Konoha.
Central Square.
The Fire Daimyo, Yamazaki Ryuji, stared in disbelief at the approaching figure, his lifted arms trembling in apprehension.
What is he planning?
Is he truly going to strike me?
Even though the guards were rough during his arrest—Uchiha Satoshi kicked him more than once—those actions could be chalked up to procedure. But a slap? A slap would be a personal affront.
"I am the Daimyo of the Land of Fire! You dare lay a—"
Smack!
A crisp, clean slap landed squarely on his cheek.
Itachi Uchiha stood firm, his expression unreadable.
"How dare you strike the Daimyo! I, Yamazaki Ryuji, will never—"
Smack!
Another blow cut him off. Yamazaki's fury flared in his eyes.
"Sarutobi! These are your shinobi?!"
Desperate, he turned to the Third Hokage.
But Itachi didn't stop.
Smack!
A third slap echoed through the square.
Yamazaki Ryuji glared at him, lips trembling.
"Shh~"
Itachi raised a finger to his lips, signaling silence.
"If you'd warned me—if I had known—"
Smack!
"Zero Twenty."
Shut your mouth, old man.
Just wait until I return to the Daimyo's estate. You'll regret humiliating me like this in front of Konoha!
Though furious, Yamazaki Ryuji finally fell silent, realizing he'd better not push his luck.
Surely it's over now?
Itachi stared at him blankly.
Another slap against the Daimyo. Another record in the Guard's archives.
Such moments were officially documented—they'd linger long after today.
Hard to believe, really: a Guard who once obeyed silently, now known for slapping Sarutobi and striking the Daimyo… and once, Third Hokage's own undercover.
Vroom!
A distinctive engine roared to life.
The crowd, which had buzzed with tension at the scene, hushed instantly. All eyes turned.
A sleek figure zoomed in on the First-Gen police motorcycle, one hand on the handlebars, the other around a squirming Uchiha Izumi.
The bike skidded to a graceful halt.
He had arrived.
Uchiha Bai Ye.
The unchallenged authority of the Uchiha Guard. Idol of the villagers. Revered by the shinobi.
When he appeared, the square was his stage.
"I told you not to move around when I'm driving."
Bai Ye's voice was laced with irritation. He leaned forward, shoved Uchiha Izumi out of the bike's saddle, and stood up.
No, he wasn't a lolicon!
Cuteness? Worthless. He preferred allure. He had rules.
He wouldn't fall for a mere Uchiha Izumi just because she was charming!
"You're not allowed to flinch."
Izumi muttered softly, her face flushed.
In this world where children could harbor lifetime affections at five or six, Izumi had noticed something off.
Tonight, she would visit the bookstore. Time for some… educational material.
You wait.
Bai Ye rolled his eyes, sighed, and finally stepped down.
"Captain!"
"Captain!"
Uchiha Shanyang and Uchiha Cong saluted him with reverence. They checked the integrity of the Taishi chair and gestured for him to sit.
The captain's arrival signaled the trial's official start.
He didn't appear fazed. With a lazy stretch, he took the cigarette from Cong and slouched in the seat.
Among the crowd…
Only he seemed relaxed, unbothered.
Calm.
This wasn't a crisis—it was routine.
From his seat, he scanned the gathering.
Uchiha Fugaku, standing stiffly with his loyalists in a distant corner.
Hyuga Hiashi, angling for favor, had taken the very front.
Alongside him stood the patriarchs of the Yamanaka, Nara, and Akimichi clans, joined by various key shinobi families.
On the opposite side: Konoha's upper echelon.
Tsunade and her allies were present in full force.
Utatane Koharu and Mitokado Homura, discredited elders, now stood awkwardly among the disgraced.
And Jiraiya?
He sat in an isolated spot—his own request.
Not to flaunt status or distance himself—he had no care for prestige.
He simply wanted to watch his teacher. Closely. He needed to hear it all.
Because even if he suspected the truth, he still wanted to ask: Why?
Everyone was here.
Even those who should have stayed away.
Bai Ye glanced over at the disgraced Daimyo squatting beside the Third Hokage.
He shook his head.
Why do mortals with fleeting power insist on interfering in ninja matters?
A Daimyo?
What was that to him?
Bai Ye respected the Guard's rules. Arrest the guilty—no exceptions.
Uchiha Satoshi had done well.
Not just the Daimyo—if future threats like Nagato or Madara challenged the Guard, they would be met with the same force.
Even if Sage of Six Paths himself appeared—he'd address Bai Ye as "Captain."
That's how high he stood.
That's how untouchable.
He had earned it.
"Let's begin."
Crossing his legs, Bai Ye addressed Uchiha Cong with indifference.
Why did I have to come in person for this?
Isn't that what brothers are for?
"Yes, Captain."
Uchiha Cong nodded crisply, stepped forward, and signaled.
"Bring out Strong J Offender Sarutobi Hiruzen!"
Sarutobi's body trembled.
Already weakened from chakra loss and stripped of his ceremonial robes, he stared at Uchiha Satoshi in disbelief.
That bastard really called me that?!
Even the Daimyo looked at him differently now.
Yes, even Yamazaki Ryuji—swollen face and all—eyed him with disgust.
The term had weight. Sarutobi had come expecting a hearing, not humiliation.
Too late now.
"I'm not guilty of… of violating Utatane Koharu!"
Dragged into the center of the square, Sarutobi tried to hold on to some dignity.
He knew Satoshi's plan: expose his crimes one by one and declare guilt by process.
Still, he wasn't ready to fold.
His words still had power!
He had been the Third Hokage!
He could still stand tall!
"I didn't coerce anyone! Utatane Koharu, Shimura Tsuihua—they were all willing! You're just slandering an old man!"
"If you punish me for this, what about Uchiha Bai Ye and the Uzumaki—?"
Smack!
Before he could finish—
Uchiha Itachi struck him.
Itachi, positioned as a guard, had volunteered to escort Sarutobi for this very reason.
He couldn't risk Sarutobi blurting out his undercover identity.
He didn't care about pride or the pain.
But his brothers in the Guard? They believed in him.
He wouldn't betray that.
Not now. Not ever.
"Stick to what matters," Itachi said coldly.
"Exactly! As expected of a sub-commander's protégé!"
Uchiha Satoshi nodded approvingly.
Answer what's asked—nothing more.
"Captain Bai Ye doesn't wrong anyone. Since you claim consent, bring evidence!"
With that, Uchiha Cong bowed, then presented Bai Ye a scroll.
Inside: the summoning contract.
Sarutobi could no longer summon Enma. Not unless forced.
He had confessed earlier—Enma had refused to answer his calls.
That said enough.
Bai Ye nodded.
Clap.
He activated the scroll.
No summoning beast could resist his call.
With a pulse of chakra—
Poof!
Ape King Enma appeared.
Still wrapped in a towel.
"What—what's going on?!"
"Is that the Third's summon beast?"
"I heard Enma can become a transforming golden staff!"
"No wonder the Third was feared…"
"Bro, your thoughts went in a weird direction."
"…Shut up."
Whispers spread like wildfire.
Uchiha Cong stepped forward.
"No need to panic. The monkey clan has always stood by Konoha."
He paused dramatically.
"I only need you to reenact… what the Third had you do."
Enma's eyes widened.
No way.
He tried to escape via reverse summoning.
Too late.
Mangekyō Sharingan locked him in place.
Uchiha Cong's illusions—especially in this state—eclipsed even Itachi's.
Enma froze.
"Please."
Enma obeyed.
Poof.
He shrank into the shape of a golden staff.
Then…
He began spinning violently.
Whirrrrrrrrrrrrrr—
The square fell deathly silent.
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