Uchiha Han was blasted backward, blood trickling from the corner of his mouth.
This was the price of underestimating Shigure's shockwave technique and trying to counter it with taijutsu.
Even as a Chūnin—no, especially as a Chūnin—such arrogance was unacceptable.
"This… this can't be happening! What kind of power is that?!"
Han was horrified. He tried to land steadily, but his body trembled, numb from the impact. He couldn't stabilize himself.
Thud!
He crashed to the ground in a heap, still violently shaking.
Silence.
Then, the crowd erupted.
Unbelievable.
A Chūnin from the Uchiha clan had just been thrown back and injured… by a kid?
"How is this possible?!"
"The Uchiha… aren't supposed to be this weak!"
"He couldn't even beat a child! What kind of technique did that kid just use?!"
All eyes darted between the fallen Uchiha Han and the calm figure of Shigure, who quietly retracted his fist.
It defied all logic.
Had Han flattened Shigure with a single strike, no one would've batted an eye. But the reverse? That was beyond comprehension.
Han lay dazed on the ground, frozen with disbelief.
Even now, he hadn't registered the fact that he'd been taken down with a single punch.
When reality finally sank in, shame and fury twisted his expression under the weight of so many eyes.
"Damn it… damn it all! You little bastard—how dare you…!"
A punch from a brat like Shigure—enough to make him cough blood. Humiliating.
He could already imagine the whispers and sneers waiting for him back in the Uchiha district.
He'd never live this down.
That shame quickly morphed into killing intent.
At first, he'd just wanted to teach Shigure a lesson.
Now?
He wanted him dead.
Consumed by rage, Han sprang into action again—but this time, no more taijutsu.
His hands flew into seals.
No restraint. No hesitation.
He was ready to kill.
"Fire Style! Dragon Fireball Jutsu!"
A B-rank fire ninjutsu.
This wasn't some basic Fireball. The flaming chakra compressed into a blazing serpent, a tangible dragon of searing heat, roaring toward Shigure.
Wherever it passed, the ground scorched and cracked.
"No way!"
"He's lost it! He's using that kind of ninjutsu here?!"
The crowd scattered in fear. Most were shinobi and dodged with ease, but even they looked rattled.
Shigure's eyes widened. He couldn't dodge this. He couldn't block it either.
If Han had used ninjutsu like this from the beginning, Shigure would've lost instantly.
But now, faced with overwhelming danger, Shigure's face remained calm.
His eyes flicked slightly to the side.
Now.
Whshhh!
In the next instant, a shadow flickered in front of him—masked, cloaked, hands flashing through seals.
"Water Style! Water Formation Wall!"
A surge of water erupted like a tidal wave, forming a towering shield.
Fire met water—boom!
Steam exploded into the air as the flaming dragon crashed into the wall, evaporating with a hiss and vanishing into a cloud of mist.
The water scattered. Silence returned.
"You've committed a serious offense, Uchiha Han—initiating a personal duel in the middle of Konoha!" a cold voice snapped.
The shadow now standing protectively in front of Shigure—an Anbu, masked and unyielding.
The Anbu: Konoha's elite assassination and tactical squad, operating directly under the Hokage. Untouchable by ordinary command.
They dealt not only in external threats, but internal order as well.
More formidable than even the Uchiha Clan's own Konoha Police Force.
Han knew he wasn't allowed to unleash something like Dragon Fireball Jutsu in the village.
Even if it hadn't hit Shigure, using that level of ninjutsu inside the village was a violation.
With the Anbu now here, even Han had to suppress his killing intent. He couldn't afford to act recklessly.
"What crime have I committed?" he asked, gritting his teeth.
"Private combat is strictly forbidden in the village," the Anbu answered coolly.
Han's fury slowly faded. His eyes still burned with resentment, but he managed to speak with icy composure.
"I'm a squad leader in the Konoha Military Police. There are suspicions that this boy—Shigure—has had contact with enemy scouts. I was trying to detain him for questioning."
What?!
Everyone around stared, stunned.
Even Shigure cursed silently. Shameless bastard.
No wonder Han had dared to attack him so openly—he'd prepared this excuse ahead of time. The Police Force was just a weapon the Uchiha wielded at their whim.
The crowd looked uneasy, but no one stepped forward to protest. The Uchiha name carried too much weight.
So this is the tyranny of the Uchiha clan.
The Anbu narrowed his eyes behind the mask.
"Do you have proof?"
"That's none of your business," Han snapped.
The Anbu's posture stiffened, his hidden face darkening.
"Even so, you'll need clearance from the Hokage himself to detain someone."
In truth, both Root under Danzō and the Anbu under Hiruzen Sarutobi had long been watching the Uchiha.
This Anbu was one of those sent to monitor their activities.
There was no reason for someone like Shigure—a no-name child from another district—to warrant Anbu protection.
Targeting Han was more about pressuring the Uchiha than safeguarding Shigure.
And everyone watching knew it.
This wasn't the first standoff they'd seen between the Anbu and the Uchiha Police Force.
"What if Shigure is a spy? What if he escapes while we waste time with red tape?" Han said coldly.
As a member of the Police Force, he spoke for the Uchiha. Not even Anbu could intimidate him completely.
The Anbu frowned, eyes narrowing. But he wouldn't back down.
"No. There's too much uncertainty. This matter will be brought before the Hokage."