NOVEL NEXT Chapter 16: New Prisoner
"Whether it is slander or not is not for you or me to decide; evidence speaks for itself."
Kuragami Uchiha's expression turned cold. "Oh, you came just in time. According to your accomplice, Retsudo Shimura, you were also involved in Danzo Shimura's plundering of the Kekkei Genkais of fellow Konoha ninja. Konoha Military Police Force, arrest the suspect, Hiroshi Shimura!"
The moment Kuragami Uchiha's voice fell, several Uchiha Konoha Military Police Force members rushed out from behind him, ready to seize Hiroshi Shimura on the spot.
"Kuragami Uchiha!"
Koharu Utatane, who was used to being in a position of power, was furious that Kuragami Uchiha was completely disregarding her authority and was even attempting to arrest someone right in front of her. She immediately shouted: "How dare you act like this? Who gave you the authority to make arrests?"
"Good question!"
Kuragami Uchiha exclaimed. He drew his long sword from his waist, and in an instant, two lightning-infused blade arcs slashed past the two Konoha elders, landing at Hiroshi Shimura's feet.
The explosion from the lightning Chakra forced back the Shimura Clan members who had attempted to intervene while simultaneously knocking Hiroshi Shimura to the ground.
In the blink of an eye, Uchiha Konoha Military Police Force members swarmed in and subdued Hiroshi Shimura.
"You ask who gave me the authority to arrest people? Then let me tell you."
Kuragami Uchiha slowly walked through the stairs and approached the two advisors. "That night, when confronted with Danzo Shimura's crimes, it was the third Hokage himself who entrusted the Uchiha Clan with the full authority to investigate the matter. Is that reason enough?"
"When the second Hokage established the Konoha Military Police Force and entrusted the Uchiha Clan with this responsibility, it was to protect the village and purge the likes of Danzo, a tumor willing to harm his own comrades for personal gain! Is that reason enough?"
Kuragami Uchiha stepped closer to Koharu Utatane, turned to face the Hokage monument, and then looked her directly in the eye. "And if those reasons are still not enough, then what about the vow made by the first Hokage upon founding the village? The vow to protect every single comrade in Konoha, does that reason suffice?"
"Today, it is not just me who wishes to arrest him. It is the 11,000 ninjas and 85,000 civilians of Konoha who will not tolerate a tumor-like him!"
"You—!" Homura Mitokado, standing nearby, wanted to say something, but with Kuragami Uchiha invoking the first Hokage's name, there was little room left for argument.
For the past two days, the Konoha Military Police Force had been posting recruitment notices for civilian ninjas, attracting many to apply. Now, a large number of these onlookers had gathered, watching the unfolding scene.
"So the Uchiha Clan actually upholds justice? Seems like the rumors about them aren't entirely true." The civilian ninja whispered among themselves.
"The Shimura Clan had this coming. They've always been arrogant in the village, thinking they could do whatever they wanted. Looks like they finally hit a wall."
The reputation of the Shimura Clan wasn't much better than that of the Uchiha in the village. Seeing them suffer misfortune, the common folk naturally took pleasure in it.
"However, the two advisors showing up here like this, what exactly are you trying to cover up?"
Kuragami Uchiha narrowed his eyes on the two elders. "I hear that the two of you were quite close to Danzo."
"Shut up, Kuragami Uchiha! Stop speaking nonsense!"
Homura Mitokado raged. "I will report today's incident to the Hokage exactly as it happened."
"Be my guest."
Kuragami Uchiha scoffed and turned, walking back into the Konoha Military Police Force headquarters without looking back.
"If you two advisors have no further business here, perhaps you would like us to escort you home?" Fugaku Uchiha spoke up.
"Hmph."
Seeing no advantage in staying and being aware of the skeptical gazes from the surrounding shinobi, the two advisors could only snort coldly and leave.
After Hiroshi Shimura was dragged into the interrogation room, the three other captured Shimura members all showed expressions of horror. They had initially thought their clan head and the two advisors had come to rescue them, only to realize he had fallen into the trap as well.
"Make sure to properly greet our dear clan head Hiroshi."
Kuragami Uchiha instructed, throwing Hiroshi Shimura into the room like a dead dog. "But be careful, don't get any blood on him. We wouldn't want to offend the spirits of our fallen clan members at the funeral tonight."
"Yes!"
The Uchiha Konoha Military Police Force members responded in unison.
Having settled everything, Kuragami Uchiha left the headquarters. The Uchiha Clan was holding a funeral to honor their fallen brethren and return the stolen Sharingan to their clan shrine.
"Clan head, aside from the Shimura, Mitokado, and Utatane clans, every other clan has sent funeral offerings."
Saito Uchiha hurried over to report when Kuragami Uchiha arrived at the clan shrine.
"I see. Go and invite Elder Fugaku here."
"Yes." Saito Uchiha nodded and left.
Kuragami Uchiha then made his way to the area where the funeral offerings were placed.
Among them was a tribute from the Yamanaka clan. Kuragami Uchiha did not open it immediately but instead waited until Fugaku Uchiha arrived before proceeding.
At the top layer of the offering were just ordinary items. But beneath them, shining gold and two village land deeds were revealed.
Fugaku Uchiha's eyes lit up. He turned to Kuragami Uchiha and asked: "So this is the money you managed to squeeze out of them?"
Kuragami Uchiha nodded while carefully counting the items, and then he frowned slightly. "This still doesn't add up."
With that, he proceeded to open the offerings from the Akimichi and Nara Clans. Their contents were identical to those of the Yamanaka clan.
"They're sending us a message."
Kuragami Uchiha sneered as he finished calculating the total value. "The amount is exactly 140 million Ryo. This is the protection fee that the Yamanaka, Nara, and Akimichi Clans are paying for their involvement with Danzo."
However, the coordinated gestures of all three clans made their stance clear; they stood together and were unwilling to be further dragged into Uchiha affairs.
"Hmph, the Yamanaka-Nara-Akimichi alliance." Fugaku Uchiha smirked coldly.
"It doesn't matter. These three clans were never of much value to us anyway. The fact that we managed to get money out of them is already a pleasant surprise." Kuragami Uchiha remained unfazed.
After all, the Yamanaka-Nara-Akimichi trio had been deeply bonded with the Sarutobi clan since the Warring States Period. Every generation swore their oath of unity with ceremonial earrings witnessed by the Sarutobi clan head. Kuragami Uchiha had never expected to win them over in the first place.
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