"Yes, Captain!" all the masked ANBU members in the outpost answered in unison.
The next second, they vanished one after another, swiftly setting to work on the investigation.
As the head of Konoha's ANBU, Yūto did not need to track down traces himself. That was the field units' job.
After making the objectives and scope of authority clear to the ANBU, his crucial task now was to communicate directly with Fugaku, the head of the Konoha Military Police Force, and divide their responsibilities.
He could leave the actual intelligence gathering and preliminary reconnaissance to the elite squads under his command.
Once they had a clear direction or reached a critical juncture, he or someone he designated would step in.
After the ANBU left, Yūto fell into thought.
The missing children case would ultimately implicate Orochimaru and Danzo. The original story had made that perfectly clear.
Moreover, once the truth came out, the final pressure and decision would inevitably fall on Hiruzen Sarutobi.
So he had to discuss this with Fugaku.
Fugaku's stance was crucial. They needed to present a united front and coordinate the ANBU and the Konoha Military Police Force.
Yūto left the ANBU outpost and headed deeper into the Uchiha Clan Compound, toward Clan Head Fugaku's home.
He knocked on the door, and Mikoto answered.
She wore casual clothes, and a gentle smile at the sight of someone younger appeared on her face. "Oh, Yūto. Come on in. Did you just get back?"
"Mikoto," Yūto greeted her politely, "is Clan Head Fugaku home? I have something to discuss with him."
"Fugaku?" Mikoto shook her head slightly. "He's not home. He went to the Police Force early this morning. He said things haven't been very peaceful in the village lately, so there's been quite a bit of work."
She