Playing Dumb to Seize Leverage and Milk It for All It Was Worth

"What do we do now?"

The members of the Uchiha Police Force looked at one another. Although they had captured two Root ninja and professionally removed any poison that might have been hidden in their mouths, they had not fully taken off their masks to prevent matters from becoming completely irreversible. Even so, these Uchiha ninja, who had suffered oppression for years, had no idea what to do next.

After all, they could not be sure whether Danzo or Fugaku Uchiha would arrive first. If Danzo arrived first, he was still part of the Konoha Leadership, and they did not know how to deal with him.

"Wait!" At that moment, Uchiha Chuan spoke. His tone was calm, yet carried an unquestionable firmness. "Wait for Lord Hokage to give us an explanation!"

Upon hearing Uchiha Chuan's words, the Police Force members were briefly stunned before gradually calming down. Uchiha Chuan's demeanor reassured them, as though they had found someone to rely on. They exchanged glances and ultimately decided to follow his arrangements.

"Uchiha Chuan, do you remember me?" At that moment, Hatake Sakumo, the White Fang of the Leaf, walked over, his tone somewhat gentle.

"I remember. Kakashi's father." Uchiha Chuan nodded, his tone indifferent.

Hatake Sakumo nodded slightly, then said seriously, "These people belong to Root, not ANBU, but they are still Konoha's ninja. Their leader is Lord Danzo. He is the one who should pay the price; it has nothing to do with Lord Hokage. Please do not misunderstand Lord Hokage."

"Root? What kind of organization is that?" Uchiha Chuan asked, feigning confusion.

"Root's full name is the ANBU Training Department. It specializes in training reserves for ANBU," Hatake Sakumo explained.

"Oh? Then it is still part of ANBU in the end, isn't it?" Uchiha Chuan raised a brow, his tone carrying a trace of mockery. "ANBU is loyal only to the Hokage, yet they are loyal to some so-called 'leader.' Clearly, Root has become a bloated faction within ANBU. Since that is the case, the Uchiha Clan is more than willing to cut off this disobedient tail for Lord Hokage, so Root can become ANBU loyal to the Hokage once again."

Uchiha Chuan's words immediately made the Police Force members' eyes light up. They had found grounds to stand on, and at once shouted, "Hahaha, Uchiha Chuan is right! The Konoha Military Police Force is more than willing to eliminate the Root that is not loyal to the Hokage for his sake!"

"Is it your own decision for the Uchiha Police Force to eliminate Root, or is it Fugaku Uchiha's decision? Or are you Uchiha planning to betray Konoha?"

At that moment, a cold voice heavy with oppressive chill rang out. Everyone turned and saw Shimura Danzō approaching coldly with several Root members. His arrival instantly made the Uchiha ninja feel pressured, suppressing their earlier momentum by several degrees.

However, Uchiha Chuan showed no fear at all. Instead, he sneered and mocked, "Tch, so we're doing the whole 'putting the facts aside' routine again? Lord Hokage already banned that line, yet you still dare to use it? Old man, your surname must be Shimura or Sarutobi, right? Don't you have any other tricks?"

"You!" Shimura Danzō's face instantly turned livid. He glared coldly at Uchiha Chuan, his voice brimming with chilling killing intent. "You are Uchiha Chuan? Do you know that based on that remark alone, I can charge you with disrespect?"

"Oh? You sound rather important." Uchiha Chuan feigned surprise. "Who are you?"

"I am Root's leader and the Hokage's advisor!" Shimura Danzō declared arrogantly. "Uchiha Chuan, admit your mistake now, and I may still spare you."

"Heh, old man, you dare compete with me in slapping labels on people? I'll let you use both hands and both feet." Uchiha Chuan laughed disdainfully, then took a deep breath. The voice that had just shaken Konoha rang out again—

"Lord Hokage! Is it true that you made the head of a spy ring your advisor?"

"Damn it, shut up!" Shimura Danzō had not expected Uchiha Chuan to pull such a move. The tremendous voice made his ears buzz. But what enraged him even more was that Uchiha Chuan had fabricated the accusation out of thin air and called him the "head of a spy ring"!

The Uchiha Police Force members were stunned as well. They had not expected Uchiha Chuan not only to fear Shimura Danzō, but to force him into such an embarrassing state. This was something even Fugaku Uchiha had never accomplished!

"Hahaha, Uchiha Chuan, well done!" One Uchiha ninja could not help laughing aloud, and the others also revealed delighted smiles.

"Stop them!" Uchiha Chuan did not even need to give the order. The Police Force members immediately stepped in front of him without hesitation, preventing Shimura Danzō from attacking him.

Shimura Danzō's face darkened terrifyingly. He stared fixedly at Uchiha Chuan, chilling killing intent seeping from his eyes.

"You dare lay hands on me? Are you trying to rebel?" Shimura Danzō's voice was icy and piercing, his gaze filled with chilling killing intent. The Root ninja behind him also stepped forward, aggressively threatening the Uchiha Police Force members.

However, Uchiha Chuan merely gave a disdainful laugh. Then he took a deep breath, and that ear-splitting voice once more echoed through Konoha—

"Uncles of the Police Force, if the head of a spy ring dares make a move, kill him without mercy!"

"You!" Shimura Danzō's face instantly turned livid. He suddenly realized that his usual methods of manipulating public opinion and twisting right and wrong had completely failed against Uchiha Chuan. On the contrary, Uchiha Chuan was using his own methods against him!

The Uchiha Police Force members realized it as well. At this moment, Shimura Danzō had been branded the "head of a spy ring" by Uchiha Chuan, and he had no way to refute it. Under such circumstances, even if they killed him, it would be a free kill!

"Sharingan, activate!" The Uchiha ninja activated their Sharingan one after another, chilling killing intent gleaming within their scarlet pupils. They were itching to move, as though ready to pounce at any moment and tear Shimura Danzō to pieces.

Meanwhile, Fugaku Uchiha, who was hurrying toward the scene, suddenly stopped. He turned to look at the First Elder, Second Elder, and Third Elder beside him, his tone carrying a trace of emotion. "It seems we do not need to go anymore. Our new genius is far stronger than us. At the very least, we could never openly issue a kill order against Shimura Danzō like this."

The First Elder, Second Elder, and Third Elder looked at one another, then sighed rather bleakly, "It seems we really are old..."

"Damn it!" When Hiruzen Sarutobi, the Third Hokage, heard Uchiha Chuan's voice, his heart tightened. He could no longer concern himself with anything else and immediately used Body Flicker to rush toward the scene. He knew that if he was even one step slower, Uchiha Chuan might truly kill his good friend Shimura Danzō.

Feeling the Uchiha's killing intent, Shimura Danzō could not help feeling a chill run through him. He abruptly turned toward Hatake Sakumo, who was watching Uchiha Chuan's handling of the situation in amazement, and shouted, "Sakumo! The Uchiha are about to rebel, can't you see that? Why aren't you acting?!"

Hatake Sakumo spread his hands, his tone calm but slightly mocking. "Lord Danzo, you may be able to 'put the facts aside,' but I cannot. The Uchiha only want an explanation. Nothing more."

"You!" Shimura Danzō trembled with rage, yet could not refute him.

At that moment, the Third Hokage finally arrived. His appearance immediately eased the tense atmosphere somewhat.

"Stop!" The Third Hokage's voice carried unquestionable authority. His gaze swept over the Uchiha ninja before finally settling on Uchiha Chuan, his tone somewhat complicated. "Uchiha Chuan, calm down first."

With the Third Hokage's arrival, the clan heads of the Ino–Shika–Cho clans, Hyuga Hiashi, Inuzuka Tsume, Aburame Shibi, and other ninja clans, along with Konoha Leadership members such as Orochimaru, also arrived one after another. After all, Uchiha Chuan's voice had been too shocking; everyone in Konoha had heard it.

"Lord Hokage, since you are here, please give us an explanation?" Uchiha Chuan's clear, youthful voice rang out. His tone carried a hint of innocence, yet also an edge that could not be ignored.