Hiruzen Sarutobi stood at the front, his gaze sweeping across the Uchiha assembled in full readiness before finally settling on Uchiha Ren.
Facing the nearly tangible hostility, he showed no trace of anger.
Instead, that familiar, gentle smile returned to his face.
"Heh."
A soft chuckle broke the tension, his voice calm enough to suppress the surrounding noise.
"The most prestigious clan in the shinobi world… the department that upholds Konoha's order…"
"And yet, in your words, Ren-kun, it is merely 'small.' That seems overly modest."
His gaze drifted—seemingly casually—past Ren.
To Uchiha Fugaku, the head of the Police Force.
To Uchiha Mikoto, granddaughter of the dovish elders.
And to the sharp-eyed Uchiha elites behind them.
The intelligence reports had mentioned the merging of factions.
He had assumed it was only just beginning.
But now—
The heirs of two factions stood openly behind the grandson of a hawkish elder.
The situation within the Uchiha…
Was far more complex than expected.
Suppressing the ripple in his thoughts, Hiruzen moved to the point.
"The Police Force made quite a commotion today."
"Arrests carried out in the streets have stirred discussion throughout the village. I could not ignore it."
"What crimes did these individuals commit… to warrant such action?"
He deliberately avoided the words "ANBU" or "Root."
He was trying to minimize the issue.
And by coming personally—
He had already given the Uchiha face.
Some Uchiha inclined toward the Hokage felt their hostility ease slightly—
But their guard remained.
Behind Hiruzen, the Hyuga and the Ino–Shika–Cho remained silent, observing.
The sight before them was shocking.
A divided Uchiha—
And a united Uchiha—
Were entirely different beasts.
—
Ren understood immediately.
The old man was hesitating.
Good.
That meant—
He could push further.
He stepped slightly aside, opening the path into the Police Headquarters, and raised a hand in invitation.
"Lord Third, esteemed clan heads."
"Tea has been prepared inside."
"Discussing such matters at the door is neither proper hospitality nor proper negotiation."
"Please—come in."
An open invitation.
Or a trap.
Hiruzen's gaze lingered on Ren for a brief moment, as if trying to read something deeper.
But his expression remained unchanged.
He nodded.
"Very well."
He walked forward calmly, as if truly a guest.
Behind him, Koharu Utatane attempted to object—
But a glance from Hiruzen silenced her.
He was the Hokage.
No one else would decide this.
The others followed.
Only then did Koharu exhale quietly and trail behind.
She did not trust the Uchiha.
If the roles were reversed—
She would not hesitate to strike.
—
Inside the hall, everyone took their seats.
Hiruzen's gaze returned to Ren.
He had no intention of letting the matter drop.
Ren met his eyes calmly.
"The Police Force exists to maintain order within the village."
"The regulations were established by the Second Hokage himself. We would not dare neglect them."
"Those we arrested today were merely suspicious individuals lurking around the Uchiha district."
"At a time when war is imminent, all kinds of forces are moving."
"It is entirely possible for foreign spies to infiltrate Konoha—to gather intelligence… or sow discord."
Several clan heads widened their eyes slightly.
The claim was bold.
Exaggerated—
Yet difficult to refute outright.
"As for the scale of our response…"
Ren shifted the question back.
"To ensure Konoha's safety, the Police Force does not hesitate to act decisively."
"If even one spy escapes, the consequences could be severe."
"Wouldn't you agree, Lord Hokage?"
Hiruzen's smile faded—just a fraction.
He was about to speak—
But Koharu Utatane could no longer hold back.
"Ridiculous! They are clearly—"
"Koharu."
Hiruzen raised a hand, stopping her.
Then he looked at Ren again.
"If they are prisoners…"
"By procedure, should they not be handed over to ANBU for interrogation?"
"The Police Force handles security. Interrogating spies is… not your specialty."
There it was.
The real objective.
He wanted the prisoners.
The tension thickened.
Every Uchiha present understood—
If they handed them over—
Everything done today would be undone.
Worse—
It could be turned against them.
Ren had already warned them of such outcomes.
—
Before he could respond—
Mikoto stepped forward.
Uchiha Mikoto bowed slightly.
"Lord Hokage. Advisor."
"Precisely because this matter may involve espionage, it must be handled with care."
"We have already obtained preliminary leads and are conducting urgent interrogations."
"Transferring them now would disrupt the process and risk losing critical information."
She raised her head, composed and sincere.
"For the sake of Konoha's security, we ask that the Police Force be allowed to complete this investigation."
"Once concluded, a full report will be submitted to the Hokage's office."
Her words were measured.
Reasonable.
They affirmed loyalty—
While closing off any excuse to seize the prisoners.
Hiruzen studied her carefully.
Then glanced at Ren.
Both calm.
Both composed.
More difficult than the older generation.
Silence fell.
The air seemed to solidify.
Several Uchiha tensed, ready to act at a single command.
Koharu suppressed the urge to retreat, inwardly cursing.
The clan heads braced themselves.
If things went wrong—
They might all be dragged into it.
—
"Oh?"
At last, Hiruzen spoke.
His tone revealed nothing.
"In that case…"
"I will look forward to seeing what kind of 'leads' your investigation uncovers."
A pause.
Then—
"Of course… Ren-kun wouldn't mind if the Yamanaka clan assisted?"
"It would help uncover those 'leads' more quickly."
A quiet test.
A subtle pressure.
Ren smiled.
"Of course…"
"We wouldn't mind."
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