The last rays of the setting sun shone on the gates of Konoha, casting long shadows of the returning crowd. The joyful laughter of their departure had long since faded, replaced by heavy footsteps and bowed heads.
"We're back..." Naruto stood at the village entrance, his fists clenched until they turned white. His voice no longer held its former vitality, only deep weariness and resentment remained.
Sakura walked at the back, her eyes dull and lifeless. Her fingers unconsciously rubbed the ninja tool pouch at her waist—where the Military Rations Pill that were originally meant for Sasuke were still stored.
"Cheer up!" Kakashi patted the two on the shoulders, though his own eyes were hidden in the shadow of his Forehead Protector, "Let's report to the Hokage's office first."
"You're finally back, Kakashi Hatake."
A chilling voice suddenly came from the street corner.
Danzo walked out slowly, leaning on his cane, followed by his two advisors, Utatane Koharu and Mitokado Homura, as well as a team of Root members wearing animal masks.
The air froze instantly.
"Danzo." Kakashi narrowed his eyes slightly. "The Lord Hokage is still in the Land of Iron attending the Five Kage Summit, what are you doing here...?"
"That's exactly why I've come." Danzo his cane down heavily. "Sasuke Uchiha's defection to Orochimaru is irrefutable. According to Konoha's emergency regulations, the advisory board unanimously decides—"
He unfurled a scroll:
"Immediately classify Sasuke Uchiha as S-rank missing-nin and dispatch an assassination squad to eliminate him."
"What?!" Naruto roared, his azure eyes trembling with rage. "Sasuke didn't defect! He was tricked by Orochimaru! I'll go get him right now!"
"Naruto Uzumaki!" Utatane Koharu shouted sternly, "Mind your place!"
"I understand the feelings within your squad."
A cold glint flashed in Danzo eye. "But Sasuke Uchiha, carrying village secrets, has defected to an enemy nation as a rogue missing-nin, constituting the highest level of treason. As Konoha Ninja, you should understand what this means."
"Bullshit!" Naruto punched the nearby telephone pole, the metal instantly denting. "Sasuke— "
"Danzo," Jiraiya suddenly pressed down on Naruto's shoulder, his voice unusually serious, "We can discuss Sasuke's matter when Tsunade returns."
"Hmph, Jiraiya, are you going to protect missing-nin too?" Mitokado Homura pushed up his glasses. "Don't forget, Orochimaru is the murderer of the Third Hokage!"
"That's precisely why. Jiraiya's gaze is as sharp as a knife, so it's even more appropriate for the Hokage to handle this personally. Or perhaps..."
He glanced meaningfully at the "Root" behind Danzo:
"Are some people so eager to take advantage of the Hokage's absence to eliminate the last Uchiha?"
Danzo's single eye suddenly contracted.
"Kakashi-sensei is right!" Ino suddenly stood up and said, "Lord Danzo, you're not the Hokage, what right do you have to make decisions on your own?"
"That's right!" Kiba, with his arm around Akamaru, chimed in loudly, "And although Sasuke is annoying, he would never betray the village!"
Hinata kept her head down, but her voice was unusually firm. "I... I also believe in Sasuke-kun..."
"Enough!" Danzo his cane on the ground again, his Chakra erupting and causing everyone's robes to flutter. "Sasuke Uchiha's defection is a fact! As an elder of Konoha, I have the right—"
"You have absolutely no power!"
A roar exploded. A ring of scarlet Chakra suddenly erupted around Naruto, and his azure eyes began to turn into vertical pupils. The Nine-Tails' malice caused everyone present to involuntarily take a step back.
"Naruto! Calm down!" Kakashi instantly grabbed his shoulder, his Sharingan spinning wildly.
"I've had enough!" Naruto glared at Danzo, his voice hoarse with anger. "Ever since Sasuke left, you people have been calling him a 'missing-nin'! What do you know about Sasuke? Do you know what he went through?!"
The claws formed from the Nine-Tails Chakra were already faintly visible, but Naruto's eyes were even sharper than the Chakra:
"I don't care about S-rank or anything, I will definitely bring Sasuke back! Who dares to touch him--"
"Naruto!"
Jiraiya delivered a precise chop to the back of Naruto's neck, instantly dissipating the Nine-Tails Chakra. The last thing Naruto saw before collapsing was Jiraiya's unprecedentedly serious expression.
"Sorry, the child doesn't know any better." Jiraiya carried the unconscious Naruto, his tone flippant but his eyes cold. "But Danzo, I advise you to wait for Tsunade to return. After all..."
He leaned close to Danzo's ear and said in a voice only the two of them could hear:
"The Sharingan on your arm is playing on the Heavenly Screen, and you still haven't explained it clearly."
Danzo's pupils suddenly contracted.
"Let's go." Jiraiya and waved, and the Konoha members immediately followed. As they passed the Root members, Kakashi deliberately slowed his pace, his right eye, the only part of his face visible, scanning each mask.
"Oh, right." He suddenly turned around, "Danzo, in the image playing on the Heavenly Screen..."
Kakashi paused deliberately, looking with satisfaction at Danzo's taut jawline:
"I think you might die a pretty horrible death."
After saying that, he vanished in Body Flicker Technique, leaving behind a trembling Danzo and his advisors looking at each other in bewilderment.
Danzo stood at the village entrance, leaning on his cane, his one eye fixed on the figure gradually disappearing into the distance. His knuckles turned white from the effort, and the base of his cane sank deeply into the soil.
"That despicable Kakashi Hatake..."
He gritted his teeth, his face contorted with rage.
The images that were playing on the Heavenly Screen a while ago resurfaced in my mind— the Mangekyō Sharingan in Sasuke's eyes during that damned brat's flashback, and my own Izanagi being forced to reveal itself...
(I actually lost to Uchiha brat?!)
The thought gnawed at his reason like a venomous snake. Ever since that scene played on the Heavenly Screen, he had been unable to sleep at night.
I thought that as new content appeared in the Heavenly Screen, people's attention would be diverted, but I didn't expect Kakashi to dare to bring it up in public today!
"Danzo, calm down." Utatane Koharu frowned. "The most important thing right now is the outcome of the Five Kage Summit, not --"
"Shut up!" Danzo whirled around, his single eye bloodshot. "Didn't you see? Sasuke Uchiha to Orochimaru, Kakashi Hatake openly missing-nin, and now even Jiraiya..."
He stopped abruptly, taking a deep breath to suppress his rage. Years of political experience had quickly restored a semblance of calm, but the chill in his voice was even more pronounced:
"The Uchiha Clan will always be a threat to Konoha."
Mitokado Homura adjusted his glasses. "But Tsunade definitely won't agree to issue a kill order when she returns. After all, Sasuke is the last Uchiha..."
"Precisely because he's the last one, he can't be allowed to live." Danzo sneered, turning and walking towards the village. "I'll send someone to contact Orochimaru."
The two advisors exchanged a shocked glance.
"Are you crazy?" Utatane Koharu whispered. "Go contact Orochimaru? He's the murderer of Hiruzen!"
Danzo's footsteps did not cease, his voice drifting through the morning mist:
"For the sake of Konoha, some dirty work... has to be done by someone."
His figure gradually blurred, leaving only the sound of his cane striking the ground, each strike heavier than the last.
The underground base was damp and cold, and the flames of oil lamps cast distorted shadows on the walls.
Danzo unwrapped the bandage from his right eye, revealing the crimson Sharingan. This eye, which he had stolen from Shisui Uchiha, was now spinning wildly.
C.
A dark figure immediately knelt before him. "Lord Danzo."
"I'm informing Orochimaru that I'm willing to exchange the Second Hokage's research data for Sasuke Uchiha's head."
The Root ninja, codenamed C, shuddered almost imperceptibly. "Sir... that's the village's top secret..."
Danzo his one eye. "Are you questioning my orders?"
"I dare not!" Bing immediately lowered his head. "But... will Orochimaru really accept it? He clearly wants Sasuke's body..."
"Hmph, that mad scientist certainly wants the perfect vessel. "Danzo rewrapped his bandages. "So you have to tell him—if he doesn't cooperate, I'll leak his information. I'm sure many people are interested in his whereabouts right now."
Bing bowed deeply and instantly disappeared into the shadows.
Danzo walked deeper into the secret chamber and unveiled a huge scroll. It detailed every aspect of the night the Uchiha Clan was massacred, as well as... a few names that were deliberately circled.
"Uchiha Fugaku... Uchiha Itachi..." His fingers traced the names, finally stopping on "Sasuke Uchiha," his nails digging deeply into the paper.
"This evil race must be completely eradicated."
On the top floor of the Hokage Building, Utatane Koharu and Mitokado Homura stood on the edge, watching the village gradually become lively.
"Danzo is getting more and more out of control." Mitokado Homura sighed, "Ever since that scene was played on the Heavenly Screen..."
Utatane Koharu, rubbing her temples, said, "I understand his concerns. The Uchiha's power is indeed dangerous, but cooperating with Orochimaru..."
The two remained silent for a moment. In the distance came the laughter of children; a group of the Ninja Academy students were running excitedly towards the Training Ground.
"Let's talk about it when Tsunade returns," Mitokado Homura finally said. "The most important thing now is the outcome of the Five Kage Summit."
Utatane Koharu, but her brow remained furrowed. She had a bad feeling about this.
"Hopefully... nothing will go wrong."