Inside the office of Hiruzen Sarutobi, smoke drifted slowly through the air.
Hearing Koharu Utatane's angry suggestion, Hiruzen exhaled and asked calmly:
"Koharu… What do you propose I do?"
"Send ANBU to arrest that Uchiha brat and reprimand him."
Before Hiruzen could respond, Homura Mitokado shook his head.
"That would be unwise. If he resists, ANBU may not be able to subdue him."
"He would dare resist?" Koharu snapped.
Hiruzen sighed.
"Yuan's temperament is not mild."
Homura added,
"Danzō once mentioned that on the night of the Nine-Tails incident, Root operatives tried to stop the Uchiha from mobilizing. A young boy openly rebuked them without fear.
That boy was Uchiha Yuan."
Hiruzen's face darkened slightly.
"We'll wait for Shikaku's report. First, we must determine whether Yuan's actions were sanctioned by the Uchiha clan."
Police Force Headquarters
Inside the captain's office, Uchiha Fugaku looked genuinely shocked.
"Yuan went to guard the main gate?!"
Across from him, Shikaku Nara carefully observed Fugaku's reaction.
It was not an act.
Shikaku relaxed inwardly.
This meant Yuan had acted independently—not on clan orders.
If it had been an official Uchiha maneuver, mishandling it could have escalated quiet tension into open confrontation.
"Clan Head Fugaku," Shikaku said evenly, "please recall Yuan before matters worsen."
Fugaku did not immediately agree.
"Give me time. I must first understand the full situation."
After the initial shock, Fugaku had already realized the strategic advantage of controlling the gate.
Shikaku's gaze sharpened briefly.
He understood.
The clan would not openly support Yuan.
But neither would they restrain him—unless absolutely necessary.
If this issue were to be resolved, it would have to be Yuan himself who stepped back.
Konoha Main Gate
An ANBU wearing a fox mask appeared beside Hagane Kotetsu and delivered the Hokage's order:
"The Third Hokage commands you to withdraw immediately."
Yuan smiled faintly.
"The Police Force is responsible for village security. The main gate is a complex point of entry and exit. For the sake of safety, it will be under Police supervision."
The fox-masked ANBU frowned.
"Are you defying the Hokage?"
Yuan's expression turned cold.
"Since Konoha's founding, the Police Force has possessed operational autonomy. The village has no authority to interfere in our internal affairs.
Furthermore, there is currently no seated Hokage. The Third has already stepped down and serves only as Acting Hokage. He has no right to interfere in Police matters."
"Impudent!"
The ANBU lunged forward to seize him.
In the span of a few breaths, more than a dozen exchanges rang out—rapid collisions echoing sharply.
Yuan moved with effortless composure.
Then—
A single palm struck the ANBU's chest.
The fox-masked shinobi skidded backward across the ground for over ten meters before dropping to one knee.
His chakra flow had been shattered in a single blow.
Yuan looked down at him.
"Leave."
The ANBU rose shakily and vanished without another word.
Back in the Hokage's Office
The ANBU returned and reported everything.
Koharu slammed her palm down angrily.
"That brat grows more insolent by the day!"
Homura turned toward Hiruzen.
"Shall we hand this matter to Danzō?"
Shikaku's expression subtly changed.
This situation was becoming delicate.
Hiruzen exhaled slowly and set down his pipe.
"Shikaku. What is your assessment?"
The room fell quiet.
Yuan's words had torn open a political truth.
Was he wrong?
No.
Legally speaking, the Police Force had autonomy.
Technically, stationing at the gate was within their jurisdiction.
Hiruzen and the elders found themselves with no legitimate grounds to refute him.
And that—
Was precisely what made this confrontation so dangerous.
To read advanced Chapters, head over to p@treon:
patreon.com/nani_kaito