Hiashi Hyūga was visibly irritated at the doubt being cast on him.
"What, do you think the Hyūga would fake evidence?" he snapped, his tone cold.
"If anyone doubts it, you are free to go examine Danzo's Root laboratory yourselves—provided one of my clan members accompanies you."
The matter was already beyond the comprehension of most. The sheer horror of it all left even Hiashi shaken.
Fifty-nine innocent children sacrificed in twisted experiments—Danzo had truly crossed into the realm of monsters.
If others still insisted on raising objections after being offered the chance to verify it themselves, then they weren't questioning the evidence—they were just looking for trouble.
The clan head who had spoken earlier froze. Hiashi's response had boxed him in completely. To insist further would be admitting he was trying to stir chaos, so he relented.
The other clan heads also fell silent. After all, the Hyūga had offered open verification—what more could be said?
Seeing that no one else objected, Ryosuke motioned for the Ino–Shika–Chō trio and the Inuzuka clan head to present their findings.
Shikaku stood reluctantly. Once, he had been a staunch supporter of the Third Hokage. To now stand here and present evidence against him left a bitter taste in his mouth.
But the three had already discussed it beforehand: they would speak truthfully. To lie on Hiruzen's behalf now would mean directly opposing the Uchiha. And with the Uchiha ascendant, that was nothing short of suicide for their clans.
Besides, this wasn't betrayal—just truth. The truth carried no guilt.
Of course, there was one thing they had decided to keep hidden at all costs: the experiments involving Senju Nawaki's body. If the village learned that the Hokage's own student's younger brother had been dissected for experimentation… it would disgrace Konoha across the entire shinobi world.
Shikaku exhaled slowly, straightened, and began.
"Like the Hyūga, our four clans also investigated another of Danzo's Root facilities. There, we uncovered extensive human experimentation equipment and full data logs. These files," he lifted a stack of papers, "will be distributed to all clan heads for review."
"If any of you remain unconvinced, you too may confirm the site for yourselves."
He paused, and his expression darkened.
"We also discovered the body of Uchiha Shisui. After examination by the Inuzuka clan head, the cause of death was determined to be a single fatal strike to the heart. Clearly an ambush. The primary suspect—" his eyes flicked toward the Hokage's seat, "—is the Third Hokage himself."
A shocked murmur rippled through the chamber.
Shikaku continued grimly.
"The Root facility was under the Hokage's jurisdiction. Furthermore, after a brief interrogation jointly conducted by our four clans and the Uchiha, the Third Hokage himself admitted to killing Uchiha Shisui in secret."
"The body has since been handed over to the Uchiha for safekeeping."
Fugaku immediately rose, his voice resonant:
"What Shikaku says is true. Shisui's body is in Uchiha custody, preserved with honor. For the sake of respect, I will not permit further inspection by outsiders."
There was no objection. Many of the clan heads had already glimpsed Shisui's corpse with their own eyes. That was proof enough.
So it was true—the Third Hokage had murdered Uchiha Shisui. The whispers had been circulating for days, but to hear it confirmed was another matter entirely.
But even more unsettling was the revelation of yet another laboratory. How could there be two separate Root facilities dedicated to such atrocities?
The distributed files confirmed it: experiments on Senju clan members themselves, attempting to graft the First Hokage's cells.
The room went still. The implications were devastating.
The once-mighty Senju, Konoha's co-founders, had been systematically destroyed from within—exploited and discarded until only Tsunade remained, forced to disband the clan altogether.
The irony was cruel. Once, the Senju had been the only clan capable of suppressing the Uchiha. And yet they hadn't fallen to Uchiha hands at all. They had been undone by their own so-called village elders.
Even Fugaku felt a pang of complicated emotion. The Uchiha had always respected Hashirama and Tobirama, their greatest rivals. To see the Senju fall not by battle, but by treachery… it was almost laughable, yet he could not laugh.
If not for Uchiha Ryosuke, his own clan might have met the same fate.
But thankfully, they had Ryosuke—the unshakable pillar holding up the Uchiha. That thought steadied him.
Ryosuke's eyes narrowed as he turned toward the two advisors—Homura Mitokado and Koharu Utatane.
"Tell me, Elders," he asked evenly, "did you know of these experiments?"
The two paled. Their hearts raced. They shook their heads furiously.
"We were aware only of the experiments involving Senju clan members," Koharu confessed quickly.
"Our intention was to recreate a wielder of Wood Release, to give Konoha the strength it desperately needed. After the Second Hokage's death, the village was surrounded on all sides—Kirigakure, Sunagakure, Iwagakure—all coveting the Land of Fire's wealth. The situation was dire. Even Uzushiogakure was destroyed, and we did not dare intervene."
Her voice cracked with desperation.
"In such a crisis, we had no choice. It was all for Konoha. And the Senju clan members volunteered for it."
A heavy sigh rippled through the chamber. The history was true. At the time, Konoha had been weakened and beset on all sides. High-risk measures might have seemed necessary.
The elders sensed the shift. They pressed on, seizing the moment.
"As for Danzo's experiments on infants… that, we knew nothing about. We had no part in it."
Then they fell silent, staring at Ryosuke. They understood all too well—the Uchiha leader's judgment was what mattered now. If Ryosuke accepted their plea, they would walk away with their lives intact.
But Ryosuke's gaze was merciless.
"So," he said softly, "you sacrificed countless Senju lives in the name of Konoha. And tell me—what successes came of it? How many survived the experiments?"
Homura's face fell. He exhaled shakily.
"None. The First Hokage's cells were far too powerful. Every Senju subject was consumed. All died."
Ryosuke had already known this outcome—he was, after all, a transmigrant who knew the story.
But hearing it aloud, he let his anger sharpen his tone.
"So many deaths. So much blood. And your excuse is 'for Konoha'? You destroyed the Senju with your arrogance. Do you even comprehend your sins?"
The chamber erupted. Clan heads stared in shock. No one had expected Ryosuke to strike not at Hiruzen—but first at the two elders.
The advisors' faces drained of color. They knew what this meant. They could not resist. The tide of power had turned.
They exchanged a glance, then bowed their heads.
"We admit our guilt."
The chamber fell quiet.
The deaths of so many Senju, the collapse of the clan itself—these were unforgivable crimes, regardless of intent. And since the experiments had achieved nothing, their "sacrifice for Konoha" was hollow.
Ryosuke's voice cut through the silence.
"Very well. Since you have confessed, your punishment will be the removal of your titles. From this day forward, you are no longer Elders of Konoha. Does anyone object?"
The two bowed deeply.
"We have no objections."
They had lost everything—but at least they were still alive.
Ryosuke gave them no further thought.
"So be it. New advisors will be chosen for the village in due time. As for Danzo's experiments on infants infused with the First Hokage's cells—tell me, did the Third Hokage know of them?"
The two shook their heads firmly.
"We do not know. Truly. Even had it worked, infants cannot be turned into immediate fighting power. This must have been Danzo's own obsession. We cannot answer for him."
Danzo was long dead. And so, they would let him bear the blame alone.