Meanwhile, on the other side of the district, Uchiha Setsuna and several other radical elders got wind of some troubling news from younger clan members.
"The Jinchūriki was taken into the Police HQ again?"
Setsuna furrowed his brow. He was clearly tempted by the power a Jinchūriki possessed—but this time, he held back.
"What's that brat Chizumi up to now?"
He remembered all too well how Chizumi had stopped him last time he tried to make a move on the Nine-Tails.
And not just stopped—he'd done it so aggressively that Setsuna's pride had taken a serious hit.
It was like Chizumi would've actually killed him if he'd pushed forward.
The memory made Setsuna grind his teeth in frustration.
That single moment had badly damaged his influence in the clan.
Some of the younger radicals even stopped treating him with the respect due to a senior.
Taking a breath to calm himself, Setsuna began piecing things together.
"Is he using the Jinchūriki to stir up tensions between the Uchiha and the village? Forcing Fugaku's hand to finally launch the coup?
Then he could use the Nine-Tails' power to wipe out Konoha's leadership and hand control over to us?"
As soon as the idea entered his mind, Setsuna paused.
He couldn't figure out what Chizumi was really after… but disturbingly, that plan was one he himself had considered.
Right then, another Uchiha ninja came running up, clearly alarmed.
"Elder Setsuna!
The Third Hokage and Advisor Koharu just stormed into our district with a ton of Anbu!"
"Looks like they brought half of Konoha's Anbu forces. Some of them are even wearing Root masks! Koharu might be in charge of Root now!"
Setsuna's face darkened. His first thought?
The coup's been exposed. The Hokage's making the first move.
Right now, the Uchiha's strongest assets were Chizumi, Fugaku, and Itachi.
But Chizumi was a wild card—he didn't care about village politics or clan loyalty.
Fugaku was a soft-spoken clan head who always seemed to side with outsiders.
And Itachi… well, everyone knew what path he was headed down.
If Hiruzen really came with force, there was no way the clan could win.
"Damn it... Are we really going to fall before we even act?"
Setsuna was seething.
"Gather all the radicals! I want to see for myself what the Third Hokage plans to do to us.
And don't forget, by seniority—I'm technically his elder!"
Soon, around thirty Uchiha radicals gathered. It wasn't much—most were still out on duty—but it would have to do.
Setsuna led them straight toward Hiruzen's group.
…
Elsewhere…
Koharu didn't hate the Uchiha quite like Danzo did, but she didn't trust them either.
Too many of them were mentally unstable—and the way their Sharingan activated? It was a breeding ground for trauma and extremism.
People like Madara.
Or Chizumi, who had dragged the Jinchūriki into the Uchiha compound.
To her, they were dangerous obsessives, driven mad by the Sharingan's power.
Itachi wasn't much better in her eyes.
Even though he supposedly sided with Konoha, he was still the rumored future clan-killer.
"At least he's not from my clan," she thought.
"Let him ruin his own people."
Feeling many suspicious eyes on her, Koharu's expression turned cold.
"Hiruzen," she muttered, "the Uchiha radicals are getting bolder by the day. Are you really not going to do something? Isn't it time to prepare?"
Before Hiruzen could answer, a crowd of Uchiha appeared—led by none other than Setsuna and the other radical elders.
The Anbu behind Hiruzen instantly tensed.
Both sides stopped about ten meters apart.
"Hokage-sama," Setsuna said, leaning on his cane, eyes narrowed, voice sharp.
"If you wanted to visit, a heads-up would've sufficed. No need to show up with an army."
"If you're here for me, I'm right here. Whatever issue you have, let's deal with it directly.
As long as I'm alive, the Uchiha aren't backing down."
He completely ignored the many times the Uchiha had backed down—thanks to Fugaku.
Hiruzen frowned.
"I'm not here for you. Where are Chizumi and Naruto?"
Setsuna's jaw clenched. The unspoken message was clear:
You're not even worth bringing this many Anbu for. Chizumi is.
And that realization hit hard.
At that moment, an Anbu burst through the crowd.
"Hokage-sama!"
It was Yamanaka Ryōshin, who had been held up by Uchiha guards.
"Naruto was taken into the Police HQ by Uchiha Chizumi!"
Hiruzen nodded, calmly replying:
"Chizumi is unpredictable. You did the right thing reacting the way you did."
Setsuna watched Hiruzen, shocked.
He hadn't even acknowledged him.
Seriously? They think I'm less of a threat than that kid?
But maybe that wasn't a bad thing… if Konoha and Chizumi ended up clashing, Setsuna could benefit.
Still, being ignored so publicly in front of his own people? That stung.
As Hiruzen, Koharu, and the Anbu turned and walked off toward the Police HQ, Setsuna and the others were left awkwardly standing there.
"Elder Setsuna," one younger radical whispered, "should we stop them?"
"Hmph! You want to help that outsider who's constantly against us?"
"Remember what he did last time we tried to approach the Jinchūriki? He nearly killed us!
That guy doesn't care if you're clan or not. If you cross his line, you die."
"He's no different than Itachi!"
He paused—but he could see it: a few younger radicals had hesitation in their eyes.
Some of them were starting to admire Chizumi's so-called 'Absolute Justice'.
Setsuna's expression darkened further.
…
Inside the Police HQ…
Chizumi stood face-to-face with Fugaku.
"You want to know why we got shoved into this remote corner of the village? Because you're weak."
"Every time the village pressed us, you backed down.
When the elders spoke up, you turned on your own people.
And now you complain no one respects your 'efforts.'"
"You're the Clan Head. I don't interfere with your decisions—so stay out of mine.
If you get in my way, I'll treat you like any other obstacle to justice."
A sharp glint flickered in Chizumi's eyes. Fugaku stiffened.
This was the first time he'd truly heard how Chizumi saw him:
Weak. An obstacle.
He had always thought Chizumi was different from the radicals.
Apparently not.
Fugaku's expression turned calm, as if finally understanding who Chizumi really was.
"Don't assume that everyone with the Uchiha name answers to you, Fugaku.
My justice isn't limited to this clan—or this village.
Don't look at justice with the eyes of a frog trapped in a well."
Then Chizumi turned to Naruto, who was watching everything with wide, uncertain eyes.
"Naruto... do you want to fight for the dead?"
Naruto blinked. The question caught him off guard.
But he remembered what Chizumi had said earlier:
"Your belief in this... is called justice."
Without justice, that family would have died for nothing.
And the killer? Would've walked away free.
"I do!!!" Naruto shouted without hesitation.
Chizumi gave Fugaku one last sharp look.
"You're going to stop a kid who believes in justice?"
Right then, a black ninja cat burst in:
"Boss! Chizumi-sama! The Third is here with a whole squad!"
Seconds later, the morgue door burst open. Hiruzen, Koharu, and the Anbu rushed in.
The room was already full of corpses—and now, too many people.
"Grandpa Hokage!"
Naruto shouted with joy—then suddenly froze.
He remembered what the big orange cat had told him:
The Hokage knew why the villagers hated him.
And he had kept that truth from Naruto all this time.
"Naruto, come here!" Koharu said before Hiruzen could speak.
Naruto stared blankly at the unfamiliar old woman.
Hiruzen forced a gentle smile:
"It's okay, Naruto. Don't be afraid. I'm here."
He assumed Naruto was scared.
But the boy didn't move. He looked torn.
Fugaku, anxious to avoid further conflict, stepped forward.
"Hokage-sama, it must've been a misunderstanding. I'll make sure Naruto gets home."
Koharu's eyes narrowed:
"The second time in under a month? Are you sure, Fugaku?"
Fugaku froze.
He hadn't known Chizumi took Naruto again.
And now that Chizumi was feeding him ideas about justice?
If the Hokage found out, the Uchiha would be labeled traitors instantly.
Koharu's gaze was sharp. The damage might already be done.
Fugaku looked at Chizumi, as if to say:
Do you see what you're doing to us? I'm the one carrying the burden you keep dumping on the clan.
But Chizumi didn't even look at him.
"Naruto, what are you doing?" Koharu snapped.
Naruto realized every pair of eyes was on him—a seven-year-old boy.
He took a deep breath.
"I... I don't want to go back yet!"
Hiruzen's fake smile froze.
Fugaku's palms began to sweat.
Koharu stared in disbelief. The Anbu stirred.
Naruto took another breath and shouted:
"Grandpa Hokage, I don't get it!
Why are there people in Konoha who hate their own villagers so much?!
What kind of twisted evil makes someone slaughter an entire family?!"
"I won't accept seeing killers walk free.
I won't accept seeing innocent people die without justice!
This isn't the Konoha I know!
This isn't the ninja world I believe in!"
"I want to find out who did this—and make them pay!"
His words were clumsy, but his heart was clear.
He remembered what Chizumi told him.
He stood taller.
"Grandpa Hokage, this is my belief!
This is my justice!"
Hiruzen: "???"
In that moment, the Third Hokage's eyes widened in shock.
He slowly turned to look at the boy standing beside Naruto—
Uchiha Chizumi.
~~~
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