Everything the Security Division Did Was for the Village

"You!!"

Sarutobi Hiruzen nearly failed to catch his breath. Even the hand pointing at Genya was trembling.

"Who gave you Uchiha the right to openly arrest people on the streets and privately execute them without a trial?!"

Sarutobi Hiruzen truly deserved his reputation as an old fox. Once he knew the man could not be saved, he could only try to smear the Uchiha.

At least one of his two goals had to be achieved.

Genya's tone turned slightly colder.

"Third Hokage-sama, please mind your wording. Not the Uchiha—the Security Division."

"As for who gave the Security Division that authority, naturally it was the Second Hokage, Senju Tobirama-sama."

"Back when the Second Hokage was still alive, he personally told the members of the Security Division: 'The peace and order of Konoha depend on you.'"

"That era of boundless vitality, when all things flourished, still seemed vivid before my eyes."

"As an inheritor of the Will of Fire, of course I had to faithfully carry out his policies."

Sarutobi Hiruzen was practically furious enough to laugh.

"Teacher never said anything like that. On the contrary—"

Suddenly, Sarutobi Hiruzen fell silent.

Genya felt somewhat disappointed. An old fox truly was an old fox.

Some things could be said but not done, while others could be done but not said.

Although it was practically common knowledge that Konoha's upper ranks were hostile toward and wary of the Uchiha, that did not mean Sarutobi Hiruzen could casually say such things aloud.

Once he did, the entire Uchiha clan would learn of Konoha's higher-ups' schemes. At that point, even an outstanding Uchiha like Shisui might not remain on the same side as him.

In the end, Shisui's goal was not Konoha, but the Uchiha.

Unlike Itachi, Shisui still stood with the clan at heart.

At that thought, Sarutobi Hiruzen broke out in a cold sweat.

The contempt he had shown toward the younger generation vanished from his gaze as he looked at Genya.

Terrifying. He had nearly fallen into the trap of trying to prove himself.

Come to think of it, Genya had seemingly never fallen for his verbal trap from the very beginning, distinguishing the Uchiha from the Security Division.

Those were not the same concept. If the Uchiha clan casually arrested people in the streets, that would be arrogance and tyranny—the actions of a naturally evil clan.

But if it was the Security Division, at most they could be accused of violent law enforcement. Even that accusation might not stick.

The Security Division was a violent enforcement agency to begin with. Even the Anbu only had the authority to investigate and summon the Security Division, not to enforce the law against it.

"This old man will not stoop to argue with a junior like you. Bring out Uchiha Fugaku!"

Realizing that he might not be Genya's match in a battle of words, Sarutobi Hiruzen decisively chose to switch opponents.

Though Genya was young, his methods were ruthlessly seasoned, and he was skilled at pinning labels on others. He was far harder to deal with than Fugaku, who only knew how to compromise.

At that moment, Fugaku also walked over. Having witnessed the entire exchange, he stood behind Genya with his hands clasped behind his back, saying nothing.

Seeing Fugaku's attitude, how could Sarutobi Hiruzen not understand that he was backing Genya?

Taking a deep breath, Sarutobi Hiruzen slowly said,

"What exactly are you Uchiha trying to do?"

He still did not directly say the word rebellion, but Fugaku understood what he meant.

Yet unexpectedly, Fugaku—who had always tried to brush the subject aside and make concessions whenever it came up—rarely showed such resolve.

Knowing that Konoha was actually afraid of an Uchiha rebellion, Fugaku found himself speaking to Sarutobi Hiruzen with greater confidence.

He remembered what Genya had once said. At times like this, all he needed to do was stare at his opponent in silence and act mysterious.

Fugaku had once carried the title of "Wicked Eye Fugaku." Though it was somewhat exaggerated, the killing intent he had tempered on the battlefield was real.

Under the gaze of Uchiha Fugaku's Three-Tomoe Sharingan, Sarutobi Hiruzen's throat bobbed.

Unlike Sarutobi Hiruzen, whose body had already begun to decline, Fugaku was at the age when a ninja was at his peak.

And his reputation had truly been carved out on the battlefield.

Sarutobi Hiruzen was beginning to regret charging into the Uchiha clan grounds alone without bringing the Anbu.

If Fugaku suddenly lost his head, would these old bones of his not be buried here?

"...Fugaku, calm down first. Whatever it is, we can sit down and discuss it properly."

In the end, Sarutobi Hiruzen was actually the first to buckle under that pressure and make a concession.

From the corner of his eye, Fugaku glanced at Genya, whose expression had never changed, as though he had Sarutobi Hiruzen completely in his grasp.

At that moment, Fugaku had to admit that Genya's approach was extremely effective.

Showing one's fangs at the right time really could teach certain potential enemies to speak properly on their own.

Putting everything else aside, seeing Sarutobi Hiruzen act as if facing a great enemy and concede first gave Fugaku a secret thrill.

Seeing Sarutobi Hiruzen take a step back, Genya immediately pressed his advantage.

"The Second Hokage entrusted the vital Konoha Security Division to us Uchiha because he trusted the Uchiha clan!"

"How had it been less than twenty years, yet someone already dared to question the fairness of the Konoha Security Division to our faces?"

"This is not merely suppressing the Security Division. This is openly slapping the Second Hokage in the face!"

Uchiha Genya mentioned the Security Division with every breath and the Second Hokage with every other one, leaving Sarutobi Hiruzen unable to refute him at all.

Ninja were also extremely particular about lineage and teachers. If Sarutobi Hiruzen misspoke and Uchiha Genya twisted it into dissatisfaction with his teacher, would the reputation he had painstakingly built over so many years not be ruined?

Uchiha Genya's barrage continued. He looked meaningfully at Sarutobi Hiruzen and said with a faint, unreadable smile,

"Third Hokage-sama, everything the Security Division did was for the village!"

The moment those words came out, not only Sarutobi Hiruzen, but even Fugaku could not help turning to glance at Genya.

Why did the way you spoke sound so much like Danzo?

Sarutobi Hiruzen's eyelid twitched. At that moment, he dearly wished he could return and beat Danzo senseless.

Who told you to keep that phrase on your lips all day? Even those evil Uchiha had learned the trick!

If the Uchiha clan, with its formidable military strength, had no bottom line just like Danzo... Sarutobi Hiruzen realized that he had unconsciously broken out in a cold sweat.

Watching Sarutobi Hiruzen's startled reaction, Genya's lips curled upward as he continued,

"No matter what, that spy had already confessed, and even the procedures had been completed. Does the Third Hokage-sama have any further guidance?"

Sarutobi Hiruzen felt utterly stifled. He had actually been lectured by a junior until he did not know how to respond.

Indeed, the man was already dead. No matter how much they said, it was useless now.

But he would remember today's humiliation. One day, he would make them repay it many times over!