At this moment, everything replayed in his mind like a wave crashing over him—and he finally understood the truth.
It had to have been exposed tonight.
That bastard wanted to push all the blame onto him!
No wonder Sarutobi Hiruzen, the Hokage, somehow already knew that he had been using village funds to privately cultivate his own forces.
Aside from the leak in their circle—
How else could Hiruzen know so much?!
"No, no, not me—not me!!"
Shimura Egawa roared in panic.
He spun around and glared fiercely at Danzo.
Hatred flared in his eyes, hot and uncontrollable.
Danzo... If you show no mercy, don't blame me for being unjust.
"You—"
"Ugh..."
Shimura Danzo suddenly sighed.
He shook his head at Egawa, a face full of mock sorrow, and cut him off mid-sentence.
"Elder Egawa... I'm truly heartbroken."
He lowered his voice in theatrical grief.
"Your grandson, Shimura Shimokawa... If he knew what you had done, how could he ever lift his head among the Shimura clan again? How would the people of Konoha see him?"
What?
Egawa's body froze.
Danzo continued somberly, "Shimokawa fell asleep at my home tonight. Elder, how do you plan to explain everything to him once you return?"
Egawa felt like he had been struck by lightning.
Shimokawa? At Danzo's house?!
That meant...
Shimura Shimokawa was already in Danzo's grasp.
He hid him—
He used him—
Danzo had kidnapped his grandson.
And now he was using him as leverage.
Egawa's face turned red with fury, his eyes bloodshot.
"You!!"
From the crowd, an ANBU shouted, "Great Elder! Why did you steal the Scroll of Seals?! What were you trying to do?!"
Another ninja added, "Just now, a massive chakra burst erupted in the northwest quadrant. The entire street is now in flames—don't tell us you ordered that too?!"
"And where is your son?!"
"Why isn't Shimura Yangchuan here with you?!"
Before Egawa could even gather his thoughts, Danzo turned dramatically to Sarutobi Hiruzen and raised his voice.
"Hokage-sama, when your ANBU operatives went to the elder's estate—did they find his son, Shimura Yangchuan?"
Sarutobi's gaze narrowed. He didn't know what Danzo was playing at. But since the question had been raised, he turned to the ANBU ninja beside him.
"Did you see Shimura Yangchuan at Elder Egawa's home?"
The ANBU answered immediately, "Reporting, Hokage-sama: when we raided the elder's home, only Shimura Egawa was present."
Sarutobi's eyes sharpened.
He turned coldly to Egawa.
"Where is your son, Shimura Yangchuan?"
Egawa stood there in a daze.
No... It can't be...
Danzo, seizing the moment, clutched his chest dramatically.
"Elder! Don't tell me you sent Shimura Yangchuan to Konoha's Commercial Street?"
"Oh, Great Elder... how could you?!"
Danzo's voice trembled with exaggerated emotion.
"Northwest Street was just engulfed in flames! Why would you send your own son there?! To cause mass destruction? To cover up your theft of the Scroll of Seals? Or perhaps... revenge on the gambling dens for your personal losses?"
"Whatever your reason, how dare you attack our own village?!"
His tone turned mournful.
"Egawa... I understand now..."
It all made sense.
His grandson was now a hostage.
His son—presumably dead—had been sent to the center of the destruction.
A horrifying realization struck him:
Danzo had orchestrated everything.
Egawa's knees gave out, and he collapsed.
"You... You..."
He pointed a trembling finger at Danzo, unable to speak clearly.
"Elder! Are you still clinging to denial?!"
Danzo stepped forward, delivering his final blow.
"Do you truly want the evidence shoved in your face before you confess?! You're the Great Elder of the Shimura clan! Even if you won't admit guilt for your own sake, do it for your grandson's dignity!"
"I... I..."
Egawa gasped for breath.
Even breathing now seemed painfully difficult.
And then—
The light faded from his eyes.
Like a candle snuffed out.
"...Lord Hokage... I confess..."
"It was me..."
"It was all me..."
"I ordered the theft of the Scroll of Seals. I deployed people to the commercial street..."
"The casinos... I've lost so much money to them over the years. I've hated them for a long time. I wanted to take this opportunity to stir chaos, draw ANBU forces away, and clear out those dens."
"I did everything..."
"I did it all..."
"I plead guilty..."
As his confession dwindled into a whisper, his skin turned pale as ash.
Sarutobi Hiruzen's expression darkened.
"Seize him."
"Yes, Hokage-sama!"
Two ANBU, both elite-level jonin, stepped forward and bound Shimura Egawa in chakra-suppressing restraints.
"Take him to the village prison. We'll determine his sentence later."
"Understood!"
As the ANBU carried Egawa away, Danzo suddenly called out.
"Sarutobi! Wait!"
With a thud, he dropped to one knee in front of Hiruzen.
Tears shimmered in his eyes as he bowed deeply.
"Third Hokage-sama!"
"Though Shimura Egawa has committed grave crimes, he remains the Great Elder of the Shimura clan."
"For the sake of the Shimura family's centuries of service to Konoha... please spare his life!"
Sarutobi narrowed his eyes.
He stared coldly at the man before him.
"...Shi. Mu. Ra. Dan. Zo."
As Hokage, he could not—would not—tolerate favoritism.
The once-proud Uchiha clan had fallen under his watch.
He would not permit another clan to rise unchecked.
Danzo remained on his knees.
His tone remained firm.
"I do not ask for Elder Egawa's freedom. Imprison him, seal his chakra, do what you must. But please, Hokage-sama... I beg you—spare his life, if only for the sake of our clan."
Hiruzen said nothing.
He simply waved a hand.
"...I'm tired. All of you, leave."
Turning his back on them, the Third Hokage left the room—his silence an iron decree.
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