Absolute Justice: Uchiha’s Crusade

As Hiruzen and the others gathered, the daimyō's second son suddenly noticed something strange—one of the strongest guards his father had assigned to him, Nauma, had a deeply serious look on his face.

He couldn't help but ask, "Nauma, you used to be a jōnin in Konoha. Have you heard of someone named Uchiha Keizumi? I've never once seen you look like this on our whole trip… Is that guy really that dangerous?"

"Kyōsuke-sama," Nauma replied gravely, "if he's the same Uchiha Keizumi I remember, then yes—he's a troublesome one."

As one of the Twelve Guardian Ninja, Nauma's tone was stern and cautious. "That man was a fearsome beast during the Third Shinobi World War, known for his use of Lava Release. It's said countless powerful foes fell to him. Back in the day, he was just as famous as Shisui of the Body Flicker—both hailed as Uchiha prodigies."

"I've also heard a few things about him. Rumor has it he follows a path of righteous ninjutsu, unable to tolerate those who commit evil. After joining the Uchiha Police Force, he solved case after case without fail."

Hearing that…

Kyōsuke tilted his head thoughtfully and said with a hint of amusement, "Doesn't sound like a ruthless criminal to me. If anything, he seems like a man of justice. So why did that ninja just now tell me to stay away from him?"

Nauma took a deep breath and spoke in a low, serious voice. "Because his righteous shinobi path shows no regard for status or rank."

"Even if you, Kyōsuke-sama, are the son of the daimyō—if he sees evil in you, with his extreme sense of justice, he won't hesitate to strike."

Nauma warned firmly, "Kyōsuke-sama, Sarutobi Asuma returned to Konoha recently to attend his elder brother's funeral. He's likely still in the village now."

"For your safety, I believe it would be best to summon him as well—to ensure you remain protected, Kyōsuke-sama."

Nauma wasn't exaggerating.

If Uchiha Keizumi set his sights on Kyōsuke—the daimyō's son—

Then even with all his strength alone...

Nauma truly couldn't say with confidence that he could withstand that Lava Release Beast.

That man...

He was a monster.

"Hey, hey! Nauma, from the way you're talking, are you implying that Kyōsuke-sama is guilty of something?!"

One of Kyōsuke's retainers stepped forward, clearly displeased. "You'd better remember your place, Nauma. You're nothing more than a shinobi the daimyō-sama assigned to protect Kyōsuke-sama."

"Huh? Nauma—are you even listening to me?!"

But Nauma, one of the Twelve Guardian Ninja, had already tuned out every word the retainer said.

His expression was tense, eyes locked forward with fierce vigilance.

"Kyōsuke-sama..."

Nauma licked his dry lips. One hand had moved instinctively to his shinobi blade, his palm already slick with cold sweat.

He spoke with gravity. "You seem quite curious about the man considered the single most dangerous figure in all of Konoha."

"Well, how convenient."

"That Uchiha Keizumi…"

"Is right up ahead."

...

Trailing eagerly behind Uchiha Keizumi, Izumi suddenly saw her senpai stop in his tracks.

Thankfully, the girl managed to brake in time—

Otherwise, she would've slammed right into him.

"Senpai, what's wro—"

Before she could finish, the small orange cat crouched on her shoulder, Tachibana Jirō, cut her off.

"Shh. Keizumi-sama has spotted 'prey.' His eyes have once again glimpsed the evil lurking within the shinobi world!"

Evil within the shinobi world?

That phrase immediately snapped Izumi to attention.

Peeking out from behind Uchiha Keizumi, she curiously followed his line of sight—

And spotted a group of over a dozen individuals gathered ahead, all dressed in a hodgepodge of unfamiliar styles.

"These people…"

Izumi frowned and muttered under her breath, "They're not from Konoha, are they?"

She was so sure of it because the moment Keizumi-senpai had appeared on this street, the local residents of Konohagakure had all gone silent.

Those harboring even a hint of guilt quickly turned and fled, avoiding him like he was the plague.

Some were still gossiping about the events of the previous night,

But the instant they saw the person himself appear, their faces drained of color in sheer panic.

Izumi really wanted to tell them—

As long as you're not doing anything wrong, there's nothing scary about talking about Keizumi-senpai.

Even discussing him openly right in front of him was no big deal.

But… the misunderstanding people had about her senpai ran deep.

Oh well...

Maybe keeping that misunderstanding alive is its own form of reverence toward Absolute Justice. If they have fear in their hearts, maybe they won't dare commit evil in the first place.

Izumi muttered internally.

That's precisely why, when she saw this group of outsiders ahead behaving so differently from everyone else—

She became absolutely certain: These people definitely don't live in Konoha.

"He… he's Uchiha Keizumi?!"

Kyōsuke didn't care one bit about the tense alertness of the Twelve Guardian Ninja standing protectively around him.

His gaze collided midair with that of Uchiha Keizumi.

Fanning himself leisurely, Kyōsuke let out a fascinated tsk-tsk, "So this is a ninja of the Uchiha clan. I've heard of them, of course, but this is the first time I've seen one in person. Looks pretty cold-blooded…"

"Nauma, no need to be nervous."

Kyōsuke smiled and said, "Didn't you say he's from the Police Force? Well, the operating budget for the Konoha Police Force is paid by my father—the daimyō of the Land of Fire."

"Who knows—maybe I'll even become friends with this Uchiha Keizumi. If he's really as formidable as you claim, and he's willing to become my bodyguard, I wouldn't mind paying top coin to hire him."

However—

Just as Kyōsuke took a step forward, Nauma suddenly raised an arm and blocked his path.

"Hey! Nauma, what do you think you're doing?"

A retainer snapped at him.

"Your only job is to act as a bodyguard—don't overstep your bounds!"

But the very next second, that retainer was met with a single sharp glance from the elite jōnin.

A look brimming with killing intent from someone who had walked the blood-soaked fields of the Great Shinobi War.

Cold sweat instantly poured down the man's back.

Nauma withdrew his gaze,

Then refocused his sharp eyes on Uchiha Keizumi.

His voice, though steady, carried a trace of unease: "Kyōsuke-sama… I saw it in his eyes—killing intent. You'd best turn around and leave immediately. Call for shinobi reinforcements."

"Because..."

Nauma's hand was already gripping the hilt of his ninjatō, half-drawn at his side. His throat was dry as he continued: "That killing intent… it's directed at you, Kyōsuke-sama!"

"…What?!"

Everyone gasped in shock.

At that exact moment, Uchiha Keizumi moved.

There was nothing rushed about him.

Each step forward was calm, steady—like a tide that could not be stopped.

In his vision—

Hovering above the head of a young man clad in an ornate ko-shitagi was a crimson square frame.

Inside the frame were lines of glowing red script, listing the man's crimes in detail.

Among the gathered crowd, it made him stand out like a crane among chickens.

Uchiha Keizumi began to recite aloud the words that appeared in his Sharingan vision: "Gyokuzenin Kyōsuke. Eleven years ago, accidentally killed a maid in his household, then dumped her corpse into a dry well. When the victim's family came to demand justice, he ordered his retainers to beat them severely."

Behind him, Izumi flinched at the words.

In a rush, she tore open her ninja pouch, pulled out paper and pen, and began frantically recording every word her senpai spoke.

Tachibana Jirō, perched on her shoulder, suddenly froze, a puzzled look flickering across his feline face.

"…Gyokuzenin?" he murmured under his breath, clearly suspicious.

"Seven years ago, after losing all his private savings at a gambling den, he flew into a rage and ordered his retainers to set fire to the establishment. The fire spread out of control, engulfing nearby residential areas. That day, 4 people burned to death, 19 died from smoke inhalation, 10 were seriously injured, and 31 sustained minor injuries."

By the time Izumi had written this far, her pen had torn right through the paper.

Veins bulged visibly on the back of her pale hand.

Gritting her teeth, she hissed: "Vile bastard!!"

One thought echoed in her mind, a confused and furious question—

How could someone who committed such atrocities… still be standing here alive, acting like nothing happened?!

Her brows furrowed as her gaze landed on the words 'retainers' written in her notebook.

A faint sense of realization began to form—

But for the moment, she couldn't quite grasp it.

"Gyokuzenin... that's the family name of the daimyō of the Land of Fire. Within the Land of Fire, only the daimyō and his direct relatives bear that surname."

It wasn't until Tachibana Jirō's voice reached Izumi's ear.

Izumi's face was full of disbelief: "The Land of Fire's... daimyō?"

Tachibana Jirō said, "Meow, that guy's very young, so he's definitely not the daimyō himself. He's probably a relative—possibly his offspring."

He licked his paw, rubbed his face with it, then continued: "Rookie, better be ready to cause a huge mess. Keizumi-sama never puts nobles in his eyes."

"Back during the Third Great Ninja World War, when Keizumi-sama left the village, he encountered a noble outside. That noble believed himself special, thinking the law couldn't judge or punish him. He committed many evil deeds and acted tyrannically in that area."

"In the end..."

"Keizumi-sama took a ninjatō and stormed into the estate, killing all 19 members of the noble's household. And not a single one of those evildoers was wronged!"

Izumi: "!!!"

Uchiha Keizumi's voice was faint, but not quiet—

After walking a dozen meters forward, it was already clearly audible to those ahead.

"Three years ago, while drunk, you assaulted an 11-year-old girl. After sobering up, afraid of others finding out, you strangled her and dumped her body in the river."

"One year ago..."

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