CHAPTER 2

Renn's home was vast.

After the Nine-Tails Rebellion, the Uchiha clan—Renn's own people—had been relocated to the outskirts of Konoha. The new settlement was considered "suburban," and the Uchiha were naturally resentful of this forced displacement. However, Renn didn't particularly care. He preferred staying away from the village's central area, distancing himself from the political schemers who thrived on intrigue.

Given his relationship with Uchiha Fugaku, building a grand mansion within the clan's new grounds was no challenge. A large home had its advantages: for example, a bed spacious enough to accommodate several people, or a lavishly designed bathhouse.

At this moment, Renn moved calmly through the warm waters of the bath. Beside him, a woman with waist-length crimson hair carefully attended to him. Three years had passed. By now, she was used to this scene. And so was Renn.

This was a man who never denied himself comfort. In a world where strength dictated one's status, those with power naturally sought to enjoy their privileges. Renn was no exception.

But as he glanced at the woman beside him, he smirked slightly and pulled her into his arms.

"Kushina, you sneaked off to see Naruto again, didn't you?"

That's right.

The woman beside him was Uzumaki Kushina.

A tragic and unfortunate woman.

But now, she had taken on a new identity: Uchiha Naraku, Renn's personal maid.

Their encounter had taken place on the fateful night when Konoha was thrown into chaos.

During the Nine-Tails attack, Uchiha Fugaku had restructured the police force, appointing Renn as the new captain of the Uchiha Military Police. Three years ago, he had been curious about the Nine-Tails' rampage, so he had naturally witnessed the Fourth Hokage sealing the beast at the cost of his own life.

At the time, he hadn't intended to interfere.

Although he respected Namikaze Minato, he wasn't the type to change fate for another man's sake.

Minato had chosen to be a Hokage first—a protector of the village—over being a husband and father. That was his decision.

As he lay dying, Minato had locked eyes with Renn and, with his remaining strength, motioned toward Uzumaki Kushina, who had collapsed in despair.

It was at that moment that Renn understood.

He had walked over to Minato and solemnly declared:

"Your wife… I will take care of her."

And so, after the Nine-Tails Rebellion, the Fourth Hokage's widow, Uzumaki Kushina, vanished from Konoha.

In her place, a woman named Uchiha Naraku began serving within the Uchiha clan.

For three years, she and Renn had lived together.

Renn was not the type to indulge in sentimental kindness, and naturally, things between them had progressed as expected. After all, she was his maid—her servitude was the price of her survival.

Kushina had accepted this.

However, whenever the topic of Naruto arose, she still clung to her beliefs.

This foolish woman, who once had unwavering faith in Hiruzen Sarutobi, actually believed that the Third Hokage would take good care of her son. She even convinced herself that Hiruzen had concealed Naruto's true identity to protect him.

For three years, she had used the surveillance tools Renn had given her to secretly watch over her child from a distance. To her, any promise made under the guise of Naruto's safety was worth believing.

Renn didn't even bother to argue with her about it.

Let her believe what she wanted—it saved him unnecessary trouble.

If anything, it wasn't Renn's fault that she and Naruto hadn't reunited. She had accepted the Third Hokage's words without question.

"…Sorry," Kushina murmured, blushing. As a mother, she couldn't suppress her longing for her child.

Renn understood this well.

But at the same time, Kushina knew that if she acted recklessly and was discovered by Konoha's higher-ups, she would bring trouble not only upon herself but upon the man who had given her shelter.

"Apologizing is useless, you should know that."

After all, Uchiha Renn was a captain of the Konoha Police Force.

What use was an apology to a guard?

He wasn't afraid of Kushina Uzumaki's identity being exposed, nor did he fear the so-called pressure from Konoha's higher-ups. Tearing off his mask to confront them? That was nothing. But at the moment, Kushina was under his care—as his personal maid, no less.

It was about control.

As someone under him, it was only natural that she greeted him properly and sought his approval before making decisions. Anything less warranted discipline. That was how things had been for the past three years. Otherwise, did people really think this little pepper would be so obedient?

Reaching out, Renn pressed a hand down on her head.

It was obvious what he intended.

"I understand."

Kushina blushed and lowered her head, fully aware of the so-called punishment.

Konoha - Central District

"Good morning, Captain!"

"Good morning, Captain!"

"..."

Even as the Uchiha clan had been pushed to the outskirts of the village, the Konoha Police Force headquarters remained in the heart of Konoha. Moving its location was out of the question.

When Renn arrived—refreshed and composed—his fellow Uchiha clan members regarded him with admiration and enthusiasm.

Heh.

The Uchiha were a proud, unruly people—always posturing, always looking down on others. The only way to make them submit was through sheer strength.

That's why, three years ago, when Renn first joined the force, he beat down anyone who dared challenge him.

Discontent? Keep fighting.

People always feared something. And the most primal fear of all was death.

Renn had no qualms about shedding blood to establish control. Fortunately, after taking a few beatings, the doubters eventually fell in line. Now, the guard belonged to him.

Of course, this also aligned with Uchiha Fugaku's intentions.

Traditionally, the Uchiha clan head always held the position of Police Force Captain. Didn't the other Uchiha still call Fugaku "Captain" before the coup attempt? But after the Nine-Tails attack, Fugaku had sensed the shift in the village's attitude toward their clan and prepared a contingency plan. He let Renn lead a faction of the Uchiha—perhaps as an escape route should things go south.

Not that Renn cared for all those political games.

Whether it was aiding a rebellion or sacrificing one's own to prove loyalty to Konoha, none of that mattered to him.

What mattered was that, after years of leading the Police Force, the men under his command no longer answered to a clan head. They answered to him.

For example—right now.

The moment Renn stood in place, the second patrol squad assembled within a minute, standing at attention and awaiting his orders.

He was pleased.

Giving a brief nod, he waved his hand and began leading them through the streets.

As a true captain of the guard, he would never forget his duty.

"Begin patrol!"

"Yes, sir!"