What if I Rebel?

Mitokado Homura and Utatane Koharu's faces alternated between pale and green.

The matter of Danzo luring Uchiha Sasuke to ambush Uchiha Yao—

Though it was only the brothers' account, knowing Danzo as they did, the likelihood was extremely high!

After all, Uchiha Yao possessed the First Hokage's Wood Release bloodline.

To Danzo, obsessed with the power of Wood Release and the Sharingan, this was an irresistible temptation.

Fortunately, the brothers were unharmed, and there was still room for remedy.

The truly tricky issue was the second matter: Danzo had transplanted a large number of Sharingan onto his own arm!

This incident had multiple witnesses, leaving no room for denial.

Desecrating the remains of the Uchiha Clan and privately transplanting bloodline organs was a grave crime that violated the taboos of the ninja world!

It was also a blatant trampling of the dignity of the Uchiha survivors!

Utatane Koharu's chest heaved violently as she barely suppressed her surging anger. Staring at Yao, she said coldly:

"Uchiha Yao, then... what do you want?"

"What do I want?"

Yao's voice was as cold as ice: "My Uchiha Clan is one of the two founding clans that built Konoha alongside the Senju Clan!"

"Five years ago, we suffered a great calamity, nearly wiped out, leaving only us two brothers barely clinging to life!"

Yao's gaze burned as he stared coldly at Utatane Koharu: "It's true that we are few in number and weak in strength!"

"But my Uchiha Clan still has people! We haven't been completely annihilated!"

"That old villain Danzo has desecrated our clan's remains and trampled our dignity like this!"

"As the clan head, if I, Uchiha Yao, cannot demand justice, how can I face the ancestors of my Uchiha Clan? How am I fit to lead the name of Uchiha?"

Though his position as clan head was that of a commander with no troops—theoretically only having Sasuke as a clansman now—

The reputation of the Uchiha Clan was no lie!

As one of the two meritorious founding clans of Konoha, their weight was still considerable.

Mitokado Homura and Utatane Koharu felt nothing but a headache. The Uchiha Clan issue was already sensitive.

Now, with Danzo's scandal dragged in, mishandling it could trigger even greater turmoil.

"Yao, calm down first!"

Mitokado Homura pushed up his glasses and began to smooth things over: "This matter... there might be some misunderstanding!"

"Danzo may have done it for the village's research. His methods might have been extreme, but his intentions..."

"Misunderstanding?!"

Yao let out a scornful laugh.

The next second, a flash of green light appeared in the palm of his right hand, hanging at his side.

A sharp wooden spike suddenly coalesced into shape, precisely hovering half an inch before Mitokado Homura's throat.

The cold wooden tip nearly touched his skin.

Mitokado Homura's cold sweat burst out instantly. His Adam's apple bobbed with difficulty, and the rest of his words got stuck in his throat.

"Advisor-sama!"

Yao's voice was terrifyingly calm, but his gaze was sharp as a blade:

"If I killed you today and then told everyone it was just a misunderstanding, do you think that would be acceptable?"

"If so, this clan head will let the matter of Danzo go!"

"Yao! Stop!"

Kakashi barked in stern warning, feeling his head spin.

Though he too found Danzo's actions utterly despicable, he absolutely could not let Yao actually lay a hand on an advisor.

If a Hokage advisor were truly killed, things would spiral out of control, and Yao would completely cut himself off from Konoha.

Utatane Koharu trembled with rage. She slammed the table, shot to her feet, and pointed at Yao, shrieking:

"How dare you! Openly attacking a Hokage advisor! Uchiha Yao, are you... are you trying to rebel?"

Uchiha Yao seemed to hear the greatest joke in the world. He threw his head back and laughed, the sound filled with mockery and defiance:

"Rebel?"

"Hahaha! The village's high ranks shield a criminal who desecrated my clan!"

"They turn a blind eye to irrefutable evidence, only wanting to smooth things over!"

"Today... if the village cannot give my Uchiha Clan a fair! An impartial! Account!"

Yao's laughter stopped abruptly. His gaze swept coldly over Utatane Koharu and Mitokado Homura, and he said, word by word:

"What if I do rebel?"

Sasuke felt his blood boil with excitement, his heart surging, as he coldly stared down Utatane Koharu and Mitokado Homura.

"Rebellion! This is outright rebellion!!"

Utatane Koharu trembled with rage, her fingers shaking and her face ashen:

"Guards! Seize this lawless brat immediately!!"

Kakashi flickered, placing himself between Yao and the two advisors.

He calmly regarded Utatane Koharu, his voice low but carrying weight:

"Advisor-sama, I hope you can remain calm. Now is hardly the time to escalate tensions!"

Utatane Koharu, still simmering with fury, shot a frigid glare at Kakashi:

"Kakashi! This is the fine disciple you've raised?"

"Drawing blades against the Hokage's advisors—is this what a Konoha Ninja should be? Where are your principles?"

Kakashi shrugged, his tone almost lazy, but the meaning behind his words was anything but soft:

"Apologies, Advisor-sama. When it comes to teaching disciples, I suppose I'm hardly a good teacher!"

"However..."

Kakashi shifted gears, his single eye narrowing slightly as he swept a glance over Yao:

"Just today, Sunagakure's Jinchuriki went berserk in the village. It was Uchiha Yao who stepped in to suppress it, preventing greater casualties and destruction."

"Looking at the results, he might just count as a... 'good kid' who protected the village."

Mitokado Homura and Utatane Koharu's faces turned even uglier.

Kakashi's words seemed to speak for Yao, but they were actually a reminder.

Or even... a warning:

This Uchiha Yao before them was no ordinary genin or youth they could push around at will!

He was a terrifying existence capable of suppressing a Tailed Beast head-on! If they truly pushed him to the brink, no one would walk away from this easily today!

"Alright, alright, everyone cool your jets. Why so tense? Let's talk this out!"

Jiraiya, who had been watching with his arms crossed, finally stepped in with a grin to mediate.

He sized up the black-haired youth with keen interest, his trademark unserious smile plastered on his face:

"Uchiha kid, I heard you used Wood Release to put that fat tanuki Shukaku in its place?"

"Tsk tsk, the younger generation is formidable—truly a prodigy of the Uchiha Clan!"

"Having a young man like you in Konoha is the village's fortune and its future hope!"

One doesn't strike a smiling face, especially not one belonging to the famed "Sannin."

Yao glanced at Jiraiya, his sharp aura receding slightly, and the wooden spike silently retracted.

He gave a slight nod, offering face: "Jiraiya-sama flatters me. It was merely my duty!"

Jiraiya laughed heartily, then turned to Mitokado Homura and Utatane Koharu, his tone growing formal:

"Two advisors, Elder Danzō... no, Shimura Danzō—he has indeed rendered meritorious service to the village in the past!"

"That much cannot be denied!"

"But colluding with Orochimaru to attack the Third Hokage, leading to Sarutobi-sensei's death—that is an ironclad fact!"

"Furthermore!"

"Transplanting Sharingan from the Uchiha Clan, defiling bloodline remains—today, before so many eyes, the evidence is conclusive!"

"So many people saw it—there must be an explanation!"

"It's also about giving the Uchiha Clan, and everyone, some closure!"

"Trying to cover it up will only fail to convince and chill people's hearts."

"Jiraiya, you..."

Utatane Koharu saw that even Jiraiya was clearly siding with Yao, and knew the tide had turned. A lump stuck in her throat, but she could no longer vent.

She stared hard at Yao, forcing out the words through gritted teeth: "Uchiha Yao... state your terms!"

"Simple!"

Yao gave no ground: "Issue an official announcement in the village's name to all of Konoha, and even the entire shinobi world!"

"Declare that Shimura Danzō, for attacking the Third Hokage and murdering the Uchiha Clan, stands convicted with irrefutable evidence!"

"Effective immediately, strip Shimura Danzō of all positions and honors, and designate him a Rogue Ninja of Konoha!"

"And issue the highest-level S-rank wanted order, to be hunted across the entire shinobi world!"