Fugaku and several Uchiha members had also heard the disturbance and stepped out to observe the chaos unfolding nearby. Their eyes drifted toward the origin of the commotion, and every one of them wore a peculiar expression.
"That's... close to the Hokage Building, isn't it? Why would a battle erupt in that area?" asked Raimon, his brow furrowed in disbelief.
Even without being a tactician, Raimon knew this was no ordinary breach. The Hokage Building might not sit dead center in Konoha's geography, but in both administrative and military significance, it was undeniably the heart of the village. It was not only the workplace of the Hokage but also surrounded by elite units—Anbu headquarters, remnants of Root, and even the Intelligence Division.
This area was fortified tighter than most parts of the village. Any attempt to breach it should've triggered multiple warning systems. Yet, this battle had broken out in that very core.
"This only proves one thing... the so-called defense preparations made during the recent wartime alert were completely useless!" Raimon muttered.
Andrew couldn't help but snicker, barely covering his amusement with a cough. "Ahem... Shall we head over for a look?" he suggested with mock seriousness.
This was simply too hilarious to ignore. A comedy in the making.
Even the most daring shinobi would think twice before striking so close to the Hokage's seat of power. Andrew couldn't help but imagine the strategists from the other Great Nations. If any of them wanted Konoha's Wood Style research—or planned to pressure the Leaf into sharing those results—shouldn't they have attacked the outskirts or research facilities?
But instead, this mysterious group had launched a direct assault on the very core of Konoha, bypassing layers of detection and resistance. Their goal wasn't obvious—were they trying to steal secrets? Sabotage infrastructure? Or was this just a blunt-force message?
By the time Andrew, Fugaku, and the others reached the battle site, the chaos was already winding down. Smoke curled in the air. The roads were scorched. Several buildings had collapsed, their frames still smoldering.
Though the attackers had indeed broken through all of Konoha's layers of defense and reached its core, the response had eventually been overwhelming. The Leaf had counterattacked swiftly and harshly, managing to subdue or kill most of the intruders.
Andrew's lips twitched as he got a clearer view. The invaders were unmistakable—dark-skinned shinobi, clad in armored gear, their headbands marked with the symbol of the Cloud Village.
"Ah... no wonder the tactics looked familiar," Andrew muttered. "Only those Cloud fools would charge in like a pack of thieves."
The Third Hokage stood grim-faced amid the destruction. His once-proud countenance was now drenched in humiliation. He had spent months arranging security protocols, deploying elite squads, and fortifying defenses—only for enemies to slap him in the face with a frontal assault on his doorstep.
What made it worse was that none of Konoha's security forces had reacted in time. Not the Anbu. Not the newly reorganized Police Force. Not even the various clan sentries or the Sensory Division had noticed anything until the fighting began.
The worst part? Even the village's protective barrier hadn't triggered.
If this news got out, the entire shinobi world would burst out laughing. The strongest Hidden Village in the world had just been infiltrated during a state of high alert. It was both a strategic failure and an international embarrassment.
"What the hell is going on?" the Third Hokage barked, his voice low and furious as he turned to an Anbu kneeling beside him.
The masked shinobi bowed his head. "Hokage-sama, the enemy was numerous and very powerful. Once they were discovered, they scattered and fought in independent cells. Our casualties were limited, but the damage to infrastructure is severe. As for how they infiltrated… we're still investigating."
"Investigating?" Hiruzen repeated coldly. "You're stationed right here! The Hokage Building is your backyard, and the enemy danced through it with no warning! What are you being paid for? As decoration?"
The Anbu's shoulders trembled. His words had no defense. The shame was palpable.
The Third Hokage continued his tirade. "You all swore to defend the village! What defense is this? The enemy put a kunai to my neck, and you didn't even blink! Is this what Konoha has become? A village of blind men?"
He swept his furious gaze around, only to lock eyes with Andrew, Fugaku, and other Uchiha spectators.
And that's when the bitterness boiled over.
When the Uchiha clan had managed the police force, even minor threats near the Hokage Building would be detected immediately. Now, with increased personnel, more funding, and Hokage-aligned leadership, the force had failed more spectacularly than ever before.
How was he supposed to face the Uchiha now, after pushing them out of power so thoroughly?
Shikaku Nara stepped forward with his arms crossed. "Hokage-sama," he said in a calm but urgent tone, "before emotions get the better of us, we need to isolate the flaws in our defense system. It's possible that this attack was just a test run. Next time, it might not just be the Cloud Village... what if all five nations attack at once?"
That suggestion sent a chill through the assembled shinobi. Even the Third Hokage's anger faltered as a deeper fear crept into his chest.
That's when Tsunade, arms folded, stepped forward defiantly.
"Old man, barking at your own troops won't solve anything. You know perfectly well how alert our shinobi have been. But have you considered this—what if someone inside the village helped them?"
Everyone turned toward her.
She continued, her tone sharp: "No one reacted, no barriers were triggered, and this happened right under our noses. This wasn't incompetence. It was collaboration. There's a mole in Konoha."
The Third Hokage froze. Even he hadn't considered that possibility out loud.
Andrew, seeing his chance, took a step forward.
"I can confirm that Anbu is more than capable," he said smoothly. "After all, even back when we Uchiha were still under surveillance, they managed to keep eyes on every one of us."
A few shinobi coughed awkwardly. The sarcasm wasn't subtle.
Andrew grinned inwardly. The moment the Third Hokage spotted him earlier, his feedback points—whatever those meant—shot through the roof. Clearly, the old man was not thrilled to see him. That made this the perfect time to stir the pot.
"So if Anbu can spy on the Uchiha so efficiently," he continued, "then why not these intruders? Unless, of course, someone inside is helping them."
Several clan heads exchanged glances. Andrew's words, while technically defending Anbu, had the opposite effect. He had implied that the Third Hokage's loyalists were excellent at persecuting their own villagers, but utterly useless against actual enemies.
The Third Hokage's face turned a deeper shade of gray.
"Enough!" he barked. "Get the corpses to the Intelligence Division! I want every second of their infiltration timeline reconstructed. I don't care how long it takes! We need to know how they got in, who they spoke to, and who covered their tracks."
He clenched his fist behind his back. Tsunade's words wouldn't leave his mind.
A mole.
At this moment, that single word threatened to unravel Konoha's already unstable internal situation. And if the mole had access to Konoha's barrier system or the Hokage Building itself...
The consequences could be catastrophic.
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