The first order: Lock down Konoha

"Someone inside the clan was waiting for orders?"

Fugaku picked up the paper, the blood on the back of his hand still unwiped. "Danzo got his hands inside the Konoha Military Police Force?"

The police captain's expression changed at once. "Impossible! I personally picked everyone who came out tonight!"

Sasuke glanced at him. "Because you picked them yourself, none of them could be a mole?"

The question made the captain's face burn. "Clan Head, I..."

"Shut up and get to work."

Sasuke turned toward the crowd in front of the Hokage Building and raised the paper. "You've all seen it. Danzo didn't just send Root to wipe out our clan. He planted agents inside the Uchiha, too."

The Third Hokage's expression darkened. "Sasuke, the matter of a mole needs to be verified."

"Of course it does." Sasuke turned to him. "That's why, effective immediately, Konoha is under lockdown."

Mitokado Homura nearly jumped. "What did you say?"

Sasuke tucked the clan head registration document into his sleeve. "The Konoha Military Police Force is responsible for public security in Konoha. Danzo, suspected of village betrayal tonight, has not been brought into custody. Itachi fled the scene, Root operatives are still active, and an insider in the village is receiving orders."

He glanced at the Hokage emblem above the building. "Sealing the entrances and exits is legal and within our authority."

Mitokado Homura snapped, "The police have no authority to lock down the entire village!"

Sasuke pointed at the Root operatives in custody. "Then should we let Root do it?"

People in the crowd immediately began shouting.

"Root are the killers!"

"We can't let them get away!"

"Lock down the village and get to the bottom of this!"

Utatane Koharu gritted her teeth. "A lockdown will disrupt the village's missions and make us a laughingstock to outsiders."

Sasuke looked at her. "Konoha High Command nearly wiped out one of the village's founding clans tonight. We're already enough of a laughingstock."

Her face flushed an ugly red.

The Third Hokage stared at Sasuke. "How long do you intend to keep it sealed?"

"Until dawn."

"Who authorized this?"

Sasuke raised his injured hand. One corner of the bloodstained bandage was already soaked through. "The victims are requesting that the scene be preserved, and the police are enforcing security measures. If you disagree, Lord Hokage, you can say it yourself: let suspects in village betrayal leave Konoha."

The Third Hokage drew on his unlit pipe, his expression thunderous.

Several gazes settled on Shikaku again.

He sighed, left with no choice but to speak. "Lord Hokage, a brief lockdown will stabilize the situation. If anyone escapes now, it will be even harder to explain tomorrow."

Inoichi Yamanaka nodded. "The Root operatives' identities need to be checked."

Hyuga Hiashi spoke as well. "Tonight's circumstances are exceptional. A lockdown is reasonable."

The Third Hokage looked over the three of them before his gaze finally returned to Sasuke.

"The lockdown may proceed, but the ANBU and the police must carry it out jointly."

Sasuke nodded immediately. "Agreed. The ANBU will guard the outer perimeter, and the police will verify identities. Anyone leaving the village must be registered in triplicate: one copy for the Hokage Building, one for the police, and one for the clan representatives."

Mitokado Homura slapped the railing in fury. "You're guarding against the Hokage!"

Sasuke looked up. "The Lord Advisor finally understands."

Those words silenced everyone for a moment.

The Third Hokage's gaze turned cold. "Sasuke, watch your words."

Sasuke pressed a hand over the clan head's token at his waist. "Lord Hokage, I've been careful enough already. Otherwise, the Uchiha wouldn't be standing here talking to you tonight."

Fugaku stepped behind Sasuke. He said nothing, but his stance was clear.

The Third Hokage knew that further argument would only make the situation uglier.

He turned to Kakashi. "Carry it out."

Kakashi accepted the order. "Yes."

At the same time, Sasuke looked at the police captain. "Uchiha Takaya, take men to the east, west, south, and north gates. Twenty at each gate. If you don't have enough, bring more from the clan compound. Disarm any Root operatives you encounter. Register people jointly with any ANBU you encounter. Arrest anyone who refuses inspection on the spot."

Takaya bowed his head. "Yes, Clan Head."

"One more thing." Sasuke tossed him the paper mentioning the insider. "Reregister everyone who left the compound with you earlier. Record exactly who left the group along the way, who approached the rear of the Hokage Building, and who had contact with the Root prisoners."

Takaya looked humiliated. "You suspect me, Clan Head?"

Sasuke looked at him. "I suspect everyone."

The words were harsh, but no one dared argue.

Sasuke added, "Including the people around my father."

Fugaku showed no displeasure. He merely said, "Do it."

Takaya immediately dropped to his knees. "Understood."

Squads of Uchiha began racing toward the four gates. The ANBU dispersed alongside them.

Seeing the police back in action actually steadied the civilians. Rather than watching the leadership meet behind closed doors, they preferred seeing someone arrest killers in the streets.

An old man who sold medicine called out, "Clan Head Sasuke, I live on North Street! Root operatives just ran through there. I'll show your men the way!"

"I saw them, too!" Another young man raised his hand. "Two masked men crossed the rooftops, heading toward the west gate!"

Sasuke immediately pointed at them. "Take their names and send two police officers with them. If their information checks out, the Uchiha will remember the favor."

The young man froze. "Remember... the favor?"

Sasuke looked around. "Anyone who helps identify Root operatives tonight, anyone who helps preserve evidence-the Uchiha will remember."

The crowd instantly grew animated.

"I know where Root has a hidden lookout!"

"There are strange footprints in the alley behind my house!"

"I saw that man in the gray hat exchange looks with a short-haired ninja!"

Watching the scene, the Third Hokage felt a weight settle in his chest.

With a single sentence, Sasuke had turned the civilian onlookers into informants.

Kakashi understood it, too. As he led the ANBU past Sasuke, he paused. "You've pulled the whole village into this."

Sasuke replied, "The leadership has hidden in the dark for too long. It's time they faced the people."

Kakashi glanced at him. "Itachi is still at the village entrance."

"He'll wait." Sasuke turned toward the entrance. "What he fears most is that I won't come."

Kakashi said nothing more and led his men away.

The crowd in front of the Hokage Building began to disperse. But Sasuke stayed in the square, standing below the steps as he issued orders in quick succession.

"Fugaku."

"Here."

"Gather all the wounded in the compound beside the ancestral hall. Use the clan's own medical ninjas first. Any outsiders who enter must be registered."

"Understood."

"Assign every body a number. Record who found it, where it was found, and the locations of its wounds. Don't let anyone disturb the scene in their grief."

Fugaku nodded. "I'll stand guard myself."

"Clan representatives."

Shikaku looked up. "What do you need, Clan Head Sasuke?"

Sasuke handed him Root's message. "Sorry for the trouble, but I'd like the Nara Clan to help organize witness statements, the Yamanaka Clan to assist in interrogating the captured Root operatives, and the Akimichi Clan to help guard the supply warehouse."

Akimichi Choza rubbed his nose. "Guarding a warehouse does suit us."

A few chuckles came from the crowd, easing the tension a little.

Shikaku looked at Sasuke. "You're putting all the clans in the same boat."

Sasuke did not deny it. "Stay on the shore tonight, and the water will be at your feet tomorrow. You see that more clearly than I do, Nara Clan Head."

With an eight-year-old laying it bare, Shikaku could only smile wryly. "I'll make the arrangements."

After listening to these arrangements, the Third Hokage finally spoke. "Sasuke, you must not bypass the Hokage to mobilize the clans."

Sasuke turned. "I'm not mobilizing them. I'm asking them to bear witness. Any clan that doesn't wish to help may refuse."

Shikaku looked at the Third Hokage. "Lord Hokage, the Nara are willing to assist."

Inoichi followed immediately. "So are the Yamanaka."

Choza waved a hand. "The Akimichi will go to the warehouse."

The Third Hokage's face tightened.

Sasuke stopped looking at him and turned to the Uchiha. "One more thing."

Every Uchiha immediately looked over.

"Starting tonight, all police documents, seals, keys, ledgers, and armory access records must be kept under the joint supervision of at least two people."

Takaya answered from a distance, "Yes!"

"Anyone who accesses confidential documents alone is to be arrested first and questioned afterward."

"Yes!"

"If anyone dares call this distrust of our clansmen, show them that paper."

The Uchiha felt their hearts tighten.

Someone inside the clan was waiting for orders.

Those words weighed over everyone's heads. None of them knew which companion beside them had secretly taken orders from Danzo.

This tension was exactly what Sasuke wanted.

Without it, the mole would lie low.

Under pressure, the mole would make a mistake.

An ANBU hurried over from behind the Hokage Building. "Lord Hokage, Root operatives were discovered attempting to break through the eastern passage. The police and ANBU stopped them together."

The Third Hokage asked, "How many?"

"Seven, carrying sealing scrolls."

Sasuke spoke immediately. "Register the scrolls on the spot. They are not to be taken into the Hokage Building's secret chambers."

The ANBU looked at the Third Hokage.

The Third Hokage bit down on his pipe. "Do as he says."

Mitokado Homura said quietly, "Hiruzen, if you keep giving ground, he'll really start treating the Hokage Building as his own."

Sasuke's ears twitched, and he turned to look at him. "Don't worry, Lord Advisor. I'm not interested in occupying the Hokage Building right now."

Mitokado Homura snorted. "You'd even think of taking that seat?"

Sasuke retorted, "The seats you've occupied are too filthy."

Mitokado Homura nearly struck him on the spot, but Utatane Koharu held him back. "Not here."

Sasuke saw it and said, "If you'd like to hit me, Lord Advisor, please write your resignation first. That way, tomorrow's announcement won't need another entry: Konoha advisor assaults a victim of the clan massacre."

The nearby civilians could not help laughing.

Mitokado Homura's face turned livid.

Just then, signal fireworks rose from the direction of the east gate.

One red, one white.

A messenger ninja sent by Takaya rushed into the square and dropped to one knee. "Clan Head, we caught two Root operatives at the east gate. They said they were under orders to transfer supplies."

Sasuke asked, "What supplies?"

The messenger handed over a small sealing scroll.

Kakashi approached from the side, took the scroll, and inspected its seal. "No explosive tags."

Sasuke looked at the Third Hokage. "Open it."

The Third Hokage waved his hand.

The scroll was unrolled. Several ledgers fell to the ground, along with a bag of banknotes bearing Root's mark.

Mitokado Homura's expression changed.

Sasuke crouched and casually opened a ledger to the first page.

A line was written there.

Konoha Military Police Force special appropriation transfer details.

Sasuke raised his head to look at the Third Hokage, genuine coldness finally entering his eyes.

"Lord Hokage, it seems Danzo wanted more than our lives."

He held the ledger up to the firelight.

"He pocketed the Uchiha's money, too."