Shinku narrowed his eyes. Being stared at by the Three-Tomoe Sharingan greatly increased the pressure. He continued to stand in front of Seiryū, his tone turning cold.
"Elder Setsuna, as a high-ranking member of the Uchiha Clan, you surely do not intend to attack a child without first understanding the facts."
It was true that Setsuna was a high-ranking elder of the Uchiha Clan.
But with such overbearing behavior, did he truly think the Uchiha Clan could dominate everything?
Konoha was not the Uchiha Clan's Konoha.
This incident was provoked by a member of the Uchiha Clan. Seiryū merely defended himself.
Even if his response was somewhat heavy-handed, the fault did not lie with Seiryū.
They were clearly in the right.
"I am not acting without knowing the facts," Setsuna replied, his cold gaze unchanged.
His tone remained calm. "But if this was merely sparring, yet such vicious methods were used against my grandson, do you expect me to pretend I know nothing?"
His grandson had been crippled, and the methods used were far too ruthless.
This went too far.
That was the grandson in whom he had placed great expectations.
Seiryū's mouth twitched inwardly. So it really was his grandson.
His luck was truly something else.
And sparring?
Did this old man really not know, or was he simply protecting his own?
"Sparring?" Shinku immediately grasped the implication and sneered. "It seems Elder Setsuna knows nothing. If that kind of behavior counts as sparring, then what is bullying?"
"A Genin who has been active for several years deliberately sought trouble with a six-year-old child, using verbal provocation and insults. If Seiryū had not had some strength, he would be the one lying in the hospital bed now."
"I would also like to ask Elder Setsuna, is this how the Uchiha Clan teaches its children, a twelve or thirteen-year-old Genin deliberately targeting a six-year-old?"
"Moreover, as an elder, you label this as sparring without even investigating the facts. Is the Uchiha Clan really capable of turning black into white?"
These words were logical and well grounded. They were clearly in the right.
It was absolutely impossible for the Uchiha Clan to twist the facts.
Although Shinku was only an ordinary Jonin and could not contend directly with the Uchiha Clan, Seiryū was different.
He was valued by the Third Hokage and was Jiraiya's disciple, one of the Sannin.
There was no need to fear the Uchiha Clan too much.
Seiryū glanced at Shinku in surprise.
Not bad. He usually seemed very serious, but his words were unexpectedly sharp.
He was practically accusing the other party to their face.
Setsuna narrowed his eyes. A Jonin he did not even take seriously dared to speak to him in such a manner.
What kind of backing did he have?
Because he had once attempted to assassinate the Second Hokage, even though he had been pardoned, the label of criminal still followed him.
His every move was being watched.
He could not go too far, but he also would not easily give up.
This involved the reputation of the Uchiha Clan. He was an absolute hardliner and would not tolerate the clan losing face.
After slowly exhaling, Setsuna said coldly, "I truly do not know the details of the incident. However, my grandson has always followed Konoha's rules and would never commit such a vile act as you described."
"Given his pride, he would not deliberately provoke a child. I must investigate this matter. I cannot simply take your word for it."
This was complete nonsense.
Under his deliberate cultivation, his grandson's personality had grown extreme, his actions ruthless, and his behavior erratic.
This was intentional.
Only in this way could there be a chance to awaken the Uchiha Clan's ultimate dōjutsu, the Mangekyo Sharingan.
It was his experiment.
Only by awakening the Mangekyo Sharingan could the Uchiha Clan have a chance to turn things around.
In his view, extremism and madness were possible paths to awakening it.
Shinku frowned. "How does Elder Setsuna plan to investigate this?"
"I will use Genjutsu to make him reveal the truth," Setsuna said flatly.
"That's impossible."
"You have no right to refuse."
"I understand now," Seiryū suddenly laughed, his tone filled with mockery. "Like grandfather, like grandson."
"Your way of educating your grandson is truly impressive. He is exactly like you."
No wonder Ryosuke was so unstable, erratic, and mentally unsound.
The source had been found.
This grandfather and grandson pair were truly cut from the same cloth, utterly shameless.
Using Genjutsu to force the truth?
If someone was controlled by Genjutsu, would everything they said not be entirely at the caster's discretion?
How could he say something so absurd with such righteous confidence?
Konoha indeed had many talents.
"Sharp-tongued," Setsuna snorted coldly at Seiryū.
His voice remained calm, but the pressure intensified. "I need to thoroughly investigate the sequence of events."
Having inherited Uchiha Madara's will, he would always stand on the side of the Uchiha Clan.
Moreover, the one injured was the grandson he personally nurtured and valued. His efforts and expectations had turned to nothing.
How could he not be angry?
And for the sake of the Uchiha Clan's reputation, regardless of right or wrong, he had to define the nature of this incident.
The fault did not lie with his grandson.
[Ding! The noble is arrogant and conceited, attempting to twist the facts and confuse the public, using authority to suppress the Host. The path to becoming the Soul King who dominates the Three Realms is filled with obstacles, and this predicament is unavoidable. Please make the correct response, Host!]
[Mission Issued: Successfully navigate this predicament!]
[Mission Reward: Low-Level Hadō Compendium!]
Hearing the system prompt in his mind, Seiryū's eyes flickered.
A Low-Level Hadō Compendium?
That really was quite a reward.
But now was not the time to think about that.
The mission was to get through this predicament.
When the system issued a mission, it had already made a judgment. It would not assign an impossible task.
It was guiding him step by step toward becoming the Soul King.
If he were required to defeat the opponent, the current Seiryū could not do so.
Seiryū thought calmly.
Getting through this situation was not difficult. He only needed to hold out until the Third Hokage arrived.
Since the Uchiha Clan had received the news and come to the hospital, the Third Hokage, who governed Konoha, could not be unaware.
After all, Seiryū and Kurenai had carried the unconscious Ryosuke to the Ninja Hospital in full view of many people.
This had been Seiryū's intention.
This matter was neither small nor insignificant, and it involved the Uchiha Clan.
And the Uchiha Clan was known for its instability. Who knew what they might do?
Seiryū did not dare gamble.
He needed someone influential enough to uphold justice.
Hearing such an outrageous statement, Shinku's anger flared and he said coldly, "Hokage-sama will judge this matter. Your Uchiha Clan has no right to carry out private punishment."
Private punishment.
Those words were severe.
Setsuna smiled faintly, a trace of sarcasm on his face. "After I determine the truth, I will naturally explain things to the Sandaime."
Shinku clenched his teeth. "You…"
"You keep obstructing me. Are you trying to cover for him?" Setsuna's Three-Tomoe Sharingan locked onto Shinku.
Too lazy to waste words, the Three-Tomoe Sharingan spun slightly, and Genjutsu was cast directly through eye contact.
There were differences even among Jonin.
Although Shinku specialized in Genjutsu, he was no match for Setsuna in this field.
Moreover, he had not expected a direct attack and was instantly caught in the Genjutsu.
He could not break free in a short time.
After easily controlling Shinku, Setsuna looked at Seiryū and said calmly, "Do not worry. I will uphold fairness and justice and only make you speak the truth."
Seiryū avoided looking directly into his eyes. From the corner of his vision, he saw a group of people approaching.
He calmly exhaled.
"Whether you can impose private punishment on me depends on whether my Sensei's Sensei agrees."
In the distance, the Third Hokage, Sarutobi Hiruzen, dressed in his Hokage ceremonial robe, was slowly walking toward them.
(To be continued.)
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◇ One bonus chapter will be released for every 200 Power Stones.
◇ You can read the ahead chapter on Pat if you're interested: p-atreon.c-om/Blownleaves (Just remove the hyphen to access normally.)