Hiruzen Sarutobi: Are You Afraid People Won't Know You Sent Someone to Attack the Police Department Captain?

Most of the accusations were directed at all the clans, not just the Hyuga Clan.

"Doesn't the village do anything about it?"

Izumi couldn't understand this behavior. Her clansmen might have gone a little overboard while enforcing the law, but it wasn't as though everyone feared them.

"Since you were little, have you ever seen the village promote anything good about the Uchiha?"

"Other than at funerals."

Yan's words were like a sharp blade, plunging straight into Izumi's heart.

The Uchiha had rendered countless services to the village, yet none of their contributions had ever been publicized. That alone said enough—the higher-ups were targeting the Uchiha.

"Do you know why I insult Danzo in such a roundabout way? Because that old bastard personally pushed all kinds of policies against us Uchiha. He monitors us, targets us, and even stole our clansmen's corpses during the war for human experimentation."

Danzo had done all those things anyway, so Yan wasn't exactly slandering him.

By the time the patrol ended, Izumi was completely dazed. She did not even know how she had made it back, because Yan's words had hit her far too hard.

It was more than ten-year-old Izumi, who had only just graduated from the Ninja Academy, could accept.

"Looks like I need to find something for Danzo to do. Otherwise, that old bastard constantly watching me isn't a solution."

Having everyone's attention focused on him meant Yan was safe, but it also brought him trouble.

For instance, everything he did would be watched.

Sitting in his office, Yan considered how to divert the Third Hokage's and Danzo's attention. At the very least, he needed to keep them busy for a while.

Once the Uchiha got through this period steadily, and the Hardline Faction's claws had been knocked out one by one, Yan could openly taunt Danzo:

Welcome to stir up trouble.

There were not many ways to keep Danzo busy, keep his eyes off the Uchiha, and leave him overwhelmed.

Not many did not mean none.

Yan picked up a pen and began writing down a few things from his mind.

"Captain, you wanted to see me?"

Uchiha Feng, one of the Third Squad's members, pushed open the door and walked in.

Folding the sheet he had written on, Yan looked up at Feng. His expression was grave and his tone serious.

"Feng, can I trust you? In every way."

"Please tell me, Captain."

Feng replied expressionlessly.

Uchiha Feng was a very low-profile figure in the clan, someone who remained quiet all year round. At least, few people knew much about him.

But this quiet fellow was no less troublesome than Uchiha Zhiyan.

Uchiha Zhiyan merely had a bad temper and was prone to impulsive actions. As for Uchiha Feng, as the saying went, barking dogs seldom bite—this guy was the opposite kind.

He made no promises or guarantees, but once he recognized someone, he would follow them wholeheartedly. That was Uchiha Feng.

Handing the folded paper to Feng, Yan rose and stepped close to him, lowering his head to speak into his ear.

"I need you to take tomorrow off and make a trip outside. Deliver the intelligence and information on this paper to the Bounty House. Remember to disguise yourself. Don't let anyone know where you came from."

The Bounty House not only accepted all kinds of assassination jobs, but also bought intelligence. As long as you had information worth selling, you could sell it there.

They would not ask where your information came from, nor would they care who you were, as long as the intelligence was genuine.

Of course, in order to make money, those shameless rats would sell the intelligence to anyone.

"Understood."

Calmly taking the folded paper and tucking it away, Feng turned and left, as though nothing had happened in the office.

"This guy..."

Watching his retreating back, Yan's headache returned.

Feng was slightly better when the other teammates were around.

But once he was alone, he was like a wooden post—always the same face, the same expression, the same tone.

In short, not a single member of the Third Squad he led was even remotely normal.

Even Uchiha Izumi, who had just joined, was a love-struck girl, the type of fangirl who idolized someone.

Izumi had been Itachi's little fangirl since childhood and had always secretly loved him.

But Yan had one doubt. Due to certain unavoidable factors, Izumi had not joined the village-assigned squad and had instead entered the Police Department. Could she and Itachi still meet again and again like in the original story, eventually ending up together?

The atmosphere in the Hokage's office was somewhat oppressive. The Third Hokage spoke calmly to Danzo.

"I've already had the Anbu send your men back. According to their testimony, they were ordered to invite Uchiha Yan. When he refused, they intended to use force, but Uchiha Yan arrested them on charges of attacking the Police Department captain while their identities were unknown."

"They were then sent to prison overnight."

"Damn it! Uchiha Yan, that evil Uchiha brat! He actually had the audacity to insult me!!!"

It was already humiliating enough, and this matter could not be concealed. Danzo had not intended to hide it, so he said it outright in front of the Third Hokage, Koharu Utatane, and Homura Mitokado.

"Utterly outrageous."

The two elder advisors also found it unbelievable. Since when had the Uchiha had the nerve to insult the village's higher-ups to their faces?

Though he had not named anyone directly.

Why had they only rested at home for a few days, yet the Uchiha had already caused so much trouble?

What was with this kid named Uchiha Yan?

The Third Hokage also felt Yan had acted rather recklessly, but he caught the key point.

"Danzo, you went to the Police Department to demand their release?"

Good grief, were you afraid people would not know that the men you sent had unknown identities and attacked the Police Department captain?

If you had not gone, the village would not have acknowledged it, and the matter would have faded with time. But you personally went there—now it was like getting mud on your pants. Even if it wasn't shit, no one would believe you.

"Danzo, how could you be so muddleheaded? How could you personally go demand their release?"

Koharu Utatane also realized what had happened.

He should not have shown himself personally. He could have simply sent someone to handle it.

Yet he had gone there himself.

Homura Mitokado smiled helplessly.

"Now the charge has been confirmed. The announced accusation had already left people half-convinced, half-doubtful. Going there to demand their release is the same as admitting it was your doing."

"Are you saying that when my men are arrested, I cannot intervene? Who gave them the nerve!!!"

Did Danzo not know those factors?

Of course he did.

The problem was, even knowing them, he did not care.

Because no one in the village would stand with the Uchiha. Based on his understanding of the Uchiha, demanding their release should have gone smoothly.

But who would have thought that an anomaly like Yan would appear, directly throwing sarcastic barbs back at him and even openly cursing him?

Just like that, the matter had blown up.

The Third Hokage's expression was grim as well.

"You could have met him directly, but you cannot arrest people around the Police Department or in the Uchiha clan grounds."

"That would provoke a backlash from the Uchiha."