Chapter 82: Unexpected Information
Uchiha Kei didn't actually want to handle things this way. After all, what if he made a mistake? What if Uchiha Hiroki's actions were actually justified?
Moreover, doing something like this in front of outsiders would inevitably leave a bad impression within the clan.
However, just seeing Uchiha Hiroki's face irritated Kei to no end. This man was constantly at odds with him, and his involvement in the whole Kakashi matter had created all kinds of trouble, indirectly disrupting Kei's plans.
From a different perspective, Kei could almost thank Hiroki for causing the trouble, since it pushed him to find a suitable test subject more quickly. But just looking at Hiroki made Kei feel a deep sense of frustration.
Kei's actions, while seemingly impulsive, were actually calculated. He had already become too entangled with the hardliners, and he was determined to target Uchiha Yuu.
The worse his relationship with the hardliners became, the less likely they would be able to take serious action against him if Uchiha Yuu's plan succeeded.
Any traces of suspicion would be too obvious, and the hardliners couldn't afford to push him too far.
Plus, even if they suspected him, Kei wasn't without backup, and he had Lord Orochimaru to thank for that.
"Kei?" Fukuhiko Kohei stood frozen, shocked by what had just happened. Not only was he stunned, but so were the other Uchiha ninjas present.
To be fair, Uchiha Hiroki wasn't entirely incompetent. He had probably just never imagined that Uchiha Kei would act without warning.
Looking at Uchiha Hiroki, who was writhing in pain on the ground, Kei simply shook his head. He turned to face the other Uchiha ninjas.
The moment those ninjas noticed Kei's gaze, they immediately tensed up, clearly worried that he might suddenly attack them too.
"Relax, I haven't lost my mind. This is a personal grudge," Kei said, raising his hands in a mock gesture of peace.
"Also, Fukuhiko Kohei is my supervising Jonin. He's helped me on the battlefield, so I think I'm entitled to ask a few questions, don't you think?"
The Uchiha ninjas visibly relaxed a little, now that Kei had explained himself. Kei's pressure on them had been immense.
In terms of status within the clan alone, not to mention the fact that he had returned from the battlefield alive and awakened the Sharingan, Kei was someone not even the average Uchiha could afford to challenge.
Kei's calm attitude and explanation had provided them with an escape, and they weren't without self-awareness.
One of the Uchiha ninjas finally spoke up.
"Lord Kei," he said, bowing slightly, "the boy we captured is named Fukuhiko Kouta. He broke the law and ignored warnings, which is why we detained him."
"That's not what happened!" The young boy, Fukuhiko Kouta, suddenly interjected. "My brother just returned from the front lines. I was going to greet him with my mother, but you wouldn't let us through. You mean to say I can't even see my own brother after his return from the battlefield?"
"Do you realize the consequences of your actions?" Another Uchiha ninja snapped angrily. "You led the charge by yourself. How many people do you think will follow your example? What if there had been a stampede? Do you think you could bear that responsibility? Would you rather they died on the battlefield than in a stampede caused by your 'enthusiastic' welcome?"
"But... but..." Fukuhiko Kouta was momentarily silenced by the Uchiha ninja's harsh words.
Hearing this, Kei understood the situation and rolled his eyes in disbelief.
This was such a minor issue. In fact, the Police Force had done nothing wrong. Just think about it—if everyone acted like this boy and stormed through the gates, what would the result be?
The ninjas themselves might be fine, but their families—ordinary civilians—would be the ones to suffer!
But the arrogance inherent in the Uchiha clan made them too disdainful to properly explain their actions. Combined with the Uchiha's reputation for being harsh and the biased narratives spun by certain people, it was no wonder that the clan's popularity had steadily declined.
"I understand now." Kei nodded slowly, then turned to the Uchiha ninjas.
"I'm sorry for stopping you, but sometimes, I think it might have been better to take a moment to explain things to them. After all, they're the families of heroes. It's understandable for them to be emotional after such a long separation, don't you think?"
"Ah, yes, yes, Lord Kei," the Uchiha ninja stammered, before nodding. "We didn't think it through."
"And you, boy," Kei said, now turning his attention back to Fukuhiko Kouta. "Your brother's a hero who just returned from the battlefield. I understand your excitement, but rules are rules. If things had escalated, none of you would have been able to shoulder the consequences, right?"
"I..." Fukuhiko Kouta started to speak, but he was immediately pushed down by Fukuhiko Kohei, who then spoke to Kei.
"I think he understands his mistake now, Kei. Thank you."
Kei nodded, not bothering with the boy's face, as he didn't care much about such things.
Although he wasn't part of the Police Force, Kei's actions could be seen as overstepping. But, at the moment, he didn't mind.
Fukuhiko Kohei was his supervising Jonin, and that alone was enough to justify his involvement, regardless of the details.
Kei hadn't intervened to absolve the boy of his mistakes—he had simply taught Hiroki a lesson.
Fukuhiko Kouta seemed to have learned his lesson, as he didn't argue further and quietly followed the other Uchiha ninjas.
As for Uchiha Hiroki, he had been kicked hard enough that he was carried away by other Uchiha ninjas, his pride shattered.
Watching Hiroki's pathetic state, Kei felt a strange satisfaction. At least Hiroki had learned his lesson—Kei wondered if he'd come back looking for help.
"Thanks, Kei." Fukuhiko Kohei said, watching his younger brother walk away, now subdued. Though still a bit worried, he didn't forget to thank Kei.
"No problem, it's nothing." Kei shook his head, unconcerned. "But your brother's pretty young, huh? He looks about my age."
Fukuhiko Kohei, who seemed to be in his thirties, had a younger brother who looked just about the same age as Kei. This piqued Kei's curiosity, but Fukuhiko Kohei appeared a little uncomfortable with the topic. He scratched his nose, not directly answering.
Kei didn't press further. He had other matters to attend to.
With a casual wave, he turned and began to leave.
"Captain Fukuhiko, I'll head off now. I'll try to talk to them about your brother's situation, though I can't guarantee it'll work."
"Thank you, Kei." Fukuhiko Kohei seemed relieved. "It seems like this war has really changed you. You've changed a lot since we first met."
"Has it?" Kei chuckled. "I suppose this counts as growth."
"Definitely." Fukuhiko Kohei smiled. "You're very different from the Uchiha I used to know."
"Oh? You used to know other Uchiha ninjas?"
"Yeah, otherwise you wouldn't have made it into my squad. Speaking of which, that guy was really impressive. His name was... Uchiha Yuu."
"..."