c110: Sugar-Coated Bullets
"You are right. Rationally speaking, the Uchiha clan's involvement can't be entirely dismissed."
"But I encountered the masked man myself the night he attacked Kushina. That strange space-time ninjutsu he used, it's clearly not a standard Sharingan ability."
"It must be a Mangekyō Sharingan technique. And… he also displayed Wood Release. That combination shouldn't be possible."
"Is there any known Uchiha now who possesses the Mangekyō Sharingan and can use Mokuton?"
Sarutobi Hiruzen's expression darkened. Despite the brief contact and lack of direct confirmation regarding Wood Release, he found himself accepting the intelligence in the anonymous letter Gen Uchiha had secretly delivered.
After all, the predictions contained within the attack on Konoha, the space-time jutsu, and the survival of the Jinchūriki after re-sealing the Nine-Tails all proved accurate.
If those three key pieces were true, what reason would there be to fabricate the fourth?
"Mangekyō Sharingan?"
"Wood Release?"
"How's that possible?"
Homura Mitokado, Koharu Utatane, and Shimura Danzō exclaimed one after another, visibly shocked.
"Hiruzen, surely you're not serious?"
"Those two bloodline abilities in one shinobi? That's... unheard of!"
Danzō clenched his fists beneath the table. His own secret Mokuton experiments with Orochimaru had yet to yield success. The integration of Hashirama's cells had proven unstable in every test subject so far.
For an outsider to naturally awaken Wood Release while wielding Mangekyō Sharingan was a cosmic cruelty to Konoha's ambitions.
To Danzō, this anomaly suggested the masked man was likely not a true Uchiha.
If an Uchiha had access to both Mangekyō Sharingan and Mokuton, there would be no need to hide it. In fact, such power could have bought them greater influence within the village especially during the Fourth Hokage's reign, when Minato was building trust with the clan.
Still, even with his suspicions leaning toward an outsider, Danzō was unwilling to absolve the Uchiha entirely.
For if the Uchiha were cleared of guilt, it would rob him of justification justification to act against a clan he distrusted profoundly.
During the Nine-Tails' attack, the Uchiha police force had disobeyed the emergency mobilization protocol. Their headquarters, situated at the edge of the village, offered them the perfect position to respond, yet they failed to arrive in time. That betrayal still festered in Danzō's heart.
He hated Uchiha Fugaku the clan head and commander of the police force. He also despised Gen Uchiha, one of the clan's twin prodigies, a direct student of Orochimaru and thus shielded by both political and personal ties.
While Danzō never hesitated to antagonize the Uchiha, he needed to tread carefully with Orochimaru at least for now.
If targeting individuals was politically unwise, then painting the whole clan as a threat was a more viable route.
"How can this be a joke?"
"And during the Nine-Tails' rampage, the Uchiha were not idle."
"They evacuated civilians, secured the perimeters, and their elite jonin were seen defending the village alongside ANBU."
"Don't forget, Shisui Uchiha is a direct disciple of Minato and was being considered for ANBU leadership. The clan has never been closer to the village's core."
"I cannot think of any rational reason they would orchestrate such an attack."
Hiruzen exhaled a slow cloud of smoke, his eyes narrowed with quiet resolve.
Danzō tapped the table with a knuckle, thoughtful. "Perhaps the clan wasn't involved as a whole. But what if a lone radical acted in secret?"
"What if someone with a distorted version of the Uchiha pride like the one our teacher, Tobirama, always warned us about hid among them?"
Hiruzen hesitated, then slowly shook his head. "Danzō… you're approaching this with deep prejudice."
"No truth can emerge from such one-sided suspicion."
"Even Tobirama-sensei acknowledged that not all Uchiha are a threat. Men like Kagami Uchiha loyal to the core carried the Will of Fire just as truly as any Senju."
Homura and Koharu exchanged concerned glances. Such relentless distrust could only lead to division. They too spoke up, urging caution.
If the logic Danzō proposed were followed, then any shinobi with dormant kekkei genkai could be suspected. After all, without activating the Sharingan, even fellow villagers couldn't identify an Uchiha by sight.
"Perhaps I'm being cautious to a fault," Danzō said, "but I still believe vigilance is essential."
"Konoha cannot survive another incident like the Nine-Tails' attack. Everything must serve the village's protection."
The room fell silent. Hiruzen's silence was especially heavy. He blew another smoke ring that shrouded his face.
"The Nine-Tails attack is not a valid excuse to force the Uchiha to relocate."
"If Fugaku can be convinced by logic and benefit, I will not oppose."
"But if he refuses, the matter ends there."
With that, Sarutobi rose and walked out.
Danzō's disappointment was evident but fleeting. He already had a secondary plan.
"Homura. Koharu. I'll need your cooperation."
"For Konoha's future… and in honor of our decades of unity."
The two elders, having already retired to their quarters, exchanged long looks.
"We will support you so long as your methods do not betray our shared ideals," Homura replied.
"Tell us. What are you planning?" Koharu added quietly.
Danzō's lips curled.
"A sugar-coated bullet strategy."
"First, we offer to relocate the Uchiha district next to the Police Headquarters and prison—it will make reporting and response far more efficient."
The Police HQ stood on Konoha's outskirts. With their clan currently living in the village interior, many Uchiha shinobi wasted precious time commuting.
"Second, the proposed relocation area should be spacious. The clan's population has grown. More space will mean less internal strain."
"Third, we ensure high-quality construction. Larger homes, better infrastructure, comfortable living. Let it feel like an upgrade, not exile."
"Fourth, we expand the Uchiha's forest allotment."
"As you know, each clan uses its forest for industry—the Nara have medicinal crops, the Aburame raise their kikaichū, the Inuzuka train ninken. It's a generational asset."
"The Uchiha's current forest is insufficient for their numbers. If we offer to expand it, the material gain will be tempting."
"Fifth, we offset the inconvenience of being farther from the village center by building complete support facilities: markets, training grounds, medical stations. A self-sustaining ecosystem."
"Will all this be enough to make up for reduced land value?"
Homura and Koharu, still in bed, nodded slowly.
"It must go beyond compensation," Koharu said. "They must profit from it."
"If you also control the reconstruction council and wrap the proposal in terms of village planning and public safety… yes. Fugaku might concede."
The two elders nodded again, this time with faint resignation. Even they might have been swayed if they were in the Uchiha's position.
"Then you'll assist?"
"We will."
"It's worth a try."
Danzō's smile returned.
"Much appreciated."
"I'll retrieve the village map. The three of us must finalize the plan tonight, so we can begin maneuvering by morning."
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