An unusual sight appeared on the streets of Konoha that day.
Uchiha Chikage walked at the head of the group, carrying a bloodstained Fine Steel Baton.
He walked at an unhurried pace, even stopping to buy a bag of sunflower seeds from a roadside stall and cracking them open as he went.
Dozens of fully armed Uchiha police officers followed behind him.
Every officer held his head high, their standard-issue ninja tools polished to a shine, their steps perfectly in sync.
In the past, they had always worn stern expressions when walking down the street, afraid someone might find fault with them.
Today was different. Every face radiated righteous confidence.
The villagers along their route stepped aside to either edge of the street at the sight.
They huddled together, whispers spreading through the crowd.
"What's going on? Is the Konoha Military Police Force going to war with someone?"
"I heard Root arrested Squad Captain Yashiro on South Street."
"That newly appointed Deputy Captain Chikage is taking his men to the Hokage Building to demand his release."
"Good grief, he even broke the Hokage Advisor's nephew's legs. Now this should be quite a show."
The villagers spoke loudly, making no attempt to hide their discussion.
Listening to them, Chikage spat his sunflower seed shells into a roadside trash can.
This was exactly the effect he wanted.
The bigger the uproar and the more people watching, the harder it would be for the higher-ups to sweep things under the rug.
As long as everything was out in the open and handled according to Konoha's rules, no one could find fault with them.
He turned to glance at Uchiha Hikari behind him.
"Is Shimura Ken's written confession ready?"
Uchiha Hikari nodded firmly and patted her bulging pocket.
"Don't worry, Deputy Captain. He stamped it with three bright red handprints. It's completely legal and aboveboard."
Chikage smiled in satisfaction and continued leading the group forward.
News of their movements soon reached every corner of Konoha through the various factions' informants.
Inside the Hokage Building, Third Hokage Hiruzen Sarutobi read the report delivered by the Anbu, his pipe frozen in midair.
Inside the Root Base, Shimura Danzō listened to his subordinate's report, a dangerous gleam flashing in his lone eye.
Meanwhile, on a rooftop not far from the Hokage Building.
A Uchiha boy dressed in Anbu attire was moving swiftly.
Shisui Uchiha happened to be on patrol nearby that day.
He had just received word from an Anbu colleague that the Konoha Military Police Force's Second Squad had assembled on South Street.
And leading them was Uchiha Chikage, who normally did nothing but coast through his days.
Apparently, they had injured members of the Shimura Clan and were now advancing menacingly toward the Hokage Building.
Shisui's heart lurched at the news, and a sheen of cold sweat broke out on his forehead.
Relations between the Family and the village were already extremely tense.
Yesterday's Relocation Negotiations had finally shown some signs of easing that tension.
Now Chikage was leading people to make trouble at the Hokage Building. This would only harm the Family.
If a clash broke out in front of the Hokage Building, the Anbu and Root would definitely intervene.
Then the situation would spiral completely out of control, and bloodshed would be inevitable.
The higher-ups who had always wanted to suppress the Uchiha were just waiting for an excuse.
Shisui pushed off hard, chakra racing through his chakra pathways.
He had to stop Chikage and his men before they reached the Hokage Building.
Chikage's group rounded a street corner, arriving at the main road leading to the Hokage Building.
Once they crossed this street, that conspicuous red, circular building would come into view.
Chikage raised his wrist to check his watch. The timing was perfect.
They could get their man back and return to the office just in time for an afternoon nap.
Just then, someone suddenly appeared in the middle of the road ahead.
With the rustle of falling leaves, Shisui Uchiha used the Body Flicker Technique and landed squarely in the center of the street.
He spread his arms, blocking the Konoha Military Police Force's path.
Shisui was not wearing his Anbu mask that day, and his young face was full of anxiety.
"Chikage, please wait!"
Shisui shouted, his voice echoing down the empty street.
Chikage stopped, and the dozens of officers behind him halted as well.
Looking at Shisui blocking the road, he tucked his bag of sunflower seeds into his pocket.
"Well, if it isn't Shisui. Aren't you on Anbu duty today?"
Chikage spoke casually, not taking Shisui's attempt to stop him seriously at all.
Shisui took two steps forward, his brows knitting tightly as his gaze swept over the officers behind Chikage.
"Chikage, what are you doing?"
"Are you trying to start a rebellion by taking this many people to the Hokage Building?"
At those words, the officers behind Chikage erupted.
Uchiha Hikari pointed right at Shisui's nose and began berating him.
"Shisui, stop throwing accusations at us!"
"Who's rebelling? We're taking a written confession to the village leadership to argue our case!"
Shisui ignored Uchiha Hikari and stared straight at Chikage instead.
"Chikage, the situation between the Family and the village is extremely delicate right now."
"Any extreme action will be seen as a provocation by the higher-ups."
"Marching to the Hokage Building like this will only make the village more wary of us."
"Then those who want to move against the Uchiha will seize the opportunity to strike."
"Please put the village's greater good first and take everyone back to the Konoha Military Police Force headquarters immediately!"
Shisui pleaded earnestly, his face filled with concern for both the Family and the village.
After hearing him out, Chikage couldn't help laughing.
He shifted the Fine Steel Baton to his left hand and walked straight up to Shisui.
"Shisui, I've always heard you're the genius of our Uchiha Clan."
"Now that I've met you, I can see your mind really does work in unusual ways."
Shisui froze, failing to grasp what Chikage meant.
"Chikage, I'm doing this for the Family."
"The Will of Fire teaches us to see the village as a whole."
"Only by preserving the village's peace and stability can the Family prosper."
"We can't destroy the bonds built by generations of our predecessors over a moment of rashness."
Looking at Shisui's self-righteous expression, Chikage let the smile fade from his face.
"You keep talking about the greater good, so let me ask you this."
"This morning, members of the Shimura Clan smashed up shops owned by Uchiha merchants on South Street."
"Does that count as disrupting the village's peace and stability?"
Shisui opened his mouth to offer a defense, but Chikage cut him off.
"Squad Captain Yashiro took his men to settle the dispute. He was simply carrying out the Konoha Military Police Force's duties."
"Then Root suddenly rushed out and arrested officers who were lawfully doing their jobs."
"Does that count as undermining the greater good?"
Chikage pressed a step closer, raising his voice.
"Our fellow officers were taken away on our own turf by Root, an organization that operates in the shadows."
"Now we don't even know whether they're alive, and no one's given us an explanation."
"I'm taking my men to the Hokage Building to demand justice and protect our clansmen from being wronged."
"And you actually come here to stop me and tell me to put the greater good first?"
Chikage's relentless questions forced Shisui half a step back.
He swallowed and tried to explain.
"Chikage, I know everyone is angry about Squad Captain Yashiro's arrest."
"But we can report this through the proper channels and have Clan Head Fugaku negotiate with Lord Third."
"Taking weapons to surround the Hokage Building changes the nature of this entirely."
"You're playing right into the hands of the higher-ups who want to suppress the Uchiha!"
Chikage sneered and planted his baton heavily against the ground.
"The proper channels?"
"We're wearing the Konoha Military Police Force's uniforms and carrying the legally valid Public Security Administration Regulations."
"We're walking openly down the streets of Konoha."
"Instead of smashing down Root's doors, we're going to the Hokage Building to reason with the village leadership."
"How is that not going through the proper channels?"
Chikage extended a finger and jabbed the Anbu insignia on Shisui's chest.
"Shisui, do me a favor and get your loyalties straight."
"You're a member of the Uchiha Clan, not a dog raised by those old men in the Hokage Building."
"In your eyes, trying to get our own comrades back counts as making trouble."
"But Root arresting people at will in the streets is for the good of the village?"
"And you think you're qualified to lecture me about the Will of Fire?"
Shisui's face flushed crimson. The teachings he had grown up with left him unable to refute Chikage's logic.
But he still held to his own opinion.
"But Chikage, what are you going to do if the higher-ups refuse to release them?"
"Are you really going to fight in front of the Hokage Building?"
"That would be the grave crime of treason!"
Chikage looked at Shisui and shook his head helplessly.
"I see it's not just your loyalties that are skewed. Your grasp of the law is abysmal too."
"Who told you we were going to fight?"
"We're civilized people. We're law enforcement officers. Everything we do has to be based on evidence and the law."
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