The World Was Still the Same

Uchiha Toko left Root without looking back.

Kakashi's heart jolted when he heard the name Uchiha Toko had mentioned.

Obito's grandmother? That's right. All these years, because of my guilt, I never once visited her...

I really... am a failure.

"Captain..." Seeing Kakashi standing there in a daze, an Anbu ninja stepped forward to remind him.

"I'm fine." Coming back to his senses, Kakashi waved a hand. "Handle this place, then return and report to Lord Hokage."

After returning to the Military Police Force within the Uchiha Clan Territory, Uchiha Toko immediately headed for the Interrogation Room.

The Wood Style ninja brought back yesterday had already been interrogated for an entire day. As for Yamanaka Fu, who had been brought back today, he had awakened not long after being taken to the Interrogation Room. The two were now tightly bound inside, their Chakra sealed.

However, the interrogation had not gone smoothly. They were ninjas, after all—ninjas who had come from a place like Root. The Military Police Force's Interrogation Room, meant for the village's petty criminals, was naturally somewhat inadequate.

"Clan Head." After Uchiha Toko entered the Interrogation Room, several clan members responsible for the interrogation temporarily stopped their work and stepped forward to bow.

"How is the interrogation going?" Uchiha Toko asked.

"Their mouths are tight, especially the one from yesterday. We beat him all night, but he still hasn't said a thing. We were just planning to ask a Three Tomoe jōnin skilled in Genjutsu from the clan to help." The one in charge of the interrogation was merely an ordinary Uchiha chūnin with only a One Tomoe Sharingan. Normally, that was more than enough to deal with the village's petty criminals, but against two fairly powerful ninjas, it was not nearly enough.

"No need to make this so troublesome. I'll handle it myself." As Uchiha Toko spoke, he entered the Interrogation Room and stopped before Yamanaka Fu.

Yamanaka Fu, tied to a chair, had clearly already suffered several vicious beatings over the past while. The moment he saw Uchiha Toko, his face filled with hatred, and his eyes looked ready to devour him whole.

Uchiha Toko smiled faintly as he looked at this unfortunate fool who had been thoroughly brainwashed by Danzo. Then he waved a hand, and the interrogators behind him stepped forward to deliver another round of punches and kicks.

Even Uchiha Toko could only shake his head at the sight. There was definitely some personal resentment mixed into this. Then again, Danzo's Root had clashed with the Uchiha Clan plenty of times in the past. Now that they finally had someone in their hands, naturally they had to give him a proper welcome.

Once the beating seemed sufficient, Uchiha Toko slowly rose and walked over to Yamanaka Fu.

"I... won't... say anything." After taking a brutal beating, Yamanaka Fu panted heavily, yet he still stared at Uchiha Toko with unyielding eyes.

The noon sunlight streamed through the Interrogation Room window, making it difficult for Yamanaka Fu to keep his eyes open. Uchiha Toko's face before him was blurred in his vision.

"I took a look around your Root base. It was pretty frightening," Uchiha Toko said softly.

"Your Root wanted to help Danzo become Hokage? Wanted to eliminate the Uchiha?" Uchiha Toko reached out and wiped the blood from the corner of Yamanaka Fu's mouth.

"Take a look outside. Nothing out there has changed. The village is still the same as before." As Yamanaka Fu gradually adjusted to the sunlight, Uchiha Toko's face became clear in his eyes, but his words sent a chill down his spine.

"Actually, whether you confess or not isn't important at all. I never intended to get any information from you." With that, Uchiha Toko turned toward the clan members handling the interrogation. "Keep a close eye on him. Just don't let him die."

"Inaho."

"Here!" Uchiha Inaho stepped before Uchiha Toko and saluted.

"Gather the Second Squad and come with me," Uchiha Toko ordered.

"Understood." Uchiha Inaho nodded. "Clan Head, where are we going?"

"Of course, we're going to the Shimura Clan to arrest Shimura Danzō's accomplices," Uchiha Toko said.

"Arrest them directly?" Uchiha Inaho asked in disbelief, though a trace of excitement showed in his eyes. The Shimura Clan's ninjas had never been on good terms with the Uchiha Clan in the village.

"How can you call it an arrest?" Uchiha Toko smiled. "Shimura Danzō attacked fellow village ninjas and desecrated the First's corpse. The evidence is conclusive. And while I was in Root's base, I happened to find some evidence of financial dealings between the Shimura Clan and Root."

As he spoke, Uchiha Toko took a ledger that was more than half burned from a Sealing Scroll.

"So, we're merely inviting them back for questioning."

Uchiha Toko's words made Yamanaka Fu, who was bound to the interrogation chair, widen his eyes. He clearly remembered that all of Root's transaction records had been destroyed.

Uchiha Toko turned back to glance at Yamanaka Fu at just the right moment. Seeing the barely perceptible smile at the corner of Uchiha Toko's lips, Yamanaka Fu finally understood why Uchiha Toko had said his confession was not important at all.

Yamanaka Fu began struggling violently. Just as he was about to shout, a Uchiha member beside him punched him and covered his mouth at the same time.

He could only watch helplessly as Uchiha Toko led his men away.

Before long, the Second Squad of the Military Police Force, which had no mission at this hour, finished assembling.

The men had originally been somewhat disgruntled at receiving an assembly notice during their rest period, but the moment they heard they were going to cause trouble for the Shimura Clan, every fine young man of the Uchiha Clan perked right up.

"Reporting to the Clan Head, Second Squad of the Military Police Force has assembled!" At the entrance of the Military Police Force, Uchiha Yanyu, captain of the Second Squad, reported.

Uchiha Toko nodded.

Uchiha Yanyu suddenly shouted, "Salute the Clan Head!"

The Second Squad members snapped into a military salute. "Loyalty! Sincerity!"

Uchiha Toko looked at the scene, torn between laughter and tears. Ever since he had impulsively saluted Sarutobi Hiruzen yesterday, this form of etiquette had become popular within the clan.

"Loyalty! Sincerity!" Uchiha Toko returned the salute, then led the squad toward the Shimura Clan.

Such a huge commotion naturally could not escape the village's notice. Sarutobi Hiruzen was currently nursing a headache in his office. He had originally planned to absorb the remaining Root under Danzo's command, but early that morning, he received news that Uchiha Toko had slaughtered all of Root.

At the same time, Uchiha Itachi, who had come to work at Anbu, truthfully informed him of everything that had happened at yesterday's clan meeting.

After learning that Uchiha Toko had become the Uchiha Clan Head, Sarutobi Hiruzen let out a long sigh.

"The only good news is that Toko suppressed the Uchiha Clan's idea of a violent rebellion. And recruiting Commoner Ninja into the Military Police Force—regardless of his motives, it is generally still a good thing." Sarutobi Hiruzen consoled himself this way.