Conflict

"Hoshiryu Uchiha."

Hiruzen Sarutobi continued, asking:

"What exactly happened there? Can you tell me?"

Since Hiruzen Sarutobi did not yet know how Hoshiryu Uchiha had performed, he naturally would not make things difficult for a child.

Even his tone had become gentler, but this angered Danzo beside him.

Danzo had inherited none of the Second Hokage's virtues, but in one regard, he had surpassed his predecessor: his hatred of the Uchiha.

He snorted coldly, his face dark as he threatened:

"Brat, tell us the truth honestly, or it will be considered a betrayal of Konoha!"

Hoshiryu Uchiha dismissed those words with contempt.

No wonder Danzo could never become Hokage. The gap between the two in how they treated people was far too great; they were not even on the same level emotionally.

Besides, with that face of his that looked displeased with everyone, anyone would choose Hiruzen Sarutobi over him.

Danzo's weakness was far too easy to find. There was no need to draw swords and escalate things to hit him where it hurt.

So Hoshiryu Uchiha pointed at Hiruzen Sarutobi and asked with an innocent expression:

"I think this uncle is the Hokage, right? Isn't the Hokage the one in charge here?"

"You...!"

"Enough, Danzo. This is the Hokage's office!"

Just as Danzo was about to lose his temper, Hiruzen Sarutobi rebuked him.

No matter how unwilling Danzo was after being reprimanded, he could only obey the Hokage's words.

His face darkened as he glared at Hoshiryu Uchiha, hoping to pressure him that way.

Hiruzen Sarutobi then rose to his feet, walked over to Hoshiryu Uchiha's side, and raised a hand, intending to pat his head.

Naturally, Hoshiryu Uchiha would not let Hiruzen Sarutobi touch him. He lightly avoided his hand and said:

"Lord Hokage, let's return to what we were discussing."

Seeing him avoid the gesture, Hiruzen Sarutobi awkwardly withdrew his hand. He then picked up his pipe as though nothing had happened, took a puff, and said:

"All right, then. Tell me."

Hoshiryu Uchiha pondered for a moment and glanced at the two ANBU before him.

My Three-Tomoe Sharingan has already been exposed. I might as well lay everything out clearly, as long as I still have other trump cards.

With that thought, Hoshiryu Uchiha spoke:

"Today, while I was training in my room, I was assassinated by spies. After I drove them back, the ANBU arrived at the scene."

"The ruins left behind were where I fought those spies, and also where I used to live."

Hiruzen Sarutobi was greatly surprised upon hearing this. Hoshiryu Uchiha, who looked so young, had actually managed to repel an assassination attempt by spies.

After all, anyone sent to another village to conduct espionage would, even if they were not Jonin, at least be capable of escaping unharmed from a Jonin.

Yet Hoshiryu Uchiha claimed to have driven back spies. That meant he already possessed strength above that of an elite Chunin.

Just as he was about to ask Hoshiryu Uchiha how he had repelled the spies, Danzo at the side could no longer hold back.

"Brat, who are you trying to fool? Spies from Ninja Villages are at least Chunin. How could you possibly drive them back?!"

With that, Danzo slammed his hand onto the table and passed judgment on Hoshiryu Uchiha in his very next sentence.

"I say they spared you and made you their inside man, betraying the village!"

Hoshiryu Uchiha had already grown tired of Danzo's incessant barking, and his Three-Tomoe Sharingan activated in an instant.

Danzo had been trying to pressure Hoshiryu Uchiha with his gaze all along, so he now happened to see those three tomoe.

Although Hoshiryu Uchiha still could not use genjutsu, under Mangekyo Pupil Power, the Sharingan's innate illusion-inducing effect was more than enough.

At that moment, Danzo felt as though the blood-red Three-Tomoe Sharingan were watching him like the Death God. The immense pressure made it feel as though his heart had stopped beating, and even his breathing ceased.

Though everything happened in an instant, Hiruzen Sarutobi still noticed the fluctuation of Chakra.

Seeing the state of his old friend, Hiruzen Sarutobi knew that he had fallen under genjutsu.

Though he was somewhat alarmed that a genjutsu could restrain Danzo in a single instant, this was not the time to ask about it.

But before he could say anything, Hoshiryu Uchiha closed his Sharingan and said:

"I believe Elder Danzo now understands how I repelled those spies. If he still doesn't believe me, I can demonstrate it for him again."

Though it had lasted only an instant, Danzo still felt saved when the Three-Tomoe Sharingan vanished.

What followed was immense humiliation—humiliation that left him furious with shame.

"Brat, you actually dared to openly attack one of Konoha's higher-ups!"

"This is a betrayal of Konoha! Hiruzen, what are you waiting for? The two of us should join forces and take him down!"

Hiruzen Sarutobi was somewhat hesitant as well. A child with a Three-Tomoe Sharingan, one even about the same age as Tsunade.

Someone with such potential was also an Uchiha. If left unchecked, he might become the next Madara Uchiha.

Just as Hiruzen Sarutobi was wavering, the office door was kicked open.

Bang!

The sudden crash drew everyone's attention. A woman with her hair styled in twin buns strolled in leisurely.

"Enough! He's just a child."

"Monkey, you've greatly disappointed me today."

The newcomer was naturally Mito Uzumaki. In fact, she had arrived when Hoshiryu Uchiha activated his Sharingan, and she had heard everything Danzo said.

At the time, she had wanted to enter and stop Danzo, but she suddenly wished to see what kind of magnanimity Hiruzen Sarutobi possessed. So she remained outside the door, waiting to see how Hiruzen would handle things.

As the Hokage, no matter how the villagers spoke ill of the Uchiha, he could not openly reveal his own stance.

Otherwise, this atmosphere would only grow worse, eventually creating a divided situation.

Yet Hiruzen Sarutobi had not immediately stopped Danzo. Instead, he had made no further move at all, and that disappointed her somewhat.

Whether he was wavering or tacitly agreeing with Danzo's words, both showed a lack of trust in the Uchiha.

That meant Hiruzen Sarutobi's magnanimity as Hokage was no greater than this.

Even though the Second Hokage spoke of the evil Uchiha, he would not target an Uchiha child like this. Otherwise, how could Kagami Uchiha have become the Second Hokage's disciple?

The Second Hokage disliked the Uchiha, but he would still find ways to integrate them into Konoha rather than drive them away.

What Danzo had said about Hoshiryu Uchiha becoming the next Madara Uchiha was nothing more than fear that his own power would be threatened.

The disappointment on Mito Uzumaki's face saddened Hiruzen Sarutobi.

Those words had all been Danzo's. He had done nothing at all—could that really be wrong? Hiruzen Sarutobi could not understand.

Just as a child needed praise from their parents, Hiruzen Sarutobi also wanted Mito Uzumaki to keep acknowledging him.

But what had happened today caused Mito to no longer approve of him. No matter how one looked at it, that was not a good sign.

Thus, Hiruzen Sarutobi made what he believed was the right attempt to remedy the situation.