Chapter 97: The Twisted And Sick Ninja World Needs Absolute Justice
Sarutobi Hiruzen couldn’t tell if Ikeizumi was mocking him.
He instinctively felt that for this heinous case, investigating the social circle of a victim who was only seven years old wouldn’t be of much use.
The social circle of a seven-year-old child was nothing more than some peers of the same age.
What could they know?
What could they do?
After the crowd waited here for a while, they saw a group of ninja cats hurrying back. This time, they handed the collected list of suspects to Uchiha Ikeizumi.
The exhausted Kijiro stuck out his cat tongue, panting as he said: “Ike, Ikeizumi, we’ve locked in three suspects this time.”
For some reason, Sarutobi Hiruzen had a faint bad premonition, and he interjected: “Ikeizumi, can you let this old man take a look?”
Uchiha Ikeizumi glanced at the suspects’ information on the list.
He casually handed the list to Sarutobi Hiruzen.
After Sarutobi Hiruzen took it and looked closely, the writing on the list was crooked and slanted, clearly not written by a human.
But it was still barely readable what the list meant.
Precisely because he understood the content, Sarutobi Hiruzen’s pupils visibly contracted slightly, and an unthinkable expression appeared on his old face, accompanied by a sharp intake of breath.
Just as everyone was puzzled, Sarutobi Hiruzen directly said: “Ikeizumi, is there some mistake? This old man remembers all three suspects on the list—they’re all students at the Ninja Academy!”
“How could such a heinous murder case be related to Ninja Academy students? They’re all children!”
The crowd finally understood why the Hokage had that expression.
No one could imagine the case being connected to a few children.
“Children in the ninja world can go to the battlefield at four years old, so why do you think Ninja Academy students wouldn’t commit such heinous crimes?” Uchiha Ikeizumi asked coldly: “Why? Because of your Third Hokage’s Will of Fire?”
Sarutobi Hiruzen: “…”
“Suspect No. 1, Hyuga Shoya, member of the Hyuga Branch Family. Had a verbal conflict with the victim inside the Ninja Academy, and their relationship was not good.”
“Suspect No. 2, Murayama Kyotaro, from a civilian family. Was once friends with the victim but parted ways over trivial matters; even though they attend the same Ninja Academy, their relationship has always been strained.”
“Suspect No. 3, Utatane Ryuji, member of the Utatane Clan. The ‘senior’ the victim knew at the Ninja Academy—superficially looking out for the victim, but actually engaging in covert bullying.”
Sarutobi Hiruzen read out the three outrageous suspects on the list.
He let out a heavy sigh, helplessly saying: “Ikeizumi, the minor conflicts between these three children and the murdered child aren’t even enough to make them fight each other… How could it escalate to a family extermination case?”
Sarutobi Hiruzen was more inclined to investigate suspects connected to that couple with the family of four.
As long as all the suspects were brought in, and Ikeizumi looked at them again…
Wouldn’t they know who the murderous villain was?
However, every time he thought of this ability to see through “future and past evil,” Sarutobi Hiruzen found it utterly unthinkable. Probably, no one had any secrets in Ikeizumi’s eyes.
But he noticed that Uchiha Ikeizumi wasn’t speaking, just quietly staring at him, the Hokage.
Sarutobi Hiruzen suddenly jolted in shock and quickly shifted his gaze away, avoiding eye contact with Ikeizumi.
Ikeizumi’s eyes ultimately made Sarutobi Hiruzen extremely wary.
To make his gaze avoidance less obvious, Sarutobi Hiruzen turned to look at Naruto, forcing a normal expression and smiling as he asked: “Naruto thinks the same, right?”
“Grandpa Hokage… how about we still bring all three suspects here?” Naruto said weakly.
Sarutobi Hiruzen: “…”
He suddenly realized that in the eyes of a child like Naruto, these three suspects had no “child halo.”
After all, adults like him would instinctively think it impossible for the three suspects on the list to do such a thing.
But Naruto, being a child himself, shouldn’t have that mindset.
Naruto was probably just shocked that three kids around his age were suspects in the family extermination murder case!
“…Cough!”
Helplessly, Sarutobi Hiruzen could only continue signaling the Anbu ninjas to bring over the three Ninja Academy students from the list.
…
Inside the Hyuga Clan Compound.
When an Anbu ninja hurriedly arrived here, Hyuga Hiashi, the current clan leader of the Hyuga Clan, was immediately alerted.
But it was a bit late; the Anbu ninja didn’t even greet anyone and directly took away a Branch Family member named “Hyuga Shoya” under the pretext of “orders from the Hokage.”
“Hyuga Shoya?”
Upon hearing the news, Hyuga Hiashi frowned on his face that looked like everyone owed him millions of ryo: “If I remember correctly, this seems to be a Branch Family member of the Hyuga. Why does the Hokage want the Anbu to take him away?”
A Hyuga Clan ninja asked: “Hiashi, should we stop that Anbu ninja and get Hyuga Shoya back? After all, he possesses a pair of Byakugan.”
After learning that Shimura Danzo had secretly researched bloodline limits.
The ninja clans in Konoha had all become extremely vigilant.
What if the Hokage was also interested in bloodline limits?
“No need.” Hyuga Hiashi shook his head and said: “That child has already been branded with the Caged Bird Seal. Moreover, the Hokage is not the type to harm the village’s comrades.”
“After all, Shimura Danzo was just an exception.”
…
Inside the Hokage’s Office Building.
A Utatane Clan ninja rushed over in a panic and found Elder Koharu, saying anxiously: “Elder Koharu, why did the Anbu ninja take my son away!”
Elder Koharu recognized this clan member; he was one of the more outstanding ninjas in the Utatane Clan and also a special jonin.
But his words made Elder Koharu frown tightly.
“Anbu took your son?” Elder Koharu couldn’t figure it out and asked: “Did the Anbu ninja say anything?”
——”He said it was the Hokage’s orders!”
The Hokage…
Hiruzen?!
Elder Koharu looked suspicious; wasn’t Hiruzen with Uchiha Ikeizumi right now?
Elder Koharu suddenly felt a slight unease.
She furrowed her brows and asked again: “Did the Anbu ninja who took your son head in the direction of the Uchiha Compound?”
The man was stunned, thought for a moment, then hurriedly replied: “It seems he went in that direction!”
Elder Koharu grew even more puzzled.
Hiruzen…
What exactly was he doing?!
…
The Anbu ninjas were indeed very efficient; Uchiha Ikeizumi didn’t wait long before the three terrified kids were brought in.
This was the first time in their lives they had been forcibly taken away by Anbu.
They had already imagined many scenes of brutal torture in their minds.
Then they realized they were brought to the Uchiha Clan Compound, where they saw many Uchiha Police Force ninjas and a bunch of masked Anbu ninjas!
And even…
They saw the Hokage!
“No need to be afraid.” Sarutobi Hiruzen showed a kind expression to the three kids, like a harmless old grandfather, comforting the frightened trio: “We just brought you here for a special case to ask a few questions; you can go home after we’re done.”
After comforting them, Sarutobi Hiruzen turned to Uchiha Ikeizumi, about to say something…
When he suddenly noticed Ikeizumi staring intently at one of them!
Sarutobi Hiruzen felt that Ikeizumi’s extremely cold gaze was like looking at a dead man!
This made Sarutobi Hiruzen’s heart skip a beat.
Sarutobi Hiruzen followed Uchiha Ikeizumi’s line of sight to that person.
That was suspect No. 3 on the list, a member of the Utatane Clan; he remembered the name was…
—Utatane Ryuji!
Not only Sarutobi Hiruzen noticed Uchiha Ikeizumi’s gaze; Kijiro and Izumi noticed too; Fugaku, standing at the back with low presence, also noticed; even Naruto sensed the off atmosphere—he looked at Grandpa Hokage, then at Uchiha Ike… following the gazes of these adults toward the very uneasy “Utatane Ryuji.”
“Ikeizumi…”
Sarutobi Hiruzen felt his mouth go dry, his voice unconsciously hoarse: “Are you… sure you didn’t ‘missee’? He… he’s just a child!”
The Anbu ninjas behind couldn’t help but cast invasive scrutinizing gazes on that Utatane Clan kid.
“Third Hokage, 「Absolute Justice」 is beyond doubt.”
Uchiha Ikeizumi said coldly.
In Uchiha Ikeizumi’s vision, a very conspicuous crimson red box floated above “Utatane Ryuji’s” head.
Inside, tiny red characters detailed his crimes.
“Meow, expected and reasonable.” The calmest on site were probably Uchiha Ikeizumi and Kijiro.
Izumi took a deep breath, trying to calm herself, then quietly asked the seemingly unfazed Senior Kijiro: “Senior Kijiro, are there many villains at this age?”
“Plenty, meow.” Kijiro said: “Uchiha Itachi, who hid for several days, isn’t he just such a beast?”
Izumi was speechless for a moment.
Yeah!
Uchiha Itachi… was only two years older than this kid, yet in a year’s time, he would exterminate the Uchiha Clan! One caused a family of four extermination, the other might cause the deaths of hundreds or thousands in a clan extermination.
Izumi felt a bit lost.
Had the ninja world really become twisted and sick? If the ninja world wasn’t sick, why were young people falling into the abyss?
She couldn’t understand it anymore.
Kijiro and Izumi’s whispers were all heard by Naruto.
His eyes widened, pointing at the uneasy “Utatane Ryuji,” he couldn’t help but shout in shock: “He killed a family of four? This guy is the murderous villain we’re looking for?”
Already terrified and legs weak, Utatane Ryuji paled at the words, his hair standing on end, completely panicking.
He anxiously exclaimed: “What murderous villain? I don’t understand what you’re saying! Why bring me here? I didn’t do anything bad last night! I was home all last night! Oh right, clan members can vouch I was home!”
Sarutobi Hiruzen took a deep breath; from the man’s panicked expression and words, he heard the “answer” he least wanted to hear.
Sarutobi Hiruzen fell silent, recalling how Uchiha Ikeizumi had said more than once things like “the ninja world is already sick.”
Could the ninja world really be sick?!
The Third Shinobi World War had long ended, and even the Nine-Tails incident was years ago. Logically, things should be improving, and people’s resentment shouldn’t be as great as during war or chaos.
Yet in Konoha Village under his management, such a special murderous villain appeared!
At this moment, Sarutobi Hiruzen desperately hoped the ninja world was sick, rather than Konoha’s 「Will of Fire」 failing to nurture a Ninja Academy student into an excellent ninja who loves the village and comrades.
Meanwhile.
Sarutobi Hiruzen also cast a worried gaze on Naruto.
Naruto’s first real encounter with “evil of the ninja world” was this shocking heinous incident that even stunned him, the Hokage. How would the psychologically impacted Naruto view 「Will of Fire」 and 「Absolute Justice」?
Or rather…
What choice would Naruto make?
…
Fugaku looked at Uchiha Ikeizumi’s back, then at the kid called “Utatane Ryuji” up front; at this moment, he suddenly thought of his eldest son, Uchiha Itachi.
Itachi was probably seen through like this that day by Ikeizumi, right?
The only difference was that Itachi was seen for future evil, while this kid in front was seen for past evil.
Oh right… another difference was their caliber.
When Itachi learned he would become a villain in the future, he accepted his future self calmly and frankly.
While Utatane Ryuji’s caliber was less than one percent of Itachi’s.
What a pity.
Such an excellent child like Itachi was walking a path completely different from his Uchiha Clan Leader. Itachi wanted to save Konoha, while he wanted to save the Uchiha Clan.
…
“W-What… are you all looking at me for!?”
The guilty and panicked Utatane Ryuji couldn’t help but step back two paces; he felt everyone staring at him, even the two peers brought in were seemingly looking at him.
The gazes made him feel unprecedented panic, his strong unease making his heart race wildly, cold sweat making his skin sticky all over.
‘Impossible to be discovered! Last night was so lucky; all traces should have been destroyed!’
‘Impossible! Absolutely impossible! How could it be discovered!’
Cold sweat dripping, Utatane Ryuji screamed frantically in his mind.
But the more he acted this way, the more it proved his guilt.
“Utatane Ryuji.” He suddenly heard someone say his name; looking up in terror, he saw a young man in Police Force uniform speaking.
The man’s voice was so cold it suffocated him: “Out of fear that the junior he often ‘looked after’ would surpass him at the Ninja Academy, under pathologically twisted jealousy, he killed the other’s entire family of four.”
Izumi nearby was deeply shocked; a Ninja Academy student committed such evil just out of so-called jealousy.
This was purely a mentally ill patient!
Kijiro muttered to himself: “No less than that lunatic Uchiha Itachi… No, somehow Uchiha Itachi feels even more insane, meow.”
Naruto’s blue eyes were wide open; he couldn’t comprehend why.
Kill just out of jealousy? He got jealous of stronger kids at the Ninja Academy too, but never thought of killing!
At most, he just thought they were cocky and annoying.
Naruto was completely dumbfounded.
The way he looked at Utatane Ryuji was like staring at a monster, not a rational human.
“Jealousy… just jealousy…”
Sarutobi Hiruzen felt a headache; why were the village’s children so extreme one after another?
This was just a Ninja Academy kid!
And even from a Konoha ninja clan—the Utatane Clan wasn’t a small one. Crucially, this kid started life way ahead of others.
His daily life was surely pampered, wanting for nothing…
Sarutobi Hiruzen couldn’t figure out where the problem was.
Was it a problem with the Ninja Academy’s education policy?
Or their family education?
Or did the entire Konoha environment have serious issues?
It couldn’t be him, the Hokage, right?
…
Utatane Ryuji was truly suffocating!
‘How does he know!!!’—The incredulous scream roared in his mind again.
Not only knew what he did last night, but even that it was out of jealousy, a momentary impulse!
Was that guy a mind reader or something!!!
Who the hell is he!!!
“W-What are you talking about! What murder, what family of four, what last night… I don’t understand! You… Huh? Huh? What are you doing?”
Just as Utatane Ryuji clung to luck, thinking the other had no key evidence and trying to play dumb…
He was shocked to see the Police Force ninja in front slowly draw his ninja sword with one hand!
He could feel the bone-chilling intent spread over every inch of skin.
As if invisible ice needles pierced his flesh.
Fear instantly spread through his body.
His pupils contracted uncontrollably.
“Uzumaki Naruto.” Uchiha Ikeizumi said: “This is the evil of the ninja world—it’s so illogical; you can never predict what motive breeds such sin. Letting this sin rampant in the ninja world will only harm more innocents invaded by the ninja world’s evil.”
Naruto snapped back a bit.
“Remember the state of that family of four’s corpses? Remember their fatal wounds?” Uchiha Ikeizumi’s two questions instinctively recalled the scenes Naruto had imagined.
“R-Remember…”
Uchiha Ikeizumi continued: “「Absolute Justice」 exists because the ninja world has too many such sins needing purging. Do you think Utatane Ryuji should pay with his life, Uzumaki Naruto?”
Naruto bit his lip; flashing corpse images like a lantern show stirred unbidden anger.
Why kill a family of four just for jealousy?
Why rob four lives on such a reason?
As these self-questions emerged, Naruto instinctively said one word: “Yes!”
“Watch closely with wide eyes.”
The blade in Uchiha Ikeizumi’s hand reflected the sunlight.
“This is 「Absolute Justice」’s merciless judgment on sin; only thorough, absolute justice can thoroughly purge sin.”
Sarutobi Hiruzen suddenly realized Utatane Ryuji was from the Utatane Clan, and a Ninja Academy student; using such an extreme method…
He didn’t dare imagine what it would “teach” Naruto into!
“Wait! Ike…”
Unfortunately.
Too late.
…
…
