Fierce Uchiha

Winter, Konoha Year 50.

Ever since Naruto's disappearance, the Third Hokage had assigned two Anbu to protect Naruto.

At the Uchiha Clan Residence, Uchiha Clan members protected him as well.

Uchiha Fugaku did not dare let anything happen to Naruto inside the Uchiha Clan Residence.

As for Kushina's last mission, Minato had very simply placed the target's head at Kushina's resting place.

Then, in front of the ninja accompanying her, he said the mission was already complete and that he had returned to Konoha, before dispelling the Shadow Clone and vanishing.

The Name of the Nine-Tails Demoness became even more astonishing. Rumors even spread that the Nine-Tails Demoness could command monsters to silently deliver severed heads from a thousand miles away.

The more outlandish it became, the more many people in the Ninja World refused to believe it, thinking Konoha was just bragging.

But no matter what, Kushina had already become Konoha's public face of strength.

Although no one would suggest she become Hokage, no one dared mention the Name of the Nine-Tails Demoness to her face anymore either.

In particular, the rumors that Kushina had questioned the Hokage to his face and showed him no respect at all had basically ruined her reputation.

Because of what happened to Naruto, Itachi Uchiha also decided to graduate early from the Ninja Academy.

And during this period, more and more people went missing in Konoha. Among them, even ninja had disappeared.

For a time, Uchiha Fugaku was overwhelmed.

Because their Military Police Force had noticed the missing-person problem long ago.

But they had been investigating for almost three months and still had not found any trace of those missing people.

Previously, when Naruto went missing, Fugaku had been nervous precisely because their Military Police Force truly could not find the missing people. That was why Fugaku had not gone to the Military Police Force first to arrange for clan members to search for Naruto, but had gone to the Third Hokage immediately instead.

Now that winter had arrived, the disappearances had not only failed to decrease, they had grown worse and worse. Fugaku could not let things continue like this.

No fewer than five hundred people had already surrounded his Military Police Force.

These were basically all relatives of the missing people.

He had reported it to the Third Hokage as well.

But the Third Hokage's meaning was that disappearances occurring in Konoha needed to be investigated by the Military Police Force. The Anbu would also help the Military Police Force investigate, but the main responsibility still lay with the Military Police Force.

The double standard was truly ironclad. Missing ordinary people got tossed to the Military Police Force, but once the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki was involved, the Anbu became the vanguard.

But things were different now. A ninja had gone missing.

Fugaku went to the Third Hokage, and the Third Hokage also used the Telescope Technique, yet he still did not find the missing ninja.

Because of the Military Police Force's dereliction of duty, more and more civilians lost trust in the Uchiha.

"Uchiha, give me back my family!"

"Uchiha, you're holding your positions and doing nothing!"

"Uchiha, my husband has been missing for a month! If you still won't give me a definite answer, I'll smash my head open and die at the entrance of the Military Police Force!"

"Uchiha, give us an explanation!"

"That's right! An explanation!"

At that moment, Sasuke and Naruto, who were outside the Uchiha Clan Residence, also noticed what was happening here.

Sasuke immediately asked Itachi.

"Brother, why are those people telling our clan to give back their families? Did we capture their families?"

"No, Sasuke. They're just disappointed in the Military Police Force, because the Military Police Force hasn't found their missing loved ones." After Itachi Uchiha looked at the crowd in the distance, he also seemed somewhat downcast.

"Then wouldn't it be fine if they were found?" Naruto asked, very puzzled.

"That's because they haven't been found. Otherwise, why would they keep surrounding the Military Police Force? So dumb." Sasuke looked at Itachi again. "If Brother went to look, you'd find them very quickly, right?"

The corner of Itachi Uchiha's mouth twitched. This little brother was beyond saving.

Especially after he started spending time with Naruto, his tongue had grown sharper and sharper.

Maybe after getting used to sharp-tongued Naruto, he had brought that habit into daily life. He wasn't cute anymore.

At that moment, the civilians surrounding the Military Police Force saw Itachi Uchiha and Uchiha Sasuke.

"Look! It's the Uchiha!"

"Grab them and question the Uchiha!"

"..."

The civilians vented their emotions on the three children watching from the side.

Seeing this, Itachi Uchiha lifted Naruto and Sasuke, one in each hand, and used the Body Flicker Technique to leave.

If they did not leave now and got surrounded, there would be no explaining it.

"Ooooh~"

The two little kids dangling from Itachi Uchiha's hands looked at the scenery racing backward and both cried out in amazement.

After they returned to the Uchiha Clan Residence, Itachi had only just put the two little ones down when Naruto and Sasuke demanded to learn this technique that let people fly over rooftops.

Itachi Uchiha did not teach him.

There were many methods of Chakra Extraction, and the Uchiha Clan naturally had some too, but they did not advocate letting children who were too young begin extracting chakra.

It would greatly affect their physical condition and mental development.

Around five years old was usually the best time. Of course, for those with exceptional talent, the process could be brought forward appropriately.

The impact of the Uchiha Military Police Force being surrounded this time had already alarmed Konoha's other ninja clans.

A missing-persons case had occurred in Konoha, and with so many victims at that. There had even been ninja who vanished during this period. That was enough to make the ninja clans start worrying about their own clansmen as well.

Root.

The same thing happened once again, but this time Danzō's expression was somewhat relaxed.

"My lord, the civilians have been blockading the Uchiha Military Police Force for a day."

"My lord, Konoha's other ninja clans have already received the news."

Hearing this, Danzō could not help but want to laugh, but the reports that followed made his heart ache a little.

"My lord, Lord Orochimaru needs Kekkei Genkai Ninja as test subjects."

"My lord, the laboratory's supplies are being consumed rather quickly and need to be replenished."

Danzō's face returned to expressionless. "All right, I understand. Notify Orochimaru that the situation has been a little tense lately, so he should reduce the human experiments appropriately for now and continue once things blow over."

"My lord, the Third Hokage requests that you attend a meeting."

At that moment, a Root Ninja outside the door came in to report.

Shimura Danzō followed the Root Ninja out of Root Base with an expressionless face.

Not long after, at the Hokage Office.

The representatives of the various ninja clans and the Jonin Squad had all arrived.

After the meeting began, everyone tacitly remained silent, waiting for one of the advisors to launch an attack.

And sure enough, Danzō slapped the table. "Fugaku! You need to give us an explanation!"

"The missing-persons case was filed with the Military Police Force long ago and handed over to the Hokage."

"Then why has there been no result after so long? Don't you know this will cause immense panic among the villagers?"

"That is why the Military Police Force has been investigating the disappearances all along."

"Then why are there no results? Is this something your Uchiha Clan did? Are you shielding the culprit?"

Once those words were spoken, Uchiha Fugaku's expression grew even uglier.

"It is my Uchiha's incompetence. Therefore, I hereby request to resign from the position of Captain of the Military Police Force and disband the Military Police Force. The case will be handed over to the Anbu."

After Uchiha Fugaku finished speaking, the entire Hokage Office instantly became so quiet one could hear a pin drop.

None of the ninja clans had expected the Uchiha Clan to be so resolute.

The Third Hokage also had not heard even the slightest rumor that the Uchiha intended to give up the Military Police Force. This was a sudden blow to Konoha's decision-making circle, including Sarutobi Hiruzen.

"Fugaku! You're shirking responsibility!"

"Advisor Danzō, if you suspect that my Uchiha Clan did this, then please produce evidence!"

"Ahem. Everyone, calm down. Clan Head Fugaku, Konoha cannot be without the Military Police Force, so before this matter is concluded, I hope you can continue maintaining the normal operation of the Military Police Force. As for the missing-persons case, the Anbu will assist the Military Police Force in investigating it."

Sarutobi Hiruzen did not want to completely strip the Uchiha of their power just because Danzō pushed them too far.

If that happened, it would truly drag Konoha into civil war—and one extremely unfavorable to their Hokage faction at that.

After all, Danzō had already forced the Uchiha Clan into complete rebellion.