There Are Bad People Around the Hokage

"Third Hokage, you've finally arrived." Uchiha Toko, who had remained silent from the beginning, finally spoke slowly.

"Douhuan, what exactly happened?" Only after glancing at the half of Danzo lying on the ground did Sarutobi Hiruzen ask Uchiha Toko.

"This morning, we accepted a mission from the village, but we were ambushed along the way." Uchiha Toko spoke calmly. "After the three of us killed all the attacking ninja, we discovered Elder Danzo's corpse among the attackers' bodies."

"Nonsense! How could Danzo possibly have ambushed you?" Mitokado Homura roared at once.

"Regardless, that is the truth." Uchiha Toko's tone remained calm. "During the battle, he exposed the Sharingan on his arm. We killed him as a thief who had stolen our clan's bloodline, only to discover afterward that he was Elder Danzo."

"Hiruzen, don't listen to his nonsense. This is clearly the Uchiha Clan framing Danzo after murdering him!" Utatane Koharu spoke up as well.

"The Uchiha Clan would never desecrate the corpses of our own kin!" the Uchiha Elder behind Uchiha Toko snapped furiously.

"What we found was not merely the Sharingan." Uchiha Toko was not angered by the accusations. He simply removed the Sharingan from Danzo's arm one by one, then undid the Sealing Technique placed upon it. The unrestrained Hashirama Cells instantly swallowed Danzo's remains, turning them into a twisted wooden stump.

"Is that... Wood Style?" Some of the older ninja present recognized it. At the same time, Uchiha Toko signaled for Inaho to toss Yamato down from his back.

"During the fight, we also found this—a ninja capable of using Wood Style. What that represents, I'm sure I don't need to explain." Uchiha Toko stared intensely at Sarutobi Hiruzen.

"You actually dared to desecrate Lord First Hokage's remains!" The one who spoke was an elder from the Uchiha Clan's Dove Faction. This elder had always deeply revered the Lord First Hokage, and he naturally could not accept what he was seeing.

At that moment, the ninja on the Hokage's side also showed slight changes in expression. After all, what Danzo had done was no different from taking a shit on their faith.

Sarutobi Hiruzen understood that he could no longer remain silent. "Everyone, I will send people to thoroughly investigate this matter and give you all an explanation. Please give me some time!"

"We can't trust them! Douhuan! Lead us in rebellion! You awakened Lord Madara's eyes! You can definitely lead our Uchiha Clan to glory!" Sarutobi Hiruzen's words clearly could not quell the Uchiha Clan's fury. Two members of the Radical Faction immediately stepped forward and shouted.

Shisui and Itachi, standing in the crowd, were greatly alarmed, but the clansmen around them had already fallen into a frenzy.

The two exchanged glances in the crowd and made up their minds at the same time. Even if it cost them their lives, they had to stop this.

But just then, Uchiha Toko suddenly turned around and shouted, "All of you, shut up!"

Upon hearing Uchiha Toko's words, the Uchiha Clan members who had been clamoring for rebellion a moment ago froze. Several elders from the Militant Faction stared at Uchiha Toko in disbelief.

The Three Tomoe in Uchiha Toko's eyes had become Mangekyo. Then, without mercy, he rebuked them, "What the hell are you yelling for?! Konoha was founded jointly by the First Hokage and Lord Madara! We were born here and raised here. This is our home! We drink the water of the Naka River alongside the village and eat grain grown from the same rice fields. We are part of this village too!"

Shisui and Itachi were both stunned upon hearing Uchiha Toko's words. Could it be that Uchiha Toko had no intention of rebelling?

"Clan Head, you agree, don't you?" Uchiha Toko looked toward Uchiha Fugaku, who had remained silent all this time.

Uchiha Fugaku gave Uchiha Toko a long look, then stepped out of the crowd and bowed to Sarutobi Hiruzen. "Douhuan is right. My clansmen were overly agitated earlier. Please forgive our behavior, Lord Hokage."

The members of the Radical Faction behind them still wanted to say something, but when they saw the Mangekyo in Uchiha Toko's eyes, they wisely shut their mouths.

"I understand," Sarutobi Hiruzen said, taking the opportunity to ease the situation. "Even I would find it difficult to remain calm if I saw my clansmen's remains treated like this. Fugaku, have everyone return for now. Once everything has been investigated, I will certainly give you a satisfactory answer."

"However, Lord Hokage, we do need an explanation right now." Uchiha Toko spoke again, taking out the Mission Scroll they had received that morning, bearing the Hokage Seal.

"Was this scroll issued by you?" Uchiha Toko asked Sarutobi Hiruzen with a smile.

"Douhuan, I never assigned your group any mission. There is no corresponding record in the Mission Hall either." Sarutobi Hiruzen only wanted to distance himself from Danzo as quickly as possible, so after glancing at the wooden stump that had become of Danzo's corpse, he answered.

"So this was all Elder Danzo's personal doing, correct?" Uchiha Toko said.

Forgive me, Danzo, Sarutobi Hiruzen thought. But he still had to cut ties.

"That's right," Sarutobi Hiruzen said.

"How hateful!" Uchiha Toko immediately became filled with righteous indignation. "Lord Hokage exhausts himself every day for the sake of the village, yet some people, for their own selfish interests, commit acts that harm the village! There are bad people around the Hokage."

As he said this, Uchiha Toko deliberately swept his gaze over Mitokado Homura and Utatane Koharu.

"Douhuan, I understand how you feel. Don't worry, I will definitely investigate this matter to the bottom of it." Seeing Uchiha Toko's display of loyalty, Sarutobi Hiruzen found it difficult to say much else and could only repeat himself.

"Lord Hokage, in this matter, the Uchiha Clan is willing to share your burdens." Uchiha Toko bowed.

"Douhuan, I understand your intentions..." Sarutobi Hiruzen wanted to continue with the usual official platitudes, but the moment he raised his eyes, he saw the slowly spinning Mangekyo in Uchiha Toko's gaze.

"Lord Hokage, the Uchiha Clan is willing to share your burdens."

Cold sweat dripped from Sarutobi Hiruzen's temple. Only then did he realize that this had been Uchiha Toko's true objective all along.

Looking into those slowly spinning Mangekyo, Sarutobi Hiruzen also recalled what Shisui had told him yesterday: Uchiha Toko possessed a dangerous Dojutsu. As he had told Shisui, using that Dojutsu to directly control him would have no effect on Konoha's overall situation. But that did not mean he was personally willing to be controlled by it. Part of the reason he had allowed Danzo's actions was to have Danzo test that danger for him.

Only at this moment did Sarutobi Hiruzen truly realize that Uchiha Toko was more troublesome than any Uchiha he had ever encountered.

Thinking of this, Sarutobi Hiruzen let out a long sigh before finally speaking. "Since you have such intentions, then I'll leave this matter to you."

As soon as the words fell, the Mangekyo in Uchiha Toko's eyes faded. Uchiha Toko gave Sarutobi Hiruzen a slight bow.

"Understood." After saying that, Uchiha Toko looked back at his clansmen.

Just as Sarutobi Hiruzen was preparing to leave with his people, Uchiha Toko's voice rang out again.

"Uchiha Clan, salute Lord Hokage!"

Standing at the front of the Uchiha Clan, Uchiha Toko flicked out his right hand and placed it beside his head. "Loyalty!"

The rest of the Uchiha Clan, including Clan Head Uchiha Fugaku, followed suit. "Loyalty!"

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