Hokage, are you shielding a criminal?

"Third, my eyes cannot be wrong."

Uchiha Jin ignored Hiruzen Sarutobi's ugly expression and pointed at Sarutobi Shōtarō, who was being supported by the Sarutobi Elder.

"He is the murderer."

"Boy, I advise you to know when to stop!"

The Sarutobi Elder completely exploded, wishing he could strike out and kill him.

Why was this brat so oblivious? Couldn't he see I had already backed down and paid to buy my son's life?

"Clan Head Fugaku, what do you think of this?"

Since he could not get through to Uchiha Jin, he would go to his immediate superior.

This brat Jin was firmly in the clan's camp. Even if he refused to listen to the Hokage, surely he could not refuse to listen to his clan head too?

Uchiha Fugaku, who had been watching the show all along, was caught off guard by the sudden question and did not quite react at first.

He admitted that he had initially wanted to do the Hokage a favor, but seeing Jin's stance now had changed his mind.

They were in the right.

So what if they refused to show the Hokage any respect?

The Uchiha had long been dissatisfied with the village leadership anyway. This was the perfect opportunity to thoroughly antagonize the Hokage.

"Ahem, I think Jin is right."

Uchiha Fugaku activated his Three-Tomoe Sharingan as well. "Lord Hokage, you may not know this, but once the Sharingan evolves to three tomoe, it has few equals in genjutsu. Jin is a genius of our clan, and his use of genjutsu far surpasses that of ordinary clan members with three tomoe. I don't think he could make such an elementary mistake."

"You!"

The Sarutobi Elder had not expected Uchiha Fugaku to suddenly switch sides.

What exactly were these lunatics trying to do?!

Did they really intend to put my son to death?!

Faced with their arguments, Hiruzen Sarutobi frowned slightly.

Today's incident might not be so easy to resolve.

Uchiha Fugaku's sudden change of sides was clearly an attempt to seize this opportunity to get back at him.

Most importantly, the Uchiha were in the right.

Although Uchiha Jin had invaded someone's memories with genjutsu without authorization, he had also found evidence that Sarutobi Shōtarō had committed murder.

He could hardly declare in front of everyone that the memories Jin had seen through his genjutsu were false, could he?

That sort of thing could be said in private.

If he actually said it in front of everyone, his time as Hokage would be over.

"Is there truly no room for negotiation?"

Hiruzen Sarutobi sighed softly. At this point, there was no need to speak in riddles anymore.

"What price must we pay for you to release Shōtarō?"

Uchiha Fugaku's eyes lit up at those words. This brat had actually made the Hokage back down of his own accord.

If the clan's hardliners heard about this, they would definitely erupt.

He did not know whether having such a genius emerge in the clan was a good thing or a bad thing...

"Sorry, Third, but I cannot let a murderer walk away."

Uchiha Jin looked at Hiruzen Sarutobi. "Under the village's laws, the deliberate murder of a villager is a serious offense. Sarutobi Shōtarō must be publicly executed."

Watching his utterly unyielding attitude, the Sarutobi Elder was so furious that his chest heaved.

This brat was definitely doing this on purpose!

He just wanted to kill my precious son.

Bastard!

"Hiruzen..."

He looked pleadingly at Hiruzen Sarutobi. His meaning was clear: Shōtarō had to be saved, no matter what.

Faced with the elder's plea, Hiruzen Sarutobi rubbed between his brows with a headache.

Uchiha Jin's refusal to let go, like a rabid dog, was giving him quite a headache too.

The problem was that Uchiha Fugaku was indulging the brat as well.

If he had managed to talk Uchiha Jin into joining the Anbu back then, just as he had fooled Shisui Uchiha, how could there have been all this trouble today?

Truth be told, he regretted it a little.

He should have firmly insisted that Jin join the Anbu.

Instead of being satisfied with getting Shisui alone.

"Jin, is there really no room for further discussion?"

Hiruzen Sarutobi willingly lowered himself, hoping Jin would show some mercy.

He had originally thought the brat would spare Shōtarō out of respect for his position as Hokage.

But the rosy expectations were a far cry from the harsh reality.

"Hokage, are you shielding a criminal?"

Uchiha Jin stared calmly at Hiruzen Sarutobi, his gaze resting on the red health bar above his head.

"Your actions show contempt for the village's laws!"

At those words, Hiruzen Sarutobi's expression changed.

How could this brat throw accusations around so casually?

Normally, he was the one who said such things. He had never expected that someone would turn them back on him and lecture him one day.

"A ninja who kills a civilian must be executed. That was a rule established by the two previous Hokage."

Uchiha Jin ignored his expression and continued.

"Third, you have violated the rules established by the First and the Second."

"Of course, you're the Hokage, so you have the final say. You can introduce a law right now saying that ninja don't have to be executed for killing civilians..."

"Enough!"

Hiruzen Sarutobi could not bear to listen any longer and cut him off.

If he did not speak up now, this brat's accusations would only grow more serious.

Uchiha Fugaku looked at the Hokage, whose chest was heaving with anger, then at Jin, who remained composed and utterly unafraid.

Brilliant. Absolutely brilliant!

This brat Jin really dared to say anything!

As the Uchiha clan head and commander of the Konoha Military Police Force, he could not get a single word in now.

He could only sit back and watch the show.

He had to admit, seeing the Hokage so exasperated felt quite satisfying.

"Hokage, I am acting entirely in accordance with the village's rules and regulations.

"Although I used torture without authorization, my point still stands: no crime can escape my eyes!"

Uchiha Jin did not stop talking. Instead, he continued speaking with assurance.

"Without conclusive evidence, I would not use extreme methods to interrogate a prisoner."

"If I make an error in judgment, I am willing to bear full responsibility!"

Hiruzen Sarutobi: "..."

This brat had covered every angle himself.

What else could he say?

It was true that Sarutobi Shōtarō had murdered a civilian.

And Uchiha Jin would not yield out of respect for anyone. Even his willingness to lower himself had been useless.

He had even been hit with accusations instead.

That could only mean the brat truly wanted to enforce the law impartially.

Otherwise, he would have named his terms long ago.

Of course, there was also the possibility that Uchiha Jin was acting on Uchiha Fugaku's instructions, using this method to antagonize him.

After all, he had indeed been suppressing the Uchiha during his tenure.

It was perfectly reasonable for them to seize an opportunity to retaliate.

Hiruzen Sarutobi sighed and silently closed his eyes.

He knew his nephew was doomed.

Even as Hokage, he could not violate the village's rules.

"Hiruzen!"

At the sight, the Sarutobi Elder immediately panicked.

He had originally thought that even if his son had killed someone, with the Hokage present, a major issue could be reduced to a minor one, then dismissed entirely.

It would take nothing more than a little money.

Who could have imagined that the Uchiha would show the Hokage no respect at all and insist on acting according to the village's rules and regulations?

That meant his precious son was certain to die!

No, I will never let that happen.

"Hiruzen, please, save Shōtarō! He's still a child!"

The Sarutobi Elder knelt before him, clutching the Hokage haori with both hands, his face pleading.

"He's my only son..."