Naruto: Uchiha's Absolute Justice

Chapter 18: You Can Try, Third Hokage

Uchiha Ikeizumi bringing up the "Fourth Hokage" who sacrificed himself on the night of the Nine-Tails attack startled Hiruzen Sarutobi.

He hadn't expected Uchiha Ikeizumi to mention the Fourth in front of Naruto.

But upon seeing Naruto lower his head, afraid to speak and seemingly not having noticed, Hiruzen Sarutobi inexplicably breathed a sigh of relief.

He lowered his voice slightly, saying, "Ikeizumi, I believe you are well aware of Naruto's unique nature. Being imprisoned for a mere prank would be very traumatizing for him."

"So…"

Hiruzen Sarutobi spoke in a negotiating, earnest tone, saying, "Occasionally granting the village's young sprouts some room to grow is also the perfect embodiment of Konoha's Will of Fire."

But Hiruzen Sarutobi realized that despite his sincere persuasion, Uchiha Ikeizumi's eyes showed no sign of wavering.

Uchiha Ikeizumi stated expressionlessly, "Hokage-sama has already abused his power for personal gain, going against justice by choosing to cover for Danzo Shimura, who for some unknown reason possesses the Sharingan power of the Uchiha clan."

"Now, you intend to continue abusing the Hokage's authority to cover for Naruto Uzumaki, a child who should be properly disciplined but for some reason has been left to his own devices, leading to his skewed values."

"Hokage-sama's actions are tantamount to splashing filthy stains onto the very concept of [Justice]."

Hiruzen Sarutobi: "!!!"

Hiruzen Sarutobi felt he had been insulted, and to his face at that.

However.

The amount of information contained in Uchiha Ikeizumi's words was too vast, so vast that it made Hiruzen Sarutobi's expression turn grave.

"Ikeizumi, what do you mean by Danzo having the Sharingan?"

Hiruzen Sarutobi immediately changed the subject, asking.

Uchiha Ikeizumi exposed Danzo's secret without hesitation, stating coldly, "During his fight with me, he used the Sharingan secret technique, 'Izanagi'."

"Why does Danzo Shimura, who is not from the Uchiha clan, possess the Uchiha's Sharingan? Why can he use the forbidden Sharingan secret technique? Hokage-sama, it's very 'hard' to guess, isn't it!"

Hiruzen Sarutobi's expression subtly changed.

He knew that Danzo had secretly conducted many human experiments with Orochimaru, and he also knew that Danzo had researched the Wood Style kekkei genkai.

But Hiruzen Sarutobi hadn't expected Danzo to be so obsessed with the Uchiha clan's Sharingan as well.

Hiruzen Sarutobi recalled Uchiha Shisui, who the village had declared "deceased, but cause of death unknown."

He had long suspected that Shisui's "unknown cause of death" was very likely linked to Danzo's Root.

After all, Shisui's extremely unique Sharingan…

Given Danzo's personality, he would absolutely not leave it be.

Hiruzen Sarutobi also remembered that during the Third Great Ninja War, the Sharingan of some deceased Uchiha clan ninja inexplicably disappeared, suspected of being dug out by enemy village ninja.

Could it be that Danzo secretly sent people to dig them out?—A sudden, outrageous thought popped into Hiruzen Sarutobi's mind.

He believed the possibility was extremely high!

He knew Danzo too well. Hiruzen Sarutobi felt the likelihood of Danzo doing such a thing was at least ninety-nine percent or higher.

Moreover, this child, Ikeizumi, had never falsely accused anyone.

Although he didn't entirely agree with some of Ikeizumi's methods and his belief in [Absolute Justice], finding them too extreme.

It didn't hinder his trust in him.

"Ikeizumi, about Danzo… I will give you, and the Uchiha clan, an explanation," Hiruzen Sarutobi's tone stiffened slightly. He suddenly felt a twinge of guilt about "covering for" Danzo.

But in the blink of an eye, the so-called guilt vanished.

And he vaguely realized that he seemed to have inexplicably acknowledged Uchiha Ikeizumi's accusation of "covering up."

No!

As the Hokage, he was only trying to prevent ninjas in the village from fighting amongst themselves. How could it be covering up?

Hiruzen Sarutobi "coughed" once. He said, "But this child, Naruto…"

"No discussion," Uchiha Ikeizumi said, picking up Naruto again, in full view of the ANBU ninja.

This caused a stir among the ANBU ninja.

But Uchiha Ikeizumi didn't care. He looked directly at Hiruzen Sarutobi and said, "I will not back down from Root, who obstructed the execution of justice. In Konoha, either I am here, or they are not."

"I will surely find the location of the 'Root' deep within Konoha, and I will thoroughly eliminate the Root, which is filled with darkness and evil, to uphold the belief in [Absolute Justice]."

"You can stop me once, twice… but can you stop me forever?"

Hiruzen Sarutobi: "…"

He felt that his mediation this time had not successfully resolved the conflict.

Instead, the conflict between Ikeizumi and Danzo had escalated to the point of involving the entire Root organization.

Ikeizumi would never make empty threats.

His words meant he genuinely intended to destroy Root!

He truly intended to cling to Danzo relentlessly!

Hiruzen Sarutobi took a deep breath, looking at Naruto, who had given up struggling and wore an expression of pleading and misery.

He frowned and said, "Ikeizumi, your methods are too extreme. What if I, as the Hokage, were to order you to set aside your conflict with Root, and to let go of Naruto?"

Uchiha Ikeizumi replied, "You can try, Third Hokage."

Click— Suddenly, an ANBU ninja lightly drew his ninja blade an inch.

"Uchiha Ikeizumi, the Hokage-sama's orders must not be defied," the ANBU ninja issued a warning: "And you should address him as Hokage-sama, not Third Hokage."

Uchiha Ikeizumi glanced at him.

[Sarutobi Jōnodan – Third Great Ninja War: For personal anger and resentment, took out anger on civilians, killing large numbers of ordinary enemy town civilians and falsely claiming credit for it.]

The ANBU ninja attempting to draw his blade suddenly felt a chill in his heart.

For some reason, he felt that Uchiha Ikeizumi's gaze upon him was like looking at a dead man.

Uchiha Ikeizumi walked away nonchalantly, still holding Naruto aloft.

"Uchiha Ikeizumi! You—"

"Hold on," Hiruzen Sarutobi stopped the ANBU who was about to act. He stared at Uchiha Ikeizumi's retreating back, his expression slightly shifting, finally stating gravely, "Let him go."

"Hokage-sama, that's Naruto Uzumaki…"

An ANBU ninja reminded him.

Hiruzen Sarutobi, with his hands behind his back, said slowly, "In his eyes, I am no different from Danzo now. If I stop him again, the target of the armed conflict will become myself and Ikeizumi. As his strength grows, it will be very difficult for me to suppress him."

The ANBU ninja were incredulous.

Uchiha Ikeizumi was actually willing to confront the Hokage-sama?

How dare he?

Why did he dare?

At this moment, Kakashi, who had been silent, finally spoke: "Hokage-sama, you already have a plan for the Jinchuriki, don't you?"

Hiruzen Sarutobi nodded slightly, saying, "Ikeizumi apprehending Naruto is part of his duty as a member of the Police Force; it's his right. And I, as the Hokage, have the power to pardon Naruto."

"Kakashi, take an ANBU squad and stay to deal with the aftermath. The rest of you, follow me to the Root base!"

"Yes, Hokage-sama!"

....

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