"You're a retired Hokage. What right do you have to issue orders?!"
Masaki Uchiha was so enraged by the arrogant answer that he slapped the table and shot to his feet.
"Are you saying Konoha has had two incumbent Hokage all this time?"
Those words left Sarutobi Hiruzen rooted to the spot.
That was right. He had retired.
The Fourth Hokage was the only one holding the title officially.
He was merely an advisor who had volunteered to help the Fourth with his duties.
But for Konoha's sake,
he would never allow the Uchiha to take power.
Judging by Masaki Uchiha's attitude, it looked like there would be no peaceful resolution today.
At the thought, the dimness in Sarutobi Hiruzen's eyes abruptly gave way to a sharp glint.
"That was only a temporary measure in an emergency. I called everyone here today to announce something."
"I hereby announce that I am resuming the position of Hokage!"
As soon as Sarutobi Hiruzen finished his "declaration of office," someone shouted.
"I object!"
The one who had spoken was Masaki Uchiha. He glared furiously at Sarutobi Hiruzen.
"What do you take the Daimyo for? And what do you take Konoha for?"
"Do you think being the former Hokage means you can take the position without the Daimyo's approval?!"
"Konoha belongs to everyone. It doesn't belong to the Sarutobi!"
"With me, Masaki Uchiha, here, you won't get your way!" Masaki Uchiha's righteous indignation infected some of the ninja present.
Especially the members of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization. They had long since tied their fortunes to the Uchiha.
If Sarutobi Hiruzen took power again, they'd be in for a rough time.
So they joined in the objections.
The objections and murmurs grew louder and louder.
When Sarutobi Hiruzen saw that things weren't going as he had expected, he immediately shouted, "Quiet!"
The crowd saw that he had something to say and turned their eyes toward him.
"My decision to resume the position of Hokage is only temporary. I'm doing this to stabilize Konoha. Once a new Hokage is chosen, I'll naturally step down."
Sarutobi Hiruzen had chosen to stall, planning to put off the matter until after he became Hokage.
"Clack."
The meeting room doors opened again.
"As Konoha's elders, we agree that Hiruzen should take the position of Hokage!"
It was Sarutobi Hiruzen's old comrades who had arrived: Utatane Koharu, Mitokado Homura, and Shimura Danzō.
When Masaki Uchiha saw who they were, he smiled.
"Oh, it's the two elders. You've come at just the right time. I'd like to ask: who issued this order I have here?!"
Masaki Uchiha took out the order bearing the Hokage's seal and showed it to everyone present.
When they saw it, they understood. No wonder they hadn't seen a single Uchiha when the Nine-Tails was attacked and the villagers evacuated earlier. So that was what had happened.
The resentment some of them had felt toward the Uchiha dissipated.
But when Sarutobi Hiruzen and Shimura Danzō saw the order, their pupils suddenly contracted.
Shimura Danzō's face turned deathly pale in an instant. Damn it, he'd forgotten to retrieve the order.
Sarutobi Hiruzen looked at Shimura Danzō in disbelief. He'd actually handed the Uchiha evidence they could use against them?
"We..." Utatane Koharu began, but Mitokado Homura tugged at her, and she quickly changed her answer. "The Fourth Hokage issued the order."
"Are you sure?" Masaki Uchiha asked teasingly.
The two couldn't read Masaki Uchiha's intentions. They fell silent and could only look toward Sarutobi Hiruzen, while Shimura Danzō kept his head lowered, lost in thought.
Receiving a silent plea for help from his old comrades, Sarutobi Hiruzen reluctantly stood and explained, "Everyone knows that when the Nine-Tails first appeared, a Sharingan pattern showed in its eyes. It was later confirmed that someone had controlled the Nine-Tails. So, as a precaution, the two elders wrote this order on the Fourth Hokage's behalf. I'm sure everyone can understand, right?"
The explanation was just barely convincing.
The people in the room nodded to themselves, except for the members of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization.
The two elders couldn't help feeling rather pleased.
Then Shikaku Nara, who had been silent for a long time, spoke up. "But what they did wasn't in accordance with Konoha's regulations."
"Even Konoha's emergency ordinances don't allow the elders to issue orders on the Hokage's behalf."
His words drew everyone's attention back to the matter.
Masaki Uchiha's regard for the Ino-Shika-Cho Clans rose another notch.
He'd have to give them more responsibility in the future. The capable could handle more, after all.
The two elders knew what they had done was against the rules, but they'd done it at Danzō's urging. If anyone had to take responsibility, it should be Danzō.
So they turned to look at Danzō.
Unfortunately, Shimura Danzō didn't even look at them.
You wrote the order and stamped it. I merely carried out your instructions. Of course, you're responsible for what happened.
You can't expect me to take the blame too.
From Danzō's reaction, the two elders could tell they were going to be left holding the bag.
Damn it!
Danzō was going to make them take the fall when things went wrong?
Masaki Uchiha had no intention of waiting any longer. "Guards, arrest Utatane Koharu and Mitokado Homura immediately for the Crimes of Violating Emergency Ordinances and Forging Official Documents. Lock them up in the Police Force Prison."
"Yes, sir!"
The brothers Uchiha Ichiro and Uchiha Shun immediately stepped forward to arrest the two elders.
"Wait. They had their reasons for doing this. Considering how many years they've devoted to Konoha, let them off this once."
Sarutobi Hiruzen was now appealing to their feelings, trying to make them seem pitiable.
"Hmph. If anyone could escape punishment just by claiming they'd devoted themselves to Konoha, what would be the point of having the Police Force? What would be the point of having laws?"
"Besides, didn't Konoha reward them for their service?"
"Surely they didn't get their positions as elders out of thin air. Wasn't that Konoha's reward to them?"
"People like them only talk about their contributions and hardships, and never mention the rewards Konoha gave them. They disgust me. Pah!"
Masaki Uchiha spat a glob of phlegm right at the two elders' feet.
"Masaki Uchiha, you..."
"Take them away."
Seeing this, the Anbu behind the elders tried to intervene, but they were no match for the Uchiha elite jonin. They were all subdued in short order and left in the custody of other Uchiha clan members.
"Elders, this way, please."
Uchiha Ichiro and Uchiha Shun were both rather excited.
Once you went into the Police Force Prison, you didn't come out unscathed.
And these two were key members of Sarutobi Hiruzen's faction.
The two elders were old, and their strength had long since declined. They couldn't fight back at all, so they had no choice but to leave with their captors.
The two charges Masaki Uchiha had mentioned weren't enough to kill them. With their status as elders and Sarutobi Hiruzen's intervention, they'd only be locked up for a while.
Once they got out, they'd settle the score with the Uchiha.
Confidence still shone in the two elders' hearts, but times had changed.
By the time they got out, the world would have changed.
"That takes care of this matter. Let's discuss the next one."
Masaki Uchiha said calmly.
"The Nine-Tails Jinchuriki!"