Upon seeing the Uchiha clan crest, Hoshiyomi frowned slightly. He had clearly sent his Shadow Clone to seek help from Mito Uzumaki—so why was the Konoha Military Police Force here instead?
Just as Hoshiyomi was puzzling over this, the lightning-fast Uchiha youth nearby suddenly took notice of him. After scanning him with a glance, the man smiled and said:
"So this one's the original body? No wonder the one I met earlier felt a little off... For such a young kid to already master Shadow Clones—you're pretty impressive."
Hoshiyomi was slightly taken aback as he studied the man. An Uchiha being this easygoing?
Since the Uchiha seemed approachable, Hoshiyomi didn't hide anything. He nodded politely and asked with curiosity:
"Were you the one my Shadow Clone brought back for help? I originally told him to get an elder I know... How did...?"
That was the drawback of Shadow Clones—there was no real-time memory sharing. The original could only receive the clone's memories after it was dispelled or dismissed.
So Hoshiyomi had no idea what had happened along the way.
The Uchiha, noticing Hoshiyomi's confusion, took the initiative to explain:
"I'm Uchiha Hokushin, squad leader in the Military Police Force for this sector. Your Shadow Clone ran into me while seeking help. When I heard there were enemy spies involved, I rushed right over."
"By the way, why is there only one body at the scene? Weren't there supposed to be two? Did you take out the other one too?"
He asked it half-jokingly—he didn't really think four first-year Academy kids could take down two Iwagakure spies.
But before he could finish the thought, Sakumo stepped up and calmly said:
"The other one's dead too. His body's upstream, by the creek."
Hokushin blinked in surprise. Was this some kind of joke? Were Konoha's kids really this fierce now? Or had Iwa really fallen that far?
Still not fully convinced, he asked them to wait and jogged upstream. Not long after, he returned—carrying the corpse of the second enemy.
He had searched the body and found the ninja ID concealed inside the lining of the man's clothing. It clearly stated: Iwagakure Chūnin.
Hokushin looked from the two corpses—both in terrible shape—to the four kids, none of them even 120 centimeters tall.
For a moment, he felt like he was dreaming.
This was ridiculous. First-year Academy students taking down Chūnin as a group? What were they going to do once they actually graduated—challenge the Hokage?
Hokushin's attitude toward the four of them immediately changed. If these kids had truly managed this feat, then the Hokage had to be informed. He had to make sure the village properly nurtured this kind of talent. They couldn't let these gems go to waste.
His older brother, Uchiha Kagami, had always taught him:
If you want the village to respect you, you have to treat its people like your own family. That's the best way for the Uchiha to overcome prejudice.
Hokushin had always taken his brother's words to heart. Now that Kagami was gone, he felt it was his duty to carry on that legacy—to set an example, and to help more Uchiha believe in that vision.
And these four kids would be the first step.
Part of it, of course, was about treating them with warmth and ensuring they received the support they deserved—after all, any family would nurture its child prodigies.
But he also had a small selfish thought.
If he could bring these four some well-deserved recognition, and they received better training and resources... then maybe, just maybe, they'd remember who helped them early on.
And if they eventually became elite jōnin, then perhaps they could put in a good word for the Uchiha Clan—help change the perception the village held toward them.
If that day came, it wouldn't just be a small personal success for Uchiha Hokushin.
It would be a giant step toward the Uchiha Clan shedding its stigma.
If he could stay true to this path, then maybe, one day, the Uchiha would stand proudly alongside the Senju as a clan equally respected in Konoha.
Eyes gleaming with resolve, Hokushin grabbed Hoshiyomi's arm and said warmly:
"Hey, little guy, I'll need you to come with me for a bit. Don't worry, it's nothing serious—just need you to stop by the Police HQ to give an official statement."
"Once that's done, I can submit it with a recommendation for a school-wide commendation. What you did protected the village's interests. You're little heroes—you shouldn't stay in the shadows."
Even Hoshiyomi was caught off guard by that speech—and Sakumo, normally ice-cold, stared at Hokushin like he was seeing a ghost.
Was this guy really from the Uchiha Clan?
More like a Senju disguised in an Uchiha uniform...
Off to the side, Jiraiya mumbled through a bruised mouth:
"Hey, old man... You sure you're a real Uchiha? I thought all Uchiha were..."
It's worth noting that Anrui's punch earlier had knocked out two of Jiraiya's front teeth. Now he whistled every time he spoke, making him look even more ridiculous.
Thankfully, he was still in the middle of losing his baby teeth—so they'd grow back. Otherwise... his future cool-guy image might've been doomed.
Hokushin just chuckled and finished Jiraiya's thought:
"...All cold and arrogant, right?"
"You're not wrong. A lot of Uchiha are like that. But I'm not one of them. And I owe that to my brother, Uchiha Kagami."
"My brother and I have always dreamed of slowly changing that—of shifting how the village sees us, and how we see the village. That's our goal."
Earlier, Hoshiyomi had worried that Hokushin might be up to something—maybe trying to lure them into the Uchiha district for some dark scheme.
But hearing that name—Uchiha Kagami—completely eased his concerns.
No way this guy's a bad person.
In fact, he might just be one of those overly sincere, slightly silly good guys.
Still, even if Hokushin meant well, caution was necessary. After a moment of thought, Hoshiyomi pointed to Jiraiya and said:
"Hokushin-nii, I can go with you to give the statement—but we don't all have to go, right?"
"Besides, Jiraiya and the others are injured. How about this—Sakumo and I go with you, and you let Orochimaru and Jiraiya head to the hospital? They can check on their injuries and let our families know we're safe."