Chapter 57: ANBU's Response
After three solid strikes, the villagers who had sheltered the fleeing rioters instantly regretted their decision from just a few minutes earlier.
"Officer! Stop! I have nothing to do with this!"
"You have nothing to do with this? Then why are these rioters hiding in your house?" A Police Department member swung his baton against the man's waist without mercy.
"I think you're their accomplice! Take him away!"
---
Meanwhile, Naruto had just picked up a takeout order from Ichiraku Ramen, intending to get some for Kakashi as well. As he stepped outside, he was greeted with the chaotic sight of what looked like an unrestricted brawl tournament taking place on the streets.
"What... what's going on here?" Naruto was completely stunned by the scene before him.
Although he recognized one of the people being beaten—a frequent troublemaker who used to insult him—his kind heart still made him want to speak up in their defense.
Before he could say anything, his collar was grabbed from behind.
Turning around, he saw an Uchiha squad leader glaring at him with blood-red Sharingan.
"Where did this brat come from? Didn't you hear about the curfew? Get home!"
Uchiha Toran's actions immediately alerted the ANBU squad tasked with protecting Naruto, and they quickly revealed themselves.
However, before they could even speak, Uchiha Toran casually tossed Naruto into their arms.
"You guys showed up just in time—take this kid home and don't let him wander around!"
"Understood." The ANBU member nodded and took Naruto from Toran's grasp. Given that Naruto was the Jinchuriki, they couldn't afford to take any risks.
---
While chaos erupted on the streets, Uchiha Douhuan and Uchiha Fugaku, along with Aburame Shihai, the Sixth Division Commander tasked with staying behind, were leisurely sipping tea in Fugaku's office.
"Douhuan, aren't you going to go out and take a look?" Fugaku asked, puzzled. After all, Douhuan had issued the order and then dragged him in for tea.
"I can't go out just yet," Douhuan smiled.
"If I go out now, the Third Hokage might truly lose his composure."
"Come on, have some tea!" Douhuan handed a cup to each of them with a calm demeanor.
"I've often heard that Douhuan-sama's tea-making skills are top-notch. Didn't think I'd get the chance to taste it today," Aburame Shihai remarked with a chuckle, accepting the cup.
---
Meanwhile, in the Hokage's office, Hiruzen Sarutobi was listening to the ANBU's report on the chaos spreading through the village.
"You see that, Hiruzen?" Koharu Utatane, who had barged into the office to complain, couldn't help but exclaim,
"The Uchiha are outright attacking villagers! Isn't this clear evidence of rebellion? Hiruzen, you can't hesitate anymore!"
Sarutobi, already annoyed by his old comrades' persistent nagging, waved his hand dismissively. He then turned to the newly appointed ANBU leader, formerly Kakashi's successor.
"Where is Uchiha Douhuan right now?"
"Hokage-sama, he's still inside the Police Department, and he hasn't made any moves."
"I see," Sarutobi nodded, finally feeling a bit more at ease.
It seemed Douhuan was not planning a coup. If that had been the case, Douhuan—being the Uchiha Clan's strongest—would not have stayed put while his subordinates did all the work.
"Anbu Captain, go and invite Uchiha Douhuan to the Hokage building," Sarutobi ordered with a weary sigh.
"Understood." The ANBU leader, codenamed Ka-Ni, nodded and left.
"Hiruzen, you really can't hesitate anymore! Isn't the Uchiha rebellion obvious by now?" Homura Mitokado added, stamping his foot in frustration.
But Sarutobi ignored him, lighting his pipe and staring into space.
---
While the advisors kept ranting about the Uchiha's supposed rebellion, Sarutobi reflected on the situation in silence.
Frankly, he was deeply disappointed in both Koharu and Homura. The duo's clumsy, uncoordinated scheming had forced the Police Department to react strongly, leaving him, the Hokage, with little room to maneuver.
In the past, even Danzo would at least inform him before taking major actions, giving him a chance to cover up or back off as needed.
But these two? They acted on their own, without informing him at all. Worse, they triggered a village-wide disturbance that the Police Department was now exploiting to legitimize their crackdown.
The worst part was that their scheme had ended up pushing Kakashi directly toward the Uchiha, despite Sarutobi's earlier plans to keep Kakashi close by giving him custody of Naruto.
Now, thanks to their reckless actions, Kakashi's loyalty was at risk, and the Uchiha were being strengthened instead.
After a long, tense silence, Sarutobi finally sighed and gave his next order.
"Send out the ANBU to moderate the situation, and mobilize the Ino-Shika-Cho trio along with their jounin squads to support."
"Understood." An ANBU operative acknowledged the order and swiftly left the office.
---
As the ANBU members moved through the streets, they quickly encountered a scene where a Police Department officer was chasing down three fleeing villagers, baton swinging relentlessly.
"What are you doing?" One of the ANBU stepped forward, trying to restrain the officer from delivering another beating.
The three terrified villagers immediately scrambled behind the ANBU member, seeking refuge.
The officer, undaunted even in the presence of the ANBU, responded with a scowl:
"Police Department mission—arresting rioters who spread slander against Hero Kakashi Hatake and violently resisted police enforcement. Are you here to protect these criminals?"
The ANBU hesitated, realizing the officer's words had merit.
"Ah, I see. My apologies. Just... be careful not to kill anyone."
"Understood." The officer nodded and continued his pursuit, leaving the villagers staring in disbelief as the ANBU casually jumped over the nearest wall and disappeared.
---
Throughout the village, similar scenes repeated themselves.
Every time an ANBU team encountered Police Department members beating down rioters, they would first inquire about the situation. Upon learning that the mission involved subduing rebellious villagers and protecting Kakashi's reputation, most ANBU would simply nod and move on.
Occasionally, they would issue a simple warning to avoid fatalities, but for the most part, they did not interfere.
The sentiment among the ANBU was clear: as long as the Police Department wasn't excessively brutal and no lives were lost, they had no intention of getting involved.
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