Danzō stood silent, his venomous gaze locked on Fugaku, fury radiating from every line of his body.
But the truth had been laid bare. He had no way to refute it.
Sarutobi Hiruzen's anger finally broke free. "Look at what you've done!" His voice cracked like a whip. "This is your so-called 'reliable intelligence'? Your 'ironclad proof'? Planting spies, forging evidence, storming the Police, provoking civil strife—"
"Lawless!"
Each accusation struck like a blow. Danzō's face twitched, and the watching clan envoys shifted uneasily. The great elder of Konoha's council, humiliated before all—it shocked them to the core.
The plaza fell deathly still.
Danzō's hand trembled faintly on his cane, his face pale and mottled. At last, with a cold snort of shame and rage, he spun on his heel to storm away from the scene that had ruined him.
"Stop." Hiruzen's voice cut, hard as iron.
Danzō froze, back turned.
"From today forward," Hiruzen declared, voice low and heavy, "every Root action, great or small, will be reported to me in detail. No operation will proceed without my leave."
He paused, then struck harder: "And ANBU will be stationed inside Root's base, to maintain full-time oversight."
The words hit like a hammer. Danzō stiffened, blood draining from his face. This was no slap on the wrist—this was stripping his power to the bone.
He shot Fugaku a venomous glare, but dared not retort. Cane tapping furiously, he led his men away into the night.
As Root slunk off in disgrace, the Uchiha within the Police headquarters erupted in cheers.
They had endured humiliation too long. At last, a breath of vindication filled their lungs, joy breaking through faces flushed with triumph.
But not all joined the celebration.
Yashiro, Inabi, Izumi…
Their gazes turned together toward the masked figure at the end of ANBU's line.
From Root's first intrusion, to the escalating clash, to the Hokage's arrival, the spy's perjury, and the sudden reversal—
Every step, every twist had followed the path Eiya had charted the night before in the secrecy of their chamber.
Now it had played out exactly so.
Danzō disgraced, his authority shorn. Even the Hokage, though stern, carried a trace of guilt toward the Uchiha.
The clan was safe.
And yet Eiya had already left pieces in reserve for the next move.
The thought made their hearts tremble. Their eyes burned with fervent admiration—and deep respect.
[Ding! Indulgence achieved!]
[Through careful design behind the scenes, the host has publicly crushed a village elder's scheme, preserved the honor of the Uchiha Police. Indulgence rating: A.]
[Reward issued…]
[Gained: Random Ability Evolution.]
Sharingan… Sharingan…
Eiya held his breath, silently chanting.
Seconds later—
[Ding! Congratulations, host has acquired: Ultra Kagura's Mind's Eye.]
Not Sharingan?
A flicker of disappointment passed through him. If he had leapt straight to the Mangekyō, his power would have soared—true Kage-level, his plans pushed forward by years.
Still…
It was a new path to evolution, one that did not demand the sacrifice of someone dear. For that alone, it was fortune.
He steadied himself and activated his new sight.
A ripple spread from his core, blanketing the entire Hidden Leaf.
At once, every sound and motion across kilometers painted itself in his mind.
He saw Danzō's dark figure two streets away, and the turbulent mass of life-force in his chest. He heard the curses boiling in his heart.
Eiya's lips curved.
The old snake was livid.
…
That evening, an official notice went out from the Hokage's office: the Police Force was to be reformed.
Uchiha compound, Fugaku's home.
The clan's key figures sat together, faces grave.
Fugaku scanned them, then placed the document on the table with a sigh. "The Hokage doesn't trust us. He clipped Root today, but now he moves to weaken us. In the end—the winner is still him."
The reform listed two measures:
Full examinations for all Police members, overseen by ANBU. Anyone lacking in skill or discipline would be removed.
Open recruitment, inviting ninja from every clan and even civilians to join, broadening the force and dissolving prejudice, tying the Uchiha closer to the village.
"Outrageous!" Yashiro thundered, face dark. "We were the victims—why must our power be cut?"
"Exactly!" Inabi slammed the table. "The Police are our Uchiha's creation. Why should outsiders take seats among us?"
The elders muttered angrily, whiskers bristling, eyes aflame.
Fugaku raised a hand for silence. "Calm yourselves."
His eyes betrayed a trace of resignation. "Since the Nine-Tails, suspicion has shadowed us. After the recent slander, our standing is already in doubt. To Hiruzen, suspicion outweighs guilt. This is natural."
"At least—we survived the storm intact."
Silence fell. Resentment burned, but words died unsaid.
"The Hokage's order leaves us no choice," Fugaku went on. "Go and steady our clansmen. No rashness. No folly. And above all—we must hold onto as many seats in the Force as we can."
After a moment, Yashiro said, "Clan head… since ANBU will oversee the tests—what if Eiya is assigned? Wouldn't that be best for us?"
Inabi's eyes lit. "Yes! He may wear their mask, but his roots are Uchiha. If he supervises, at least we'll not be sabotaged."
Fugaku shook his head. "Unlikely. ANBU won't assign Uchiha to oversee Uchiha. They'll avoid the charge of bias. The chance is slim."
"Even slim—we must try!" Yashiro urged. "This concerns our clan's future."
Fugaku's lips twisted in a weary smile, then he nodded. "Very well. I'll try to persuade him."
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