CHAPTER 6

Fire Country – Konohagakure

Night had fallen over Konoha. The villagers, exhausted from a day's labor, sat down to enjoy their evening meals. But in the Hokage's office, the lights still burned brightly.

Since reclaiming the title of Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi had tightened his grip on power. He could never forget the helplessness he felt when he was forced to abdicate. The experience had only reinforced one truth: the more he lost power, the more he understood its value.

Even when the Fourth Hokage had taken over, Hiruzen had remained in the background, guiding from behind the scenes. But it wasn't the same. Authority came with a price, and he was willing to pay it. There was no aspect of Konoha's administration that he did not oversee. It was why his workdays stretched later and later into the night. Yet, he didn't mind.

In fact, he found satisfaction in it.

Inside the Hokage's Office

Hiruzen exhaled a thin stream of smoke from his pipe, his sharp gaze fixed on the silver-haired shinobi standing before him.

"Did he really say that?"

Kakashi Hatake, his face as unreadable as ever, gave a curt nod.

"He did."

Hiruzen's fingers tightened slightly around his pipe. 'You have to pay more.' Three simple words, yet laden with meaning.

Kakashi did not dwell on the implications, but even he could tell this wasn't just a casual demand. There was a deeper game at play. A negotiation of power.

The situation was, at its core, simple. Hiruzen had approached Uchiha Renn under the guise of resolving a misunderstanding. The real motive? To protect Mitokado Homura's son, Mito Ido, who had been caught selling classified information.

This matter could not be allowed to go public.

Mitokado Homura was one of Konoha's senior advisors. If word got out that his own son had betrayed the village, it would shake the very foundation of the leadership. The scandal would be immense.

Thus, Hiruzen had attempted to handle it quietly, to downplay the severity and make it disappear. But Renn had refused to comply.

If Konoha wanted this problem to go away, there was a price to be paid.

A Dangerous Negotiation

Hiruzen narrowed his eyes. He sensed the deliberate challenge in Renn's words. This was more than just a demand for money—it was defiance.

This was the first time, since regaining his position, that someone had openly tested him like this.

Did Renn's actions reflect the stance of the entire Uchiha clan?

Was this a move by the Uchiha, or was he acting on his own?

To a veteran like Hiruzen, everything was a potential conspiracy. Decades of political maneuvering had conditioned him to see schemes in every interaction.

But if Renn knew what Hiruzen was thinking, he would have laughed.

The truth was simple: Renn didn't care about the Uchiha. He didn't even listen to Uchiha Fugaku. His demand was exactly what it seemed—money.

No hidden agenda. No deeper motive.

If they refused?

Then tomorrow, Renn would leak Mito Ido's confession. The entire village would know that Konoha's leadership harbored traitors. He would make sure that Mitokado Homura's son was executed for treason.

Another Complication

After a long pause, Hiruzen finally spoke again.

"He didn't say anything else? No further actions?"

Kakashi's tone remained flat.

"Nothing else. Unless you count the fact that he had your son arrested."

Hiruzen's grip on his pipe tightened.

"Sarutobi Asuma was taken into custody by the Konoha Military Police for harassing women in the village." Kakashi continued, his voice neutral. "They're interrogating him now—to determine whether he had any involvement with Mito Ido."

"After all, Lord Hokage, you're well aware of their friendship."

Boom!

"My son… molested women?"

Sarutobi Hiruzen slammed his palm onto the desk, his face dark with anger.

"Confirmed!"

That kid is turning the tables on me!

Sarutobi's mind raced with suspicion, linking unrelated events together. Given what he knew, it seemed as if Uchiha Renn had deliberately captured Asuma to send a message—if he wanted to resolve this matter on his terms, he had better comply.

The Uchiha clan… provoking the Hokage again and again!

Sarutobi's expression remained stern, but he did not lash out in anger. Years of patience had earned him the title Shinobi no Kami (God of Shinobi). Were it not for today's unexpected events, his emotions would never have been pushed to this extent.

Kakashi, on the other hand, remained as composed as ever, showing no outward reaction. However, observing the Third Hokage's agitation, he could guess what the old man was thinking. After a brief hesitation, he finally spoke.

"Hokage-sama, I do not believe this is an act of retaliation, nor is it a threat."

He paused before adding, "Because… your son harassed his girlfriend."

Was that Kakashi's interpretation of the situation?

Sarutobi's eyes flickered, but he remained silent.

Naïve.

Still too naïve.

This boy couldn't see the deeper scheme behind this.

Then again, considering that Hatake Sakumo was pushed to suicide over mere public opinion, how could his son inherit any real political cunning?

Sarutobi had shaped Kakashi's path—first by forcing his father's downfall, and then by making him serve under his command. So far, the Third Hokage had been pleased with his progress.

And this innocence?

It wasn't a flaw. It meant Kakashi had no ambition.

The fact that he failed to grasp the bigger picture only reassured the Hokage—Kakashi was no threat to his authority.

Suddenly, the Third Hokage felt a surge of confidence, and his gaze toward Kakashi softened with approval.

This is how you control a shinobi.

.....

Meanwhile, Renn's actions had been simple.

What had he really done?

Nothing more than capturing a criminal who had incited conflict.

And arresting someone who had harassed his girlfriend.

Wasn't that precisely what a Guard Captain should do?

A competent officer didn't wait for the Hokage's orders—he acted.

Just like now.

"Go! Arrest Mitokado Homura!"

Konoha Village – Inner Core

At the entrance to Mitokado Homura's residence, Renn stood with his unit.

After instructing Kurenai Yuhi to return home and wash up, he wasted no time in assembling the Uchiha Police Force for a direct raid.

"Who are you?! The Konoha Military Police? Do you dare lay hands on a Hokage Advisor?"

"Is the Uchiha clan attempting a coup?!"

Shouts erupted from the guards at the estate's gate.

SMACK!

Uchiha Sanyo silenced one of them with a heavy slap, signaling the start of the arrest.

Standing tall, Uchiha Satoshi seized the moment to proclaim their authority.

"Konoha Military Police in action! Civilians, stand down!"

"The criminals that Anbu hesitate to capture—we will!"

"The matters that Hokage-sama finds inconvenient to handle—we will take care of them!"

"First arrest, then interrogate—that's the Captain's doctrine!"

"One thing is certain: even a Hokage Advisor is subject to the same laws as the villagers!"

His words sent a chill down the spines of the onlookers, and an eerie silence fell over the area.

This was no bluff.

The Uchiha Police Force was serious.

And they were here to enforce the law.