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In a nondescript office within the Police Force.
"Big Brother Yoru, these days, everyone in the village is saying that the Uchiha Clan, relying on their noble background, is strict with Civilian Ninja, punishing every mistake and crime, but turns a blind eye to the major noble families. The Police Force has already become corrupt."
Shisui clearly looked aggrieved, and Uchiha Clan's Yoru feigned a look of melancholy and concern, which eventually turned into determination.
"Shisui, you must understand, this is all for Konoha's stability."
Upon hearing this, the young face of Uchiha Clan's Shisui showed even more frustration. He couldn't help but whisper, "Big Brother Yoru, how can there be so many of these covert tasks for Root? So many!"
After all that, Uchiha Clan's Shisui still didn't say what he wanted to, but Uchiha Clan's Yoru sighed deeply. "Shisui, you must understand. The village is in a difficult period, and special times call for special measures."
In these covert tasks, almost everything is handled with extreme severity. As for wrongful convictions? Well, that's just too bad. The tasks are issued by Root, and whether they are right or wrong, he doesn't know.
Where there is light, there is also darkness. Even if the Third Hokage is as impartial as he is, without the darkness, how can there be light?
The Sarutobi Clan's military strength in the later parts of the anime didn't just appear out of thin air. If it weren't for the accumulation over time, there wouldn't be the Monkey Fly Corps later on.
"Shisui, the Sarutobi Clan needs this now, so some things you just need to understand and keep to yourself."
The Konoha pie is only so big. For the Sarutobi Clan to develop, they need to encroach on others' interests.
With Uchiha Clan's Yoru around, the nature of certain tasks has changed, such as the current need to handle Hayate Gekkou covertly.
Chunin Hayate Gekkou, during a mission, was captured by the Land of Grass for half a month and is suspected of leaking information and becoming a traitor.
The word 'suspected' is enough, especially when it comes to a regular Chunin. Better to wrong a thousand than to let one go, isn't that the Root way?
This is a Root task, but in Yoru's hands, its nature has changed a bit.
Hayate Gekkou owns three shops. With the Nine-Tails' family mostly dead, there's quite a bit of inheritance. If Hayashi Itsuki is suspected of being eliminated, then the assets need to be reallocated. Yoru doesn't want to fund the enemy (Root), so he came up with this idea.
"Shisui, secretly give these three shops to Shizune. Publicly, the Police Force will cover for it by saying that Hayate Gekkou betrayed during his capture, and his assets will be confiscated."
"The assets will be given to this person's nephew, Iruka Umino, in the amount of 200,000, and the rest will be confiscated. Root's research needs a lot of funds!"
As he said this, Uchiha Clan's Yoru's eyes showed a deep resolve, and he felt no guilt at all for using his position for personal gain. After all, if he doesn't do it now, his clan will be finished in the future. He needs to make money! Make money! Still, make money!
Shisui naturally understood this, but precisely because he understood, he showed a bitter smile. The so-called Root research funds are just for Orochimaru's needs.
"Remember to make it clear that after giving these three shops to Shizune, half of the future income will belong to our Uchiha Clan."
Using one's position for personal gain requires a way to keep everyone's mouths shut. Giving the shops to a Sarutobi Clan ninja means involving them in this dirty business. The Sarutobi Clan, with their Hokage lineage, is just right for this.
Similarly, by pulling on Root's strings, I'll complete the task for you, and the benefits will go mostly to the Sarutobi Clan. Isn't this a subtle form of favoring them?
In the end, the Uchiha Clan only gets half of the shop income. You could say that Root just talks, the Sarutobi Clan sits at home, and the task is completed. The Sarutobi Clan's money falls from the sky.
In contrast, the Uchiha Clan does all the dirty work and gets their due task reward.
Of the three parties, only the Uchiha Clan does the work. What more do you want?
"Shizune was the squad leader on the mission in the Land of Grass."
The glaring information in the file caught Shisui's eye. As the squad leader, she survived, while her teammates either died or were captured, including Hayate Gekkou.
Seeing this, Shisui couldn't help but deeply doubt whether this suspected betrayal was actually Shizune trying to erase a stain from her ninja career.
Seemingly seeing through Shisui's doubts, Uchiha Clan's Yoru lowered his voice and said solemnly, "Shisui, ninjas are weapons, and they don't need emotions. That's what we were taught in the Ninja Academy. But ninjas also need emotions. I don't know what's right or wrong, and no one has told us."
"But everything we're doing now, I only know this! Even if we Uchiha Clan don't do it, other ninjas will. So, for the Uchiha Clan, for Konoha."
For Konoha? Once such a proud statement, but after seeing too much darkness, Shisui's firm belief began to waver.
Is all of this really for Konoha? Why does the Uchiha Clan do all the dirty work, while Root is ruthless and heartless, and the one who does nothing and seems to know nothing, Sarutobi, is the ultimate beneficiary?
In the dimly lit prison cell, with a barrier in place, no sound could be heard from outside, while inside, there were continuous cries of pain.
"Haha, you Uchiha bastards, I just got drunk and caused a disturbance, how did it come to this? Turns out you and Shizune are in the same gang."
At this moment, an Uchiha Clan Police Force ninja's eyes glinted coldly. As he continued to torture, he said sternly, "Listen up, if you write this confession letter yourself and are willing to hand over these three shops to Shizune as compensation, I'll give you a quick death."
"Pah." Hayate Gekkou bared a grim smile and spat out a mouthful of blood.
Just as the torture was about to continue, the cell door opened. The light made Hayate Gekkou squint, and the Uchiha Clan ninja beside him stood up respectfully.
"Captain Shisui."
The one who entered was naturally Uchiha Clan's Shisui. With a wave of his hand, the ninja in the cell understood and nodded before leaving, and the cell door closed again.
Hayate Gekkou looked up, his bloodshot eyes meeting Shisui's. He immediately showed a mocking smile.
"Hey, isn't this the genius ninja Shisui of the Uchiha Clan? How did the genius fall so low? Became Shizune's lapdog?"
Shisui's calm face showed no emotion. In an instant, his eyes turned blood red with the three-tomoe Sharingan, and the other's expression became vacant.
In the silent cell, Shisui spoke a sentence, and Hayate Gekkou repeated it, signing and fingerprinting the confession letter.
The meaning of the confession letter was simple: Hayate Gekkou, when captured in the Land of Grass, couldn't withstand the pressure and chose to leak the village's secrets, causing the mission to fail. As the mission leader, Shizune was naturally implicated.
Full of regret, he was willing to give the three shops under his name to Captain Shizune as compensation.
Looking at the confession letter in his hand, Shisui gave a bitter smile. After the cell door opened, he left, leaving one last word.
"Let his family come to see him one last time."
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