Questioning Sarutobi

"Who goes there! How dare you trespass on a classified Konoha site!"

Just as the Uchiha squad prepared to push deeper, dozens of ninjas wearing Cat Masks leaped out.

However, their appearance instantly caused the expressions of the clan ninjas present to sour.

Uchiha Lieyang, on the other hand, saw them and a sharp glint flashed in his eyes. "Take them down! Do not let this group of accomplices escape."

In an instant, all the Uchiha clansmen drew their weapons. Without giving these Root ninjas a chance to speak, they stepped forward and activated their Sharingan.

One clansman, who had a distinct vertical golden scar on his forehead, watched as the three tomoe in his eyes spun rapidly, instantly forming a pinwheel shape. "Kyoka Suigetsu!"

"Oh no! Close your eyes, quickly!" a Root ninja suddenly shouted.

But it was too late. They, who had been holding weapons, instantly fell into a daze, and the kunai in their hands clattered to the ground.

This sudden turn of events left the clan ninjas behind them in shock. They had been prepared for a fierce battle alongside the Uchiha clan, yet the Uchiha had subdued the enemies on the spot with a single genjutsu.

They looked at the Uchiha who was clutching his eyes with fear, unable to comprehend when the Uchiha clan's genjutsu had become so powerful.

"Seize them!" Uchiha Lieyang waved his hand, and the Uchiha ninjas stepped forward to secure the group of Root ninjas.

Uchiha Lieyang walked up to the clansman who was clutching his eyes. "Wada! Good work!"

"Brother Lieyang, everything is for the Young Clan Head's plan!" Wada said with a solemn expression.

Uchiha Lieyang nodded and said nothing more.

"Continue forward!"

"Yes!"

"This is bad! Danzo, the Uchiha have led people to storm our Secret Base No. 14!"

Just as the Hokage Building was plunged into a heavy, oppressive silence, an Anbu ninja shouted in panic.

"What!"

The quiet Hokage Office was shattered by Danzo's exclamation.

Sarutobi looked at the Anbu ninja who had rushed in with a dark face.

"Danzo, look at the mess you've made!" Sarutobi roared.

"Immediately summon all Anbu and follow me to the scene!" Sarutobi could no longer afford to reprimand Danzo; he had to reach the scene immediately, or he would truly be unable to distance himself from this incident.

This was undoubtedly a fatal blow to him. The good reputation he had maintained for years was about to be destroyed in an instant, which was more agonizing than death itself.

Danzo's face was grim. "U... chi... ha..." he gritted out through his teeth.

However, he knew that his situation was dire. If he didn't find a way to handle this, he would have no place left in the village.

Thinking of this, Danzo hurried out of the Hokage Building and rushed toward Root; he had to devise a foolproof plan.

When Sarutobi arrived at the scene, members of the Military Police Force were already clearing the bodies from the laboratory. There were thousands of corpses, both large and small, neatly laid out by the Uchiha in the open space.

Around them, many ninjas were weeping over the bodies.

When they saw Sarutobi arrive, everyone's gaze turned toward him.

Sarutobi felt a wave of oppression.

"Hokage, can you tell us what exactly is going on here? Why does the village have such a large-scale human experimentation base?" a civilian ninja asked calmly, his voice as cold as eternal ice.

Sarutobi looked at the gazes fixed upon him, then at the busy Uchiha.

"I have only just arrived and do not understand what has happened here!" Sarutobi replied with a pained expression.

"Who is in charge of this place!"

"Hokage, it is I!" Uchiha Lieyang walked over calmly and replied.

"Why did you bring a large force from the Military Police Force and bypass the Barrier Team to come here without the village's consent?" Sarutobi looked at Uchiha Lieyang with a dark expression.

Uchiha Lieyang remained calm. "Our Military Police Force submitted an arrest warrant to the Hokage Office, but we received no response. To prevent the criminals from cleaning up the scene, the Military Police Force decided to initiate an emergency protocol: secure the site first and report the case proceedings to the Hokage Office afterward."

"That is no excuse for the Uchiha to storm past the Barrier Team without the Hokage's approval! If every Uchiha acted this way, would they also go to contact the village's Jinchuriki without the Hokage's consent?"

At this moment, Sarutobi only hoped to use a more critical issue to cover up the impact of this incident.

"I think the Hokage is mistaken. My Military Police Force did not act recklessly; we gathered sufficient evidence and handed it over to the Anbu to be submitted to the Hokage Office."

"But the Hokage refused to approve it. As the law enforcement department responsible for maintaining order in Konoha, my Military Police Force had reason to act in advance based on the evidence. If the Hokage wishes to pursue accountability afterward, he can simply review the events; after all, the evidence is right there."

Hearing Uchiha Lieyang's words, the surrounding ninjas nodded in agreement.

Seeing this, Sarutobi felt anxious, but looking at the approving attitudes of the surrounding ninjas, he could not find fault with the Uchiha's actions. They had been far too thorough.

If he were to pursue this seriously, he, as the Hokage, would end up appearing negligent. When did the Uchiha become so difficult to deal with?

"Where is Fugaku!" the Third Hokage couldn't help but ask.

"We are currently notifying the Department Head. This matter was entirely a lead discovered by our Criminal Investigation Squad. After finding the clue, the Military Police Force mobilized all its strength to dig up the suspects, which led to the breakthrough in this Case 414," Uchiha Lieyang replied neither humbly nor arrogantly.

A look of confusion appeared on Sarutobi's face. "When did the Military Police Force establish a Criminal Investigation Squad?"

"This was a self-reorganization of the Military Police Force, and it was filed with the Hokage Office. Perhaps the Hokage did not look at it carefully!"

Reminded by Uchiha Lieyang, Sarutobi seemed to recall that such a document from the Military Police Force had indeed been submitted.

He had been too busy looking for Itachi at the time to pay it any mind, and by the time he returned, he had cast the document to the back of his mind, his thoughts consumed by Uchiha affairs.

Observing the puzzled gazes of the other ninjas, Sarutobi wore a look of slight embarrassment. "Yes, that is indeed the case! How is the investigation proceeding now? We must ensure a fair answer for all the victims."

"Furthermore, keep this matter under wraps for now. The impact is too great; it could easily affect the war effort on the front lines!"

"Well! Lord Hokage, as soon as the investigation was concluded, our Military Police Force made the truth public. After all, the people of Konoha deserve to know the full truth of this matter; they have that right." Uchiha Lieyang put on a troubled expression, though he was already overjoyed on the inside.

Sarutobi's face darkened instantly. "Does the Uchiha understand the consequences of doing this!" Sarutobi's voice turned stern.

"Consequences? Lord Hokage, what consequences could there be? The Uchiha was simply conducting a standard investigation. As long as we catch the criminals and provide the public with a reasonable explanation, surely the people wouldn't be dissatisfied with that!" Uchiha Lieyang feigned ignorance, scratching his head as he replied.

Sarutobi stared straight at Uchiha Lieyang, unable to tell if the Uchiha before him was truly oblivious to the consequences or merely pretending.

"Lord Hokage, you still need to provide the public with an explanation regarding why Anbu operatives were present at the scene, and why, under the interrogation of our Uchiha genjutsu, these Anbu pointed directly to the high-ranking officials of Konoha."

Sarutobi's expression tightened. "I am not entirely clear on that. Although the Anbu report directly to me, I cannot control their every movement."

"Uchiha brat, are you questioning Lord Hokage!" Utatane Koharu, standing behind Sarutobi, demanded sternly.