Uchiha Chizumi had just returned to Konoha when he learned that Uchiha Fugaku had resigned as Clan Head and as Captain of the Police Force.
That meant the entire Uchiha clan was suddenly leaderless.
Surprisingly, though, neither the headless Uchiha nor the Konoha Police Force fell into the slightest disorder. Everything ran as smoothly as ever.
The situation perfectly underscored how dispensable Uchiha Fugaku had become.
"Chizumi-senpai, that's how it is," Izumi said, her mouth a little dry before she pressed on. "Senpai, a lot of our clansmen want you to serve as Captain of the Konoha Police Force and lead it toward Absolute Justice. As for the now-vacant position of Uchiha clan head, the clan is still discussing who should take it."
"Chizumi-sama, I truly think you should take the Captain's seat," one Uchiha jōnin added. "Only you can command everyone's respect. If you sit in that chair, no one will object."
Another Uchiha jōnin urged him as well: "If Chizumi-sama doesn't take the post, the deposed Uchiha Fugaku may start making moves again. He still has a sliver of prestige in the clan; if he's reinstated, his ideology will only obstruct the Uchiha's Absolute Justice."
Chizumi couldn't be bothered to refuse. Whether in the short term or the long term, taking the helm of the Police Force would indeed help the power of Absolute Justice put down roots and spread across Konoha.
"All right."
With that single word from Uchiha Chizumi, the leadership of the Konoha Police Force truly changed hands.
The news spread through the village almost immediately.
Sarutobi Hiruzen was among the first to hear. He rose slowly, hands clasped behind his back, and walked to the window to gaze out. From the upper floors of the Hokage Building he could look over most of Konoha.
Watching the bustling crowds along the village streets below, he drew a deep breath and murmured, "Some of Konoha's rules—some of its structures—will be rewritten after today."
The Police Captain does have the authority to draft laws specific to Konoha.
Fugaku had never abused that power. He believed that casually revising laws would inevitably arouse the suspicion of the village leadership, and all his efforts would be undone by his own hand.
It was precisely this "restraint" that Hiruzen appreciated in Fugaku.
But now, the "restrained" Fugaku had been forced out—and in his place stood the "radical" Uchiha Chizumi.
"Haa…" Hiruzen exhaled another long breath. "With Chizumi's extreme temperament, he's bound to promulgate a raft of very extreme statutes in the village to pair with his Absolute Justice. The biggest problem is, it's hard for me to oppose him—this is within his authority. And opposing him will inevitably mean conflict."
There was one more thought he left unspoken: across all of Konoha, there are scarcely any people left willing to stand against Uchiha Chizumi's Absolute Justice. If Hiruzen charged out in front, almost no one would stand behind him. That was the deadliest part.
"What? Uchiha Chizumi is taking command of the Police Force? Did he get the Hokage's approval? The advisory council's approval? And he just becomes Captain?!"
Inside Konoha Prison.
Although Utatane Koharu and some Root shinobi had been temporarily locked up there, other Root operatives still served as her eyes and ears, passing along information from outside.
Koharu had known early that Fugaku was forced to step down. She hadn't expected Chizumi to replace him.
"Is Hiruzen really not going to step in? If that little extremist of justice takes the stage, what then? The Captain's post is already just a hair beneath the very top of the hierarchy!"
Koharu's expression shifted between shadow and light.
A Root shinobi bowed his head and reported, "So far we've seen no action from the Hokage-sama. He seems to be watching in silence—neither approving nor opposing."
Koharu felt a headache coming on. "When it's his own clansmen—or even me—Hiruzen is so hard-edged. But when it's Uchiha Chizumi, why does he suddenly turn indecisive? Is he simply wary of that boy's strength? Or has he already given up resisting Absolute Justice? Is he not afraid the Will of Fire will be crowded out by it?"
She bit down hard. Never had Koharu felt Hiruzen was doing such a poor job as Hokage. In the history of Konoha, when has a Hokage been driven into such a crouch by a single Uchiha? If Tobirama-sensei rose from the grave, Hiruzen would enrage him to death!
As that news rippled through the village, another bombshell left everyone reeling:
—The killer of the Hokage's daughter-in-law had been identified. It was all a farce orchestrated by Sarutobi Nadeshiko to throw the village into chaos and kill by a borrowed knife. Several members of the Sarutobi clan were deeply involved, even conspiring with spies from the Cloud!
Konoha was instantly in an uproar.
The Sarutobi who had been so worked up and ready to make trouble fell silent like mutes. The gates of the Sarutobi compound slammed shut.
The clan convened a meeting—without Sarutobi Hiruzen.
"…This is the truth uncovered by the Hokage's Anbu, and the Hokage has made it public," an elder of the Sarutobi said grimly. "We've lost all face. In the eyes of others, three missing-nin have appeared within our clan. Everyone, share your thoughts."
As soon as he finished, a younger Sarutobi sprang to his feet.
"I don't believe this so-called truth! The Hokage-sama must have been misled by false information. Someone in Anbu must hate our Sarutobi and is framing us!"
"Nadeshiko-sama and her husband were the Hokage's right and left hands. She is absolutely loyal to Konoha and fully upholds the Will of Fire! How could she possibly collude with Cloud spies for revenge?"
"And the so-called evidence is memories extracted by the Yamanaka? Everyone knows the Yamanaka are now lapdogs of Absolute Justice!"
"How could the Hokage-sama believe evidence supplied by a pack of Justice lackeys? I don't get it!"
Panting, he fell back into his seat.
Another Sarutobi spoke in a low voice: "Even if the Hokage-sama doesn't want to believe it, he has to. Chizumi's power has grown so great that the Hokage can't match it."
He didn't mince words: "This is indecision born of the Hokage's own weakness. He's grown old."
No one refuted him. Some looked uncertain, but said nothing.
The clan's thinking was simple—worst-case, even if the Sarutobi really are at fault, aren't you a Sarutobi yourself, Hokage-sama? What's wrong with shielding your own? If you can't even do that, it means you don't value your clan at all!
Just as Hiruzen had foreseen, whatever choice he made would trigger a backlash. This time, his reputation and authority within the Sarutobi clan had plunged to rock bottom. Right or wrong aside, in many Sarutobi eyes he had become the clan's highest-ranking member who sides with outsiders.
Evening.
Hearing the door outside, Uchiha Fugaku's face tightened. As footsteps approached, he said coldly without turning, "Why are you getting home so late again?"
Sasuke blinked. His father had never asked that kind of question before. Something felt off. He pushed the thought aside and opened his mouth to answer—only to be cut off by Fugaku's chilly tone: "Were you out with Uchiha Chizumi again, carrying out this so-called justice?"
The tone made Sasuke frown, but he answered honestly, "Yes. On the way home from school with that dobe Naruto…"
"Enough!"
Fugaku turned, eyes boring into him, and spoke with unprecedented severity: "Starting today, you will not attend the Academy. I will instruct you in ninjutsu, taijutsu, and shinobi theory myself. Until you become an Uchiha of excellence by my standards, you're not to step outside this house."
"That is final."
Sasuke's eyes widened. Once upon a time, he would have been thrilled—his father personally teaching him would have meant he was finally being recognized, placed on the same level of care as his brother.
But now he was thinking bigger. If he couldn't step outside, how could he carry out Absolute Justice? How could he follow Chizumi-sensei and grow stronger?
"Father…"
Sasuke clenched his small fists, mustered his courage, and said with a taut face, "Please allow me to refuse."
Fugaku froze. He had never expected his timid younger son to defy him so firmly.
He'd decided at Itachi's grave earlier that day: no matter how weak or less gifted than Itachi Sasuke might be, he was still his son—and the one person in the clan most likely to carry on his and Itachi's will. He could not allow Sasuke to be brainwashed by Absolute Justice. He would pour both his and Itachi's mettle into Sasuke alone. Only then would the Uchiha retain a shred of future—without being usurped by Absolute Justice.
He hadn't expected his plan to end the moment it began. Sasuke was even more disappointing than he'd imagined.
Fugaku's face went completely dark. He told himself to stay calm, but the quickened breath and heaving chest betrayed the anger he could barely contain.
Sasuke didn't notice his father's change. Gritting his teeth and lowering his head, he said softly, "I've already decided to walk the path I chose. Only that way can I live up to your expectations. And only the power of Absolute Justice can let me surpass—"
He broke off, eyes flying wide in blank shock.
His feet lifted off the ground. He clawed at Fugaku's hand, trying to pry loose the fingers crushing his throat.
It was useless. The choking pressure turned his small face blue.
Worse, his father's eyes had turned scarlet—the Sharingan. And not the three-tomoe, but a strange pattern he'd never seen before.
Fugaku stared at his struggling son. "You don't even understand what it truly means to live up to my expectations. Sasuke, you disappoint me."
Just then a cry rang out from the other room. "Sasuke? Fugaku! What are you doing—are you trying to kill him? Put him down, he's about to suffocate!"
Uchiha Mikoto's urgent voice and quick steps made Fugaku draw a slow, deep breath. He flung Sasuke aside; the boy hit the wall and grimaced in pain. Mikoto rushed in and planted herself between them.
She was about to speak when Fugaku cut her off.
"Don't make me dinner tonight," he said coldly. "And, Sasuke—you don't have the right to choose. What I say goes. Only I, your father, can train you to approach Itachi."
"Your house arrest starts now. If you violate it, even as my son I'll punish you in the harshest way—short of killing you."
"This… was also a trial Itachi once endured."
Mikoto could only stare blankly at her husband's back as he walked away. He felt even more distant than before—more extreme.
If this keeps up… something terrible is going to happen.