Counteraccusation

Although it was his first time killing someone, Kagami had previously witnessed people dying right beside him, so he did not feel particularly repulsed.

Kagami did not plan to deal with the bodies of the two Root members either. For one thing, he did not know how. For another, Root would definitely discover that people were missing. Not to mention that these two might have been sent by Danzo—their deaths absolutely could not be concealed. There was no need to deal with the bodies.

Because he had just shot through the neck of the ninja wearing the fox mask, a little blood had splattered across his face. Kagami had originally planned to find a river and clean it off so his family would not worry, but after looking at the pitch-black night, he decided to go home first. If Danzo had sent more than two people and reinforcements came later, things would become troublesome.

Kagami encountered no trouble on the way home. Once he arrived, Yuko Uchiha was badly frightened by the bloodstains on his face and kept questioning him.

Uchiha Takashi, meanwhile, knitted his brows and immediately activated his Sharingan to look behind Kagami. After confirming that no one had followed him, he relaxed and spoke to Kagami.

"Forget dinner for now. Come to my room and tell me what happened."

Kagami nodded.

"Mm."

Inside the room.

Kagami and Uchiha Takashi sat facing each other on the tatami.

"You're saying Root attacked you?"

"Mm. Then I killed them."

Uchiha Takashi looked at Kagami in surprise.

"Impressive. You actually managed to kill two Root members by yourself."

Kagami shook his head.

"Father, that's not the point. I'm worried Danzo will use this as an excuse to make trouble for the Uchiha."

Uchiha Takashi's expression hardened.

"Make trouble? Root attacked first, and they still dare slander the Uchiha instead?! Don't worry about this. I'll handle it. All right, go wash your face and eat dinner."

Kagami felt somewhat helpless. Not knowing what else to say, he took his leave from Uchiha Takashi.

Uchiha Takashi, meanwhile, kept frowning.

This incident could indeed become the spark that set off a conflict between Konoha and the Uchiha.

But what could he do? Could he let his son face Root's assassins and tell him not to fight back? Impossible!

No matter how this incident ultimately turned out, he would continue to support his son's actions. When facing Root's assassins, he absolutely could not sit around waiting to die. Whatever happened, they had to be careful.

Late at night, underground, in the darkness.

Danzo slowly opened his eyes.

"It's already so late, and they still haven't returned? Looks like they failed."

Danzo soon summoned a Root member.

"Go look around the Uchiha training ground and see whether you can find the bodies of any Root members."

"Yes!"

After the Root member left, Danzo let out two cold laughs.

"I, Danzo, have never failed in anything I do. This time, I underestimated you, Uchiha Kagato. But you still have to die!"

Root's rules were extremely strict. Since those two had not returned by now, they had to be dead. Otherwise, even with only a breath left, they would have crawled back to report to Danzo.

A while later, the Root ninja Danzo had sent out returned with two bodies.

"Lord Danzo, these are the bodies we found near the Uchiha training ground."

Danzo glanced at the two bodies and spoke indifferently.

"I know. You may leave. Leave the bodies here."

"Yes!"

Elsewhere.

Shisui had just left Root's headquarters, his face filled with confusion. Danzo had summoned him and spouted a bunch of meaningless things.

It was obvious to Shisui that Danzo had simply wanted to keep him there and prevent him from leaving.

But why had he wanted to keep him there? What was the reason?

Kagami!

Shisui suddenly realized it. Wasn't tonight when he was supposed to teach Kagami? Danzo had deliberately kept him away at this time, most likely so he could target Kagami!

Damn it. Could it really be?

Although Shisui had guessed the truth, he was still somewhat unwilling to believe it. He could not understand why Danzo would target Kagami. Kagami had not been involved in the conflict between the Uchiha and Konoha at all.

I hope I'm wrong.

With that prayer in his heart, Shisui went to the training ground first, but could not find Kagami. He then went to Kagami's home, avoided Kagami's parents, and met with Kagami.

After hearing Kagami recount what had happened in his room, Shisui widened his eyes in disbelief.

"Why would Lord Danzo... Damn it!"

Shisui could not understand. In his eyes, Danzo had no reason whatsoever to target Kagami. None at all!

Kagami, however, was not surprised in the slightest. He had long expected Danzo to target him. The fact that Danzo had waited until now to act had already exceeded Kagami's expectations.

"Shisui, a while ago, Danzo's Root tried to recruit me. I refused."

Shisui frowned and gritted his teeth.

"Just because of that? Just because of that, Lord Danzo decided to target you?"

Kagami pondered for a while before speaking calmly.

"There are probably other reasons as well, leading Danzo to believe that I would never join Root. From his perspective, that makes me, this Uchiha prodigy, an unstable factor within the clan—an unstable factor he cannot use. That's probably why he targeted me."

Shisui fell silent. He covered his face with one hand and remained silent without saying a word.

A very long time later.

Only then did Shisui raise his head, stand up, and speak.

"Kagami, it's very late. Go to sleep. I'll be leaving too."

Kagami stood up.

"Shisui, I'll see you out."

Shisui smiled faintly.

"No need."

With that, Shisui left directly using the Body Flicker Technique.

It was obvious that Shisui was in a terrible mood, and he left immediately.

Kagami bit his lip without saying anything, then quickly fell asleep.

The next day.

At the Hokage's Office, Danzo brought two bodies covered in white cloth and found the Third Hokage.

"Hiruzen, last night, Uchiha Kagato of the Uchiha Clan brutally murdered my Root members for no reason. I demand that Uchiha Kagato and his entire family be arrested immediately and interrogated!"

The Third Hokage looked at Danzo in disbelief. Just yesterday, he had told Danzo not to target Kagami, and yet Danzo had come to accuse Kagami first thing this morning. The Third Hokage knew very well that Danzo was most likely the one who had acted.

But this was precisely where the Third Hokage was weak. Even though he knew that Danzo had most likely orchestrated the incident, when he looked at the two bodies that could not be faked, he still did not directly reject Danzo.

"Danzo, arresting him outright is too rash. Besides, were these two really killed by Kagami?"

Danzo let out a cold laugh.

"It was absolutely Uchiha Kagato who did it. There's no need to doubt that. Furthermore, I believe an immediate arrest is necessary. The Uchiha already harbor rebellious intentions, and now they even dare to attack Root. We must use thunderous measures to intimidate the Uchiha Clan!"

The Third Hokage countered,

"Where is your evidence? Without any evidence proving that Kagami did it, we cannot arrest him."

Danzo pulled back the white cloth and pointed at one of the charred bodies.

"These injuries were caused by the Great Fireball Jutsu. The Great Fireball Jutsu is a technique the Uchiha Clan commonly uses, and that Uchiha Kagami knows it as well."

Danzo then pointed at the other body, whose throat had been pierced.

"This wound was caused by a Kunai. The attacker's Kunai skills were extremely refined, and coincidentally, Uchiha Kagami's Kunai skills are equally outstanding. Based on these two points, I believe Uchiha Kagami was the culprit."

The Third Hokage was furious.

"Kagami had no reason to attack Root. On the contrary, Danzo, weren't you the one who attacked Kagami first?"

Danzo spoke with a cold expression.

"Why would I attack a child? As for why Uchiha Kagami attacked Root, I don't know either. That's why he needs to be arrested and interrogated. If he's innocent, we can release him afterward. For now, he should be arrested immediately!"

This was precisely where the Third Hokage's desire for stability showed. Even though he knew the truth in his heart, as long as the evidence appeared conclusive on the surface, the Third Hokage, who sought stability, had no choice but to act.

After a period of investigation, and even after some Anbu members claimed to have witnessed Kagami brutally killing them, the Third Hokage reluctantly announced the arrest of Uchiha Kagami!