The Advisors, You're Going to Jail

Those ninja clans still existed. Sigh, Teacher died too soon!

Hiruzen Sarutobi shook his head. And now, he saw hope for getting those clans to integrate into the village.

That hope was the Study Corps. He could give Uchiha Kazuto orders to have members of those clans join the Study Corps regularly, learning from one another and blending together. Slowly, the barriers between the clans would disappear, and in the end, his teacher's ambition would be fulfilled: the great clans would disband and become a part of the village's strength.

Although Uchiha Kazuto would keep drawing the clans' hostility and hatred in the process, that wasn't a big problem. The Uchiha Clan would be disbanded eventually anyway.

As for the Sarutobi clan... that was different.

Hiruzen Sarutobi shook his head. As clan head of the Sarutobi clan and acting Hokage, he had never considered disbanding the Sarutobi clan. He hadn't even considered disbanding the Ino–Shika–Cho clans. After all, that was different.

If he'd truly had the resolve and the intention, he should have followed his teacher's example and disbanded the Sarutobi clan after becoming Hokage.

But, Teacher, your ideals were sound. Still, I have to study them with discernment. Some things are worth learning; others aren't necessary.

"Heh, Kazuto, I'm counting on you!"

Hiruzen Sarutobi nodded as he smoked. Uchiha Kazuto was a rare and useful tool.

He now trusted Uchiha Kazuto completely, without a shred of doubt. Just look at what Kazuto was doing now: loyal—utterly loyal—and considering the Hokage's and the village's interests in every way.

Compared to Uchiha Fugaku, he was like night and day. He was a thousand times better than Danzo, that idiot who did nothing but go around saying "kill, kill, kill."

He more or less understood the village's current situation, but as an old man and a ninja, he didn't think it was a major problem—especially after hearing Uchiha Kazuto's explanation.

The village was thriving. If Uchiha Kazuto weren't a member of the Uchiha Clan, he'd even consider promoting him to become the new Danzo.

What a shame!

Guard Station.

"Heh, those two old men really did have some shady dealings with Danzo."

Uchiha Kazuto looked over the documents in his hands. They were among the materials seized from Root: all kinds of confidential records, human experiments, and the dark side of Konoha. But Kazuto had kept them under wraps instead of reporting them to Hiruzen Sarutobi.

Hiruzen Sarutobi hadn't asked, either. He probably figured that, given the loyalty Uchiha Kazuto had displayed, he wouldn't misuse the information. After all, Kazuto seemed far too loyal in public.

Besides, Kazuto had used some of those documents—some true, some fabricated—to extort a hefty sum from the ninja clans. That only made Hiruzen Sarutobi more certain Kazuto wouldn't abuse them.

"Damn it! Those two old bastards actually dared to collude with Danzo, lining their own pockets behind the great Lord Hokage's back! With vermin like them around, how can Konoha prosper? How can its politics ever improve?"

The next moment, the playful look vanished from Uchiha Kazuto's face. He looked utterly grief-stricken and furious, as if he'd truly been enraged.

Gritting his teeth, Uchiha Kazuto took the documents and headed for the Hokage's Office.

Not long afterward.

"Lord Hokage, those two advisors have gone too far! What they're doing is treating Konoha like their personal property, trampling on your dignity and the village's interests!"

Uchiha Kazuto handed the documents to Hiruzen Sarutobi, speaking with righteous indignation and fury.

"This..."

Hiruzen Sarutobi looked at the documents in his hands, his expression troubled. He'd expected something like this. If it had been anyone else, it would have been a serious problem. But since it was his two old comrades, he didn't think it was that serious.

Uchiha Kazuto, oh, Uchiha Kazuto. You claim to be utterly loyal, but you're really charging ahead without thinking. Never mind. I'll call Homura and Koharu in, give them a scolding, and make them give up some benefits. That should be enough. Kazuto will understand.

"Heh! Just as I thought!"

Watching Hiruzen Sarutobi's expression, Uchiha Kazuto sneered inwardly. From the beginning, he'd known these documents wouldn't pose any real threat to those two old men. His goal had never been to bring them down. After all, the trouble over Danzo had been so huge, and in the end, nothing had happened to him.

Konoha was being wasted in the hands of people like this. Under Hiruzen Sarutobi's leadership, Konoha's high-level fighters would die or flee. If Naruto hadn't had plot armor, Konoha would've been gone long ago.

"Lord Hokage, I... I know this puts you in a difficult position. The two advisors have done so much for Konoha, but what they're doing has gone too far. They're trampling on your dignity. If they aren't punished, what will the village's ninja think?"

Uchiha Kazuto looked at Hiruzen Sarutobi with a loyal expression, cutting off any chance for him to object.

At those words,

Hiruzen Sarutobi lowered his head. He had a point.

"Then, Kazuto, what do you think we should do?"

Hiruzen Sarutobi asked.

"Lord Hokage, I propose that the two advisors spend two years at the Military Police Force."

By "spend," he meant spend two years in prison.

Just two years in prison!

Hiruzen Sarutobi thought it over and decided it wasn't unreasonable. The two of them had indeed gone a bit too far this time. Still, the Military Police Force wouldn't do. Given Uchiha Kazuto's temperament, what if he tortured his two old friends?

"Uchiha Kazuto, what are you saying!"

Just then, Utatane Koharu's voice rang out. A moment later, she and Mitokado Homura, two old geezers, walked in one after the other.

They glared at Uchiha Kazuto, their faces dark. What had they just heard? This reckless, naturally evil Uchiha, the one who'd killed Danzo, the beast who'd led Hiruzen Sarutobi astray, actually dared to come after them!

He had to be insane!

What had they even done? They'd only made a few deals with Danzo. What was the big deal?

Even if we're corrupt, does that mean you, Hiruzen Sarutobi, are clean?

Or are you saying you've never had any dealings with Danzo?

At that moment, the two of them were furious.

"Honored advisors, the evidence is conclusive. You're asking me what I'm saying? I should be asking what you've done. Do you even understand that your actions violate Konoha's laws, betray the great Will of Fire, and betray the great Lord Hokage?"

Uchiha Kazuto looked at the two old men, his face full of anger.