Uchiha Ikeizumi did not return to the Uchiha Military Police Force headquarters with Izumi. Instead, he headed toward Konoha's center of power—the Hokage's office.
Upon arriving, Ikeizumi approached the Hokage's door with practiced ease. He lightly knocked, and after hearing "Please enter," he pushed the door open.
—His movements were so practiced, it was as if he did this routinely.
"Ah, Ikeizumi..." Sarutobi Hiruzen looked up and saw a black-haired youth whose appearance was considered exceptional even within the Uchiha clan.
Setting down his documents, Hiruzen sighed, "I've lost count of how many times I've reminded you that law enforcement should not always rely solely on iron-fisted methods. Enforcement requires strength, but it must also have warmth."
"The Great Ninja Wars ended many years ago. This is no longer a special time; everyone hopes for a better future. The Uchiha clan's law enforcement should ease its severity somewhat."
He spoke earnestly, then inquired, "What caused this recent commotion?"
Hiruzen did not mention the complaints against Ikeizumi, knowing that even if he did, Ikeizumi would not care.
Having watched the boy grow up and noticing how different he was from other Uchiha, Hiruzen often interacted with Ikeizumi.
He believed he understood Ikeizumi well.
Yet, for some reason, Hiruzen felt something strange in Ikeizumi's gaze directed at him.
Hmm...
Probably just a trick of the light.
Ikeizumi shifted his intriguing gaze away from the red frame hovering above Hiruzen's head and met his eyes.
"Two days ago, a Konoha civilian named Akiyama Jiro lost a gambling bet, got drunk, and fatally injured his four-year-old child. The victim's body is being brought back to the Military Police Force."
Hiruzen frowned deeply. "A murder case..."
He did not doubt Ikeizumi's words.
Exhaling, he patiently advised, "Ikeizumi, next time you encounter such a case, you should let the laws of the Land of Fire serve as the instrument of punishment."
"Your unauthorized use of excessive force has stirred much dissatisfaction. Even I, as Hokage, find it difficult to quell the complaints."
Ikeizumi replied expressionlessly, "Lenient laws only enable murderers. Only [Absolute Justice] can eradicate all fiends."
Hiruzen was momentarily speechless.
He smiled wryly, realizing he had lost count of how many times Ikeizumi had retorted him similarly.
"Lord Hokage."
Before leaving, Ikeizumi said, "You were wrong about one thing. My enforcement always has warmth—like lava in a volcano."
With that, he departed without a farewell.
Hiruzen muttered, "Lava so hot that whoever it touches dies?"
Right!
Hiruzen suddenly remembered he had a more important question for Ikeizumi—his views on the increasingly intense rebellion within the Uchiha clan.
"Forget it..."
Hiruzen had a feeling Ikeizumi would soon return for the same reason.
...
After leaving the Hokage's office, Ikeizumi visited the Uchiha Military Police Force.
He did not see Izumi.
Suddenly, a curious voice called from nearby, "Ikeizumi, the recruit you're training... the one named Uchiha Izumi, is she still alive?"
Izumi was quite well-known within the Uchiha clan—the only half-blood Uchiha, considered a rare specimen.
Ikeizumi glanced at the speaker, also a member of the Military Police Force, whose face seemed familiar though the name escaped him.
"Alive."
His terse reply surprised many nearby Military Police members, who turned to look.
Whispers began to spread.
"Really? I remember Ikeizumi had two previous recruits. One was killed on the first day for disobeying orders; the other supposedly awakened his Sharingan on day one but developed severe mental illness."
Clearly, this person lacked a clear understanding of the clan's hereditary mental afflictions.
"Wow, that's rare! Could that half-blood Uchiha Genin be a capable newcomer?"
"She only survived today. Maybe she'll be killed tomorrow."
"By the way... Ikeizumi has killed clan members. Why does the clan head tolerate such behavior and even let him remain in the Military Police Force?"
"I heard the slain clan member was involved in unspeakable acts, but the clan head has sealed the details. Probably only he and Ikeizumi know."
"Tch, a waste of space. Dead is dead. Why bother discussing?"
...
The whispers did not affect Ikeizumi's demeanor.
He merely glanced at his colleagues, noting the white frames hovering above their heads.
[Uchiha Kaede — Nine days from now, will secretly pocket stolen goods during a thief's arrest and submit false reports to the Military Police. Sin Level: White Name!]
[Uchiha Rei — Three days from now, will engage in an illicit affair with colleague Uchiha Momoe's husband. Sin Level: White Name!]
[Uchiha Natsuki — In half a month...]
[...]
In Ikeizumi's eyes, only a small fraction of Konoha's ninja and Military Police members lacked either white or red name status.
That fraction was so small it might only comprise about thirty percent of the village's ninja.
However, [Absolute Justice] is not [Blind Justice], nor a pathological justice that kills every ninja in the world.
Even knowing someone might fall into evil in the future, Ikeizumi was not foolish enough to extinguish their life prematurely.
Experience taught him that future evil was not an absolute fixed fate but could be altered by certain events.
As for why he had such strange experience...
Well, everyone makes mistakes growing up.
Though Ikeizumi's expression was calm, his gaze silenced the whispers, which gradually ceased as unease spread among the Military Police members.
They could not explain why but felt as if they were being watched.
...
"Ike... Senior Ikeizumi!" A breathless, weary voice approached.
"I... I brought the corpse back!"