Chapter 8: Not Stealing Ration Pills Due to Hunger

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...

In the 39th year of Konoha, the village faced its most economically challenging period. The Second Shinobi World War had nearly drained Konoha of its lifeblood.

On this day, a difficult case was being handled at the Konoha Police Force. The case did not involve any powerful ninja. Instead, an elderly woman, nearly sixty years old, was brought in, her expression filled with more shame than sorrow. She had been caught stealing ration pills from a store, and the shopkeeper had reported her to the Konoha Police Force.

The Police Chief asked, "Old lady, did you really steal the ration pills from the store?" The elderly woman, head lowered, stammered as she replied, "Yes, Chief, I did."

The Police Chief continued, "What was your motive for stealing the ration pills? Was it because you were hungry?"

"Yes," the old lady raised her head and looked at the Police Chief, saying, "I was hungry, but more than that, I needed those pills to feed the three orphans left behind by the Shinobi World War. They lost their parents in the war and haven't eaten in days. I couldn't just watch them starve to death."

Upon hearing the old lady's words, a low murmur of discussion spread throughout the Konoha Police Force. The Police Chief spun a kunai in his hand before sternly declaring, "Quiet! Now, I will announce the verdict. Old lady, I must follow the law of Konoha."

"You have two choices: pay a fine of 10,000 ryō or spend ten days in jail." The old lady's face was filled with pain and remorse as she responded to the Police Chief, "Chief, I committed a crime and am willing to accept the punishment. If I had 10,000 ryō, I wouldn't have stolen the ration pills. I'm willing to be jailed for ten days, but who will take care of the three grandchildren who lost their parents in the war?"

At this moment, a young, ordinary officer in the Police Force stood up, bowed to the elderly woman, and said, "Please accept the 10,000 ryō fine." As he spoke, he turned to face the others in the room and took out 1,000 ryō, placing it in front of the old lady.

"Everyone, I am just an ordinary member of the Uchiha clan, but I ask each of you to contribute 1,000 ryō for the fine. This is the price we pay for our indifference, a penalty for living in a village where a grandmother must steal ration pills to feed her grandchildren."

The room fell silent. After a moment, all the members of the Police Force stood up quietly, each person sincerely taking out 1,000 ryō and placing it in front of the old lady. Even the Police Chief was no exception, and by the end, the amount in front of her far exceeded the 10,000 ryō fine.

An anonymous ninja later overheard the Police Chief muttering to himself, "If a person commits a crime for money, they are guilty; if they commit a crime for ration pills, the village is guilty; if they commit a crime for dignity, everyone in the village is guilty."

---

Uchiha Fugaku sat in a daze, holding the article Gojo Kaigetsu had just written, unable to say a word.

The Yin Release Chakra stimulated his brain through his Sharingan, causing his mind to work frantically.

He thought, "When was I born in Konoha?"

It seemed like... the 19th year of Konoha!

Then who was the Police Chief in the 39th year of Konoha?

"If I remember correctly, my father died in the 37th year, and that's when I took over as the Police Chief... So, the Police Chief in the 39th year of Konoha was me, Uchiha Fugaku!"

Uchiha Fugaku nodded in sudden realization.

"So... I was the one who handled the case of the old lady stealing the ration pills... huh?"

But something was off. he didn't recall anything like this happening.

It was currently the 51st year of Konoha. The chaos of the 12 years of war had caused many things to be forgotten.

He was nearly out of chakra, and his memory center couldn't recall encountering such an event in the 39th year of Konoha.

Moreover, in those turbulent times, how could such a situation arise? Everyone knew that in times of chaos, harsh punishments were necessary, with the Police Force mostly dealing with rough and lawless thugs, locking them up and beating them harshly.

Where was there any room for "100 ryō of kindness," only fists the size of sandbags delivering painful screams and groans?

Fugaku glanced at Gojo Kaigetsu, who was sipping tea and chatting cheerfully with his wife, and then lowered his head to reread the article...

"Could it be... have I lost part of my memory due to excessive Sharingan training over the years?"

Uchiha Fugaku fell into deep self-doubt.

Something felt wrong, very wrong.

The entire article exuded a strange and eerie vibe, making Fugaku believe that the Yin Release chakra was affecting his brain.

Finally, he looked up at Gojo Kaigetsu again and asked uncertainly, "Um... Gojo-kun, I don't quite understand."

Uchiha Mikoto covered her belly and chuckled softly. Gojo Kaigetsu turned his head, and although his eyes were covered by a black cloth, Fugaku felt as if he could sense his confusion.

The unspoken question seemed to ask, "I wrote it so clearly, and you still don't understand? You idiot Uchiha."

Fugaku felt a bit ashamed. Gojo Kaigetsu had completely seen through him; he couldn't keep up with his thought process anymore.

"Please, enlighten me," Fugaku said earnestly.

"What don't you understand?" Gojo Kaigetsu asked in return.

Fugaku pointed to the article, still wet with ink, and said, "It mentions the Police Force in the 39th year, and I was the Chief at the time, but I don't recall any such case..."

"Of course you wouldn't remember because I made the whole thing up~"

"What? You made it up? Isn't that lying?"

"So what if it is?"

Uchiha Fugaku felt as though he was seeing Gojo Kaigetsu for the first time. Of course, lying was common, especially for ninjas who danced on the edge of a blade. what's lying compared to that?

But the key point was that this article was supposed to be used to change the "other" world's prejudice against the Uchiha.

How could a beautiful vision built on lies be realized?

Gojo Kaigetsu's wise and sparkling eyes seemed to see through the black cloth, piercing Fugaku's mind. "You're worried that if the truth is exposed, the Uchiha will be labeled as a clan of liars, plunging us into even deeper despair, right?"

"Yes, that's exactly what I'm worried about, Gojo-kun..."

"Who would remember?" Gojo Kaigetsu retorted, "Even you, the person involved, had to think for so long. Who would remember events from 12 years ago?"

"But... what about Root? What if Shimura Danzo or the Third Hokage wanted to suppress us Uchiha and deliberately spread the truth?"

Gojo Kaigetsu's confusion deepened, "Think about it, why is the Uchiha clan so deeply prejudiced against?"

"Because... of hearsay!"

...

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