Chapter 17: "All I Killed Was a Rogue Ninja!"  

Uchiha Shisui hesitated. 

He had intended to use force to take Yoru by any means necessary—but not if it meant outright conflict with the entire Uchiha clan. Now that Fugaku himself had stepped in, acting would betray his original purpose. Worse, the Hokage's orders were clear: suppress the Uchiha's rising war fervor. If he fought now, he'd only pour oil on the flames. 

So instead, Shisui spoke low: "Clan Leader, this matter is too grave. Though Hokage-sama stripped En'o of his title, he was still the Sarutobi's longtime patriarch. For the village's sake… please hand Yoru over to the Hokage's judgment." 

Fugaku's reply was icy calm. "That's precisely what I intend." 

Shisui had no choice but to relent. "Then let this end here. The Hokage will decide the rest." 

With Shisui backing down, Sarutobi Shinnosuke couldn't act recklessly either. But the Sarutobi clansmen, watching En'o's death go unavenged, seethed. 

"Our leader's blood cries for justice!" 

"We won't let his killer walk free!" 

To everyone's surprise, Shinnosuke was the one who stepped forward to restrain them. 

"Uncle En'o's death wounds me as deeply as any of you. But trust the Hokage to deliver justice. Rash action will only bring ruin!" 

A Sarutobi ninja spat back: "So even ANBU sides with the Uchiha now?! First you block our path, now you shield his killer?!" 

Shinnosuke's patience snapped. His own subordinates had died stopping these fanatics—and now they dared accuse him? 

"ANBU acted on the Hokage's orders!" he snarled, dark chakra flaring. "You slaughtered loyal shinobi for your pride. Push further, and ANBU will crush you." 

The threat hung in the air. With En'o gone, the Sarutobi stood no chance. Reluctantly, they gathered their leader's corpse—but not before shooting Yoru and Shinnosuke venomous glares. 

As they retreated, Shinnosuke exhaled. "Clan Leader Fugaku, I trust you'll handle this… fairly." 

Then ANBU vanished like shadows. 

Only the Uchiha remained. Fugaku finally allowed himself to breathe. 

Today nearly became the spark that ignited war with the Sarutobi—no, the entire village. The consequences would've been unthinkable. 

His gaze lingered on Shisui. The prodigy's earlier stance had sown doubt. Fugaku knew Shisui was close to Hiruzen… but how close? The clan's hardliners saw Shisui as their trump card—without him, rebellion was doomed. But if their strongest weapon was truly the Hokage's pawn… 

What future awaits the Uchiha? 

His eyes shifted to the other variable: Yoru. 

Shisui, too, stared at Yoru—who sheathed his sword, indifferent. Around him, Uchiha clansmen like Hayate and Yamakaze rallied, their admiration palpable. 

The sight deepened Shisui's unease. 

Approaching Fugaku, he urged: "Clan Leader, to calm tensions, Yoru must face the Hokage at once." 

Fugaku's question was deceptively casual: "Shisui… if battle had erupted, what would you have done?" 

"I…" Shisui paused. "I'd never let the Uchiha fight Konoha." 

Fugaku's brow furrowed. No direct answer—yet it said everything. 

"Yoru," he called. "To the Hokage." 

Yoru nodded. 

In the Hokage's office, Hiruzen's fist slammed the desk as Shinnosuke finished his report. 

"That fool En'o!" he roared. "To think he'd stoop to this—killing three ANBU?! He deserved his death!" 

Shinnosuke clenched his jaw. "Father—Hokage-sama—even so, we can't let the Uchiha slaughter Sarutobi unchecked!" 

Hiruzen's eyes hardened as Fugaku and Yoru entered. 

"Clan Leader Fugaku," he began, voice like steel, "you promised to discipline Yoru. Yet he's slain two Sarutobi without trial. Explain this." 

Before Fugaku could speak, Yoru cut in: 

"Hokage-sama, where was my crime?" 

Hiruzen's glare could've melted stone. 

Yoru pressed on: "If the Uchiha marched on the Sarutobi compound, would they have surrendered peacefully?" 

"My duty is to prevent infighting!" Hiruzen snapped. 

"Exactly. By killing En'o, I prevented war. Had I waited, his madness would've drowned the streets in blood. Tell me—should the Uchiha have let him slaughter our clansmen first?" 

A beat of silence. Shinnosuke's fists trembled. 

Yoru drove the knife deeper: "En'o murdered ANBU. In any village, that's treason. I didn't kill a clan leader—I executed a rogue ninja. And that… is no crime." 

Hiruzen's teeth ground together. The boy's logic was infuriating… but airtight. En'o's recklessness had been witnessed by half the village. There was no spinning this. 

That damned fool… Hiruzen cursed inwardly. He's left me no choice. 

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