Before the Third Hokage

After midnight, the Root members who had fought on the front lines quickly left the Uchiha compound after taking all the spoils they could.

The Anbu left behind had truly terrible luck.

Normally, the villagers were responsible for cleaning the village, and dangerous places like the ninja training grounds were assigned as missions to genin.

However, sensitive areas like the Uchiha compound were the responsibility of the Uchiha clan themselves, and outsiders were not allowed. After the great battle today, all the bloodstains and corpses were left for the Anbu to deal with.

"Ah, it's still easier than fighting those red-eyed people," the Cat-faced Anbu said with a grin, looking at the Leopard-faced Anbu who was carrying corpses.

"Yes, yes, you're so relaxed, so noble."

Their newly formed Anbu squad only had three members. Their captain had already gone to the Hokage's office to report, the Cat-faced Anbu was using a roster to record the identities of the corpses, and Uchiha Jie was placing the identified corpses into coffins.

They, along with other Anbu squads, had to complete the entire cleanup before the sun rose over Konoha.

Meanwhile, the Hokage's office was also brightly lit. The Third Hokage had been awake all night, constantly monitoring everything happening in the Uchiha compound with the Teleportation Jutsu.

Once everything was over, he stopped the image in the crystal ball before him and looked at the Anbu standing rigidly in front of him, asking softly, "Tiger, you seem very angry?"

"Not at all, Lord Hokage," the Tiger-faced Anbu replied softly, lowering her head.

"I know you're angry. Your team was disbanded, and you were made to wear a mask and join the Anbu..."

The Third Hokage's rambling words had barely begun when they were interrupted by the Tiger-faced Anbu's cold voice.

"And what happened tonight, wasn't it?"

"The entire Uchiha clan, not even a single ninja cat was left. Was this truly unavoidable?" she continued to ask.

"They lived in Konoha, they were Konoha's villagers, they wore headbands, they were Konoha's ninja."

"I know you admired your teammate greatly, but regarding the Uchiha clan, I am very sorry. This is not something I could decide alone." Hiruzen Sarutobi lowered his head, his hat hiding his face in darkness. A pungent wisp of smoke then slowly rose.

"The Uchiha clan had hundreds of members who awakened the Sharingan. The vast majority of these people were not like Uchiha Jie. They were arrogant, conceited, bullies who preyed on the weak and were utterly disrespectful..."

"And most of them suffered from severe mental illnesses," the Tiger-faced Anbu interrupted the Third Hokage once again.

"Uchiha Jie told you that? Mental illnesses?"

Hiruzen Sarutobi frowned. This was a conclusion he had never heard of or even considered. Although ninjas privately called those Uchiha 'red-eye disease' and some even used more aggressive terms, deep down, they had never considered the Uchiha clan to be genuinely ill.

A group of patients made them constantly anxious, wary, and desperate to find ways to expel them from the center of Konoha's power, ultimately leading to their complete annihilation, leaving only a child still attending the Ninja Academy.

"Ah, yes. He was also planning to apply for a mission to find Lady Tsunade once he became a Jonin, asking her to return to Konoha for a consultation," the Tiger-faced Anbu said slowly.

"Uchiha Jie, he truly is a different kind of Uchiha," the Third Hokage sighed deeply, looking up. The wrinkles on his face creased together, and his gaze was no longer as clear as it was in his youth.

"I believe you saw that long ago," the Tiger-faced Anbu said, gazing at the Third Hokage's aged face and shaking her head gently. "But you never believed him."

She knew her former teammate had written to the Third Hokage more than once, wanting to communicate face-to-face, but the Third Hokage never gave him that opportunity.

Perhaps he feared the powerful Sharingan genjutsu, or perhaps he had other concerns, but she knew what he wanted to say. Every member of their squad knew.

It wasn't some wild fantasy, nor was it rebellious.

"He didn't believe in the Will of Fire..." the Third Hokage said slowly under the Tiger-faced Anbu's scrutinizing gaze. This single sentence ignited the Tiger-faced Anbu's emotions.

"Bullshit Will of Fire!" she shouted.

"Do you believe in it? Or does Shimura Danzō? Or perhaps Elder Utatane and Elder Mito, who can only sit in their seats and utter nonsense for half a day?"

"Why did Orochimaru defect? Why is Lady Tsunade constantly gambling outside? Why does Jiraiya never return to the village? And your son, my cousin, has gone to the Daimyo to become a guardian ninja?"

The Hokage's desk was slammed with a thunderous sound, but its owner once again lowered his head. Secondhand smoke continuously drifted out from under his hat. Seeing his demeanor, the Tiger-faced Anbu's voice grew louder and louder.

"Who are the people who believe in this pile of crap? Tell me?"

"How was Kakashi Hatake's Father forced to commit suicide? What did the Fourth Hokage perish with? Without them, how could you old fossils still be alive today, sitting in these positions?"

"And tell me, who will live in the Uchiha clan's compound from now on? Whose warehouses will be filled with the plundered money and ninjutsu? Will Konoha's foremost ninja clan take your surname?"

"And I'm about to take charge of the brand new Konoha Military Police Force, with my good subordinates Shikaru Nara and Hyuga Yue already prepared as my deputies?"

"Finally, will I also have to replace my eyes with Sharingan like Kakashi Hatake, which no one will ever question again? Heh, maybe even Uchiha Jie's eyes."

"No..." the Third Hokage's voice became hoarser, perhaps from smoking, but more like the moment an old man bends down, weakly leaning on his cane.

"The Uchiha clan's compound will be preserved. Apart from Sasuke Uchiha, no one will reside there."

"The plundered money will be collected by Konoha for strategic reserves. The ninjutsu will be available for free study by the Anbu who participated in this operation, and will be sold at a low price to other Konoha ninja."

"The Hyuga Clan will become Konoha's foremost clan. Hiashi's influence among Konoha's high ranks will be elevated, and village resources will be tilted towards the Hyuga Clan."

"As for the Military Police Force, it will be reorganized and handed over to civilian ninja. Its authority will be greatly reduced, used only for maintaining village order."

"As for Uchiha Jie's Sharingan, he was killed by Uchiha Itachi, incinerated by the Great Fireball Technique, leaving only ashes..."

As the Third Hokage spoke, he took out a small sealing scroll from under his desk, and then took out a piece of paper. On it was Uchiha Jie's Special Jonin evaluation certificate, with a large "Pass" stamp on it.

The Tiger-faced Anbu frowned and took the scroll. Just as she was about to tear it open, the Third Hokage's withered hand grasped her wrist, firm and strong.

"It's not good to open it here..." he said softly. "Bury him near the Monument of Remembrance."

The Tiger-faced Anbu nodded, staring blankly at the scroll in her hand until the Third Hokage's rough palm covered hers, slowly helping her close it.

"He will not be buried near the Monument of Remembrance. He will be buried beside his own people," the Tiger-faced Anbu's voice also became hoarse. She carefully put away the scroll and looked at the Third Hokage again.

Although she still had countless words in her heart, the anger she had felt had completely dissipated. Looking at the increasingly aged Third Hokage, her words from earlier seemed to have burdened him with a thousand pounds. The next words from this old man, this elder, made the tears she had held back all night finally stream down.

"Actually, if Uchiha Jie hadn't awakened his eyes, I would have been very willing for him to marry into our family and take the Sarutobi surname, my little Kou."

"He will..." Sarutobi Kou said silently in her heart.