Just as the ninjas were about to protest, an ANBU suddenly appeared in front of Itachi.
"Itachi Uchiha, by the order of Hokage-sama, the Uchiha clan is forbidden from recruiting any ninjas outside the Uchiha Clan without consultation and recommendation from the Hokage and the Elder Council.
The contracts signed by these ninjas are void ab initio. They bear no legal responsibility to pay any amount.
You are hereby accused of extortion and unauthorized use of power and are placed under ANBU investigation."
After delivering his declaration, the ANBU fell silent.
The surrounding villagers stared at him with awe—as if watching a hero stand against an evil dragon, daring to challenge the authority of the Uchiha.
"What is your name?" Itachi asked calmly.
The ANBU did not respond.
Years ago, a member of his family had clashed with a villager. When the matter reached the Police Department, the cursed Uchiha had sentenced his brother to three years of imprisonment. If not for the benevolence of Hokage-sama, his brother's life would have been ruined.
Now, finally, he had the chance to stand tall—to put the former ANBU prodigy in his place. Of course, he wouldn't answer.
This wasn't just personal vengeance. The ANBU existed solely under the Hokage's authority. They answered to no one else.
And the villagers didn't find his silence strange. This was how ANBU worked—protecting the village from the shadows.
"I will ask you one last time," Itachi said evenly.
"Identify yourself."
The ANBU finally replied.
"I answer only to HOKAGE-SAMA."
The moment those words left his mouth, Itachi raised one hand.
In the next instant, four Uchiha jōnin appeared, surrounding the unguarded ANBU. Before anyone could react, the ANBU was slammed face-first into the ground—his mask cracking against the stone.
"Itachi Uchiha," the ANBU snarled, struggling,
"you are disobeying Hokage-sama's orders!
And you Uchiha—obstructing an ANBU in the line of duty is a crime!"
Itachi did not even look at him.
"This individual refuses to identify himself,"
Itachi said calmly. "It is true that ANBU are not required to reveal their identities to civilians or ordinary shinobi.
However, ANBU are still obligated to answer the heads of Konoha's six main departments."
"If you do not even know this basic rule, then there is only one conclusion.
You are an impostor.
Anyone who dares to impersonate an ANBU," Itachi continued, his voice utterly devoid of emotion, "is guilty of a capital crime."
He lowered his hand.
"BEHEAD HIM"
The moment Itachi gave the order, three Uchiha jōnin restrained the ANBU, locking his limbs in place. The fourth stepped forward, drew his ninja sword, and swung it downward in a single, merciless arc.
"NOOOO—!"
"STOP ITTTT—!"
The blade struck the ground with a heavy clang.
Both voices were cut off at once.
Itachi first looked at the ANBU who had screamed in terror, then slowly turned his gaze toward the direction from which the second shout had come.
In the very next moment, dozens of ANBU materialized around the Konoha Military Police Department headquarters, completely surrounding it.
With a thunderous bang, Sarutobi Hiruzen arrived.
His eyes were bloodshot, burning so fiercely that for a brief instant, it felt as though he might awaken the Sharingan himself.
"Itachi Uchiha, you— you—!"
His voice trembled with barely restrained fury.
"You killed a fellow villager—and an ANBU at that?!
Who gave you the right to execute your own people?
I swear, if you do not give me a valid and reasonable explanation, then even the Uchiha clan will not be able to save you!"
Seeing Hiruzen in this state, Itachi smiled faintly.
"Hokage-sama," he said calmly, "that individual failed to identify himself before me, the acting head of the Konoha Military Police Department.
I served in the ANBU for years and am fully aware of its rules and protocols.
He violated the law. An actual ANBU would never make such an elementary mistake.
That is why I executed the impostor."
Itachi's explanation did nothing to quell Hiruzen's rage.
"You were appointed acting head today,
Do you expect all ANBU to know that instantly? Do you take me for a fool?
From this moment onward, you are under arrest for homicide, fraud, and unauthorized use of force. Do you accept this judgment?"
As those words fell, the ANBU surrounding the area drew their kunai in unison.
The air tightened.
Everyone knew—Itachi's next words would decide the fate of the Uchiha clan.
"Hokage-sama," Itachi said evenly, "before I answer, allow me to ask you a few questions.
Your answers will determine whether Konoha will be filled with blood tonight or not."
The moment he spoke, hundreds of shinobi wearing the Uchiha crest emerged, surrounding the entire area. Swords and kunai gleamed in their hands, all poised for battle.
Civilians and weaker ninjas broke out in cold sweat.
Standing there felt like standing in the center of a battlefield moments before eruption.
The ninjas of other clans quietly moved behind their clan leaders, preparing themselves for the worst.
Sarutobi Hiruzen's face flushed red with fury.
This was no longer a veiled challenge—Itachi was openly threatening him in front of the entire village.
If he acted against Itachi now, just as the boy had said, those lunatics would drown Konoha's streets in blood. But if he backed down so easily, then what remained of his authority as Hokage?
Today it was "a few questions."
Tomorrow?
A month later?
Would Itachi demand the Hokage's seat itself—or threaten to slaughter the village if refused?
The street fell deathly silent.
Yet more villagers continued to arrive, drawn by a disturbance great enough to summon both the Hokage and the ANBU.
Finally, Hiruzen spoke.
"Very well," he said slowly. "I will answer your questions—but only because innocent civilians are present. Otherwise, you would never have had the chance to threaten me in your entire life."
After speaking, Hiruzen closed his eyes.
To the villagers and many shinobi, it looked as though the Hokage was enduring humiliation for their sake.
" Hokage-sama!!!"
Seeing the romance between the villagers and Sarutobi Hiruzen, Itachi didn't interrupt. Anyway, to him, the more people came, the greater the benefit.
Finally, a minute later, Hiruzen opened his eyes in irritation. He had thought Itachi would ask questions and that he would open his eyes and answer like an expert, but Itachi had remained silent all this time. Now it was getting awkward, standing with his eyes closed in the middle of the afternoon.
"Ask your question."
Hearing this, Itachi nodded.
"Hokage-sama, is killing fellow villagers a crime?"
"Of course, it's a crime."
"Then, what's the punishment for it?"
"Death"
"Then can you clear a doubt of mine? A few years ago, many children went missing in Konoha. The Konoha Police Department investigated the case but was stopped midway.
Even then, according to the records, sixty children went missing during that time frame."
Hearing this, many Konoha civilians and ninjas gasped. Although they had experienced that period, they didn't have specific data, and now, hearing the final number, even they were shocked.
"Afterwards, the culprit was found to be your beloved disciple, Orochimaru who was conducting experiments on them.
After hearing the news, you chased him multiple times, and according to the records which the Uchiha recorded, you had the chance to kill him, but you let him run because he was your favorite student. So, is this true?"
Hearing this, Hiruzen's pupils constricted. He hadn't sensed anyone's presence at that moment, so how could the Uchiha know it? But Sarutobi Hiruzen had been a politician for decades, so he knew what to show and what not to.
"That is false"
Hearing this, all the civilians and the ninjas sighed in relief but, it was too early.
"Then, in further covert investigation by the police department, it was found that the whole thing was funded by one of the former elders of the Konoha Elder Council—Shimura Danzo.
It was also found that Orochimaru worked under him in Root, and the actual kidnappings were done by Root, with Orochimaru as the scientist involved.
So, Hokage-sama, what punishment did Shimura Danzo and the Root members who brazenly used their power to kidnap the children of villagers receive?"
After Itachi said this, he clapped his hands once, and a few Uchiha left the headquarters building with a bundle of papers. They distributed them to all the clan leaders and prominent ninjas, and finally to Sarutobi Hiruzen.
When Hiruzen looked at them, his pupils dilated. There were clear records of all the missing children, with their dates of disappearance, their parents' names, and their places of residence.
After that came the names and code names of the Root members who had kidnapped these children. Finally, there were copies of Root's records from that time frame.
Just by looking at them, Hiruzen knew all of this was real. But he was confused. Although many people knew Danzo was involved with Orochimaru, how could anyone find the exact Root members who kidnapped the children—and even obtain the Root records, which were carefully safeguarded?
Hiruzen then felt a chill. He looked at Itachi, who appeared totally calm, but Hiruzen felt as if a snake was staring at him.
Is this the real Itachi Uchiha?
Was everything before just an act?
To Sarutobi Hiruzen, gathering all this information would take months, if not years—and obtaining the Root records, which held the highest level of confidentiality, was clearly no easy task.
Heh… so from the beginning, you belonged to the Uchiha. The double agent act, you being a Konoha supporter—was it all just for today?
As Hiruzen thought this, he understood everything. Today's matter was never about recruitment. Maybe today was his execution—not physical, but far more painful than that.
And he couldn't leave.
When Hiruzen looked around, there were already thousands of people and ninjas present. If he left now, his position and reputation as Hokage would be finished—and maybe even the Sarutobi clan would be finished.
Haah… Danzo, you were right.
I indeed… regret it.
---
Author's Note:
Hello everyone! I understand that many of you might be wondering where all this information is coming from—everything can't be explained just by that one scene.
Don't worry though, I'll be answering all of it in the upcoming chapters. So please be a little patient
Thank you so much for reading and supporting the story so far!