In Root's dark, damp dungeon.
Two Anbu Ninja supported Uchiha Yashiro, one on either side.
Yashiro's shirt had long since been stripped off, and crisscrossing whip marks covered his body.
He leaned against an Anbu Ninja's shoulder, his head full of questions.
"What the hell is going on?"
Yashiro's voice was a little hoarse.
"How could that old bastard Danzo let me go so easily?"
The Anbu Ninja on his left sighed.
As he helped Yashiro toward the exit, he began to explain.
"Captain Yashiro, you owe your deputy captain a huge favor this time."
"Deputy Captain Chikage took the Second Squad to the Hokage Building, and Clan Head Fugaku arrived soon afterward with nearly a hundred clan members."
"He took a copy of the Public Security Administration Regulations into the Hokage's Office and argued several of the Higher-Ups into silence."
Yashiro's eyes widened.
The movement pulled at his wounds, and he sucked in a sharp breath of pain.
But he was far too stunned to care about the pain.
"Chikage?"
"He led people to surround the Hokage Building?"
"And he dared question the senior advisers to their faces?"
The Anbu Ninja on his right picked up the explanation.
"He did more than question them."
"Deputy Captain Chikage brought a list of the South Street merchants' losses and demanded that Lord Danzo pay the fines on their behalf."
"Lord Danzo was so furious he nearly overturned the desk in the Hokage's Office."
"Then Deputy Captain Chikage brought up the rules laid down by the First and Second."
"And forced Lord Danzo to sign a Payment Receipt for three hundred and fifty thousand ryo."
Yashiro stopped walking.
He looked to his left, then to his right.
He wondered whether the beatings on the Torture Rack had made him hallucinate.
That Chikage who normally did nothing at the Konoha Military Police Force but drink tea and read the newspaper.
That Chikage who clocked out every day at precisely five in the afternoon.
He had actually backed the sinister, ruthless Shimura Danzō into a corner like this?
"You're not lying to me?"
Yashiro still couldn't believe it.
"Danzo really signed the Payment Receipt?"
The Anbu Ninja gave a helpless smile.
"Why would we lie to you?"
"Lord Hokage has already issued a written order for your release. How could it be fake?"
"Please, let's get you outside."
"There are nearly a hundred Uchiha clan members waiting for you in the plaza."
Yashiro swallowed.
All he wanted now was to get outside and see what had become of the world.
In the plaza outside the Hokage Building.
Sunlight fell across the bluestone paving.
Nearly a hundred elite members of the Uchiha Clan stood in orderly formation.
Chikage stood on the steps, looking at the faces below.
"There's no need to worry, everyone."
"The matter has been resolved."
Chikage's voice echoed across the plaza.
"The Shimura Clan has signed the Payment Receipt and pledged to settle the South Street merchants' fines and compensation."
"Captain Yashiro will be out shortly, too."
"Today, our Konoha Military Police Force successfully upheld Konoha's public security laws!"
Someone in the crowd shouted excitedly, "Evil will never triumph over justice!"
The plaza fell quiet for a moment.
Then deafening cheers erupted.
Uchiha Hikari stood in the front row, her face flushed with excitement.
She even raised her Fine Steel Baton along with the other police officers.
At the rear of the crowd.
Several figures who weren't wearing Konoha Military Police Force uniforms looked somewhat out of place.
Shisui Uchiha stood in the shade of a large tree, wearing a green vest.
His expression was deeply conflicted.
Just an hour earlier.
He had stopped Chikage on the way here.
He had accused Chikage of jeopardizing the bigger picture by bringing people to the Hokage Building.
He had believed this would anger the Higher-Ups and trigger irreversible bloodshed.
Yet now.
Not only had Chikage avoided a confrontation.
He had forced the Higher-Ups to back down in a way Shisui had never imagined.
Standing beside Shisui was a boy of about eight.
Uchiha Itachi.
Itachi quietly watched Chikage on the steps.
Thought flickered in his black eyes.
"Shisui."
Itachi spoke softly.
"Senior Chikage's approach seems more effective than we imagined."
Shisui opened his mouth, wanting to say something.
But he realized he couldn't find the words to argue.
He had always firmly believed that only by voluntarily backing down could the Uchiha secure peace for the village.
For that peace, suffering a few injustices was worthwhile.
But Chikage's actions had proved there was another possibility.
Fighting for their rights using the rules the village itself had established.
Bringing everything out into the open.
That could secure peace, too.
And it was a more dignified peace, one that didn't require anyone to swallow humiliation.
"Itachi."
Shisui's voice was a little strained.
"Deputy Captain Chikage's approach certainly caught me by surprise."
"But can this hard-line attitude really work in the long run?"
"The Higher-Ups were boxed in by the rules today and had no choice but to compromise."
"But they're bound to become even more wary of the Uchiha."
Itachi shook his head.
"Shisui."
"Would the Higher-Ups stop being wary of us even if we kept backing down?"
"The South Street merchants' shops were smashed up, and Senior Yashiro was arrested without cause."
"If we don't stand up for ourselves, we'll only lose more."
"Senior Chikage used the rules to protect everyone. I think he did the right thing."
Shisui fell silent.
Looking at Chikage on the steps, he seriously questioned the path he had held to for the first time.
Could endless concessions really fulfill the Will of Fire?
Just then.
Someone pushed open the ground-floor doors of the Hokage Building.
Two Anbu Ninja helped Uchiha Yashiro outside.
The cheers in the plaza cut off abruptly.
Every gaze fixed on Yashiro.
Yashiro was bare-chested.
The red, swollen whip marks looked especially glaring in the sunlight.
A chorus of sharp gasps rose from the crowd.
Fugaku hurried forward.
As he looked at Yashiro's injuries, his face darkened like a storm cloud.
"Medical Ninja!"
Fugaku shouted.
"Get over here and treat Captain Yashiro's wounds!"
Two clan members who knew Medical Ninjutsu immediately ran out of the formation.
They hastily took out bandages and ointment.
Yashiro pushed away the Anbu Ninja supporting him.
He straightened his back and let the Medical Ninja apply ointment to his body.
He walked up to Chikage.
His eyes were full of gratitude.
"Chikage."
"I owe you this time."
"If not for you, this old life of mine probably would've ended in Root's dungeon."
Chikage smiled and waved a hand.
"Captain Yashiro, there's no need to say that."
"You were arrested for maintaining public order on South Street."
"That's clearly a workplace injury."
Chikage took a small notebook from his pocket.
"Once you're back, put together all your bills for medical treatment, nutritional supplements, and emotional damages."
"Bring them to me."
"Compensation for South Street is one matter, and Root's torture is another. We'll settle that account separately."
Yashiro froze for a moment.
Then he couldn't help bursting into laughter.
Laughing tugged at his wounds again, and he grimaced in pain.
The clan members in the plaza laughed along when they heard this.
The oppressive mood that had settled over them at the sight of Yashiro's injuries immediately eased considerably.
Watching this, Fugaku felt a swell of emotion.
It had been a long time since the Uchiha Clan had been able to hold its head this high.
"All right!"
Fugaku turned to face all the clan members.
"Now that Captain Yashiro has returned safely."
"Everyone, withdraw to the Konoha Military Police Force as planned!"
"No one is to use this as an excuse to cause trouble, much less take revenge on their own!"
"Understood?"
"Understood!"
Nearly a hundred Uchiha clan members answered in unison.
The formation began turning in an orderly fashion and withdrawing toward the Konoha Military Police Force.
Chikage stretched.
He looked up at the sky.
After all that running around, his lunch break had long since gone up in smoke.
If he hurried back now, he could still catch a nap in the office, then wait until five to clock out.
Chikage slipped into the crowd, ready to make his escape.
A large hand suddenly reached out from behind.
And grabbed Chikage by the back of his collar.
Chikage was forced to stop.
He turned his head and saw Fugaku staring at him with a stern expression.
Most of the clan members around them had already left.
Only the two of them remained at the edge of the Plaza.
Fugaku released Chikage's collar.
He folded his arms across his chest, his expression deadly serious.
"You little brat."
Fugaku lowered his voice, clear reproach in his tone.
"How could you be so reckless in the Hokage's Office today!"
"Do you have any idea how dangerous that was!"
Chikage rubbed his neck.
"Uncle, how was I being reckless?"
"I was just talking reason and rules with them the whole time."
Fugaku shot Chikage a glare.
"Talking reason?"
"You call that talking reason?"
"You were sticking a knife straight into the Higher-Ups' hearts!"
Remembering Danzo's murderous expression in the office, Fugaku still felt a lingering chill.
"Do you know Danzo nearly attacked you right then!"
"If Lord Hokage hadn't stopped him on the spot, do you think you could have walked out in one piece?"
Fugaku reached out and patted Chikage's shoulder twice.
"Just look at you."
"Those scrawny little arms and legs."
"Your Three Body Technique is barely enough to pass the Genin exam, and you have pitifully little combat experience."
"If a fight really broke out, you couldn't even dodge a single Wind Release attack from Danzo!"
The more Fugaku spoke, the angrier he grew.
"What would we do if something happened to that clever head of yours!"
Chikage stood where he was.
He watched Fugaku rant in front of him, spittle flying.
Suddenly, he sighed.
Then he gave Fugaku a plaintive look.
"Uncle."
Chikage drew the word out.
"Is that clever head of mine all you're worried about?"
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