The Thieves

Uchiha Fugaku led the Tessan Squad back to Konoha. The two thieves had regained consciousness and were being held by chains by the Special Police team members.

The two Root members were bound by sealing shackles and Sealing Tag, unable to gather Chakra to use Ninjutsu, but they were not panicked, their faces were indifferent, like two pieces of wood.

"You've been ordered by the Hokage to guard the orphanage. Thank you for your hard work. Please hand these two over to us."

Perched atop the towering tree trunk stood two ninjas dressed in black bodysuits, Anbu combat vests, and wearing peculiar masks, carrying Ninja Sword. They coldly addressed Uchiha Fugaku and the others below.

Fugaku looked up at the two people on the tree branch, frowning slightly. These two Anbu gave Fugaku a different feeling.

As a renowned Jonin Konoha and a high-ranking member of the Security Department, he had had considerable contact with the Anbu directly under the Hokage, but the appearance and demeanor of these two individuals were very different from the Anbu he had encountered before.

Fugaku recalled the Root that Uchiha Nara had emphasized several times. The Root Anbu force Shimura Danzō, who was assisted by the Hokage, and the Konoha Anbu Ninja hidden deep within.

"Are you Anbu Ninja? Which squad?"

Looking at these two ninjas whose demeanor was so different from the usual Anbu, Fugaku was somewhat suspicious. After asking them the question, Fugaku regretted it.

"Secret"

As Fugaku expected, the two men dressed in Anbu uniforms had no desire to explain, and their answer was simply two words.

"Since you're on a guard duty, do you have a mission scroll?"

Uchiha Fugaku sensed something was amiss with the two men. Although they were dressed in Anbu, Fugaku wasn't exactly quick to obey orders.

"This is Anbu mission. There are no records, and you have no right to access them. Don't waste our time. We'll take the personnel back. If you have any questions, you can ask the Lord Hokage during the day."

The two Anbu seemed impatient. One of them jumped down, took the chains from the Special Police Division member, and dragged the two thieves away, pulling on one chain in each hand.

Faced with this situation, several junior Special Police Division officers were somewhat bewildered, and their eyes all turned to Uchiha Fugaku.

Seeing the look in his subordinate's eyes, Fugaku shook his head and stopped the Special Police Division ninja from acting out.

Fugaku was somewhat displeased that the Anbu had snatched his food from his grasp, but he couldn't show it.

After all, they were just two petty thieves. The Third Hokage must have known what happened at the orphanage, so it's understandable that he sent people to carry out a short-term guard mission.

"The thief is now in your hands."

Fugaku remained silent and indifferent during the handover.

"Thank you for your hard work, Jonin Fugaku. We will report your achievements to the Lord Hokage."

The member in Anbu uniform standing on the tree branch nodded, offered a word of comfort, and then jumped down. He and another Anbu escorted the two thieves away, one in front and one behind.

Uchiha Fugaku watched the departing group, he had a vague feeling that something was amiss. However, the fact that they claimed to be acting on the Hokage's orders and had no authority to investigate, yet they could still recognize his identity, meant that they were definitely Konoha Ninja.

Fugaku couldn't unleash his Fugaku, nor could he capture and interrogate the Anbu. If he did so, and his judgment turned out to be wrong—that the opponent was indeed Anbu —then things would get complicated.

"Fugaku, I find these two Anbu somewhat suspicious."

After watching the two Anbu leave, squad leader Uchiha Tessan approached Fugaku and whispered something.

"We have no right to interfere with the Anbu's mission. I will report this matter. Go back now."

The people have already been handed over, so what's the point of talking about this anymore? Fugaku stopped thinking about it, gave his instructions, and led the team back.

Root secret base

It was late at night, and Danzo was still awake, watching the Root squad return to report.

"You know the consequences of mission failure according to the Root's regulations, right?"

Danzo's exposed left eye gleamed with a sinister light as he stared at the four men who had returned to report. Danzo furious that such a simple task had failed.

"I know! Two squads of the Military Police Force are guarding the orphanage, led by the renowned Jonin Uchiha Fugaku. I believe this information should be sent back first."

The four Root members remained expressionless, and the squad leader answered in a deep voice.

"Okay, I understand. You can proceed with the penalty for mission failure."

"Hi!" X4

Two Root members on an infiltration mission gathered Chakra in their hands, seemingly preparing to commit suicide. The other two, however, remained expressionless, kneeling on one knee, unmoved by their teammate's apparent suicide.

Shimura Danzō coldly looked at the people below. The Root never tolerated those who failed their missions. Failure in a Root mission was the most severe punishment.

If even a simple task like this can fail, there's only one possible outcome.

"Wait a minute."

Two Root members, their palms brimming with Chakra, were about to blast their own hearts in self-destruction when Danzo unexpectedly spoke up to stop them.

"I'm giving you a chance to atone for your crimes. Go arrest the orphanage children again tomorrow. If any Police Force obstruct you, kill them without mercy."

If the mission succeeds by acquiring the Sharingan of the Uchiha, it can be considered a successful mission. If the mission fails again, there's no need to return to report.

Danzo gave the two a chance to redeem themselves not Danzo a change of heart, but Root had suffered heavy losses in its operations during the Shinobi World War.

At this time, manpower is scarce, and every death is a loss. It takes several years to cultivate a root elite, so it is no longer appropriate to punish or eliminate members so easily.

"Hi" X4

The Root Ninjas have no names, no emotions, no past, and no future. They returned after a failed mission, solely to deliver intelligence from the Security Department.

The two Root members who were spared showed no emotion; their expressions remained as cold as ice, unchanged, as if they were indifferent to life or death.

Konoha

Hokage Building

Sarutobi Hiruzen was temporarily acting as Hokage, looked at Danzo, who had made a rare visit, with some surprise.

After much deliberation, Sarutobi Hiruzen's Iwagakure proposal from Danzo, even though Sarutobi Hiruzen was willing to bear the infamy for the sake of peace.

However, the situations of both Konoha and Iwagakure were similar, and yet they still had to pay reparations. Even though the Third Hokage was wholeheartedly committed to peace, he dared not hastily comply.

Danzo looked at his old friend, but he had some objections. He couldn't even bear the infamy of a mere 2 billion ryo; he was simply unworthy of being Hokage.

"Hiruzen, the Military Police Force are becoming increasingly audacious. The responsibility of patrolling outside the village should fall under the jurisdiction of the Anbu."

"At this moment, you're still indulging the Uchiha and the Police Force, Hiruzen. It's time to tighten the reins on the Police Force."

Danzo some resentment towards Sarutobi Hiruzen, but dared not show it on his face. His words struck at Sarutobi Hiruzen's sensitive spot.

Sarutobi Hiruzen looked at Danzo, who had come to visit early in the morning, and he specifically discussed matters concerning the Police Force. Sarutobi Hiruzen had his own thoughts about the Uchiha.

As Uchiha Nara Danzo be eliminated. However, Danzo's concern for the Uchiha and the Police Force seems a bit excessive.

"What, what did the Military Police Force do to you?"

Sarutobi Hiruzen took a puff of his pipe, showing some interest in Danzo's words.

"No, it's just that the Military Police Force questioned the Root ninjas last night, which displeased me. Root is also Anbu directly under the Hokage, and I think the Military Police Force have gone too far."