Chapter 203: Chaos in Konoha
Under the astonished and bewildered gaze of Koharu Utatane, Tsunade continued her stunning declarations with a pointed meaning: "Not only do the Root ninja who harmed you, little brat, count as evildoers, but the person who indulged and instructed the Root ninja to harm you also counts as an evildoer."
"Every single one of them, from top to bottom, must pay the corresponding price. And this isn't some rule unilaterally changed by [Absolute Justice]; these are the genuine laws of the Land of Fire!"
As she said this, Tsunade's eyes once again fixed on Koharu Utatane.
She spoke without reservation: "Old woman, as the leader of Root, you indulged your subordinates to harm others. According to the laws of the Land of Fire, though you didn't physically act, you are one of the principal instigators."
"I suggest you take a trip to the Uchiha Police Force!"
"As for your subordinates who physically harmed others..."
"They need to 'report' to the Police Force even more urgently. I'm only giving you two paths: one, you turn yourselves in; two, I physically throw you in."
Tsunade's words, which made no effort to hide her allegiance and showed absolutely no mercy, left Koharu Utatane trembling with rage.
She had already backed down, she had already agreed to release the prisoners, so why was Tsunade still relentlessly pursuing her?
How was this behavior any different from the mad-dog persistence of Ikeizumi Uchiha?
She must be imitating Ikeizumi Uchiha!
"Tsunade, don't go too far..." Koharu Utatane took a deep breath, clenching her teeth. "Even if this old woman voluntarily reports to the Uchiha Police Force, do you think the Police Force dares to keep me? Do you think Fugaku Uchiha dares to throw me into the Konoha Prison? Hounding me like this is utterly pointless!"
Hmm?
Wait a minute...
Koharu Utatane's expression suddenly changed. She realized she had been misled by Tsunade into actually believing she had committed a crime!
"What's there to be afraid of, meow? It's quite reasonable that spineless Fugaku doesn't dare to detain you or throw you into the Konoha Prison. But I'm not afraid of an old thing like you, meow!"
A sudden voice, with a strange, non-human accent, entered the ears of everyone present.
At the same time.
Figure after figure flashed into view, completely sealing off all four directions: front, back, left, and right.
Koharu Utatane quickly glanced around.
Her pupils constricted slightly.
As far as her eyes could see, Uchiha Police Force ninja, who had seemingly received the news from nowhere, rushed to the scene and surrounded Koharu Utatane and the Root ninja!
Every Police Force ninja was fully armed, carrying various ninja tools, with numerous scrolls and explosive tags hanging from their waists. A few had even summoned their summons.
An uninformed observer would think they were marching onto a battlefield in the ninja world.
Koharu Utatane also spotted a very fat orange cat standing on the shoulder of one of the Police Force ninja.
The cat looked somewhat disheveled, its fur ruffled and covered with dead leaves and twigs.
It seemed to have rushed back from outside the village and immediately gone to the Police Force for reinforcements.
"Ikeizumi Uchiha's ninja cat!!!"
Koharu Utatane didn't know the cat's name, Kijirō, but she knew it was that detestable ninja cat who was always by Ikeizumi Uchiha's side.
Wasn't this damned cat supposed to have left the village with Ikeizumi Uchiha?
How could it be here? Did it receive a message and rush back?
If it's back...
Does that mean Ikeizumi Uchiha is also back?
Koharu Utatane instantly became highly vigilant.
"Stop looking, meow."
Kijirō slightly recovered his breath, hiding the exhaustion on its face. It stared intently at Koharu Utatane, showing its sharp fangs: "You don't need Ikeizumi-sama to deal with you. I, Kijirō, am enough!"
Not far away, Fukasaku, the Toad Sage, noticed the tense, volatile atmosphere and raised his eyebrows.
He turned to Jiraiya. "Little Jiraiya, is your Konoha usually this chaotic? The situation in Konoha Village now feels more disorderly than the Great Ninja War years ago."
Jiraiya gave a wry smile. "I don't know why the village situation has devolved into this. I've only just returned to the village myself in recent days, by chance."
The other Toad Sage, Shima, spoke: "This appears to be a conflict between opposing ideologies. Judging from various historical events in the ninja world, ideological conflicts are the most difficult to resolve."
She paused, then continued, "Unless one side is completely exterminated, the ideological conflict will always persist."
"Persistent ideological conflict leads to armed conflict. And thus, we have the scene we see now."
Shima continued, "Little Jiraiya, if you don't step in and stop this farce, they might really start fighting."
"Understood."
Jiraiya took a deep breath. He had already devised a plan for both sides to take a step back. Just as he was about to step forward in his wooden clogs, a hand suddenly landed on his shoulder.
The hand nearly swatted Shima, the Toad Sage, off his shoulder.
Jiraiya found himself unable to move; the hand on his shoulder was incredibly strong, causing his shoulder to slump downwards.
In astonishment, he turned around and discovered it was Tsunade!
"Jiraiya, if you side against justice," Tsunade's tone was devoid of emotional fluctuation. She spoke slowly, "Our friendship of all these years ends right here. Remember, don't let these two grotesque toads influence your values."
"Grotesque... toads..."
Shima, who had nearly been swatted away, heard this.
Even with her centuries of temperament, she couldn't help her eye twitching fiercely.
"What an impolite little brat from the Shikkotsu Forest..."
Shima gritted her teeth and immediately retorted, "I wonder how the great Slug Sage taught you!"
"What seniority do you have to critique the Slug Sage?" Tsunade glared at her, still without mercy. "Even the Great Toad Sage himself is not qualified to speak on the Slug Sage."
Shima's eye twitching now resembled a convulsion.
Fukasaku, sensing the danger, quickly jumped over.
He immediately held Shima back, repeating, "Calm down, don't stoop to arguing with such a junior."
Then, Fukasaku looked up at Tsunade. He said, "Little Tsunade, my wife and I have not had any negative influence on Little Jiraiya's values. On the contrary, it is because of our careful guidance that he became a Hero of the Ninja World."
"A hero who peeks into women's bathhouses?" Tsunade picked her ear.
Jiraiya weakly interjected, "...That was just research material."
The hand pressing on his shoulder suddenly increased its force.
The wooden clogs under Jiraiya's feet splintered.
Tsunade said coldly, "The two old toads' methods from centuries ago are obsolete now. Neither the Slug Sage of Shikkotsu Forest nor the Great Snake of the Ryūchi Cave has ever interfered with the ninja world by their own will."
"They know that the ninja world is constantly changing, and their unauthorized meddling with outdated thinking might trigger unpredictable consequences."
"If such a disaster were to occur, the two Sages would never forgive themselves. But you Mount Myōboku constantly try to interfere with everything in the ninja world."
"I even wonder if your Mount Myōboku's meddling in the ninja world is the butterfly effect that caused the repeated Great Ninja Wars?"
"Is your Mount Myōboku the source of much of the evil in the ninja world?"
The sudden barrage of accusations, along with the unexpected tactic of praising the other two Sages to insult Mount Myōboku, caused Fukasaku's expression to turn sour.
Jiraiya, caught in the middle, was sweating profusely.
Tsunade had just been attacking Koharu Utatane; why had she suddenly turned to attack the two Sages of Mount Myōboku?
Was it because the arrival of the Uchiha Police Force ninja made Tsunade realize she was no longer needed here?
Tsunade's war of words did not affect Kijirō's side of the confrontation.
The crowd of Uchiha Police Force ninja had completely surrounded the Root ninja.
Many Police Force ninja had already drawn their blades.
The look in their eyes toward the Root ninja was one of intense hostility.
The sight of so many crimson Sharingan made Koharu Utatane's scalp tingle.
Even if the entire Police Force hadn't mobilized, at least half of them must have rushed here!
Did this ninja cat truly have such strong appeal within the Police Force?
No!
It must be Ikeizumi Uchiha's appeal!
The cat represented Ikeizumi Uchiha!
"The situation... seems to have exceeded the Hokage-sama's expectations," Yamato, who was hidden in the shadows monitoring Root, realized the gravity of the situation.
He immediately made a hand sign.
An ANBU subordinate instantly understood, turning to rush back and find Hiruzen Sarutobi.
Soon.
The ANBU ninja found the Third Hokage and relayed everything that had happened to Koharu Utatane.
"This old man understands."
Hiruzen Sarutobi's expression was mostly calm. He nodded slightly and said gravely, "Have Yamato stop their conflict."
The ANBU ninja paused, not leaving, but stood still with an expression of hesitancy.
"This old man knows that it will be difficult for Yamato and his ANBU squad to stop the conflict alone," Hiruzen Sarutobi continued without waiting for the ANBU ninja to explain. "I am not asking him to suppress both sides by himself, but to tell Koharu that I am ordering her to cease this conflict."
"Since Tsunade, Jiraiya, Ikeizumi's ninja cat, and the Uchiha Police Force have all gotten involved, have Koharu and her Root ninja go to the Police Force."
"Tell her it is my command. Tell her that even if she is imprisoned, this old man will get her out quickly, so she should not be angered."
The ANBU ninja immediately breathed a sigh of relief.
Indeed, if their single ANBU squad tried to suppress both sides, they would likely fail even if they risked their lives.
It seemed that the current situation was not as Captain Yamato had suggested, having exceeded the Hokage-sama's expectations.
The Hokage-sama must have anticipated this long ago.
Truly worthy of the Third Hokage!
"Yes, Hokage-sama!"
Hiruzen Sarutobi watched the departing ANBU ninja.
"Kakashi..."
"With this old man's series of seemingly irrational actions, the chaos in Konoha should have allowed you to uncover something."
He murmured.
"Captain Kakashi, a new discovery," an ANBU ninja reported in a low voice to Kakashi Hatake. "I found a ninja within the Sarutobi clan who is constantly inciting the clan's emotions. Although speaking fiercely is expected in this situation, he's acting a bit too unusual."
"Whenever the Sarutobi clan's morale dips, he is always the first to stir up the clan's emotions. Every word he speaks points the finger at Ikeizumi Uchiha and his Absolute Justice. He's even inciting clan members to continue complaining to the Hokage-sama."
"I feel like something is wrong with him."
The ANBU ninja speaking was from the Yamanaka clan. Currently, Konoha's ANBU was not entirely loyal to the Hokage.
At least...
The positions of the ANBU ninja associated with the Ino-Shika-Chō families were starting to waver.
"Investigate him."
Kakashi took a deep breath. "Apprehend him directly and use the Yamanaka clan's secret jutsu to extract his memories."
Just then, another ANBU ninja rushed over.
"Captain Kakashi, we intercepted a ninja pigeon!" The ANBU ninja extended a hand, on which lay a white ninja pigeon. Strange cursed seal markings were drawn on the pigeon's feathers.
The ANBU ninja said, "This seal was likely intended to destroy the intelligence. But I was quick and immediately broke the seal."
Kakashi took the ninja pigeon and observed it closely.
He suddenly gripped the pigeon's head and ripped it off.
Then, he tore the pigeon in half with his bare hands, starting from the neck.
At that moment, a very small scroll dropped out.
Kakashi swiftly caught it but did not open it on his own. He tossed it to a subordinate and instructed, "Take this to the Sealing Squad. Have them extract the intelligence without damaging the scroll."
"Yes!"
"Phew..." Kakashi shook the blood off his hands and sighed. "It seems someone is indeed operating in the shadows. Is this the Hokage-sama's strategy? By deliberately throwing Konoha into chaos, the hidden perpetrator grew careless and exposed their hand."
Before long.
The ANBU ninja originally dispatched by Kakashi carried in an unconscious Sarutobi clan ninja.
The ANBU ninja from the Yamanaka clan immediately performed his family's secret jutsu.
He attempted to steal the memory secrets from the Sarutobi clan ninja's mind.
However, less than ten seconds after the Yamanaka clan jutsu began.
The Yamanaka ninja felt a sudden pang in his heart. He immediately became alert and did not hesitate to break off the family's secret jutsu.
—Boom!!!
The head of the unconscious Sarutobi clan ninja exploded like a cracked watermelon.
Splattering brains even reached Kakashi.
"...A contingency plan?" A shadow crossed Kakashi's normally droopy eyes. "Accidentally killing a Sarutobi clan ninja makes explaining this to the Hokage-sama difficult."
"However..."
"We have gained a crucial piece of information—certain individuals within the Sarutobi clan are involved in this matter."
Kakashi couldn't help but rub his temples. He didn't want to delve into such darkness, fearing that witnessing too much of Konoha's inner darkness would make him unconsciously believe the village was just that, and worried that the last shred of hope he held for the village would vanish.
But reluctantly... the Hokage-sama had entrusted this mission to him.
After all, the Hokage-sama truly didn't have many skilled individuals left to rely on.
Most of them had died at the hands of Absolute Justice...
......................
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