Uchiha Ryosuke's eyes calmly locked onto Kakashi's, particularly that distinctive Sharingan in his left eye—the eye that once belonged to Obito Uchiha. Although it appeared to be just a Three Tomoe Sharingan on the surface, Ryosuke knew better. That eye wasn't ordinary. It was, in truth, a Mangekyō Sharingan, only dormant due to Kakashi's limited chakra reserves. If he ever unlocked its full power, it would easily surpass Ryosuke's current Three Tomoe in raw ability.
With a calm smile, Ryosuke spoke. "Relax. I'm not going to lay a hand on you, Kakashi. After all… I'm not like Sarutobi Asuma."
His voice held a subtle undertone—mocking, yet poised. "You're ANBU, sworn to defend the Hokage's will, I get that. But this matter? This is under the Uchiha Police's jurisdiction. If the Third Hokage has a problem with it, he's welcome to speak to our Clan Head himself."
Kakashi stayed quiet for a long moment, studying the youth before him. He could feel the power emanating from Ryosuke's eyes. The chakra in those Sharingan was unusually potent—possibly even stronger than his own. Kakashi wasn't arrogant. He knew he might not win in a direct confrontation, and if the ANBU and Uchiha Police clashed publicly, it would throw the village into chaos. That was a price no one could afford to pay.
Wordlessly, Kakashi turned around and vanished from sight, heading directly toward the Hokage Tower to report everything that had transpired.
Watching him go, Uchiha Inaho—who had remained respectfully quiet during the confrontation—grinned. "Heh. That's what I like to see. There was a time when those ANBU dogs wouldn't have dared to bark at us. Looks like the Uchiha are finally rising again."
Ryosuke gave a casual nod. "Take Asuma to the detention block. Let the Clan Head decide how to proceed."
Inaho saluted and turned toward the squad. "You heard him. Bind Sarutobi Asuma and lock him in the temporary holding cells. He'll face judgment soon enough."
Meanwhile, in the Hokage's office, Hiruzen Sarutobi was calmly going over a stack of reports when the door burst open. Kakashi entered, his mask in place but urgency in his voice.
Hiruzen raised an eyebrow. "Is something wrong with Naruto?"
Kakashi shook his head. "No, Lord Hokage. I've come to report something else. It's about your son, Asuma."
Then, he detailed everything—Asuma's attack on Ryosuke, his use of a large-scale Fire Release technique in a public street, the resulting injuries to civilians, and the property damage that included destruction to several homes and even part of the Ichiraku Ramen shop.
As Kakashi spoke, Hiruzen's face grew darker. By the time the account ended, he was seething with rage. The pipe in his hand shattered as it hit the floor.
"That idiot!" he snarled. "I gave him a political assignment with the daimyō so he could mature, so he could learn restraint—and what does he do the moment he returns? He tries to murder a fellow Konoha ninja in public?!"
He was genuinely furious. Not just as Hokage, but as a father. He'd had high hopes for Asuma. He had envisioned a future where his son could inherit a senior position within Konoha, perhaps even become Hokage one day. But now? Now Asuma had become a public disgrace.
Kakashi stood quietly, unsure whether the Hokage's anger was directed more at Asuma or at the Uchiha for daring to arrest him.
"I've delivered the report. With your leave, I'll return to my assignment with Naruto," Kakashi said quietly.
Hiruzen waved his hand dismissively. "Go."
As Kakashi exited, Hiruzen took a long, slow breath. The reality was clear: Ryosuke's popularity was growing, and the Uchiha Police had made a public arrest of his own son. Worse, they had refused ANBU custody, defying his personal authority as Hokage.
The Third Hokage clenched his jaw. "Damn the Uchiha… Do they intend to defy me now, even invoking the legacy of my teacher, the Second Hokage? Am I not the one in charge of this village anymore?"
He knew full well that if the situation had been left to him, he could have easily spun the narrative—downplaying the damages, assigning minor penalties, and keeping everything hush-hush. But Ryosuke had acted too swiftly and decisively. The public had seen everything. The damage had been done.
And now, the village was watching.
In the Uchiha Police HQ, Inaho had just finished placing Asuma in a holding cell when he went to debrief Uchiha Fugaku and the clan's Eighth Elder.
As he recounted the incident—Asuma's violent behavior, the crowd's outrage, and the fact that Ryosuke had personally issued the arrest order—both elders were stunned.
The Eighth Elder furrowed his brows. "So… he actually did it. He arrested the Hokage's son."
Even he, a staunch supporter of the clan's independence, hadn't quite believed Ryosuke would go through with it.
Fugaku, however, remained stoic. "Asuma committed a serious offense. Regardless of his lineage, we must uphold justice. The villagers saw everything. If we back down now, we lose the moral high ground."
The Eighth Elder leaned in. "How long are we talking?"
Fugaku didn't hesitate. "According to the Uchiha Code: attempted murder is five years, public destruction and injury of civilians is another five. Ten years total."
"Ten years…" the Elder murmured. "That's a long time. When he gets out, he'll be pushing forty."
Still, he admired the decisiveness. "Are you certain we should pass sentence now? Without at least discussing this with the Hokage?"
Fugaku's voice was ice. "No need. The law is the law. No special treatment."
And just as he finished, the doors to the conference room flew open.
In walked Hiruzen Sarutobi, flanked by several ANBU members. Though he stood in the heart of Uchiha territory, his bearing remained calm and confident. This was still the Village Hidden in the Leaves, and he was its Hokage.
Fugaku and the others turned to face him.
Hiruzen's voice was even, but cold. "I came to see the criminal myself. And to ask… why would my son commit such a foolish act? Even Asuma wouldn't attack someone without reason."
But deep down, Hiruzen knew the truth.
Asuma had likely discovered Ryosuke's relationship with Kurenai. That was the only explanation for such reckless, jealous rage.
The timing couldn't be worse. Ryosuke was already popular among the Uchiha and starting to earn a good reputation among neutral villagers as well. With Fugaku's backing, he was becoming a political figure in his own right.
And now, his own son had handed them a golden opportunity to solidify their power.
As Fugaku prepared to respond, the air in the room grew heavy.
Everyone knew—this was no longer just a matter of one man's crime.
This was a clash between Hokage authority and Uchiha justice.
And the outcome would shape the future of Konoha.
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