"To kill Root shinobi inside Konohagakure, then blast their bodies into ashes for every shinobi and civilian to see—"
"That's outrageous! Absolutely insane!"
Danzo Shimura roared in fury, veins bulging at his temples.
"It was definitely those cursed Uchiha!"
"It could only be them! They dared to kill Root shinobi—this is treason!"
"Hiruzen, as Hokage, you must decide immediately. Mobilize the entire village and wipe out the Uchiha!"
Seated behind his desk, Hiruzen Sarutobi remained unmoved.
At forty-seven, he had just passed the peak of his prime, yet the so-called Professor was still formidable. He sat like a mountain, calmly drawing on his pipe, as if Danzo's rage were nothing more than passing wind.
Homura Mitokado adjusted his glasses and spoke coldly, "Danzo, do you have any evidence that the Uchiha are responsible?"
Danzo's roar stopped mid-breath.
He turned sharply. "If not the Uchiha, then who else would dare do something this brazen?"
"That isn't evidence," Homura replied flatly. "It won't convince Konoha's shinobi."
"They've already struck us in the face—what more evidence do we need?!"
"We need evidence. Otherwise, no one will believe you."
Hiruzen tapped his pipe lightly against the ashtray.
The argument died instantly.
At this moment in time, his authority stood at its peak. A simple gesture was enough to silence his old comrades.
He looked at Danzo and asked quietly, "Danzo, the Uchiha clan is powerful. Are you certain you can eliminate them?"
Danzo inhaled sharply. "Konoha has thirty thousand shinobi and three hundred jonin. If we mobilize them all, wiping out a mere Uchiha—"
"I asked whether you can do it," Hiruzen cut in. "You, with Root alone."
Danzo froze.
For a moment, he said nothing.
The Uchiha clan was one of Konoha's founders. Even now, they had over a thousand shinobi. Among them were thirty-seven jonin—half of whom possessed fully matured three-tomoe Sharingan.
Compared to that—
Root was insignificant.
If Danzo truly had the power to destroy the Uchiha alone, he would have acted long ago.
He would not be standing here arguing.
A thought flashed through his mind as he glanced at Hiruzen—
If I had that kind of power… I'd drag you down from that seat and take the title of Hokage myself.
But he didn't.
Under Hiruzen's steady gaze, Danzo finally ground out the words, "I can't."
"Then you need evidence," Hiruzen said calmly. "Konoha's shinobi are not your Root subordinates. If you want to move against the Uchiha, you need proof convincing enough for them to accept."
"And not fabricated proof. That won't work."
"…Fine. I understand."
Koharu Utatane raised her head, her expression sharp.
"Watch your tone, Danzo. Show Hiruzen proper respect. He is the Hokage."
"Shut up, useless woman!"
"You bastard! Are you asking to die?!"
"Danzo," Hiruzen said coldly, "your attitude is getting worse. Apologize to Koharu."
"Enough."
"All of you, be quiet."
His voice cut through the room like a blade.
Silence fell.
At this stage of their lives, all of Konoha's elders were genuine Kage-level shinobi, each with their own pride. Homura and Koharu had not yet declined into weakness, and though Danzo was formidable, he could not suppress the others.
Only Hiruzen stood above them all.
He relit his pipe and took a slow breath.
"Danzo, can you truly produce no evidence?"
Under the combined gazes of the three elders, Danzo finally shook his head.
"There's no evidence."
Whoever had done it—
Had done it perfectly.
The bodies had been completely destroyed and scattered across the entire village. There was nothing left to trace.
"…But there is one clue," Danzo continued. "The enemy didn't use chakra. Nor explosives. It may have been natural energy."
That made all three react.
Koharu blurted out, "The First Hokage's sage power?!"
"Not sage power," Danzo corrected immediately. "The First Hokage's techniques used a special form of chakra. I had the Hyuga examine it—there were no traces of chakra at all."
"No explosives. No chakra. Yet such destructive force."
"The only possibility… is natural energy."
Hiruzen glanced at him briefly.
But what he thought was something else entirely—
This reasoning… likely came from Nara Shikaku. If that's his conclusion, then it's probably correct.
Aloud, he said, "That makes sense. I'll have Jiraiya verify it."
Homura asked, "Hiruzen, you are the Professor. No one understands ninjutsu better than you. Do you know of anyone capable of wielding such power?"
Hiruzen shook his head.
"Among all the forces I know, none use pure natural energy."
"The First Hokage's records—and Jiraiya's training notes—both show that natural energy is extremely dangerous. Even contact can turn a person to stone or wood."
Then his gaze hardened.
Anger flickered.
"But this must be investigated."
"To dare provoke Konoha so openly within its own borders—"
"Whoever did this will pay the price."
Danzo's eyes lit up.
"Good! That's the resolve a Hokage should have! Leave it to me—I'll find the culprit!"
The other three exchanged glances.
They all saw it—
That flicker of satisfaction on Danzo's face.
He intended to frame the Uchiha again.
Homura and Koharu both shook their heads.
Hiruzen sighed inwardly.
Sometimes, an ally like this was worse than an enemy.
After a brief pause, he spoke again.
"Danzo."
"Whatever evidence you find—it must not point to the Uchiha. Nor to any other clan."
"It must point outside the village."
"Understood?"
Danzo's expression darkened instantly.
"Why? This is an offense the entire village should not tolerate! If the evidence is solid, no one will forgive the Uchiha!"
"A guilty Uchiha would have to atone through service."
"Criminals make the best soldiers!"
"Danzo!"
Hiruzen's voice exploded with fury.
"Don't assume everyone else is a fool!"
Homura nodded. "He's right. If it's not undeniable evidence obtained immediately, no one will believe it."
Koharu added, "We cannot act recklessly. The impact of the Sakumo Hatake Incident hasn't faded."
Danzo scoffed. "He's been dead for over two years. What impact could still remain?"
Hiruzen had lost all patience.
Danzo was not someone who could be reasoned with.
And with the others in agreement—
He made the decision.
"That's enough."
"This is final."
"Carry it out."
Danzo froze.
His face slowly reddened with suppressed rage.
After a long moment, he forced out the words:
"You'll regret this, Hiruzen!"
Hiruzen met his gaze calmly.
"I am the Hokage, Danzo."
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