Although they were not ninja, they sensed the murderous atmosphere and could not help trembling. Yet they did not retreat, instead walking step by step toward the depths of the prison.
"Ah!"
A woman suddenly screamed, startling everyone.
"S-so many corpses... so much blood..."
The other villagers noticed as well, and their faces turned deathly pale.
Uchiha Shisui said calmly, "These people were all killed by Uchiha Qianyu."
Fugaku suddenly understood Shisui's intentions.
He wanted these villagers to hate and fear Qianyu.
However...
The woman suddenly stopped screaming.
Though her face remained pale and bloodless, and her body still trembled faintly,
she spoke with unwavering resolve.
"Is that so?"
"Then they must all have deserved to die!"
Qianyu could not help but stir inwardly.
Uchiha Shisui's expression changed drastically!
"Y-you, what did you say?"
The woman said coldly, "Anyone Lord Qianyu killed must have deserved death!"
"Even if blood flowed like a river here, it would still be Lord Qianyu's merit!"
Uchiha Shisui stood dumbfounded.
"You... trust Uchiha Qianyu that much?"
The woman sneered repeatedly.
"If we do not trust Lord Qianyu, should we trust you?"
"When Daizi was killed by that beast Sarutobi Jiro, where were you Anbu? Where were you so-called lords?"
"If not for Lord Qianyu, who could have sought justice for her?!"
"You?!"
Uchiha Shisui's heart trembled.
Her gaze was even more terrifying than Uchiha Qianyu's Mangekyō Sharingan...
The family members beside her also shouted.
"Well said!"
"Lord Qianyu! We know you are in there, and we know you must have been wronged..."
"It is just a pity that we are ordinary villagers. We have no way to save you and can only silently pray and wish you well..."
"These are just small tokens of our appreciation. They may not be worth much, but..."
"Please accept them!"
Uchiha Shisui looked at the things they had brought out.
They were scattered and miscellaneous.
They were nothing more than everyday necessities such as eggs, vegetables, and fruit.
Yet it felt as though he had been struck heavily...
What did that represent?
Uchiha Shisui could not bring himself to think about it.
Nor did he dare to.
He no longer had a way out.
Qianyu's voice came from the depths of the prison.
"I'll accept them."
"You should leave."
Hearing Qianyu's voice, the people grew even more emotional.
"Lord Qianyu, you... you must take care..."
"Do not let those evil people get their way..."
Qianyu revealed a rare smile.
"Don't worry."
Only then did they seem to breathe a sigh of relief, solemnly placing all the gifts on the ground.
"Th-then we'll be going, Lord Qianyu..."
"Mm."
Daizi's family looked back once at the darkness in the depths of the prison, sighed, then turned and left.
This brief interlude completely swept away the tense, sword-drawn atmosphere from before.
Uchiha Shisui clenched his fists tightly.
Yet for a moment, he did not know whether he should fight.
Qianyu gave a mocking sneer.
"What, your convictions are wavering again already?"
"Uchiha Shisui, you really are indecisive..."
"If you could firmly stand on the other side, I might even respect you a little more."
"Unfortunately, the you now are utterly disappointing."
Uchiha Shisui had no desire to argue with him.
"Qianyu, since you killed so many people, why did you not kill those in the other cells as well?"
"And why did you not escape?"
Qianyu scoffed. "Is that what you think I would do?"
"I already told you. I kill because they commit evil, because they want to kill me."
"I do not know the extent of the sins of the criminals in those other cells. Why would I kill them?"
"As for escaping..."
"You truly underestimate me."
"If I, Uchiha Qianyu, wanted to leave, I could leave whenever I wished. Do you think this Anbu prison could hold me?"
"I stayed because I chose to stay."
"I am innocent. Why should I flee?"
Uchiha Shisui frowned deeply, unable to understand this man's thoughts.
But Fugaku understood.
He was that kind of man.
Though outsiders considered him extreme, paranoid, twisted, and terrifying...
in his heart, he had his own principles of justice and reason to restrain himself.
He would never change because of anyone.
That was precisely what made him worthy of respect and admiration.
He was cruel to evildoers, but equally strict with himself. He would never place himself above the justice in his heart.
Although Fugaku did not understand where these ideas of his came from.
Only Qianyu himself knew clearly.
Though his methods in this life were extreme and he eradicated evil without mercy, some principles still remained deep within his soul. He could neither break free of them nor cast them aside.
This was what Fugaku meant when he said that Qianyu could be extreme at times, yet also possess an optimistic, innocent side.
Uchiha Shisui suddenly felt somewhat inclined to retreat.
Although he believed that, in a true fight to the death, he would not necessarily lose to the man before him.
Yet he suddenly lost the will and courage to fight.
"Uchiha Qianyu, will you truly wait in prison for judgment?!"
There was no answer.
Qianyu had already said it once and had no desire to repeat himself.
Uchiha Shisui deactivated his Mangekyō Sharingan.
The other Anbu were all greatly shocked.
"Captain, if we return like this, I'm afraid it will be difficult to explain to Lord Hokage..."
"Th-this is your first mission since becoming an Anbu captain..."
Uchiha Shisui understood what they meant.
But he still gave up on fighting.
"I know. I will bear all responsibility myself."
He stared deeply at Qianyu. "You should understand that there will ultimately be a battle between us."
Qianyu said calmly, "That depends on your sins."
Before you continue