Detained

Uchiha Jin returned as quickly as he had left. Kawakami's and Takeoka's accounts matched, and both were still stunned by the Security Force's sudden arrival.

The two recounted what had happened that morning once more.

"Lord Hokage, you have to stand up for us! I barely touched Elder Ize. I never thought his bones would break.

"Aren't Konoha's Elders all powerful ninja? Who could've expected some frail old man to hold a seat among the village's senior officials?"

"As I understand it, after you knocked Elder Ize down, you kicked him before you left."

Takeoka's face went pale. He could claim the collision was an accident, but the kick had been entirely deliberate.

"Stop looking around. Tell the truth."

"Kawakami said Elder Ize was lying there coughing up blood to scam us. I got angry when I heard that, and before I knew it, I lost my head and kicked him," Takeoka said.

"Kawakami, what made you think Elder Ize was trying to scam you?"

"Takeoka barely bumped into him, and he immediately collapsed and started coughing up blood. Anyone's first thought would be that he was faking it to extort us.

"I heard something like that happened on Konoha Street Half a Month ago. Two people bumped into each other while walking, and the old man started spitting blood.

"I figured they were both old men, and the circumstances sounded the same. One little bump and they're coughing up blood? It had to be a scam."

"Lord Hokage, the Security Force looked into that incident Half a Month ago. Elder Ize was involved in that collision too.

"He was out shopping with his grandson when he brushed against a villager walking toward him. Perhaps Elder Ize was overly wary and thought an assassin was attacking him.

"He reacted so