The first reason—
and the most immediate one—
Qianyu was at his weakest moment.
If a full-scale conflict had erupted right then, he would have had no fighting strength left.
He was not a god.
Not some late–Fourth War monster with infinite chakra and immortal vitality.
At his current level, he was only a jōnin—
at best, an elite jōnin.
He could be injured.
He could be exhausted.
He could fall.
From the moment he learned about Aoki and Yamafū,
to storming the ANBU prison,
to slaughtering nine ANBU operatives,
to breaking out and fighting Sarutobi Shinnosuke at ANBU headquarters—
He had not rested for a single moment.
The fact that he was still standing was already a miracle.
He needed time.
The second reason—
Uchiha Fugaku was still in ANBU custody.
With the clan head detained, the Uchiha were leaderless.
Relying solely on Uchiha yashiro and Uchiha Yakumi to hold the situation together
was nothing more than throwing eggs at a stone wall.
On the opposite side stood:
Sarutobi Hiruzen.
Hatake Kakashi.
"Elephant," "Hare," "Sparrow," "Qilin Horn"—
the elite core of ANBU.
And lurking behind them—
Shimura Danzō and Root.
As for the Uchiha's strongest combatant—
Uchiha Shisui—
He could turn his blade at any moment.
Under such conditions, initiating war meant only one thing:
Total annihilation.
The third reason—
Everything Qianyu had done was for justice.
That principle would never change.
Call him stubborn.
Call him foolish.
He would still uphold it.
He had been suspended.
He killed Shinnosuke for justice.
Being imprisoned during the investigation was, to him,
An acceptable price.
The fourth reason—
And the most crucial one—
He possessed absolute means of self-preservation.
Escorted by Hatake Kakashi, "Elephant,"
and more than a dozen elite ANBU,
Qianyu was finally brought before the gates of the ANBU prison.
Waiting for him were countless ANBU operatives, their eyes burning with hatred.
They wanted nothing more than to tear him apart.
Even Kakashi couldn't help but sigh inwardly.
This man had willingly thrown himself into the hands of enemies who hated him to the bone.
The outcome was almost unimaginable.
Kakashi's feelings toward the Uchiha were… complicated.
The most important comrade of his life—
Was named Uchiha Obito.
And the Sharingan in his left eye
was Obito's final gift.
Deep down, Kakashi felt he owed the Uchiha something.
That was why the Hokage usually avoided involving him in Uchiha affairs.
"Elephant" spoke coldly:
"Jianping. He's yours."
The prison commander nodded.
Aburame Jianping.
Qianyu knew the name well—
a top-tier ANBU operative.
Jianping stepped forward with seven others.
Seals were formed simultaneously.
"Sealing Technique: Law Suppression Mark!"
"Four-Limbs Heavy Seal!"
Qianyu frowned slightly.
These were powerful sealing arts inherited from Konoha's allies—the Uzumaki clan.
The first seal blocked all chakra flow.
Ninjutsu and genjutsu became impossible.
The second sealed physical strength itself.
In short—
All combat ability was erased.
But at the exact instant the seals were completed—
Qianyu activated his Mangekyō Sharingan.
Left-eye technique—Yatagarasu.
Earlier, when Fugaku's seal had been released,
Qianyu had already seen through its structure.
Now, using the last remnants of chakra and perception—
He silently embedded a fatal flaw inside his own seal.
A flaw no one noticed.
A flaw that allowed him to break free at will.
This was the terror of Yatagarasu.
To see all weaknesses.
To dismantle all techniques.
In his left eye—
No jutsu had secrets.
The seals were complete.
The ANBU finally relaxed.
Cold smiles appeared behind their masks.
Jianping sneered:
"Kakashi. Elephant. Leave him to me."
"I'll take very good care of him."
Elephant smiled cruelly.
Kakashi shook his head faintly.
As Qianyu was shoved into the prison, Kakashi asked quietly:
"Uchiha Qianyu…
Why did you choose me to investigate this?"
Qianyu turned his head slightly.
A rare smile appeared.
"Because among ANBU—
you still resemble a human being."
Kakashi froze.
The others stiffened.
"Move!"
"Get in!"
The gate slammed shut.
Kakashi stared at the door, replaying those words.
Elephant glanced at him.
"Kakashi, you're smart.
You know this is a burning brand."
"One wrong step, and you'll never escape."
"More importantly—
why do you think he chose you?"
Kakashi frowned.
Elephant interrupted him:
"Doesn't matter what he thinks.
Doesn't matter what you think."
"What matters—
is what the Hokage thinks."
Kakashi's heart sank.
He understood.
This wasn't just an investigation.
It was a test.
Between the Uchiha and the Hokage—
Where did he stand?
"Choose carefully."
Elephant turned away.
Kakashi exhaled slowly and walked toward the Memorial Stone.
He needed to talk to old friends.
Inside the prison—
The door slammed shut.
Dark laughter echoed.
"Uchiha Qianyu…
we've prepared a very special gift for you."
Qianyu already sensed it.
From the darkness—
Figures emerged.
Rotting. Twisted. Evil.
But Qianyu smiled.
This was the final reason he chose imprisonment.
To enforce justice—
To cleanse evil—
Where was better than ANBU prison?
Sending him here was not punishment.
It was charity.
They thought they had captured prey.
They were wrong.
You are the prey.
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