A few minutes later, only Uchiha Fugaku, the Uchiha ninja who'd reported on the Moonlight Clan case, and Uzumaki Naruto, who'd been left there by Uchiha Akainu, remained in the office.
Uchiha Akainu and Izumi had already left the Police Force building.
Fugaku and Naruto were just staring at each other.
Looking at the young, somewhat unkempt face of the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki, Fugaku saw a hint of the Fourth Hokage, Minato Namikaze.
When Minato was still alive, the relationship between the Uchiha clan and Konoha was actually quite harmonious.
What a shame...
A complex look flashed in Fugaku's eyes as he recalled the questions he'd asked Uchiha Akainu before he left the office: "Akainu, you're insistent on locking Uzumaki Naruto in Konoha Prison. Are you prepared for the backlash?"
"What you've done today will probably spread throughout Konoha in less than half a day. Everyone will know you brought Uzumaki Naruto to the Uchiha compound."
"And..."
"Are you prepared to suppress the restless clan members within the Uchiha?!"
If the hawk-eyed faction within the clan found out the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki was currently in the Uchiha compound...
Their subtle intentions would likely stir instantly.
Fugaku couldn't guarantee that something extreme wouldn't happen.
He remembered Uchiha Akainu simply replying, "Absolute justice knows no public or private matters."
Fugaku probably understood Akainu's meaning.
— If there were truly extreme clan members who intended to use the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki's power for some wicked act that trampled on justice, Akainu wouldn't hesitate, even considering the bond of kinship.
He would kill them just like he killed those Root ninja.
He'd kill his own kin without hesitation!
"Absolute justice..." Fugaku took a deep breath, gazing at Naruto, and muttered to himself, "It really is quite absolute."
Fugaku remembered even more clearly the shocking piece of information Akainu revealed just as he walked out the door.
— Danzō Shimura had Sharingan eyes transplanted into him, and... not just one.
— He could also use Izanagi!
This unbelievable information sent shivers down Fugaku's spine.
Yes.
Uchiha Akainu had no responsibility or obligation to keep Danzō's secrets.
He directly exposed Danzō's hidden cards.
"That naturally evil Uchiha brat!!!" Even after returning to the Root base, Danzō could barely suppress the rage in his heart, his old teeth almost grinding to dust.
A brief conflict had cost Root two elites.
It had cost him one three-tomoe Sharingan and one ear.
Danzō originally had bandages wrapped around his head to conceal his transplanted Sharingan. Now, a bandage was wrapped around his head to cover the agonizing pain that occasionally shot through his injured ear.
And...
What was even harder for him to accept was that the power of "Izanagi" was very likely exposed in the eyes of his opponent!
The consequences of exposing his hunt for bloodline limits were almost unbearable, even for Danzō in his current state.
"Damn it! It's all because of the Old Man's sudden appearance! If he hadn't interfered, I would have killed that evil Uchiha brat and nipped the risk of exposure in the bud!"
The more Danzō thought about it, the more annoyed he became.
Until a sudden voice rang out: "But if I hadn't shown up in time, I might have been kept in the dark until now, never knowing you had a Sharingan transplanted!"
Danzō's pupils constricted.
He recognized Hiruzen Sarutobi's voice.
Looking in the direction of the voice, he indeed saw Hiruzen Sarutobi, an uninvited guest.
Moreover, the two ANBU squads Hiruzen Sarutobi brought with him had silently taken control of several Root ninja, preventing them from notifying Danzō in time.
"I don't know what you're talking about!" Faced with Hiruzen Sarutobi's words, Danzō's first reaction was to deny everything.
He scowled, speaking in a sarcastic tone, "You managed to find my new Root base, which I only changed a few months ago... Hiruzen, you really are well-informed!"
Hiruzen Sarutobi stood with his hands behind his back and said, "I am the Hokage of Konoha. It's only natural for the Hokage to know everything in the village, isn't it?"
"Danzō, Akainu has already told me your secret. You say you don't know what I'm talking about, so can you let me see what's hidden under your bandages?"
He stared intently at Danzō.
He could see Danzō's expression visibly worsening.
Hiruzen Sarutobi said firmly, "You and I have been comrades for many years. Your expression might fool others, but it won't fool me. Now, give me an explanation that will prevent me from dismissing you!"
"You want to dismiss me?" Danzō looked utterly incredulous. "How many contributions have I made to Konoha over the years? And just for some so-called Sharingan, you want to dismiss me?"
Hiruzen Sarutobi's gaze was deep: "So, I'm giving you a chance. You need to give me an explanation that satisfies everyone."
Danzō suddenly realized something, and he sneered, "You actually just want an explanation that satisfies you, don't you?"
Hiruzen Sarutobi didn't take the bait.
He simply continued to quietly observe Danzō.
"Uchiha Akainu... took the Jinchuriki?" Koharu Utatane and Homura Mitokado, two of Konoha's elder advisors, quickly received this unbelievable information.
It was called intelligence, but the truth was, this matter had already spread through most of Konoha.
However, most villagers only knew about the rumors of Uzumaki Naruto having a "fox demon transformation."
They didn't really have any concept of a "tailed beast jinchuriki."
"And... Hiruzen was there too?" Koharu Utatane found it incredibly hard to believe: "How could he let the Jinchuriki be taken by someone from the Uchiha clan? And taken to the Uchiha compound, no less!"
Koharu Utatane couldn't sit still. She stood up, pacing back and forth, saying, "No! We must get the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki out! He absolutely cannot remain in the Uchiha clan compound!"
"Otherwise..."
Recalling the Nine-Tails attack from several years ago, Koharu Utatane couldn't help but feel a shiver down her spine.
As she furrowed her brow in thought, she noticed Homura Mitokado beside her hadn't spoken. She couldn't help but glare at him, displeased: "Why aren't you saying anything?"
Homura Mitokado said gravely, "Do you think the person Uchiha Akainu took will be easy to get back? That's an Uchiha even Hiruzen finds troublesome."
Koharu Utatane gritted her teeth: "So, should we just sit back and watch another Nine-Tails attack happen?"
"We don't need to have a direct conflict with Uchiha Akainu."
Homura Mitokado said softly, "We just need to put pressure on Fugaku. After all, ultimately, Fugaku is the Police Force Captain, and Uchiha Akainu is just a member of the Police Force."
"I think Hiruzen is thinking the same thing. There are many ways to get the Jinchuriki back that can bypass Uchiha Akainu's constant talk of 'absolute justice.'"
"Our Konoha Village is always about balance and order, never about absolute justice."
Hearing this, Koharu Utatane gradually calmed down.
"Then, let's see what Hiruzen does."
I'd like to recommend a friend's book—
Uchiha: Starting with the Destruction of the Ninja World