"Kakashi, what do you mean by this?!"
Inside the Sarutobi residence, Asuma stood rigid, his eyes sharp as steel as he glared at Kakashi. The young jonin's voice carried a mix of disbelief and fury. Before him stood Kakashi Hatake, masked and cold, flanked by a team of Anbu operatives who had forced their way through the gates of the clan compound.
Kakashi's voice was calm, but his words carried the authority of the Fourth Hokage himself.
"By order of Hokage-sama Minato Namikaze, from this day forward, all of the Sarutobi clan's ill-gotten gains will be seized and confiscated." His one visible eye narrowed. "Asuma, do not stand in the way of official business."
Though Kakashi and Asuma shared a friendly bond in private—mainly because Rin and Kurenai, two important women in their lives, were close friends—Kakashi could not afford sentiment now. His every move was being watched. With the recent shocking events surrounding the village, suspicion clung to every shadow. If Kakashi showed hesitation, others might believe he was biased. He had no choice but to act firmly, even coldly.
Asuma clenched his fists, anger searing his voice. "Kakashi, you must be mistaken. My father is the Third Hokage! He would never use his position for personal gain!"
Kakashi's eye softened briefly. For a moment, he saw not a rebellious youth, but a son desperately trying to protect the reputation of his father. But duty forced him to answer with the same steady tone.
"Whether or not Sarutobi Hiruzen used his position for personal profit is not for you or me to decide. That is for the Anbu and the Security Department to investigate. Only after that will the truth be revealed."
Asuma froze, his words catching in his throat. Then his expression twisted in shock. "Wait… what did you just call him?"
His breath hitched. "Rebel-nin… Hiruzen?!" His voice rose into a near roar. "Are you saying my father betrayed the village?! He's the Third Hokage! The one who led the village through the Second Shinobi War! How could Hokage-sama ever betray Konoha?!"
The air turned heavy, the Anbu behind Kakashi gripping their weapons more tightly.
Kakashi's answer was steady, solemn. "Yes. You heard me correctly. Only an hour ago, Sarutobi Hiruzen defected. He has been officially designated a traitor to the village."
The words struck like a hammer.
For a heartbeat, silence filled the hall. Then Asuma let out a strained, broken laugh. "Hahaha… Kakashi, what a cruel joke. You don't seriously expect me to believe this nonsense."
But as he stared into Kakashi's expressionless mask, and the unwavering gaze of that single Sharingan eye, his laughter died. His face paled, the blood draining from it until he looked almost ghostly.
Kakashi pressed forward. His tone sharpened again into the voice of authority. "Step aside, Asuma. The traitor Danzo has already been executed for his crimes. Utatane Koharu and Mitokado Homura have been taken into custody by the Security Department. The only one left unaccounted for is Sarutobi Hiruzen, now a fugitive. A pursuit squad has already been dispatched to track him down."
Asuma staggered back, as though his body could no longer hold the weight of those words.
Before he could speak again, a new voice interrupted.
"Let them in, Asuma."
From the corridor emerged Sarutobi Biwako, wife of Hiruzen, mother of Asuma, and matriarch of the Sarutobi household. Though her face was aged, her posture radiated dignity and strength. Her eyes, however, carried a storm of emotions—pain, fury, and sorrow woven tightly together.
"Mother!" Asuma turned desperately. "But—Kakashi said—!"
"I heard him," Biwako cut him off firmly. She raised a hand to silence her son and faced Kakashi.
"You are Anbu Captain Kakashi Hatake, correct?"
"Yes," Kakashi replied.
"Then for the sake of the village, we will cooperate with your investigation." Her words were calm, but her gaze was cold, piercing into Kakashi like a blade. "However… I firmly believe that my husband would never betray Konoha."
Her conviction echoed through the hall.
Kakashi bowed his head slightly, acknowledging her stance. "You have my word. The Anbu will not wrongly accuse the innocent. Nor will we ever allow the guilty to escape justice."
Despite her ice-cold glare, Kakashi did not show disrespect. On the contrary, he felt a measure of respect for her. Sarutobi Biwako was a woman of strength—someone who, in another life, had tragically lost her life while helping Kushina give birth. And though Hiruzen had been consumed with the burdens of Hokage, the righteousness and honor of Asuma were clearly shaped by his mother's influence.
But the truth behind Hiruzen's defection was too dangerous to reveal. If word reached the wrong ears, not only Hiruzen but the fragile stability of the village would be jeopardized. For that reason, Kakashi could not afford full honesty.
With a curt wave of his hand, Kakashi gave the order.
"Search the compound."
The Anbu spread out silently, moving through the residence with clinical efficiency. For half an hour, they scoured every room, examined every document, and checked every hidden corner of the Sarutobi household.
Finally, one operative returned and knelt before Kakashi. "Reporting to Captain: no illegal assets or suspicious evidence were found."
Moonlight Gale bowed his head respectfully.
Kakashi exhaled through his mask, nodding. As expected.
Sure enough, while Hiruzen had tolerated the darker dealings of certain elders within his clan, he himself had never been one to hoard riches or exploit his authority for personal wealth. It was a distinction Kakashi could not ignore.
"I see. Understood."
His gaze briefly wandered to the Sarutobi courtyard. Large, spacious, well-kept. The Sarutobi clan was no minor household. Their lineage stretched back to the Warring States Era. Hiruzen himself wielded the Monkey King, Enma, as his summoning beast, a clear mark of the clan's old and powerful heritage. A man of such background living in a place of moderate prosperity was natural.
Kakashi turned back to Biwako. "Our work here is done. Please remain within your compound tonight. For your own safety."
With that, he and the Anbu withdrew silently, heading to the next investigation site.
The door closed behind them. Silence filled the Sarutobi household.
At last, Asuma spoke, his voice trembling. "Mother… could it be true? Could Father really have… rebelled?"
Biwako's expression shifted. The cold mask she had worn before the Anbu cracked, replaced by a storm of anger and grief.
"Humph. I warned Hiruzen time and time again not to entangle himself with Danzo. But he would not listen!" Her voice shook, sharp with fury. "I grew up with Danzo. I know exactly what kind of man he is. And Utatane Koharu—hmph! She's no better. Once, she even tried to steal Hiruzen from me!"
Her eyes burned with rage, memories of decades past resurfacing.
"And Mitokado Homura…" She spat the name bitterly. "That coward, too timid to confess his feelings to Koharu, instead enabled her every foolish scheme. Their unholy alliance was bound to end in disaster. And now, their corruption has dragged your father into ruin!"
Asuma's breath came fast. He had never seen his mother speak with such venom.
Biwako's chest heaved as she struggled to calm herself. Finally, she drew a long breath and her voice steadied.
"Listen to me, Asuma. I know your father. He may make mistakes. He may be stubborn. But Sarutobi Hiruzen will never betray the village he loves. There is more to this than we are being told."
Her gaze softened as she looked at her son. "But from this day on, you must not involve yourself in this matter further. Do you understand?"
"What?!" Asuma's eyes widened. "But Mother, Father—"
"Do you not even listen to your mother, Asuma?!" she snapped suddenly, her tone hard as iron.
Asuma flinched. His fists clenched at his sides, nails digging into his palms until blood seeped out. His lips trembled as he forced out a strained answer. "I… I understand, Mother."
He turned abruptly and stormed into his room. The door slammed shut with a thunderous crack, followed by the sharp click of a lock.
Biwako stood silently, staring at the closed door. Her heart ached, torn between her husband and her son, between her duty as a wife and as a mother. Slowly, she sighed, her voice a whisper drowned in the silence of the empty hall.
"Tonight… the Sarutobi elders will not escape their fate."
Her words were heavy, a quiet acknowledgment of the inevitable storm to come.
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