[Congratulations! The host's accumulated Merit Points have exceeded one hundred!]
[Congratulations! The host has gained a new ability... Lightning Style Ninjutsu!]
[Currently unlocked... Lightning Style: False Darkness (Beginner 50/100)!]
Qianyu's heart stirred.
"Hmm? So accumulating Merit Points to a certain amount directly unlocks new abilities?"
"Lightning Style Ninjutsu... it is indeed one of my Chakra natures, though I have never trained in it before."
"Lightning Style: False Darkness, I remember that it was..."
In the original story, it was the Lightning Style Ninjutsu of Kakuzu, an S-Rank Rogue Ninja from the Akatsuki Organization.
Its power... was terrifying!
It had even forced Kakashi Hatake to use the S-Rank technique Lightning Blade Double Thunder Shock with both hands just to counter it!
With such powerful Lightning Style Ninjutsu, Qianyu would be even more capable when carrying out his duties in the future.
A rare smile appeared at the corner of his lips.
Just then, two figures came rushing down the patrol route ahead.
At their head was none other than the Uchiha clan's patriarch...
Fugaku Uchiha.
The moment he saw Qianyu, his expression changed.
"Qianyu, how did it go?"
"Hiruzen Sarutobi..."
Qianyu stopped and calmly shook his head.
"It's fine."
Uchiha Yamikaze, who had hurried after him, quickly explained what had happened.
After listening, Fugaku Uchiha was relieved for Qianyu, yet he could not help but sigh with emotion.
"Hiruzen Sarutobi... that old fox really is formidable..."
Uchiha Aoki nodded repeatedly as well.
"He saw where people's hearts were leaning. His act was flawless, making all the watching ninja and villagers feel only gratitude toward him, completely forgetting that it was Captain Qianyu who executed the culprit who killed those innocent villagers..."
Uchiha Yamikaze snorted. "What a crafty old bastard!"
Fugaku Uchiha sighed. "Otherwise, how could Hiruzen Sarutobi have sat securely in the Hokage's seat for decades?"
"When it comes to manipulating people's hearts, no one is his match..."
Uchiha Yamikaze cautiously probed, "Clan Head, last time Captain Qianyu acted against civilians, you were furious. But this time, he directly killed the head of the Sarutobi clan, Lord Hokage's nephew. Why are you so calm instead, without any intention of blaming the captain?"
Fugaku gave a bitter smile.
"Would blaming him do any good?"
"Besides, I have carefully considered what Qianyu said last time. He may not have been entirely wrong..."
"Since nothing we do can change the attitude of Konoha's higher-ups and the ninja villagers toward the Uchiha clan, we might as well let go and do what needs to be done..."
"Qianyu, you did well."
"It's just a shame that Hiruzen Sarutobi stole so much of the credit..."
Qianyu said indifferently, "I don't care about that."
Fugaku glared at him. "The hell you don't! Listen, you may do things without seeking rewards, but that does not mean we should hand our credit over to our enemies!"
Uchiha Aoki and Uchiha Yamikaze nodded again and again.
"The Clan Head is right!"
Qianyu said, "No one can cover the sky with one hand forever..."
"Good or evil, black or white—one day, it will all become clear."
Fugaku stared at him in silence.
Only after a long while did he shake his head and sigh. "You're so extreme in the way you do things, yet sometimes you seem so naive..."
Qianyu said, "I have always been an optimist."
"I firmly believe that as long as I keep killing, one day I'll kill off all evil."
Fugaku took a deep breath.
"Perhaps..."
Inside the Hokage's Office.
Hiruzen Sarutobi was flying into a rage.
He slammed his fist down hard, making the entire desk shake as countless documents scattered in all directions.
Sarutobi Hiogo shuddered in fright.
"Good, very good..."
"You father and son really are something..."
"I made you clan head, and this is how you repay me?!"
Sarutobi Hiogo hurriedly dropped to his knees.
"Lord Hokage, I... I couldn't just watch Jiro go to his death..."
Hiruzen Sarutobi's fury surged skyward.
"Idiot! Would I just stand by and watch Jiro die?!"
"Did I ever say you were not allowed to save him?"
"But how did you do it? With so many ninja and villagers watching, in broad daylight and before everyone's eyes, you openly bent the law for personal gain and shielded your own son. What exactly were you trying to do?!"
"You can throw away your old face if you want, but did you ever consider where the Sarutobi clan's dignity would be?"
"And where would that leave the dignity of me, the Lord Hokage?!"
Only then did Sarutobi Hiogo understand. Hiruzen Sarutobi was not angry that he had shielded his son, but that he had shielded him "in public," nearly ruining his reputation and prestige.
Anger rose in his heart as well.
Was your reputation, Hiruzen Sarutobi, more important than my son's life?!
Yet he did not dare to show it at all.
Hiruzen Sarutobi saw through him completely.
"You're unconvinced, aren't you?"
"You think I consider my own reputation more important than your son's life, don't you?"
Sarutobi Hiogo remained silent.
"Idiot!"
"Of course things must be done, but how they are done is the crucial part!"
"I entrusted you with such an important duty, yet you do not even understand this principle!"
"It seems stripping you of your position as clan head really was the right choice!"
Sarutobi Hiogo was utterly grief-stricken by then, already completely numb.
"Whatever... I no longer have the qualifications to be clan head anyway..."
"I couldn't even protect my own son. What kind of clan head could I possibly be?"
"Heh heh heh..."
Lost and empty, like a walking corpse, he silently withdrew.
"You..."
Hiruzen Sarutobi's rage felt as though it had been vented into thin air, with nowhere to land, making him even angrier.
The Anbu beside him said, "Lord Hokage, he has just lost his son. I am afraid he cannot take in your reprimand."
"Furthermore, he has lost the position of clan head as well. All that remains in his heart may be hatred toward Uchiha Qianyu..."
"If this continues, he might do something foolish..."
Hiruzen Sarutobi nodded.
"Send people to keep an eye on him."
"Yes, Lord Hokage!"
Several Anbu immediately pushed open the door and left. At the same time, another figure appeared at the doorway.
"Hmm? Shisui..."
Hiruzen Sarutobi suppressed the anger in his heart and forcibly adopted a calm expression.
Uchiha Shisui was his strongest and most important card against the Uchiha clan.
Nothing could go wrong with him.
"What is it? You look somewhat despondent..."
Uchiha Shisui dropped to his knees.
"Sorry, Lord Hokage. You ordered me to enlighten Uchiha Qianyu, but that man..."
"He wouldn't listen to reason, would he?"
Hiruzen Sarutobi forced a smile.
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