Uchiha Chiba understood very clearly the concerns in the hearts of Fugaku, Shisui, and the others.
They feared that his extreme methods would prematurely ignite the conflict between Konoha's leadership and the Uchiha clan—tearing away the fragile layer of pretense that still remained, perhaps even triggering rebellion and civil war.
But no one understood better than Chiba—
For the Uchiha clan, that outcome would still be far better than the one originally destined.
So not only did he not fear such consequences—
He was quietly pushing events toward them.
"The Sarutobi clan…"
"What exactly happened?"
Uchiha Aoki and Uchiha Yamato exchanged uneasy glances.
"One of the Sarutobi clan's shinobi… killed someone."
"A villager."
"Who did it?"
Yamato swallowed.
"The second son of the Sarutobi clan head…"
"Sarutobi Jiro."
Chiba's gaze shifted slightly.
The head of the Sarutobi clan was nominally Hiruzen Sarutobi, but as Hokage he rarely involved himself in clan affairs. Most responsibilities were handled by the acting clan head—
Sarutobi Hiyu, a close relative of Hiruzen.
Sarutobi Jiro was Hiruzen's nephew.
Chiba said nothing more.
He simply accelerated.
"Captain—wait!"
"Shouldn't we inform the Clan Head first—"
But his figure had already blurred into the distance.
…
Inside the Sarutobi clan compound.
"You can't leave—don't leave!"
"Move aside!"
Several villagers clung desperately to Sarutobi Jiro, blocking his path.
They possessed no real strength—
But they were willing to risk their lives for justice.
One man clutched Jiro's leg while others formed a human barrier in front of him.
More and more people gathered.
Jiro's temper flared.
"You're asking for death!"
"You think I won't strike?!"
An elderly woman stepped forward, tears streaming down her wrinkled face as she leaned heavily on a cane.
"You beast… you killed my granddaughter…"
"I'll fight you!"
She swung her cane toward him.
Before it could reach him, her frail body faltered. She stumbled and fell forward, her forehead striking a stone on the ground.
Blood immediately began to flow.
"Mother!"
The man holding Jiro's leg released him and rushed to her side.
"Mother—you're bleeding!"
His hands trembled as he pressed cloth against her wound.
"I'm fine…" the old woman gasped weakly. "Don't let that beast escape…"
"Jiro!" the man roared, his eyes bloodshot. "You killed my daughter—and now you want my mother dead too?!"
Jiro sneered coldly.
"She fell on her own."
"What does that have to do with me?"
"She tried to strike me. If she dies, that's her own fault."
The surrounding crowd erupted into whispers.
"He killed their daughter?"
"They say she was burned alive…"
"Why?"
"Who knows? People like him don't see us as human."
"Quiet! That's the Sarutobi clan head's son!"
Even the shinobi watching nearby hesitated.
"Isn't this too much?"
"Should we report it to the Hokage?"
"ANBU already has…"
"We can only hope for fairness…"
"Will he punish his own nephew?"
Just then—
"Make way."
A dignified figure stepped forward.
"Clan Head!"
It was Sarutobi Hiyu.
"Father—you're finally here!"
"These peasants won't let me leave—arrest them!"
But instead—
Hiyu stepped forward and slapped him across the face.
Smack!
Jiro fell to the ground, a red mark blooming instantly on his cheek.
"Father—!"
"You wretch!"
"Don't think I don't know what you've done!"
"You killed that girl, didn't you?!"
The crowd gasped.
"Well done!"
"Kill him!"
"Kill him!"
Jiro clutched his cheek, fear flashing across his face.
"I—I didn't mean to!"
"Didn't mean to? Then why did she die? Speak!"
Hiyu released a surge of chakra pressure, making the air feel heavy and suffocating.
"I was just training…"
"My Fire Release—Blazing Flame Technique…"
"My subordinates said my flames were strong enough to reduce something to ash…"
"They saw movement in the grass—maybe an animal—and told me to test it…"
"Then I heard a scream…"
"I didn't know it was a person…"
"And my flames… weren't strong enough to burn her instantly…"
"She ran toward us… screaming…"
The girl's father snapped.
"You animal!"
He lunged forward.
But Hiyu blocked him effortlessly.
"I understand your pain."
"I am a father as well."
"But this matter must be investigated."
"I swear, as the head of the Sarutobi clan, I will handle it fairly."
The grieving man trembled.
"She was only eleven…"
Hiyu clasped his hands solemnly.
"I will give you justice."
Then he turned slowly toward his son.
"So…"
"You didn't know there was a person in the grass?"
"It was merely… accidental harm?"
Jiro froze.
He understood immediately.
His father was giving him a way to survive.
The crowd understood as well.
Everything—
The slap.
The anger.
The righteous words.
It had all been a performance.
Because in the end—
He would protect his son.