A flash of blade light suddenly descended from the heavens.
It cut through the sea of people, through indifference, through every injustice.
It arrived in an instant, swept across the sky, left a mark in the void, and carved a dazzling arc of razor-sharp brilliance!
Blood sprayed everywhere!
A head rolled to the ground in an instant!
There was no blood on the blade.
That figure had already appeared silently beside Sarutobi Hiogo.
What fell alongside him was Sarutobi Jiro's head, rolling across the ground.
Uchiha Qianyu stomped heavily on it!
Sarutobi Jiro's headless body spurted a fountain of blood from its neck, rising like flames before scattering like ash over the barren earth.
"AAAAAHHHH!"
No one knew whose scream had been the first to shatter the silence.
Then cries of shock erupted throughout the crowd. Everyone looked as if they had seen a ghost, their faces drained of color in horror.
Sarutobi Hiogo slowly turned around in a daze, staring at the man who had appeared out of nowhere. Then his gaze traveled downward to the head beneath his foot.
And...
The headless corpse behind him, slowly collapsing to the ground...
His pupils instantly widened. Explosive fear, rage, grief, and despair surged over him one after another like a tide, utterly drowning him.
"You..."
"What did you do?!"
Sarutobi Hiogo had never imagined he could let out such a shrill, miserable roar.
Uchiha Qianyu did not even spare him a glance.
"Carrying out official duties."
He ground his foot down on the head beneath it, then strode forward and helped the old woman with graying hair to her feet, giving her a nod.
The old woman was horrified, but as she looked at the fallen head, endless satisfaction rose in her heart.
"You..."
"Who are you?!"
"Squad Captain of Konoha's Police Force..."
"Uchiha Qianyu."
At the mention of that name, the crowd erupted again in shock.
A man's name was like a tree's shadow.
That ninja from the Police Force, righteous to the point of madness; that decisive, ruthless member of the Uchiha clan—there was no one in all of Konoha who did not know of him.
Yet never before had his ruthlessness, his extremity, his utter lawlessness...
Felt so deeply satisfying.
At that moment, every ninja and villager shared the same thought...
Had he been the one in the right all along?
There was no answer.
"Y-you beast!"
Sarutobi Hiogo finally came to his senses. Overwhelmed by grief and rage, he instantly drew his katana and viciously stabbed toward Qianyu's back!
"Lord Qianyu, watch out!"
Someone could not help shouting.
Without even turning his head, Qianyu raised his katana behind him and blocked the strike.
A shower of sparks burst forth as the blades clashed and crossed, ringing out with a brilliant, piercing clang!
"I-I'll kill you!"
Sarutobi Hiogo roared, as though he had completely lost his mind.
Qianyu remained as calm as ever, as cold as ever.
"Obstructing Police Force duties and attacking a police ninja..."
"By regulation, you may be executed on the spot."
His Chakra and strength exploded forth in an instant. His blade pressed down fiercely, knocking Sarutobi Hiogo's katana aside before he brought it down in an even more vicious slash aimed directly at Sarutobi Hiogo's throat!
As the head of the Sarutobi clan, Sarutobi Hiogo was naturally no ordinary man.
In that instant, he leaped backward sharply and raised his katana across his chest, blocking Qianyu's vicious strike, though he was still sent flying back by the force.
Even so, while retreating, his hands had already rapidly formed seals. The instant his feet touched the ground, a powerful ninjutsu came pouring forth.
It was...
"Fire Style Ninjutsu! Great Fireball Technique!"
In an instant, violent flames poured from his mouth, blanketing the sky and scorching heaven and sea alike, determined to reduce that man to ashes without even leaving a corpse behind!
Qianyu reacted even faster. He formed seals as well, unleashing the same Fire Style Ninjutsu.
"Fire Style Ninjutsu! Dragon Fire Technique!"
Two torrents of flame roared forth like two fire dragons, baring their fangs and claws as they howled and raged. Their blazing might scorched the sky and baked the earth, leaving the two attacks evenly matched!
"Stop!"
At that moment, an aged yet imposing and domineering voice rang out from afar.
The crowd instantly parted on its own, lowering their heads respectfully as they welcomed the man's slow, heavy footsteps.
It was Konoha's Third Hokage...
Hiruzen Sarutobi.
Qianyu glanced at him, but only tightened his grip around his katana.
At the same time.
Only then did he hear the notification in his mind.
[You patiently taught Sarutobi Jiro to abandon evil and return to good. Good deed: Merit Points +30!]
Hiruzen Sarutobi's Decision
Hiruzen Sarutobi was practically driven mad with rage.
The man before him, Uchiha Qianyu...
First, he had disregarded the dignity of the Hokage and arrogantly exercised the power of life and death, killing Konoha civilians before killing a ninja of the Sarutobi clan. He simply had no regard for him whatsoever!
Especially after he had personally gone to pressure the Police Force, even dispatching Uchiha Shisui, his loyal confidant, to warn him!
Yet Qianyu had not shown the slightest intention of restraining himself. Instead, he had...
Only become worse!
And the person he had killed was his own nephew!
Seeing Lord Hokage arrive, the entire crowd immediately fell silent, waiting for him to handle the matter impartially.
At least on the surface, Hiruzen Sarutobi's reputation remained quite good.
Most Konoha ninja and villagers believed him to be kind and benevolent, an approachable leader.
Naturally, they all believed Lord Hokage would treat this matter fairly and justly.
Even if the dead man was a member of the Sarutobi clan, Lord Hokage's nephew.
Without realizing it, the observing ninja and villagers had already come to agree with Qianyu's actions.
Because...
Most of them had finally understood...
They were the innocent girl who had been killed, not Sarutobi Jiro.
When Sarutobi Hiogo saw Hiruzen Sarutobi arrive, though he was still filled with grief and indignation, he finally let out a breath of relief.
"Lord Hokage!"
"Uchiha Qianyu murdered someone in the street. Everyone saw it with their own eyes..."
"Please... please..."
"Please uphold justice for our Sarutobi clan!"
"My eldest son died on the battlefield protecting the village, and now even my only remaining second son has died for no reason at all. I... how am I supposed to go on living..."
Tears streamed down Sarutobi Hiogo's face as well.
Even the surrounding ninja and civilians could not help feeling some sympathy for him.
Though he was an evil man, he was still a father.
But Qianyu's expression did not change in the slightest.
At that moment, Qianyu's two subordinates, Uchiha Aoki and Uchiha Yamikaze, finally arrived late.
Seeing that head, seeing Sarutobi Hiogo's tearful plea, seeing Hiruzen Sarutobi's gaze...
Both men's hearts trembled violently!
Before you continue