Izumi carried both the criminal and the victim's bodies all by herself. Along the way, she didn't know how many people were staring at her with strange expressions, making her so embarrassed that she didn't dare lift her head the entire journey.
Fortunately, no one misunderstood her. Perhaps it was the Uchiha clan uniform she wore that prevented unnecessary trouble.
Finally, after mustering up the courage to return to the Uchiha Police Force headquarters…
And after once again seeing senior Chizumi.
Her tightly wound emotions finally loosened a bit.
But…
She soon noticed that many of the senior officers in the Uchiha Police Force were all staring at her.
Being observed like a rare animal — Izumi had truly felt this once before.
It inevitably made her nervous again.
"Place the bodies here. Leave them to be handled — someone will take care of it. Now, come with me to see the clan head," Chizumi's cold voice reached her ears, surprisingly giving her a sense of reassurance.
Her inexplicable nervousness dissipated a lot.
She felt as if she now had a strong backbone to rely on.
"Yes, senpai!!!"
Izumi hurriedly replied.
As Chizumi walked into the Police Force building without turning his head, he asked the black-haired girl behind him, "As a member of the Uchiha Police Force, if you encounter an ordinary criminal resisting arrest during law enforcement, what should you do?"
This…
Is Chizumi-Senpai testing my theory?
Izumi felt a surge of confidence.
To join the Uchiha Police Force, she had spent a full month memorizing every word of the Police Force Code of Conduct. Not a single word was missed.
Her eligibility for the recruitment exam of the Uchiha Police Force was naturally due to passing the theoretical test — and with full marks!
She clearly remembered the manual stating: during law enforcement, if an ordinary person resists arrest, one can apply proportionate control depending on the situation.
Simply put: for mild resistance, control gently; for intense resistance, use a little force — at most, make the criminal fall flat on their face.
After all, the criminal was just an ordinary person, not a dangerous ninja.
"First, try to control them gently…" Izumi quickly answered with the standard response.
But halfway through her answer, she froze.
She recalled how Chizumi had handled the short man trying to escape earlier — it seemed completely different from the manual.
Swallowing her words, she hesitantly amended her answer: "Perhaps… some forceful measures might be necessary?"
Coincidentally, Chizumi's steps paused slightly — Uchiha Fugaku was already in his office within the Police Force building.
Chizumi said lightly, "New recruit, I hope you understand that the purpose of this question isn't to make you flatter me. Remember, [Absolute Justice] comes from absolute enforcement. The required force changes with the times."
"Now… is the period when the ninja world is most corrupted by 'evil.' In chaotic times, heavy-handed measures are necessary. Even against minor evil, we strike with full force, never showing mercy."
Correct…
Although this answer wasn't in the standard manual, it was… right.
However…
Izumi felt Senpai's idea was extreme. She thought the ninja world's chaotic times were long past — the Third Great Ninja War had ended years ago, and the Nine-Tails incident was over too.
Although there were minor conflicts, the world wasn't in chaos.
At least…
From the perspective of the Uchiha clan, weren't they all thriving? Weren't their lives getting better and better?
Chizumi-senpai seemed a little too pessimistic!
Of course, she only dared think this internally. Saying it aloud was out of the question.
Knock! Knock! Knock!
The knocking interrupted Izumi's thoughts. When a steady, commanding voice from inside said, "Please enter," Chizumi pushed the slightly nervous girl through the door.
"Chizumi? And… Uchiha Izumi?" Fugaku paused slightly.
"You speak," Chizumi casually said, then took a chair. Sitting cross-legged, he idly played with the worn armrest.
"Ah?"
When Fugaku's gaze fell on Izumi, she realized that Ichizumi had been addressing her.
The clan head seemed used to Ichizumi's lack of courtesy. He didn't even greet him!
Did they have some conflict?
A strange thought flashed through her mind, and she hurriedly said, "Lord Fugaku, today with senior Ichizumi…"
So, Izumi had no choice but to recount everything that happened.
Fugaku's brows furrowed deeply, his expression almost identical to the Third Hokage.
"Ichizumi, your methods are a bit extreme." Fugaku sighed, his expression serious. "Our Uchiha have drawn the village's caution because of this. I understand you are executing justice, and you have your own view of it. But sometimes, justice must consider the circumstances."
"You should know… the village has grown increasingly distant from the Uchiha. We were forced to move to the village's outskirts. With no retreat left, we must take measures to regain some reputation."
"But your methods…"
Looking at this young Uchiha Jonin, Fugaku felt a headache coming on.
Ichizumi was outstanding — he had awakened the Three-Tomoe Sharingan early, possessed the rare 'Melting Release,' and was the only dual-bloodline limit ninja in the Uchiha clan.
Perhaps one day, he could awaken the legendary Mangekyō Sharingan, becoming another pillar of the Uchiha clan.
But…
His ideals clashed with Fugaku's.
No — Chizumi's idea of absolute justice even clashed with the Uchiha clan as a whole.
Whether the hawks advocating confrontation with the village or the doves seeking peaceful negotiation, Chizumi had no common ground with either.
Because his sense of justice didn't side with the Uchiha — it sided with his own "principle" and "justice."
He existed alone as a faction within the Uchiha clan.
Hence, his isolation.
Hence, the conflict.
Chizumi raised his eyelids to meet the gaze of the famed [Fierce-Eyed Fugaku]. He said, "You want me to compromise selectively when enforcing justice, to ease tensions with the village, right?"
Fugaku replied, "No need to make it sound so stiff."
But he tacitly agreed.
"My methods won't change. Instead of asking me to restrain myself, better take care of your spoiled son. He might need a psychologist, in my opinion." Saying this, Chizumi stood and left.
Fugaku's expression froze.
To have his child insulted like this in front of him…
Even Fugaku couldn't hide his anger.
But…
This seemed to have happened many times before. Chizumi simply didn't like Itachi.
At one point, he had even attacked Itachi. If it hadn't been for Shisui, Itachi might have been in serious trouble.
Fugaku watched Chizumi's departing figure with a calm face.
Izumi looked around bewildered.
She could sense the tension in the office and Fugaku's restrained anger, even noticing his clenched fists.
She didn't know why Chizumi had such strong opinions about the clan head's son.
Eh? Wait!
The clan head's sons… weren't they Itachi and Sasuke?
Izumi was stunned.
She seemed to have chosen a truly extraordinary examiner.
The future looked worrying!
(End of Chapter)