That morning, word spread that the Hokage's advisor would be executed in public. No one had to make an announcement - curiosity alone was enough to draw a massive crowd.
Konoha wasn't exactly built for big public spectacles. There were no grand plazas or open squares, so the space in front of the administration building - the Hokage's residence - was packed so tightly you could barely breathe. They'd decided to use the roof as a makeshift scaffold, which, in Akira's opinion, was a questionable choice at best.
"They could've just had Yamato whip up a proper platform," Akira muttered, weaving through the throng in search of a spot with a halfway decent view. The front of the roof was visible enough, but the press of bodies was seriously testing his patience.
"Wow, they even set up a loudspeaker," Akira thought, surprised at how clearly the daimyo's voice carried. It was the first time he'd seen the man in person - sagging cheeks, a comically tall hat, round, unblinking eyes, and that yellow robe with green trim that practically screamed 'royalty.'
****
"Today, we gather to see justice done and evil punished. Advisor Danzo has harmed the Land of Fire and its people for years. Because of him, countless good men, women, and children have died. The path of a shinobi has never been a clean one - truly, there is no shinobi with unstained hands. But there's a world of difference between sacrificing your soul for others, and doing it for your own gain. Danzo was the kind of man who killed for himself, and people like him stain the honor of every worthy shinobi in our land. For that alone, he doesn't deserve to live among us - but his sins don't end there. Selfish ambition is nothing compared to betraying your own country. There is no one more despised than a traitor. Danzo betrayed me, his daimyo, and he betrayed the village and the Land of Fire. Execution won't cleanse his soul before the Shinigami, but it will rid our world of such a tainted spirit. All the clans have unanimously supported my decision. Today, you will witness our country become just a little bit cleaner."
"Down with traitors!"
"Death to Danzo!"
"Send him to the Shinigami already!"
"Off with his head!"
The crowd erupted, their voices a tidal wave of approval. If Danzo - now truly one-eyed - could have spoken, he'd have cursed them all.
"Before we carry out justice and end Danzo's sinful life, as a gesture of goodwill, I'll let him look one last time at the village - the home he lost by his own actions."
When the bag was yanked from his head, Danzo squinted, blinking against the harsh sunlight.
*Was my path really wrong? I spent so many years doing everything I could to make Konoha great. Sure, my methods weren't always popular, and I made plenty of mistakes, but thanks to me, every nation fears Konoha. Their fear is proof of our strength. And now you all stand there, celebrating, following the herd. I'd love to see how happy you'll be when the armies of every other country are at our gates.*
Then, something caught Danzo's eye - a lone figure perched on the roof of a small house. From his vantage point, it was impossible to miss the person lounging in a chair, munching on… what even was that? A cardboard bucket and… roasted corn kernels? Popcorn? Why is he eating during my execution? The sheer audacity grated on Danzo's nerves more than the crowd's jeers.
He lowered his head to shield his eye from the sun and focused, channeling chakra to sharpen his vision. Years of using the Sharingan had taught him how to enhance his normal sight with chakra - nothing supernatural, but it let him see a little farther, a little clearer.
"That man… Akira Zoldyck." As if sensing his gaze, Akira, sitting on the roof and enjoying his popcorn, winked back. His eyesight was sharper than most shinobi, so he'd noticed Danzo staring.
*His lips… what's he saying? Dan-zo, it was fun, you lost… What the hell is that supposed to mean? I lost? To who?* And in that instant, it hit Danzo. The real reason he'd always been wary of Akira had nothing to do with spying. Danzo remembered the first report on this man.
Akira - or someone who looked just like him - had never been seen anywhere before. That was odd, especially given his education and talents. Akira had surprised him, suggesting that clanless veterans could be rallied against the village's elite by someone with the right words. For the first time, Danzo had felt something like respect for the man - after all, even Danzo himself hadn't noticed that possibility. And after reading Akira's book, he realized Akira could think just like him. That made him even more wary, but with the Uchiha plan in motion, he'd let it slip his mind.
*And now, this man is telling me it was fun and that I lost… He set this all up! I don't know how, but he turned the clan heads against me and got the daimyo's attention. He used other people's hands to get rid of a potential enemy - me! That's… that's a brilliant move. Yes… Akira Zoldyck, or whatever your name is, I was careless, and that's why I'm dying today, not you. I… lost.*
****
*Mikoto survived, Danzo is dead, and soon there'll be plenty of cheap real estate in the Uchiha district, just as I planned. I… won.* Akira smirked, already picturing how he'd celebrate.
[ image ]
****
"Mezumi-sama, a letter from the daimyo has arrived." In the grand, lavishly decorated hall, where the jewel of the Kenami prefecture sat at its center, a maid entered with a thick envelope.
"Open it and read, please." Mezumi was far more interested in her wine glass and book.
"It says your grandfather is grateful for your care and concern, and that he also received these reports personally and from Torio-san. He also reminds you that your younger cousin's birthday is coming up soon."
"I see…" Mezumi sighed, then suddenly sat up straight. "Wait, you're saying he got these reports himself and also from my uncle?" She stared at Nekorin in surprise.
"Yes, that's right," the maid replied, expressionless.
"Something doesn't add up… Remind me, how did you come across that information about Danzo?" Mezumi set her book aside, ready to listen closely.
"While walking through the center of Konoha, I bumped into a man with the subject. He apologized and hurried off. The subject noticed he'd dropped a scrap of paper and, out of curiosity, decided to check it out."
"And he couldn't make sense of it?" Mezumi asked, recalling their conversation from three days ago.
"That's right," Nekorin nodded.
"And he gave you the paper?"
"No, he was going to return it to the owner, but the man was already gone. So, saying there's no point littering, he decided to throw it away."
"But you decided to look at it yourself?" Mezumi clarified.
"Yes, out of curiosity. I wondered why such an educated man couldn't read it. When I saw it was a cipher, I understood why he was confused and pretended to throw it away myself. Half an hour later, after finding an excuse to part ways, I started working on the code and cracked it easily. It gave coordinates."
"And when you went to the location - an abandoned house - you found blood."
"Yes, and after a short investigation, I found a hidden stash with a folder of reports on Danzo's espionage."
"And half the pages were torn out?" Mezumi asked, watching Nekorin's eyes.
"Yes," the maid confirmed.
"I see… Alright, I never asked - what do you personally think of Akira?" Mezumi asked.
"Well… he's a nice guy, as handsome as you are… I mean, I…"
"Hehe, I get it. Hard to believe you almost choked to death on your food." Nekorin just stood there, head bowed in embarrassment.
****
"No, Aika, you can't have more than one piece of cake! And don't give me those puppy eyes." Akira was racking his brain, trying to remember if foxes could even eat cake. He'd let Aika try a piece out of curiosity, and she'd been so enthusiastic about the taste that he was struggling to keep her away from the rest.
"Trra," Aika barked - or maybe purred - staring up at Akira with huge, pleading eyes.
"Alright, fine, I admit it, your acting is better than Kiyomi's. Okay, just one more piece!"
****
A week after Danzo's execution.
"Unfortunately, I have to disband the military police - we simply don't have enough people. Some houses will be easier to tear down completely, but don't worry, we'll make sure every family gets a home. As for the orphans… their closest relatives will have to take care of them. If that causes financial problems, please come to me directly - we'll find a solution. Yes, our clan has suffered a terrible loss. Some have lost husbands, fathers, children, or wives. To get through this, we need to be more united than ever. From now on, we'll hold clan meetings every two weeks, where everyone can share their thoughts on our future. Any questions?" Mikoto, now head of the clan, had changed noticeably - more decisive, sharper. Even her aura felt colder.
"That's all well and good, but what am I doing here?" I raised my hand, voicing the question on everyone's mind.
"Akira-san has been helping our clan with police reforms since before the Danzo incident. For his help, he earned my late husband's trust and, as thanks, was given a house in our district. After everything that happened, Akira-san never betrayed our trust - he even helped us in our darkest hour, donating seven million ryo from his foundation." At that, people started whispering and looked at me much more kindly.
"I'm sure someone with his mind will be a positive influence on our clan, so from now on, he's welcome at our meetings. Akira-san, you're not obligated to come - it's just a sign of our trust."
Clever woman. [ image ]

On the one hand, I should be flattered, but all I see are more obligations, not privileges. If I stop coming, it'll look like I don't care about the Uchiha, and I'll lose their trust. Not what I was hoping for when I came here to help financially.
Not that I mind spending an hour every two weeks surrounded by women who aren't exactly hard on the eyes. Yeah… the Uchiha women really did luck out in the gene pool, but that's beside the point. The real issue is, if I get too involved, I'll get too close to the clan and then… oh, right, I did kill Danzo. Still, I have no desire to get tangled up in obligations. Good relations? Sure! That's all I need.
Sitting there listening to Mikoto, I felt like I was at a PTA meeting. I mean, the percentage of women in the room was just too high. I don't know all the details of the attack, but the drop in the male population was obvious. By my estimate, there were about 180-200 Uchiha before - a huge number for a clan here - and after the attack, only 60-80 were left. Nearly half of the survivors were kids and elders.
As for men… maybe ten, and of those, four were disabled, two in comas, and the rest just had minor injuries. How do I know? I asked Mikoto directly, to figure out how much money they'd need to restore the clan's critical functions. The injured were exactly those key people, and given their condition, they were also the most in need of funding.
The Uchiha were in a really awkward spot. Almost half their budget had gone to arming the clan, and the rest was being used for medical care and patching up the district. A big chunk also went to building a new shrine, but only after the wounded were hospitalized and funerals were held - which, by the way, also cost money.
As for the shrine, rebuilding it was their first priority after stabilizing. It might seem silly, but for the Uchiha, the Naka Shrine was a cultural, traditional, and historical treasure. Leaving it in ruins would be an insult to their ancestors.
But running out of money wasn't the biggest problem. The real issue was that the budget wasn't being replenished. How did the Uchiha make a living? By taking on lots of missions. But now they were in mourning, no one was taking jobs, and even if they did, what could ten or twenty people accomplish? The Uchiha district wouldn't be showing off its old glory for at least two or three generations.
"That's all for now. We've covered the main issues. I won't bother anyone until the end of the week - rest, recover, and if you need to talk, my door is always open." With a bow, everyone stood and left. I was about to slip out with them when Mikoto's voice stopped me.
"Akira-san, could I have a few minutes?" Honestly, I'd rather she'd invited me to her house for tea - this dojo, which was serving as a temporary meeting place, was only good for lying down.
"Of course." Sighing, I went back to my seat and sat on a cushion.
"So… how do you think I did running the meeting?" she tried to ask in a serious tone, but the twitch of her lips made it clear she was a little embarrassed. I could guess why. She'd only just become clan head. She could imitate her husband's manner, but the finer points of leadership and public speaking were still out of reach - just from lack of experience. And who could she ask for advice? The elders were all six feet under, and you can't exactly ask your subordinates.
"Honestly, not bad. You went for the serious leader who's there for people in need - with so few clan members, that's the right call. But so they don't get stuck in self-pity, next time talk more about hope and the strength everyone should aim for, so this never happens again.
As for the police… yeah, it really does need to be disbanded, at least in its current form. There just aren't enough people to keep order, and as I understand it, you only got perks from the village for doing the job. I'd suggest talking to the Hokage about forming a new police force with members from all the village clans, and putting your own people in leadership roles, arguing that they have the experience. The police itself should be funded by the village or by all the clans equally." Mikoto nodded thoughtfully as I spoke.
"Mikoto." I probably showed a lot of nerve, calling her by name with no honorifics. She looked at me in surprise. "Don't worry, you'll be a good pillar for your clan. If you run into trouble, Kushina and I will help you. Don't try to swim against the current alone. Be strong, but don't forget about the hands on your shoulders. How are your daughters handling the loss?" I changed the subject so she wouldn't dwell on my rudeness, but she'd remember it, and next time she wouldn't react so sharply to my familiarity.
"Sasuke's closed herself off a bit, and Itachi… I think she's living on our training field," she admitted with a sad smile.
"I see. I'll try to shake up my student a bit and maybe reach the older one through her. Or I'll just go straight to Itachi myself. And you, get some rest - it's hard to look at those bags under your eyes without feeling sorry for you. Just looking at you makes me want to yawn." I yawned dramatically. "Seriously, now I'm sleepy."
Mikoto just smiled at my dumb joke.
"Thank you, Akira." She smiled back, I waved goodbye, and left the dojo.
🔥~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~🔥
Dear readers, over the next two days I will be traveling, which will make it difficult to release new chapters. Wishing you all a great day!