Sarutobi Hiyū's words struck the ears of the victim's family like a thunderbolt.
"Clan Head Hiyū… y-you… what did you just say…?"
The girl's father asked in a hoarse, broken voice.
The tears in his eyes seemed to have already dried up, leaving only numbness and disbelief behind.
Hiyū didn't even look at him.
His gaze was locked firmly on his son.
"You weren't acting deliberately. You thought there was a wild rabbit in the bushes, and only wanted to test the power of the Blazing Flame Technique."
"So this was… an accidental killing."
"Isn't that right?!"
Even Sarutobi Jirō, foolish as he was, finally understood what was happening.
He nodded frantically and screamed,
"Y-Yes! Yes!"
"Father, I really didn't know anything at all! This was all just an accident!"
Hiyū nodded slowly.
"So that's how it was…"
"It seems this was a tragedy born of misfortune…"
"Ah… truly heartbreaking."
He turned around and tightly clasped the victim's father's hands, gripping them like iron shackles so the man couldn't even pull away.
"As a father myself, I deeply understand your pain."
"Please rest assured—although this was only an accident, I will absolutely give you justice!"
"I will strictly discipline this little beast and make him pay the price, so that he understands the gravity of his crime!"
"As for your daughter…"
"Once a person dies, they cannot be brought back to life…"
"But no matter how much compensation you want, I will do everything in my power to provide it!"
The father was completely stunned.
His heart felt like it was being twisted apart—but he couldn't even find the strength to speak.
"Y-you… you people…"
At that moment, the elderly grandmother, who had fallen earlier, crawled forward without caring about anything else.
"You beasts!"
"We don't want compensation! No amount of money can bring my granddaughter back!"
"We only want this little beast to be buried with her!"
Her clothes were tattered, her white hair disheveled like weeds. She clung desperately to Hiyū's pant leg, grief and despair filling her eyes.
A trace of killing intent flashed through Hiyū's gaze—but vanished just as quickly.
He sighed.
"Ma'am, I truly understand how you feel, but…"
"When will the cycle of vengeance ever end?"
"Besides, Jirō only made a mistake. He never intended to harm your granddaughter."
"Please rest assured—he will not escape the punishment he deserves!"
"But you cannot let anger drive you to private execution. If everyone acted this way, wouldn't the world fall into chaos?"
"Don't you agree?"
The crowd erupted into chaotic murmurs.
Yet—
The old woman's shrill, grief-stricken wail still pierced the sky.
"Is it because you're ninja and we're civilians that we must endure this kind of injustice?!"
"Is it because you're the clan head, because that beast is your son, and we're just powerless commoners—so he can kill and pay no price?!"
"Is this right?!"
"Tell me—tell me!"
"Is this right?!"
Her cry rose to the heavens—then sank into dust.
Silence.
Deathly silence.
No one answered.
Only Sarutobi Jirō let a faint smile slip from the corner of his mouth.
…
"No."
In that suffocating stillness—
A blade of light suddenly fell from the sky.
It tore through the crowd.
Cut through indifference.
Cut through injustice itself.
In a flash—
Blood sprayed in all directions!
A human head rolled across the ground.
The blade was clean.
A figure stood silently beside Sarutobi Hiyū.
What fell was Sarutobi Jirō's head—still wearing a frozen grin.
And it was crushed beneath a heavy foot.
Uchiha Qianyu's foot.
The headless body collapsed, blood erupting like a geyser, splashing the ground like burning ash.
"AAAAAAH!"
Someone screamed.
Then chaos exploded.
People screamed, stumbled backward, faces drained of color as if they'd seen a ghost.
Sarutobi Hiyū slowly turned around.
He saw the man who had appeared out of nowhere.
Then—
He saw the head beneath that man's foot.
And the headless corpse collapsing behind him.
His pupils dilated violently.
"You…!"
"What have you done?!"
He had never imagined he could scream like this.
Qianyu didn't even look at him.
"Executing official duty."
He stomped down once more on the head, then strode forward, helping the trembling old woman to her feet and giving her a slight nod.
The old woman stared at the head on the ground—terror in her eyes, yet an indescribable sense of release in her heart.
"Y-You…"
"Who are you?!"
"Konoha Police Force, squad captain."
"Uchiha Qianyu."
The name alone sent a ripple through the crowd.
A man's name—
A shadow of a tree.
Everyone in Konoha knew him.
That ruthless enforcer of the Police Force.
That decisive, iron-blooded Uchiha.
Yet never—not once—
Had his cruelty felt so right.
In this instant, ninja and civilians alike shared the same thought:
Had he been right all along?
No one answered.
"B-Beast!"
Sarutobi Hiyū finally snapped back to his senses.
Grief and rage devoured him.
He drew his sword and lunged at Qianyu from behind!
"Captain Qianyu—watch out!"
Someone screamed.
Qianyu didn't even turn his head.
He raised his blade behind him—
Clang!
Sparks exploded as the swords collided.
"I'll kill you!"
Hiyū roared, completely unhinged.
Qianyu remained calm.
"Interfering with police duty."
"Attacking a law-enforcement ninja."
"By regulation—execution on the spot."
His chakra erupted.
With overwhelming force, he knocked Hiyū's blade aside and slashed straight toward his throat.
Hiyū barely managed to retreat, blocking the strike—but was still sent flying backward.
Yet even as he landed, his hands were already forming seals.
"Fire Release—Blazing Flame Technique!"
A torrent of raging fire erupted from his mouth, scorching the sky and earth alike, threatening to incinerate Qianyu completely.
Qianyu reacted even faster.
He formed seals.
"Fire Release—Dragon Flame Technique!"
Two pillars of flame collided like roaring fire dragons, tearing through the air.
For a moment—
They were evenly matched.
"Stop!"
A powerful, authoritative voice rang out.
The crowd instinctively parted.
An old man stepped forward with slow, heavy steps.
The Third Hokage.
Sarutobi Hiruzen.
Qianyu glanced at him—
And tightened his grip on the blade.
At the same time, a familiar system prompt echoed in his mind.
Ding!
You have guided Sarutobi Jirō away from evil and back to righteousness.
Good Deeds Points +30.