Chapter 94: Are You Going To Stop Someone From Believing In Justice?
On the other side, Uchiha Setsuna and other Uchiha Radical Elders also learned of the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki’s arrival from the young ninjas below.
“The Jinchuriki was brought to the Police Force again?”
Uchiha Setsuna frowned tightly. Although he also coveted the Jinchuriki’s power immensely, this time Uchiha Setsuna did not act rashly: “What exactly does that brat Uchiha Ikeizumi want to do?”
It was only because the last time he tried to make a move on the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki, he was stopped by Uchiha Ikeizumi.
Moreover, the other’s attitude was extremely tough, making him lose face as an old man.
It was as if as long as he really dared to make a move on the Jinchuriki, Uchiha Ikeizumi would kill him without hesitation.
Recalling this incident, Uchiha Setsuna felt his teeth itch with anger.
It was also because of that time that his deterrent power within the Uchiha Clan was greatly diminished, and some young Uchiha Radicals even no longer gave him, this elder, sufficient respect!
Slightly calming down, Uchiha Setsuna began to ponder Uchiha Ikeizumi’s intentions.
“Is he trying to use the Jinchuriki to intensify the conflict between the village and the Uchiha, making the Uchiha Clan completely oppose the Konoha leadership, thereby forcing Fugaku to carry out the Konoha coup plan? And finally use the Nine-Tails Demon Fox’s power to eliminate the Konoha leadership’s combat forces, allowing the Uchiha Clan to take control of the entire Konoha?!”
When this thought occurred to Uchiha Setsuna…
He suddenly fell silent.
Because he couldn’t figure out Uchiha Ikeizumi’s ideas. And the thought that had just emerged was one of the schemes he himself most wanted to carry out.
At that moment.
Another Uchiha Clan Ninja hurried over to inform Uchiha Setsuna, and his expression looked extremely urgent.
“Elder Setsuna!”
The Uchiha Ninja immediately said: “The Third Hokage and Senior Advisor Koharu Utatane, the two of them brought many Konoha Anbu Ninjas and directly barged into our Uchiha Clan Compound!”
“I’m afraid Konoha has brought over most of its Anbu. There are even ninjas wearing Root masks among them! The Konoha Root Organization may have already been temporarily taken over by Koharu Utatane!”
Uchiha Setsuna’s expression tightened, his first reaction being that the Uchiha Clan’s coup plan had been exposed, and the Hokage side had decided to strike first with absolute force to take down the Uchiha Clan.
The current Uchiha Clan’s strongest combat forces were Uchiha Ikeizumi, Uchiha Fugaku, and Uchiha Itachi.
The former was in his own faction, fundamentally not caring about or inquiring into the conflicts between the village and the Uchiha.
The latter two: one was a clan leader who leaned outwards, and the other was a little beast who would choose to exterminate the clan in the future!
In this situation…
If the Third Hokage wanted to suppress the Uchiha Clan with overwhelming power, they might really be unable to resist!
“Damn it…”
“Is it going to end before it even starts?”
Uchiha Setsuna was extremely unwilling. His expression was gloomy as he immediately issued orders: “Gather all the Uchiha from the radical faction! I want to see what that Konoha Third Hokage intends to do to our Uchiha Clan! Hmph! In terms of seniority, I am still his senior!”
Soon.
Many Uchiha Radical Ninjas from the Uchiha Clan quickly assembled.
But due to the extreme haste, many Uchiha Ninjas were still on duty outside, resulting in only twenty or thirty ninjas assembled.
Uchiha Setsuna, with his stern old face, led these twenty or thirty Uchiha elites and rushed straight toward Sarutobi Hiruzen.
……
“Uchiha Clan…”
Koharu Utatane’s view of the Uchiha Clan was not as extreme as Shimura Danzo’s, but she also didn’t like this uncontrollable ninja clan much, because too many Uchiha had mental instability.
Especially their Sharingan awakening method, which doomed the Uchiha Clan to have few normal people.
There were always some troublemakers with extremely extreme thoughts.
Especially Uchiha Madara, who fell out with the First Hokage back then.
And…
Uchiha Ikeizumi, who brought the Jinchuriki into the Uchiha Compound.
In Koharu Utatane’s eyes, these people were not normal.
They were all mental illness patients bewitched by the Sharingan’s power.
Oh right.
There was also Uchiha Itachi, the one rumored to exterminate the Uchiha Clan in the future, who wasn’t normal in Koharu Utatane’s eyes either.
But given that Itachi stood on Konoha’s side, Koharu Utatane didn’t have much discriminatory view toward Uchiha Itachi.
It could only be said that this child…
Had too much “capacity.”
Fortunately, Uchiha Itachi was from the Uchiha Clan, not the Utatane Clan; the one he harmed was only the Uchiha Clan.
Sharply noticing many vigilant and hostile gazes watching her from the shadows, Koharu Utatane’s old face turned cold as she said in a deep voice to Sarutobi Hiruzen beside her: “Hiruzen, the radical hawks within the Uchiha Clan are getting more and more excessive. Are you really going to continue indulging them? Are you really not going to prepare in advance?”
Just as Sarutobi Hiruzen was about to speak, a large group of Uchiha Clan Ninjas suddenly surged forward from ahead.
The leader was none other than Uchiha Setsuna, along with several other Uchiha Radical Elders!
The Anbu Ninjas behind Sarutobi Hiruzen also became vigilant.
Both sides stopped when they were only ten meters apart.
“Hokage.”
Uchiha Setsuna leaned on his cane with both hands, his face several years older than Sarutobi Hiruzen’s showing displeasure as he said: “If you’re coming to our Uchiha Clan as a guest, just send someone to notify us in advance. There’s no need to bring so many people for a sudden visit!”
Uchiha Setsuna’s gaze was gloomy: “If the Hokage came to find me earlier, I am now personally standing before you. Whatever the problem is, it can be resolved right here.”
“No matter what you want to do, as long as I am alive, the Uchiha Clan will never yield!”
He selectively ignored the Uchiha Clan’s past repeated retreats.
After all, that was the doing of the outwards-leaning Fugaku clan leader!
Sarutobi Hiruzen’s brows furrowed: “I am not here for you. Ikeizumi… and Naruto, where are they?!”
Uchiha Setsuna: “…”
Uchiha Setsuna didn’t know if the speaker meant it, but he felt he heard a hidden meaning in Sarutobi Hiruzen’s words—you’re not worth me bringing so many Anbu to target just you.
As for who was worth it?
Uchiha Setsuna also had an answer—Uchiha Ikeizumi!
Only this extremely behaving and maverick brat would be so valued and guarded against by Sarutobi Hiruzen, this Third Hokage.
In comparison, he, Uchiha Setsuna… in the eyes of the Konoha leadership, wasn’t he just roadside trash?!
Uchiha Setsuna, whose face was already unpleasant.
At this moment, his face became even more colorful.
……
“Hokage!”
Suddenly, an urgent voice mixed with surprise from not far away interjected.
It was Yamanaka Yoshinobu, the Anbu Ninja who had entered the Uchiha Clan Compound not long ago but was blocked by the clan members from leaving.
Yamanaka Yoshinobu immediately rushed to Sarutobi Hiruzen’s side and said guiltily to Sarutobi Hiruzen: “Uzumaki Naruto was taken by Uchiha Ikeizumi into the Police Force Headquarters.”
Sarutobi Hiruzen saw the young man’s guilt.
He comforted: “Ikeizumi is an unpredictable factor. For you to conflict with him on impulse was the right choice.”
Uchiha Setsuna noticed that this Third Hokage was ignoring him.
Damn it…
Could it be that in the eyes of the Konoha leadership, his threat level was even less than that of a Uchiha Ikeizumi?!
However…
In this case, he didn’t seem to lose much. After all, to Uchiha Setsuna, Uchiha Ikeizumi was someone who couldn’t be pulled to his side, even a threat to his own life.
One side was Konoha’s leadership, the other was Uchiha Ikeizumi.
The confrontation between the two sides might actually be a good thing for him.
But the feeling of being ignored in front of so many clan members still made Uchiha Setsuna’s old face flush alternately blue and red.
After watching Sarutobi Hiruzen and Koharu Utatane lead a group of Anbu Ninjas turn toward the Police Force Headquarters.
Uchiha Setsuna and the others were left awkwardly in place.
“Elder Setsuna, they seem to be going to find trouble with Uchiha Ikeizumi. Shouldn’t we stop them?” A relatively young Uchiha Radical Ninja behind him asked eagerly.
“Hmph! Do you mean to help an outlier who doesn’t conspire with us and instead opposes us at every turn?!”
Uchiha Setsuna said coldly with a dark face: “Don’t forget how Uchiha Ikeizumi treated us last time when we tried to get our hands on the Jinchuriki! You may want to help him, but he never sees you as a partner. In his eyes, if you do evil, you must die, and his cleaver will turn toward fellow Uchiha Clan members.”
“He is no different from that beast Uchiha Itachi!”
In front of a group of young Uchiha Radical Uchiha Ninjas, Uchiha Setsuna heavily emphasized this statement again.
But when he noticed some hesitation on the faces of some young Uchiha, Uchiha Setsuna’s face darkened even more.
Because he realized that some clan members might have changed their view of Uchiha Ikeizumi’s actions.
They might even admire Uchiha Ikeizumi’s 「Absolute Justice」!
It was just because he, Elder Setsuna, was here.
That they didn’t show it so obviously.
Uchiha Setsuna gripped his wooden cane tightly, his expression extremely sinister.
Uchiha Ikeizumi…
You really deserve to die!
……
“Why was the Uchiha Clan forced to relocate to this remote compound? Isn’t it because of your weakness as the Uchiha Clan Leader?”
“Facing the village’s step-by-step pressure, your response is to retreat step by step; facing the village leadership’s pressure, you choose to be a fawning dog; facing dissatisfaction within the clan, you start striking hard, loudly questioning the clan members why they do this, why they ignore your efforts, why they sabotage your plan…”
Uchiha Ikeizumi said expressionlessly: “You are the Uchiha Clan Leader, and I don’t bother interfering with some of your decisions. I have no interest in whether the balance between the village and the Uchiha is maintained. I don’t interfere with you, so don’t interfere with me.”
“Otherwise… I can only see you as a stumbling block to 「Absolute Justice」. Anyone standing in the path of 「Absolute Justice」 will be regarded by me as an enemy of justice.”
Fugaku’s pupils contracted slightly, and his facial muscles tensed up.
Because at this moment, Fugaku keenly detected a flash of killing intent in Uchiha Ikeizumi’s eyes.
Moreover, this was the first time Fugaku heard Ikeizumi’s view of him.
Weak… stumbling block…
Was this what Ikeizumi truly thought?
So his ideas were no different from those Uchiha Radicals?
He had originally thought Ikeizumi was a very special Uchiha.
With ideas different from the radicals.
Hoo!
Perhaps it was Ikeizumi’s actions that had given him a filter.
Fugaku’s expression calmed down.
He believed he had finally seen through Uchiha Ikeizumi’s true colors.
“Don’t think that everyone bearing the Uchiha name has to obey your orders, you cowardly-eyed Fugaku. My 「Absolute Justice」 is not limited to the Uchiha Clan, nor to tiny Konoha. Don’t view justice with a frog-in-the-well perspective.”
“Besides…”
Uchiha Ikeizumi changed his tone and looked at Naruto beside him.
At this moment, Naruto was somewhat at a loss due to witnessing the conflict between the two, and the root of the conflict seemed to be because of him!
“Uzumaki Naruto, do you want to seek justice for the dead?”
This was a sudden question Uchiha Ikeizumi asked Naruto.
Naruto didn’t expect the topic to turn to him.
He recalled a sentence this terrifying man had said before—remember your current belief; this belief is called justice!
Without 「justice」…
Wouldn’t this family of four have died in vain? Wouldn’t the murderer get away scot-free?
Was this what he wanted to see?
Naruto’s contemplation took less than a second to get an answer—he didn’t want to see murderous villains get away scot-free!
Naruto nodded heavily.
“Yes!!!”
Uchiha Ikeizumi glanced at Fugaku, and the tense atmosphere in the air suddenly heightened several degrees. The tense feeling made sweat break out on Naruto’s forehead. Uchiha Ikeizumi questioned: “Do you want to stop someone from believing in 「justice」?”
But at this moment.
A black ninja cat hurriedly slipped in.
“Lord Ikeizumi! Boss Kijiro! The Third has brought people!”
As soon as the words fell.
Sarutobi Hiruzen walked into the morgue, followed closely by Koharu Utatane, then a large group of Anbu Ninjas surged in.
Although the Police Force’s morgue was not small, with so many corpses placed and so many more people entering, there was suddenly little standing room left.
“Grandpa Hokage!”
Naruto shouted in surprise, about to say something more when he suddenly recalled something.
The trace of joy that had just appeared on his little face froze.
Naruto remembered…
That fat orange cat had once said that Grandpa Hokage had covered for someone deliberately spreading that he was the demon fox incarnate. Grandpa Hokage knew why everyone in the village shunned him, but Grandpa Hokage had kept it from him.
“Uzumaki Naruto, come over here!” Koharu Utatane said to Naruto before Sarutobi Hiruzen could speak.
Naruto looked in astonishment at this old lady he didn’t recognize.
Sarutobi Hiruzen then squeezed out a kind smile and said: “Naruto, come here. Don’t be afraid, Grandpa Hokage is here.”
Sarutobi Hiruzen thought Naruto was afraid because he instinctively felt Naruto had been captured by Ikeizumi.
Just like last time.
However, to Sarutobi Hiruzen’s astonishment, his old face showed surprise… Normally clingy Naruto was now standing motionless in place, his little face looking very conflicted.
This made Sarutobi Hiruzen’s brows furrow slightly, unable to guess what had happened to Naruto in this short time.
“Hokage.”
“Elder Koharu.”
Fugaku took a deep breath, trying to calm his fluctuating thoughts before greeting the two Konoha leaders.
Fugaku feared the Hokage would misunderstand something, so he proactively explained: “Uzumaki Naruto being brought to the Police Force is definitely a misunderstanding. Please rest assured, Hokage, I will send Naruto back.”
“Misunderstanding?”
Koharu Utatane narrowed her eyes and said: “The same incident happened a second time, not even a month apart. Are you sure this is a misunderstanding, Fugaku?”
Fugaku fell silent.
How was he supposed to know that Uchiha Ikeizumi had captured Uzumaki Naruto again?!
Moreover…
Thinking of Ikeizumi wanting to instill 「justice」 ideals into Naruto made Fugaku shudder. If the Hokage found out about this, the Uchiha Clan would really be unable to clear their suspicion even if they jumped into the Konoha River as a whole!
The suspicion in Koharu Utatane’s eyes and the questioning in her tone made Fugaku realize that this misunderstanding would be very hard to resolve.
Fugaku looked at Uchiha Ikeizumi, as if silently saying—see, the troubles you bring to the Uchiha all fall on me, the Uchiha Clan Leader, to bear the pressure. If not for me, the Uchiha Clan wouldn’t even wait for future Itachi to act before being dismantled by an impatient Konoha.
But he found that Ikeizumi wasn’t even looking at him.
This made Fugaku’s eyelid twitch.
“Uzumaki Naruto, what are you standing there for?” Koharu Utatane noticed Naruto still motionless, first glancing vigilantly at Uchiha Ikeizumi, then frowning at Naruto.
Naruto found that the gazes of many people present were focused on him, a mere seven-year-old child.
This was even more attention than when he pulled pranks in the village.
“I…”
Naruto mustered his courage, faced Sarutobi Hiruzen, and said: “Grandpa Hokage, I temporarily don’t want to go back!”
The stiff smile Sarutobi Hiruzen squeezed out suddenly froze on his face.
Cold sweat began to break out in Fugaku’s palms.
Koharu Utatane’s incredulous gaze shot toward Naruto.
The group of Anbu Ninjas also turned to look.
Naruto took a deep breath and said loudly: “Grandpa Hokage, I can’t understand why so many people in Konoha have such malice toward their fellow villagers! I can’t understand what kind of twisted, pathological ‘evil’ could turn a person into a cruel murderer who slaughters entire families!”
“I don’t want to see those murderous villains get away scot-free; I don’t want to see those innocent victims die with eyes wide open! This isn’t the Konoha I know, nor the ninja world I know!”
“I… want to investigate who in Konoha Village committed such heinous evil deeds! I want him to pay the price!”
“This is… what I want to do…”
The more Naruto spoke, the clearer his thoughts became. The reason it was halting was because his education was too low, and he was suddenly at a loss for words.
Until the words Uchiha Ikeizumi had said to him flashed through his mind again.
Naruto immediately sorted out the words he was about to blurt out.
The courage in his heart had turned into action.
The expression on his little face also became more serious.
“Grandpa Hokage, this is my belief! This is my justice!” Naruto said firmly through gritted teeth.
Sarutobi Hiruzen: “???”
At this moment, Sarutobi Hiruzen’s eyes widened, almost without thinking as he turned his head, looking at Uchiha Ikeizumi beside Naruto with an incredulous shocked gaze.
……
……
