Just then, the sound of footsteps approached.
Uchiha Fugaku arrived with the Uchiha Police Force. Seeing Danzō and Utatane Koharu lying on the ground with their faces ruined, their eyes went wide.
Those are Elder Danzō and Advisor Koharu?!
Who did this to them?
Uchiha Fugaku stared at Sarutobi Hiruzen in shock. "L-Lord Hokage, did you call us here?"
Sarutobi Hiruzen was speechless. Had Koharu been in a high position so long her brain was cooked?
Call the Uchiha Police Force to witness her own disgrace?
"It is fine, Fugaku. Head out and keep order in the area."
"Yes, Lord Hokage."
Fugaku's expression was complicated as he signaled the police force to turn and leave.
Before departing, Fugaku gave Night Maple a long look.
The blond hair on Namikaze Minato's head fluttered in the breeze as he stood there, utterly baffled.
Night Maple actually dared to lay hands on a senior advisor?
Those are the two top figures after the Hokage.
And even that mysterious Elder Danzō was struck by Lord Hokage.
Good grief, he had never seen anything this crazy.
Kushina, nervously, clutched Night Maple's arm.
Night Maple suddenly felt her grip tighten, his arm pulled close.
Kushina's hold was unexpectedly firm.
"Sarutobi!"
Mitokado Homura looked to Sarutobi Hiruzen again and, still unwilling to yield, said, "No matter what, Night Maple is riddled with suspicious points. He also killed so many of Konoha's elite shinobi this time. He must come back with us for questioning. This was already the procedure decided by the Administration Department and Root, it simply was not public yet."
By now, it was a battle of face.
If Night Maple did not go back with them for questioning, they would be laughed at across Konoha.
They failed to seize their target, and the two high-ups got beaten instead. How would others see them?
Night Maple had no intention of giving them that face.
"Advisor, to be blunt, these people attacked me and Kushina in the very center of Konoha without presenting any credentials."
"I am beginning to suspect you. You actually set your sights on our own villagers. What is that supposed to mean?"
"Did you take some benefit from Kumogakure? Did you really betray Konoha and become spies for the Cloud?"
"Did I disrupt your pipeline of interests with the Cloud, and that is why you flew into a rage and dared to attack me openly in Konoha?"
At Night Maple's words, everyone's faces changed.
"Night Maple!"
"Night Maple, that is nonsense!"
The Nine-Tails' chakra flared again around Uzumaki Mito.
"The more I think about it, the more wrong it seems. Homura, I respect that you are senior advisors."
"And I am an old woman who has been retired a long time, I do not want to meddle in Konoha's internal affairs. That should be your business."
"But if you do something that betrays Konoha, I will cut ties for the greater good."
Mitokado Homura felt as if he were facing the colossal Nine-Tails, cold sweat streaming. He hurried to say, "Old Madam, you worry too much. Everything I have done is entirely for the village."
Uzumaki Mito ignored Homura and looked to Sarutobi Hiruzen. "Sarutobi, this time you really must investigate thoroughly."
"Old Madam, I will get to the bottom of it, without any favoritism."
Uzumaki Mito nodded. "All right, I still believe in you."
She turned to Night Maple and Kushina. "Night Maple, Kushina, let's go."
Sarutobi Hiruzen nodded, shot a glance at Mitokado Homura, and warned him not to speak again.
Another word and the leadership's face would be completely gone.
Today it was Danzō and his people who were in the wrong to begin with.
And they even wanted to bite back at Night Maple.
Night Maple took Kushina and followed Uzumaki Mito away.
At the corner, Night Maple suddenly looked back. "By the way, Lord Third, one of them was an Uchiha clansman and had awakened the Sharingan. I heard the Uchiha only serve in the Police Force. How did one end up in Elder Danzō's Root?"
At those words, Sarutobi Hiruzen's face changed at once.
Night Maple was not saying it for his ears, but for the Uchiha outside.
This guy just loved to stir the pot.
Someone with the Sharingan awakened would be a genius of the Uchiha. Would he join Root?
And why was Danzō recruiting Uchiha into Root? What was he plotting?
Sarutobi Hiruzen checked all the bodies on the ground. There really was one corpse with Sharingan. His expression turned ice-cold.
Beside him, Mitokado Homura kept a blank face, but in his heart he wanted to kill Night Maple.
That bastard, causing them such a huge headache right before leaving.
Just wait, do not let me find a flaw in you.
As Homura was plotting revenge, he suddenly heard Sarutobi Hiruzen speak.
"Homura, you and Koharu have worked diligently these past years and earned no small merit for Konoha. You must be tired."
"I am giving you a month of leave. Rest well and hand your work to the younger folks for now."
"And Danzō, stop playing dead. This incident is too serious. Root will submit to investigation and be ready to disband at any time."