So fast.
Seeing the ANBU appear before him, Uchiha Yuan could not help but think to himself.
"What do you think you're doing?!"
Uchiha Tonghu stepped forward from behind Yuan and barked angrily at the ANBU.
At the same time, the surrounding Police Force members began shouting in fury. Their expressions darkened as they closed in on the two ANBU operatives.
Swish, swish, swish!
Several more figures flashed into existence behind the two ANBU. More masked shinobi revealed themselves, weapons drawn, killing intent surging as they confronted the Police Force.
"Is the Uchiha Police Force planning to defy the village's orders? Do you intend to rebel?!"
The ANBU captain did not retreat an inch. His icy gaze locked onto Tonghu's as he spoke sternly.
Tonghu glared back viciously. "With a single sentence you want to arrest our squad leader? Are you trying to start a war with the Police Force?!"
"Uchiha Yuan's arrest is a direct order from the village."
More and more Police Force members gathered.
A figure landed before the ANBU—it was Uchiha Yi, captain of First Squad.
He frowned. "Uchiha Yuan is a squad leader of the Police Force. Even if the village wishes to detain him, it should go through us first—not send ANBU to seize him directly."
"That's right!"
"Since when can the village handle Police Force members without us?"
"Get out of here! How dare ANBU cause trouble on our grounds!"
"If Yuan truly committed wrongdoing, we would discipline him ourselves. It's not the village's place to interfere!"
The enraged Police Force surrounded the ANBU. Killing intent rolled forward like a tidal wave.
Behind their masks, the ANBU grew tense, standing back-to-back as they watched the encirclement tighten.
"Enough. All of you, stand down."
Yuan's voice cut through the chaos. He stepped forward from the crowd and walked calmly to the front.
"I'll go with them."
"Yuan-sama! They're here to arrest you. We should let the Clan Head negotiate first," Tonghu said urgently.
Yuan raised a hand, composed. "There's no need. I am innocent. I trust the village will not act recklessly."
"Uchiha Yuan, you disappoint me. When did you become so timid?"
The voice belonged to Uchiha Takahiko of Sixth Squad.
Yuan glanced at him coldly. "Captain Takahiko, I believe the Clan Head will stand behind me."
He then turned toward the ANBU captain. "Understand this. I am merely suspected of having connections to Orochimaru-senpai's defection. Until evidence is presented, I am not a criminal—but a key officer of the Police Force.
"I am cooperating with your investigation."
Faced with Yuan's oppressive gaze, the ANBU captain did not press further. "Understood."
With a gesture, the ANBU lowered their weapons.
"Let's go."
Yuan stepped forward. In the next instant, he and the ANBU vanished.
—
Police Force Headquarters, Chief's Office.
After hearing the report, Uchiha Fugaku fell silent before smiling faintly.
"Yuan has not disappointed me. He understands the bigger picture. Enduring this for the sake of the clan was the correct choice."
"I don't understand," Takahiko said.
"The village went too far—sending ANBU directly to take him!"
Fugaku's voice deepened. "Orochimaru's defection is a grave matter. Because we supported his candidacy, the village likely suspects we were secretly aligned with him.
"Sending ANBU to seize Yuan may also have been a test of our reaction.
"Remember, the village now holds the moral high ground. The news of forbidden human experimentation has been made public. The entire village supports punishing those involved.
"If you had clashed with ANBU just now, the Uchiha would have been labeled accomplices. That would justify stripping us of even more authority."
Silence fell over the room.
"So we just watch as Yuan is taken?" Uchiha Shiratori of First Company asked.
Uchiha Hyōga of Second Company frowned. "Yuan was close to Orochimaru. We don't know if he was uninvolved in those experiments."
Fugaku replied, "For now, we observe. This is a sensitive time.
"From Yuan's conduct, I believe he had nothing to do with the experiments. We must trust him."
—
Meanwhile, Yuan followed the ANBU to a heavily guarded cavern.
Escorted down a straight descending staircase, he entered a vast underground chamber.
Torches flickered along the rock walls, casting shifting shadows across the dim space.
So this is the ANBU prison.
He surveyed the area calmly.
More detainees were being brought in. He even recognized several jōnin—former subordinates of Orochimaru during the Sunagakure front.
A masked ANBU wearing a Yellow Flash-faced mask appeared before him. One of the escorting ANBU stepped forward and whispered into his ear.
After hearing the report, the cat-masked ANBU showed a trace of surprise. He had expected resistance, not cooperation.
"By order of the Third Hokage, all suspects are to be treated as major offenders. Please understand. I must now apply a chakra-sealing technique."
Yuan withdrew his gaze from a raised platform within the chamber and looked at him calmly. "Proceed."
The cat-masked ANBU gestured. Three more ANBU flashed into position around Yuan.
All four formed hand seals simultaneously and placed their palms against his chest, back, and limbs.
Four sealing arrays flared briefly—then faded from sight.
The interrogation had begun.
Some people die…
But they don't die completely.
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