Chapter 41: Justice is delayed and cannot be delayed further...

Sarutobi Hiruzen had risen early and changed into mourning clothes.

Today his eldest son, Sarutobi Shinnosuke, was to be laid to rest.

As if the heavens disapproved, a fine, drizzling rain fell steadily from the grey sky.

"Let's go—to the Konoha cemetery."

With those heavy words Hiruzen took the lead, letting the rain soak his clothing.

Behind him walked Shinnosuke's widow, Sarutobi Nadeshiko, holding the hand of their young son, Sarutobi Konohamaru.

A number of members of the Sarutobi clan followed close behind.

Apart from them were only a handful of Shinnosuke's friends from his lifetime.

A funeral for the Hokage's firstborn ought, in truth, to have been far larger. Yet …

Rumors maligning Shinnosuke had grown ever louder throughout the village. Hiruzen—the Third Hokage—had tried to quell the gossip, but discovered he could not.

The more he pressed, the more the villagers believed the rumours to be true.

Konoha's obstinacy—a time‑honoured tradition.

Under such circumstances a grand ceremony would have been ill‑suited.

To many villagers, Shinnosuke was "a villain who abused his Hokage father's power."

To celebrate him lavishly in death would feel grossly unjust to those who claimed to have suffered at his hands.

Resigned, Hiruzen simplified everything, inviting only a few of his son's closest friends.

Before long they reached the cemetery, where the funeral home had already delivered Shinnosuke's coffin.

"Hokage-sama, may I see him one more time?"

Nadeshiko, eyes brimming with tears, squeezed Konohamaru's small hand.

"Of course," Hiruzen answered gravely.

"Mama, why is Father lying here…?"

Konohamaru, only three, spoke in muddled words.

Nadeshiko's tears finally spilled over.

"Konohamaru, your father has fallen asleep. This time he will sleep for a very, very long while. When you're older, you'll understand why."

A short distance away several funeral‑home attendants whispered among themselves.

"So that woman is Hokage-sama's daughter‑in‑law? She's beautiful.… Hey, Yamada, you're staring. Don't get any funny ideas—she might be a kunoichi who could kill you with one finger."

"Yamada? You've been odd these past two days. Don't tell me you've actually set your sights on the Hokage's widow?"

Yamada started, hastily protesting:

"Don't talk nonsense! If the Hokage heard that, I'd be finished."

Trying to steady his nerves he muttered, "It's about time. Shouldn't we lower the coffin now?"

His companions nodded.

But just as they moved, unexpected commotion burst out nearby. Raised voices reached them:

"Hey! Uchiha Chizumi! What are you doing here? You're not welcome today!"

"Uchiha Police Force on official business. Stand aside or be cut down."

"You—!"

One attendant stroked his stubbled chin. "Uchiha Chizumi… that name rings a bell."

He then noticed Yamada's face had gone pale.

"Yamada, are you all right? You look white as a sheet!"

"N‑no problem," Yamada stammered, lips trembling.

"I'm just wet from the rain—must have caught a chill…"

Inside he was screaming Impossible! There's no way what I did four years ago has come to light!

It must be a coincidence—Konoha isn't that big, and that plague from the Uchiha Police could plausibly be anywhere. I just had bad luck running into him, right?

Besides, I covered my tracks perfectly. Four years and no one from the police has bothered me. How could they possibly know?!

Elsewhere, Hiruzen and the others noticed the disturbance.

When the name "Uchiha Chizumi" reached him, Hiruzen's expression visibly darkened.

He saw his daughter‑in‑law, kneeling beside the coffin, suddenly standing.

Alarm shot through him—what rash thing might grief drive her to do?

"I'll go and see," he said. "Nadeshiko, stay here with Shinnosuke for this last stretch."

Taking a deep breath, he and two Anbu guards headed toward the uproar.

Just as he feared, he found the very person he least wished to meet these days—

Uchiha Chizumi.

Sarutobi clan shinobi blocking Chizumi stepped aside at Hiruzen's arrival and saluted.

Hiruzen moved forward until barely two paces separated them.

"Chizumi…"

"You know someone who has done what you did should not be here," Hiruzen said, voice complicated. "Your presence will only upset people and invite conflict. If you wish to pay respects to Shinnosuke, come tomorrow. Not today."

Seeing Chizumi at the funeral actually cooled some of Hiruzen's anger: at least the man still recalled their former bond as teacher and student; at least he had come to send Shinnosuke off.

Perhaps Chizumi's doctrine of Absolute Justice had not yet driven him to sever every tie.

Once, before Chizumi's blade had turned toward Hiruzen himself, the Third Hokage had thought: even if he is a double‑edged sword, handled well he will be an outstanding shinobi for Konoha.

But when that sword cut him, Hiruzen found Chizumi's "justice" so extreme it felt intolerable.

Chizumi's reply caught him off guard.

"Third, I may come one day to mourn Shinnosuke‑sensei—but not today. I am here to carry out justice."

Danger bells rang in Hiruzen's mind; the two Anbu behind him narrowed their eyes.

The atmosphere turned tense.

Carry out… justice?!

What did he mean?

"Uchiha Izumi."

"Here!"

A teenage girl stepped from behind Chizumi, her sudden shout startling Hiruzen.

"Explain," Chizumi ordered.

"Yes, Chizumi‑senpai!"

Mustering her courage, Izumi addressed the Hokage.

"Hokage-sama, senpai has uncovered a heinous dismemberment murder. He spent yesterday and this morning investigating suspects. Only one remains unexamined: Yamada Toshijirō of the Konoha Funeral Home."

Hiruzen frowned. "A dismemberment case?"

Izumi nodded.

"The victims were a mother and daughter. After killing them, the perpetrator cut up the bodies and dumped the pieces into Konoha's sewers. Senpai could recover only some bone fragments, but from them identified the victims. We have been eliminating suspects one by one; only Yamada Toshijirō is left."

Hiruzen fell silent.

He did, admittedly, place absolute faith in Chizumi's detective skills.

Yet …

"Chizumi," he said sternly, "today is Shinnosuke's burial. Let him have this moment of peace. If you must arrest someone, wait until the ceremony ends."

Chizumi's face did not change.

"Third, justice has already been delayed for four years. Would you have it delayed further?

Is the post‑mortem peace of a man fallen into darkness more important than overdue justice for two innocent victims?"

Hiruzen read unmistakable hostility in Chizumi's eyes—hostility Chizumi did nothing to hide.

"Give me this favour, Chizumi. Tomorrow."

"If your favour could turn back time and raise the dead, I would grant it," Chizumi said flatly.

Hiruzen saw Chizumi's right hand settle on his sword hilt.

The Anbu mirrored the motion.

The fragile calm shattered, swords a hair from being drawn.

"Chizumi, I am the Hokage—"

Click—Hiruzen's eyelid twitched as Chizumi's thumb popped the guard of his sword, revealing a span of glinting steel.

A dog I cannot control! Even Danzō never dared defy me so brazenly.

Face darkening, Hiruzen hissed, "Must it come to this?"

Chizumi drew the blade.

The two Anbu followed suit, stepping between him and their Hokage.

"Sheathe them," Hiruzen barked.

"Hokage-sama?"

"Sheathe them!"

Reluctantly the Anbu complied, though their eyes stayed sharp, ready to strike at any sign of violence.

Hiruzen gave Chizumi one long, hard look, then turned away without another word.

"Senpai, shall we—?" Izumi ventured, shaken by the standoff.

"Go inside and arrest him," Chizumi replied, expressionless.

"Yes, Senpai!"

~~~

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