Who Was Really Committing Treason!

The atmosphere in the Hokage's Office turned decidedly strange.

The conciliatory remarks Third Hokage Hiruzen Sarutobi had just made had given Shimura Danzō an excellent way out.

All Danzo had to do was take it.

He could reframe the serious violation of arresting someone in the street as temporarily requesting assistance with an investigation.

Then the Konoha High Command could claim the procedural high ground and defuse the standoff outside.

Danzo's lone eye shifted, and he immediately understood the Third Hokage's intent.

He slammed his cane against the floor with a dull thud.

"Hiruzen is right."

Danzo took the offered way out, his tone once again brimming with righteous confidence.

"My Root merely asked Uchiha Yashiro to assist with an investigation."

"Such a major disturbance broke out on South Street. Shops were even smashed up."

"With a squad captain of the Konoha Military Police Force involved, what is wrong with Root conducting routine questioning to prevent the situation from escalating?"

Danzo lifted his chin, his lone eye fixed coldly on Chikage in his chair.

He wanted not only to take the way out, but also to shift the blame back onto the Uchiha.

"But you Uchiha."

"Without even checking whether an investigation was already underway, you assembled a large armed force to surround the Hokage Building."

"You even spouted outrageous claims in the Plaza, stirring up villagers who knew nothing of the truth."

Danzo's voice echoed through the office, heavy with accusation.

"What exactly are you trying to do?"

"Do Konoha's rules mean nothing to you?"

"Are you trying to force the Hokage's hand?!"

Third Hokage Hiruzen Sarutobi sat behind his desk, his expression unchanged.

He did not approve of Danzo's actions, but he recognized the usefulness of this argument.

First, downgrading Root's arrest to a request for investigative assistance would at least prevent an immediate clash.

Then, framing the Uchiha gathering as excessive would let the Higher-Ups regain the initiative in negotiations.

That would leave the Uchiha outside with no reason to keep surrounding the Hokage Building.

Mitokado Homura and Utatane Koharu also understood the Third's plan.

They picked up their teacups again, the tension on their faces easing slightly.

Leaning on his cane, Danzo looked down at Chikage.

Root could give some ground, but he could never concede its right to act at its own discretion in urgent situations.

If he admitted that today's actions exceeded his authority, Root would face restrictions at every turn whenever it tried to intervene in the Konoha Military Police Force's affairs.

Mitokado Homura blew on his hot tea, waiting for Chikage to show some sense and back down.

Utatane Koharu adjusted her collar as well, once again assuming the imposing air of a senior advisor.

The Third Hokage picked up his pipe and took a couple of puffs.

In his view, as long as they persuaded the Uchiha outside to leave first, there would still be room to maneuver.

As for Uchiha Yashiro, he could first be transferred out of Root's custody, and the Hokage's Office could then organize a review.

That would quell the Uchiha's anger without making Root lose face in public.

Danzo tightened his grip on his cane, his lone eye filled with cold hostility.

He waited to see how this arrogant brat would respond.

Chikage remained seated, showing no trace of panic at Danzo's counterattack.

He even yawned and picked at his ear.

"Advisor Danzo, is that talent for slapping accusations on people a family inheritance?"

The moment Chikage spoke, the atmosphere in the office, which had only just eased, darkened again.

Veins bulged on Danzo's hand as he gripped his cane.

"Insolence!"

"How dare you show me such disrespect!"

Chikage paid no attention whatsoever to Danzo's anger.

He leisurely took the yellowed copy of the Public Security Administration Regulations from his pocket.

"You said Root merely asked Captain Yashiro to assist with an investigation."

"Then let's check the rules and see exactly what procedure that requires."

Chikage ran his finger over the pages and stopped at one of them.

He cleared his throat and began reading aloud.

"Article 37 of the Konoha Public Security Administration Regulations expressly states."

"While performing official duties, squad commanders of the Konoha Military Police Force are serving law enforcement officials of Konoha."

"Any department seeking to reassign them, summon them, or request their assistance with an investigation."

"Must possess a Red Writ personally issued by the Hokage."

Chikage closed the booklet and tapped it against his palm.

He raised his head, his gaze moving between Danzo and the Third Hokage.

"Advisor Danzo, you repeatedly insisted just now that this was routine questioning."

"Then please produce Lord Hokage's writ so we can all have a look."

The question left Danzo speechless, his expression turning ugly.

He had no writ. He had simply seized the opportunity to act first and report afterward.

Seeing that Danzo said nothing, Chikage turned straight to the Third Hokage.

"Lord Hokage, this writ requiring Captain Yashiro to go to Root to assist with an investigation."

"Did you issue it this morning?"

The Third Hokage's pipe-holding hand froze in midair.

The question was an obvious trap.

If he admitted to issuing the writ, he would be admitting that he had instructed Root to interfere with the Konoha Military Police Force's lawful duties.

Not only would that put him in the wrong, it would thoroughly enrage the Uchiha clansmen outside.

If he denied it, then Danzo had exceeded his authority on his own.

The Third Hokage set down his pipe and answered evenly.

"I have been attending to official business all day. I have not issued any writ concerning the Konoha Military Police Force."

Upon hearing that answer, Chikage immediately turned back and fixed his gaze on Danzo.

"Did you hear that?"

"Lord Hokage never issued a writ."

"As Hokage Advisor, you don't have so much as a single lawful transfer order."

"Yet you dared order your subordinates to detain a serving commander of the Konoha Military Police Force in the street."

Chikage slammed the desk, the sound exploding through the office.

"Who gave you that authority?"

"You bypassed Lord Hokage and deployed Root's armed forces without authorization!"

"If we apply the same standard you just used to condemn the Uchiha."

"Deploying troops without orders and unlawfully detaining a law enforcement commander comes far closer to the treason you were talking about!"

Under that barrage, Danzo grew so furious that even his beard trembled.

He had wielded power in Konoha for decades. When had a Genin ever cornered him like this using regulations?

"Utter nonsense!"

Danzo raised his cane and pointed it at Chikage.

"Root is responsible for Konoha's covert defenses. It has always had the authority to act as circumstances demand!"

"An armed clash broke out on South Street, and Uchiha personnel severely injured a villager in public. Of course I had the authority to get the situation under control first!"

Chikage laughed outright.

"Get the situation under control?"

"When Shimura Ken, who led the shop-smashing rampage, was still shouting in the street, why didn't Root bring him under control?"

"Root didn't arrest the armed troublemakers. Instead, it arrested only Captain Yashiro, who was handling the case."

"Not even Lord Hokage received a report. You call that acting as circumstances demand?"

Mitokado Homura's expression changed immediately at that.

Although he and Danzo both belonged to the Konoha High Command, a precedent of arresting people without the Hokage's authorization threatened them as well.

Mitokado Homura hurriedly spoke up, trying to steer the discussion elsewhere.

"Uchiha Chikage, stop twisting the issue!"

"Even if Root's procedures were somewhat lacking."

"That does not erase the fact that you Uchiha gathered to stage a demonstration!"

Mitokado Homura pointed toward the Plaza outside the window.

"You brought dozens of fully armed police personnel to block the Hokage Building."

"If that isn't an attempt to force the Hokage's hand, what is?"

"Do you Uchiha have any respect for the Konoha High Command?"

Chikage turned to look at the furious Mitokado Homura.

He opened the booklet in his hand again.

"Advisor Mitokado, you're even better at pinning accusations on people than Advisor Danzo."

"We came to the Hokage Building to report a case and submit evidence."

"How does that amount to forcing the Hokage's hand?"

Mitokado Homura sneered.

"Does reporting a case require bringing so many people?"

"Does it require every one of them to carry ninja tools?"

Chikage spread his hands, his face a picture of innocence.

"You're being unfair to us."

"Police personnel carrying standard-issue ninja tools while on duty is required by the Konoha Military Police Force's own regulations."

Chikage raised the booklet and gave it a shake.

"The regulations clearly state that the Konoha Military Police Force has the authority to determine the number of personnel deployed for response, evidence collection, and escort duties according to the severity of the case."

"Just look at who is involved in today's case."

Chikage pointed at the case files on the desk.

"The suspect is the Hokage Advisor's own nephew."

"The crime took place on South Street, Konoha's busiest commercial street."

"The amount involved is as high as three hundred and fifty thousand ryō."

"And unidentified armed personnel even took our law enforcement commander away in broad daylight."

Chikage's voice grew louder, ringing with confidence.

"The Second Squad is both the unit handling the case and the witnesses present when Root unlawfully interfered."

"Now that our captain has been arrested, the evidence could be destroyed at any moment."

"As deputy captain, to ensure that the evidence reached Lord Hokage safely."

"To protect the lawful rights and interests of South Street's merchants."

"I led the Second Squad's on-duty officers to escort the case files and evidence to the Hokage Building."

"That is called faithfully performing my duty!"

"How did it become an attempt to force the Hokage's hand when you described it?"

Utatane Koharu slammed the desk beside him.

"Uchiha Chikage, you're making excuses!"

"You're clearly exploiting this incident to stage a deliberate demonstration at the Hokage Building!"

Chikage turned to Utatane Koharu, showing no intention of backing down.

"Advisor Utatane, I'm stating the facts and following the rules."

"We neither damaged the Hokage Building nor fought the Anbu responsible for guarding it."

"Everyone is standing in orderly formation in the Plaza, waiting for Lord Hokage's orders."

"If even that counts as forcing the Hokage's hand."

"Then in the future, when ninja and villagers come to the Hokage Building to submit missions or seek redress for grievances, will a slightly larger crowd also be branded as traitors?"