Uchiha City Wardens

Hyuga Qingchuan passed through the crowded school gate and arrived on the main street.

A sharp rebuke suddenly came from ahead.

"Who told you that you could set up a stall here?"

He looked toward the voice.

Two ninjas with the Uchiha Clan crest embroidered on their clothes stood before a small stall.

The leader among them wore an arrogant expression.

He was loudly berating the vendor from above.

"Setting up a stall without following regulations is punishable by a fine of 1,000 ryo under the Public Security Management Regulations."

"Please show mercy, Lord Ninja. I truly didn't know I couldn't set up here. I can't even earn 1,000 ryo in a whole day."

Seeing such a hefty fine, the vendor clasped his hands and repeatedly pleaded.

Yet the arrogant Uchiha did not care in the slightest.

"So you're refusing to pay the fine?"

"Under the Public Security Management Regulations, refusal to pay results in confiscation of the items at the stall."

As he spoke, he turned to his companion.

"Yuji, pack up all his things and take them away."

"Ah?" The vendor hurriedly threw himself over his stall, shielding his goods.

He stared at them in disbelief. "Lord Ninja, I rely on these things to make a living. If you take them away, how am I supposed to eat?"

Uchiha Yuji looked somewhat troubled as well.

"Brother Shimizu, are we really taking everything?"

"Of course!"

Uchiha Shimizu showed no mercy.

"Have you forgotten how badly we were criticized last month because we went easy on them?"

"Confiscate it. From now on, we'll enforce the regulations strictly. No one will be able to find fault with us."

He then snorted coldly and glared fiercely at the vendor guarding his belongings.

"Obstructing enforcement means you'll be taken back to the Security Command Headquarters."

"My lord, I won't dare do it again. I'll accept the punishment!"

Seeing that Uchiha Shimizu was serious and that the penalties were growing harsher, the vendor's face filled with terror.

"Too late!"

Uchiha Shimizu grabbed the vendor with one hand, then turned back.

"Yuji, pack up his things and bring them back."

With that, he started dragging the vendor toward the Security Command Headquarters.

"My lord, I truly won't dare do it again."

The vendor hurriedly grabbed Uchiha Shimizu.

"I'll accept the fine. You can take my things too. Please, don't take me back to the Security Command Headquarters."

"We can discuss it at the Security Command Headquarters."

Seeing that Uchiha Shimizu would not yield, the vendor began invoking connections and bringing up his relatives.

"My lord, my relative's son-in-law is a ninja too. He works in the Hokage's office building."

"His name is Sarutobi Takayuki. I don't know if you know him."

"Takayuki, Takapoor, whatever. It won't help even if anyone comes."

"If you break the rules, we enforce the rules."

Uchiha Shimizu refused to acknowledge any such connection. Seeing that the vendor was still tugging at him,

he grabbed the vendor by the back of the collar and carried him away like a chick.

Noticing the large crowd gathered around to watch, he immediately shouted.

"What are you looking at? Keep looking and I'll take you away for obstructing enforcement too."

The crowd quickly scattered in fear.

Hyuga Qingchuan, standing not far away, was deeply shaken as well.

The city wardens were under the Security Command Headquarters now?

Which genius had come up with that idea?

If these vendors were dealt with strictly according to the law,

they would have no way to survive at all.

But if enforcement was too lenient, they would push their luck.

They would occupy roads illegally and set up stalls wherever they pleased.

The balance between enforcement and compassion could only be understood, not explained.

It could not be clearly laid out on paper. It could only be grasped through experience accumulated on the job.

Letting blockheads like the Uchiha manage affairs that required such delicate judgment—

wasn't that just asking for trouble?

He shook his head. This was probably Danzo's doing again.

With arrangements like this, it would not be long before

the Uchiha Clan made enemies everywhere.

Time passed quickly.

More than a week went by in the blink of an eye.

During that time, Hyuga Qingchuan followed Hyuga Kaze on another C-rank mission near the village.

But this time, he only received a pitiful twenty Energy Crystals.

"That was even less than what he got from studying seriously last time?"

He had originally wanted to grind C-rank missions and obtain more Energy Crystals.

But now it seemed that gaining favor was not so simple.

Since that was the case, he would proceed at his own pace for now.

Saturday morning.

Hyuga Qingchuan arrived at the hospital to check in right on time.

Quite a few people were already waiting at the registration area on the third floor of Konoha Hospital.

He did not see Hyuga Ayane. She was probably not here yet.

However, he did spot someone wearing a black robe.

The Aburame Clan?

Were the bug keepers becoming medical ninjas too?

He swept his gaze over the crowd. Most were students like him, though there were also people from other age groups.

It seemed they were not recruiting trainees solely from the school. There were other channels as well.

"Quiet. Please line up properly."

A woman wearing medical staff attire stood at the front and spoke loudly.

The floor quickly fell silent.

She continued.

"I am the person in charge of this test. My name is Chiba Yuyin."

"A test? What test?"

The people below were thoroughly confused.

"No one said there would be a test before we came!"

"Yeah, didn't we already pass?"

Everyone began voicing their doubts.

"This program is intended to select people suitable for training as medical ninjas for the village."

"All of you have passed assessments through other channels, but that is not enough."

"There will be another test today."

After the brief commotion subsided and everyone quieted down again,

Chiba Yuyin continued.

"You all possess a certain foundation in medical knowledge, and you understand the importance of chakra control for medical ninjas."

"Therefore, today's test will assess your chakra control."

She turned halfway around and pointed toward a device behind her.

"This is the equipment for testing the chakra control of new trainees today."

Everyone followed her gaze.

Behind her was a whiteboard covered with transparent glass, with a fish drawn on it.

A long wire extended from the left side of the glass to a computer beside it.

A metal strip was connected beneath the glass, running all the way to a handle on the table in front.

"Today's test is to trace the fish on the whiteboard behind the glass."

"The glass is specially made. Chakra residue remains on it longer than on ordinary glass, but it will still dissipate."

"Therefore, you must finish drawing the picture before the first stroke of chakra disappears."

She pointed to each component of the equipment in turn.

"During the test, press and hold this handle on the table and channel chakra into it."

"Control your chakra on this glass panel and trace the shape of the fish."

"The greater the overlap between the chakra lines you draw and the fish pattern on the whiteboard, the higher your score."

"A score above forty points will allow you to pass this test."

When everyone heard that they only needed forty points to pass, they immediately relaxed.

Seeing the confidence on everyone's faces below, Chiba Yuyin's lips curled upward slightly.

"Next, when your name is called, come up one at a time."

"Each person has three attempts, and your highest score will be recorded."