"Patriarch, that was quite a brilliant verbal sparring session…"
Uchiha Yakumi commented, both amused and impressed.
Nearby, Tekkā and Inabi also silently agreed.
But Uchiha Fugaku shook his head.
"Do you think the Hokage really came here just because of Chiyu?"
"Huh? Wasn't that the reason?"
"Chiyu's situation was merely an excuse. He probably wanted to gauge our entire Uchiha clan's stance…"
The hot-tempered Uchiha Tekkā asked anxiously, "What do you mean, Patriarch?"
Fugaku explained, "It's simple. If we had cowered and handed Chiyu over to let the Hokage deal with him as he pleased, how do you think the Hokage would interpret that?
"If, on the other hand, we went all out ignoring the Hokage's intentions and defended Chiyu to the bitter end, how would he interpret that?
"In one scenario, we appear weak; in the other, we appear rigid."
Uchiha Yakumi remarked, "So, Patriarch, you chose to be rigid…"
"It wasn't my choice. I had no real choice at all."
Fugaku let out a long sigh.
"I can't actually hand Chiyu over to Sarutobi Hiruzen, can I?…"
Everyone fell silent.
Uchiha Inabi sighed. "Let's hope Chiyu understands the trouble you've gone through for him…"
Fugaku gave a faint smile.
"You think he hasn't already anticipated this outcome?
"Sometimes, you're fooled by his outwardly cold and extreme demeanor…
"That man has likely taken everything—my actions, Sarutobi Hiruzen's moves—into account long ago…"
They all looked at one another in surprise.
They knew the man was frightening, but hearing Fugaku say so made them realize he might be even more terrifying than they had imagined.
…
[Chakra +3. Current Chakra: 650.]
"Huh? An increase of three chakra points overnight, eh…
"Seems my chakra refinement technique has gotten a lot better," Uchiha Chiyu thought, quite satisfied.
Usually, a typical jōnin only has around 200 chakra points. His chakra was already considerable by comparison. Of course, it was still nothing compared to the true 'monsters' who had huge amounts of chakra.
Increasing his chakra—and boosting his ocular power—these were his top priorities. He didn't place much importance on the so-called Five Basic Natures of Ninjutsu. In fact, he ranked his kenjutsu even higher than ninjutsu. He preferred the feeling of using a blade. As far as he was concerned, ninjutsu was often flashy yet impractical.
Chiyu got up quickly, washed and dressed, then prepared a simple breakfast for himself. After he finished eating, he meticulously donned his police force uniform with machine-like precision.
He knew very well what would happen next. Sarutobi Hiruzen would likely go looking for Patriarch Fugaku for some sort of explanation. But Fugaku wouldn't hand him over—that would be tantamount to placing the entire Uchiha clan on the chopping block.
It wasn't that Chiyu failed to understand the current situation; he understood it all too well. Many cautious Uchihas believed that at a time like this, they had to tread carefully, avoid any incidents, and concede as much as possible to the village leadership.
They were gravely mistaken. If the end is inevitable, then everything you do is already 'wrong.' Since that's the case, why not just go all out and follow your own path?
"So those two didn't show up this morning to report to me… Must be at the Patriarch's orders, telling me to lie low at home?"
Chiyu shook his head. He understood Fugaku's motives but also felt there was no point.
He strode through Konoha's marketplace. Villagers and shinobi alike gave him a wide berth, unable to hide their fear and respect.
Chiyu frowned slightly. Up ahead, it looked as though someone was causing a commotion—people were stumbling and scattering in all directions, as if a chase or a fight was underway.
"Help! Thief! Somebody stop him!"
"Quick, someone stop him!"
But the thief charging ahead was brandishing a knife, and everyone hurriedly backed away to form a path for him. Not a single person dared step in.
Pedestrians on both sides cleared a way, leaving the street open. Except at the far end, where one man stood alone, as unyielding as a mountain.
"A police officer? Get outta my way!"
The thief looked startled, but his show of bravado propelled him forward, waving his blade in an attempt to intimidate.
Crack!
Crack!
"Aaaargh!"
Two snapping sounds rang out, followed by the thief's ear-splitting shrieks. He collapsed with a thud, both legs splayed outward in a horrifying angle; his bones had been thoroughly shattered. Rolling in agony, he howled loud enough to shake the street.
Ding!
[You have successfully broken the thief's legs, thus helping him quit his habit of stealing. A good deed! +10 Virtue Points!]
Ignoring the thief's frenzy, Chiyu bent down and picked up a small pouch of coins from his hand, tossing it back to the owner.
"Th-thank you, Lord Chiyu…"
Though the man knew Chiyu had helped him, the sight of the thief screaming and writhing on the ground left him pale-faced and swallowing hard in fear.
Chiyu casually grabbed the thief by his collar and dragged him off, his legs scraping noisily against the ground. Onlookers only exhaled in relief once he was out of sight. Then they started murmuring among themselves, some praising and some criticizing.
Chiyu hauled the thief to Konoha's jail. When the two Uchiha guards at the door saw him arrive, they were hardly surprised.
"Captain Chiyu, who's this?"
"Just a worthless thief."
Thud!
He tossed the exhausted thief in front of them.
"Lock him up for three months."
"Yes, Lord Chiyu!"
Without a backward glance, Chiyu walked away.
"When you get out, if I catch you stealing again, I'll break more than those legs."
Terrified, the thief nodded repeatedly despite his injuries. "Y-yes… I'll never do it again!"
Watching Chiyu's departing figure, the two guards exchanged wry smiles, feeling both awe and fear.
…
As noon approached, Chiyu's patrol route gradually brought him back toward the Uchiha clan grounds. He was just about to grab some pancakes at Uchiha Teyaki's shop when suddenly he came to an abrupt stop.
A powerful chakra presence blocked his path. And that chakra clearly belonged to someone from the Uchiha clan. Only one person in the clan could exude such chakra and ocular power…
"Uchiha… Shisui, is that you?"
As soon as he spoke, a man younger than him by a few years appeared up ahead. Two older Uchiha jōnin, probably in their thirties or forties, flanked him with looks of deference.
That was only natural. Uchiha Shisui was currently acknowledged as the strongest fighter in the Uchiha clan. A pity…
"Uchiha Chiyu, we meet again."
They had indeed crossed paths before. But Shisui, known for his upright and gentle nature, couldn't have been more different from the ruthless Chiyu, and they'd never shared much of a relationship.
"I'm on duty. I don't have time for small talk," Chiyu said curtly, striding forward.
Shisui's brow furrowed. The two older jōnin behind him lost patience.
"What an arrogant fool!"
"He dares ignore Lord Shisui?!"
Both instantly drew their blades, the cold steel aimed straight at Chiyu.
Chiyu paused without even glancing at them, focusing instead on Shisui.
"Is this what you want too?"
Shisui's expression changed.
"Akagane, Shiden—stand down!"
The two men, faces red with anger, glared at Chiyu but dared not disobey Shisui's order. Slowly, they lowered their swords.
"Chiyu, I just want to talk."
"Is it you who wants to talk…" Chiyu asked coldly, "or is it the Hokage who wants to talk?"
His words cut to the heart of Shisui's intentions, causing Shisui's brow to crease even more deeply.