Chikage looked at Shisui and slipped the red booklet back into his pocket.
He could not be bothered to argue any further with someone who only knew how to tell victims to think of the greater good.
Chikage stepped forward and shoved aside Shisui, who stood frozen in place.
"If all you can do is stand around preaching, then stay out of the way of law enforcement."
"If you want to tell people to back down, get your facts straight first."
"Don't hold us up while we're seeking justice."
"I still need to finish my business at the Hokage Building and get back in time to clock out."
Baton in hand, Chikage strode forward.
Uchiha Hikari and the others immediately followed.
As they passed Shisui, all the dozens of police officers snorted coldly. Not one of them paid him any further attention.
The entire unit marched with even greater resolve than before.
Anger and fighting spirit burned in every officer's eyes.
They were no longer the Uchiha of old, forced to swallow every injustice in silence.
They were now Konoha's law enforcers.
Police officers who upheld the dignity of its regulations.
Shoved to the roadside, Shisui watched Chikage's resolute figure retreat.
He clenched his fists until his knuckles turned white.
He gritted his teeth and made a decision.
He would follow them and see.
He wanted to witness for himself how Chikage intended to use these so-called regulations to get Yashiro released.
If Chikage really could resolve this without provoking bloodshed...
Then perhaps there was another path the clan and the village could take.
Meanwhile.
Inside a hidden base beneath the Hokage Building.
The Root Interrogation Room.
In the dark, damp room, only a few torches burned on the walls, crackling as they flickered.
The air reeked of blood and mildew.
Uchiha Yashiro was chained to a torture rack mounted on the wall with thick iron chains.
Several bloody welts now marked his body.
His Konoha Military Police Force uniform had been whipped to tatters and soaked with blood.
Leaning on his cane, Shimura Danzō stood before Yashiro.
An icy gleam shone in his lone eye.
"As long as you sign this confession."
"And admit that the Uchiha harbored sinister designs and intended to incite a riot on South Street."
"I can prove to the Third that you Uchiha truly harbor rebellious intent."
Danzo slapped a sheet covered in charges onto the table in front of Yashiro.
"As for whether you leave here alive, that depends on how cooperative you are."
Several masked Root ninja stood nearby, holding red-hot instruments of torture.
Yashiro raised his head with difficulty and spat out a mouthful of blood.
"Dream on, you old dog!"
The plaza in front of the Hokage Building was broad and level.
The midday sun shone on the round, red building.
Chikage walked at the head of the unit.
He raised his wrist and checked his watch.
Eleven forty-five.
Only fifteen minutes remained until his lunch break.
These Anbu had better know what's good for them and not keep me from my afternoon nap.
Dozens of fully armed Uchiha police officers halted in the center of the plaza.
Their synchronized footsteps stopped abruptly.
A formation like this immediately caught the attention of the Hokage Building's guards.
Several dark figures darted out from hiding.
Four Anbu ninja wearing animal masks landed on the steps.
The ninja weapons in their hands gleamed coldly in the sunlight.
The Anbu captain leading them stepped forward.
He drew his ninja blade.
Its tip pointed down at Chikage.
"Halt!"
"These are the Hokage Grounds! Unauthorized personnel are forbidden to enter!"
Chikage planted his fine steel baton on the ground.
He picked at his ear.
"Do you never read Konoha's internal bulletins?"
"Don't you recognize this uniform?"
"I'm the deputy captain of the Konoha Military Police Force's Second Squad."
"I brought my men here to report on a case, and you call that unauthorized entry?"
The Anbu captain snorted coldly.
"Do you need this many people to report on a case?"
"Every one of you is carrying a weapon."
"This is clearly a mob assault on the Hokage Building!"
"Uchiha Chikage, you're attempting rebellion!"
"Take one more step, and we'll kill you on sight!"
That was one hell of an accusation.
Uchiha Hikari burned with fury as she listened from behind him.
She was just about to step forward and argue.
Chikage reached out and stopped her.
"Stay calm."
"When you're reasoning with someone unfamiliar with the regulations, you need to lay out all the evidence."
Chikage took the yellowed copy of the Public Security Administration Regulations from his pocket.
Then he took out the case file Uchiha Hikari had compiled.
At the top of the Case File was a list of the South Street merchants' losses and a list of witnesses at the scene.
Beneath those were the Interrogation Records for Shimura Ken and the others.
Shimura Ken had been unable to write properly, so Uchiha Hikari had recorded each item during the on-site questioning, with the merchants and police officers present acting as joint witnesses. At the end of the record was Shimura Ken's fingerprint, left after he confirmed the facts.
Chikage tapped the case file against his palm.
"Attempting rebellion?"
"You certainly throw charges around casually."
"Let me ask you something. Have you memorized the Konoha Public Security Administration Regulations?"
"Do you know what qualifies as rebellion?"
The question stumped the Anbu captain.
He was a ninja who carried out guard and arrest missions. Why would he ever memorize those dry clauses?
Chikage opened the regulations and pointed to a page.
"When the Konoha Military Police Force is handling a street-level case, any other department wishing to intervene must produce a Hokage-signed order."
"Root took our squad captain today. Where's the order?"
The Anbu captain's fingers tightened.
Without giving him a chance to speak, Chikage opened the case file as well.
"This is the list of losses suffered by the South Street merchants."
"These are statements from the merchants and villagers present."
"These are the Interrogation Records for Shimura Ken and the others."
"Whether they took part in the vandalism and whether they resisted law enforcement with weapons is clearly documented in the Case File."
"I've brought the case and the evidence to the Hokage to report on our work, not to storm the Hokage Building."
The Anbu captain said in a low voice:
"A few Interrogation Records, and you dare call them conclusive evidence?"
"You beat them so badly. Who knows whether these statements were coerced?"
Chikage lifted his gaze.
"That's why I didn't just bring a confession."
"There were merchants, witnesses, damaged goods, and arrested suspects at the scene."
"If you think the records are false, bring Shimura Ken out and question him again in front of everyone."
"But you can't investigate nothing and start by branding law enforcement officers as rebels."
Chikage raised the case file in his hand.
He gathered chakra in his throat, sending his voice across the entire plaza.
"I am Uchiha Chikage, deputy captain of the Konoha Military Police Force's Second Squad!"
"Acting under orders to investigate the South Street Vandalism and Extortion Case!"
"Our investigation has established that Shimura Ken and other members of the Shimura Clan openly vandalized shops on South Street!"
"They not only extorted merchants but also resisted law enforcement with weapons!"
"These are the Interrogation Records for the case, witnessed at the scene by multiple merchants and police officers!"
Chikage's voice echoed over the plaza.
Villagers on the surrounding streets began peeking out.
Quite a few started gathering around the plaza.
People pointed and gestured, their murmurs rising from all sides.
Chikage continued amplifying his voice with chakra.
"While we were carrying out our lawful duties!"
"Root personnel disregarded Konoha's regulations and obstructed the Konoha Military Police Force's investigation!"
"Instead of dealing with the actual suspects, they forcibly took away our squad captain, Uchiha Yashiro!"
"Today, I have brought the case file and evidence from the scene!"
"Specifically to ask Lord Hokage to review them!"
"We ask Lord Hokage to uphold justice for the merchants of South Street!"
"We ask Lord Hokage to uphold justice for the Konoha Military Police Force!"
Before you continue