The atmosphere was tense
Sarutobi Hiruzen's expression had stiffened the moment Uchiha Kaede brought up the Fourth Hokage—Minato Namikaze—who had perished the night the Nine-Tails attacked.
That name, in front of Naruto, was a landmine.
But instead of reacting, Naruto just looked down, his small fists clenched and his expression unreadable. The boy said nothing. Oblivious… or perhaps resigned.
A strange sense of relief swept over the old Hokage. He softened his tone.
"Kaede," Hiruzen began gently, "you understand the burden Naruto carries. Being imprisoned for a prank—yes, that was excessive. But these children… they need room to grow."
He folded his hands behind his back and smiled with grandfatherly patience.
"This is the Will of Fire—allowing our young to find their path."
But Kaede's expression didn't shift even a millimeter.
The young Uchiha captain stood unmoved, his eyes colder than steel.
"Hokage-sama has abused his power," Kaede said bluntly. "He shielded Shimura Danzo, a man who inexplicably wields the Sharingan of my clan. And now, you're shielding Uzumaki Naruto—whose pattern of misconduct is being rewarded with forgiveness rather than discipline."
His voice was a quiet executioner's blade.
"That is not the Will of Fire. That is the erosion of justice."
Sarutobi Hiruzen stiffened. "…!"
It wasn't just the accusation—it was the clarity, the finality, the righteousness in Kaede's words.
"Izanagi," Kaede continued coldly. "Danzo used it in battle. A forbidden technique… only accessible to Uchiha. And yet—he wielded it. How?"
Silence.
Kaede's voice darkened.
"Who provided Danzo with those eyes? How did he acquire them? How many graves did he desecrate to build his personal armory?"
Sarutobi Hiruzen's gaze flickered.
He remembered Shisui… declared dead under vague, 'unknown' circumstances.
He remembered the quiet whisperings—fallen Uchiha corpses with missing eyes during the war.
Had Danzo sent his dogs to plunder the dead?
Everything pointed to yes. And yet, the truth sat like stone in his chest.
"Kaede… I'll investigate Danzo personally," Hiruzen said slowly. "I will bring the clan an answer."
Kaede's response was silence.
Hiruzen's shoulders relaxed. For a moment, he thought he had defused the moment.
But then—Kaede moved.
He lifted Naruto by the collar again.
Gasps rippled through the room. ANBU hands twitched toward hilts.
"I will not tolerate the existence of Root," Kaede said.
His voice did not rise—but it filled the chamber with thunder.
"Konoha must choose: it will be a village without Root, or it will be a village without me."
"I will root out this darkness… and cleanse it completely. This is the will of the Justice God I follow."
"You may stop me once. Even twice."
Kaede's eyes gleamed with conviction.
"But you cannot stop me forever."
Sarutobi Hiruzen was speechless.
Kaede's words were not empty threats. They were a declaration of war against the filth hidden beneath Konoha's foundation. And Hiruzen knew—Kaede never struck without cause.
The war against Root had already begun.
"Kaede," Hiruzen said, voice wavering slightly, "this path… it's too extreme. What if I, as your Hokage, command you—let Naruto go. Let Root be."
Kaede's answer was immediate.
"You can try, Sandaime."
That single sentence caused the air to freeze.
A blade whispered free of its sheath. One of the ANBU stepped forward.
"Uchiha Kaede, the orders of the Hokage are absolute. You will refer to him as Hokage-sama."
Kaede turned his head slightly. Just a glance.
But the ANBU froze.
A red window flashed in Kaede's vision:
[Sarutobi Jouno – Third Shinobi World War: slaughtered civilians in enemy towns to settle personal vendettas. Rewarded for war crimes.]
Kaede blinked the window away.
The ANBU, cold sweat now rolling down his back, hesitated.
Kaede released Naruto—not with sympathy, but as a formality. The boy slumped to the floor, breath shallow.
"You're lucky," Kaede muttered. "Next time you pull a stunt like that, you won't be a child anymore. The punishment will be real."
And Kaede turned to leave with Naruto. Although he want going to punish Naruto too severely he still had to take him with for discplining.
"Uchiha Kaede!" another ANBU shouted, stepping forward.
"Wait," Hiruzen interrupted.
The old Hokage stared at Kaede's back.
He saw the silhouette of justice walking away from compromise.
"Let him go."
"Hokage-sama… we cant let Naruto go with him and his actions need consequences"
Sarutobi Hiruzen said quietly, "In Kaede's eyes… I am no different from Danzo."
"If we confront him now, the enemy will not be Root—it will be me. And we cannot afford a civil war."
The room fell into uneasy silence.
The ANBU didn't understand. Kaede, challenge the Hokage?
How? Why?
But then—
Kakashi finally spoke.
"Hokage-sama. You already knew, didn't you?" Sarutobi Hiruzen gave a long, weary nod.
"Kaede had the right to detain Naruto. He is a police officer. I have the authority to pardon Naruto afterward."
He took a step forward. "Kakashi. Take a small ANBU unit to clean up this mess. The rest of you—"
His eyes narrowed.
"Follow me to the Root base."
"Yes, Hokage-sama!"