Apprehension

Sarutobi Hiruzen stood before the crowd, his gaze beneath the Hokage hat sweeping over the battle-ready Uchiha, finally settling on Uchiha Ren at the forefront.

Facing that hostility, which had almost condensed into a physical force, not a trace of anger appeared on his face.

Instead, he wore that habitual, gentle smile that made people feel as if they were bathed in a spring breeze.

"Heh."

He chuckled softly, his voice calm, drowning out the subtle murmurs of the crowd.

"The number one noble clan recognized by the ninja world, the department in charge of Konohagakure order—to hear you call them 'small,' Ren-kun, is surely too modest."

He paused, his gaze seemingly drifting past Ren—

Fugaku, the head of the Konoha Military Police Force, Mikoto, the granddaughter of a Dove Faction elder, and the sharp-eyed Uchiha elites behind them.

Recalling the intelligence regarding the convergence of the three factions within the Uchiha, he had assumed that even if it were true, it was only just beginning.

But now, with the heirs of both factions standing openly behind the grandson of a Hawk Faction elder, the situation within the Uchiha was far more complex than he had imagined.

While his mind reeled, Sarutobi Hiruzen steered the conversation to the main point.

"The Konoha Military Police Force has made quite a stir today, arresting several ninja in the street and causing much gossip in the village. I truly cannot set my mind at ease."

"I wonder what crimes they committed to warrant such a massive mobilization of the entire Konoha Military Police Force?"

He avoided mentioning the Anbu or Root, clearly intending to downplay the matter and resolve it quietly.

Moreover, the dignity of the Hokage appearing in person gave the Uchiha plenty of face.

Noticing this, many Uchiha who leaned toward the Hokage felt their expressions shift; while their hostility lessened, their guard remained high.

The Hyuga clan head and others standing behind the Third Hokage remained silent, merely observing the Uchiha's reaction.

Seeing the Uchiha's formation, the shock in their hearts was no less than that of Sarutobi Hiruzen.

An Uchiha at war with itself versus a united Uchiha—they were two completely different clans!

Seeing Sarutobi Hiruzen's attitude, Ren knew exactly where he stood.

This old monkey was feeling cautious!

He was going to push his luck!

Ren turned slightly, clearing the path to the interior of the Konoha Military Police Force headquarters.

At the same time, he raised a hand in a gesture of invitation, his demeanor calm and unhurried.

"Third Hokage, clan heads, tea has been prepared in the Administrative Hall."

"Regarding the events of the day, speaking outside the gate is not the way to treat guests, nor is it the proper etiquette for discussion. Please, come inside to talk in detail."

This "luring the guest into the urn" tactic caused the "Shinobi Hero" to let his deep gaze linger on Ren's face for a moment, as if trying to discern some clue.

But as the Third Hokage who had weathered many storms, the gentle smile on his face did not change in the slightest, and he nodded readily.

The Uchiha had put the Hawk Faction at the front, yet their speech was polite, clearly signaling an attitude of "if we can't talk, we fight."

Utatane Koharu, standing behind him, wanted to dissuade him, but was pushed back by a look from Sarutobi Hiruzen—

I am the Hokage!

"Ren-kun is very thoughtful."

Sarutobi Hiruzen acted as if he were truly just a guest, walking calmly toward the brightly lit Administrative Hall of the Konoha Military Police Force.

Utatane Koharu hurriedly signaled the others, and only after seeing the other clan heads follow did she breathe a sigh of relief and trail behind the Hokage.

She was genuinely afraid that the Uchiha would take this opportunity to strike from the shadows; projecting her own nature onto others, Utatane Koharu would never pass up a chance to suppress the Uchiha.

After everyone was seated, Sarutobi Hiruzen's gaze turned once again to Ren at the head of the table, clearly not intending to let the previous topic be set aside.

Meeting the Third Hokage's gaze, Ren replied calmly.

"Lord Hokage should know that the duty of the Konoha Military Police Force is to maintain stability within the village. The regulations were established by the Second Hokage himself, and we dare not be the least bit negligent."

"Those arrested today were merely suspicious individuals skulking around the Uchiha compound."

"With war on the horizon, all sorts of forces are mingling together."

"It is hard to guarantee that spies from other nations haven't infiltrated the village, attempting to pry into Konohagakure secrets, or even sow discord and destroy the unity of the village."

The clan heads watched the exaggerating Uchiha with eyes as wide as if Columbus had discovered a new continent.

"As for the massive mobilization..."

Ren kicked the problem back, his words airtight.

"To ensure the safety of Konohagakure and eliminate hidden dangers, the Konoha Military Police Force never hesitates to commit its strength. After all, if they truly were spies, letting them escape would lead to endless trouble."

"Lord Hokage, wouldn't you agree?"

The smile on Sarutobi Hiruzen's face faded by an imperceptible degree.

Just as he was about to speak, Utatane Koharu beside him could no longer restrain herself, her voice carrying suppressed anger.

"Sophistry! They were clearly..."

"Koharu."

Sarutobi Hiruzen raised a hand to stop Utatane Koharu, who was acting as his mouthpiece, and looked at Ren once more.

"Since this is a criminal, according to procedure, shouldn't they be handed over to the Anbu for unified interrogation?"

"The Konoha Military Police Force is responsible for public security, but interrogation of spies is likely not our specialty."

This was the true objective—to demand the prisoner.

The atmosphere in the room became even more strained.

Every member of the Uchiha Clan understood that once the person was handed over, everything they had done today would be for nothing, and they might even be bitten back in return.

The matter of Hatake Sakumo, which Ren had mentioned at the clan meeting, hadn't happened all that long ago.

Before Ren could answer, Mikoto rose to her feet, stepped forward half a pace, and bowed slightly.

"Lord Hokage, Lord Advisor. Precisely because this matter may involve spies and is of great significance, the Konoha Military Police Force must be even more cautious."

"We have already obtained some preliminary clues and are currently conducting an urgent interrogation, striving to unearth the network behind them."

"To transfer them rashly now would likely disrupt the interrogation process and lead to the loss of these leads."

Mikoto raised her head, composed and graceful, her tone earnest.

"For the safety of Konohagakure, I ask that Lord Hokage allow the Konoha Military Police Force to investigate this case thoroughly. Once the interrogation is complete, we will certainly submit the full dossier to the Hokage Building immediately."

Her words were reasonable and logical; they both demonstrated the "loyalty" of the Uchiha Clan and blocked the other side's excuse for forcibly demanding the prisoner.

Sarutobi Hiruzen took a deep look at Mikoto, then looked at Ren, who remained as steady as a mountain with calm eyes, and felt a chill in his heart.

The younger generation before him was much harder to deal with than the crude older generation.

He remained silent for a moment, and the air around them seemed to solidify.

Many of the Uchiha Clan members braced themselves, ready to swarm out and hack the Hokage and his party to pieces the moment Ren gave the order.

Under this tense atmosphere, Utatane Koharu suppressed the urge to flee, cursing in her heart at these "naturally evil Uchiha brats"!

The heads of the other ninja clans also prepared themselves for the fallout, as they dared not gamble on whether the Uchiha might just kill them along with the others.

"Oh?"

Under the gaze of everyone present, the Third Hokage finally spoke slowly, his voice betraying neither joy nor anger.

"Since that is the case, then I shall wait and see what kind of astonishing 'clues' the Konoha Military Police Force can extract."

"Of course, Ren-kun wouldn't mind if I arranged for the Yamanaka clan to lend a hand so that the 'clues' can be interrogated more quickly, would you?"

"Of course... I don't mind."

Ren smiled.