Early the next morning, just as Uchiha Jin returned from the training grounds, Uchiha Tekka approached him with a rigid bow.
"Jin-sama, an Anbu operative is here," Tekka reported, his voice low.
"Expected," Jin replied casually. The Anbu were the Hokage's personal black-ops unit; their arrival meant Shisui had delivered his report, and the village leadership was making its move. "Bring Elder Setsuna here."
Ten minutes later, Elder Setsuna and a masked Anbu operative entered Jin's courtyard simultaneously.
The Anbu did not bow. "Uchiha Jin. The Third Hokage summons you."
'Bang!' Before Jin could respond, Setsuna slammed his hand onto a wooden table, his face twisting in fury. "Show some respect! You are speaking to a Clan Elder!"
The Anbu remained silent. As a direct proxy of the Hokage, submitting to an Uchiha was strictly forbidden by protocol. However, the operative made no aggressive moves either. Intelligence reports indicated the young man sitting before him was currently the most lethal and unpredictable threat within the clan.
"Enough, Elder Setsuna," Jin said, his tone mild. "He is merely a tool following protocol. Harassing him serves no tactical purpose."
Jin stood up, adjusting his dark high-collared shirt. He looked directly at the Anbu, ensuring his next words were memorized word-for-word. "I will head to the Hokage's office immediately. Elder Setsuna, mobilize the Radical Faction's elite vanguard. Proceed directly to the perimeter of the Sarutobi clan compound and hold position. Follow the contingency plan."
Jin smiled pleasantly. He made no effort to hide his orders from the Anbu. Leaving the masked operative frozen in shock, Jin walked out the door and headed toward the Hokage tower.
'The logic was simple Mutually Assured Destruction (MAD),' Jin thought as he walked. 'If Hiruzen plans an ambush or attempts to detain me in that office, the Radical Faction will instantly breach his clan's compound and slaughter his family. It is the ultimate insurance policy.'
***
Twenty minutes later, Jin entered the Hokage's office. The Anbu messenger had clearly rushed ahead to deliver Jin's deployment orders, as the operative was just exiting the room, his posture stiff.
Jin swept his gaze across the room. The absolute peak of Konoha's political power was gathered here.
"Lord Hokage," Jin greeted politely, dipping his head slightly. "Assistant Danzo. Elder Koharu. Elder Homura. Commander Shikaku. Good morning to you all."
Jin wore a warm, accommodating smile. Combined with his refined features, he almost radiated the gentle charisma of the late Fourth Hokage, Minato Namikaze. Yet, knowing the ruthless violence this young man had orchestrated just hours prior, every leader in the room felt a chill crawl up their spine.
The Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, took a slow drag from his pipe. His eyes were dark and heavy. "Jin, may I ask why you have ordered Elder Setsuna to deploy an armed Uchiha detachment to my clan's compound?"
Despite the underlying fury, Hiruzen kept his tone carefully measured.
"To protect the Sarutobi clan, of course," Jin answered smoothly, not missing a beat. "Recently, enemy spies have infiltrated the village. Dozens of Uchiha have mysteriously vanished, and just last night, elite Root and Anbu squads were completely eradicated. As the Konoha Military Police Force, it is our sworn duty to increase security. Lord Hokage works tirelessly for the village; the least the Police Force can do is ensure your family's safety so you have no worries."
The room plunged into a suffocating silence.
It was a masterclass in political extortion. Jin was using the Uchiha's official police mandate as a legitimate shield to hold the Hokage's family hostage. Hiruzen could not openly refuse the "protection" without publicly declaring that he did not trust the village's official Police Force, which would shatter the fragile political facade between the village and the clan.
"Insolent brat!" Danzo Shimura snarled, his lone visible eye flashing with murder. "The Sarutobi clan does not need Uchiha protection!"
"Oh, I see," Jin replied, his smile unwavering. "I understand completely. So, Assistant Danzo is officially stating that if the Sarutobi clan is attacked, and its members are massacred, the Uchiha Police Force bears zero responsibility?" Jin looked directly at Hiruzen. "Lord Hokage, please issue that statement to me in writing right now, and I will recall my forces immediately."
Once again, the elders choked on their words.
Issuing such a document was impossible. The moment Hiruzen signed away the Police Force's responsibility, this lunatic would undoubtedly order his men to slaughter the Sarutobi compound, legally washing his hands of the incident.
Hiruzen's face darkened in the shadows of his Hokage hat. He remained silent, puffing aggressively on his pipe. Danzo gripped his cane, furious but acutely aware he had been outmaneuvered into a logical dead end.
Koharu slammed her hand on the desk. "Uchiha Jin, your arrogance knows no bounds! Disrespecting the Hokage like this—is the Uchiha planning a rebellion?"
Homura chimed in immediately, "Your attitude borders on treason!"
Jin merely shrugged. "So, according to the Elders, executing my official Police duties and actively caring for the Hokage's family constitutes treason and disrespect? Fascinating logic."
Koharu: "..."
Homura: "..."
Both elders froze, thoroughly humiliated.
'Pathetic,' Jin analyzed internally. 'These people have ruled for so long they forgot how to argue. They rely entirely on their titles to enforce compliance. The moment someone strips away their authority and challenges their actual logic, they collapse.' Watching his lifelong friends fail so miserably, Hiruzen sighed internally. He shifted his gaze to the man standing quietly in the corner: Shikaku Nara, the village's Jonin Commander and chief strategist.
Shikaku felt his scalp prickle. He desperately wanted to stay out of the Uchiha's suicidal political war, but a direct order from the Hokage could not be ignored. He stepped forward with a forced cough.
"Let us focus on the primary issue, Jin," Shikaku began, employing his trademark analytical tone. "Regarding the annihilation of the Root and Anbu squads last night, many within the village—and even within your own clan—suspect your Radical Faction is responsible. How do you explain this?"
Jin's eyes narrowed slightly.
'A self-proving trap,' Jin noted. 'A classic interrogation tactic. By asking me to 'explain' the suspicions, Shikaku is attempting to shift the burden of proof onto me. If I defend myself, I enter a reactive state, allowing him to pick apart my alibi.' Unfortunately for Shikaku, Jin possessed a modern understanding of legal debate.
"Your premise is flawed, Commander Shikaku," Jin countered instantly, his voice cutting like a blade. "The burden of proof lies with the accuser. You must prove I am guilty, not demand I prove I am innocent."
Jin took a step forward, turning his analytical gaze entirely onto Shikaku. "If we are convicting people based entirely on suspicion and motive, then my faction strongly suspects the Ino-Shika-Cho alliance orchestrated the murders last night. After all, your three clans have the greatest motive to destabilize the village."
Shikaku's eyes widened.
Jin didn't stop. He systematically laid out the village's darkest political secret. "During the Fourth Hokage's reign, your alliance held immense power. You, Shikaku, were the Jonin Commander. Inoichi Yamanaka led the Intelligence Division. Choza Akimichi controlled the Barrier Team. But after the Fourth died and the Third Hokage retook power, what happened? Inoichi was replaced by Morino Ibiki. Choza was dismissed and sits at home. And you were stripped of your actual military command, left with an empty 'Advisor' title. Your political investments were wiped out."
Jin tilted his head, his smile returning, razor-sharp. "So, Commander Shikaku, given your obvious motive for revenge against the current administration, why don't you explain where you were last night?"
Shikaku felt the blood drain from his face.
A cold sweat broke out across his forehead. Jin hadn't just deflected the trap; he had weaponized it. By stating the objective history of the Ino-Shika-Cho's demotion aloud, Jin had actively stroked the paranoia of the Konoha F4. Shikaku could already feel Danzo and the Elders glaring at him with renewed suspicion.
"Jin, that is baseless slander!" Shikaku panicked, waving his hands frantically, completely abandoning his interrogation. "Inoichi and Choza stepped down due to health reasons! The Ino-Shika-Cho harbor absolutely zero resentment toward the Hokage! We are entirely loyal!"