Konoha: The thirty-year-old Uchiha is not motivated.

Logically speaking, such a low-level illegal act as posting flyers shouldn't need to be reported to Uchiha Setsuna, who is both the captain of the security brigade and the clan's chief elder.
However, the identification tokens that the arrested individuals produced, resembling those of members of an undercover unit, left the rank-and-file patrol officers of the security team hesitant for a moment.

So the members discussed it and ultimately decided to report the matter to their superiors. If they really did catch people from secret departments within the village, they, as grassroots service workers, couldn't afford the consequences.
"The roots?"

Upon hearing this, Uchiha Setsuna and Uchiha Roza exchanged a glance, both seeing deep confusion in each other's eyes.

Does the village have such a department?
Are they registered ninjas of the village?

The most direct way to identify these people is to check their household registration. Konoha has a complete ninja household registration system, but it is a classified document.
Fortunately, the security team had partial access to files, which allowed them to investigate these individuals' backgrounds.
"We checked, and there is no information about these people among the ordinary registered ninjas."

The patrolman who came to report shook his head. Upon hearing this, Uchiha Setsuna's expression changed slightly.
In this situation, there are only two possibilities.

First, these people are imposters or spies posing as Konoha ninja.
Second, their information network is highly dense, making it impossible for the security team to access it.

These are turbulent times, and the Uchiha clan's situation is not very good. Uchiha Setsuna believes that this matter must be handled with caution to avoid causing unnecessary trouble for the clan.
"Take me to them."

Thinking of this, Uchiha Setsuna stood up, apologized to Uchiha Ryōzai, and left.

Inside the temporary detention center of the Konoha Police Department
Three ninjas dressed in ANBU uniforms, their hands bound, squatted in a neat row awaiting their fate.
Before them sat a short, imposing security guard wearing orange sunglasses.
He was examining with great interest the three ANBU masks on the table beside him, as well as a series of equipment that only ANBU members could wear.
"You guys, you've prepared pretty convincing props!"

Uchiha Zhou, then the captain of the West Street branch of the Konoha Security Forces, picked up an animal mask with a disdainful expression, rubbed it a few times, and then tossed it aside.
"I advise you to confess sooner rather than later, so as to avoid physical suffering."

"We are members of the Roots!"

The three bound men stared indignantly at the animal masks that Uchiha Zhou had casually tossed aside.
If it weren't for the fact that they were all from the same village, and that they resisted when they were arrested, they wouldn't have ended up in jail.

Of course, this has absolutely nothing to do with their lack of strength.

"What 'Hook Eight Roots'? I've never even heard of it."

Uchiha Zhou was so tired of hearing that name that he was practically sick of it.
"You are not allowed to insult our great organization!"

Snapped!
With a displeased expression, he slammed his hand on the table, a chilling crimson gleaming beneath his orange sunglasses.

"It seems you're going to refuse a polite offer and then have to suffer the consequences. Ah Fu, bring on the torture!"

"Hey hey hey"

Uchiha Astakura, who was already impatient, stepped forward with a grin and, like a philosophical sage, tore open his tight-fitting shirt, revealing muscular muscles covered in butter.
"What are you going to do?"

The three Root members were so frightened by this scene that their anuses tightened.
You guys are so un-Uchiha! Shouldn't you be using your Sharingan to interrogate us?
If they confess without being hypnotized by the Sharingan, how can they face Lord Danzo?!
"Oh, my darlings, I love you all so much."

Uchiha Astuo struck a classic bodybuilding pose, winked at the three, and his crimson eyes swept over the three trembling Root members.

"Own)*(."

"Don't come over!!!"

As a piercing scream rang out, Uchiha Zhou forcefully turned his head, his face contorted in pain.

ten minutes later,

"Grip your teeth and exhale!"

A smug Uchiha Asu stroked his goatee.

Before him, three Root members, once resolute in their resolve, now wore ashen, burnt-out faces, their eyes vacant as puppets.
Apart from still being able to breathe, he was indistinguishable from a dead person.
"Ah Fu, you're getting increasingly reckless. I haven't gotten any useful information out of you yet!"

Uchiha Zhou said with a headache,
"Sorry, it's been a long time since I've met such a passionate boy, so I went a little overboard~"

Afu smiled sheepishly, while giving the three Root members a lingering look, as if he wanted more.

"Never mind, wake them up first, and we'll decide what to do when Lord Setsuna arrives."

"give it to me."

Nodding, Afu stepped forward again, a flash of red light in his sinister eyes, his cold pupil power directly piercing the eyes of the three Root members.

"what!!!"

The next second, their empty eyes gradually filled with light, and the moment their pupils focused on the grinning Uchiha Asuka in front of them, terrified screams erupted.
"Uh, what happened to our clothes?"

One of the screaming Root members suddenly realized that his clothes, which should have been reduced to shreds, were perfectly intact. He instinctively stopped screaming and turned to look at his fellow sufferers with a puzzled expression.
"My internal hemorrhoids! Great, my internal hemorrhoids are still there!"

After being reminded, the other two members also realized that they had not suffered any physical harm. Their doubts outweighed their fears, and they both turned to look at Uchiha Asuka.

"You just tricked us."

"Hehe, still savoring the memory? You were just caught in my unique illusion—the Strange House of Shin-Nippori."

Uchiha Astakura licked his lips and said with a smile that what the three of them had just experienced was not reality, but an illusion he had carefully created.

"It's an illusion!"

The three of them gasped upon hearing this.
The Phantom Uchiha truly lives up to his reputation; even a burly man who seems to specialize in taijutsu can unleash such exquisite genjutsu.
"So, are you ready to reveal your superiors now?"

Seeing that the time was right, Uchiha Shuu resumed the interrogation.

"Don't even think about it! We would never betray Lord Danzo!"

Looking at the smiling Uchiha Asuka with lingering fear, one of them stiffened his neck, his face filled with the resolute determination of someone facing death.

"Fine, fine, since you're so stubborn, then I won't be polite."

Like Astakura, Uchiha Shuu had a penchant for fiercely rebellious criminals. Since the three were still putting up a stubborn resistance, he had no choice but to have Astakura unleash his ultimate move once more.
"Uh, who were you guys talking about?"

However, before he could finish speaking, Uchiha Zhou realized what he was saying, and his eyes behind his orange sunglasses revealed a deep look of horror.

Danzo?

The advisor elder who was frequently rumored to be romantically involved with the Third Hokage.
Are these three his subordinates?

The Root member who had just revealed himself now looked extremely grim.
This is tantamount to him giving himself away. If Lord Danzo finds out, he'll be in deep trouble.

"Phew, this is a big problem."

Looking at the three hot potatoes in front of him, Uchiha Zhou's heart sank to the bottom. It seemed he had gotten himself into serious trouble.
"crunch-"

Just as he was pondering how to handle the current predicament, the door to the detention cell was suddenly pushed open, and the patrolman who had been sent out earlier cautiously led Uchiha Setsuna inside.
"Lord Setsuna, this is the place."

"Greetings, Lord Setsuna!"

The people in the detention room immediately knelt down and bowed. Uchiha Zhou, who was covered in sweat, swallowed hard and respectfully moved the chair he had just been sitting in behind Uchiha Setsuna.
"Lord Setsuna, please have a seat."

"Hmm, is it them?"

Uchiha Setsuna plopped down in a chair, his sinister gaze sweeping over the three dejected Root ninjas.

They were indeed unfamiliar faces.

"Three ninjas of unknown origin."

"We are not some unknown ninjas, we are members of Root!"

Even with Uchiha Shana's formidable power, the three Root members still gritted their teeth and argued back.

As Danzo's soldiers, they should at least have some self-confidence.
"Reporting to you, sir, I have found out who their superior is; they are indeed from our village." Noticing that Uchiha Setsuna's expression had turned somewhat grim, Uchiha Zhou quickly wiped the sweat from his face and reported before the other man could become angry.
"Oh?"

Uchiha Setsuna raised an eyebrow, his icy expression softening slightly.

"Whoever it is, tell him that I, Uchiha Setsuna, am determined to imprison these people!"

The Hokage is subject to the same laws as a Genin.
Even if they are members of some department in the village, they cannot escape legal punishment.
Posting illegal advertisements will result in at least a week of detention, but the detention time may be reduced if a fine is paid.

"Ah, Lord Setsuna, this might be a bit difficult."

Uchiha Zhou rubbed his hands together, carefully choosing his words before speaking.

Difficult?

Could these three guys be Hiruzen Sarutobi's soldiers?
If that's the case, Uchiha Setsuna really wouldn't be able to do anything about them.
"Is he the third generation?"

That Hiruzen Sarutobi is really something, creating a new department without even informing him beforehand.
"No."

"Close him! Give him the maximum penalty!"

"He is one of Shimura Danzo's men."

"Ok?"

Upon hearing this name, Uchiha Setsuna's brows instantly furrowed into a deep frown.

Although he and Danzo were both on the Hokage's side, their relationship was not good.
Part of this was due to disputes over family businesses, but more so to the suspicion repeatedly displayed by Shimura Danzo.
That big-butt, gloomy-looking man clearly had bad intentions.

"Lord Setsuna, what should we do now?"

At this point, the fate of the three men is no longer a decision that a mere squad leader like him can make.
"Are you all Danzo's men?"

Knowing they had been exposed, the three did not respond to Uchiha Setsuna's questioning, but the undisguised pride in their eyes revealed that they were indeed Danzo Shimura's subordinates.
"tsk"

Uchiha Setsuna clicked his tongue inwardly. He had just been discussing matters concerning Konoha's higher-ups with Uchiha Ryōza, and now he had walked right into their line of fire.
Danzo Shimura was notoriously petty and narrow-minded; if he captured one of his men, Danzo would surely punish him severely.

"You didn't torture them, did you?"

"Uh, I'm useless."

Uchiha Zhou hesitated for a moment, then shook his head and replied,
"call"

As long as he wasn't subjected to severe torture, Uchiha Setsuna breathed a long sigh of relief.

Their security team was simply enforcing the law impartially, arresting three individuals illegally posting flyers. No illegal or violent methods were used in the process.

What follows is the normal detention process. Regardless of whether Danzo intervenes or not, their security forces can maintain their legal standing.
"But Afu used it."

"what?"

"Lord Setsuna, the Third Hokage and Elder Danzo have arrived."

Before Uchiha Setsuna could inquire about the details of the torture, a panicked member of the security team rushed in, panting, and reported...

Damn it, it's so fast.

Uchiha Setsuna clenched his fist, his face cold as he rose to greet him.

A few seconds later, Hiruzen Sarutobi, wearing a divine robe, and Danzo, looking resentful, entered the detention cell one after the other.
"Elder Setsuna, I apologize for disturbing you."

Hiruzen Sarutobi greeted Setsuna Uchiha with a gentle smile and a nod.
"What brings you here, Hokage-sama?"

Uchiha Setsuna could only pretend to be confused, bowing to Sarutobi Hiruzen with a puzzled expression.
"Uchiha Setsuna, stop pretending and hand over my men!"

Before the smiling Hiruzen Sarutobi could answer, Danzo behind him spoke first, shouting sharply.

"Your people? I don't understand what Elder Danzo is saying?"

With a bewildered look on his face, Uchiha Setsuna began to put on his act, reminiscent of his performance in fooling Akimichi Matsuko.
"Hmph! It's them, the core members of my root."

Ignoring the feigned evil of the Uchiha clan, Danzo strode over to the three listless Root members. Seeing their unharmed bodies, the coldness on his face softened slightly.
He only had a few soldiers at his disposal; losing even one would be a devastating blow to the core of his forces.

"Huh? These three swindlers who swindle people on the street and post flyers illegally are actually Elder Danzo's subordinates?"

Uchiha Setsuna wore an expression of utter surprise, his superb acting skills rivaling those of a certain curly-haired man.

Who told you they were scammers?

Danzo turned his head, his face ashen, and questioned him.

Those who target his root are blatantly slapping Danzo in the face. This inherently evil Uchiha Densetsu must be severely punished.
"Why didn't they say earlier that they were Elder Danzo's men? Otherwise, this misunderstanding wouldn't have happened."

"Uh"

Upon hearing this, Danzo's expression froze, and he looked at his three trusted subordinates as if seeking confirmation.
"Didn't you say you were my people?"

"No, no, Lord Danzo, didn't you tell us to use the standards of the Anbu? No! To hold ourselves to even stricter standards than the Anbu?"

The Root member who had just revealed himself glanced gratefully at Uchiha Setsuna not far away, then straightened his expression and began to spout nonsense with a straight face.

“From the time we were arrested until now, we have never revealed a single word about Lord Danzo, right?”

"Ah, yes, yes, yes, yes!"

Upon hearing this question, the other two Root members, along with Uchiha Shu and Uchiha Asuka, all nodded in unison, creating a very harmonious scene.

"Good! Good! Good!"

Seeing his resolute subordinates, Danzo's resentment vanished. He glanced at Hiruzen Sarutobi behind him, his eyes filled with pride.

Monkey, do you see that? How excellent my subordinates are!
"Since it's a misunderstanding, let's clear it up. We're all doing this for the village, so let's not make things unpleasant."

Seeing this, Hiruzen Sarutobi smiled and nodded. He had thought it would cause an unnecessary commotion, but it seemed the outcome was a happy one for everyone.
"Elder Shana, your security team enforces the law impartially and is a model for other departments, worthy of emulation."

"As for Danzo, this time it's your responsibility. When Root recruits people, they should at least report to the security team. As punishment, you Root members will be sent to remove small advertisements on the street for a month."

Faced with his best friend's slap on the wrist, Danzo curled his lip and remained silent. Uchiha Setsuna, however, asked curiously, "..."
"Lord Hokage, how come we've never heard of the Root organization before?"

"It's normal that you don't know. This is a new department that Danzo just established. It's still in the preparatory stage, so it hasn't been announced yet."

Uchiha Setsuna looked enlightened upon hearing this; no wonder he hadn't heard of it, it turned out to be a newly established department.

"Oh, I see. If Elder Danzo needs any help, just let our security team know. We will do our best to help in any way we can."

With Izuna-sama just gone, the Uchiha clan has lost a major pillar. Adhering to their basic policy of stealthy development, Uchiha Setsuna has decided to bide their time for the time being.
He was willing to accept anything as long as this matter didn't infringe upon the interests of their security team.
"No, no, no, your security team has already been a great help."

Looking at the two who appeared friendly on the surface but were actually at odds, Hiruzen Sarutobi's eyes flashed with a strange light, and he spoke with a warm smile about a secret.
"Really? Why didn't I know?"

Uchiha Setsuna frowned. Even if he were overeating, he wouldn't help Danzo.

"Of course! The funding for the Root organization's activities was provided by your security team!" (End of Chapter)