"Is this the place? The Arasaka family's home? Looks so plain!" Uchiha Izumi muttered, glancing at the unremarkable two-story house in front of them. She almost doubted the address, if not for the name "Arasaka" marked clearly on the gate.
"Haha! So, Izumi, what kind of place do you think they should live in?" Uchiha Toratsugu chuckled as he asked.
"Well… even if it's not as big as the clan leader's house, being the watchdog of the embassy should at least afford them a big house with bamboo groves and a pond, right? This place is way too small! If they gathered their lackeys, there'd be nowhere for them to stand."
"We don't have people like that in our family."
A voice boomed out, stern and steady. An elderly man with silver hair and a weathered yet commanding presence stood at the door, upright like a pine tree weathered by time. "Officers from the Police Force, what business do you have standing at my door?"
Uchiha Toratsugu narrowed his eyes, locking eyes with the elderly man.
"Yes, that's me. And you are?" the old man acknowledged without hesitation.
"No need for names. We're here investigating a case. Arasaka Rokuro is your son, correct?" Toratsugu replied curtly. "Where is he right now? We need to speak with him."
"…Sigh!" After a prolonged silence, Arasaka Katsumasa finally sighed. "I had six children. Two of them died from illness, two others became ninjas and sacrificed their lives in the war, one returned home alive from the battlefield, only to die six years ago defending against the demon fox. Now, all I have left is Rokuro."
Izumi's eyes widened as she looked at the elder. Seeing his hunched shoulders and hearing the sorrow in his voice sparked a pang of sympathy in her heart.
"I asked where Arasaka Rokuro is, old man. Don't dodge the question. Many families in Konoha have bled for the village, so don't try to sidetrack me. Answer honestly, or I won't hesitate to have my team search your house." Toratsugu sneered coldly, unaffected by Katsumasa's grief.
He'd seen enough carnage on the battlefield to remain unmoved by a few words from an old man. Glancing at Kabuto, who stood quietly nearby, he gave a slight nod, reassured. Izumi, in contrast, was still too green and could use more experience.
"My lord, could you not give my son one more chance?" Katsumasa pleaded.
"Interesting that you'd say that! I only said I needed to ask your son a few questions—why so sure that an investigation would spell disaster?" Toratsugu eyed Katsumasa suspiciously, like a hunting dog catching the scent of prey.
"I don't know what he's been up to, but he's seemed distracted every time he comes home lately. When I asked if something was wrong, he wouldn't say. It can't be anything good. I shouldn't have let him take over my job at the embassy," Katsumasa muttered, expression resigned. "I don't know where he is now; he usually only comes back around dinner. Most of his days are spent at the embassy, awaiting orders from the envoy… But why did they suddenly change the envoy?"
Initially, Katsumasa had his son take over, thinking he could guide Rokuro with his knowledge of the previous envoy's habits, as the envoy had served in Konoha for nearly thirty years. But suddenly, with only a month's notice, that envoy was transferred, catching Katsumasa off guard.
"Come on, Kabuto, Izumi, go inside and check. Be polite; if you find anything, signal us. If he's not here, we'll move on to the embassy," Toratsugu instructed.
Katsumasa's words couldn't be fully trusted. It wasn't impossible for him to mislead them to protect his son. Proper investigation was necessary, and any place worth searching should be examined thoroughly.
"Yes, Captain. I'll strictly follow the 'Police Conduct Guide.'" Kabuto pulled a small booklet from his pocket.
This guide, created by Uchiha Shisui and his Legal Department, was designed to standardize police procedures and prevent excessive force or irregularities during investigations. After two sleepless nights, the Police Department had managed to create a proper guide.
Izumi patted her pocket and took out her own copy. The two of them flipped through the pages, consulting the manual as they started their slow, deliberate search, much to Toratsugu's impatience. It was just a small house, and Kabuto was taking five minutes on one room alone! Still, it was a valuable training exercise, so Toratsugu decided to wait at the door.
Katsumasa also stayed put, though sorrow lingered in his eyes. He attempted to make small talk with Toratsugu, subtly trying to probe into the case, only to receive stoic responses. Toratsugu, an experienced investigator, knew better than to leak anything.
He was confident Rokuro wasn't home; otherwise, the old man wouldn't be this calm. Of course, there was a slim chance Katsumasa was an excellent liar, but if that were the case, they'd have little room for complaint.
"Old man, you said you have no lackeys? You trying to pull one over on me?" Toratsugu asked abruptly.
"…We're not criminals."
Arasaka Katsumasa sighed. "Maybe to you, those hooligans seem like our family's subordinates, but in reality, they all work for the Envoy's Office. We were merely entrusted to manage them, after all, the envoy represents the daimyo. Dealing with street thugs would be beneath him. While our Arasaka family isn't some prestigious clan, we have our roots in Konoha. When I was younger, I was sharp enough to earn the favor of the previous envoy, and he promoted me to a leader."
"I see," Uchiha Torajiro responded absentmindedly. He wasn't particularly concerned with the details.
Whether the Arasaka family was a gang or not didn't matter right now. What mattered was investigating the missing persons case.
After a full eight minutes of searching, Kabuto and Uchiha Izumi finished combing the Arasaka house. As expected, Arasaka Rokurou wasn't there. If Katsumasa hadn't lied, he'd be at the Envoy's Office.
With a sigh, Torajiro rubbed his forehead in frustration. He hadn't wanted to involve the Envoy's Office and had hoped to keep things low-key by searching the Arasaka house first. But luck wasn't on his side—Arasaka Rokurou, diligent as he was, happened to be at work.
They had no choice but to head to the Envoy's Office.
Hoping things would stay peaceful, they left the Arasaka house in the village center and headed quickly toward the Envoy's Office. Unbeknownst to them, Uchiha Itachi and Kimimaro Kaguya were following quietly to provide backup.
The Envoy's Office was expansive. Despite being called an "office," it was essentially a vast garden complex, complete with ponds, small islands, hills, streams, wooden bridges, pavilions, and towers. The main building of the office sat on an artificial island in the middle of a pond. The first envoy had commissioned this entire garden, enlisting master builders and skilled ninjas.
Interestingly, the first envoy funded the entire project himself.
He didn't spend a single ryo from the daimyo's treasury.
It wasn't surprising, though. Every envoy, from the first to the current third, Hiramiya Saikei, was a noble of high status and a close confidant of the daimyo. Financial issues never troubled them. Their only concern was how to spend their wealth most effectively to demonstrate loyalty to the daimyo. For the nobility, spending money for such displays was practically routine.
Arasaka Rokurou stood on a bamboo bridge spanning a small creek, staring blankly at the flowing water below. In truth, his mind was far from the serene scenery. He was preoccupied, unsure of what to do next. He had been alarmed upon hearing that the police had visited a brothel he used for "collecting goods" and immediately abandoned it, shifting to another channel.
However, he knew that the brothel's exposure meant he was also at risk. He had personally appeared to establish his trafficking channels to intimidate the local gangsters, leaving him vulnerable now. Regardless of the reasons, he now faced the very real threat of arrest.
What could he do next?
Should he turn himself in and confess everything to the police? No, that would surely anger Envoy Hiramiya. Even if Hiramiya himself faced consequences, the Hiramiya family was still a major force within the daimyo's domain. The Arasaka family couldn't withstand their wrath.
If he didn't surrender, his only option would be to deny everything and, if cornered, take the full blame himself. Though this would ruin him, at least his family—his father, nephew, son, and other loved ones—would still have a future.
But he hated the thought.
It was bitterly unfair.
He didn't want to die; he wasn't ready.
A sudden voice snapped him out of his thoughts. He turned to see one of the guards hurrying toward him.
"Lord Rokurou, there's a team from the police outside the gates asking to see you."
Rokurou's face went pale.
Had they come so quickly?
"Yes, the police. I could tell from their uniforms—they're not like ordinary Konoha shinobi. Their shoulders have that shuriken symbol and the fire fan. I'd recognize it anywhere…"
"Enough, I understand. You can go back; I'll be right there."
Rokurou impatiently waved the guard away, pacing on the bamboo bridge like an ant on a hot plate. The police had arrived, but he still hadn't decided how to handle them. Google seaʀᴄh novel⚑fire.net
After some thought, he clenched his jaw and resolved to meet with them. With any luck, they might back off out of respect for the envoy. And if they really were here to arrest him, well… he'd deal with it when the time came.
Slowly, he lifted his leaden feet, trudging toward the gate like a man headed for the gallows. But before he reached it, a vaguely familiar figure appeared before him.
Rokurou stared, bewildered, at Kazuma, who stood there, radiating cold hostility. Had he offended Kazuma somehow? He searched his memory but came up blank.
"Arasaka Rokurou, listen closely. If the police question you about human trafficking, you'll tell them everything—don't leave anything out. Then let them know that if they want to strike decisively, they should wait until tomorrow and catch someone in the act. Understood?"
Kazuma's eyes drilled into Rokurou, waiting for a response.
Rokurou was dumbfounded.
Was he… caught in the crossfire between the envoy and the vice envoy? Was Kazuma using this as a chance to take down the envoy? What was he supposed to do?
His head ached at the realization that Kazuma was involved—and against the envoy at that.
It was even more complicated now.
Which side should he take?
"I… I understand, Lord Kazuma. I'll do exactly as you say."
Rokurou eyed the kunai pressed against his chest and gave a compliant answer.
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