Playing the Victim

The atmosphere in the open space before the Military Police Force building suddenly turned sharp and confrontational.

Shimura Danzō wore a dark kimono and held a wooden staff; his only visible left eye was so gloomy it seemed as if water might drip from it.

He was followed by four Root elites who exuded the same chilling aura. Although they wore no masks, their signature coldness and killing intent were enough to make ordinary ninja steer clear.

The group walked straight toward the main entrance of the Military Police Force, their target clear: the core members of the Shimura Clan and Root organization who had been detained under the orders of Uchiha Ling.

However, the moment Danzō was about to step onto the stairs in front of the building, four figures appeared as silently as ghosts, lining up to block his path.

The leader was one of the most capable squad captains under Uchiha Ling's command, Uchiha Tekka.

His expression was solemn as he bowed slightly to Danzō, his etiquette flawless, yet his tone carried an unquestionable firmness: "Elder Danzō, please stop here."

Danzō's footsteps halted, and he tapped his wooden staff against the ground, producing a dull thud.

His gaze was like a blade, scraping across Uchiha Tekka's face, his voice raspy and filled with pressure: "Step aside. This old man intends to see Uchiha Ling, and while I'm at it, see exactly on what grounds your Military Police Force has detained members of my Shimura Clan and the people working under me."

He deliberately blurred the name of the Root organization, but everyone present knew exactly what he meant.

Uchiha Tekka stood straight, showing no sign of retreat in the face of this elder who held immense power in Konoha:

"Elder Danzō, I am very sorry. Captain Ling is currently handling urgent matters and cannot receive guests at this time."

"As for your request to visit the detainees, according to the Konoha Regulations, during an ongoing investigation, no one outside the case may visit suspects in custody unless they hold a special warrant from the Hokage or the highest authority of the Military Police Force."

His words were clearly well-prepared; he cited the regulations with ease, sealing off every conventional path Danzō might take.

Danzō's single eye narrowed slightly, and the surrounding air seemed to freeze. The four Root elites behind him began to emit a faint, lingering killing intent.

Danzō let out a cold laugh, his voice carrying a bone-chilling coldness: "Since when has the Konoha Military Police Force—especially the Uchiha Clan's Military Police Force—become so independent that it can turn away a Hokage Advisor and an elder of the village?"

"Where is Uchiha Ling? Make him come out and see me! Or is it that he has done something shameful and dares not face this old man?"

Uchiha Tekka's expression remained unchanged, maintaining a facade of respect, but his words did not yield an inch:

"Elder Danzō, you speak too harshly. Captain Ling's every action strictly follows the regulations established by the Second Hokage, and he has a clear conscience. As for the 'shameful things' you speak of..."

Uchiha Tekka paused, continuing with a pointed implication, "I am sure Elder Danzō has heard the recent unfounded rumors circulating in the village against our Uchiha Clan."

"Captain Ling is conducting this investigation according to the law precisely to uncover the source of these rumors and maintain the stability of the village."

"If Elder Danzō insists on entering, please present a special warrant from the Hokage. Otherwise, please forgive us, but our duty prevents us from letting you pass."

"You!" One of the Root ninja behind Danzō couldn't help but step forward, his aura surging as if he intended to force his way through.

Almost at the same time, more than twenty Uchiha officers emerged from within the Military Police building and the surrounding shadows.

Although they did not activate their Sharingan, their eyes were sharp and their chakra was held in check, forming an invisible yet solid human wall that subtly surrounded the five men.

In terms of numbers and momentum, they had instantly gained an overwhelming advantage.

Danzō's face turned livid, his chest heaving slightly. He stared fixedly at Uchiha Tekka, then swept his gaze over the Uchiha officers standing at the ready, and finally, his eyes landed on the tightly shut doors of the building.

Danzō knew Uchiha Ling was inside, but today, he couldn't even cross that threshold.

"Good, very good. Uchiha Ling... truly a hero among the youth."

Danzō squeezed these words through his teeth, each one sounding as if it were coated in ice shards.

He knew he had lost face today. Staying here any longer would only invite further humiliation. He turned abruptly, his staff striking the ground heavily, and led his four Root elites away, leaving under the silent gaze of the Uchiha officers.

His retreating back was filled with suppressed rage and humiliation.

After confirming that Danzō had left, Uchiha Ling immediately departed the Military Police Force, heading alone and without any escort straight to the Hokage Building.

Inside the Hokage Office, the atmosphere was heavy. The Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, sat behind his large desk, his pipe emitting thin wisps of blue smoke.

Just then, a knock sounded at the door.

"Come in," Hiruzen Sarutobi said in a deep voice.

The door was pushed open, and Uchiha Ling walked in. The coldness and assertiveness he had shown at the Military Police Force were gone from his face; instead, he wore a look of perfectly measured exhaustion, grievance, and the respect a junior should show when meeting his mentor.

He bowed respectfully to Hiruzen Sarutobi: "Lord Hokage."

Hiruzen Sarutobi looked at Uchiha Ling, this grand-disciple who was so young yet already stirring up the winds of Konoha, and felt a complex mix of emotions. He exhaled a puff of smoke and asked slowly:

"Ling, I have heard about the matter at the Military Police Force. Your... actions this time, were they not a bit too extreme? Danzō is, after all, an elder of the village who has made great contributions."

Uchiha Ling looked up, his eyes clear, carrying a touch of helplessness and sincerity: "Lord Hokage, Elder, I have come here precisely to report this matter and to ask for your forgiveness."

He lowered his head slightly, his tone carrying a hint of a junior's "forced into a corner" choked emotion:

"I am well aware that this operation may have caused some ripples, but I was truly pushed into a corner and had no choice but to rely on the regulations left by the Second Hokage to protect myself."

"Oh? What do you mean by that?" Hiruzen Sarutobi asked, frowning.

Uchiha Ling began his carefully prepared performance of "playing the victim."

Uchiha Ling recounted the recent rumors circulating in the village against him and the Uchiha Clan, using a restrained and aggrieved tone.

"...Those rumors are malicious in intent, not only attempting to smear my reputation but also to sow discord between the Uchiha and the village."

"I only wish to work for the village and calm the conflicts with the civilians, yet I do not know why I have invited such malicious slander."

He paused at just the right moment, allowing a look of confusion and indignation to appear on his face.

Hiruzen Sarutobi listened, his brows relaxing slightly. The look he cast toward Uchiha Ling held a touch more understanding and scrutiny.

Indeed, he had always understood this child, Uchiha Ling; he was a boy who possessed the Will of Fire.

Danzo must have gone too far again; otherwise, Uchiha Ling would not have acted this way.

Hiruzen Sarutobi secretly set the tone for this incident in his heart.

Hiruzen Sarutobi tapped his pipe and said in a deep voice, "Very well, Ling, I understand your meaning."

Acting according to the law is not a fault in itself. Maintaining the stability of the village and rooting out those who spread rumors is also the duty of the Military Police Force.

"However, in the future, you must be more mindful of your methods when handling such sensitive matters to avoid unnecessary misunderstandings and conflicts. I will speak with Elder Danzo."

This was his stance. It meant that the Third Hokage acknowledged the legitimacy of Uchiha Ling's actions this time, or at the very least, would not hold him accountable.

Uchiha Ling felt a sense of certainty, and his face appropriately displayed a look of relief and gratitude: "Thank you for your clear judgment, Lord Hokage! Ling will take your teachings to heart and will be more cautious in the future, always prioritizing the greater good of the village."

He bowed respectfully once more, "If there are no other instructions, I shall take my leave. There are still many follow-up matters at the Military Police Force that require my attention."

"Go," Hiruzen Sarutobi waved his hand.

Uchiha Ling walked out of the Hokage Building, the sunlight hitting his face. The trace of grievance and helplessness had long since vanished, replaced by a calm and profound expression.

The reputation of Teacher Tsunade and the status of being the Third Hokage's grand-disciple are truly useful.

Uchiha Ling thought to himself. This layer of identity granted him the qualification to "play the victim" before the higher-ups, making his actions easier to interpret as a "forced counterattack" rather than a long-planned assault.