Qianyu casually invested the thirty Merit Points he had just obtained entirely into his ocular power.
Attributes: Fire, Lightning, Yin, Yang
Chakra: 650
Ability: Three-Tomoe Sharingan (373 / 1000)
Fire Release · Great Fireball Technique: Perfect (100 / 100)
Fire Release · Dragon Flame Technique: Perfect (100 / 100)
Uchiha-Style Swordsmanship: Advanced (88 / 100)
Merit Points: 0
At the same time, another system notification echoed in his mind.
Ding!
[Congratulations! Total accumulated Merit Points have exceeded 100!]
[New ability unlocked… Lightning Release Ninjutsu!]
[Currently unlocked: Lightning Release · False Darkness (Beginner 50 / 100)!]
Qianyu's eyes flickered slightly.
"Oh? So accumulating Merit Points to a certain threshold directly unlocks new abilities?"
"Lightning Release… it is one of my chakra affinities. I just never trained it."
"False Darkness… if I remember correctly—"
In the original records, this technique belonged to Kakuzu, the S-rank rogue ninja of the Akatsuki.
Its power was terrifying.
So much so that even Hatake Kakashi had been forced to counter it using Double Lightning Cutter, an S-rank technique, just to survive.
With such a powerful Lightning Release at his disposal, Qianyu's efficiency in 'law enforcement' would only increase.
A rare smile appeared at the corner of his mouth.
At that moment, two figures rushed toward him along the patrol route.
Leading them was the head of the Uchiha clan—
Uchiha Fugaku.
The instant Fugaku saw Qianyu, his expression changed.
"Qianyu. How did it go?"
"Hiruzen—what did he do?"
Qianyu stopped and calmly shook his head.
"It's over."
Behind him, Uchiha Yamafū quickly recounted the entire incident.
After hearing it all, Fugaku let out a long breath—relieved, yet deeply contemplative.
"Sarutobi Hiruzen… that old fox really is formidable."
Uchiha Aoki nodded repeatedly.
"He read the crowd perfectly. His performance was flawless—so flawless that every ninja and villager present ended up grateful to him, completely forgetting that it was Captain Qianyu who executed the murderer."
Uchiha Yamafū snorted coldly.
"Scheming old bastard."
Fugaku sighed.
"If he weren't like that, how could he sit securely on the Hokage's throne for decades?"
"When it comes to manipulating hearts… no one in this village can rival him."
Yamafū hesitated, then asked carefully:
"Clan Head… last time Captain Qianyu killed civilians, you were furious."
"But this time, he killed the Sarutobi clan head's son—Hokage-sama's nephew—and yet you seem… calm. You didn't even reprimand him."
Fugaku gave a bitter smile.
"Would scolding him achieve anything?"
"And after thinking carefully about what Qianyu said last time… he may not have been wrong."
"No matter what we do, we cannot change the village leadership's attitude toward the Uchiha."
"If that's the case—then perhaps it's better to stop holding back."
"Qianyu."
"You did well."
"It's just unfortunate that much of the credit was taken by Sarutobi Hiruzen."
Qianyu replied flatly, "I don't care about that."
Fugaku glared at him.
"Don't give me that nonsense!"
"You may act without seeking recognition—but we have no obligation to hand our achievements to our enemies!"
Aoki and Yamafū nodded vigorously.
"Clan Head is right!"
Qianyu said calmly:
"No one can cover the sky with one hand forever."
"Good and evil. Black and white."
"One day, everything will be laid bare."
Fugaku stared at him in silence.
After a long while, he sighed.
"You're ruthless in action… yet sometimes, you're strangely naïve."
Qianyu replied,
"I've always been an optimist."
"I believe that if I keep killing long enough—"
"One day, all evil will be gone."
Fugaku took a deep breath.
"…Perhaps."
Hokage's Office
Sarutobi Hiruzen was in a fury.
Bang!
His fist slammed into the desk, sending documents flying in every direction.
Sarutobi Hiyū trembled violently.
"Good… very good…"
"You father and son—truly impressive!"
"I appointed you clan head, and this is how you repay me?!"
Hiyū dropped to his knees.
"Hokage-sama, I—I couldn't just watch Jirō die…"
Hiruzen roared.
"Idiot! Did I ever say I'd let Jirō die?!"
"Did I forbid you from protecting him?!"
"But what did you do?"
"In broad daylight, before countless villagers and ninja—you openly abused your power to shield your son!"
"What were you trying to accomplish?!"
"Your face may be disposable—but did you ever consider the Sarutobi clan's reputation?!"
"My reputation as Hokage?!"
Only then did Hiyū understand.
Hiruzen wasn't furious because he protected his son.
He was furious because Hiyū did it publicly—nearly destroying Hiruzen's authority.
Rage welled up inside him.
Is your reputation more important than my son's life?!
But he dared not say it.
Hiruzen saw it all.
"You're unhappy, aren't you?"
"You think I value my reputation more than your son's life?"
Hiyū remained silent.
"Fool!"
"Doing something isn't the problem—how you do it is!"
"I entrusted you with power, and you can't even grasp something this basic!"
"Removing you as clan head was the correct decision!"
Hiyū laughed hollowly.
"It doesn't matter anymore…"
"I no longer deserve to be clan head."
"I couldn't even protect my own son…"
"What right do I have to lead anyone?"
Chuckling like a madman, he staggered out—an empty shell.
Hiruzen's fury had nowhere left to go.
An ANBU spoke cautiously.
"He just lost his son… he likely can't hear reason now."
"And without his position… only hatred toward Uchiha Qianyu remains."
"This could lead to reckless action."
Hiruzen nodded.
"Have people watch him."
"Yes, Hokage-sama."
The ANBU departed.
At that moment, another figure appeared at the doorway.
"Oh? Shisui."
Hiruzen suppressed his anger and forced a gentle expression.
Uchiha Shisui was his most valuable card against the Uchiha.
He could not afford any instability.
"What's wrong? You look… troubled."
Shisui knelt.
"My apologies, Hokage-sama. You ordered me to admonish Uchiha Qianyu, but that man…"
"Completely unyielding?"
Hiruzen forced a smile.
"That's just who he is."
"I didn't expect much anyway."
Then—
"But Shisui…"
"From the look in your eyes…"
"Don't tell me—you were the one persuaded instead?"
Hiruzen stared into Shisui's eyes.
And in that instant—
A sharp, chilling glint flashed within them.