Prelude to Counterattack

Yu had just stepped out of the backyard when he ran straight into Fugaku and Mikoto.

Fugaku looked at Yu, who emerged with a dark expression, and his heart skipped a beat. "Yu! There are some things you must learn to let go of!"

Yu stared at Fugaku, stunned. "You already know!"

Fugaku nodded in silence.

Yu's face grew even darker. "Since you've already agreed to it, what use is it for me, as his older brother, to disagree?"

With that, Yu felt a wave of gloom and walked out of the house with Izumi. At that moment, he wondered if he had done something wrong.

He had wanted so badly to prevent the tragedy, yet things always went against his wishes. After dealing with Shisui, that stubborn fool, he hadn't expected things to still head in the direction he dreaded most.

Yu felt a slight oppression in his heart; even the Qingming Art, which usually flowed effortlessly through his body, faltered and slowed down. He truly loved this family.

Seeing Yu walk away with his head down, Fugaku hurriedly tugged at Mikoto beside him.

Mikoto cast a resentful glance at her husband, then watched the backs of Yu and Izumi as they walked away. She spoke softly, "Yu, be back on time for dinner tonight!"

Yu's body stiffened slightly, and much of the heaviness in his heart dissipated. "Understood, Mother!" His voice betrayed no emotion.

Forget it! Given the current strength of the Uchiha, if Itachi really walks down that path, let him see the darkness of the village! Some people will never turn back until they hit a wall; only when the facts are laid out before them will they feel regret!

Having thought this through, Yu's mood recovered significantly. Izumi, who had been following behind him with a worried look, saw her furrowed brow relax as well.

"It seems Yu-kun has recovered!" Feeling the chaotic aura from Yu return to its usual calm and steady state, Izumi's face broke into a happy smile.

Fugaku watched Yu leave in silence and sighed helplessly. "Is that child Yu too overbearing?"

Mikoto rolled her eyes at Fugaku. "If Yu were truly overbearing, he wouldn't have agreed to Itachi's request. There must be a reason for this, which is why Yu is so angry."

Fugaku gave an awkward laugh. "Isn't it because the family's life has improved? Since the Third Hokage wants to promote Itachi to the Anbu, I thought it was a chance to ease tensions with the village."

"So that's why you dragged me here in such a hurry!" Mikoto looked at her husband, speechless.

Fugaku's face flushed. "Yu has always listened to you since he was a child! I didn't want the atmosphere at home to become too rigid. You know his temper—if he doesn't agree, even I, as his father, can't do anything about it!"

Mikoto looked helplessly at her husband, who was becoming increasingly relaxed. "If you had just talked to him properly, he might not have been so angry. After all, the boy is usually very easygoing."

"True! Usually easygoing, but once he gets stubborn, he even hits me, his own father!" Fugaku said with a teasing tone.

Though it appeared he was the one calling the shots on family matters, if it came down to who the clansmen truly trusted, his ten words wouldn't carry as much weight as one from Yu.

Fugaku had come to terms with this. The clan would eventually be in Yu's hands, so what difference did it make if it happened sooner or later? He felt relieved now, otherwise, he and Mikoto wouldn't be standing here at this hour.

Fugaku looked at his wife, who was watching Itachi and Sasuke train. "Mikoto, why don't we have another child with Yu? Maybe if he had a younger sister, his personality would soften a bit."

Mikoto gave him a coquettish glare. "It's still broad daylight!"

"Young Clan Head!"

"Young Clan Head!"

After sending Izumi home, Yu arrived at the secret meeting place. When the clansmen saw his figure, they all stood up to greet him.

Yu nodded. "How is the clansmen's training going?" he asked softly, looking at Uchiha Lieyang nearby.

"Young Clan Head! Two more clansmen broke through to the Three Tomoe Sharingan today!" A faint smile tugged at the corners of Uchiha Lieyang's mouth.

"Not bad. Tell the clansmen to intensify their training; it might come in very useful in a while."

"Yes, Young Clan Head!"

"By the way, how is that matter the Military Police Force was investigating?" Yu continued.

"Reporting to the Young Clan Head, most of the leads on the missing children point to a secret base outside the village, guarded by a large number of Anbu!" Uchiha Lieyang replied, his expression turning serious.

"Find their hidden contacts within the village as soon as possible. Once there is sufficient evidence, do not hesitate. Immediately dispatch members of the Military Police Force to launch the Konoha Anti-Crime Operation. This case has been piling up for too long; it is time to give those parents who lost their children an answer!" A cold sneer appeared on Yu's lips.

Hmph! Third Hokage, your good days are coming to an end!

"Yes, Young Clan Head!" A cold glint flashed in Uchiha Lieyang's eyes as well.

Early in the morning, the streets of Konoha were filled with a peaceful and harmonious atmosphere.

Children who had woken up early played and chased each other on the road, while nearby vendors called out to passersby, hawking their wares.

Suddenly, the lively atmosphere went quiet. The children who had been playing quickly hid behind their parents. Not far down the street, a large group of the Military Police Force, wearing black uniforms with the large Uchiha clan crest on their backs, appeared on the main road with cold, indifferent expressions.

A murderous aura radiated from every one of them!

The villagers of Konoha watched this scene nervously.

Suddenly, the Uchiha Military Police stopped in front of a pork vendor. The captain leading the group waved his hand. "Surround this place! Don't let a single mosquito escape!"

"Yes, Captain!" The Uchiha ninjas quickly fanned out, drawing the weapons at their waists, their eyes glowing red as they stared at the pork merchant, who had been chatting and laughing with someone just moments before.

Under the gaze of dozens of people, beads of sweat broke out on the pork merchant's forehead.

"What do you want? I am a legitimate merchant in Konoha! I have a business license issued by the Hokage Building!"

The Uchiha captain leading the group gave a cold snort. "Today, we received reports from villagers regarding a large number of missing children in the village! We suspect you are involved in these cases and are likely a human trafficker. This is an arrest warrant issued by the Military Police Force. Come with us!"

The captain's voice was loud—loud enough for almost the entire street to hear.

In an instant, the crowd on the street erupted into an uproar.

"How is this possible? Wu Xia is such an honest man. He never skimps on the weight when I buy meat from him, and his prices are much lower than anywhere else. How could such a good person be a human trafficker?" A villager quickly stepped forward to explain loudly.

"That's right! That's right! Could the Military Police Force have made a mistake?"

"You must not arrest an innocent man!"

For a moment, the villagers chimed in one after another.

"Silence! The Military Police Force naturally has evidence for its actions. Once the case is confirmed, everything will be posted on the Military Police Force's notice board!" A voice infused with chakra drowned out the noisy clamor of the street.

The many villagers stared blankly at the pork vendor, who was now trembling slightly with tension. Even now, they could not believe that this honest-looking, kind-faced man could be a brutal human trafficker.

"Take him!" the Uchiha captain said coldly to his subordinates.

"Damn it, those damned Uchihas!"

The pork vendor dared not hide his true colors any longer. Once he was dragged into the Military Police Force, he would surely spill all his secrets. In the half-year since the Uchiha began handling cases, it was well known that they would never make such a high-profile arrest without sufficient evidence.

This was also the reason why the surrounding villagers only dared to speak up but did not step forward to intervene.

Thinking about what would happen once he was inside, facing the various genjutsu and tortures of the Uchiha, the pork vendor felt a shiver run through him. His entire face gradually twisted, losing all its former kindness and gentleness.

He flipped his stall over, pulled a two-meter-long butcher knife from beneath the counter, and charged toward the densest part of the crowd with a murderous look on his face!

The Uchiha Military Police Force captain let out a cold sneer. "Resisting law enforcement—your crimes have just increased!"

As he spoke, his eyes flared with the Three Tomoe Sharingan. Their gazes met for an instant, and the pork vendor, who had been charging toward the crowd, froze in his tracks.

Only now did the surrounding villagers realize something was wrong, their eyes filled with looks of horror.