Deep in the darkness of the Root headquarters, Danzo Shimura sat in silence, his expression cold and calculating.
Aburame Ryoma and Kai had not returned for over a day. He already knew what that meant.
The mission had failed.
A ninety-nine percent chance they were dead, most likely at the hands of the Uchiha.
As for the one percent? That was what Danzo clung to.
Even the most ruthless of men needed to hold onto hope and dreams.
"Damn Uchiha... Hiruzen, you'll regret this soon enough."
Danzo's face was grim.
The Uchiha Clan had emerged from the Third Great Ninja War with their prestige at an all-time high. Their battlefield achievements had earned them the trust of the villagers and admiration of many Konoha shinobi.
More than that, they had become more united than ever.
This war had only reinforced their bonds, strengthening them rather than breaking them. The longer they remained unchecked, the harder it would be to control them.
Danzo had foreseen this issue long ago.
During the war, he had suggested a strategy:
Use the enemy's blade to weaken the Uchiha.
It was simple—position Uchiha forces where they would be slaughtered by enemy traps.
War provided plenty of opportunities to eliminate potential threats under the guise of unavoidable losses.
But Hiruzen had rejected the idea.
The Third Hokage was hesitant, too concerned with his image of benevolence.
Even the other two elder advisors, Homura Mitokado and Koharu Utatane, had opposed Danzo's plan. They felt it was too dangerous to sabotage Konoha's strongest clan in the middle of a war.
So, the matter had been dropped.
But now that the war was over, the Uchiha had only grown stronger.
Suppressing them now would be far more difficult.
Danzo clenched his fists.
Fools. Those three old fools refused to listen to reason. They would regret it soon enough.
But he had greater concerns now.
The Uchiha were planning something. He was sure of it.
If left unchecked, a coup was inevitable.
And if that happened, they wouldn't just be coming for the Hokage seat.
The entire council—himself, Hiruzen, Homura, Koharu—would be removed. Maybe even executed.
The Uchiha had always been extremists.
Danzo had no intention of waiting for that day to come.
His mind raced with possibilities.
No—he needed to act now. He needed to speak with Hiruzen and the others immediately.
At the gates of Konoha, three women stood waiting.
Uzumaki Kushina, Uchiha Mikoto, and Hyuga Hikari.
Their teacher, Tsunade Senju, was returning to the village today.
A tall, broad-shouldered woman in a green haori approached.
"Tsunade-nee!"
The three women rushed forward, embracing her.
Tsunade smiled. "It's been a long time. You three have grown a lot."
Kushina grinned. "Heh, but still not as strong as you, Tsunade-san!"
"You and that sweet tongue of yours, Kushina," Tsunade chuckled, flicking her forehead.
The three kunoichi before her were no longer fresh academy graduates desperate for approval.
They were full-fledged shinobi now.
Tsunade had heard of their accomplishments on the battlefield.
Kushina, in particular, had made a name for herself—
The Blood-Red Habanero.
The name carried weight, even beyond the borders of the Land of Fire. She had gained the respect of not only Konoha's forces but also the village's civilians.
Some even whispered that she was more popular than the Hokage himself.
But they hadn't come just to greet her.
They had something important to discuss.
Once they found a quiet place, Kushina revealed her plan.
Tsunade's brows lifted in surprise.
"You want to overthrow Hiruzen and the council?"
She studied her three former students closely.
They weren't joking.
Tsunade let out a slow breath.
For a long time, she had resented Konoha's leadership.
She had seen their failures firsthand.
During the Third War, their miscalculations and hesitations had led to the deaths of over ten thousand Konoha shinobi.
During the Second War, her younger brother, Nawaki, had died needlessly, falling into an enemy trap because of poor decision-making.
And her lover, Dan Kato, had perished for the same reasons.
If only Konoha's leadership had been smarter. If only they had been less cowardly.
Tsunade's disgust toward Konoha's higher-ups had only grown over the years.
Of course, Kurama had meddled with her memories.
When he helped her overcome her hemophobia, he had altered her perception of Nawaki and Dan.
Now, in her recollections, they were simply two ordinary shinobi who had died in war.
Their deaths were tragic, but impersonal.
Even so, Tsunade's distrust of the council remained.
Her grandfather, Senju Hashirama, had built Konoha with his own hands.
And now, under Hiruzen's rule, the village was rotting.
Konoha needed change.
Tsunade looked at her three students.
Kushina's ambition to become Hokage was closer to reality than ever.
Hikari had spoken of changing the Hyuga Clan's outdated traditions. That, too, was becoming reality.
And Mikoto—
Tsunade smirked slightly.
These girls weren't children anymore. They were shinobi ready to take control of their village.
She liked that.
"Alright," she said finally. "Count me in."
Inside Konoha's council chamber, four figures sat around a large table.
Hiruzen Sarutobi, Danzo Shimura, Homura Mitokado, and Koharu Utatane.
The atmosphere was tense.
Danzo's face was like stone.
The Third Hokage and the other two elders looked equally grim.
Hiruzen took a slow puff of his pipe before exhaling. "Danzo, do you swear this is true?"
Danzo scoffed. "Hiruzen, would I joke about the deaths of my own subordinates?"
He had told them everything.
Aburame Ryoma and Kai had disappeared without a trace after being sent to summon Uchiha Mikoto.
If they truly vanished without a struggle, the Uchiha were the most likely culprits.
Homura frowned. "Danzo, do you have any proof?"
Proof.
That was the problem.
Danzo had investigated the area himself.
He had found signs of battle, but nothing else. No bodies. No clothing. No evidence.
It was as if the two men had simply been erased from existence.
"Without proof, we can't act," Koharu said. "If we accuse the Uchiha without evidence, they'll claim the men died elsewhere. They'll deny ever seeing them."
Danzo's patience was wearing thin.
"Hiruzen, if it were your men, would you be so hesitant? You need to remember—they were Konoha shinobi, too."
Hiruzen sighed. He had heard this argument before.
"Danzo, you must understand. I am the Hokage."
Danzo clenched his jaw.
The Uchiha were too powerful now.
They were moving in the shadows, covering their tracks perfectly.
Something had to be done.
Before it was too late.
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