[Read up to Chapter - 118 on P atreon at: p-atreon.com/Knockturn_Alley]
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Police Station, Konohagakure
"Patriarch, Uzumaki Kushina is here to see you."
'Finally here, huh?' thought Kanzou, chuckling internally, and nodded calmly, "Let her in. You all leave for now."
He had already anticipated that Kushina would come to see him.
The moment she hears from Namikaze Minato's squadmate that he had been arrested, there was no way she would be able to sit still.
Sure enough, soon after the clansmen in his office left, a loud bang echoed through the hallway as the office door flew open, nearly torn off its hinges by a powerful punch.
Kushina stormed in, her face burning with anger.
"Uchiha Kanzou! How dare you arrest Minato-kun?!"
She had already been unsure of how to face Minato after what happened.
But then came the shocking news that he'd been taken away by the Police Force, labeled as an accomplice of Jiraiya.
As for Jiraiya peeping on the women's bathhouse in Konoha… Kushina didn't doubt that for a second.
She absolutely believed that the lecherous old man could do something like that.
But Minato would never do something like that; Kushina trusted his character completely.
"My office door is broken. How do you plan to compensate for that?" Kanzou asked calmly, his tone light and mocking.
"Compensate?" Kushina clenched her teeth in anger and threw a punch at him.
With no Mikoto around, she could finally take a swing at this bastard. "Here's the compensation… take it with you to your grave, die!" she roared as she swung her hand at his face.
Smack!
Her fist was caught mid-air. Kanzou's hand clamped around it effortlessly. After acquiring the Uzumaki Sage Body, his strength had increased significantly.
"Attacking the captain of the Konoha Police Force? That too in his office… Well, I commend your guts… but guts alone won't get you far enough… and there are consequences for certain actions. Shall I arrest you right now?" Kanzou asked with a smirk.
"Go ahead and try! Do you think I, Uzumaki Kushina, would be scared of you?" she snapped back, still trying to break free.
But no matter how hard she struggled, Kanzou's grip didn't budge an inch.
Even her full strength wasn't enough to free her hand from his grasp, which deeply shocked her because she hadn't met anyone so far who could hold her.
"Damn bastard, don't mess with me!" Kushina swung her free hand, aiming a punch at Kanzou's smug face.
But Kanzou quickly stepped back, then yanked the fist he was already holding, pulling Kushina straight into his arms.
With both arms, he locked her in place, restraining her completely. Her limbs were pinned, and with her arms trapped, she couldn't even weave hand signs for ninjutsu.
From a distance, the scene might have looked like a loving couple embracing, if one ignored the fury burning in Kushina's eyes.
Chakra surged violently from her body, furious and untamed. The sheer pressure of it could shake the room itself.
But Kanzou didn't budge.
Having inherited the Uzumaki Sage Body in its purest form, Kanzou's chakra reserves were now even more terrifying than Kushina's. Unless she could tap into the power of the Nine Tails, she wouldn't be able to overwhelm him, neither in quantity nor in quality.
And obviously, with Nine-tails under his control, she can't tap into its power… not unless he allows it.
"Come on, we're technically partners in a crime who even shared a bed, are you trying to kill the man you held on to and begged to in euphoria just last night?"
"Shut up!" Hearing Kanzou say that only made Kushina even angrier.
If she were a Uchiha, the sheer hatred she felt for Kanzou right now might've been enough to awaken the Mangekyō Sharingan.
After all, it wasn't witnessing the death of loved ones that truly triggered it; it was intense emotional turmoil, and Kushina was overflowing with it.
"Such anger… Even though your seal is stable, if your emotions spiral out of control, the Nine Tails could still take over, ya'know," Kanzou said, still holding her tightly.
Obviously, this was a lie… a lie he spoke to shock Kushina, and sure enough, it worked.
"You... you know about the Nine Tails?" Kushina stared at Kanzou in shock.
Very few people were aware of the beast sealed inside her.
Being the Nine-Tails' Jinchūriki was one of Konoha's most closely guarded secrets, and barely anyone was supposed to know.
Not even Namikaze Minato knew this secret; at least, not yet, she had purposely kept it from him, fearing that if he found out, he might start to distance himself from her.
"How do you know I'm the Nine-Tails' Jinchūriki?" she demanded.
"Kushina-chan… have you already forgotten what happened between us last night?" Kanzou said with a faint, knowing smile. "You were completely naked in my arms, and I invaded your most private place in the most intimate way possible… while doing all that… did you really think I wouldn't notice the thing sealed inside you?"
Kanzou's words pricked through her heart. As much as she wanted to deny it, what he said made sense, and the realization left her hollow. The thought that he had uncovered her deepest secret without her even noticing once again filled her with shame and unease.
But Kanzou seemed entirely unfazed. With a dismissive tone, he said casually, "Anyway, let's put that aside for now. You didn't come here to talk about the Nine-Tails, you came because of Namikaze Minato."
His words snapped Kushina back to reality, and glaring at him, she spoke with clenched teeth, "Let me go."
"I think we're communicating just fine like this. No need to let go," said Kanzou, taking advantage of the situation and squeezing her bubbly ass.
"You damn bastard!" baring her teeth.
With her body restrained by Kanzou, Kushina couldn't move, so she did the only thing she could and leaned forward to bite him.
"Oi, that's a bit rude, you know… are you also a fox?" Kanzou said, dodging easily, his tone light and mocking. "Too bad you missed."
Then, with a sly grin, he added, "Don't worry, Kushina-chan, I'll soon give you something worth biting down your throat."
The words carried a layered meaning that flew right over Kushina's innocent head… but she still felt that he was talking about something humiliating.
Realizing there was no way to overpower Kanzou, Kushina clenched her teeth and asked, "What will it take for you to release Minato-kun?"
"Well, Namikaze Minato can't be released. His teacher, P. Jiraiya-sama, was caught for the crime of peeping at the women's bathhouse. Who's to say his student didn't do the same? What if he was involved too? I can't just release him."
"Minato-kun is nothing like him! He would never do something like that," Kushina snapped. She knew Minato's character better than anyone—there was no way he'd ever stoop to such behavior.
Damn that Jiraiya! He got caught and even dragged Minato down with him.
"Heh… what you say doesn't matter. It has to be investigated properly. Just wait patiently while I conduct the investigation. If Namikaze Minato turns out to be innocent, I'll release him."
Release Namikaze Minato? Of course not. If he were released, how would Kanzou make Kushina willingly dance in the palm of his hand?
"Then, when do you plan to finish this so-called investigation?" Kushina demanded angrily.
"It's hard to say," Kanzou replied with a faint smile. "Maybe a month or two… maybe a year or more. But don't worry—if he's truly innocent, I'll see to it that his name is cleared. I, Uchiha Kanzou, Patriarch of the Uchiha Clan and Captain of the Konoha Military Police Force, give you my word. That should be enough to assure you of my sincerity, shouldn't it?"
Kushina clenched her teeth.
Sincerity?
What she felt was anything but that. This bastard had no intention of releasing Minato—she could feel it. He clearly had another motive entirely.
Feeling Kanzou's gaze lingering on her, Kushina suddenly realized what his true goal might be.
"Actually," Kanzou continued casually, "I'd love to clear Namikaze Minato's name. I mean, his dream is to become Hokage, right? But if his reputation is ruined… will he still have a chance?"
"You… you despicable bastard…" she growled.
How could someone be this despicable and shameless?
What did 'innocence' even mean when it was Uchiha Kanzou who decided everything once someone was arrested?
Kushina was certain that this bastard would go as far as falsifying evidence just to ruin Minato's reputation.
She'd heard all about the actions of Uchiha Kanzou's so-called Konoha Police Force—how they terrorized the village, to the point that even the proud Hyuga clan were too afraid to step outside of their homes.
"What will it take for you to release Minato-kun?" Kushina asked through gritted teeth.
Kanzou stared at her, a faint smile curling on his lips.
"Do I really need to say it out loud? I think you've already guessed my intention. You're not so stupid that you can't figure it out… right?"
He was certain Kushina would understand.
And she did.
She had a clear idea now: Uchiha Kanzou's aim was her.
If she was willing to pay the price, he'd let Minato go.
"Make your choice, Kushina-chan. I always give people the opportunity to choose."
Kanzou released her, then began tapping his index finger against the armrest.
The rhythmic tapping grated on Kushina's nerves, irritation flashing across her face as she snapped, "Can you stop doing that!?"
"I cannot. This is my office, I can do whatever I please." Kanzou shrugged casually. "If it bothers you that much, you're free to leave. No one's forcing you to stay."
Then, leaning back, he added with a smirk, "Still, I suggest you think carefully about what I said. You've already lost what mattered most, so would giving yourself up a second time really change anything? Compared to Namikaze Minato's future… isn't that a small sacrifice to make?"
His tone was almost soothing, as if he were offering comfort.
Kushina's eyes reddened as she glared at Kanzou, her gaze burning with fury, as though she could tear him apart with her stare alone.
"Staring at me won't change anything," Kanzou said coldly. "Hurry up and make your decision. I don't have time to waste all day."
He had no intention of giving Kushina time to think, this was a moment that called for swift, decisive action.
"Let Minato-kun go first." The moment she said those words, her choice was made.
A faint smirk tugged at the corners of Kanzou's mouth.
It might seem like a simple decision, but to him, this was just the beginning.
Of course, even if he knew she had made the decision, he was still not going to make things easy.
"If I let Namikaze Minato go now, what if you go back on your word?" Kanzou replied lazily. "Namikaze Minato stays where he is for now."
"Fine. You said it yourself, I hope you keep your word," Kushina said through clenched teeth.
"No worries. I'm an honest guy and a man of my word… so long as I'm satisfied, I'd consider letting Namikaze Minato go," Kanzou replied, his smile turning arrogant.
Kushina shot him a look of pure disdain. 'Honest? You?' she thought bitterly. 'You don't even know the meaning of the word.'
"Come on, let's go to your place," said Kanzou, standing up.
"My house?" Kushina frowned.
"Yeah. Why not? Unless you'd prefer coming to mine. I wouldn't mind, but I'm not sure Mikoto would feel the same."
The moment Kanzou mentioned Mikoto, Kushina relented.
Still, the idea of taking Kanzou back to her own home made her skin crawl.
She didn't want this man's presence polluting her space; just the thought of him in her house was enough to give her nightmares.
"We could go to a hotel or somewhere else," she suggested stiffly.
"Don't be stupid… if the Uchiha Patriarch is seen entering a hotel with the Habanero… won't that cause scandalous rumors? Do you want such rumors to circulate?" said Kanzou as if looking at a fool.
"We could just use transformation Jutsu!" snorted Kushina.
"We can, but someone might notice something strange… And I don't feel like going to a hotel. I want to visit your house," Kanzou said, voice light but his eyes cold. "If you're not up for it, that's fine. I'll just go ahead and have Namikaze Minato formally charged."
He stood up casually, making no effort to soften the threat in his tone.
"Fine… You. Can. Come. To. My. House." Kushina said through gritted teeth, forcing the words out one by one.
"See? That's more like it," Kanzou said, pinching her cheek with a smirk as her face flushed with rage.
"But I'd still like to remind you, you're the one begging me. So lower your attitude."
The moment he said those words, Kushina only became angrier.
"No wonder they used to call you Tomato when you were a kid, you really do look like one," Kanzou said, pulling Kushina's cheeks with amusement. "Your face is so red. Are you blushing?"
"I'm furious! I swear, I'll punch your face flat!" Kushina roared, swatting his hand away.
She hated being called 'Tomato.' As a child, anyone who dared use that nickname ended up bruised and battered. Those actions had earned her the title of Red Hot-Blooded Habanero.
"Alright, alright, let's go to your home. Come on, lead the way."
Kanzou ignored her growing irritation, his smug smile remaining unchanged. After today, he was certain she'd be even more infuriated.
Kushina snorted… and the two left from the back window of the office, making their way to her home which is located at a certain corner of the village…
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At the same time, Dekai and Naoki—who had been hiding nearby, secretly watching the Police Station—grew increasingly uneasy. It had been quite a while since Kushina went inside, yet she still hadn't come out.
"Did something go wrong?" Dekai muttered.
"She wouldn't have been imprisoned, too, right?" Naoki asked, worry creeping into his voice.
The two exchanged uncertain looks, torn between going in to check on her or waiting a little longer. But before they could decide, a calm yet menacing voice spoke from right behind them.
"You two… what exactly do you think you're doing, spying on the Police Station?"
They froze. Uchiha Souta stood behind them, his hands already resting on their shoulders. They didn't even realize when he appeared behind them.
'Crap… we've been found out!' they both panicked inwardly. Their eyes met briefly—should they run, or try to talk their way out?
They didn't get the chance. Souta's Sharingan caught their subtle attempt to communicate as he tightened his grip, making escape impossible. "How about you two come with me quietly?" he said with a deceptively pleasant smile. "If you try to run, things could get… ugly. But if you cooperate, you might just keep your arms and legs intact."
Despite the gentle tone, the threat was unmistakable.
Their last bit of hope was shattered when they noticed three more Uchiha officers standing on the rooftops above, watching them closely, their hands already on their weapons. Even if they somehow slipped away from the Chief of Staff of the Police Force, escaping from four Uchiha jōnin was impossible.
Resigned, the two slowly raised their hands. "We'll come," they said in unison.
"Good decision," Souta replied with a smile.
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Lemon Next Chapter. Drop Power Stonessssssssss!
[Read up to Chapter - 118 on P atreon at: p-atreon.com/Knockturn_Alley]