Chapter 35: A Tangled Web of Love and Hate

In front of Haruna's house.

It didn't take long for the Konoha Police Force to arrive at the scene.

"Uchiha Fugaku! Put down Jinmi!"

From a distance, the squad leader of the police force shouted at Fugaku, his voice trembling slightly. It was clear—they were genuinely afraid of this guy.

In fact, it wasn't just them. The entire Uchiha clan feared Fugaku.

Why?

One simple rule: If it's something the police force can handle, I'll handle it. If it's something the police force can't handle, I'll handle it even more.

Act first, report later, with the explicit permission of his superiors.

That was Uchiha Fugaku, the self-proclaimed Pacific Police Officer.

Clear enough?

He was as domineering as they came, but he had the strength to back it up.

In the hand of his Susanoo, the arrogant man named Uchiha Jinmi felt his heart sink. Seeing the police force arrive, he knew they were of no help.

It was clear—if he wanted to survive, he'd have to save himself.

Thinking quickly, Jinmi opened his mouth and began shouting curses.

"Uchiha Fugaku, put me down! Are you even an Uchiha anymore? The clan raised you, and this is how you repay us? Betraying your own people for the sake of an outsider?"

"Mirai has already been expelled from the Uchiha clan, and he's dead! Are you really going to sacrifice the clan's interests for someone like him?!"

Hearing this, Fugaku froze for a moment, his brows furrowing deeply.

The thing he hated most was people throwing around the phrase, "The clan raised you."

He had been raised by his parents, taught by his teachers—not by the clan.

As his thoughts raced, a surge of rage erupted within him, his temper flaring instantly.

"Oh, is that so? Then why don't you have your clan leader expel me too? Let's see if he dares!

You damn bastard, always bullying those who follow the rules. Tell him to come find me!

And according to the Uchiha clan's traditions, whoever's fists are the biggest gets to be the leader, right? Let him come and try!"

His roar echoed across the scene, causing the surrounding Uchiha clansmen who had come to watch the commotion to instinctively shrink back, retreating a few steps.

This... Could you not say out loud what we all know but pretend not to?

In the distance, the police force exchanged glances before collectively turning and walking away.

They couldn't handle this.

And honestly, it wasn't surprising. The various factions within the village, especially the top brass, were all aware of Rinjin's influence.

First, Danzo's Root organization wouldn't even glance at Fugaku anymore.

He had fallen into so many traps that he was practically suffering from PTSD.

Second, there was Hiruzen Sarutobi. To be frank, Hiruzen absolutely adored Fugaku.

Externally, he could claim, "I've always been tolerant of the Uchiha. Look at Fugaku—he does whatever he wants, and I never interfere."

Internally, Fugaku served as a convenient tool. He absorbed much of the Uchiha clan's resentment toward the village while simultaneously competing with the Konoha Police Force, indirectly improving overall law enforcement.

And then there was Rii, who had already left the village for Amegakure. While she hadn't officially been labeled a rogue ninja, her departure was practically the same.

This was Hiruzen's real concern.

What if Fugaku, feeling bullied, decided to leave too?

Even worse, what if he defected to Amegakure? Should Hiruzen then sever ties with Rinjin?

Cutting ties would be foolish, as it would mean losing a valuable ally. But not cutting ties would be infuriating—such a promising young man slipping through their fingers.

Thus, any complaints directed at Fugaku were summarily ignored by Hiruzen, sparing himself the headache.

In truth, this was all part of Rinjin's plan—a masterful play of open strategy.

Amegakure was right next to the Land of Fire, serving as a buffer against Sunagakure and Iwagakure in the west.

If anyone in Konoha felt dissatisfied, they were welcome to visit Amegakure. And once there, they wouldn't even be considered rogue ninjas—they'd still be contributing to Konoha's interests.

The genius of it all was that Rinjin didn't offend anyone. He played the role of the benevolent benefactor.

Feeling wronged in Konoha and want to join Amegakure?

No problem!

The ever-charitable Lord Rinjin would even give you a house.

But remember, you came of your own accord—he didn't force you.

This was the epitome of leeching off Konoha's top brass right under their noses.

This was what it meant to be a tail too big to wag.

This was what it meant to evoke a tangled web of love and hate.

Heh~ Tactical recline.

As Fugaku's outburst echoed, many of the Uchiha clansmen instinctively retreated into the crowd of onlookers. Meanwhile, some civilians secretly gave him a thumbs-up.

"Uchiha Fugaku is something else. He's genuinely fair."

"Last time, my sister's kid got beaten up by some bullies. Fugaku didn't hesitate—he beat up the whole group of kids!"

Beside him, a passerby with a puzzled expression couldn't help but ask, "How is that fair? Shouldn't he have only punished the bullies?"

"Ah, well, you see, my sister's kid broke one of their toys first. Getting beaten up was kind of deserved."

"Wait, what? Then why did Fugaku beat up both sides?"

"Uh, from what I heard, my sister's kid was punished for damaging someone else's property, and the other kids were punished for resorting to violence."

"..."

Nearby, Tobirama Senju, who had been eavesdropping, couldn't help but let a faint smile tug at his lips. He was both amused and exasperated.

Punishing others for resorting to violence, only to use violence himself?

Good kid, playing both sides like a pro!

Suppressing a chuckle, Tobirama approached the two civilians and asked softly, "Excuse me, but why does Uchiha Fugaku have the authority to discipline children?"

Hearing this, the man whose nephew had been beaten gave Tobirama a strange look.

"Why? He's part of the Konoha Police Force. Isn't it his job to handle these things? And honestly, he's not wrong. If people start solving problems on their own, what's the point of having a police force? What's the point of having a village?"

"And what about other members of the police force?" Tobirama pressed.

"Uh..." The man hesitated, scratching his head before glancing around nervously. Leaning closer to Tobirama, he whispered, "I can't speak for others, but I'd rather pay to avoid trouble. Most of them aren't exactly easy to deal with."

Hearing this, Tobirama's brows furrowed deeply.

He couldn't shake the feeling that his original intentions had been twisted.

As someone who loved the village deeply, Tobirama had assigned the Uchiha clan to the police force not to isolate them or tarnish their reputation.

On the contrary, if he had wanted to isolate them, he could have simply ignored them. The clan's pride and arrogance would have eventually led to their downfall.

His true intention had been to help the Uchiha clan establish a fair and just image within the village. By resolving disputes and conflicts, the police force would come to see the kindness and simplicity of many villagers.

He had hoped to break the clan's insular mindset and broaden their love beyond their own kin.

As someone who had devoted most of his life to the village, Tobirama valued his comrades above all else.

He would never use Konoha's security as a bargaining chip to isolate the Uchiha.

From beginning to end, his hatred had been directed solely at Madara Uchiha.

In the end, it all boiled down to the complicated, intertwined relationships of Hashirama, Tobirama, and Madara.

A love-hate triangle that was as dramatic as it was tragic.

If only Izuna Uchiha had been part of it, the drama would have been even richer.

Their story could easily fill ten volumes of "Betrayed Love: The Life and Times of Hashirama, Tobirama, Madara, and Izuna."

If adapted into a TV series, it could run for a thousand episodes.

The genre? A rural romance-drama featuring love triangles, espionage, sci-fi, and tear-jerking tragedy.

Absolutely groundbreaking!!!

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