Chapter 55: The One-Void Mouse, Out of Its Den!-Meu nome é Uchiha Douhuan, e bati nos aldeões até eles gritarem.(semitransparente)

After Uchiha Douhuan issued his orders, leaving only a small detachment at the prison and a security detail at the gates of the Military Police Force headquarters, the rest of the personnel rushed to the conference room.

With a grim expression, Uchiha Douhuan stood at the podium and slammed his hand twice heavily against the table before speaking. "It seems that the foreign hostile forces behind this incident cannot be underestimated! They actually dared to incite villagers into violently opposing the law enforcement of the Military Police Force! These are no longer ordinary villagers!"

"Captain! Give the order!" shouted a civilian ninja from below, whose face had been pelted with rotten eggs during the earlier standoff. "Among those illegally gathered villagers, there are several actual ninjas! Even though they aren't wearing forehead protectors, the way they threw things was clearly shurikenjutsu!"

"What? Ninjas have joined them?" Uchiha Douhuan raged. "Those ill-intentioned foreign forces have actually escalated to this point? It seems today, the Military Police Force has no choice but to take action! For the purity of the Village's Will of Fire! We must use thunderous methods to crush their conspiracy!"

"First, Second, and Fourth Squadrons!" Uchiha Douhuan began calling out names.

"Present!" All members belonging to the called squadrons stood up simultaneously.

"To prevent the enemy from inciting more villagers, your three squadrons will issue a curfew order within the village tonight! All villagers are forbidden from leaving their residences, and violators will be treated as rioters without exception!"

"Loyalty! Honor!" The members of the three squadrons raised their hands in salute under the leadership of their respective squadron captains.

"Third and Fifth Squadrons! I want you to suppress the rioters gathered in front of the Military Police Force gates with the utmost speed!"

"Loyalty! Honor!" The members of the Third and Fifth Squadrons also stood up and raised their hands.

"Sixth Squadron, remain stationed at the Military Police Force headquarters and await further orders."

"Loyalty! Honor!"

"Of course, to keep the situation under control, do not use ninja tools such as kunai or shuriken, and under no circumstances are you to proactively use ninjutsu. Is that understood?" Uchiha Douhuan instructed.

"Understood!" shouted the members in the conference room in unison.

After the atmosphere in the conference room subsided slightly, Uchiha Douhuan continued, "Everyone has worked hard today. To commend everyone for sparing no effort and sacrificing your precious rest time to uphold the village's Will of Fire, the Military Police Force will shortly issue two months' salary as a bonus to everyone! At the same time, Commander-in-Chief Fugaku is currently selecting suitable ninjutsu scrolls for you all. Therefore, please endure a bit longer and make sure to round up this group of rioters who are tarnishing the Will of Fire!"

As Uchiha Douhuan's words fell, the crowd below could no longer remain calm. Two months' salary plus a ninjutsu! Their first month's salary hadn't even been fully spent yet, and the ninjutsu they just learned weren't even mastered, yet new ones were already on the way? The members of the Uchiha clan felt the same; although they didn't need the ninjutsu, their base salaries were already high. Receiving two months' salary as a bonus this time meant they could practically consider themselves suddenly wealthy.

"Loyalty! Honor!" Inside the conference room, the sound of salutes rang out once again. This time, everyone exerted almost every ounce of their strength, otherwise it would not have been enough to demonstrate their absolute loyalty. Deputy Captain Douhuan's immense grace was simply impossible to repay!

"Military Police Force! Move out!" At Uchiha Douhuan's command, the ninjas of the Military Police Force in the conference room formed ranks under the leadership of their respective captains and marched out of the conference room one by one.

...

"Military Police Force! Release the prisoners!"

"Military Police Force, accomplices to a murderous demon! Go to hell!"

As the standoff continued, the villagers' slogans grew increasingly unrestrained. A few bolder ones even stared eagerly at the warning lines drawn by the Military Police Force.

However, right at that moment, nearly a hundred Military Police Force members dressed in standard uniforms, wearing forehead protectors, and holding batons, poured out of the Military Police Force building in a single file.

Seeing these officers who clearly meant business, the gathered villagers panicked slightly. Yet, hidden among the crowd, several private-soldier ninjas from the Utatane and Mitokado clans suddenly shouted, "Don't be afraid! We are all civilians! I refuse to believe these ninjas dare to strike!"

However, the only response he received was a gentle wave of the right hand from Uchiha Teyu, whose face was as dark as ink. "Military Police Force! Move out!"

Following Uchiha Teyu's command, the Military Police Force members behind him swarmed forward, charging toward the gathered villagers while making sure to toss extra batons to their comrades who had been guarding the cordon lines earlier.

A few villagers standing at the very front of the formation tried to say something, but before they could utter a word, a baton came crashing down from above.

Watanabe Masashi, charging at the very forefront, was a genin who had graduated just two years ago. Ever since his father sacrificed his life on the battlefield of the Third Great Ninja War, he and his younger sister had depended entirely on their mother, who did odd jobs in the village to make a living. Just as he finally reached graduation age and could start earning money, his mother fell seriously ill due to years of exhaustion, forcing him to shoulder the heavy burden of the family entirely on his own.

Yet, how much money could a genin who spent every day looking for lost cats and dogs or picking up trash possibly earn? Furthermore, a portion of his already meager income had to be handed over to his squad leader. Combined with household expenses and his mother's medicine, he didn't even have the savings to exchange for ninjutsu or find a way to qualify for promotion to chunin!

But what about after he joined the Military Police Force? Not only did his monthly income allow his mother to check into the village hospital for treatment, but it also enabled him to buy his sister several new clothes she hadn't been able to afford for years. More importantly, he learned the C-rank ninjutsu of his dreams. Because his primary chakra nature was Fire, his captain from the Uchiha clan would frequently guide his training. It was the Military Police Force, and Deputy Captain Douhuan, that gave him the life he had today.

And now, these obstinate rabble actually dared to besiege the Military Police Force! To show disrespect to his respected Deputy Captain Douhuan!

At this thought, Watanabe Masashi gripped his baton tightly and accelerated his swings, moving the weapon so fast it blurred into afterimages.

*(Deputy Captain Douhuan possesses the legendary Mangekyo Sharingan. No matter how fast I swing, he will surely be able to see my loyalty!)*

Similar scenes played out one after another in front of the Military Police Force headquarters. Those standing near the front of the rioting crowd were caught immediately and subjected to the Military Police Force's specialized realignment therapy.

The people in the back finally realized the Military Police Force was playing for keeps and instantly scattered like frightened birds and beasts, desperate to flee. But the members of the Military Police Force were at the very least genin graduates from the Ninja Academy, and coupled with the rigorous training they had recently undergone, how could these villagers possibly match them? Those who ran even slightly slow were tripped to the ground on the spot, followed closely by the whistling arcs of heavy batons. In less than a moment, the stubborn troublemakers who had been arrogant moments before, claiming they would make the Military Police Force pay, were left bleeding from the head.