Chapter 16: The Four Asumas

"Whether it is slander or not, neither of us has the final say; only the evidence does." Uchiha Toukan’s expression turned cold. "By the way, you have arrived at a perfect time. According to the confession of your accomplice, Shimura Retto, you were also involved in Shimura Danzo’s theft of the Kekkei Genkai from our fellow ninja. Military Police Force, take the suspect, Shimura Hiro, into custody!"

As soon as Uchiha Toukan’s voice fell, several Uchiha clan members surged out from the Military Police Force headquarters, intent on apprehending Shimura Hiro on the spot.

"Uchiha Toukan!" Koharu Utatane, accustomed to her high-ranking position, was infuriated that he would show her no respect and attempt to make an arrest right in front of her. She shouted sharply, "How dare you!"

"I am listening," Uchiha Toukan replied, tilting his head and looking down at her from the steps of the headquarters.

"How dare you act like this? Who gave you the authority to make arrests?" Koharu demanded.

"A fair question!" Uchiha Toukan bellowed. His blade unsheathed, and two streaks of lightning-charged sword light hissed past the two advisors, striking at Shimura Hiro’s feet. The explosion from the lightning-attribute chakra forced back the Shimura clan members trying to intervene while knocking Shimura Hiro to the ground. In an instant, the members of the Uchiha Military Police swarmed him and brought him under control.

"You ask who gave me the authority? I will tell you," Uchiha Toukan walked slowly down the steps until he stood before the two advisors. "That night, in the face of Shimura Danzo’s criminal acts, it was the Third Hokage himself who entrusted the Uchiha clan with the full authority to investigate. Is that reason enough?"

"When the Second Hokage established the Military Police Force and entrusted the Uchiha clan with such a heavy responsibility, it was to protect the village and purge malignant tumors like the network of Shimura Danzo—those who would harm their own comrades for selfish gains! Is that reason enough?"

Uchiha Toukan stepped in front of Koharu, bowed toward the Hokage Rock, and then stared at her. "If Advisor Koharu still feels this is insufficient, then what of the oath made by the First Hokage at the village's founding—the vow to protect every single comrade within these walls? Is that enough?"

"Today, it is not I who wishes to arrest him; it is the eleven thousand ninjas and eighty-five thousand citizens of the Hidden Leaf Village in the Land of Fire who can no longer tolerate such a cancer!"

"Uchiha Toukan, you!" Homura Mitokado, standing to the side, wanted to interject, but with the First Hokage’s name invoked, he found himself at a loss for words.

The Military Police Force had posted notices recruiting civilian ninjas for two days, and many had come to try their luck. The spectacle drew a large crowd of these civilian ninjas, who gathered to watch.

"So the Uchiha clan values justice after all. It seems the rumors in the village aren't entirely reliable," these civilians whispered to one another.

The Shimura clan deserved it; relying on their influence, they had become arrogant in the village, and now they had finally hit a wall. Their reputation was no better than the Uchiha’s, and the civilians couldn't help but gloat at their misfortune.

"As for the two advisors, why have you come with such fanfare? Are you trying to cover something up?" Uchiha Toukan narrowed his eyes, surveying them. "I hear the two of you have a rather close relationship with Danzo."

"Silence, Uchiha Toukan! Do not spout nonsense!" Homura retorted angrily. "I will report today’s events to the Hokage exactly as they occurred."

"Be my guest!" Uchiha Toukan scoffed and turned, walking back into the headquarters without looking back.

"Why are the two advisors still lingering? Do you need us to escort you out?" Uchiha Fugaku spoke up.

"Hmph." Having failed to gain any leverage and facing the strange looks from the surrounding civilian ninjas, the two advisors could only huff and storm off.

After Shimura Hiro was dragged into the interrogation room, the three Shimura clan members already inside turned pale with terror. They had expected their clan head and the advisors to rescue them, but now they were trapped themselves.

"Take good care of our Clan Head Shimura," Uchiha Toukan said, tossing Shimura Hiro into the room like a dead dog. "Be careful, don't get any blood on you. We wouldn't want to offend the spirits of our ancestors during tonight's funeral."

"Understood!" the clan members replied in unison.

With everything arranged, Uchiha Toukan left the force. To honor the Sharingan eyes that had been humiliated by Shimura Danzo, the Uchiha clan held a solemn funeral.

"Clan Head, aside from the Shimura, Mitokado, and Utatane clans, offerings have arrived from every other major clan," Uchiha Inabi reported as he hurried to meet Uchiha Toukan at the clan shrine.

"I see. Go and invite Elder Fugaku here," Uchiha Toukan replied.

Uchiha Inabi nodded and departed. Toukan then proceeded to the area where the funeral offerings were kept.

He waited for Uchiha Fugaku to arrive before opening the offerings from the Yamanaka clan. The top layers contained only common items, but beneath them lay stacks of gold and two land deeds for the village.

Fugaku’s eyes lit up as he looked at Toukan. "Is this the money you managed to secure?"

Toukan nodded, checking the items carefully, his brow furrowing. "This is not the full amount."

He proceeded to open the offerings from the Akimichi and Nara clans as well; they were identical to the Yamanaka’s.

"This is a warning," Toukan sneered, calculating the total value. The three clans had delivered exactly 140 million Ryo—the price of four Asumas. It was a "protection fee" from the Ino-Shika-Cho trio regarding the Danzo incident.

By sending these gifts together, the message was clear: they were warning the Uchiha to stop here, demonstrating that the three clans stood united and feared no one.

"Hmph, Ino-Shika-Cho, is it?" Fugaku laughed coldly.

"It doesn't matter. They were never worth much to win over anyway; getting this money is a pleasant surprise." Toukan was not annoyed. The Ino-Shika-Cho trio had been inseparable from the Sarutobi clan since the Warring States period, with each generation swearing the "earring oath" under the witness of the current Sarutobi head. Toukan had never expected to pull them to his side.