Ino Yamanaka: "They've played both the good cop and the bad cop."
Ōnoki: "It's a despicable method, but it's normal to use such methods when dealing with one's own villagers like this."
Fourth Raikage: "Hmph!"
Fourth Raikage: "What scum!"
Mabui: "A stain on the Second Hokage's entire life."
Senju Tobirama: "..."
Sakura Haruno: "In that case... my family seems to be at considerable risk too?"
Kiba Inuzuka: "Definitely!"
...The black-framed large screen continued.
[To control public opinion, the Konoha Military Police Force spared no effort.]
[Almost all members were dispatched.]
[A large number of personnel, along with villains disguised as Will of Fire adherents using Transformation Jutsu, put on a show.]
[This was equivalent to using violent means to instill a concept in everyone.]
[All in all, there were mistakes, but not many.]
[In the short term, the effect might not be significant.]
[After all, the incident just happened.]
[And many things also leave traces.]
[It's certainly impossible to silence everyone at once.]
[Unless the great Third Hokage Hiruzen Sarutobi issued another ban.]
[But that's clearly impossible.]
[So, the Konoha Military Police Force used violent means to achieve a ban-like effect in a certain sense.]
[After some time, this matter would be downplayed and eventually resolved.]
[And they would behave for a while, or rather, deal with those 'test subjects' more secretly.]
[Thus, this disturbance would pass.]
[Most people are forgetful.]
[Although some would remember later, by then, suppressing the matter would become very simple.]
[Currently, the most important thing is to play the act well.]
[Bang—]
[On this day, everyone who discussed this matter—]
[—including those who went along and witnessed Moegi's mother's death, as well as the corpses of the Konoha Military Police Force, Anbu Ninja, and Root Organization Ninja—were almost all warned.]
["Oh my god!"]
["Are we going to die?"]
["No... I don't want to die so horribly!"]
["But... what can we do?"]
["They are Ninja-samas under Lord Sandaime, and we can't escape either."]
["Shhh~!"]
["Just be honest and don't talk nonsense!"]
["This... sigh..."]
[Faced with this, they could only resign themselves to fate.]
[They didn't know.]
[In fact, if not for the large number of Ninja present that day—]
[—their sudden disappearance would cause a bad reaction.]
[Otherwise...]
[None of them would have survived last night.]
[Silenced, or captured.]
[Whether for the Sarutobi Clan, that is, the Konoha Military Police Force, it's too simple.]
[Not to mention Root Organization and Anbu.]
[The Ninja felt a chill in their hearts.]
[Meanwhile.]
[Inside the Hokage Office.]
[Bang—!!!]
[Hiruzen Sarutobi slammed his palm heavily on the table.]
[Looking at the Sarutobi Clan Ninja and Sarutobi Clan Anbu Ninja kneeling before him.]
[Hiruzen Sarutobi's face was ashen.]
["Tell Danzo to come see me!"]
[Looking at his clansmen, who were bowing their heads tightly and constantly begging for mercy.]
[Hiruzen Sarutobi felt incredibly weary.]
["Yes!"]
[The voice of an Anbu Ninja sounded from outside the door.]
[Hiruzen Sarutobi closed his eyes.]
["Speak."]
["Who all participated."]
[The moment Hiruzen Sarutobi's words fell.]
["Clan Head, it was just the two of us; everyone else was instigated by us!"]
[The two Sarutobi Clan Ninja kneeling on the ground immediately said.]
["Good!!!"]
[This undoubtedly made Hiruzen Sarutobi even more furious.]
[If this matter couldn't be suppressed, he, the Hokage, would probably be criticized every night.]
["Call me Hokage!!!"]
[Still daring to call him Clan Head?]
["Hokage-sama, it's all our fault!"]
["And the Root Organization, Lord Danzo also participated; Lord Danzo even discussed this matter with us!"]
["We didn't coerce or tempt those people; they were all willing themselves!"]
["Right! They were all willing..."]
[He didn't give them a chance to continue speaking.]
[Hiruzen Sarutobi charged forward, one kick for each person.]
[Bang bang—]
[The two flew backward, smashing into the Hokage Office door.]
["Alright, alright, so you like taking the blame, huh?"]
["Then I'll start with you two!"]
[Hiruzen Sarutobi laughed in anger.]
["You two, your entire families, not a single one will escape; arrest them all and execute them tomorrow!"]
[Boom—]
[The two were dumbfounded.]
[Hiruzen Sarutobi's words were like a bolt from the blue.]
[This was something they had never expected.]
[After a few breaths, both their eyes turned red.]
["Clan Head, you even held..."]
["Call me Hokage!!!"]
[Hiruzen Sarutobi flicked his sleeve, then sat back in the Hokage's chair.]
["Still watching from outside?!"]
["If you've been here for a while, then get in here now!!!"]
[Hiruzen Sarutobi roared at the door.]
[This time, he was truly enraged.]
[It had always been very subtle before.]
[This time, it was exposed, and the method was too extreme and sinister.]
[Most importantly, within less than a day, the entire Village knew.]
[This made his image as the Third Hokage untenable.]
[Click—]
[Unlike before, Danzo Shimura, the leader of the Root Organization, entered the Hokage Office in a very 'gentle' manner this time.]
[Hiruzen Sarutobi glanced at his close friend.]
["Do you have anything to say?"]
["If not, then like those two, make your last will."]
[With that, Hiruzen Sarutobi turned around and lit his pipe.]
[The faces of the two Sarutobi Clan Ninja kneeling on the ground instantly turned pale.]
["Clan Head!"]
["I'll speak, we'll say everything!"]
["And Lord Danzo..."]
["Call me Hokage!!!"]
[Hiruzen Sarutobi took a puff from his pipe, then turned around, interrupting the two.]
[Bang—]
[The ashtray hit one of them on the forehead, instantly causing a bloody gash.]
["Get out!"]
["Dare to hide even a bit, and tomorrow your whole family will be thrown into prison to await death!"]
["Yes! Clan Head!"]
["Yes! Hokage-sama!"]
[The two immediately scrambled out of the door.]
[Bang—]
[The Hokage's door closed again.]
[From beginning to end, Danzo didn't say a word, but watched Hiruzen Sarutobi with a calm expression.]
[Hiruzen Sarutobi also didn't speak, just kept smoking.]
[This matter was even worse than the Orochimaru incident back then.]
[Did Hiruzen Sarutobi truly not guess that Orochimaru was always in the lab; who would provide him with test subjects?]
[If it weren't for Orochimaru being 'disobedient', Hiruzen Sarutobi wouldn't have forced his most beloved disciple that time.]
["Speak, how many have you harmed since Orochimaru left?"]
["Is one Uchiha not enough to satisfy your appetite?"]
["Do you also want the seat under my butt?!"]