"Halt!"
Shinnosuke Sarutobi led an ANBU squad, blocking Naruto's path outright. He stared at Naruto for a long time before saying in a deep voice, "We suspect the elder's death is closely tied to you. Come back with us for questioning."
Before Naruto could reply, an old yet full-throated voice suddenly rang out from the side.
"Whose permission did you get?"
"The Uzumaki Clan only has these two descendants left now, and Naruto is still a child of twelve. How could the elder's death possibly have anything to do with him?"
Shinnosuke Sarutobi's expression changed on the spot. Following the voice, he saw Mito walking over slowly, flanked by the head of the Hyuga Clan, the heads of the Ino–Shika–Cho clans, and the leaders of other minor shinobi clans.
"Lady Mito, why have you come in person?"
Shinnosuke hurriedly bowed his head, his attitude far more respectful than before.
Although Hiruzen Sarutobi had long since chipped away at the Senju Clan until it was scattered and weak, as long as Mito lived, the Sarutobi Clan would not dare to look down on her. Just looking at the clan heads surrounding Mito at this moment showed her weight in the hearts of every shinobi clan in Konoha.
When these shinobi clans originally pledged allegiance to Konoha, they relied on the protection of the Senju and Uchiha clans. Mito was the wife of the First Hokage and God of Shinobi, Hashirama Senju. In their eyes, her prestige was far from something a young man pushed into the Hokage's seat like Hiruzen Sarutobi could compare to.
During the peace of the past twenty years, Hiruzen Sarutobi had used those large and small frictions between shinobi villages to secretly and gradually wear away the Senju Clan's strength. By now, not a single person in