Naruto: I am Uchiha Seiryu

The next morning, the Hokage Tower was surrounded by tens of thousands of villagers, brandishing signs and shouting for Seiryu to step down.

Even the genin couldn't get in for missions.

The Anbu on duty had immediately set up a cordon, but the rowdy mob, clearly organized, kept throwing things at the tower.

Even Seiryu's office window had several eggs splattered on it.

Inside, Seiryu calmly made tea, listening to Nagai Seiichi report the Jonin Squad's plans as if the chaos outside had nothing to do with him.

After a while, Kakashi was teleported into the office by the Flying Thunder Formation Technique with Shiranui Genma and the others.

"Well? Have you found out who's behind the villagers?" Seiryu poured tea and asked.

Kakashi nodded. "It's the remnants of the Koharu and Mitokado clans."

"No wonder," Seiryu said. "Where's the Third?"

"The two clan heads secretly visited him last night, but he turned them away. Before dawn, he took his grandson and left for the Fire Temple, even requesting a Police Force squad as escort."

Seiryu nodded. Clearly, Hiruzen genuinely wanted to retire—at the first sign of trouble, he ran and even placed himself under Police Force watch to show goodwill.

"What do we do about the people below?" Kakashi asked.

"No rush. The real instigators haven't shown themselves yet," Seiryu replied.

Just then, Uchiha Inoha knocked and reported, "Lord Hokage, Hyuga Elder Kazuhiro requests an audience."

"Oh? So soon? I thought he'd wait longer," Seiryu smiled. "Let him in."

Soon, Kazuhiro entered.

"Greetings, Fifth Hokage," he said, bowing.

"What brings you here, Elder Hyuga?" Seiryu asked.

"Hehe, I'm just here to look around. The village sure is lively today," Kazuhiro said, swaggering over to sit at Seiryu's desk, to the displeasure of Kakashi and Nagai.

Who does this old man think he is? Nagai's gaze grew dangerous.

"Sorry for the spectacle," Seiryu said evenly, pouring tea.

Kazuhiro drained the cup in one gulp, his manner irking the others.

"Lord Hokage, don't you think you should do something about the situation below? You can't just hide in here forever," Kazuhiro said.

"No need for you to worry, Elder Hyuga," Seiryu replied.

"But the villagers are so opposed to you—shouldn't there be a reason? You can't just drag this out…"

Seiryu narrowed his eyes and directly interrupted, "I said I'll handle it. Elder Hyuga, are you trying to tell me how to be Hokage?"

The room tensed as everyone prepared themselves.

"Young man, you may be Hokage, but I served under the First and Second. Sometimes you should listen to your elders," Kazuhiro said sternly.

"See him out," Seiryu said coldly, unmoved by his posturing.

Nagai and two Anbu quickly closed in behind Kazuhiro, warning, "This way, Elder Hyuga."

Kazuhiro snorted, got up, and left the office, tossing back, "So much trouble right after taking office. You'd better figure out how to explain this to the Daimyo."

Kazuhiro strode out, sneering inwardly.

Suddenly, a baton struck the back of his head.

Momentarily stunned, he was dragged into an office and beaten by fists and batons like a rainstorm.

He tried to fight back, but years of comfort had dulled his skills. He tried to activate his Byakugan, but the flurry of blows gave him no chance. He could barely see that his attackers were the jonin who'd just been in the office—plain, non-clan ninja.

How dare a commoner attack a Hyuga elder like me? Kazuhiro raged, but the only answer was more fists.

Nagai and two Anbu beat him until his head was bleeding.

"You bastard!" Nagai grabbed Kazuhiro by the collar, cursing and punching him in the face, knocking out several teeth.

He kicked him hard, then drew a kunai and pressed it to Kazuhiro's throat.

"Do you know your place?" Nagai snarled.

"You might be Seiryu's senior as a ninja, but he's the Hokage now! You're just a clan elder."

Kazuhiro, dazed and battered, could only nod.

"I said, answer me!" Nagai yelled.

"Got it, got it…" Kazuhiro slurred through his broken mouth.

The commotion soon drew others. Medical ninja were called for the battered Kazuhiro, while Nagai quietly returned to the office to await Seiryu's scolding.

"What were you thinking?" Seiryu glanced at Nagai, who stood sheepishly by the desk.

"Because he disrespected Lord Hokage…" Nagai said softly.

"How could you hit him? Who will dare approach the Hokage Tower now? This isn't a yakuza den!"

Nagai hung his head, accepting the rebuke.

After a moment, Seiryu stood, walked over, and patted his shoulder with a faint smile. "Seiichi, I understand, but as Jonin Squad Captain, you can't go hitting clan elders. Don't let it happen again."

"Yes!" Nagai saluted.

"As punishment, your salary is docked this month," Seiryu said.

"Yes!" Nagai replied.

A moment later, Seiryu handed him two scrolls. "Your son's chakra is wind, right? Here are two B-rank jutsu for him."

"…Thank you…" Nagai was shocked.

"Don't do this again," Seiryu said.

"Yes!" Nagai saluted.

…

Meanwhile, in the Mitokado clan compound, Koharu Yuta and Mitokado Kun plotted in a secret room.

"Shouldn't we go see what's happening? What if Seiryu really orders the Police Force to suppress the riots?" Kun asked.

"So what if he does?" Yuta sneered. "If the villagers riot, we win. Such trouble so soon after taking office—he can't explain that to the Daimyo. If we leak his coup to the Daimyo, how long can he stay Hokage?"

"You're brilliant!" Kun praised.

"Koharu and Homura were the Second's chosen advisors. Why should Uchiha outrank us? And Inuzuka and Aburame have been taking our businesses lately. Damn them all!" Yuta said.

But the two didn't realize that their compound was already surrounded by a squad of elite Anbu.