Asuma Was Arrested!

Asuma flew backward and sprawled on the ground.

That last blow had made him spit up blood.

If Roy hadn't used his fist just now, but a Kunai or a Shuriken instead,

Asuma probably would have been dead or gravely injured by now.

As the dust cleared, Roy stood where he was, completely unharmed.

"How is that possible?!"

Asuma's pupils shrank as he stared at Roy.

He had clearly seen Ash Pile Burning engulf Roy.

How could the guy have taken no damage from a ninjutsu attack of that magnitude?

Even his clothes weren't wrinkled.

The psychological blow was worse than the physical one.

Asuma froze on the spot.

"A Jonin... Heh..."

Roy said as he walked to the side.

Asuma wasn't his target at all. He was a waste of space.

"Shopkeeper, I'll ask you one more time. Are you sure we were the ones who beat you?"

"And that we ate at your restaurant without paying?"

Roy asked with a serious expression.

The shopkeeper had originally thought he was just giving Asuma a witness.

Now that even Asuma had been beaten to the ground, he was starting to panic.

But if he changed his story now, they would definitely take him away.

Slandering the Military Police Force and causing Asuma serious injury...

Either charge would leave him in deep trouble.

"It was you! I saw it with my own eyes!"

"What, are you people from the Military Police Force trying to threaten me?"

"I wouldn't be surprised if you tortured me into confessing."

The shopkeeper met Roy's gaze.

As long as he stuck to his story that Roy and the others had done it, he would only offend one Uchiha.

If he went back on his word, he'd offend Asuma too.

Then he'd have no hope at all.

"You may have misunderstood the Military Police Force."

"Or perhaps you've misunderstood the Uchiha."

"I won't torture you into confessing. I'll give you evidence."

As Roy spoke, he saw Uchiha Naishiro returning.

"Evidence?"

"You're hilarious. If you had evidence, why didn't you show it just now?"

The shopkeeper scoffed.

He didn't believe a word of it.

"You want evidence, do you?"

"This is the evidence."

Just then, Uchiha Natsume stepped forward.

"This is Roy and the others' route. There's a record of what they did at every place they visited."

"I've also tracked down everyone listed here and taken their statements."

Uchiha Natsume spoke calmly.

At the same time, he gave Roy an approving look.

Faced with a situation like this, Roy hadn't panicked. He had made the right choice immediately.

"Slandering the Military Police Force—what are you trying to achieve?"

"Or are you a spy from another village?"

Uchiha Natsume's expression suddenly darkened. He asked gravely,

"No, I'm not a spy!"

"It was Lord Asuma! He came to me and told me to frame Roy."

"They were the ones who started the fight, and they were the ones who smashed up the place."

"I have a witness. One of my employees saw it."

The shopkeeper panicked completely.

He had thought Roy was just some young kid who'd be easy to fool.

He hadn't expected Uchiha Natsume to show up and slap him with an accusation of being a spy.

Everyone in Konoha hated spies.

And once you were arrested as one, there was practically no chance of getting out alive.

"Sarutobi Asuma?"

"I understand. Take everyone involved into custody, then investigate whether Sarutobi Asuma has been in contact with anyone outside the village."

"Our honorable Hokage won't turn a blind eye to an attack on Konoha's security forces!"

After saying this, Uchiha Natsume immediately ordered his men to act.

"You're arresting me?"

"I'm the Hokage's son!"

"You think the mere Military Police Force has the right to arrest me?"

Only then did Asuma react. He roared furiously.

"The Military Police Force is responsible for all security matters within the village."

"That authority was granted by Lord Hokage. Are you planning to defy his will?"

Uchiha Natsume didn't bother to explain. He appeared behind Asuma in an instant.

He struck Asuma with the edge of his hand, knocking him out, then took him away.

"Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh..."

Just then, three Anbu members appeared.

"What?"

"Is the Anbu going to interfere in the Military Police Force's internal affairs?"

"Is Lord Hokage going to protect his own son?"

A knowing smile appeared on Uchiha Natsume's face.

The villagers nearby began murmuring among themselves.

Public opinion was turning against Sarutobi Hiruzen.

"We just came to see what was happening. We won't interfere in the Military Police Force's internal affairs."

"Captain Natsume, I hope you'll think this through carefully."

"Some things..."

"If you're not here to interfere, then move aside."

After saying this, Uchiha Natsume led everyone involved away.

The Anbu watched them go, then vanished in an instant.

Inside the Hokage Office.

"Have you finished investigating what happened?"

Sarutobi Hiruzen's expression was grim.

The Uchiha's strange behavior lately had left him baffled.

At first, when the Uchiha had volunteered to escort the Daimyo, Sarutobi Hiruzen had thought they might be changing their ways.

But then things changed too quickly.

The people in the Military Police Force seemed to have nothing to do. They had even assigned a squad to help out around the village and take care of all sorts of odd jobs.

That made Sarutobi Hiruzen uneasy.

He wasn't afraid of the hot-tempered, arrogant Uchiha. He was afraid of the calm, ruthless ones.

Just as he was preparing to investigate their activities, this incident happened.

He knew what Asuma was doing. He hadn't stopped him because he wanted to see whether the Uchiha would put up with it.

If they did, then the surveillance on them would have to be tightened.

A snake lurking in the grass was more terrifying than a wolf in plain sight.

But now... Asuma had been taken away...

"We don't know the details inside the Military Police Force, but Asuma was definitely acting impulsively."

"If this isn't handled properly, it could even affect you."

The Anbu member spoke helplessly.

"I understand. You may leave."

Sarutobi Hiruzen didn't show much emotion. He spoke in his usual steady voice.

"Understood."

The Anbu member nodded slightly, then disappeared.

"Lord Hokage, shall I take action?"

"The Uchiha have already stuck their noses where they don't belong."

Danzo stepped out of the shadows with a knowing look.

He made no effort to hide the scorn on his face.

This incident had clearly left Sarutobi Hiruzen in a difficult position.