Back at the Police Force headquarters, Uchiha Gen ordered the Cloud delegation confined in the largest interrogation room. He would handle this one personally.
Under the crushing weight of his Sharingan, the Kumogakure shinobi with Raizo as their head folded almost instantly. They had no resistance against his genjutsu and spilled everything they knew.
While they lacked the full knowledge their fallen leader had carried, each of them still revealed fragments of ugly truths. Piece by piece, the picture they painted was damning.
The room was dim, a single lantern throwing shadows against the stone walls. Gen sat at ease in the center chair, legs casually crossed. Beside him, Shisui, Kurenai, Anko, and Yūgao carefully recorded every word. The testimony was shocking, the implications heavy.
He'd summoned these four for a reason; to ensure they saw Konoha's underbelly for themselves. If the enemy couldn't strike at him directly, they would surely move against those around him. Better to steel them now, to strip away any illusions before those deceptions could take root.
A sudden pounding rattled the door. Knock, knock, knock—urgent and sharp.
"Chief, Hokage-sama is here," Uchiha Sanji reported from outside, his voice tense. "His face is grim. He doesn't look like he came in peace."
The scribes froze mid-line, glancing uneasily at Gen.
"Don't worry," Gen said lightly, rising from his chair. "I'll deal with him. You keep going with the interrogation."
His calm set them at ease. Hands folded behind his back, Gen strolled out and made his way to his office.
The moment he stepped in, the air was heavy. Hiruzen Sarutobi sat rigid on the sofa, face dark as storm clouds. Beside him, Hyuga Hiashi sat with his usual impassive expression, though his pale eyes tracked Gen carefully.
Gen closed the door, dipped his head politely, and smiled. "Hokage-sama."
"Uchiha Gen, how dare you!" Hiruzen's roar cracked through the office.
Gen widened his eyes slightly in mock surprise. "Hokage-sama, what do you mean?"
"Don't play the fool with me. Your recklessness threatens to destroy the peace talks between Fire and Lightning. If war erupts again, can you shoulder that responsibility?"
The accusation was grave; instigating war, shattering peace.
"Oh," Gen said mildly, "you mean my 'arrest' of the Cloud delegation." He lowered himself into a chair as if this were nothing more than a friendly debate. "Please, allow me to explain."
He held up a finger. "First, Konoha's public order laws are inviolable. Break the law, whether you're a villager or an outsider, and you face punishment."
A second finger. "Second, I never intended to arrest them. My plan was simple; invite them here, take their statements, issue a fine, and let them go. That would have been the end of it."
His eyes hardened. "But they were arrogant. They refused to cooperate, they issued threats of war, and worst of all, they dared to attack me. I, Uchiha Gen, do not bow to threats. If they reject the toast, they must drink the penalty."
His voice stayed calm, almost conversational, but the iron beneath it was unmistakable.
Hiruzen's temples throbbed. That casual composure, that unrepentant air, it meant Gen didn't even believe he was wrong. Like master, like disciple. A teacher who strayed produced a disciple who grew arrogant, chasing strength without grasping the importance of the greater whole.
"There must be no war," Hiruzen snapped. "Peace comes first. I order you... release them immediately."
He had no patience left for argument. As Hokage, he invoked his authority outright.
But Gen only smiled. "Hokage-sama, I can release them. For peace, I'm willing to swallow a personal grievance. I won't press charges over being attacked."
His tone sharpened. "But Konoha's laws cannot be trampled. They will leave a statement and pay a fine before they go. That much is non-negotiable. Don't worry as it won't take long."
Hiruzen's hands clenched on his knees.
Even if the delegation was freed after, the damage would be done. Their testimonies, Danzo's involvement hinted at, Hyuga matters dragged into light, would spark doubt across the clans.
No solid proof was required. Sometimes suspicion alone was enough to corrode trust.
His voice was low and bitter. "Good. Very good. One by one, your wings harden. Soon you'll ignore my voice entirely."
He rose sharply, the mask of calm slipping for an instant to reveal the fury beneath, a volcano building pressure. Even Hiashi felt his scalp prickle at the killing intent.
At that moment, hurried footsteps pounded outside, followed by a muffled shout.
"Chief, Hokage-sama! The Three Elders are demanding custody of the prisoners but deputy Setsuna refused. There's a confrontation, but no fighting yet," Sanji reported.
Gen's lips curved into something between a sigh and a smile. "Why does everyone insist on breaking rules with brute force?"
His voice turned firm. "Heaven and Earth are vast, but greater still are the rules."
He called back toward the hall. "Sanji, carry my order: the delegation may leave but only after a statement and a fine. As for the so-called elders, if they cross the line, ignore their titles. If they act out, suppress them by force. I will bear the consequences."
"Yes, Chief!" Sanji answered, his voice ringing with pride.
The boy left without a glance toward the Hokage. In the Police Force and the Uchiha domain, Gen's word weighed more than Sarutobi's. The loyalty he commanded was ironclad.
Hiruzen's expression soured further.
Each defiant word, each display of power, deepened his conviction; clans like these must be broken. Only when Konoha was filled with small clans and civilian shinobi could the village truly be united under Hokage's will.
Hiashi watched in silence, heart hammering. Terrifying and exhilarating. Gen didn't even spare the Hokage face. Such iron will… even Hiruzen had no retort.
For a heartbeat, Hiruzen considered ending this with violence.
But Gen leaned forward with a disarming smile. "Hokage-sama, please, sit. I understand your desire for peace. I, too, work for Konoha's good. But without rules, nothing holds. Just as shinobi without rules bring only chaos, so too does a village without law collapse. To me, rules come first."
The words were polite, but the stance unyielding.
Hiruzen exhaled slowly and lowered himself back into the sofa. He didn't agree, but he would not press further here not with witnesses soon to arrive. Better to wait than stand looking powerless.
Silence stretched, taut and brittle.
Then the doors banged open. Danzo, Homura, and Koharu strode in, faces red with fury, their voices rising in a storm of accusations against Gen.
But Gen was ready. Calm, almost amused, he answered each one in kind.
They shouted of righteousness. He answered with rules.
And in that clash, his voice carried just as strongly as theirs.