The morning sunlight spread across the streets of Konoha, coating the entire village in a layer of golden radiance.
Uchiha Chiya stood at the entrance of the security force headquarters, straightened his uniform, and then stepped into the office.
"Chiya, you are in charge of the East District patrol today."
Squad captain Uchiha Tekkai said without lifting his head, handing the mission scroll over to him.
"Understood."
Chiya took the scroll and opened it to have a look.
This was the security force code that the Uchiha clan elders had put together the day before.
The most prominent thing inside it was the title of the code itself.
"Let enforcement carry warmth."
Uchiha Chiya smiled slightly. He knew the old men of the Uchiha had actually taken his words to heart.
After all, the Uchiha of today were not the Uchiha who would later be pushed out and relocated to the outskirts of the village.
These old men still felt a strong sense of belonging to Konoha.
If they had not, they would have left with Uchiha Madara when he departed back then.
Uchiha Chiya gathered himself quickly, turned, and left the office.
The East District was one of Konoha's more bustling areas, filled with shops and heavy foot traffic.
Chiya walked along the street with two team members, his gaze sweeping across the surroundings to make sure everything was in order.
However, before long into the patrol, a commotion broke out ahead.
"What is going on?"
Chiya's brow furrowed slightly. He walked briskly in the direction of the noise.
There he saw two heavily drunk ninja staggering along the middle of the street, bottles in hand, cursing and muttering.
The villagers around them were stepping aside one after another, their faces full of disgust and helplessness.
"Hey! You two!"
Chiya stepped forward. His voice was sharp.
"This is a public area. Drunken disturbances are prohibited."
The two drunks turned their heads and looked Chiya over through half-closed eyes, then let out a scoff.
"Oh, if it isn't the Uchiha security force. What, you're going to tell us we can't have a drink?"
Chiya paid no attention to their provocation and spoke directly to the team members behind him.
"Take them back to sober up. Handle it according to village regulations."
"Yes!"
The two team members stepped forward and took hold of the drunks, one on each side.
"Let go of me! What gives the Uchiha the right to arrest people!"
The drunk shouted as he struggled.
Chiya gave him a cold look.
"What gives us the right is that you have violated the regulations against drunken disturbances. Take them."
The villagers around them reacted with surprise.
In the past, the Uchiha security force had enforced the rules strictly, but their manner was often arrogant, and sometimes even rough, going straight to physical force.
But the way Chiya had handled things today came across as fair and measured.
It made more than a few people take a second look at him.
After dealing with the drunks, Chiya continued the patrol.
When he walked near a general goods shop, he heard another round of loud quarreling.
"You useless Genin, you can't even pay this little bit of money, and you still dare to come in here and buy things?"
The shop owner's voice was sharp and grating.
"I'm sorry, I was in such a rush this morning that I forgot to bring money. I will definitely make it up tomorrow!"
A familiar voice came back, carrying a tone of pleading.
Chiya followed the sound with his eyes and found that the one surrounded in the middle was Might Dai.
He was wearing that distinctive green jumpsuit of his. His face was written with embarrassment.
Around him stood several villagers and ninja, pointing at him and saying unkind things.
"At his age and still a Genin. What a disgrace."
"I hear he can only use taijutsu and doesn't know a single proper ninjutsu. No wonder he'll be a Genin his whole life."
"Someone this useless should just retire early."
"..."
Might Dai kept his head down. His fists were clenched tight, but he said nothing in return.
From where he stood, Chiya's eyes went cold.
'Did this Genin eat out of your family's rice bowl? Do you really need to go on and on like this?'
Chiya walked over in wide strides.
"What is going on here?"
He asked in a firm voice.
The shop owner saw someone from the security force arrive and immediately changed his expression.
"Sir, this fellow bought things and won't pay. He's trying to skip out on the bill!"
Chiya glanced at Might Dai. The latter quickly waved his hands.
"That's not it! I only forgot to bring money!"
Chiya said nothing more and pulled money from his pocket, handing it directly to the owner.
"His bill. I'm paying it. Is that enough?"
The owner was briefly taken aback. He took the money and gave an awkward smile.
"More than enough!"
Chiya paid him no further attention and turned to face the people gathered around.
"Genin, Chunin, Jonin are all ninja of Konoha. Each ninja carries out their own duties. What high or low is there between them? He may be a Genin, but he has carried out countless missions for this village.
His contributions are not something to be dismissed. If even his own comrades are going to mock him, what are we even talking about when we speak of the Will of Fire?"
His voice was not loud, but every word landed with weight.
The crowd around them fell quiet at once. Those who had just been sneering and mocking lowered their heads in shame and did not dare to meet his eyes.
Might Dai raised his head. He was so moved he was on the verge of tears.
"Thank you, Chiya-kun."
Chiya looked at him, face nearly streaming, and quickly stepped back two paces.
"Think nothing of it. Just remember to bring money next time."
Might Dai nodded heavily.
"I will definitely pay you back!"
"Do not worry about it. If you want to return the money, just hand it in to the security force directly."
Chiya shook his head, then turned and walked away.
The villagers nearby watched his retreating figure and began to murmur among themselves.
"I didn't expect someone from the Uchiha to step in and help someone out like that..."
"What he said just now was actually pretty reasonable."
"I suppose not all Uchiha are arrogant after all..."
"..."
Chiya paid no attention to the murmuring and continued his patrol.
What he did not notice, however, was that inside a dango shop not far away, a golden-haired figure was quietly watching him.
Tsunade held a skewer of dango in her hand. Curiosity and admiration flickered through her bright brown eyes.
She had only stopped to grab something to eat before heading out of the village for a mission, but had unexpectedly witnessed everything that just happened.
"Uchiha Chiya..."
She said his name quietly, a faint smile forming at the corner of her mouth.
"What an interesting person."
She bit into a piece of dango. Her gaze remained on Chiya's retreating figure.
This young man of the Uchiha clan had broken her fixed impression of the Uchiha one time after another.
The way he spoke and carried himself was, in truth, more like a genuine ninja than many of those who claimed to be inheritors of the so-called Will of Fire.
'Perhaps he really is different from the other Uchiha...'
Tsunade thought to herself.
Uchiha Chiya continued the patrol, and along the way helped a villager push a small cart without making anything of it.
"Chiya-nii!"
A clear voice rang out.
Uchiha Chiya turned to look.
The person approaching was dressed in Uchiha clan clothing.
Her features were refined and gentle, soft and lovely.
Her jet-black hair reached her waist, smooth and silky as fine cloth, loosely tied behind her head with a deep purple hair tie.
Two thin strands of fringe fell across her forehead, adding a touch of softness.
Her pupils were deep as ink. The outer corners of her eyes tilted faintly upward.
Her eyes curved into crescents, her expression entirely serene.
Uchiha Mikoto.
"Mikoto, what brings you here? No mission today?"
The one who had arrived was indeed Uchiha Mikoto.
"Mm, my sensei said to rest today, so I came here to buy some groceries!"
Hearing the word groceries, Uchiha Chiya's eyes lit up.
He stepped over to her.
"Is Mikoto cooking again today?"
Uchiha Mikoto looked at Chiya and said with full sincerity.
"Mm. Chiya-nii, remember to come at noon. I will make sushi for you."
"What a good girl!"
Uchiha Chiya looked at the young woman in front of him, raised his hand, and placed it on top of her head, stroking her smooth hair.
"Whoever marries you will be a very lucky person!"
Uchiha Mikoto's face went slightly red. She did not pull away from Chiya's gesture.
Uchiha Chiya looked at the lovely young woman before him and could not help feeling a wave of something heavy.
He thought of how in the story he knew, Uchiha Mikoto was gentle and devoted, understanding and considerate, graceful in everything she did. A perfect wife and mother in every sense.
And yet a person like that had ended up meeting her end at the hands of her own son.
Chiya could not help but feel the waste of it.
'Mikoto, surely you would not want to be killed by your own son in the future. Since I have come here, let me be the one to change your fate.'
[Task triggered: Intercept Uchiha Mikoto.]
[Task reward: One random Mangekyou Sharingan eye technique.]
Hmm?
A Mangekyou eye technique?!