"The clan head is stepping down!?"
Byakuya's eyes widened as he processed the news delivered by Uchiha En.
It was true that the current head of the Uchiha clan was aging. If Byakuya remembered correctly, the next in line was Uchiha Fugaku.
"He's really abdicating? Are you sure?"
"Absolutely. My father used to serve as his bodyguard," Uchiha En replied confidently. "The clan head visited him personally and asked him to support Uchiha Fugaku as the next patriarch."
"I overheard it myself…"
En's tone left no room for doubt.
"Fugaku? That guy? How is he qualified to be clan head!?"
"Exactly! If we're choosing a successor, it should be Lord Byakuya!"
"Lord Byakuya, we support you to be the next patriarch!"
"Yes! We stand behind you!"
Their voices rose in unison as more Uchiha, led by En, rallied behind Byakuya.
Uchiha Fugaku, like Byakuya, belonged to the rising generation of the Uchiha clan. But unlike Byakuya's confrontational stance, Fugaku followed a more conservative path, aligning himself with the village's ideals—what the elders called the Will of Fire.
To Byakuya, it was nonsense.
Though Fugaku carried himself with authority and bore the Sharingan, his actions often betrayed Uchiha interests in favor of preserving peace with Konoha's leadership. He always prioritized unity with the village over the clan's autonomy. In Byakuya's eyes, that was weakness.
Fugaku had awakened the Mangekyō Sharingan but chose to keep it hidden—even during the clan's darkest hour. He never once wielded its power for the Uchiha's survival. When the clan faced destruction, Fugaku did not resist. He stood down. He watched it happen.
To Byakuya, that wasn't leadership—it was betrayal.
"Was he a puppet of the Hokage all along…?" Byakuya muttered internally.
But now was not the time for rebellion.
"Enough," Byakuya said, raising a hand to silence the crowd. "This isn't the moment to talk about leadership. Strength—that's what matters now. The title of patriarch means nothing if we don't have power to protect what's ours."
He turned away. The others fell into step behind him.
In this shinobi world, everything boiled down to strength. Power dictated respect, safety, and survival. Byakuya understood that better than anyone.
And the fastest way to gain power?
Negative emotions.
Thanks to the strange system embedded within him, Byakuya grew stronger by harvesting the resentment, fear, and hostility of others.
"Let's begin the patrol," he ordered.
"Yes, Captain Byakuya!"
They moved through the village, making their way to the commercial district. Upon spotting the Uchiha patrol unit, the local shopkeepers visibly relaxed and greeted them warmly.
Sure, Byakuya collected protection fees—but he also delivered real protection.
Under his watch, no thugs dared touch the businesses that paid him. In fact, some merchants willingly offered higher fees, eager to secure his favor.
Why?
Because not everyone in Konoha was a saint like Uzumaki Naruto. Most were not so forgiving. And for a skilled shinobi, harming civilians was as easy as breathing—and just as untraceable.
"Captain Byakuya!"
An Uchiha shinobi jogged up to him, breath slightly ragged.
"What is it?" Byakuya asked.
"There's a disturbance at the weapons shop in District 7. A ninja is causing trouble."
"So deal with it," Byakuya replied flatly. "Do you really need to report every petty squabble?"
"It's... Sarutobi Shinnosuke," the shinobi added quickly.
That gave Byakuya pause.
"Hiruzen's son…?"
Sarutobi Shinnosuke. The elder son of the Third Hokage, and uncle of Konohamaru. Though not as renowned as his father, he still carried influence in the village.
"Take me there," Byakuya said, his expression turning cold. "Let's see what the Hokage's blood thinks he can get away with."
Area 7 wasn't far away.
At that moment, the weapons shop owner, an elderly man with soot-covered hands, was facing a customer causing a commotion.
"Hey, old man!"
"I want that iron ingot on the shelf—"
"How about one thousand ryo? That's generous, right?"
The speaker was arrogant and dismissive, his tone more of a command than a negotiation.
This man was Sarutobi Shinnosuke, eldest son of the Third Hokage, Sarutobi Hiruzen. Though not often seen in public, those who knew of him remembered his position in the Sarutobi clan.
"Sir, that's chakra metal," the shopkeeper explained, trying to stay polite. "It's not ordinary iron. The market price is—"
"I've decided," Shinnosuke interrupted coldly, slapping a bill on the counter. "Here's one thousand ryo. Give me the ingot. It's for my brother, and my father—the Hokage—will be pleased."
At the mention of the Hokage, the shopkeeper's face stiffened. It was an implicit threat. Most wouldn't dare say no.
Just as the tension reached its peak, footsteps echoed from the street outside.
Uchiha Byakuya stepped into the shop, his gaze sharp.
"You the one causing trouble here?" he asked, voice flat but menacing.
Shinnosuke turned, and his eyes narrowed at the sight of the red and white fan crest on Byakuya's sleeve.
"An Uchiha?"
[Ding! Detected disgust from Sarutobi Shinnosuke. Negative energy +10. Chakra +5.]
The familiar prompt made Byakuya smirk. Perfect timing. He needed fuel for his system—and this Sarutobi had just served himself up.
Before Shinnosuke could say anything else, Byakuya stepped forward and, without warning, slapped him across the face.
"Pah!"
A crimson mark bloomed on Shinnosuke's left cheek.
"You—You dare lay hands on me? My father is the Third Hokage! I'll have you—"
"Pah!"
A second slap landed, harder than the first. Shinnosuke stumbled back, shocked and humiliated.