"Young Yoichi, Kakashi was able to return this time thanks to your help. If you hadn't looked after him, Kakashi might have..."
After entering the Security Force building, Hatake Sakumo spoke to Uchiha Yoichi.
As a father, Hatake Sakumo had been furious when he learned that his son had almost died because someone from the same village had leaked information. No matter how good-tempered he usually was, he still couldn't suppress his anger.
Hatake Sakumo also knew that Kakashi had teamed up with Uchiha Yoichi. He trusted Kakashi's judgment, so he hadn't interfered much. Besides, the village's higher-ups had certainly known about it.
Even so, Kakashi and Uchiha Yoichi's team had still been schemed against by the village's higher-ups, who had even leaked their mission to Kumogakure.
That was something Hatake Sakumo absolutely couldn't tolerate. The Konoha Village established by the predecessors had been meant to protect the younger generation, not persecute them for someone's personal interests.
"Senior Hatake, you already know what happened, so I won't hide it from you. I'm absolutely certain Danzo was behind this. That's why capturing the Shimura clan is also my revenge. I almost died because of a betrayal from my own village. If I didn't strike back, I couldn't swallow this anger!"
After Uchiha Yoichi finished speaking, he took out a map of the Sentry Posts drawn by the Stone Ninja and continued, "This is the evidence used to convict the Shimura clan. How it was obtained isn't important, but you can see that the Stone Ninja are already eager to make a move and intend to expand their interests in the Land of Grass."
"It seems the Ninja World is becoming turbulent again."
Hatake Sakumo glanced over the map surveyed by the Stone Ninja and its markings. As long as Uchiha Yoichi insisted that it had been found in the Shimura clan's possession, those people were as good as condemned.
Even if they explained themselves, it would be useless. Could they really search Uchiha Yoichi's brain?
"I understand. Then let this matter end here. Young Yoichi, I've personally witnessed Danzo's decisiveness. These people probably won't be able to implicate him."
Hatake Sakumo reminded him of this. During the Second Shinobi World War, he had served under Danzo and had personally witnessed his ruthlessness.
For the sake of a great victory, Danzo had decisively sacrificed more than a dozen of his own men. Hatake Sakumo had disagreed with him at the time, and the two had even argued.
However, Danzo had been the battlefield commander then. No matter how much Hatake Sakumo disliked it, there had been nothing he could do. In the end, the argument had ended when he was transferred away.
Although this time they could crush these members of the Shimura clan, it might not implicate Danzo.
"I know, Senior Hatake. After all, the Third Hokage won't stand by and watch his old teammate get into trouble!"
Uchiha Yoichi sneered. Even an assassination attempt could be forgiven. He truly couldn't imagine how low Hiruzen Sarutobi's bottom line in tolerating Danzo could be.
Although this matter couldn't completely destroy Danzo, Uchiha Yoichi was someone who held grudges. He would never forget the "care" Danzo had shown him.
"Let's go, Young Yoichi. I need to report this to Lord Hokage."
Hatake Sakumo spoke as he picked up the evidence regarding the Shimura clan, along with some other "supporting evidence," and walked out of the Security Force.
After they came out, everyone outside turned to look at Hatake Sakumo and Uchiha Yoichi.
Holding the evidence, Hatake Sakumo came to the Third Hokage and said quietly, "Lord Hokage, this was collected from those members of the Shimura clan. It contains Iwagakure's expansion plans in the Land of Grass, as well as the surviving trade contracts with merchants from the Land of Earth."
These were all things Uchiha Yoichi had obtained during his previous two missions. Now, they were being used against the members of the Shimura clan.
After Hiruzen Sarutobi finished reading the evidence Hatake Sakumo handed him, his expression immediately darkened. He then turned around and said in a deep voice, "Danzo, you are hereby relieved of your position as Hokage's Assistant and will submit to an investigation by the Anbu."
"Hiruzen, you..."
"Until the Anbu reaches a conclusion, Root will be placed under the Anbu's control!"
"No, I..."
"That's enough, Danzo. I'm the Hokage!"
Hiruzen Sarutobi raised his voice and barked at him, suppressing Danzo so completely that he couldn't say another word. However, the veins bulging on his hand showed just how furious he was.
After dealing with Danzo, Hiruzen Sarutobi turned back to Uchiha Fugaku and said, "Clan Head Fugaku, since the evidence against those people is conclusive, leave them to the Security Force. According to Konoha's regulations, handle them as required!"
After saying this, Hiruzen Sarutobi adjusted his Hokage hat and left.
The evidence had already fallen into the other party's hands. Although Hiruzen Sarutobi knew that Danzo could never do anything to harm Konoha, and that the evidence might have been information Uchiha Yoichi had obtained during a mission, Uchiha Yoichi had waited until now to bring it out precisely to nail these members of the Shimura clan.
After Hiruzen Sarutobi left, Danzo also departed with an iron-blue expression. Once those two groups had left, almost everyone remaining at the scene was from the Security Force.
Uchiha Yoichi spoke up, "Senior Masato, Senior Yokokawa, put those people directly in prison. There shouldn't be any more problems for now. Sorry for the trouble."
Uchiha Masato nodded. "No problem. There won't be much left to deal with afterward."
Uchiha Yokokawa, however, patted Uchiha Yoichi on the shoulder and said, "Young Yoichi, if you can defeat me, I'll acknowledge you."
"I'll do my best, Senior Yokokawa."
After saying this, Uchiha Yoichi took his leave. He had barely spoken to Uchiha Fugaku throughout the entire process.
Uchiha Yoichi's actions just now meant that there was no room for reconciliation between him and Uchiha Fugaku.
......
"Young Yoichi, although the outcome was good this time, you were too impulsive."
After setting down his teacup, Uchiha Kenji spoke slowly. He had secretly gone near the Security Force and had witnessed almost the entire course of events.
He was very pleased by Uchiha Yoichi's decisiveness and courage, but Uchiha Yoichi had also been too bold. Even he had been frightened by that slash just now. It had seemed as though Uchiha Yoichi had cut down not Uchiha Fugaku, but Uchiha Kenji himself.
"You could have swung your blade at Danzo. After all, he was suspected of colluding with the Stone Ninja. But you couldn't swing it at the Clan Head. No matter how much you disliked him, Uchiha Fugaku was still the Clan Head of the Uchiha Clan."
"Although you humiliated Fugaku today, once the news spreads, your reputation will certainly become mixed."
"You'll need to find ways to make amends later. Otherwise, between Fugaku and you, I'm afraid most people will still choose Fugaku."
Uchiha Kenji continued speaking. Although he was rather long-winded, it was clear that he was speaking from Uchiha Yoichi's point of view. He was practically saying outright that he intended to groom him as the next Clan Head.
"I understand, Elder Kenji. I'll be more cautious in the future."
Uchiha Yoichi spoke gratefully. He had also relied on Uchiha Kenji's support today. Otherwise, aside from a mutually destructive approach, it would have been difficult for him to gain any advantage over Danzo.
"As for the Shimura clan, there will be plenty of opportunities in the future. They still have businesses outside the village. I'll handle this matter. If you get the chance to fight a Shimura clan ninja, Young Yoichi, you'll deal with them then."
Uchiha Kenji nodded. "As for your reputation and winning over the clansmen, focus on those two things next. That will erase most of the impact of today's incident. After all, the clansmen who went today all hope that the Uchiha Clan can forcefully break free from its endless compromises."
"However, you need to keep a low profile for a while. Don't take any missions for now."
"Also, come with me to meet the Great Elder. When you get there, don't say anything. Oh, and bring a portion of the mutton delivered yesterday."
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