A little over ten minutes earlier...
"Lord Hokage, this is bad! The Nine-Tails Jinchuriki, Naruto Uzumaki... has been abducted by the mysterious Masked Man, 'Uchiha Madara'!"
Hizashi Hyuga rushed into the Hokage Building, frantic with worry.
He wasn't the only one who was anxious.
The moment he said those words,
the Third Hokage suddenly shot to his feet.
Next,
he summoned the ANBU, personally donned his armor, and prepared to set out in search of Naruto.
But before the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, could finish getting ready,
an ANBU operative ran in.
In front of Hizashi Hyuga, he reported to Hiruzen Sarutobi, "Lord Hokage... the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki, Naruto Uzumaki, was abducted by Hyuga Sho and Uchiha Fugaku!"
Hiruzen Sarutobi: "?!"
Uchiha Obito and White Zetsu's disguises had been flawless.
The scene they had staged on Konoha's central street
had successfully deceived everyone.
Uchiha Obito had disguised himself as Uchiha Fugaku.
White Zetsu had disguised himself as Hyuga Sho.
The abduction of Naruto Uzumaki by the two of them had "happened" to be "witnessed."
But the problem was...
Hizashi Hyuga said that Naruto Uzumaki had been abducted by the Masked Man, Uchiha Madara.
Yet his own subordinate ANBU claimed that Naruto Uzumaki had been abducted by Hyuga Sho and Uchiha Fugaku. This...
Hiruzen Sarutobi stood frozen on the spot.
The next moment,
Shimura Danzō, Utatane Koharu, and Mitokado Homura walked in.
"Hmph! Sarutobi, this is outrageous. That Hyuga Sho truly does harbor rebellious intentions!"
Utatane Koharu was the first to speak.
She seemed to have seized upon the evidence.
Shimura Danzō, meanwhile, narrowed his eyes, looking completely unperturbed.
But the slight curl at the corner of his mouth revealed his eagerness to see Hyuga Sho captured.
"Danzō, order the arrest of Hyuga Sho and Uchiha Fugaku."
Danzō spoke in a bland