### Chapter 16: "We Founded the Hidden Leaf Village"

The tense situation didn't last long before Fugaku Uchiha arrived with a group of people.

As soon as Fugaku arrived, he was greeted by the sight of blood everywhere, flowing down the street almost reaching his feet.

Fugaku was shocked to see Reijin standing at the edge of the scene. He hadn't expected this guy to go this far.

Was he really planning to rebel?

Slaughtering villagers so openly—wasn't this essentially sentencing the Uchiha clan to death?

The current higher-ups in the Hidden Leaf were already targeting the Uchiha. Wasn't Reijin just throwing them into the fire?

"Reijin, what do you think you're doing?" Fugaku roared. The members of the Police Force who had been acting out regained some sense of reason.

But when they glanced at Reijin and saw that he had no intention of stopping them, their actions became even more ruthless.

"What am I doing? Can't you see, Clan Leader Fugaku?" Reijin replied coldly. "They insulted the Uchiha clan and tried to sow discord between the Hidden Leaf and the Uchiha. I have serious suspicions that spies from enemy nations have infiltrated the village, and I'm helping the Leaf by catching those spies."

Fugaku was furious, his nostrils flaring with anger. He couldn't believe how dismissively Reijin was treating him. These merchants had been operating in the Hidden Leaf for over a decade. If they were spies, wouldn't the Hokage have already known?

"Stop this at once!" Fugaku ordered, shouting at the members of the Police Force.

But the blades continued to fall, without the slightest hesitation. Fugaku noticed that some of his people pretended not to hear his command.

At that moment, a chill ran down Fugaku's spine. He realized that Reijin had already extended his influence over his men. Even those who were close to him were now acting as if they hadn't heard his orders.

Fugaku intended to step in, but Reijin spoke first.

"Enough. Arrest the remaining ones and hand them over to the Anbu!" Reijin commanded. The lesson had been delivered. Hopefully, these foolish people in the Hidden Leaf would remember it for a few days.

"Yes!" several members of the Police Force responded, sheathing their short blades. But by now, most of the merchants had already been slaughtered, leaving only a few alive.

Just then, a figure appeared swiftly in front of Reijin and the others. The members of the Police Force, in groups of four, surrounded those who had just acted.

A white-haired figure slowly stepped forward in front of Reijin, wearing a Jōnin vest.

"Reijin, the Hokage has summoned you!" Kakashi said calmly as he stood before Reijin.

Two Anbu members followed behind Kakashi, weapons in hand, staring intently at Reijin. One of them was instantly recognizable just by his hair—Uchiha Shisui! It seemed he had quickly aligned himself with the Hokage.

"Understood," Reijin replied.

Reijin nodded and didn't refuse Kakashi. He had already sensed Kakashi and the others approaching earlier.

"Wait, I'm coming too!" Fugaku quickly spoke up.

Kakashi didn't stop him, knowing that Fugaku's presence might be appropriate.

"All members of the Police Force who were involved, detain them for questioning later!" Kakashi instructed the remaining Anbu members as he led Reijin towards the Hokage's office. Two Anbu followed closely behind Reijin, prepared to act in case he became violent.

"Didn't you resign voluntarily? How is it that you're almost leading the Anbu now?" Reijin glanced at Kakashi. Though he wasn't wearing the typical Anbu uniform, being able to command so many units clearly indicated a position of authority beyond that of a regular ninja.

"It's all because of you!" Kakashi grumbled, his hand slipping into his pocket to touch the book inside. He was itching to read it, but knew this wasn't the right time.

"I was supposed to be on vacation today, but thanks to your antics, the entire village is now on high alert." Kakashi gave Reijin a resentful look. If it weren't for him, Kakashi would be at home reading. Jiraiya's new book series had him hooked ever since the legendary ninja opened his eyes to a new world. Now, he eagerly awaited each new release. Going a day without reading left him feeling uneasy.

"Calling it 'antics' is a bit much, don't you think? It's more of a reminder to those who think they can use rumors to crush the Uchiha," Reijin said with a sly smile, his eyes narrowing. "Kakashi, you've been through this kind of thing, right? If you don't shut them up, the rumors will fester. Even if the Uchiha are in the right, we won't be able to defend ourselves. Better to silence the talk now."

Kakashi no longer had any interest in reading. He felt that every time Reijin spoke to him, it was to intentionally bring up unpleasant memories. And yes, he had indeed been through something similar, even losing a family member because of it. He knew all too well how these situations unfolded. As an elite Jōnin, Kakashi was well aware of the tensions brewing in the village. But having gone through something like this before, he had chosen to stay out of it. He hadn't expected things to escalate this quickly.

Reijin's methods were indeed ruthless.

Behind them, Shisui's hand gripped his short blade tightly.

Bang!

Reijin kicked the door to the Hokage's office, breaking it in two as it crashed to the floor.

"Uchiha Reijin, are you trying to start a rebellion?" a cold voice echoed through the room.

Seated on either side of the Hokage were three elders, along with the heads of various clans from the Hidden Leaf. All of them stared at Reijin in shock, surprised by the young man's audacity. After slaughtering people below, he had now kicked open the door to the Hokage's office.

"You—" Fugaku began, wanting to say something, but seeing so many people present, he held his tongue. He couldn't afford to let the Uchiha clan lose face.

"The Uchiha and Senju clans are the two founding families of the Hidden Leaf Village. This village was built by us. Everyone knows that the Uchiha would never rebel. I suspect that someone is manipulating things behind the scenes, or perhaps spies from enemy nations are trying to drive a wedge between the Uchiha and the Leaf. Danzo, was it you spreading these rumors? Are you trying to force the Uchiha into rebellion?" Reijin's cold gaze fixed on Danzo, making him visibly uncomfortable.

Danzo had entered the room with an air of authority, expecting that if it were Fugaku standing before him, the man would have already been cowed. But Reijin was different. He had no intention of hiding his contempt, instead confronting the Leaf with an unyielding stance. In the past, the Uchiha clan had hoped to live peacefully within the Hidden Leaf. But now?

To hell with that!

Reijin had already found another place to go. If it weren't for the fact that his preparations weren't complete, he would have already disappeared without a trace.

"Sharp-tongued and evil, as always, Uchiha!" Danzo glared at Reijin, but held back, knowing that saying more might lead to rumors that it was the Leaf elders who forced the Uchiha into rebellion.

"Ahem! Reijin, as a Jōnin, you attacked these villagers without cause. This matter requires an explanation," said Homura Mitokado, one of the elders, ignoring Reijin and directing his words at Fugaku instead. "Fugaku, as the head of the Uchiha clan, you failed to control your people. This incident cannot simply be brushed aside. You must provide the Leaf with an explanation, or the public outcry will be impossible to quell."

Fugaku, who had been trying to stay out of the spotlight, now found himself squarely in it. The chapter ends with a note from the author, indicating a temporary shift in focus to the events within the Hidden Leaf Village.

end.