Uchiha Chizumi did not return with Izumi to the Uchiha Police Force headquarters.
Instead, he headed toward the very center of Konoha's power — the Hokage Building!
When he arrived, Chizumi walked straight to the Hokage's office, as if he had done this countless times before.
He knocked lightly. When a voice inside said, "Come in," he pushed open the door and stepped in.
— His movements were so practiced, it felt like he came here regularly.
"Chizumi…"
Hiruzen Sarutobi looked up and saw a handsome young man with black hair — even among the Uchihas, his looks stood out.
Setting aside the document in his hand, Hiruzen sighed.
"I've lost count of how many times I've reminded you: there's no need to rely on iron-blooded methods all the time. Law enforcement needs strength, yes — but it also needs warmth."
"The shinobi wars have been over for years. This is not a time of crisis. Everyone is hoping for a bright future. The Uchiha clan could stand to soften its law enforcement just a little."
He spoke earnestly, then asked, "So, what happened this time that caused such an uproar?"
Hiruzen didn't mention that Chizumi had been the subject of complaints.
He knew that even if he did, Chizumi wouldn't care.
After all, Hiruzen had watched this child grow up — and when he realized this boy was unlike any other Uchiha, he took special care to interact with him often.
He believed he knew Uchiha Chizumi very well.
And yet, for some reason, he couldn't shake the feeling that there was something odd in the way this boy looked at him.
Hmm…
Probably just his imagination.
Chizumi shifted his meaningful gaze away from the little red box hovering above Hiruzen's head, looked him in the eye, and said,
"Konoha civilian Akiyama Jiro — two days ago, after losing a gambling bet, he got drunk and beat his own four-year-old child to death. The victim's body is currently being returned to the Police Force."
Hiruzen's brows knitted tightly. "A murder case…"
He didn't doubt Chizumi's words for even a moment.
Exhaling, Hiruzen spoke patiently,
"Chizumi, if something like this happens again, you should let the Fire Country's legal documents serve as the weapon to punish the criminal."
"Your habit of dealing heavy blows to criminals without authorization has already stirred up a lot of resentment. Sometimes, even I — the Hokage of Konoha — struggle to suppress those voices."
Chizumi replied without expression,"Gentle laws only serve as tools for aiding evil; [Absolute Justice] is what sweeps away all monsters and demons."
Hiruzen was momentarily choked into silence.
He gave a bitter smile. He had honestly lost track of how many times he'd been retorted like this by Chizumi.
"Lord Hokage,"
Before turning to leave, Chizumi added,
"There's something you got wrong. My law enforcement has always had warmth — as warm as molten lava in a volcano."
With that,
He didn't even bother to bid farewell, and left.
Hiruzen: "…"
As warm as molten lava in a volcano? Isn't that just… anyone who touches it dies?
Wait!
Suddenly Hiruzen remembered there was actually something more important he had meant to ask Chizumi — he had wanted to know what Chizumi thought about the increasingly rebellious sentiment building within the Uchiha clan.
"Forget it…"
Hiruzen had a feeling: it wouldn't be long before Chizumi would come back to this office — for the same reason.
…
After leaving the Hokage Building, Chizumi went to the Uchiha Police Force.
He didn't find Izumi there.
Suddenly, a curious voice spoke from the side,
"Chizumi, that new recruit you were testing… the one named 'Uchiha Izumi,' is she still alive?"
Uchiha Izumi was, in fact, fairly well-known among the clan.
The only half-blood Uchiha — a rare specimen, in a sense.
Chizumi glanced over and saw that the speaker was also a member of the Police Force. He found the face vaguely familiar but couldn't recall the name.
"Alive."
He answered concisely.
That single word seemed to shock everyone nearby; several other Police Force members turned to look, surprised.
Soon, whispers began to spread around the area.
"Oi, really? I remember this guy Chizumi had two trainees before — one of them got killed on the first day for disobeying his orders; the other supposedly awakened the Sharingan on day one, but the shock left him with severe mental illness."
Clearly, this man didn't fully grasp their clan's hereditary mental instability.
"Tch, that's rare! Could it be that this half-blood Uchiha genin is a 'capable' newcomer?"
"She's only survived today. Maybe she'll be dead tomorrow."
"Speaking of which… Chizumi even killed a clansman once. Why did the clan head turn a blind eye to something so outrageous? He even let this guy stay in the Police Force!"
"I heard the clansman he killed had been found guilty of something unspeakable. The clan head locked down the information — only he and Chizumi probably know what really happened."
"Bah, a piece of trash. Dead is dead. What's there to discuss?"
"…"
The whispered gossip didn't stir the slightest emotion in Chizumi.
He merely swept his gaze over these colleagues — briefly pausing on the white boxes floating over their heads.
[Uchiha Kaede — Nine days from now, while arresting a thief, secretly pockets stolen goods and files a false report. Sin level: White name!][Uchiha Ren — Three days from now, engages in an illicit affair with fellow officer Uchiha Momoyo's husband. Sin level: White name!][Uchiha Natsuki — Half a month later…][…]
In Chizumi's eyes, whether it was these Police Force members or all of Konoha's shinobi, only a tiny fraction lacked those white or red tags above their heads.
So few, perhaps barely over thirty percent of the village's shinobi.
But [Absolute Justice] was not [Blind Justice].
Nor was it some deranged ideal of wiping out every last shinobi in the world.
Even knowing that someone might someday fall into the abyss of "evil," Chizumi wasn't foolish enough to snuff out lives preemptively.
His past experiences had taught him: future sins are not absolute certainties — they can change, depending on what happens in between.
As for why he had such bizarre experience…
Well, everyone makes mistakes while growing up.
Though Chizumi felt no waves in his heart, the look in his eyes just now was enough to make the whispers fade away.
One by one, the members of the Police Force stopped speaking, faces growing uneasy.
They didn't even know why… but it felt like a thorn pricking at their backs.
As though something — or someone — was watching them.
…
"Ch– Chizumi-senpai!"
A girl's panting, slightly weary voice came from afar, growing closer.
"I…"
"I brought the body back!"
…
…
(End of chapter)