Hokage's Office
Inside the quiet office, only two figures were present—Hiruzen Sarutobi, standing before the large window, and an Anbu kneeling silently on one knee behind him, mask obscuring his face.
"Maito Dai?" Hiruzen muttered, frowning. He dug through his memory but found no impression of this name. "Who is that again?"
The Anbu remained motionless, awaiting instructions.
The Third Hokage didn't dwell on the name for long. Instead, his voice dropped to a lower tone, calm yet edged with scrutiny. "What's the latest on Danzo? And what's going on with that Maito Dai?"
The Anbu responded carefully, "Third Hokage-sama, Danzo-sama has withdrawn all Root members who were previously tasked with monitoring Jaxon. As of now, we have no intelligence coming in. As for Maito D—"
"What did you say?"
The room's atmosphere instantly grew heavy as Hiruzen's eyes narrowed, fury flaring within them. He turned sharply, glaring at the masked shinobi. "Why wasn't I informed sooner?"
The Anbu flinched but answered honestly, "Hokage-sama, you previously instructed that all matters related to the Jaxon family were to be handled by Root directly, without further reports to your desk."
His voice was tight, trying not to sound defensive. But deep down, he was cursing Danzo. If something had gone wrong, it wasn't his fault—it was the orders that came from above.
Hiruzen clenched his pipe, jaw tense with frustration. He paced a few steps away before exhaling harshly.
Danzo had gone quiet for nearly a month. That wasn't like him. If Danzo hadn't reported back, it could only mean one thing—he got what he wanted from Jaxon. And knowing Danzo, it must've been something valuable enough to keep him pacified.
"Hmph… fine," Hiruzen growled, his eyes cold. "Use the Uchiha Clan. Stir up trouble with Jaxon through them."
His tone was indifferent. He wouldn't act directly—it was better if someone else tested the waters first.
The Anbu understood immediately. Without another word, he pushed off the floor and vanished in a blur, not even bothering with the door—he exited through the window, like all trained Anbu did.
Left alone, Hiruzen stood in silence for a moment, staring out at the village below.
"Jaxon… what kind of deal did that bastard Danzo make with you?"
Even after all their years as comrades, Danzo continued to act in secret. Hiruzen could never fully trust him—but neither could he fully oppose him.
As for Maito Dai?
That poor Genin didn't even register in Hiruzen's memory.
---
Outskirts of Konoha Village – Construction Site
A massive construction effort was underway. The land Jaxon had purchased for one hundred million ryo was being transformed rapidly.
The underground structure had already been completed, and above-ground construction now buzzed with activity. With ninja techniques, things progressed far faster than civilian hands ever could. Nearly a thousand workers were on site, each assigned precise roles.
And standing at the gate—ever focused and energetic—was Maito Dai.
Just that morning, he had officially withdrawn from the shinobi registry. By afternoon, he was no longer a ninja but an ordinary civilian.
But instead of resting or celebrating, he had shown up on-site, ready to begin work.
At the entrance, he stood like a statue—doing push-ups, squat jumps, and a hundred other exercises in between his patrol rounds. He had no other skills, but he took this role with utmost seriousness.
Then he stopped.
A dozen figures appeared at the gate.
They were clad in green shinobi uniforms with the Uchiha clan crest displayed boldly on their backs. Their eyes gleamed with arrogance, and their posture screamed superiority.
The Uchiha Police Force.
Maito Dai stood straighter, his muscles tensing. He didn't know them personally, but everyone in the village knew of the Uchihas' power—and their pride.
Their sudden arrival could only mean one thing.
Trouble.
"What's the Uchiha Clan doing here?" Dai called out, stepping forward to block their way.
The leader of the group—sharper-eyed than the rest—looked down his nose at Dai. "Does the Konoha Security Force need to explain its actions to a former Genin?"
His voice dripped with disdain.
Then, his eyes flashed—literally.
Two tomoe spun in each eye socket, bathing the area in an eerie pressure.
Sharingan.
"I don't care who you are," Dai said, his tone steady. "This is private land. It doesn't belong to any ninja organization. We've violated no laws of Konoha. You are not authorized to be here unless you state your reason."
It might've been the first time in his life Maito Dai stood up against someone powerful.
A faint blue aura flared around him—his fighting spirit ignited.
The marble tiles beneath his feet cracked.
The Uchiha leader narrowed his eyes.
"To defy the will of the Security Force… you must have a death wish." He smirked. "Detain him. We'll take him back and question him thoroughly."
The Uchiha behind him began to move forward.
Across the construction site, several workers noticed the confrontation, but no one dared intervene.
They were civilians. This was a matter between ninja. Getting involved would be foolish—maybe even deadly.
But just as the Uchiha were about to grab Dai, three shadows dropped from above, landing silently between the two groups.
Black trench coats. Black masks. Sharp, silent movements.
They radiated professionalism and danger.
"Stop," one of them said, his voice low and commanding. He held a thick folder in one hand, flipping it open with precision. The documents inside rustled softly in the wind.
"This land," he declared, "is under the direct jurisdiction of the Jaxon family. It has been authorized by the Hokage and validated with signatures from Danzo himself."
He held the folder out to the Uchiha leader.
"You have no authority here."
The wind blew. The tension thickened.
Then came the warning..
"Leave immediately, and we can pretend this never happened."
The three masked guards stood firm, exuding quiet strength. They didn't shout. They didn't posture.
But no one doubted them.
Not even the Uchiha.
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