After some tense exchanges, Uchiha Fugaku's clan members—Uchiha Yakumi, Uchiha Tekkā, Uchiha Inabi, and many others—were already brimming with fury. Their elevated chakra flared, ready to fight at any moment.
Yet, Uchiha Yashiro suddenly let out a sigh and gently patted Fugaku on the shoulder.
"Patriarch…"
"Don't act rashly…"
"Shisui's loyalties are ambiguous, and Chiyu is on forced leave at home. Now is not the time for impulsive moves…"
He lowered his voice, murmuring into Fugaku's ear.
Fugaku clenched his teeth, but finally took a deep breath and released his balled fists.
"Chiyu's squad can be temporarily disbanded. However…"
"I absolutely won't hand them over to your Anbu!"
Sarutobi Shinnosuke's pupils contracted. "So, you're still intent on shielding them?"
"Patriarch Fugaku, how am I supposed to explain such behavior to Lord Hokage and the entire village?"
Fugaku replied, "I'll stake my life on this—no Uchiha clan member is a spy from Kirigakure! If you insist on interrogating someone, then start with me, the Patriarch!"
Uchiha Yashiro and the others turned pale.
Shinnosuke likewise was taken aback; he hadn't anticipated Fugaku going this far. But wasn't that better, from his perspective?
He let out a cruel laugh. "So, Patriarch Fugaku is willing to be interrogated in their place? How noble, what a loving leader of your clan. In that case, we'll trouble you to come with us!"
Uchiha Yashiro roared furiously, lunging to stand before Fugaku.
"If you want to take the Patriarch, you'll have to step over my dead body first!"
"Exactly!"
"If you want a fight, so be it!"
At once, the other Uchiha present moved to block Shinnosuke's path, their eyes glowing red with outrage.
Shinnosuke responded icily: "Then you're asking for it yourselves. Are you prepared?"
Fugaku, however, pushed the others aside and walked forward. "Enough. Don't be rash. I'll go with the Anbu."
"Patriarch!"
"Please, don't fall for their trap!"
Even so, Fugaku only shook his head. "Yashiro, I entrust the Uchiha clan and the Police Force to you while I'm away."
"Patriarch! This—"
"Don't worry. I'll be fine. But as for those young shinobi…"
Yashiro froze momentarily; he understood what Fugaku meant. If he went into Anbu custody, unless Sarutobi Hiruzen really intended to start a war, they wouldn't dare harm Fugaku—whereas if Chiyu's subordinates were taken, who knew what cruel "interrogation" awaited them? Everyone knew what it meant to be interrogated by the Anbu.
Not only was Fugaku trying to save those subordinates, but he also planned to test Hiruzen and the upper echelons of Konoha by putting himself on the line.
"But, but…"
Fugaku shook his head. "Yashiro, take care of the Uchiha clan while I'm gone."
Yashiro had no choice but to nod heavily.
Fugaku offered a faint smile, turning to Shinnosuke. "Let's go."
Shinnosuke sneered, and several Anbu immediately closed in, escorting Fugaku away.
"Damn you! I'll fight you!"
"Release the Patriarch!"
Countless Uchiha snarled with rage, their Sharingan glowing crimson. Yet Yashiro blocked them all.
"Calm yourselves! Don't waste the Patriarch's efforts!
"Especially you—those who serve under Chiyu!"
Chiyu's former police squad was small—barely seven or eight members. But right now, no one was more furious, resentful, or in greater despair than they were. The Captain was off-duty; Aoki and Yamakaze had been grievously wounded and hospitalized. And now their own Patriarch was being taken away on their account!
That grief, that fury, that sense of helplessness fueled their eyes with a surging power beyond anything they'd shown before—enough to startle even Yashiro. Still, he exhaled a sigh, gazing at Fugaku's departing figure.
"This is the Patriarch's order! None of you are to act rashly!"
"…Understood, Yashiro-sama."
A few of Chiyu's subordinates exchanged glances, then stepped forward.
"Yashiro-sama, we're… we're just going to the hospital to see Aoki and Yamakaze, that's all."
"Right. Don't worry, we won't do anything foolish…"
Yashiro, hearing them mention Aoki and Yamakaze, sighed as well. "Very well, off you go."
"Yes, sir…"
Just as they were leaving, Yashiro seemed to think of something. "And one more thing—whatever you do, don't tell Chiyu about all this!"
"If he hears what happened, knowing his temperament, all hell will break loose!"
"…We understand, Yashiro-sama," the squad members replied. Yet from the look in their eyes, Yashiro guessed they might not listen.
"Yakumi!"
"Present!"
"Have someone keep an eye on them, especially around Chiyu. Under no circumstances should he find out about this!"
"I understand, Yashiro-sama!"
Yashiro surveyed the furious faces all around him, full of wrath and unwillingness, a rage so intense it seemed poised to set the sky above Konoha on fire.
He could only sigh, shaking his head.
…
Meanwhile—
Crackle—
Bzzz!
Chiyu was pouring all his effort into merging the power of Lightning Release: False Darkness with the katana in his hand. It wasn't an easy endeavor; it required the utmost mastery over the chakra's shape transformation. Yet after days of relentless attempts and near-constant training, Chiyu was at last reaching the breakthrough he sought.
Sparks of dazzling electricity danced wildly along the blade's edge.
This violent energy didn't merely turn the weapon into a razor-sharp "Lightning Blade" of chakra. It also granted it armor-piercing, paralyzing, and explosive effects on impact.
If Sasuke's "Chidori Katana" was primarily about cutting and piercing force, Chiyu's technique was about punching through and detonating. Watching the arcs of electricity raging on the blade, Chiyu allowed himself a satisfied smile.
"So it's finally done…
"By fusing the destructive force of False Darkness into the sword… I'll call it Lightning Release Body Technique: Blade of False Darkness!"
Even without system assistance, Chiyu had made a quantum leap in his strength via grueling training.
Attributes: Fire, Lightning, Yin, Yang
Chakra: 695
Abilities:
Three Tomoe Sharingan (480/1000)
Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique – Mastered (100/100)
Fire Release: Dragon Flame Technique – Mastered (100/100)
Uchiha-Style Kenjutsu – Advanced (90/100)
Lightning Release: False Darkness – Minor Mastery (60/100)
Lightning Release Body Technique: Blade of False Darkness – Minor Mastery (60/100)
Virtue Points: 0
"Both my chakra and ocular power have grown a lot, and I've raised False Darkness and Blade of False Darkness to the 'minor mastery' stage…," he mused, sensing the changes in his strength. "It feels great."
Just then, an urgent knock sounded at the door.