Far from the core district of Konoha Village—
A tall, oppressive building loomed in the darkness.
At its center was an enormous shuriken emblem, and within the shuriken burned the Uchiha clan's crest—the flaming fan.
This was the headquarters of the Konoha Police Force.
Uchiha Qianyu strode inside without hesitation.
Behind him, his two subordinates followed stiffly, trembling as though walking on thin ice, not daring to lift their heads.
The moment Qianyu stepped into the building, a cold, overwhelming wave of chakra washed over him.
It belonged to the head of the Uchiha clan—
Uchiha Fugaku.
At this moment, several elite members of the Police Force stood at Fugaku's side.
Among them were the senior elder Uchiha Yashiro, as well as Uchiha Yakumi, Uchiha Tekka, and Uchiha Inabi.
As soon as Qianyu entered, every gaze locked onto him.
Especially Fugaku's.
He took a deep breath, his expression dark with rare fury.
"Qianyu—what is the meaning of those two corpses?!"
Fugaku pointed toward the bodies that had already been laid out on the floor.
Qianyu didn't even glance at them.
"The man was addicted to gambling, even stole his own son's life-saving money to gamble, directly causing the child's death. His crime warranted death."
"The woman knowingly sheltered a criminal who killed her son. That makes her an accomplice. On top of that, she attempted to attack an officer—her crime was aggravated. Her death was not unjust."
Fugaku was stunned.
He exchanged looks with the elite officers around him, all of them speechless.
"Qianyu… do you actually believe what you just said?!"
"I believe it completely."
"..."
Fugaku raised his voice, unable to suppress his anger.
"Do you have any idea how this kind of enforcement makes the villagers and ninja view the Uchiha clan?!"
"Do you understand that after the Nine-Tails incident, the entire village already suspects us? The higher-ups are watching us like hawks!"
"At a time when tensions are ready to explode at any moment—you still dare act this extremely?!"
Qianyu remained unmoved.
"Then allow me to ask you, Clan Head—what method could possibly make the villagers and ninja view the Uchiha differently?"
"What method could make the village leadership stop treating us like enemies?"
"This…"
Fugaku fell silent.
Because he knew—
At this point, no matter what the Uchiha did, they could never change Konoha's impression of them.
Nor could they alter the hostility of the village's leadership.
Yashiro and the others exchanged bitter smiles.
"Even so, we're sitting on a pile of explosives," someone said.
"Why must you be the one to light the fuse with your own hands?!"
Qianyu replied calmly:
"The fuse was never in my hands."
"As for whose hands it is in—Clan Head, you know that very well."
"As for whether my methods are extreme—I reserve my own judgment."
"I only know one thing."
"Everything I do is for justice."
"Every action I take is free of guilt."
"If the Clan Head believes I violated orders, you may dismiss me from the Police Force."
"You—!"
Fugaku felt his head ache violently.
How could someone be this stubborn?
Completely impervious to persuasion!
Yet at the same time, Fugaku knew—
Qianyu was powerful.
He also had a group of loyal followers.
And right now, the Uchiha clan desperately needed strength like his.
Deep down…
Fugaku didn't entirely reject Qianyu's extreme methods either.
"Elder Yashiro," Fugaku sighed, rubbing his temples, "help me talk some sense into him."
Yashiro gave a wry smile.
"Clan Head, he doesn't even listen to you—what good would my words do?"
Then he turned to Qianyu.
"But Qianyu… the gambler truly was beyond saving. Killing him is one thing."
"But was it really necessary to kill the woman?"
"Don't give me that 'assaulting an officer' nonsense. She was an ordinary middle-aged woman—could she really harm you, a Jonin?"
Qianyu shook his head.
"I already explained."
"Faced with the man who killed her own son, she didn't resist him."
"After I killed that man, she still defended him and redirected her hatred toward me."
"Such ignorance makes her crimes equivalent to complicity."
"Evil people deserve to die."
"But fools who sympathize with evil…"
"Have no right to live either."
Yashiro inhaled sharply.
This man was terrifying.
Worse—
His twisted logic was disturbingly hard to refute.
Qianyu would rather live inside his own conviction than yield an inch.
Fugaku sighed deeply.
"Qianyu… I know you're young, ruthless, extreme."
"But can you consider my position as well?"
"When the Hokage questions this matter, do you expect me to respond with these same arguments?"
"What's the problem with that?"
Qianyu replied without hesitation.
Fugaku had no answer.
"If the Hokage insists on accountability," Qianyu continued calmly,
"then let me speak to him personally."
"Whatever punishment the Clan Head or the Hokage decides on…"
"I will accept it."
With that, Qianyu turned and left.
Inside the Police Force headquarters, Fugaku and the others could only exchange bitter smiles and shake their heads.
...
The Hokage's Office was thick with smoke.
The pipe of the Third Hokage, Sarutobi Hiruzen, glowed faintly in the dim light.
His expression was weary, yet he forced himself to continue reviewing documents.
Behind him, Shimura Danzō stood hidden in the shadows, his face unreadable.
A knock suddenly sounded at the door.
"Hokage-sama."
Hiruzen set down his paperwork, frowning slightly.
"ANBU?"
"Come in."
"Yes."
Two ANBU operatives wearing strange masks entered.
"Is there movement from the Uchiha clan?" Hiruzen asked.
The two exchanged glances.
"It's unclear whether it qualifies as movement…"
"The man named Uchiha Qianyu has killed two more Konoha civilians."
Hiruzen's pipe trembled.
"That cold-blooded bastard again?"
"What was the reason this time?"
They explained the incident in detail.
Hiruzen's expression darkened.
"Hmph. This man is becoming more and more unrestrained."
"The Second Hokage created the Police Force merely to keep the Uchiha away from the political core and to widen the rift between them and the villagers."
"Does Uchiha Qianyu truly believe he has the authority to decide life and death?!"
From the shadows came a cold chuckle.
"Hiruzen," Danzō said,
"if Uchiha Qianyu is this brutal and extreme, doesn't that only make the villagers despise the Uchiha more?"
"Isn't that exactly what we wanted?"
"Then why are you so agitated?"
Hiruzen replied coldly:
"These are two separate matters."
"If the Uchiha and the Police Force can decide civilian lives without consulting the Hokage, then where is Konoha's authority?"
"Where is its dignity?"
Danzō scoffed.
"I don't think it's Konoha's dignity you're worried about…"
"It's your dignity as Hokage, isn't it?"
Hiruzen glanced coldly toward the darkness.
"What's the difference?"
Danzō snorted, saying nothing more.
One ANBU operative cautiously asked:
"Hokage-sama, should we formally question the Police Force over this matter?"
"Or even…"
"Order Clan Head Fugaku to hand over Uchiha Qianyu?"
Hiruzen took a deep drag from his pipe and exhaled heavily.
"Who's to say Fugaku didn't approve this?"
"With tensions already this tight, he still allows Qianyu to act like this…"
"Could it be that he's already prepared to break away completely?"
Danzō's eyes gleamed faintly in the darkness.
"Wouldn't that be perfect?"
"A festering tumor that's existed since Konoha's founding—finally cut out in our generation."
Hiruzen glared at him.
"Watch your words, Danzō."
"Hmph. You're far too indecisive, Hiruzen."
"Enough, Danzō! I am the Hokage!"
"..."
"You'll regret this, Hiruzen."
Danzō vanished into the darkness, leaving through a hidden exit.
Hiruzen remained silent for a long time.
Finally, he murmured:
"I'll use this incident…"
"To personally test the Uchiha clan's stance."