Uchiha Douhuan left Root without looking back.
Kakashi, however, was shaken to the core the moment he heard that name from Douhuan's mouth.
Obito's grandmother…?
Of course. After all these years… because of guilt, I've never visited her even once…
I really am… a failure.
"Captain…"
Seeing Kakashi standing frozen, an ANBU operative stepped forward to remind him.
"I'm fine." Kakashi lifted a hand after coming back to himself. "Clean up this place, then report back to the Hokage."
—
Returning to the Police Force headquarters within the Uchiha compound, Douhuan went straight to the interrogation room.
The Wood Release user they captured yesterday had already endured an entire day of interrogation.
And Yamanaka Fū, captured earlier today, had regained consciousness not long after being brought in.
Both were now fully restrained, chakra sealed.
However, the interrogation hadn't been going smoothly.
They were shinobi—
and Root shinobi at that.
The Police Force interrogation rooms, normally used on petty village criminals, were far from adequate.
"Clan Leader."
As Douhuan entered, the Uchiha members in charge paused their work and bowed.
"How's the interrogation going?" Douhuan asked.
"Their mouths are tight," one of the interrogators said. "Especially the one from yesterday. We worked with him all night, but he still refuses to talk. We were going to request a Three-Tomoe Uchiha jōnin skilled in genjutsu."
The interrogator speaking was only a regular Uchiha chūnin, with a single-tomoe Sharingan—usually more than enough for street criminals, but clearly insufficient for two trained Root shinobi.
"No need to trouble anyone. I'll handle it myself."
Douhuan stepped inside and walked to Yamanaka Fū.
Fū, bound to the chair, had clearly taken multiple beatings.
Seeing Douhuan, his face twisted with hatred; he looked like he wanted to tear Douhuan apart.
Douhuan smiled faintly and stared at this unfortunate man who had been completely brainwashed by Danzō.
Then he waved his hand—
The Uchiha interrogators stepped forward and began beating Fū again.
Even Douhuan couldn't help shaking his head.
Clearly, some personal grudges were mixed in.
Root and the Uchiha clan had clashed many times—
Now that someone from Root had fallen into their hands, it was only natural they'd "give him special treatment."
When the beating seemed sufficient, Douhuan stood and approached Fū again.
"I… I won't… say anything," Fū gasped, glaring defiantly despite the pain.
Sunlight streamed through the window, too bright for Fū's eyes.
Douhuan's face before him blurred in the glare.
"I took a tour of your Root base," Douhuan said softly. "Quite horrifying."
"You Root people wanted to help Danzō become Hokage? Wanted to eliminate the Uchiha?"
Douhuan gently wiped the blood from Fū's mouth.
"Go take a look outside. Nothing has changed at all. The village is still the same."
As Fū's eyes adjusted, Douhuan's face grew clearer—
But his words made Fū's blood run cold.
"Honestly, whether you confess or not doesn't matter.
I never expected to get anything from your mouth."
Douhuan turned to the interrogators.
"Watch him. Just make sure he doesn't die."
"Inoka."
"Here!"
Uchiha Inoka stepped forward to salute.
"Gather Second Squad. We're going out."
"Yes." Inoka nodded. "Clan Leader, where are we headed?"
"Obviously, to the Shimura clan. Time to arrest Danzō's accomplices."
"Arrest them directly?" Inoka blinked, shocked.
But his eyes gleamed with excitement.
The Uchiha and Shimura clans had never gotten along.
"Arrest? No," Douhuan said with a smile.
"Shimura Danzō attacked fellow villagers and defiled the First Hokage's remains. The evidence is undeniable.
And conveniently, I found proof at Root's base showing the Shimura clan had financial dealings with him."
He pulled out a half-burned ledger from a sealing scroll.
"So we're merely inviting them back for questioning."
Yamanaka Fū's eyes widened.
He clearly remembered—Root had destroyed every ledger and account.
Douhuan glanced back at him, and seeing the faint smile at the corner of Douhuan's mouth, Fū finally understood why Douhuan kept saying his confession was irrelevant.
Fū began struggling wildly.
He tried to shout, but a Uchiha member immediately punched him and gagged him.
He could only watch helplessly as Douhuan left with his men.
—
Soon, the Second Squad of the Police Force—off duty at this hour—assembled.
They had grumbled about being called in during their rest time, but once they heard they were heading to confront the Shimura clan, every young Uchiha immediately perked up.
"Reporting, Clan Leader!
Police Force Second Squad, assembled!"
The squad captain, Uchiha En'u, announced.
Douhuan nodded.
En'u shouted, "Salute to the Clan Leader!"
The entire squad snapped to attention and gave a military salute:
"LOYALTY!"
Douhuan couldn't help laughing.
Ever since he saluted Hiruzen yesterday on a whim, the gesture had become popular in the clan.
"LOYALTY!"
Douhuan returned the salute and led the squad toward the Shimura compound.
—
Such a commotion couldn't escape the Hokage's notice.
Hiruzen Sarutobi was in his office, massaging his aching forehead.
Originally, he planned to take control of what remained of Root.
But early this morning, he learned that Douhuan had slaughtered the entire organization.
Meanwhile, Uchiha Itachi, upon reporting to ANBU, had truthfully told him everything that happened during yesterday's clan meeting.
After hearing that Douhuan had become the new Uchiha Clan Leader, Hiruzen let out a long sigh.
The only good news," he muttered to himself,
Did that Douhuan suppress the idea of a violent Uchiha rebellion?
And opening the Police Force to civilian ninja… whatever his motive, it's still a positive thing overall.