Questioning the Hokage

Uchiha Clan Grounds.

The moment Uchiha You entered the clan grounds, the news had already spread.

"You is back!"

"Wasn't he sent to the Land of Water on a mission?"

"I heard all three accompanying ANBU died!"

"What? The ANBU all died, but You came back alive?"

"I heard he said at the village gate that those ANBU's codes were wrong!"

"Could it have been Root?"

The clan members buzzed with discussion.

Uchiha Chuan was the first to rush out.

The instant he saw Uchiha You, joy first appeared on his face. Then he saw the bloodstains on the other man and his expression changed drastically.

"You!"

"You're hurt?"

Uchiha You waved a hand.

"Just a minor injury."

In truth, he was completely uninjured.

But he had to see the act through.

Uchiha Chuan's face darkened.

"So it really was a trap?"

Uchiha You nodded.

"Three Root operatives."

"They tried to kill me on the road."

Fury erupted in Uchiha Chuan's eyes.

"Bastards!"

"I knew it!"

"That old bastard Danzo really had no good intentions!"

The surrounding Uchiha clan members' expressions changed one after another upon hearing this.

Root had attempted to assassinate a Uchiha jonin.

This was no ordinary conflict anymore.

Konoha's upper ranks had placed a blade against the Uchiha's chest!

Yet Uchiha You raised a hand, signaling everyone to quiet down.

"Don't make a scene just yet."

"The Hokage will call for me soon."

Uchiha Chuan gritted his teeth.

"And you're still going?"

"They already sent people to kill you!"

Uchiha You replied calmly.

"Of course I'm going."

"If I don't, how can I slap them in the face in person?"

Everyone froze.

Uchiha You continued.

"Remember this."

"From now on, this is not about me, Uchiha You, being assassinated."

"It is about the ANBU Konoha sent on a mission being completely wiped out, with the mission intelligence suspected of having been leaked."

"And I am the only survivor who returned to report that intelligence."

Uchiha Chuan's eyes lit up.

He understood.

You was going to seize the initiative.

If the Uchiha made a direct fuss, it would become a confrontation between the Uchiha and the village.

But if they defined it as "mission intelligence leakage," "abnormal ANBU identities," and "problems with the Hokage's mission arrangements," then the pressure would shift back onto the upper ranks.

They could not avoid investigating.

Nor could they investigate openly.

And they absolutely could not admit that those three men had been Root operatives.

Because once they did, Danzo would never be able to clear himself.

Uchiha Chuan took a deep breath, his eyes brimming with excitement.

Satisfying.

So damn satisfying.

In the past, the Uchiha had always been suppressed by the upper ranks using rules.

This time, Uchiha You was turning those rules around and smashing them right into the upper ranks' faces.

Uchiha You looked at everyone.

"Notify the Police Force and organize all testimony from the village gate today."

"Record everyone who heard it and everyone who was present."

"Also, send someone to ask at the Hokage Building."

"I, Uchiha You, have returned from a mission. Three ANBU died in action. How does the village intend to investigate this?"

Uchiha Chuan immediately nodded.

"Understood!"

Uchiha You added.

"There's no need for an overly aggressive tone."

"Just ask according to the rules."

"The more we follow the rules, the worse they'll feel."

The surrounding Uchiha clan members' eyes all lit up.

The more they followed the rules, the worse the upper ranks would feel.

Those words had struck straight into everyone's hearts.

In the past, the upper ranks had used rules to suppress the Uchiha.

Now, Uchiha You would use those same rules to strike back at them.

At that moment, a figure approached from the distance.

Shisui Uchiha.

Upon seeing Uchiha You, he visibly relaxed.

"You're back."

Uchiha You looked at him.

"What, were you surprised?"

Shisui gave a bitter smile.

"I was just worried about you."

Uchiha You said.

"Were you worried about me, or about the relationship between the village and the Uchiha?"

Shisui was momentarily speechless.

Uchiha You did not press him further.

It was not yet time to completely shatter Shisui's illusions.

Until the blade fell upon him, he would never truly wake up.

Uchiha You walked up to Shisui and lowered his voice.

"Shisui."

"From today onward, don't meet Danzo alone."

Shisui's expression shifted slightly.

"You're bringing up Danzo again?"

Uchiha You looked into his eyes.

"He wants your eyes."

Shisui's pupils contracted.

"You, you can't make accusations like that."

Uchiha You sneered.

"Then take it as me talking nonsense."

"But remember what I said."

"If Danzo contacts you, you must inform me."

Shisui fell silent.

His first instinct was to argue.

But the fact that Uchiha You had returned alive proved plenty on its own.

If this mission had truly been a death trap arranged by Danzo...

Then Danzo's hostility toward the Uchiha might have run deeper than he had imagined.

Just as Shisui hesitated, an Uchiha clan member hurried over.

"You!"

"Someone from ANBU has arrived."

"The Third Hokage wants you to report on the mission immediately."

"That was quick."

He turned to Uchiha Chuan.

"Get the testimony organized."

"Also, have several clan members accompany me."

Uchiha Chuan immediately said.

"I'll go!"

Shisui spoke up as well.

"I'll go too."

Uchiha You glanced at him.

"You're sure?"

Shisui nodded seriously.

"This time, I want to hear for myself what Lord Hokage has to say."

The corners of Uchiha You's lips curled slightly.

Good.

Shisui was beginning to waver.

That was the first step.

Hokage Building.

When Uchiha You entered the office with Uchiha Chuan, Shisui, and several Police Force members, the atmosphere in the room immediately grew heavy.

The Third sat behind his desk.

Danzo, Koharu Utatane, and Homura Mitokado were all present.

The instant Danzo saw Uchiha You, murderous intent flashed through his lone eye.

Uchiha You naturally caught it.

He sneered inwardly.

Getting anxious?

Don't rush.

This is only the beginning.

The Third spoke first.

"You, the village is relieved that you were able to return alive."

Uchiha You replied evenly.

"Lord Hokage, I am relieved as well."

The Third paused slightly.

Uchiha You continued.

"I'm relieved that my life was tough enough."

"Otherwise, I would have died on this mission without even knowing who harmed me."

The office fell silent at once.

Koharu Utatane frowned.

"Uchiha You, what do you mean by that?"

Uchiha You looked at her.

"The meaning is simple."

"I was ordered by the Hokage to travel to the Land of Water on an investigative mission."

"Not long after leaving Konoha, I was met with a precisely timed ambush."

"All three accompanying ANBU were killed in battle."

"The enemy knew our route, numbers, and timing extremely well."

"May I ask the advisors, does this count as an intelligence leak?"

Homura Mitokado's expression darkened slightly.

The Third Hokage frowned deeply.

Danzo said coldly:

"Rogue ninja from the Land of Water have always been cunning."

"Being ambushed is nothing unusual."

Uchiha You turned to look at him.

"Lord Danzo is right."

"Rogue ninja being cunning is nothing unusual."

"But what is strange is that the code signals used by the three accompanying ANBU before their deaths were ones I had never seen in the official ANBU system."

"May I ask, Lord Danzo, is that strange or not?"

Danzo's gaze turned cold.

"What are you trying to say?"

"I merely wish to ask."

"Were those three ANBU truly ANBU directly under the Hokage's command?"

"Or were they members of some organization that could not stand in the light?"

Boom!

The atmosphere in the office instantly froze.

Shisui's expression shifted slightly.

Fury surged in Uchiha Chuan's eyes.

The Third Hokage said gravely:

"You, do not speak recklessly without evidence."

Uchiha You nodded.

"The Hokage is right."

"That is why I returned to request that the village investigate."

"I ask the Hokage to immediately investigate the identities of those three ANBU."

"Investigate the source of the mission intelligence leak."

"Investigate why I, an Uchiha jonin, was sent to the Land of Water on a high-risk mission immediately after clashing with the Shimura Clan."

"And, more importantly, investigate why those three ANBU said to me on the road..."

He paused, his gaze falling on Danzo.

"Uchiha You, you should not have offended the Shimura Clan."

Danzo's expression finally changed.

Though it lasted only an instant.

That instant was enough for Shisui to see it—and for the Third Hokage to see it as well.

The atmosphere in the office completely solidified.

Uchiha You's words were practically a direct accusation against Danzo.

Every question was perfectly reasonable.

He was the mission's survivor.

He had the right to demand an investigation.

The three accompanying personnel were dead.

The village had to provide an explanation.

If they did not investigate, it meant they had a guilty conscience.

If they did investigate, they might uncover Root.

Danzo said coldly:

"Uchiha You, are you slandering me?"

Uchiha You looked at him and gave a cold smile.

"Lord Danzo, why are you in such a hurry?"

"From beginning to end, did I ever say that you sent people to kill me?"

Danzo's breathing hitched.

In the office, Uchiha Chuan nearly burst out laughing.

That felt good!

So damn good!

Danzo's words just now had practically been an admission of guilt.

Uchiha You continued:

"I only said that they mentioned the Shimura Clan."

"Lord Danzo is denying it so eagerly. Do you know something?"

The hand gripping Danzo's cane suddenly tightened.

That brat!

He had actually been led around by that brat!

The Third Hokage said gravely:

"Enough."

"The village will investigate this matter."

Uchiha You looked at the Third Hokage.

"When will there be a result?"

The Third Hokage frowned.

"Investigations take time."

Uchiha You nodded.

"Fine."

"Three days."

Koharu Utatane snapped angrily:

"Uchiha You, are you ordering the Hokage?"

Uchiha You looked at her, his gaze calm.

"No."

"I am seeking justice for the three Konoha ANBU who died in battle."

As soon as he said that, Koharu Utatane was left speechless.

The Third Hokage's expression also turned somewhat ugly.

ANBU.

Killed in battle.

Justice.

Once those words were laid bare, the Hokage Building could not brush the matter aside lightly.

Otherwise, it would chill the hearts of every ANBU member.

Uchiha You continued:

"Does Advisor Koharu think that the unexplained deaths of three ANBU can simply be covered up?"

Koharu Utatane's face turned livid.

She realized she had no way to answer.

Anything she said would be wrong.

Shisui stood to the side, watching the scene with deep shock in his heart.

So...

Rules could be used this way, too.

Before, the Uchiha Clan had always been suppressed by the higher-ups in the name of the greater good.

But today, Uchiha You had hurled that "greater good" straight back into the Hokage Building's face.

And he had struck so hard they had nothing to say.

The Third Hokage was silent for a long time before finally saying slowly:

"In three days, the village will give you a preliminary answer."

Uchiha You nodded.

"Thank you, Lord Hokage."

With that, he turned and left.

Just before reaching the door, he suddenly stopped and looked back at Danzo.

"Oh, right, Lord Danzo."

"Those three ANBU died terribly."

"If you knew them, remember to burn some paper offerings for them."

Danzo's single eye instantly turned ice-cold.

But Uchiha You had already left with a smile.

The office door closed.

Bang!

Danzo slammed his cane heavily against the floor.

"Hiruzen!"

"This Uchiha cannot be allowed to remain!"

The Third Hokage rubbed his brow, his voice weary.

"At least not yet."

Danzo gritted his teeth.

"He is already provoking the village's authority!"

The Third Hokage looked at him, his tone turning cold as well.

"Is he provoking the village, or did you send Root to kill him first?"

Danzo fell silent.

Koharu Utatane and Homura Mitokado said nothing either.

This time, Danzo had truly been caught by the tail.

Though there was no solid evidence.

Everyone knew what had happened.

The Third Hokage stared toward the door, his expression complicated.

Uchiha You.

This young man was far more dangerous than he had imagined.

Not only was he powerful.

He also knew how to leverage circumstances.

More than that, he knew how to turn the rules Konoha's higher-ups were best at using into weapons against them.

If he continued to influence the Uchiha Clan unchecked...

A bad premonition suddenly rose in the Third Hokage's heart.

The conflict between the Uchiha and Konoha might truly become impossible to suppress.

After leaving the Hokage Building.

Uchiha Chuan finally could not hold back his laughter.

"You, did you see Danzo's face just now?"

"I've never seen him look that awful!"

Several members of the Uchiha Police Force beside them were also brimming with excitement.

Whenever they had faced the Hokage's advisors before, who among them had not kept their tempers in check?

But today, Uchiha You had directly left Danzo speechless in front of the Third Hokage.

It felt even better than simply winning a fight.

Because this was a direct slap in the face of Konoha's higher-ups.

Shisui, meanwhile, walked silently at the side.

Uchiha You glanced at him.

"What?"

"Do you think I went too far?"

Shisui shook his head.

This time, he did not repeat those words.

After a long while, he finally said quietly:

"Those three... were they really Root?"

Uchiha You said calmly,

"You already know the answer in your heart."

Shisui fell silent.

Yes.

He already knew the answer.

Danzo's reaction just now, the Third Hokage's silence, the consultants' evasiveness.

All of it proved that Uchiha You had not lied.

For the first time, Shisui felt a suspicion toward Konoha's higher-ups that he could not suppress.

If Danzo could really send Root to assassinate Uchiha You over a single conflict,

then in the future, would he target other Uchiha as well?

Would he target him too?

The moment that thought surfaced, Shisui instinctively wanted to deny it.

But Uchiha You's words from last night rose in his mind again.

"He wants your eyes."

Shisui subconsciously raised a hand and touched his eye socket.

Uchiha You saw the gesture, and a trace of satisfaction flashed through his eyes.

The seed had been planted.

Now, all he had to do was wait for Danzo to water it with his own hands.

Just then, the system's voice rang out in Uchiha You's mind.

[The host has successfully suppressed Konoha's higher-ups face-to-face, shaking Shisui Uchiha's trust in Konoha's higher-ups.]

[Obtained 3000 Behind-the-Scenes Points.]

[Current Behind-the-Scenes Points: 30000.]

[Side Quest One: Save Shisui Uchiha. Progress increased.]

The corners of Uchiha You's lips lifted slightly.

Very good.

He was one step closer to the Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan.

He raised his head and looked toward the distant Uchiha Clan Grounds.

Next...

It was time to unite the Uchiha.

Otherwise, when Uchiha Massacre Night truly descended, Akatsuki alone would not be enough.

What he wanted was not merely a counterattack.

But zero casualties.

At the very least, as close to zero as possible.

Uchiha You's gaze turned profound.

"Danzo. Third Hokage."

"You want to see the Uchiha bow their heads."

"Unfortunately."

"From today onward, the ones bowing their heads should be you."