Hiruzen Sarutobi quickly learned about the incident at the Ninja Academy. When he heard that three young members of the Sarutobi clan, along with a veteran academy teacher, had been killed on the spot, he realized he wasn't angry or questioning Akainu Uchiha's extreme actions.
Maybe, deep down, he was actually okay with letting Akainu carry out his extreme behavior.
He had essentially given Akainu the green light to enforce his [Absolute Justice].
If he, the Third Hokage, had wanted to stop it, he could've rushed to the academy with a squad of Anbu. That would've been enough to stop Akainu from carrying out his so-called absolute justice, just like in the past.
But he didn't move. He stayed in the Hokage's office.
Hiruzen twisted a pinch of tobacco, stuffed it into his pipe, and lit it with a match. Taking a slow drag, he exhaled a cloud of smoke and said in a low, heavy voice, "Tell the Sarutobi clan to send a few people to the academy to collect the bodies. Also, notify Kaedeya Izu's family to retrieve her remains."
He paused for a moment before adding, "And while you're at it, tell the Sarutobi clan to handle Sakura Sarutobi's body with care. Take a portion of her ashes to be enshrined in the clan's shrine, and set up a memorial tablet for her there."
"Yes, Lord Hokage!"
The Anbu ninja gave a slight nod and vanished in an instant.
Hiruzen let out another puff of smoke, the swirling clouds partially obscuring his weathered, complex expression.
"Tsunade… she's taken a side, hasn't she?" he murmured.
He could somewhat understand why the Yamanaka, Nara, and Akimichi clans had aligned themselves the way they did. They often supported him, but their ties to him as the Third Hokage were distant—no blood relations, no mentor-student bonds.
If they eventually parted ways, he could accept it, begrudgingly.
But Tsunade? She was one of his students!
More importantly, her status was unique—she was practically the princess of the Hidden Leaf. Her grandfather was the First Hokage, the founder of the village, and she wasn't just a figurehead. Tsunade was a formidable kunoichi with immense influence in the village.
When she spoke those words to Akainu Uchiha in front of so many people, it was clear she was openly supporting him. No hesitation, no subtlety—just bold, public endorsement.
"Hiruzen!" The office door was yanked open abruptly, snapping him out of his thoughts. He raised his eyes slightly to see Koharu Utatane storming in.
Hiruzen brushed aside his melancholy and asked, "Koharu, weren't you and Homura dealing with the Rain Village envoys?"
Koharu's voice was sharp with accusation. "The Rain Village envoys aren't the issue right now! The real problem is how you could let Akainu Uchiha wreak havoc at the Ninja Academy! If the students saw his bloody, brutal methods, don't you think it'd leave a lasting scar on their minds? The academy is meant to nurture the future of the Leaf—every student is vital. One of them could grow up to be a pillar of the village. How could you let this happen?"
"Koharu," Hiruzen interrupted, shaking his head. "I didn't just let Akainu run wild at the academy. I specifically sent him there to handle this matter."
Koharu froze. "What do you mean?"
Hiruzen sighed and explained what had happened with Sakura Sarutobi.
Koharu's anger faltered, her face stiffening as she listened. She opened her mouth to say something, but the words caught in her throat.
After a long silence, she gave Hiruzen a deep, searching look. "Hiruzen, maybe you're letting your anger over that child's death cloud your judgment. Have you considered that you might regret this decision someday? By allowing Akainu Uchiha to carry out his absolute justice at the academy—and even letting him kill three Sarutobi clan members—you're risking your authority and reputation. People might think you're shifting your stance. They might even believe you're starting to support absolute justice. Those who are on the fence could tip toward his side because of this."
Hiruzen felt a strange sense of déjà vu.
Especially when Koharu mentioned "regret." It almost made him blurt out, "I'm the Hokage here!"
But unlike Danzo, who always challenged him, Koharu's words came from a place of concern for him as the Third Hokage.
"Regret is for the future," Hiruzen said with a sigh. "The decision's already been made. Can I take it back? Can I swallow a regret pill and turn back time?"
Koharu fell silent.
After a long pause, she seemed to sense something deeper. Taking a drag of secondhand smoke, she said quietly, "Hiruzen, as the Hokage, you shouldn't question the Will of Fire. And you definitely shouldn't show even the slightest inclination toward absolute justice, which goes against it. Sakura Sarutobi's death has affected you more than you realize."
Hiruzen's brow furrowed. "I just thought Akainu was the best person to handle this. I'm not questioning the Will of Fire, nor am I endorsing his absolute justice."
Koharu said nothing, only murmuring, "I hope so."
---
"What's the Akatsuki?!" Mitarashi Anko blurted out, stunned, after hearing Uchiha Izumi mention the strange organization's name. Her eyes darted to Biwa Juzo, whose reaction was even more intense than hers.
From Juzo's response, Anko was almost certain this "Akatsuki" that Izumi mentioned was real.
Her eyes narrowed. "Hey, are you part of this Akatsuki group, pretending to be a Rain Village envoy to sneak into the Leaf?"
A faint hissing came from the snakes coiled in Anko's sleeves.
Juzo ignored her question, his gaze locked on the young Uchiha girl. He let out a cold chuckle. "What are you talking about? I don't understand. I'm a Rain Village envoy, plain and simple."
"Akatsuki? Never heard of it," he added, firmly denying any connection.
Izumi's expression was icy. "I have the ability, granted by Senior Akainu, to see the sins of a person's past and future. Your secrets are no secret to me."
She enunciated each word carefully. "What's your real purpose for coming to the Leaf and trying to contact Senior Akainu?"
"You…" Juzo's voice trailed off.
Izumi pressed, her voice cold. "What's your connection to Obito Uchiha?"
From Senior Akainu, Izumi had learned about Obito Uchiha, the man posing as "Madara Uchiha," who was now part of an organization called the Akatsuki. Seeing that Juzo was also tied to the Akatsuki, Izumi naturally assumed they were connected.
In her mind, based on what Akainu had told her, Obito wasn't exactly a good guy.
So, was this Biwa Juzo any better?
At the very least, she was certain his intentions weren't pure. He wasn't here as a Rain Village envoy to negotiate peace with the Leaf.
Juzo blinked, confused. "Obito Uchiha… who's that?"
And what was this about eyes that could see past and future sins? Was there really such a bizarre ability in the ninja world? He'd never heard of the Uchiha's Sharingan having powers tied to time or morality.
"Hmph, I don't know what you're talking about," Juzo said, his face hardening. Being interrogated by a young Uchiha was starting to get under his skin.
Izumi's voice was firm. "Whether you understand or not doesn't matter. What matters is that you're coming with me to the Police Force."
She continued calmly, "As a member of the Uchiha Police Force, it's my duty and right to detain a ninja from another village suspected of being a spy for an organization."
Juzo's eyes glinted dangerously. "And if I refuse?"
"You don't have a choice." A new voice cut through the air, startling Juzo, Izumi, and Anko.
They turned to see a sleazy-looking old man with spiky white hair striding toward them, exuding an aura of commanding presence.
"I overheard the word 'Akatsuki,'" Jiraiya said, his gaze locked intensely on Juzo.
"I'm very interested in this organization."
Standing in front of Izumi and Anko, Jiraiya met Juzo's eyes and continued, "You might not give these two lovely girls the time of day, but how about showing me, Jiraiya, some respect?"
His clothes rippled as if caught in an invisible wind. "I've been looking for someone who's supposedly joined the Akatsuki—a core member, no less. You wouldn't be foolish enough to start something in the Leaf, would you?"
Juzo's expression grew grim, his hand pausing as it reached for his Decapitating Carving Knife.
"The Legendary Sannin… Jiraiya," he muttered.
---
"This is bad…" Not far away, a bizarre-looking White Zetsu slowly sank into the trunk of a tree. "Juzo's stumbled onto secrets–
---
"This is bad…" Not far away, a bizarre-looking White Zetsu slowly sank into the trunk of a tree. "Juzo's stumbled onto secrets he wasn't supposed to know. I need to get this intel out fast."
White Zetsu's information relay was lightning-quick, taking less than half a minute.
The intel shot through to Black Zetsu, whose eyes narrowed as he sped through the Land of Fire.
"Obito! Plans have changed!" Black Zetsu said, racing alongside Obito. "Akainu Uchiha's subordinate spilled your name right in front of Biwa Juzo. If they manage to talk and trade info, Juzo might learn your secrets from her."
"And if he passes that on to Konan, then Nagato will know your true identity too. Though, honestly, I don't think them knowing who you really are would be that big a deal…"
"…Tch!" Obito, masked and tense, gritted his teeth and cut him off. "Shut it! They cannot find out that 'Madara Uchiha' is really Obito Uchiha!"
"How would they look at me? How would they treat me? I need the name 'Madara Uchiha' to stay the true mastermind behind the Akatsuki!"
"The plan's definitely off track."
Obito took a deep breath, his tone and expression steadying. "Biwa Juzo has to die. Whether he knows my secrets or not, he can't go back to the Akatsuki."
"And his body needs to be completely destroyed—no trace left. We can't let anyone dig up intel about me through his corpse."
Black Zetsu glanced at Obito but didn't argue. "It's tough to make a move in the Leaf without someone on the inside."
Obito's voice hardened. "There's always a way."
---
Juzo never imagined he'd end up in the Uchiha Police Force's headquarters in the Leaf Village. Under Jiraiya's piercing stare, he hadn't found a single chance to slip away.
That woman totally screwed me over… This mission's anything but easy!
Juzo lounged casually in the interrogation room, legs crossed, looking relaxed. His Decapitating Carving Knife leaned against the wall nearby. He'd tossed his gas mask aside without a care.
"Tch, this is the Leaf's interrogation room?" Juzo sneered, openly mocking. "Back in the Mist Village, an interrogation room's walls would be plastered with bloody body parts—maybe even a few severed heads dangling. The chairs? Studded with nails. The air? Cold as an icebox."
"That's the kind of setup that actually puts pressure on someone. This place?" He shifted into a more comfortable position, a cruel grin spreading across his face. "It's cozier than my living room!"
His gaze swept over Jiraiya, Uchiha Izumi, and Mitarashi Anko. "You can ask me whatever you want—I won't say a word. You know as well as I do, getting intel out of one of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen isn't some walk in the park."
"I know you Leaf folks have the Yamanaka clan, who can poke around in people's heads. But before they get the chance, I'll just form one seal, and boom—my head's gone. You'll get nothing from me."
"Unless…" Juzo's grin widened. "You bring in that Lava Style beast to interrogate me."
"Who knows? With him around, I might let something important slip."
"You mentioned Senior Akainu again," Izumi said, her tone sharp. "So, your real goal in coming to the Leaf was to target him, wasn't it?"
Juzo dug in his ear, flicked the gunk onto the interrogation room wall, and smirked.
"He's not wrong," Jiraiya said suddenly, turning to Izumi. "He was one of the best in the Mist's Blood Mist era. Torture's useless on a guy like him. You could chop off his limbs, and he wouldn't squeak."
Jiraiya looked at her. "We need Akainu here."
Though Jiraiya had his reservations about Akainu Uchiha's absolute justice—and found his extreme methods hard to stomach—he couldn't deny the guy's intentions were good. Still, the execution? Way too brutal for Jiraiya's taste. There were gentler, more effective ways to handle things, but Akainu always went the hardcore route.
Jiraiya even thought Akainu viewed the ninja world through a grim lens, like it was beyond saving and needed a total overhaul.
Cough! Not that Jiraiya was much better himself.
He also believed the ninja world needed change, but he didn't think absolute justice was the answer. That role belonged to the Child of Prophecy, the savior foretold by the Great Toad Sage—a person Jiraiya still hadn't found.
But to pry info about Orochimaru and the Akatsuki from Juzo's lips, Jiraiya figured he could team up with Akainu for now.
---
"Today, we got a front-row seat to you dishing out [Absolute Justice]. No mercy, huh? Even when the culprits were three academy students and a teacher, you judged and executed them without blinking."
Outside the Ninja Academy, an elite Uchiha Police Force ninja spoke to Akainu Uchiha's back. "They committed unforgivable wrongs, showed no remorse, and trampled on justice and morality."
"What Lady Tsunade said earlier? She's right," the ninja continued. "Akainu, your [Absolute Justice] shouldn't just be a small-time thing. If you run for Uchiha clan leader, the three of us will back you."
"If you become clan leader, you could steer the entire Uchiha clan toward absolute justice."
Akainu paused his steps. "Justice is always about quality, not quantity. Even a single speck of filth can taint the word 'justice' with a stain that can't be washed away."
"And," he continued as the three Police Force ninjas froze, "don't limit justice to just the Uchiha clan. When you understand what I mean, then come talk to me."
Jiro, the talking cat trailing behind Akainu, turned his head and spoke up. "What Lord Akainu means is, you need some vision. Justice isn't just for the Uchiha—it's for the whole ninja world, meow!"
"If you three are stuck with such a narrow mindset, your belief in justice doesn't even hold a candle to a twelve-year-old like Uchiha Izumi."
"Meow, come back to Lord Akainu when you've figured it out."
The three ninjas were stunned. They never expected to be lectured by a talking ninja cat.
And as proud Uchihas, they couldn't even muster a comeback.
"Whew… Justice for the entire ninja world," one of the ninjas said, pocketing his hands as he watched Akainu's figure fade into the distance. "It's exactly that kind of vision that makes us want to follow his absolute justice."
"But he's right," he admitted. "Compared to what a man like him sees, our perspective's too small. We can't even make out the path justice takes."
Another ninja piped up. "So, what's the plan?"
The first ninja smirked. "We bring justice to the ninja world, obviously. He's already accepted us—once we get what he's saying, we can follow his justice."
"We might not be the first Uchihas to rally behind [Absolute Justice]," he added, his lips curling with a proud sneer, "but compared to anyone besides Izumi, our vision's at least a hundred times sharper!"
---
Inside the Ninja Academy, Iruka was keeping an eye on the rowdy students while subtly stepping outside to check the scene.
Noticing that Akainu, the other Uchiha Police Force members, and even Lady Tsunade had left, he returned to the classroom and cleared his throat.
"Class dismissed! Naruto Uzumaki, Sasuke Uchiha, Ino Yamanaka, Sakura Haruno—your punishment's over!"
But the announcement didn't lift Naruto or Sasuke's spirits. They'd completely missed out on watching Teacher Akainu carry out justice.
It had all happened just a few dozen meters away, but the classroom wall and Iruka's watchful eye were like divine barriers they couldn't cross.
"Argh, we totally missed it!" Naruto grumbled, scratching his spiky blonde hair into a bird's nest. "Iruka-sensei's such a stickler… We're Teacher Akainu's students! How could we not get justice?"
Sasuke, hands in his pockets, his face cool and expressionless, added, "Yeah. Seems like this academy teacher's pretty subpar. I heard he's new, never taught anyone before. Figures—new teachers always suck."
Iruka, still in earshot: "???"
He was tempted to give both kids a good knuckle to the head to teach them a lesson when a clear, young voice rang out.
"You guys… really don't get justice, even if you call him 'Teacher.'"
The words stunned Naruto and Sasuke, while Sakura gaped at Ino beside her.
Ino took a deep breath, her face tinged with complex emotions. She stared out the window at the bodies guarded by a few academy teachers and said earnestly, "You're only bummed because you didn't get to join in on the justice. You don't care about the victim who was hurt by those evildoers."
"Ino…" Sakura stared at her rival's profile, shocked. Lately, she'd noticed Ino acting strange, but their "rivalry" kept her from getting too close. Now, she finally saw what was off.
Ino… didn't seem to like Sasuke anymore!
Otherwise, she wouldn't have said, "You guys don't get justice," lumping Sasuke in with Naruto. If it were Sakura, she'd have said only Naruto, the dead-last, didn't get it, while Sasuke obviously understood justice.
As Sakura's mind spiraled into overthinking, Ino kept her gaze outside and continued, "I didn't see either of you care about the victim who died because of those evildoers. You completely ignored her. Justice that doesn't care about the victim isn't justice at all, okay?"
"So, don't go blaming Iruka-sensei. He might not follow [Absolute Justice], but he understands what real justice is better than you two. And he gets Teacher Akainu's [Absolute Justice] better than you do."
Ino vaguely recalled the lessons her father drilled into her every night.
Most of what she was saying came straight from him.
Through Inoichi Yamanaka, she'd come to understand [Absolute Justice].
She understood it better than Naruto or Sasuke did.
That was one reason why Ino had been acting "strange" lately—and why she'd suddenly stopped fawning over Sasuke.
To her, Sasuke seemed a bit… childish now.
"…This kid," Iruka murmured, watching Ino's small figure from the teacher's desk. "Her family must've taught her these principles. And with the recent changes in the Yamanaka clan, it's probably pushed her to grow up faster."
He glanced at Naruto and Sasuke, who stood frozen.
"The Will of Fire… Absolute Justice…" Iruka seemed to make a decision. He gathered his lesson plans and headed out, muttering, "I hope the Hokage doesn't mind. Naruto and Sasuke have chosen this path, and as their teacher, I can only support them, helping them become great Leaf ninjas along the road they've picked."
Even if he didn't follow absolute justice himself, that didn't mean he couldn't teach students who believed in both justice and the Will of Fire.
Iruka didn't see the two as mutually exclusive.
---
Oh no, oh no! Ino totally messed up. Sasuke hasn't said a word or even moved—ugh, he's gotta be mad, right?
What do I do? Should I hint to Ino to apologize to Sasuke? But… if she gets on his bad side, wouldn't that be better for me?
That'd mean my biggest rival's out of the picture.
But Ino-pig, as annoying as she is, she used to…
Sakura's mind was a whirlwind of panic and overthinking, caught in a dilemma.
Then Sasuke's voice broke through. "Ino Yamanaka. That's your name, right?"
"Yeah," Ino replied with a slight nod.
"I think you're right," Sasuke said, his attempt at a cool expression softening with a hint of apology. "Naruto and I don't understand justice as well as you do. We did overlook the victim without meaning to."
Naruto grinned wide and stuck out a hand. "Naruto Uzumaki! The guy who's gonna be Hokage and spread Teacher Akainu's justice all over the Leaf! Nice to meet ya!"
Sasuke followed suit. "Sasuke Uchiha. Nice to meet you."
"Ino Yamanaka," she said, turning her gaze from the window. "Nice to meet you too."
Sakura: "…"
For some reason, Sakura felt like an outsider. It was like an invisible wall had sprung up, separating her from the three of them.
She couldn't wrap her head around why Sasuke's attitude had done a complete 180, even apologizing to Ino. Or why he was suddenly being friendly with her.
Back when Ino wasn't acting so "weird," she and Sakura were both glued to Sasuke's side.
Everyone… felt so distant now.
---
Meanwhile, at the Uchiha Police Force headquarters, Akainu Uchiha arrived at the interrogation room. A ninja cat and a toad had rushed to him, saying Izumi had dragged Biwa Juzo to the station and was trying to pry critical intel from him.
But Juzo had specifically demanded to see Akainu, refusing to spill anything otherwise.
So, here he was.
Akainu wasn't interested in whatever "top-secret" info Juzo might have. In the entire ninja world, no one knew more than Akainu—not just current intel, but even glimpses of the future.
What caught his attention was whether Biwa Juzo, one of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen, was a irredeemable villain marked for judgment by absolute justice.
"Surprising," Akainu said as his first words upon seeing Juzo. He didn't even glance at Jiraiya, leaving the Sannin a bit awkward mid-greeting.
Akainu stood in front of Juzo, staring at the white box hovering above the man's head.
"As one of the Mist's Seven Ninja Swordsmen, known for cruelty and active in the Third Great Ninja War, you're more upright than most people I've met. Or rather, outside the battlefield, you're not some irredeemable monster."
Akainu's cold tone reached Juzo's ears as the swordsman studied him closely.
Juzo grinned, a cruel edge to it. "So you're the Leaf's 'Lava Style Beast,' Akainu Uchiha? Quite a guy. Just standing there, you're giving me a bit of pressure."
"Akainu Uchiha, aren't you curious—"
"Let him go," Akainu cut him off, addressing Izumi. "There's no point in holding him."
Juzo: "???"
Jiraiya: "???"
"Wait a second!" Jiraiya jumped in. "He's posing as a Rain Village envoy, but he's really a spy for some group called the Akatsuki. They're tied to Orochimaru—I'm sure of it. We could get info on Orochimaru from him."
Anko blinked in surprise. "Akainu, this guy came to the Leaf to get close to you. Aren't you curious what kind of scheme the Akatsuki's cooking up?"
Jiro, the ninja cat, hopped onto Izumi's shoulder, licked his paw, and spoke up. "Meow, if I'm not mistaken, this swordsman only recently defected from the Mist. He probably hasn't been with the Akatsuki long—just a newbie, really."
Juzo: "…"
Jiro went on. "When it comes to the Akatsuki, Lord Akainu probably knows more than this guy does. As for Orochimaru? Meow, no way this guy knows where he's hiding."
"So, what's his value? Probably just that big knife of his—might fetch a nice price if you sell it."
Juzo: "…"
Damn it! How does this talking cat know so much?
---