The Konoha Police, Hyuga Hiashi, stood indifferently at the door, followed by members of the Hyuga clan behind him.
"Where's Uchiha Kisaragi? Tell him to come out."
"Does every stray cat and dog think they can meet our captain? What makes you think you can see him?"
One of the guards, a Jōnin, sneered at Hyuga Hiashi without ceremony.
As two of the most powerful clans in Konoha Village, the Uchiha and Hyuga families harbored a deep rivalry. The Uchiha looked down on the Hyuga, and the Hyuga felt the same disdain toward the Uchiha.
"Do you have a death wish?"
Hyuga Hizashi, standing behind his brother Hiashi, acted instantly. His Byakugan activated, veins bulging around his eyes, and he assumed the Gentle Fist stance.
The Uchiha Jōnin began forming seals with his hands, ready to fight back.
"Satoru, stand down."
Uchiha Shin, the vice-captain, halted Uchiha Satoru, his Three Tomoe Sharingan locking onto Hyuga Hizashi.
"Before you start something, think carefully about the consequences of crossing the Konoha Police."
"Hizashi, stop."
Hiashi ordered his brother to hold back.
"Uchiha Shin, where is your captain? Bring him out."
"If you have something to say, say it to me. Don't bother Kisaragi-san with trivial matters. He doesn't have time for this nonsense."
A look of disdain flashed in Uchiha Sota's eyes as he gazed at Hiashi. The new Hyuga patriarch was an Elite Jōnin at best. Whether Hiashi could even defeat him in a real fight was uncertain. This level of strength was hardly enough to warrant an audience with Kisaragi-san.
"The Hyuga clan members have been arrested, and the Hyuga storefront has been sealed. Doesn't the Uchiha clan owe us an explanation?"
"An explanation? Do you honestly think the Hyuga clan is worthy of one?"
Uchiha Shin stood his ground, unafraid of Hyuga Hiashi. If Hiashi dared to attack, Shin was prepared to arrest him for assaulting a member of the Konoha Police. Hiashi's status as the Hyuga clan patriarch meant nothing; Sota would not hesitate to detain him.
"You Uchiha think you're above the Hyuga clan."
Hiashi's eyes narrowed dangerously.
"If you want to fight, go ahead and try. I'll gladly show you how little I think of your clan."
A powerful chakra surged from Uchiha Shin. His stance was mirrored by the rest of the Konoha Police, all of whom began emanating murderous intent.
The mere Hyuga clan dared to challenge the Uchiha? They truly were unworthy. Though the Hyuga's bloodline limit was formidable, few within the clan could unlock the full potential of the Byakugan. In the hands of the Hyuga, the Byakugan was reduced to a tool for long-distance vision, chakra flow observation, and 360-degree awareness.
"For the honor of the Hyuga clan, attack!"
Hiashi could no longer suppress his anger. As the patriarch, it was his duty to defend the Hyuga's honor, and if he let these insults go unchallenged, how could he lead the clan in the future?
"Afraid you can't handle it? Let's see what you've got."
All the Uchiha in the Konoha Police sprang into action, and chaos erupted as a battle between the Uchiha and Hyuga clans broke out.
The Hyuga's Gentle Fist was formidable, but they were up against the Uchiha. Uchiha Shin joined the fight, and the Hyuga stood little chance. The only Elite Jōnin among them was Hiashi, while his brother Hizashi was still a level below that.
In the end, the Hyuga were soundly defeated, and the Uchiha emerged victorious.
"What should we do with them?"
Uchiha Satoru looked toward Sota.
"Arrest them, of course. These people dared to cause trouble; it's our job to deal with them."
"Should we inform Lord Kisaragi?"
"No, Kisaragi-san is busy today. We can't disturb him. Besides, we need to handle this ourselves and avoid bringing shame to Kisaragi-san."
They knew this was only the first wave of challengers, and more were likely to come. Unlike the wise Ino-Shika-Cho alliance, not all clans knew their place.
---
"What did you just say? You want me to serve Uchiha Kisaragi?"
Uchiha Mikoto stared in disbelief.
Earlier that day, Uchiha Fugaku had shown up unannounced. She had planned to break off their engagement, but before she could, Fugaku's shocking words had left her speechless.
Though Mikoto was ready to end things with Fugaku, they were still engaged. She had never heard of someone so willingly accepting the role of a cuckold.
Fugaku's face turned cold. "From now on, you will belong to that bastard. You have no choice in this matter—you must agree."
His tone was sharp and unfriendly, a stark contrast to how he used to treat her.
"Why now? Do you suddenly want to act like a virtuous woman? Do you think I don't know about you and Uchiha Kisaragi? Isn't it only right for you to be with him now?"
Fugaku's sarcastic words made Mikoto feel both guilty and aggrieved. She felt as though he was painting her as some kind of immoral woman when, in fact, she had been a victim.
If Uchiha Kisaragi hadn't threatened her family, Mikoto would never have submitted, even if it meant death.
"I want to end our engagement. From now on, we will have nothing to do with each other."
Mikoto spoke coldly.
"Fine, even if you don't break it off, I will."
Fugaku glanced at her with disdain. He was set to become the Uchiha patriarch; how could he marry a woman who had lost her purity, especially to another Uchiha?
If he didn't end the engagement, it would only appear that he had been made a fool of. By breaking it off, even if Mikoto became Kisaragi's woman, Fugaku could convince himself that he had never been humiliated. It was his way of maintaining a false sense of victory.