That night, the Uchiha Clan held an impromptu meeting. In a dimly lit chamber, several clan elders gathered with Uchiha Fugaku seated at the head of the room. The air was thick with tension and silent anticipation as Izumi stepped forward confidently, her expression calm but fierce.
She smiled and addressed the elders. "You all saw what happened today, right? Konoha may look strong on the outside, but inside, it's weak and fragile. I humiliated the Third Hokage in broad daylight, right in the middle of the street. And what did he do? Nothing. He didn't dare retort."
One of the elders nodded slowly, a rare satisfaction gleaming in his eyes. "Indeed, it was gratifying to see. For too long, our clan has bowed and conceded, making them believe we truly fear their authority."
Another elder leaned forward, his eyes sharp and calculating as he glanced toward Fugaku. "Fugaku, we must grow tougher from now on. The more concessions we make, the more they will exploit our weakness. Look at what happened to Shisui. That genius was lost because of our willingness to yield. It's a bitter regret and a source of hatred we must never forget."
Uchiha Fugaku exhaled heavily, his face lined with the weight of responsibility. "I will be tougher, no doubt. But Izumi, are you sure this approach won't only make them more wary of us? More cautious and ready to strike back?"
Izumi's eyes glinted with cold certainty. "Does the Clan Leader truly not know? Ever since we moved into the village, we've been watched every moment. Those three towering structures surrounding the clan grounds—have you ever wondered why they're there? I took the liberty of secretly investigating. They're packed with surveillance equipment, constantly monitoring our every move."
A heavy sigh rippled through the room.
Fugaku looked directly at her, voice firm yet filled with hope. "From this day forward, the future of the Uchiha Clan rests on the shoulders of the younger generation—you included."
Izumi nodded respectfully. "Yes, Clan Leader. I will strive harder than ever."
---
The next morning, Izumi resumed her patrol along the bustling streets of Konoha.
Unlike before, the villagers' gazes were no longer cold or hostile. Instead, they looked upon her with a mixture of awe and cautious respect. Izumi reveled quietly in their reverence, her steps lighter and her posture more proud.
As she made her way down the familiar path, she spotted the little boy she had seen previously. Without hesitation, she sat directly in front of him and greeted him warmly. "Hi!"
This time, the boy didn't spit at her. Instead, he dashed behind an elderly woman, peering out at her with wide, fearful eyes.
Izumi snorted coldly, eyes sweeping the crowd. Her voice dripped with disdain as she spat on the ground. "How despicable! A bunch of spineless wretches. They refuse to listen when spoken to kindly, only responding to force. Hmph."
She began pacing before them, head held high, chest puffed out like a proud warrior surveying her domain.
Though anger simmered within the villagers, none dared speak up against her. Izumi's formidable presence was undeniable—even Hokage-sama had been contradicted by her the day before without consequence.
When she encountered one or two brash individuals who dared defy her, she grabbed them firmly by their hair and dragged them toward the Anbu Headquarters without hesitation.
The villagers watched silently, eyes burning with both fear and resentment. Their hearts were filled with anger toward Izumi's arrogance, but none could challenge her openly.
---
Passing by a familiar spot, Izumi's sharp eyes caught sight of a ramen stand: Ichiraku Ramen.
She entered confidently and called out, "Owner, give me the largest bowl of ramen you have!"
"Right away!" the kind-hearted Ichiraku uncle replied, preparing her order with practiced ease.
As Izumi waited, she noticed a blond-haired boy eating nearby. Upon seeing her, he scowled and shouted, "Hmph! Only I will become Hokage in the future!" Then, without another word, he turned and walked away.
"Oh, isn't that Uzumaki Naruto?" Izumi asked with a playful smile. "Did he not pay for his meal?"
The Ichiraku owner chuckled warmly. "That child is a bit pitiful. He often runs a tab and pays me back when he has money."
Izumi nodded and took out two coins. "I've paid for him this time."
"Thank you, Ninja-sama. I'll be sure to let him know."
Curious, Izumi leaned in and asked, "Owner, why don't you rent a shop? If this stall is illegal, I'll make sure you have to pack up and leave."
The owner laughed softly. "Don't worry, young lady. This spot is permitted for stalls like mine."
"Good to hear. I've only been here a few days and am still learning the rules. I'll be sure to check the regulations carefully."
"Please do, and rest assured, you have my support."
As Izumi left, the Ichiraku owner turned to his daughter. "She's not as bad as you said. I think she's quite nice."
His daughter shot back, "She's terrible, Dad! Don't be fooled by her looks!"
The owner shrugged with a smile. "Maybe, but it's best not to get involved in village politics."
His daughter sighed, "But if we don't participate, our neighbors will ostracize us."
The owner shook his head. "Sigh… is it really worth it?"
---
For several days, Izumi patrolled the street without incident. No one dared stir trouble under her watchful gaze.
But finally, one day, fate introduced a new challenge—a drunkard and known troublemaker swaggered into her path. He slurred nonsense and even had the audacity to flirt with her.
Instead of anger, Izumi felt a flicker of excitement. "Is this the legendary hooligan trying to flirt with a beauty? Have I really become that irresistible?"
With a smirk, she launched a swift combo of attacks that sent the man sprawling to the ground. Grabbing his collar—since he was bald and had no hair to pull—she dragged him down the street toward the Anbu Department.
Passing the busy stalls, she loudly proclaimed, "Watch closely, everyone! This man is drunk and causing trouble. Normally, I'd tolerate it. But to dare flirt with a beauty like me? Absolutely intolerable! From now on, any lowlife causing trouble will face this fate! Hmph."
The villagers' anger boiled over at her words and actions, but none dared to intervene.
---
One frustrated voice finally broke through the crowd. "Enough! Which other street allows the Uchiha Clan to be this arrogant? We need to complain about her!"
"Exactly! We should lodge complaints!" others agreed, their voices rising in unison.
From that day forward, the Anbu Department and the Hokage Office were flooded with complaint letters every single day.
Surprisingly, the Third Hokage seemed secretly pleased by the unrest. He summoned Uchiha Fugaku to his office.
Fugaku returned with a grave expression. "Izumi, the villagers on your street have lodged numerous complaints about you. Your style of enforcing the law creates a poor image for both the villagers and the Village itself. Do you understand?"
Izumi nodded calmly.
"Good. From now on, enforce the law normally. Have you seen how others do it? They simply keep their hands behind their backs and escort troublemakers to the Anbu Department quietly. No more dragging people by their hair."
"Understood," Izumi replied.
---
The following day, Fugaku called Izumi again, a weary expression on his face.
"You've been complained about again. The entire street says you spit everywhere."
Izumi blinked in surprise. "I—how could I spit everywhere?"
The next day, the complaints escalated. "They said you didn't pay for your meals."
Izumi was dumbfounded. "That's impossible!"
The third day brought more strange grievances. "They say you frightened a child."
Izumi was stunned. "What?"
The fourth day, an almost absurd complaint reached her ears: "They say you step on the street with the wrong foot first. It doesn't follow the street's culture."
Fugaku looked at her with a wry smile. "Izumi, how about I change your patrol area?"
Izumi immediately refused. "No! If I can't clean up this one street, how can I clean the entire world? I'm going to stand my ground against them!"
---
On the sixth day, Fugaku looked at her with a strange expression and said, "They're complaining that you stepped with the wrong foot again."
Izumi smiled confidently. "But I stepped with my right foot!"
Fugaku chuckled bitterly. "Their custom is to start with the other foot on the second day. Izumi, it might be best if I change your area."
"No need," Izumi said with a sly smile. "They want me gone, right? Hehe. Don't worry. Leave it to me. I guarantee they'll cry and beg me to stay."
Intrigued, Fugaku raised an eyebrow. "Oh? What's your plan? If it works, I'll have others learn from it too."
Izumi's lips curled into a confident sneer. "Just wait and see. Watch how I handle them."
---
The battle for respect, reputation, and control had only just begun on this street. And Izumi was ready to prove that true strength was more than just raw power—it was the will to stand firm, no matter the opposition.
---
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