Chapter 21: Absolute Justice Knows No Private or Public (Desperately Begging for Your Continued Read!)

Minutes passed, and the office was now left with only Uchiha Fugaku, the Uchiha ninja who had previously briefed him on the Tsukikage clan case, and Naruto Uzumaki—abandoned there by Uchiha Iizumi.

Uchiha Iizumi and Izumi had already left the Investigation Corps building.

Fugaku and Naruto stared at each other in silence.

Looking at the messy, youthful face of the Nine-Tails Jinchūriki, Fugaku saw a faint resemblance to the Fourth Hokage, Minato Namikaze.

Back when Minato was alive, relations between the Uchiha clan and the Leaf Village had been relatively peaceful.

But alas…

A flicker of complex emotion crossed Fugaku’s eyes as he recalled the final words he had spoken to Iizumi just before he left the office:

"Iizumi… Are you truly prepared to face the backlash if you lock Naruto Uzumaki in the Leaf Village Prison?"

"Your actions today will be known throughout the entire Leaf Village within hours. Everyone will know you brought Naruto Uzumaki into the Uchiha Compound."

"And—"

"Are you ready to suppress the restless factions within our clan?"

If the Uchiha hardliners found out that the Nine-Tails Jinchūriki was currently within the Uchiha residence…

Their hidden ambitions would flare up instantly.

Fugaku couldn’t guarantee what might happen.

He remembered Iizumi’s response—short, cold, and absolute:

"Absolute Justice knows no private or public."

Fugaku understood.

If any clan member dared to exploit the Nine-Tails’ power for evil, Iizumi would not hesitate. He would kill them—just as he had killed the Root ninjas—without regard for blood ties.

"Absolute Justice…" Fugaku exhaled deeply, his gaze fixed on Naruto. He murmured to himself, "Truly absolute."

He also remembered, as Iizumi stepped out the door, the chilling revelation he had dropped:

Shimura Danzō had been implanted with Sharingan from the Uchiha clan—and not just one. He had at least two.

And he could use Izanagi.

The sheer audacity of that information sent a shiver down Fugaku’s spine.

Iizumi had no obligation to protect Danzō’s secrets.

He had torn the veil off the man’s true nature—exposing him to the world.

…

"A born evil Uchiha brat!!!"

Even in the safety of the Root base, Danzō could not contain his rage. His teeth ground together so hard they threatened to shatter.

A brief but brutal clash had cost Root two elite operatives.

Now he had lost one Three Tomoe Sharingan—and one ear.

Once, the bandages around his head had concealed the stolen Sharingan. Now they wrapped tightly around his injured ear, a constant reminder of the agony that flared with every breath.

Worse still?

The possibility that Izanagi had been revealed to the enemy…

The consequences of exposing a bloodline limit’s secrets—especially one as dangerous as the Sharingan—were unbearable, even for Danzō.

"Damn it! If that monkey hadn’t interfered—hadn’t shown up at the last moment—I would’ve killed that Uchiha brat and erased the risk before it even began!"

The more he thought, the angrier he became.

Then, suddenly, a voice cut through the silence:

"But if I hadn’t arrived in time, you would’ve kept me in the dark for the rest of my life—still ignorant of your stolen Sharingan."

Danzō’s pupils contracted.

He recognized that voice.

Hiruzen Sarutobi stood before him—uninvited, unwelcome.

And behind him, two Anbu squads had already silently secured the key Root operatives, preventing any alarm from being raised.

"I don’t know what you’re talking about!" Danzō shot back instantly, denying everything.

He narrowed his eyes, voice dripping with sarcasm: "You’ve discovered my new Root base just months after its construction… How impressive, Hokage. You really do keep your ears close to the ground."

Hiruzen crossed his arms behind his back.

"I am the Hokage of the Leaf Village. It is my duty to know everything within the village. Isn’t that obvious?"

"Danzō, Iizumi has already told me about your secrets. If you claim ignorance, then show me what lies beneath your bandages."

His gaze burned into Danzō’s.

The older man’s expression darkened visibly.

Hiruzen continued, voice low and grave: "We’ve fought side by side for years. Your face may fool others—but not me. Now… give me a reason not to remove you from office."

"Remove me?" Danzō’s voice cracked with disbelief. "I’ve served the village with blood and sacrifice! And now you’d strip me of my rank over a mere Sharingan?"

Hiruzen’s eyes remained unblinking.

"So I’ll give you a chance. Give me a justification that will satisfy everyone."

Danzō suddenly smirked.

"Or is it really just about giving you a reason that satisfies you?"

Hiruzen didn’t respond.

He simply stared.

…

"Uchiha Iizumi… captured the Jinchūriki?"

Tsunade Konoha and Hyūga Menji—two of the Leaf Village’s highest-ranking officials—had quickly received the same staggering news.

It wasn’t just a rumor. The truth had already spread through half the village.

But most villagers only knew of Naruto Uzumaki as a boy rumored to be a demonic fox spirit. Few understood the full weight of being a Nine-Tails Jinchūriki.

"And… did Minato really attend?" Tsunade Konoha was stunned. "How could he allow the Jinchūriki to be taken by an Uchiha? And into the Uchiha Compound?!"

She stood abruptly, pacing back and forth.

"No! We must retrieve the Jinchūriki immediately! He cannot remain in the Uchiha district!"

"Otherwise…"

The memory of the Nine-Tails' attack years ago sent a chill down her spine.

Just as she clenched her fists, she noticed Hyūga Menji remained silent.

She shot him a glare.

"Well? Say something!"

Menji spoke slowly, voice heavy with warning: "Do you really think the Uchiha can be so easily forced to release him? That’s a man even Minato hesitates to confront."

Tsunade gritted her teeth. "So we just sit by while another catastrophe looms?"

"We don’t need a direct confrontation with Iizumi," Menji replied, calm and measured. "We only need to pressure Fugaku. After all, he’s the Investigation Corps Head. Iizumi is just a member."

"I believe Minato is thinking the same way. There are other ways to reclaim the Jinchūriki—ways that bypass Iizumi’s so-called ‘Absolute Justice.’"

"The Leaf Village has always been about balance and order. Never about absolute justice."

Tsunade paused, her anger cooling.

"Then… we wait and see what Minato decides."

…

…

Recommended reading: Uchiha: Starting from the Destruction of the Ninja World

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end