Chapter 11: Addressing Positions While Working
"Hokage-sama, Uchiha Touhan is leading a team of security personnel towards the Shimura clan's territory."
"What?" Sarutobi Hiruzen's eyelids twitched, but he couldn't quite grasp what Uchiha Touhan was planning.
"Hokage-sama, let me go. I'll try to stop him." At that moment, Uchiha Itachi, on duty today, suddenly emerged from the shadows, knelt on one knee, and pleaded.
Sarutobi Hiruzen stared at Uchiha Itachi for a long moment before sighing deeply and saying, "I'm counting on you, Itachi. The village can't afford any more internal strife."
Itachi took his orders and departed, speeding through Konoha's buildings. It wasn't long before he reached the outskirts of the Shimura clan's territory, where Uchiha Touhan and his group, still on their leisurely way, had just arrived. At
that moment, the Shimura clan's territory was shrouded in mourning, and mournful music could be heard from afar.
Looking at the man blocking their way, though he was masked, every ninja in the village knew who the only minor currently in the ANBU was.
"Itachi, we're here to summon suspects related to the Shimura clan back to the Security Department to cooperate with our investigation. Did the Hokage send you to assist us?" Uchiha Douhuan asked.
Seeing his identity exposed, Itachi abandoned his disguise and took the initiative to remove his mask.
"Brother Douhuan, go back. The village can no longer withstand the internal strife," Uchiha Itachi said.
"So, you're here to stop me?" Uchiha Douhuan's eyes coldened. "Is it your own idea, or the Hokage's?"
At this moment, Uchiha Douhuan's deliberate slow movement through the village became apparent. After all, with such a large scale event, there would always be a few villagers curious to see the excitement. Furthermore, the Shimura clan's land happened to be located in a more prosperous area of the village, and by then, a number of onlookers had gathered around the group.
"There's irrefutable evidence that Shimura Danzo desecrated the remains of the Shodaime and attacked fellow ninjas. The Shimura Clan has a vested interest in them. We're merely asking them to return for investigation, but now you're standing up to stop us. What are your intentions?" Uchiha Douhuan continued, seeing that most of the crowd had arrived.
"Brother Douhuan..." Uchiha Itachi felt uneasy under the gazes of the onlookers.
"You call your position when you're working!" Uchiha Douhuan interrupted him ruthlessly. "If this is what the Hokage wants, I'm leaving right now."
Uchiha Itachi turned to the crowd, who were already craning their necks to watch. Could he truly claim this was the Hokage's will?
Yesterday's incident at the village entrance had already spread throughout the night, having already spread to every corner of the village.
"Clan leader..." Uchiha Itachi could only bow his head under the strange looks from everyone.
Uchiha Douhuan and his men walked right past him.
Soon, the Shimura clan also learned of what had happened at the gate of the clan's territory. The current Shimura clan leader, Shimura Hiroshi, led his men inside the Shimura clan's territory, blocking Uchiha Touhan's path.
"I'm sorry, the Shimura clan is not able to see guests right now," Shimura Hiroshi, dressed in a pure black kimono, said to Uchiha Touhan with a cold expression.
"Then we've arrived at an unfortunate time," Uchiha Touhan nodded. "It looks like the Shimura clan is holding a funeral?"
"How dare you, Uchiha, come to us!" At this moment, an agitated young Shimura ninja suddenly erupted and rushed towards Uchiha Touhan. The security guards behind Uchiha Touhan were about to take action, but Uchiha Touhan held out his hand to stop them.
The excited Shimura clan member was quickly dragged back by the Shimura ninjas nearby.
"I'm sorry to see you're embarrassed by the younger generation's ignorance of the rules," Shimura Hiroshi said.
"I understand, I understand," Uchiha Touhan said with a smile. "However, I'm not here to be a guest today."
Uchiha Touhan dropped his smile. "Please, Chief Shimura, tell Shimura Reito, Shimura Arashi, Shimura Yusuke, and the others to come with us and assist with the investigation."
Behind Uchiha Touhan, the already furious members of the Security Division prepared to step forward upon hearing this, and the Shimura ninjas present were naturally not indifferent.
"I'm afraid this is against the rules," Shimura Hiroshi muttered.
"We're simply cooperating with the investigation. After all, the account books the Security Division found at the Root base show that the Shimura clan has deep ties to the Root. I personally believe in Chief Shimura's innocence," Uchiha Touhan said, pulling out the nearly burned account book from his sealed scroll.
"Clan leader, what else is there to say? The Uchiha clan is full of evil ambitions. Elder Danzo died at their hands. Avenge Elder Danzo!" the restrained Shimura clan ninja roared.
"It seems the Shimura clan is truly colluding with Shimura Danzo and intends to betray the clan." Uchiha Touhan's expression was stern, and the three magatama in his eyes transformed into Mangekyō.
Shimura Hiroshi wanted to explode, but seeing the Mangekyō Sharingan flashing in Uchiha Touhan's eyes, he could only suppress his impulse and said with strong anger, "Stop! I'll have them go with you."
As Danzo's cousin, Shimura Hiroshi had witnessed the battle between Hashirama Senju and Madara Uchiha firsthand. He clearly understood the power of the Mangekyō Sharingan. Otherwise, how could such a large area as the Valley of the End have been created? Now, within the Shimura clan's territory, if Uchiha Touhan were to unleash his full might, the outcome was uncertain, but no member of the Shimura clan would escape.
Furthermore, Uchiha Touhan had come with a sense of righteousness. If a conflict erupted between the two sides, they would be in tatters, even if they jumped into the Nanga River.
"Wouldn't it have been better to cooperate earlier?" Uchiha Touhan chuckled, waving Uchiha Enyu to lead the arrest.
"Clan leader!" The young men of the Shimura clan were immediately enraged. Accustomed to their usual dominance in the village, they could not tolerate such humiliation.
"Clan leader Shimura, please don't make things difficult for me," Uchiha Touhan approached Shimura Hiroshi and whispered in his ear.
Shimura Hiroshi's mouth twitched, but he said nothing more, only stepping forward to calm his fellow clansmen.
The arrest process didn't last long. After all, the individuals Uchiha Douhuan had previously named were already present. After handcuffing them, Uchiha Yanyu reported back to Uchiha Douhuan.
"Chief Shimura, thank you for your cooperation." Seeing the individuals were apprehended, Uchiha Douhuan relaxed. "However, I must advise you that holding a funeral for a village traitor at this critical juncture is perhaps inappropriate."
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(End of Chapter)