Uchiha Kaede did not return to the Uchiha Police Force headquarters alongside Izumi. Instead, he walked alone toward the heart of power in Konoha—the Hokage's tower.
He arrived without ceremony, bypassing the guards with the ease of someone well-known, and made his way to the Hokage's office. At the door, he knocked once—lightly.
A calm voice responded from within. "Come in." Kaede pushed the door open and entered. His movements were smooth. Natural. Like someone who had done this many times before.
Inside, Sarutobi Hiruzen looked up from a pile of paperwork. There stood Uchiha Kaede—young, sharply built, black hair neat, and a face that would be called beautiful if not for the hard edge always lurking behind his eyes.
The Hokage let out a sigh. "I've lost count of how many times I've told you this," Hiruzen said, setting his pipe aside. "Justice should be forceful… but never without compassion."
He folded his hands behind his back and began to pace slowly. "The war is long over, Kaede. People want peace. They need to trust their protectors again. The Uchiha don't have to swing the blade every time."
He stopped, then turned, brows furrowing slightly. "What happened this time?" He didn't mention the complaint that had been brought to him just hours ago.
He knew Kaede wouldn't care. And truthfully, he hadn't expected the report to be false. Kaede looked him in the eye and answered plainly.
"Two days ago, a civilian named Akiyama Jiro lost money gambling. While drunk, he murdered his four-year-old daughter. Her body is being returned to the police force for evidence."
Hiruzen's brows twitched. "A murder," he repeated. He didn't question the facts. Not with Kaede.
Still, he sighed, voice measured. "Even so, next time… use the judicial process of the Land of Fire. Let the courts sentence him."
He spoke softly but firmly. "Dragging a half-dead man through the streets, no matter how evil… it stirs discontent. I'm the Hokage, Kaede. I'm not blind. There are whispers even I can't silence forever."
Kaede's response came cold and sharp. "Courts are tools," he said. "Justice isn't." He stepped forward.
"Military law is convenient—for the guilty. It lets murderers walk free. It pretends time served is penance enough for evil. But justice isn't measured in years."
Hiruzen choked slightly on his breath, lips curling into a tired smile. This wasn't the first time they had stood like this—Hiruzen with his calm diplomacy, Kaede with his unwavering doctrine.
Kaede turned to leave. Just before stepping out, he glanced back and said— "My enforcement is scorching."
Hiruzen blinked. "scorching?" Kaede nodded once. "Hot. Like magma." Then he shut the door behind him. Hiruzen stood in silence for a moment. "…If that's your version of justice," he muttered, "then everything it touches burns to death."
He meant it as sarcasm. But deep inside… he wasn't sure he disagreed. Outside the Hokage's tower, Kaede made his way to the Uchiha Police Force headquarters.
He moved like a shadow—silent, unreadable. As he entered the open-air compound, a voice called out from the side. "Oi, Kaede—is that new recruit of yours still alive?"
Kaede glanced sideways. Another officer. His face was vaguely familiar, but Kaede didn't bother to recall the name. "She's alive," he replied flatly.
The words fell like stones in a still pond. Nearby officers turned. Eyes widened. Voices followed. "Wait—alive?"
"No way. That guy had two cadets before. One disobeyed him on the first day and got killed. The other… they say he activated his Sharingan from stress and lost his mind."
"Yikes. Maybe that half-blood girl has potential after all." "She survived one day. Don't get ahead of yourself. She might still die tomorrow."
"Still… why does someone like Kaede still have a badge? Didn't he kill a clansman once?"
"Shhh. That incident was covered up. The guy he killed was... involved in something filthy. The elders didn't release the details. Only Fugaku and Kaede know what really happened."
"Tch. Just another trash Uchiha gone. Who cares?" Kaede didn't react. He didn't need to. Instead, his gaze swept calmly across the crowd, eyes pausing briefly above the heads of each officer.
To him… they weren't just men and women in uniform. They were books completely open for reading. Tags. Each one had a floating square—either white or red. He read them passively, effortlessly.
[Uchiha Rei – Three days from now, will begin an affair with her teammate's husband. Crime Level: White.][Uchiha Natsuki – In two weeks, will falsely accuse a Genin of misconduct to cover for a stolen mission scroll. Crime level: White.][Uchiha Shin – Nine days from now, during an arrest, will keep stolen ryo and falsify the report. Crime level: White.]
The number of unstained shinobi in Konoha—those with neither red nor white names—was worryingly little. Less than 30%, by Kaede's estimate.
But he didn't act rashly. Because absolute justice… wasn't blind. Knowing someone would one day do wrong wasn't a reason to act today.
Some fell. Others turned back. Some were just broken, not evil. He had learned that the hard way. Justice wasn't about exterminating potential. It was about eliminating certainty.
Still, despite his calm demeanour, his quiet stare was enough to silence the courtyard. The whispers died out. A few officers shifted uncomfortably. Some looked away. They didn't know why…
But they felt like they were being judged. Like something had seen them. Weighed them. And let them go—for now. Just as the quickly the atmosphere was shattered, "Kaede-senpai!"
A breathless voice rang out across the square. Kaede turned. There she was. Uchiha Izumi—mud-streaked, eyes raw, sweat soaking her uniform. She was clutching the bundled body of the murdered child, her arms trembling beneath the weight.
"I—I brought the body back!" Her voice cracked slightly. But she stood tall. Kaede said nothing. For a moment, he simply watched her.
His silence stretched, long and unreadable. Then finally, he gave the faintest nod.