And in the end, what did they get? Being kept away from the battlefield was already the deepest pain of the clan, and now it was used as mockery. With that thought, Inabi Uchiha's eyes turned so red they seemed ready to bleed, and he suddenly looked at the woman who had started it all.
"It's you," he shouted, calling her a spy sent to stir trouble in Konoha. He stepped forward and reached for her shoulder, declaring that resistance would be treated as obstructing official duties.
The woman's mocking expression froze, and she screamed in terror. But just as Inabi Uchiha grabbed her shoulder, a figure suddenly appeared and seized his arm, veins bulging with force. It was Yashiro Uchiha.
"Inabi, enough!" Yashiro Uchiha said sharply.
His stern face was equally dark, his facial muscles twitching from restraint, and blood churned in his own cold Sharingan. He held himself back with all his strength. Compared to the younger and more impulsive three, he was more composed and knew this could not continue.
This was no longer a normal conflict, and in front of an agitated crowd at such a sensitive time, it would only make things worse. Even if he did not think Inabi Uchiha was wrong, letting this grow would bring no benefit to Zetsu or to them. Unfortunately, it was already too late.
At the far end of the alley, Yunchuan Hyuga watched the chaos, half his face hidden in shadow as a malicious smile appeared. His fingers lifted again on the sword, and the eye on the guard opened once more, carrying the same ill intent.
"Bastards, what are you trying to do?" someone shouted. "Let her go!" others cried, accusing them of forcibly taking someone away and questioning who gave them such authority.
Seeing the woman being seized by the fierce-looking Inabi Uchiha, the villagers' pent-up anger exploded at once. The collective will ignited by rage gathered into a destructive flood, making them forget the fear and deterrence of three pairs of Sharingan. They even forgot the difference between ninja and civilians, seeing only a fellow civilian about to be taken away by the evil Uchiha Clan.
Anger born from long resentment swept away all reason.
"Stop them!"
"What spies? You are slandering us!"
"Uchiha Clan bullies people with power and acts without restraint! Fight them!"
The crowd that had only been watching and accusing completely lost control and turned into a violent surge that rushed forward. Stones, wooden sticks, and even vegetable leaves and eggs were picked up from the ground. Anything within reach became a weapon in the hands of angry villagers and was thrown at the four people trapped in the middle.
Countless arms reached toward the woman who was being restrained, trying to pull her back into the crowd. Just as many hands grabbed at the four Uchiha. They tugged at their clothes and shoved their bodies, with fists and feet flying and spit spraying everywhere.
The scene fell into the most chaotic and dangerous kind of physical clash. This was what was called a "mass incident", a large scale gathering formed temporarily by many people under certain social conflicts. Such events involved verbal or physical confrontation to express demands, defend interests, or vent anger, and they caused serious harm to social order and stability.
It could even be said that under the influence of Yunchuan Hyuga, this was the first time since the founding of Konoha that civilians had ignited a "mass incident". The four members of the Uchiha patrol naturally had no idea what a "mass incident" was, nor how destructive it could be in a closed place like Konoha. They only knew that the situation had completely spiraled out of control.
Driven by extreme anger and instinctive danger, Inabi Uchiha, Tekka Uchiha, and Yakumi Uchiha had already stopped holding back. Their Sharingan spun, and their heightened vision caught every movement that might pose a threat amid the chaos. They blocked incoming punches and kicks and inevitably used Genjutsu to strike back.
However, because they did not dare to use heavy force and only made the villagers fall unconscious, the scene became even more chaotic. "Stop! All of you, stop!" Yashiro Uchiha roared himself hoarse, trying to restrain his clansmen and shout down the furious villagers. His voice was drowned out by curses and the sounds of bodies colliding.
He looked at Inabi Uchiha's twisted face, at the woman still screaming in terror, and at the villagers pouring in from all directions. A chill ran through Yashiro Uchiha as if he had fallen into ice, and the usually steady man stood there stunned, ears ringing and at a loss. Still, things had reached a point where they could not be allowed to continue.
Splash!
A huge ball of water suddenly appeared above the crowd and burst before anyone could react, crashing down over their heads. Shouts and coughing erupted as icy water soaked everyone, jolting those who had been shoving and yelling back to their senses.
Everyone was drenched, hair plastered to their heads and clothes clinging to their bodies. Curses stuck in throats, and fists froze in midair. The entire street fell into a strange silence, broken only by startled breathing and coughing as the crowd's anger was doused by the cold water.
"Enough!"
Two figures used Body Flicker to appear in the center of the crowd, Kakashi Hatake and Tenzo wearing ANBU masks. Kakashi Hatake's left hand firmly grabbed the wrist of Inabi Uchiha that was holding the woman and pushed, pulling her free from his stunned grip.
"Everyone, stop," Tenzo said coldly through the mask, his gaze sweeping over all the soaked people, including the four Uchiha who were equally drenched. Their response was swift and efficient, and if not for Kakashi Hatake's sudden abnormal delay, they would have arrived even earlier. The sight of their ANBU attire and the earlier Water Release had an effect, and although the villagers still glared angrily at the four, their bodies gradually stilled as reason returned.
"The two lords from ANBU, you saw it all, right!"
The villagers, awakened by cold water, seemed to find a backbone and pointed at the four Uchiha and the woman who was crying in shock. They shouted that it was the Uchiha who grabbed someone first, that the woman had only spoken a few words before being threatened and forcibly taken away, and that several people had been injured by them. They accused them of violent enforcement and asked whether the Uchiha thought themselves superior to everyone else.
The crowd's anger was like a volcano temporarily cooled, but the remaining heat was still there. Their words were filled with disgust and hostility, all aimed at the four. "You!" Inabi Uchiha shouted, veins bulging at his temple, but before he could continue, a deep voice reached everyone's ears.
"Inabi, have you caused enough trouble?"
The crowd subconsciously followed the sound and looked over, seeing Fugaku Uchiha walking in with steady steps. His stern face showed little emotion, but deep in his black eyes was a pressure that made the noisy street fall quieter. At his side walked Itachi Uchiha.