Hokage: Itachi, I'm Sorry!

"Sure!"

With someone helping share the workload, Kazuna could not have been happier.

Fugaku and the other two were highly experienced. If they focused solely on the clan's defenses, they could absolutely turn the Uchiha compound into an impregnable fortress.

Besides, when dealing with outsiders, having only one voice made things much easier.

"Be careful. You all know that the relationship between the village and the Uchiha has grown even tenser. We don't know when they might strike. If the Uchiha let their guard down even once, they definitely won't mind focusing their fire on us."

"Don't worry!" Fugaku gave a cold smile. "But I need to correct one thing. The relationship between the Uchiha and the village has eased somewhat. It's only our relationship with Hiruzen Sarutobi and the others that has become more tense."

"That makes perfect sense."

In just three days, there was not much the Uchiha could do. They merely stopped meddling in so many affairs.

That surprised quite a few villagers, who watched the Uchiha with probing eyes.

They did not know why the Uchiha had become so "lazy."

Fugaku had a premonition. If they continued following Kazuna's method, they might very well pull the Uchiha out of the vortex of everyone's hatred!

Hokage Building.

Hiruzen Sarutobi's office.

Konohagakure's F4 were also holding an intense meeting.

"Leave it to me, Hiruzen!"

Danzo said coldly, "I will make the Uchiha feel pain."

The Third Hokage and the others felt pain first upon hearing that.

Danzo, why were you always so confident?

"You have already lost twenty men! Twenty Jonin!" Hiruzen Sarutobi said coldly. "No, twenty-one! There was also Kato Fuko!"

A Sensory Type Jonin!

Such a rare talent within the village.

Thinking of the Sensor Ninja who had repeatedly made mistakes during the last search for Uchiha Kazuna, Hiruzen Sarutobi inexplicably began to let his thoughts wander... If it had been Kato Fuko, perhaps such a problem would not have happened.

After all, Kato Fuko was a Jonin, while that Sensor Ninja under him was only a Special Jonin.

With that thought in mind, Hiruzen Sarutobi became even more dissatisfied with Danzo.

Though he was Konohagakure's Hokage, not everyone obeyed him unconditionally.

For example, if he now ordered all of Konohagakure's ninja to attack the Uchiha and start a civil war, many ninja clans would question it.

The Uchiha had not rebelled. Though they were unpopular, they were still comrades from the same village, and they were so formidable. Why fight them?

You could say the Uchiha had done plenty of bad things, but Danzo seemed to have done even more.

If you could attack the Uchiha today, could you attack me tomorrow?

Under such circumstances, loyal ninja were extremely important.

Because of Danzo's failure, Root's Jonin had been almost completely killed or wounded, and even several Anbu Jonin had been dragged down with them. Did he want to do it again?

Utatane Koharu also said, "Danzo, you need to consider the consequences. The village is already full of rumors."

"That's easy to handle!" Danzo said coldly. "They were merely spies from other villages. They saw the Uchiha Vice Clan Leader enter Death Forest alone, so they attacked. Perhaps they wanted intelligence, perhaps they wanted the Sharingan."

Bang!

"Enough, Danzo!"

Hiruzen Sarutobi slammed his hand onto the desk and snapped, "Do you take the village's ninja clans for fools? Twenty ninja from other villages appeared inside the village and caused such a huge commotion with Kazuna, you... cough, cough!"

"Hiruzen!"

Seeing this, Utatane Koharu and Mitokado Homura both cried out in alarm.

Though Danzo's expression remained cold, he too looked concerned.

The Third Hokage could not die at a time like this!

He had not yet prepared to take over as Hokage.

Only after coughing several times did the Third Hokage recover. Gritting his teeth, he said, "Danzo, stop everything you are doing. At the very least, you are forbidden from using force. The various ninja clans have already begun questioning us."

"No!"

Danzo refused without hesitation.

Seeing the Third Hokage glare at him, he added an explanation.

"Don't make a move inside the village. Lure him out of the village, then strike!"

"You make it sound easy!" The Third Hokage's expression eased as he said, "He hasn't left the village in years. Damn it, he's too cautious. He's nothing like an Uchiha."

At last, the Third Hokage no longer concealed his hatred.

Uchiha Kazuna was completely different from other Uchiha.

Anyone familiar with the Uchiha would immediately think of several words when they came to mind: pride, power, and reverence for force!

But Uchiha Kazuna only had lustfulness, laziness, caution, and ruthlessness!

If given the chance, he would absolutely bite you hard. And he was someone who refused to suffer losses.

This time, although Danzo had struck first, they had lost twenty Jonin. Even so, Uchiha Kazuna had still forcefully demanded a Barrier Team.

A full eight ninja skilled in sealing techniques and Barriers!

Even the weakest were Chunin!

They were also exceedingly rare ninja!

It hurt!

His head hurt!

The methods they had used against the Uchiha before were completely useless against Kazuna.

Knock, knock, knock!

A knock sounded at the door.

The Hokage's expression shifted slightly.

At a time like this, unless something extremely important had happened, no Anbu member would dare interrupt the meeting of the four of them.

"Come in!"

"Yes!"

A young man entered the meeting room.

Uchiha Itachi!

The Hokage and the others could not help but freeze for a moment before recovering.

"Itachi, why are you here?" The Hokage smiled warmly.

Uchiha Itachi said with a serious expression, "Hokage-sama, I want to kill Uchiha Kazuna!"

"This..."

The Hokage and the others were utterly stunned.

Uchiha Itachi was radiating such intense killing intent. Why?

The Hokage could not help asking, "Why?"

"Danzo-sama is right!" Uchiha Itachi said in a low voice. "Uchiha Kazuna's existence will only destroy the village's peace and stability. He should not exist."

The Hokage fell silent, looking at Uchiha Itachi with an odd expression.

"Itachi, you are a true ninja!" Danzo said slowly from the side. "You have already realized it, haven't you?"

"Yes!" Itachi said in a deep voice. "Because of Uchiha Kazuna, the village nearly erupted into civil war. Even now, undercurrents are surging throughout the village. It is all because of Uchiha Kazuna!"

Danzo nodded lightly. "Very good, Itachi. For Konohagakure's sake, Uchiha Kazuna must be eliminated."

"Danzo!" The Hokage shouted lowly, saying coldly, "You were clearly the one in the wrong. You attacked a fellow villager without authorization and enraged Kazuna. I have yet to settle the score with you!"

"Hiruzen, you are always so naive!" Danzo said coldly. "Even among the Uchiha, Uchiha Kazuna is special. He has never even integrated into the Uchiha, much less the village!"

Faced with the two brothers acting out their performance, Itachi remained expressionless.

Should I tell them Kazuna even predicted what they would say?

Would that be too much of a blow to them?

"Enough!" the Third Hokage shouted coldly. Then he turned his gaze to Itachi and said gravely, "Itachi, you are a ninja who has possessed the Will of Fire since childhood. Therefore, you can understand me. I must apologize to you."

"Hokage-sama!"

Itachi raised his head and looked at the Third Hokage's aged face, his expression filled with astonishment.

The Hokage was apologizing to him?

The Third Hokage let out a deep sigh and turned his gaze toward the window, toward the prosperous village.

Following his gaze, Itachi's expression changed again.

"Because of Danzo's unauthorized actions, the village and Uchiha Kazuna no longer have any room for reconciliation. Yet he has seized great power within the Uchiha. As Hokage, I can only..."

He did not continue.

Yet Itachi nodded heavily. "That is precisely why I came here, Hokage-sama. I belong to Konohagakure, and the Uchiha also belong to Konohagakure. Only Uchiha Kazuna does not belong. Therefore, eliminating him is imperative!"