Facing the Conflict

Yet at this moment, in the hands of Uchiha Ling, this old regulation—forgotten by many and even viewed as a "shackle" by some within the Uchiha Clan—had become his sharpest weapon.

He intended to use their own methods against them, employing the rules established by the Second Hokage, Tobirama Senju, to counter Shimura Danzō himself.

"Come in." Uchiha Ling's voice was not loud, yet it carried clearly to the door.

A member of the Uchiha Clan pushed the door open in response, his expression respectful: "Captain Ling, what are your orders?"

Uchiha Ling now held immense prestige within the Military Police Force, not only because he had resolved the conflicts with the civilians, but also because he had revealed his Mangekyo Sharingan, winning over a large number of jonin.

Uchiha Ling handed over the copy of the Konoha Special Public Security Maintenance Ordinance, his tone flat yet carrying an unquestionable decisiveness:

"Pass on my order: all squads of the Military Police Force are to conduct public investigations and summons for members of the Shimura Clan suspected of being the primary instigators of rumors, as well as those members of the Root organization whose identities have been exposed.

If they resist, you are authorized to take mandatory measures in accordance with the regulations, including on-the-spot arrest."

The Uchiha clansman was stunned for a moment, then a trace of excitement and fanaticism flashed in his eyes.

Taking action against the Shimura Clan and the Root? This was something the Uchiha Clan hadn't even dared to imagine for years!

But since the order came from Uchiha Ling, the captain who possessed the Mangekyo, he bowed and accepted the order without hesitation: "Yes! Captain Ling!"

The order was quickly disseminated, and the entire Konoha Military Police Force began to operate at high speed like a precision machine.

The Uchiha officers, who had long been dissatisfied with the recent rumors, were now filled with righteous indignation and eager to act.

They donned their formal Military Police uniforms, fastened the Uchiha Gunbai emblem, and formed into squads, like unsheathed swords, heading straight for the Shimura Clan's compound and several known peripheral outposts of the Root.

A storm, the likes of which Konoha had never seen, suddenly erupted.

Shimura clansmen who usually held some status in the village—whether at home, in shops, or on their way to missions—were intercepted one after another by Uchiha officers.

The officers presented summons stamped with the seal of the Military Police Force and, citing the clauses of the yellowed ordinance, demanded they immediately accompany them to the Military Police headquarters to assist in the investigation of a case involving "suspicion of endangering village security."

"What are you doing? I am a member of the Shimura family! Are you Uchiha trying to rebel?" A Shimura chunin attempted to resist, shouting with a fierce but cowardly demeanor.

The Uchiha squad leader leading the group remained expressionless, his tone cold and rigid: "According to the Konoha Special Public Security Maintenance Ordinance personally signed by the Second Hokage, Lord Tobirama Senju, the Konoha Military Police Force has the authority to investigate any behavior suspected of endangering the village's security. Please cooperate, or we will be forced to take mandatory measures in accordance with the law."

Several Uchiha officers behind him stepped forward immediately, their hands resting on their ninja tool pouches, their powerful presence bearing down on him.

The Shimura chunin looked at the Sharingan faintly visible in the eyes of his opponents and the indisputable copy of the ordinance, his momentum suddenly deflated, and in the end, he was unwillingly "escorted" away.

Similar scenes were playing out all over Konoha.

Some Root members hidden among the civilians had considered their identities secret, but because Uchiha Ling had used the Emotion System to roughly lock onto those harboring strong malice and conspiratorial intent toward him, their disguises proved fragile in the face of the Military Police Force's targeted investigation.

They were dragged from their hiding spots by Uchiha officers and taken away on charges of "suspected involvement in illegal organizations and activities endangering village security."

Naturally, some conflicts arose during the process.

A few Root members or die-hard Shimura loyalists attempted to resist, but in the face of the well-prepared and superior-strength Uchiha officers, their resistance was quickly suppressed.

This sudden, large-scale law enforcement operation shook all of Konoha.

The villagers watched in stunned silence as the usually high-and-mighty Shimura clansmen and those cold-blooded Root members were taken away one by one from their homes or the streets by Uchiha officers and hauled off to the Military Police building.

The news spread through the village as if it had wings.

"What's going on? Why did the Uchiha suddenly arrest so many people from the Shimura family?"

"I heard it's based on the rules set by the Second Hokage, saying they were spreading rumors and endangering the village's security?"

"Is that for real? The Second Hokage's rules... how many years has it been since then?"

"Look at those Uchiha; they have all the paperwork and even produced the ordinance. It doesn't look fake."

The tide of public opinion began to shift quietly. The previous rumors targeting the Uchiha appeared pale and powerless in the face of Uchiha Ling's such forceful and "lawful" counterattack.

Inside the Hokage Building, in the office of the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi.

The smoke from his pipe almost filled the entire room.

Hiruzen Sarutobi stood before the window, watching the occasional "escorting" scenes on the street below, his brows furrowed. An Anbu ninja knelt behind him, reporting the situation.

"Lord Third, the Uchiha Military Police Force is presenting the Konoha Special Public Security Maintenance Ordinance personally signed by the Second Hokage. Procedurally... we have no authority to directly interfere with the independent law enforcement power of the Military Police, unless there is clear evidence that their enforcement actions are seriously endangering the village's security."

The Anbu ninja's voice carried a trace of helplessness.

That ordinance was a product of history, and at this moment, it was the most legitimate shield and sword in Uchiha Ling's hands.

Hiruzen Sarutobi took a deep drag of his pipe and exhaled slowly. He was, of course, aware of the existence of that ordinance, and he understood that Uchiha Ling was acting within the rules—it could even be called a perfect counterattack to Danzō's provocation.

"Closely monitor the development of the situation and ensure that the conflict does not escalate further, especially that it does not affect ordinary villagers. Also... have the Medical Corps stand by."

In the end, Hiruzen Sarutobi could only issue such an order.

Within the rules, he could not stop Uchiha Ling for the time being, unless he was willing to risk a complete falling out that would shake the foundations of the village.

With friction constantly occurring between various powers on the borders of the Land of Fire and war seemingly on the horizon, the cost of breaking out into a conflict with the Uchiha Clan now was simply too high.

Meanwhile, deep within the Root base where Shimura Danzō resided.

The scene of chaos had just been cleared, but the air was still thick with suppressed fury.

Danzō's face was livid, his single eye burning with resentment and rage that threatened to erupt.

On the desk before him lay several urgent intelligence reports, the contents of which, without exception, were about the Shimura clansmen and Root members being taken away by the Uchiha Military Police Force.

"Uchiha Ling! That naturally evil Uchiha actually dares to do this!"

Danzō slammed his fist onto the desk, and the hard wooden table was instantly covered in cracks.

He had calculated everything, but he had not calculated that Uchiha Ling would dig up an old ordinance set by the Second Hokage decades ago and use it so mercilessly and with such fanfare.