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Uchiha Shisui stared in disbelief. Qianyu had locked the Uchiha shinobi in the Root prison.
"Why?" Shisui's voice trembled. "A petty offense like that doesn't even constitute a real crime! Why would you send them to the Root prison?!"
Qianyu leaned back, his expression pure laziness. "Why? Your question just proves how clueless you are. You know where the main Konoha prison is built, don't you? Lock them up there and wait for you Uchiha to sneak them extra privileges? Please."
He waved a dismissive hand. "Relax. Like you said, it's a minor infraction. They'll be out in three days. A cell's a cell, right?"
Shisui opened his mouth to argue further.
Qianyu cut him off. "Personal advice? Stop wasting your breath on me. Go find their families. Or Fugaku. Pay the bail. Or let them sit for three days. Nothing you say here changes a thing."
Shisui shot Qianyu one last, hate-filled glare, then turned and stormed out of the Leaf Village Defense Force headquarters, heading straight for the Uchiha compound.
A distinctly greedy smile spread across Qianyu's face. "Idiot," he muttered to the empty room. "Spelled out the bail rules for you. Still didn't get it. Had to be told directly… Tch. But… finally. Time to collect."
Shisui rushed into the Uchiha compound and found the clan head, Uchiha Fugaku.
"Patriarch," Shisui said, bowing his head in shame. "Villagers are openly insulting our clan all over Konoha. Qianyu's Root agents are arresting any of our clansmen who argue back. They've been taken to the Root prison… We should pay the bail. Get them out."
Fugaku let out a long, weary sigh. "The Root prison after all…"
Shisui looked up, startled. Fugaku's tone… it sounded like he'd already guessed.
Fugaku met his gaze. "I told you. You can't suppress Qianyu. You miss the obvious. Qianyu's back is Root. It's Danzō. Danzō holds more real power in Konoha right now than anyone except the Fourth Hokage himself. Those villagers appearing out of nowhere to curse us? They were either ordered to, or they are Root agents in disguise."
He leaned forward. "The main Konoha prison is right next to our compound. Under our influence. Qianyu and Danzō would never put our people there. So where else? Root's prison was the only choice."
Fugaku's eyes were sharp. "And the bail. Haven't you figured it out yet? They want to bleed us dry. That regulation was tailor-made for the Uchiha."
Shisui's pupils constricted. That's why Qianyu had told him to go to the families… to Fugaku.
"Do… do we pay the bail?" Shisui asked.
"Of course we pay it," Fugaku stated flatly. "We must pay it. The moment I heard about that 'bail' rule, I prepared a large sum. Ready for this exact moment."
He shook his head. "We have no leverage here. Qianyu is acting 'by the book.' There's nothing we can do. Shisui, don't even think about hunting for 'evidence.' If Qianyu wants money, we give him money."
"But why?" Shisui protested, struggling to understand. "He's openly targeting us! If we prove the villagers were instigated by Root and take it to the Fourth—"
"The Fourth Hokage can't help us with this," Fugaku interrupted, a flicker of impatience in his eyes. "What would Lord Minato do? Punish Qianyu? A verbal reprimand at most. Qianyu would keep doing exactly what he's doing. Nothing would change."
Fugaku's voice lowered. "This kind of open targeting… it's the best we can hope for right now. Pay some money, solve the problem. It's a good deal."
He fixed Shisui with a hard stare. "If you break this open confrontation, what you'll get instead is Qianyu and Danzō targeting us from the shadows. That is when the Uchiha clan will truly be walking a tightrope."
"Shisui," he continued, his tone becoming more measured. "You know I've staked the clan's future on the Fourth. But his position isn't secure. The Third Hokage interferes. Danzō watches, waiting. The senior advisors, Koharu and Homura, hold their own considerable sway. Lord Fourth… he has very little substantive power right now."
"We chose his side, but we can't expect his help. Not yet. He has his own battles to fight. We have to wait. He's young. Time is on his side. Until he fully consolidates his authority, we must avoid adding to his troubles. We solve our own problems. Do you understand now?"
Shisui stood silently, head bowed in thought. It made sense. As one of Minato's personal guards, he knew the Hokage's struggles all too well.
Minato was stretched thin. He'd taken office suddenly, without building his own team. He'd only just managed to form a single Hokage Guard Platoon. The other military branches… they were Hiruzen Sarutobi's legacy. They listened to the Third first, the Fourth second.
Causing trouble for Minato now was the last thing they should do.
And if the clan patriarch himself said to handle it… who was he to argue?
"I understand, Patriarch," Shisui finally said, nodding.
"Good," Fugaku said. "Take the money to Qianyu later. Shisui, if you care for the Fourth, if you care for this clan… let Qianyu have his way. The more he does this, the safer our clan actually is."
"I will," Shisui promised. "I'll secure their release quickly."
Shisui took the money Fugaku had prepared and left the compound.
Alone, Fugaku shook his head in resignation.
Shisui was strong. Incredibly strong. But when it came to schemes? He was no match for Qianyu. Too idealistic.
If this level of blatant harassment was all Qianyu had in store for the Uchiha… Fugaku wasn't worried. He'd welcome it.
Hell, if Qianyu ever ran out of Uchiha to arrest, Fugaku might just send a few his way himself.
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