"Boom—"
The base of the Root Organization was obliterated. The massive explosion quickly alerted Sarutobi Hiruzen and his advisors in the Hokage's office.
"Sarutobi, look over there…"
"That direction… that's where the Root base is located!"
"The Uchiha clan has destroyed the Root Organization's base!"
"Outrageous! The Uchiha are becoming too bold—they actually dared to destroy Root!"
Utatane Koharu and Mitokado Homura stared in horror as smoke and debris rose from beneath the Hokage Rock. Their faces were pale with shock and rage, and they couldn't stop cursing.
Root was vital to the power structure of Konoha's leadership. Over the years, Sarutobi Hiruzen and his inner circle had used Root to carry out countless covert and morally questionable operations. Now, with its destruction at the hands of the Uchiha clan, how could they not be furious?
Even worse was the speed of the Uchiha's attack—by the time the Hokage's faction reacted, the base was already gone, buried under rubble.
The thought that all the secrets of Root might now be in the hands of the Uchiha clan sent waves of anxiety through them.
Before they could fully process the disaster, an Anbu operative burst into the room in a panic.
"Hokage-sama! Emergency report!"
"The Uchiha clan has launched an attack on the Shimura clan!"
"The Shimura clan is overwhelmed—the Uchiha have already taken control!"
The Anbu's voice trembled. As a member of the Shimura clan himself, he was visibly shaken.
"What!?" Hiruzen shouted, his expression turning grim. "They're attacking the Shimura clan now!?"
"This is madness! Have they lost their minds?!"
"They've gone too far!"
Without another word, Hiruzen rushed out, fury boiling beneath his calm facade. Utatane Koharu and Mitokado Homura followed close behind, their faces equally ashen.
The Shimura clan—Danzo Shimura's lineage—had long been staunch allies of Konoha's high command. Many Root and Anbu members had come from their ranks. For Sarutobi Hiruzen, abandoning the Shimura clan was out of the question.
He moved swiftly and soon arrived at the Shimura compound—only to find it completely subdued by the Uchiha.
Despite its reputation as a powerful clan, the Shimura were no match for the might of the Uchiha. Led by Uchiha En, the Uchiha clan had decisively crushed all resistance.
Some Shimura ninja lay dead. Others had been captured.
"Uchiha clan! What is the meaning of this!?" Hiruzen roared, stepping into the devastated compound.
Koharu and Homura added their own voices, equally enraged.
"How dare you attack fellow Leaf shinobi!?"
"This is treason! Do you intend to betray the entire village!?"
But their shouting changed nothing. The Uchiha moved with silent determination, ignoring them as if they weren't even present.
Their indifference only deepened the fury on the elders' faces.
Then, Uchiha En stepped forward, calm and composed.
"So it's the Hokage… You've arrived just in time. We're in the process of purging rebel elements."
"I'd like to ask, Hokage-sama, what brings you here?"
"Rebels? What rebels!?" Sarutobi demanded. "What are you talking about!?"
"The Shimura clan," En said coldly, "collaborated with enemy villages and attempted to harm fellow Konoha shinobi. Their crimes are numerous."
"We're simply enforcing justice."
En held up a scroll and unfurled it in front of Hiruzen. It detailed extensive accusations against the Shimura clan—charges of conspiracy, treason, assassination, and more.
Whether the evidence was true or fabricated, it was damning.
"Lies! This is slander!" Hiruzen barked. "The Shimura clan would never betray Konoha!"
He lunged forward, reaching for the scroll.
But En was faster. He immediately retracted the scroll and tucked it away safely.
"Hmph. What are you trying to do, Lord Hokage? Interfere with the punishment of traitors?"
His gaze was sharp. His words carried weight.
Sarutobi Hiruzen stood frozen, surrounded, his authority now openly challenged—and by one of Konoha's founding clans no less.
"Are you, Lord Hokage, also going to betray Konoha Village!?"
Uchiha En stared coldly at Sarutobi Hiruzen, his voice full of threat.
At his words, the surrounding Uchiha clan shinobi gripped their weapons tightly. It was clear — if Hiruzen gave even a hint of resistance, they would attack without hesitation.
To the Uchiha clan, only Byakuya's word mattered now. The Hokage held no authority over them anymore.
"Sarutobi, don't act impulsively..."
"Yes... the Uchiha clan is not what it used to be..."
Utane Koharu and Mitokado Homura, sensing the hostility from the Uchiha warriors, exchanged nervous glances.
They had no doubt — if they spoke out, they'd be cut down immediately.
The Shimura clan might be politically valuable, but not worth their lives.
Danzo's fall had made one thing clear: the Uchiha clan was now too powerful to be ignored — and too dangerous to provoke.
"Damn it... Let's go."
In the end, Sarutobi Hiruzen bit his lip and turned away. He hated retreating — hated abandoning Danzo, his longtime comrade.
But deep down, he knew — a direct conflict with the Uchiha now would only bring devastation to Konoha.
Their forces were scattered. The Uchiha had returned victorious from battle, their morale high.
Any rash move would end in tragedy.
He had no choice but to leave Danzo and the Shimura estate behind.
"Tch. So this is the Hokage, huh?"
"Just like Lord Byakuya said... trash."
Uchiha En watched Hiruzen retreat, his eyes full of disdain.
Once, he had revered Hiruzen — the 'Professor' of Ninjutsu, the 'God of Shinobi'.
But after seeing him humiliated time and again by Byakuya — after seeing the truth behind the village's hypocrisy — that respect had completely crumbled.
And Uchiha En was not alone. The rest of the clan felt the same.
What 'Hokage'?
What 'Will of Fire'?
In the end, it had all been used to suppress them.
"Don't just stand there!"
"Occupy the Shimura estate. Seize all supplies and property for the Uchiha clan — now!"
"Yes, sir!"
The Uchiha shinobi moved with purpose, sweeping through the Shimura compound.
Today marked not just a symbolic victory — but the complete downfall of one of the most corrupt pillars of old Konoha.
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