Shisui Uchiha returned to the Konoha Defense Unit with the bail money and found Chinya.
"This is the bail. Now you can release my clansmen, right?"
Chinya glanced at the money on the table and smiled. "Of course. But I should remind you, Deputy Captain. They're criminals now, not just your clansmen. Since they're in the Konoha Defense Unit, it would be better if you avoided any appearance of impropriety."
Shisui's expression turned cold, and his voice came out sharp and firm. "To me, they're all innocent people, not criminals. I appreciate your concern, but this personal matter doesn't require the Captain's involvement. The bail has already been paid. Please release them now."
"Of course, that was just a suggestion. Whether or not you take it is completely up to you. Rest assured, the bail is here, so I'll release those criminals immediately. But first, let me count the money."
Chinya counted the money—two million ryō in total.
There were currently eighteen Uchiha ninja imprisoned in the Root prison, and this amount slightly exceeded the required bail by 200,000 ryō.
Chinya snapped his fingers.
In an instant, a ninja from Root dropped to one knee, bowing before Chinya.
Chinya waved his hand. "Release those Uchiha criminals from prison."
"Yes!"
The Root ninja vanished instantly.
Chinya gave a warm, friendly smile. "Deputy Captain, you may now go pick up those criminals… oh, excuse me, I mean your clansmen, going home."
Shisui snorted and turned to leave the Konoha Defense Unit.
Chinya shrugged indifferently at Shisui's attitude. "He must be really desperate."
Shisui Uchiha was one of the few honorable members of the Uchiha Clan, always treating others respectfully under normal circumstances.
Yet now, he had shown open disrespect toward Chinya.
But to Chinya, this was perfectly normal.
If Shisui had still treated him nicely even now, Chinya would have to reconsider whether Shisui was someone with deep cunning.
Looking at the money on the table, Chinya sighed. "This money came far too easily. Two million ryō in just one day—dirty profits."
Although Chinya had said he would give part of it to Minato Namikaze for Konoha's development, these were mere words.
Even if Chinya didn't deliver, he knew Minato would never dare demand payment.
And if Minato ever did get bold enough to ask, Chinya could simply stall indefinitely.
Once the money entered his pocket, there was no way he was taking it back out.
In fact, Chinya still needed to ask Minato Namikaze himself for the salaries of the Konoha Defense Unit ninjas.
Two million ryō in a single day meant twenty million in ten days—more than enough to sustain the Xiao Organization comfortably.
Thinking of the Xiao Organization, Chinya recalled Yahiko, Pakura, and Raiga Kurosuki.
He wondered what those three were doing now.
At that moment, somewhere out at sea,
Yahiko and the other two were struggling through violent winds aboard a merchant ship.
Yahiko's group had taken on a mission to protect the merchant vessel, since pirates and rogue ninja were active in the area.
But Yahiko and his companions hadn't expected that shortly after boarding the merchant ship, they encountered a massive storm.
Now the three of them clung desperately to a wooden beam, trying to stabilize themselves amid the chaos.
...
Shisui Uchiha stood on the only path leading toward Root.
Because Shisui Uchiha couldn't get close to Root himself, he could only wait here.
Not long later, Shisui Uchiha spotted more than a dozen figures walking toward him.
At last, Shisui Uchiha's face broke into a smile as he waved energetically and called out: "Over here!"
However, his smile quickly froze.
Because those dozen members of his clan were approaching him with vacant stares, like living corpses.
Shisui Uchiha stepped forward and blocked the person in front, asking anxiously, "What happened to you? Did they torture you?"
The Uchiha ninja stopped by Shisui Uchiha didn't respond at all. He didn't say a word—just stepped silently around Shisui Uchiha and kept walking forward.
Shisui Uchiha didn't understand what was happening. Looking at their bodies, he saw no signs of physical punishment.
"We weren't tortured…"
A voice sounded behind Shisui Uchiha's back. When Shisui Uchiha turned around, it was someone he knew well and had a relatively good relationship with—a fellow clan member.
Shisui Uchiha quickly asked, "Kangjiang Uchiha, what exactly happened? Why have they become like this?"
Kangjiang Uchiha's eyes revealed fear. "We were locked in a cramped cell where we could only stand, with absolutely no light at all. And we could constantly hear extremely strange sounds—like screams of agony, or like some kind of animal cries. These sounds terrified me. Each second felt like an eternity…
Since I was locked in there for only a short time, I wasn't deeply affected. But I absolutely never want to go through that again.
Shisui Uchiha, aren't you the deputy captain of the Konoha Defense Unit? Then why… why won't you help us?"
Shisui Uchiha opened his mouth to answer Kangjiang's question—but nothing came out.
He wanted to help too, but… he was powerless.
Even when he went to Fugaku Uchiha, the clan leader, Fugaku just brushed him off and told him not to get involved.
With disappointment in his eyes, Kangjiang glanced at Shisui Uchiha before silently turning away, joining the others who had already moved ahead and leaving the scene.
That look from Kangjiang pierced deep into Shisui Uchiha's heart.
He knew—they misunderstood him. They believed he was just watching idly without wanting to help.
Yet Shisui Uchiha couldn't even blame them—he hadn't helped at all, no matter how he tried to justify his actions.
And if things continued this way, his clansmen would misunderstand him even more.
Shisui Uchiha stood still, head lowered, for a very long time.
After a long while passed, Shisui Uchiha finally raised his head once more, as if giving himself encouragement. He murmured softly to himself: "No matter what happens, I can't just sit here waiting. At the very least… Even saving one person is better than standing by and doing nothing!"
The next day began.
Shisui Uchiha visited the Konoha Defense Unit once in the morning and left right away.
It was by patrolling Konoha in person that Shisui Uchiha sought to help his fellow clan members. Whenever he found Root ninja trying to apprehend his fellow Uchiha without cause, he'd intervene immediately.
The Root ninja quickly reported this matter to Chinya.
"Now that's just plain stupid!" Chinya sneered. "A deputy captain appointed specifically to monitor me is acting so irresponsibly. I feel ashamed for Minato Namikaze."
"Don't waste your time with him—he's just one man on his own. Let's see how many people he can actually help. You all should just continue carrying out Lord Danzo's plan as instructed."
Chinya never imagined that Shisui Uchiha would actually do something this foolish. With Shisui gone, the Konoha Defense Unit was now completely under Chinya's control—he could now do whatever the hell he wanted.
<><><><><><><><>
Thank you for reading! Your support will keep me updating!
~ Every 50 Powerstones = **4 Bonus Chapters** this weekend!
<><><><><><><><>
~ 100+ Advanced Chapters Available on Patreon!
~ More *Free* Chapters and Books Available on Patreon!
patreon.com/Tansnovel
<><><><><><><><>