month-to-month. Hiko's move was a lifeline.
Suddenly, Hiko's office became the most popular spot in the district. "Captain Hiko! I've always admired your leadership—any openings in the Third Squad?" "Hiko-san, my son is graduating soon. I want him under your command!"
Meanwhile, the Personnel Department was in a state of absolute panic. Fugaku, his face darkened by Hiko's earlier insults about "raising pigs," had stormed into their office and cleared his throat. Now, the clerks were working at triple speed, terrified that another "assessment" would be left sitting on a desk.
Hiko had achieved in one night what the Elders hadn't done in a decade: he had made the Uchiha bureaucracy move.
The peace didn't last. By mid-afternoon, a dull roar began to echo from the first floor of the Police Headquarters.
Hiko leaned against his office balcony, looking down at the lobby. "What's the commotion, Zhiyan?"
Zhiyan was already there, grinning as he watched the chaos below. "Captain, it's the 'Farmer's Union.' A group of livestock breeders from the outskirts. They're rioting because they heard we won't find their runaway cows for free anymore."
Hiko walked toward the stairs, his eyes gleaming with curiosity. In every village, there are people who mistake "service" for "servitude." These farmers were old acquaintances of the Uchiha; they were the loudest complainers, yet the most frequent users of the "free" police help.
On the ground floor, the scene was pathetic.
Uchiha Shisui was at the center of a mob of angry, shouting civilians. He was sweating, his hands raised in a placating gesture, trying to use his "Will of Fire" to calm the storm.
"Everyone, please!" Shisui pleaded. "We are understaffed! We must prioritize the security of the village—"
"Nonsense!" a farmer named Kijiro shouted, spraying spit as he stepped into Shisui's personal space. "You Uchiha are just getting lazy! I lost three goats this morning. If you don't find them, what do we pay taxes for?"
"Yeah!" another villager chimed in. "Uchiha is getting more hateful by the day! You think you're too good to help us now?"
Shisui's kindness was being treated as a weakness. The more he explained, the more arrogant the villagers became. They knew the "New" Uchiha was supposed to be "gentle," and they were using that as a weapon to insult the crest on Shisui's back.
Kijiro, seeing Shisui's hesitation, grew even bolder. He grabbed Shisui by the vest. "Cancel the announcement! Go back to work and find my goats, or I'll go straight to the Hokage and tell him you're planning a revolt!"
The Uchiha officers standing around the lobby were gritting their teeth. Their hands were on their hilts, their eyes flashing red. But Shisui stood there, paralyzed by his own desire for peace, allowing a common farmer to manhandle a master of the Body Flicker.
Then, a cold, heavy pressure descended upon the room.
The shouting stopped. The air grew still.
Hiko descended the final steps, his boots clicking rhythmically on the stone floor. He didn't look at Shisui. He looked at Kijiro's hand, which was still clutching Shisui's uniform.
"You have three seconds to remove your hand," Hiko said, his voice a calm, terrifying whisper. "Before I process you for assaulting a military officer."