Chikage stopped, stuffed the remaining half-handful of sunflower seeds into his pocket, and brushed the crumbs off his hands.
He leisurely reached into the inside pocket of his uniform jacket and rummaged around for a while.
Shisui stood in the middle of the street with his arms spread, anxiously awaiting Chikage's response.
To him, his earnest appeal was sure to make his senior recognize the bigger picture facing the village.
Chikage pulled out a little red booklet, its edges frayed from frequent use.
It was the regulations handbook the Konoha Military Police Force issued to its law enforcement officers.
After several years of clerical work, Chikage knew its provisions by heart. Once he became deputy captain, he had taken to carrying it with him, never expecting it to actually come in handy today.
Large black letters with gold embossing adorned the cover: "Konoha Village Public Security Management Regulations."
Chikage opened the booklet, ran his finger over the yellowed pages, and cleared his throat.
"Come on, genius Shisui. Since you want to talk about the bigger picture, let me teach you a little law first."
"Public Security Management Regulations, Article Twelve, Clause Three."
"Any other department arresting an active law enforcement officer of the Konoha Military Police Force must possess a red warrant personally signed by the Hokage."
"An officer holding the rank of captain or higher in the Konoha Military Police Force must also be present to supervise."
Chikage turned a page and raised his voice.
"Article Fifteen, Clause Two."
"No member of the Anbu or Root may interfere with the Konoha Military Police Force's routine street-level law enforcement, for any reason or in any form."
Chikage closed the booklet and slapped it against Shisui's chest.
"Did you hear that clearly?"
"Today, on South Street, Root seized our captain while he was handling a dispute, right in front of all those villagers and shopkeepers."
"That is a blatant violation. That is knowingly breaking the law. That is trampling on the foundation of Konoha's rule of law."
"As an Anbu member, you didn't investigate whether Root had a warrant from Lord Hokage. You didn't uphold the rules established by the village."
"Instead, you came running to stop us, the victims, from demanding our captain back."
"You suppress your own people without even asking who's right or wrong. Is that the conviction you're so proud of?"
The slap of the booklet made Shisui retreat half a step.
His face flushed crimson, and sweat slid from his forehead down his cheeks.
He had never expected Chikage to use rules written in black and white to put him in his place.
"But Chikage, the village really can't withstand any more turmoil right now."
"The leadership is already deeply wary of us. Everyone is working hard to ease relations."
"Where leaves dance, fire burns without end."
"For the village's harmony and stability, someone has to give way!"
Shisui's voice carried a pleading note, and his hands unconsciously clenched into fists.
"If no one is willing to back down, the village will tear itself apart."
"The only ones who'll benefit are our enemies in other villages!"
"Clan Head Fugaku only just stabilized things at the negotiating table yesterday."
"If you go and cause trouble now, you'll only make things worse."
Chikage laughed outright in anger.
He slammed his fine steel police baton down onto the bluestone paving.
A dull thud rang out, and a crack split the slab beneath his feet.
"Someone has to give way?"
"Then why does it have to be us Uchiha?"
Chikage turned to face the villagers watching from both sides of the street.
Then he pointed at the members of the Konoha Military Police Force behind him.
"Why don't we all think back?"
"Long ago, our Uchiha ancestors shed blood and sweat on this land alongside the Senju Clan to found Konoha."
"What was the purpose of founding the village back then?"
"To keep every child off the battlefield. To give everyone a safe haven."
"To make a home that protected everyone from the suffering of war."
"And yet, in just a few decades, we Uchiha have been reduced to this."
Chikage's voice echoed down the street.
Every word struck at the hearts of those listening.
"During that disaster, the Night of the Nine-Tails."
"We Uchiha fought for our lives on the front lines, too. We bled to protect the village, too."
"Some of us lost family. Some of us lost friends."
"The blood we all shed was the same red."
"And what happened?"
"With a single baseless accusation, the leadership drove us out to wasteland on the edge of the village."
"Now, even when we're simply enforcing the law on the streets and protecting shopkeepers from extortion."
"Root can seize us without any reason at all."
The murmurs in the crowd gradually faded.
Some villagers who had been wary of the Uchiha moments earlier now looked at the Konoha Military Police Force with growing uncertainty.
Chikage abruptly turned back and stared straight into Shisui's eyes.
"What else are we supposed to lose now?"
"What else do we even have left to lose?"
"Are they going to strip us of our right to defend ourselves, too?"
"Are they going to take away even our right to live?"
Both sides of the street fell silent.
Many people lowered their heads, recalling the Uchiha's circumstances in the village over the past few years.
They did not necessarily agree with the Uchiha, but Root arresting people in the street was undeniably unsettling.
Behind Chikage, every Uchiha officer's eyes reddened.
Uchiha Hikari tightened her grip on her weapon, her chest heaving, even her voice turning hoarse.
Chikage spoke again, his voice exploding down the street.
"Do you think backing down will buy peace?"
"You can't even protect your own clansmen. How can you talk about protecting the village?"
"Today, Root dares to arrest an Uchiha police captain for no reason."
"Tomorrow, will they use the same excuse to arrest someone from the Hyuga Clan?"
"The day after that, will they arrest people from the Ino-Shika-Cho Clans?"
Chikage swept his gaze over the crowd.
Several ninja wearing Hyuga Clan attire stood among them, along with a few heavyset men from the Akimichi Clan.
Those ninja's expressions darkened at his words.
They did not voice their agreement, but all of them took a few steps back.
"If even great clans like ours are treated this way."
"Then what about ordinary civilians like you?"
Chikage pointed at several vegetable vendors nearby.
"If the leadership can trample on laws written in black and white whenever they please."
"What safety does this village have left to offer?"
"Who will dare to live an ordinary life in Konoha after this?"
"Who can guarantee that tomorrow, while walking down the street, Root won't arrest them on some trumped-up charge?"
Those words struck at the fears of many in the crowd.
The shopkeepers had just witnessed Shimura Ken smashing up shops, and they knew better than anyone why the Konoha Military Police Force had intervened today.
Several voices soon rose from the crowd.
"Deputy Captain Chikage is right!"
"The rules have to stand!"
"Lord Hokage has to give us an explanation!"
"Root can't just arrest people whenever they want!"
With someone taking the lead, more voices gradually joined in.
But even more people simply stood and watched. No one dared casually drag themselves into the conflict between the Uchiha and the leadership.
Shisui stood rooted to the spot.
He opened his mouth, wanting to argue.
But he could not find the right words.
He had been raised on the Will of Fire, taught that the village came before everything else.
Yet the facts before him were equally undeniable.
Whether Root had a warrant, whether Yashiro had been unlawfully arrested, and whether the shops on South Street had been damaged-none of that could be brushed aside with a simple "for the bigger picture."
Chikage's few words had not completely convinced him, but for the first time, he seriously questioned his own judgment.
If protecting the village meant letting innocent clansmen suffer persecution.
If preserving the bigger picture meant watching the law be trampled at will.
Was that kind of peace really right?
Uchiha Hikari stepped out of the ranks and jabbed a finger in Shisui's face.
"Shisui, you spend every day in the Anbu, looking down from on high."
"You have no idea what we rank-and-file officers have to put up with every day!"
"You might be willing to speak for the leadership, but we're not!"
Before you continue