Late night in Konoha Village.
What should've been a full moon was hidden behind thick, heavy clouds, plunging the entire village into pitch-black darkness. Even the towering Hokage Rock was just a looming outline in the night—its four carved faces silent and watchful.
Suddenly, a bloodcurdling scream tore through the quiet:
"You… you worthless gambler!"
"How could you take our son's lifesaving money to gamble—and lose it all?!"
"Now our son is already… he's already…"
Then came the sound of someone breaking down, sobbing wildly:
"And even after all that, you still wanna gamble tonight?!"
"Are you even human?!"
"Let me go! You crazy woman!"
Smack!
A loud slap echoed, followed by the thud of fists and kicks raining down, accompanied by the woman's terrified cries.
Through it all, the man kept cursing:
"You lunatic! Our son's dead already! What's the point of whining about it now?!"
"If his spirit's watching, he should bless his old man to win every bet from here on!"
"This little bit of money left at home can help me make it all back!"
"Once I strike it big again, I'll head to Tanzaku Town, live it up with food and booze—then who cares about you, you crazy hag?"
That was the final blow. The woman snapped. She lunged in and sank her teeth into his leg.
"Argh!"
The man howled in pain, then kicked her hard in the head. She groaned and went limp, collapsing on the spot, unconscious.
He barely spared her a glance before stomping off, swearing under his breath.
Under cover of darkness, he weighed the few coins left in his wallet. The thought of hitting up Tanzaku Town for another big score made him itch with excitement—his bones practically tingled.
"Damn it, once I win it all back, I'll book the best hot-spring hotel in Tanzaku Town and spoil myself. Then I'll hire a few pretty young things to have some fun…"
By now, lights had flicked on in several neighboring houses. But after seeing the man in such a rage, no one wanted to risk confronting him.
He was so far gone with his gambling addiction that he'd turned his back on his wife and child. Anger and disgust hung thick in the air, but everyone knew he was more dangerous than a rabid dog once provoked. Nobody had the guts to stop him.
All they could do was gather and whisper: some shook their heads in pity, others wore scowls of disapproval, but in the end, no one stepped in.
Only when the man finally left did a few neighbors rush to help the woman who'd been knocked out cold.
"Haruko… wake up…"
"Are you okay?"
Slowly, the woman—Haruko—opened her eyes. From the emptiness in her gaze, it was clear she'd lost all hope.
"My son's gone… I don't want to live anymore…"
"And that awful gambler… he has no heart at all…"
Those around her let out a collective sigh.
"A man like that should just drop dead! Taking his kid's hospital money to gamble? He's worse than an animal."
"Yeah, karma'll catch up to him sooner or later."
"Will it, though? In this world, bad people seem to hang on forever while the good die young…"
They all fell silent.
Haruko shook her head. "E-even so… he's still my husband. Our son's gone, and he's the only one I have left…"
The neighbors stared at her, dumbfounded. "He's… you still…"
Haruko trembled as she forced herself to her feet, staggering in the direction her husband had run off.
"I… I'm going to find him. I have to talk him into coming back…"
Her neighbors trailed behind her, calling out:
"Hey, Haruko, that man's a lost cause. He won't change…"
…
Meanwhile, the gambler was practically jogging toward the village gates, jingling his coins and daydreaming about the thrill of the gambling hall, then indulging in all of Tanzaku Town's pleasures.
Out of nowhere, a figure materialized in the darkness, blocking his path.
"What the—?"
"Move it! Don't just stand in the way!"
But the silhouette didn't budge.
Despite the darkness, the man could swear the figure's eyes had an eerie, cold glint. His bravado started to crumble, and the alcohol buzz fled in an instant. He broke out in a cold sweat.
"W-what are you? A ghost or something?!"
"Hah, even if you are a ghost, I'm not scared!"
"Don't get between me and the gambling den, or you'll regret it!"
Just then, Haruko and the neighbors caught up.
"Who is that?"
One neighbor lifted a lantern, casting some light on the figure ahead.
"That uniform… wait, is that…"
"Konoha Police Force?!"
"It's… the Uchiha clan!"
A ripple of shock spread through the group. If it were ordinary cops, they'd be relieved. But in the eyes of most villagers, the Uchiha Police Force might as well be a bunch of red-eyed devils—feared and respected in equal measure.
The gambler's initial surprise gave way to relief.
"So, not a ghost after all. Nothing to worry about!"
"I don't care if you're the police or Uchiha. You can't tell me what to do!"
"Think you can stop me from gambling?!"
Still, the figure ahead didn't move or say a word.
At that moment, two more officers in the same uniform landed on either side of the first one.
"Captain, this is small stuff. Not really our concern…"
"Yeah, we're here to keep the village safe. This guy's a scumbag, sure, but I don't think this calls for police intervention…"
"Exactly, sir. The Uchiha clan's already on thin ice with the village. No need to stir more trouble. The patriarch wouldn't be happy."
The gambler caught snippets of this and felt even bolder.
"Hear that?"
"Just walk away and mind your business!"
"Uchiha? Police? Hah!"
"Even the Hokage can't tell me how to deal with my own family!"
With a mocking laugh, he shook his coin pouch again and brushed past the three officers, swaggering like he owned the place.
But then—
"Aaaaaargh!"
A horrible scream shattered the still night. Everyone watching went pale, some even passed out from shock.
"Wh-what happened?!"
The gambler turned around in confusion, only to realize the world was spinning.
Wait… that… that headless body… is that me?!
Did… did I just…
Thud.
A human head landed on the ground, rolling a few times. The eyes stared wide in disbelief, as if they couldn't comprehend what had just happened. The last thing it saw was that officer's foot stomping down, pinning it in place.
"C-Captain Chiyu! You—!"
The Konoha Police Force squad captain—Uchiha Chiyu—stood there with one foot crushing the severed head, his eyes cold, not a hint of emotion crossing his face.
Ding!
[You successfully helped a gambler quit gambling. Good deed accomplished. +10 Virtue Points!]