Seeing someone rush in frantically, both Uchiha Fugaku and the Uchiha clan head Uchiha Gen furrowed their brows.
"Why the panic? What happened?" Uchiha Gen asked sternly, his voice displeased.
"Elder! Bad news—Captain Byakuya has captured Lord Hokage's son, Sarutobi Shinnosuke!"
"He's... he's being interrogated right now!"
"What!?" Fugaku's eyes widened. "What is Byakuya thinking? To lay hands on the Hokage's own son…"
"He's lost his mind! This could cause a direct conflict between the Uchiha and the Hokage's office!"
Both Uchiha Gen and Fugaku's expressions darkened with alarm. The tension between the Uchiha and the village leadership was already precarious—this could be a spark in a powder keg.
"No. We can't let anything happen to Sarutobi Shinnosuke."
"Fugaku, I leave this to you," Gen said gravely, his eyes narrowing. "Handle it carefully."
"I understand, Lord Elder. I will resolve this," Fugaku replied confidently.
He recognized the opportunity: if he resolved the crisis cleanly, he could win favor both within the clan and with the village leadership—solidifying his path to becoming the next clan head.
Without delay, Fugaku gathered several Uchiha police officers and rushed toward the Konoha Military Police headquarters. Before they even reached the interrogation chamber, they could hear muffled screams echoing from within.
"Stop! What are you doing? Release the Hokage's son immediately!" Fugaku burst in, his voice thunderous.
Inside, Uchiha En turned toward him. "Captain Fugaku! We cannot release the prisoner without an order from Captain Byakuya!"
Though the Uchiha Police Force was a clan-led institution, its teams operated with their own internal hierarchies. Byakuya and Fugaku were both captains of separate divisions—technically equals in rank. But among the rank and file, loyalty lay with their immediate commander.
"You dare disobey me? Are you trying to rebel?" Fugaku snapped, his glare sharp.
Just then, Byakuya entered, drawn by the commotion. His tone was dismissive. "Captain Fugaku... what are you doing interfering in my jurisdiction?"
"Jurisdiction?" Fugaku barked. "You arrested Sarutobi Shinnosuke—Lord Hokage's son! Do you even understand what you've done?"
"I'm fully aware," Byakuya said calmly. "As a police officer, it's my duty to protect the village. I have reason to suspect Sarutobi Shinnosuke of colluding with enemy forces. He's currently under interrogation."
Fugaku stared at him, dumbfounded. "Do you take us all for fools? The Hokage's own son? Accused of treason?"
"I'm not making baseless claims. He's already begun to confess," Byakuya replied flatly, nodding at Uchiha Yan.
"That's right," Uchiha Yan said quickly. "He's admitted as much under interrogation."
"You forced a confession from him!" Fugaku snapped. "Release him now, and come with me to explain everything to Lord Hokage. I'll do what I can to mitigate the damage."
"Absolutely not." Byakuya's voice was ice. "And you, Fugaku—what right do you have to order me? A man more loyal to the village council than his own clan? If you're not a disgrace, then what are you?"
"Byakuya!" Fugaku shouted in fury. His pride as a Uchiha, as an officer, was being publicly shredded in front of his own subordinates.
More Uchiha had gathered by now, drawn by the noise. The tension was thick, like the moments before a storm.
[Ding—Uchiha Fugaku's anger intensifies. +80 negative energy acquired. Illusion proficiency +8.]
Hearing the system prompt, Byakuya couldn't help but smirk.
"Tch. I'm just being honest. What can a failure like you possibly do to me?"
Byakuya sneered openly, his voice full of contempt.
In his eyes, Uchiha Fugaku was unworthy of respect. After all, regardless of the complex reasons behind the Uchiha Clan Massacre, Fugaku had presided over the clan in its final days. As its leader, he had failed to prevent its downfall. To Byakuya, it was enough to brand him a disgrace.
"You bastard...!"
Fugaku's eyes narrowed, fury building as Byakuya hurled insults in front of the gathered clan members.
To be publicly humiliated like this—if he didn't respond, his authority would crumble. No one would follow a clan head who couldn't even discipline an upstart.
Without another word, Fugaku drew the ninja blade from his back and slashed down at Byakuya.
But—
"Bang!"
The blade sliced into a log, and white smoke billowed outward.
Substitution Jutsu!
Byakuya had already evaded.
"Uchiha Fugaku! Attacking a fellow clansman in broad daylight?!"
"Planning to become a missing-nin!?"
A mocking voice rang out behind him. Byakuya had reappeared and struck swiftly, landing a solid kick to Fugaku's back.
The blow sent Fugaku tumbling across the courtyard. He hit the ground hard, rolling several times before managing to rise, disoriented. His weapon clattered away.
"Dammit..."
Fugaku gritted his teeth. He quickly formed hand seals.
"Fire Style: Great Fire Dragon Technique!"
Flames roared to life, taking the form of a serpentine dragon. The B-rank technique surged forward, heat rippling across the air as it barreled toward Byakuya.
"Heh... Good time to test my Mangekyō Sharingan."
Byakuya's eyes gleamed with crimson intensity. The tomoe within spun and converged into a twisted triangular pattern: his Mangekyō Sharingan.
He activated his dojutsu—Zōka Myōzō, a unique technique of unknown origin. Simultaneously, he completed his own hand seals.
"Fire Style: Great Fireball Technique!"
But under the influence of his ocular power, the simple jutsu was amplified exponentially.
With a roar, a massive fireball—over ten meters wide—erupted from Byakuya's mouth, surging forward with blazing intensity.
BOOM!
The two techniques collided mid-air. The fire dragon and the enhanced fireball exploded in a tremendous conflagration, sending shockwaves through the Uchiha compound.
The ground quaked. Onlookers shielded their eyes from the blast. When the smoke began to clear, only one figure stood confidently at the center—his Mangekyō Sharingan glowing through the haze.