Uchiha Zheng's Wicked Hair!

Suddenly, a blade of light descended from the heavens.

It pierced through the crowd, through indifference, through every injustice.

In an instant, it arrived, streaking across the sky, leaving a scar in the void as it carved a razor-sharp arc of brilliance!

Blood sprayed in all directions!

A head tumbled to the ground in that same instant!

The blade bore no trace of blood.

That figure had already appeared silently beside Sarutobi Hiogo.

And what descended with him was Sarutobi Jiro's head, rolling and tumbling.

It was crushed heavily under Uchiha Qianyu's foot!

From Sarutobi Jiro's headless body, a geyser of blood erupted from the neck cavity, surging upward like a flame, then scattering like ash across the barren earth.

"Aaaaaaah!"

Someone's scream was the first to shatter the silence.

Then, cries of shock erupted one after another across the scene. Everyone looked as though they had seen a ghost, their faces drained of color in sheer terror.

Sarutobi Hiogo turned around stiffly, staring at the man who had appeared out of nowhere. Then, his gaze followed downward to the head crushed beneath his foot.

And...

behind him, the body that had lost its head, slowly toppling forward to the ground...

His pupils dilated instantly. An explosion of fear, rage, grief, and despair surged forth like a tidal wave, drowning him completely.

"You..."

"What have you done?!"

Sarutobi Hiogo had never imagined he could let out such a wretched, piercing roar.

But Uchiha Qianyu didn't even glance at him.

"Carrying out official duties."

He stomped heavily on the head beneath his foot, then strode forward, helped the white-haired old woman to her feet, and gave her a nod.

The old woman was terrified, but as she looked at the rolling head, an endless sense of vindication welled up in her heart.

"You..."

"Who are you?!"

"Squad Captain of the Konoha Police Force..."

"Uchiha Qianyu."

At the sound of that name, the crowd stirred in an uproar, and another wave of gasps burst forth from everyone present.

A man's reputation casts a shadow like a tree's.

That utterly rigid and ruthless ninja of the Police Force, that decisive and merciless member of the Uchiha clan—there was no one in all of Konoha who didn't know him.

Yet never before had his cruelty, his extremism, his utter recklessness...

felt so satisfying.

In that moment, the same thought arose in the hearts of every ninja and villager...

Had he been the one in the right all along?

There was no answer.

"B-bastard!"

Sarutobi Hiogo finally snapped back to reality. Overwhelmed with grief and burning with rage, he instantly drew his katana and thrust it viciously toward Qianyu's back!

"Lord Qianyu, watch out!"

Someone couldn't help but shout.

Qianyu didn't turn his head. He simply reversed his own katana and parried.

A burst of sparks clashed and intertwined as the edges of the two katanas cut across each other, ringing out with a brilliant clash!

"I'll kill you!"

Sarutobi Hiogo roared, seeming to have completely lost his reason.

But Qianyu remained steady as ever, cold as ever.

"Obstructing Police Force duties, assaulting a Police Force ninja..."

"By regulation, summary execution is permitted."

His chakra and strength exploded in an instant. His blade pressed down fiercely, shoving Sarutobi Hiogo's katana aside, and then he slashed down with even greater ruthlessness, aiming straight for Sarutobi Hiogo's throat!

As the clan head of the Sarutobi clan, Sarutobi Hiogo was no ordinary man.

In that instant, he leaped back, crossing his katana horizontally before his chest to block Qianyu's lethal strike. But even so, he was sent flying backward.

But even so, as he retreated, his hands were already forming seals at lightning speed. The moment his feet touched the ground, a powerful ninjutsu burst forth.

It was...

"Fire Style! Great Fireball Technique!"

In an instant, violent, raging flames spewed from his mouth, blotting out the sky and boiling the sea, as if determined to reduce that man to ashes, leaving not even a trace of bone!

Qianyu reacted even faster, his own hands forming seals as the same Fire Style ninjutsu shot forth.

"Fire Style! Dragon Fire Technique!"

Two torrents of flame roared out, like twin fire dragons baring fangs and brandishing claws, howling and snarling. Their scorching heat burned the sky and baked the earth, and for a moment, they were evenly matched!

"Stop!"

Just then, an aged yet authoritative and domineering voice came from afar.

The crowd instantly parted to form a path, lowering their heads in reverence as they welcomed the slow, heavy footsteps of the approaching figure.

It was none other than the Third Hokage of Konoha...

Hiruzen Sarutobi.

Qianyu glanced at him, but instead tightened his grip on the katana in his hand.

At the same time.

He finally heard the notification sound in his mind.

[You have earnestly taught Sarutobi Jiro to turn from evil to good. Virtuous. Merit Points +30!]

Chapter 10: Hiruzen Sarutobi's Decision

Hiruzen Sarutobi was absolutely furious.

The man before him, Uchiha Qianyu...

First, disregarding his authority as Hokage, he had arrogantly wielded the power of life and death, killing a civilian of Konoha, then a ninja of the Sarutobi clan—utterly showing no respect for him!

Especially after he himself had personally gone to the Police Force to pressure him, and even sent Uchiha Shisui, his loyal confidant, to warn him!

He never expected that not only had Qianyu shown no sign of restraint, but instead...

He had escalated!

And the person he killed was his own nephew!

With the arrival of the Hokage, the entire crowd fell silent, waiting for him to handle the matter with justice.

Hiruzen Sarutobi's reputation, at least on the surface, was quite good.

The vast majority of Konoha's ninja and villagers saw him as kind and benevolent, an approachable leader.

Naturally, they also believed that the Hokage would handle this matter fairly and impartially.

Even if the dead man was a member of the Sarutobi clan, the Hokage's own nephew.

Unconsciously, the onlooking ninja and villagers had already come to agree with Qianyu's actions.

Because...

Most of them had finally realized...

They themselves were the innocent girl who had been wrongfully killed, not Sarutobi Jiro.

Sarutobi Hiogo, upon seeing Hiruzen Sarutobi's arrival, though still filled with grief and fury, finally breathed a sigh of relief.

"Lord Hokage!"

"Uchiha Qianyu killed a man in broad daylight—everyone saw it with their own eyes..."

"Please... please..."

"Uphold justice for our Sarutobi clan!"

"My eldest son died on the battlefield protecting the village, and now my only second son has died for no reason... How... how am I supposed to go on living..."

Sarutobi Hiogo couldn't help but weep with old tears.

Even the surrounding ninja and civilians couldn't help but feel a pang of sympathy.

Though he was a villain, he was still a father.

But Qianyu's expression showed not a single ripple.

At that moment, Qianyu's two subordinates, Uchiha Aoki and Uchiha Yamikaze, finally arrived belatedly.

Seeing the severed head, hearing Sarutobi Hiogo's lament, catching the look in Hiruzen Sarutobi's eyes...

The two of them felt their hearts tremble violently!