"Next, congratulations to Uchiha Taro, Uchiha Jiro… for officially joining the Konoha Police Force starting today."
Inside the dim chamber, Hazuki's unease and Kiyoshi's faint smile went largely unnoticed. Up front, Uchiha Fugaku began congratulating the clan members who were joining the Police Force this time.
Each person whose name was called immediately stood up, their faces filled with excitement. Watching the enthusiasm of his clansmen, Kiyoshi's smile grew more meaningful.
The Uchiha were still part of Konoha, and inevitably influenced by the village's "Will of Fire." Even Fugaku himself had once proposed a bloodless revolution.
But unfortunately, from beginning to end, the Konoha Police Force was nothing more than a cage. Under the pretense of monitoring criminals, the police headquarters and prison were placed together, openly pushing the Uchiha to the edge of the village.
Moreover, the role of law enforcement often offended others and bred resentment. In the anime Kakashi ANBU Arc, the Uchiha merely arrested a drunk causing trouble, yet the surrounding villagers instead complained that the Uchiha were too harsh—completely ignoring the consequences if the drunk had been allowed to continue.
And yet, despite all this, the Uchiha still regarded it as an honor. Day after day, they managed trivial matters—children scribbling graffiti here, villagers arguing there. All these petty issues drained their energy, wasting the clan's extraordinary talent.
"Congratulations, congratulations!"
"Haha, thank you for your support!"
The newly joined members of the Police Force were all smiles.
"The Uchiha clan is truly flourishing," Fugaku sighed with emotion. Recently, the clan had produced quite a few talents—especially someone like Kiyoshi, a genius in medical ninjutsu.
With people like this, how could the Uchiha not prosper?
As he thought about it, Fugaku glanced toward Kiyoshi. Seeing his bright smile, he nodded inwardly, assuming the boy had a strong sense of clan pride and was genuinely happy for others.
...
The next day, Kiyoshi went to complete the formalities for his graduation certificate. His jonin instructor had not yet been assigned, and he was told to wait a few days before meeting his future teammates.
For now, he followed Mikoto to the clan to receive the technique Fire Release: Great Fireball Jutsu. This was the signature technique of the Uchiha clan, and almost every Uchiha ninja could use it.
This time, Uchiha Yakusen's attitude was noticeably better. The Uchiha valued strength above all else. Previously, Kiyoshi had just been a newcomer with only one Sharingan. But now, he had transformed into a prodigy—graduating early, excelling in ninjutsu, taijutsu, and genjutsu, and even gaining the attention of Yakushi Nono, the head of the medical division.
No one wanted to offend such talent.
"So this is it… it seems our Uchiha clan has produced a genius," Yakusen said as he retrieved a scroll, brushing off the dust before turning to face them. The scars on his face overlapped, making his smile look rather unpleasant.
"Indeed," Mikoto nodded. Her black hair was tied back simply with a white ribbon, falling behind her waist, with two strands framing her delicate face. Compared to her future self, she carried a sharper, more capable aura.
Even she was surprised that Kiyoshi had graduated so quickly. Unlike many Uchiha children, he hadn't received any early training. Others were often taken hunting or taught ninjutsu before even entering the academy. Kiyoshi, on the other hand, had none of that.
"You flatter me," Kiyoshi replied with a faint smile as he took the orange-yellow scroll into his hands. The shift in attitude—from arrogance before to politeness now—was almost amusing.
"Mikoto, where is the ninja cat clan?" Kiyoshi asked. After receiving the scroll, he wanted to get his own sword as soon as possible.
"I'll take you there. It may look run-down on the outside, but it's quite different inside…"
The two left the compound and headed beyond the Uchiha district. Along the way, Mikoto explained the ninja cat clan to him.
Although called a "clan," they were actually summoned ninja beasts raised by the Cat Granny, who also owned a weapon shop. The scale of that shop was among the best even across the Five Great Nations.
...
Before long, night fell, and Mikoto and Kiyoshi arrived at a place filled with ruins. With the proper pass and explanation, they were able to leave the village. Konoha itself did not strictly restrict ninja movement.
Most of the Uchiha clan's ninja tools were purchased from the Cat Granny's shop. Because of this, the ninja cat clan had a close relationship with the Uchiha, treating them as honored guests and even providing them with intelligence.
"It's really desolate," Kiyoshi remarked, looking around. It was clear that the place had once been prosperous, though for some unknown reason it had fallen into ruin. Compared to the bustling Konoha, it felt almost deserted.
Mikoto nodded in agreement. She had felt the same when she first came here.
They continued forward, occasionally passing broken walls and scurrying rats. After about ten minutes, they arrived at a rather imposing location. Above it hung an old signboard, faintly showing the words "Empty District."
"This is it."
Inside were numerous winding underground passages. However, Mikoto was clearly familiar with the area and led Kiyoshi through with ease. Before long, they encountered two ninja cats dressed in clothes.
"Oh, Mikoto. Is that the new Uchiha you've been talking about?" one of the cats asked, examining Kiyoshi. "Doesn't look that different from the others, meow."
"He does seem a bit sturdier, though," the other added after taking a closer look.
"Take us to see Cat Granny," Mikoto said, handing them a few boxes of matatabi drinks. The cats' eyes lit up instantly—this was their favorite treat—and they happily led the way.
Soon, they arrived at a spacious and tidy area, with walls lined with jars and ninja tools. Mikoto stepped forward and spoke with an elderly woman smoking a pipe, wearing dark gray cat-ear ornaments—that was the Cat Granny.
Kiyoshi didn't see any young girl nearby. It seemed her granddaughter, Tamaki, had not yet been born. In the future, she would become Inuzuka Kiba's partner, though the two would remain unmarried even after many years together.
"What kind of ninja sword do you want?" Cat Granny asked, turning toward Kiyoshi as she puffed on her pipe. Her nose was dark brown—whether from paint or something else, it was unclear.
"I'd prefer a blade with good chakra conductivity, high durability, and as for the design, nothing too specific—just make it a bit longer," Kiyoshi replied.
Since the Uchiha were paying for it, he naturally intended to choose the best option possible.
(End of Chapter)