Mitokado Homura and Utatane Koharu's faces turned pale, then flushed.
The matter of Danzo luring Uchiha Sasuke into an ambush against Uchiha Yao...
Although it was only the brothers' word against his, given what they knew of Danzo, it was highly likely to be true!
After all, Uchiha Yao possessed the First Hokage's Wood Release bloodline.
For Danzo, who was obsessed with the power of Wood Release and the Sharingan, it was simply an irresistible temptation.
Fortunately, the brothers were both safe and sound. There was still a chance to make things right.
The second matter was the real thorny issue: Danzo had transplanted a large number of Sharingan into his own arm!
More than one person had witnessed it. There was no denying it.
Desecrating the remains of the Uchiha Clan and secretly transplanting bloodline organs—these were grave crimes that violated the ninja world's taboos!
It was also a blatant trampling of the surviving members of the Uchiha Clan!
Utatane Koharu's chest heaved violently. She barely managed to suppress her surging anger, fixed her gaze on Yao, and said coldly,
"Uchiha Yao, then... what do you want?"
"What do I want?"
Yao's voice was as cold as ice. "My Uchiha Clan was one of the two founding clans that built Konoha alongside the Senju Clan!"
"Five years ago, disaster struck, and our clan was nearly wiped out. Now only my brother and I remain, barely clinging to life!"
Yao's gaze burned as he stared coldly at Utatane Koharu. "It's true that our numbers are few and we're weak!"
"But there are still members of the Uchiha Clan! We haven't been completely wiped out!"
"That old bastard Danzo has desecrated my clan's remains and trampled on our dignity!"
"As clan head, if I can't obtain justice, how can I face the ancestors of the Uchiha Clan? What right do I have to bear the Uchiha name?"
Although he was a clan head in name only, with Sasuke theoretically his sole clansman at present,
the Uchiha Clan's reputation was no falsehood!
As one of the two founding clans that had built Konoha, they still carried considerable weight.
Mitokado Homura and Utatane Koharu both felt a headache coming on. The Uchiha Clan had always been a sensitive issue.
Now Danzo's scandal had become entangled in it as well. If they handled this poorly, it might trigger even greater unrest.
"Yao, calm down first!"
Mitokado Homura pushed up his glasses and tried to smooth things over. "There may be... some misunderstanding here!"
"Danzo may have been conducting research for the village. His methods might have been a little extreme, but his intentions..."
"Misunderstanding?!"
Yao scoffed.
The next second, green light flashed in the palm of his right hand, hanging at his side.
A sharp wooden spike suddenly took shape, stopping precisely half an inch from Mitokado Homura's throat.
Its cold, wooden tip was almost touching his skin.
Cold sweat immediately poured from Mitokado Homura's forehead. His Adam's apple bobbed with difficulty, and the words caught in his throat.
"Advisor!"
Yao's voice was terrifyingly calm, but his gaze was as sharp as a blade.
"If I kill you today, then tell everyone it was just a misunderstanding, do you think that would be acceptable?"
"If it is, then as clan head, I'll let Danzo's matter go!"
"Yao! Stop!"
Kakashi shouted, feeling a headache coming on.
Although he, too, despised what Danzo had done, he couldn't let Yao actually attack an advisor.
If a Hokage Advisor were killed, the matter would become truly serious, and Yao would completely cut himself off from Konoha.
Utatane Koharu was trembling with rage. She slammed her hand on the table, shot to her feet, pointed at Yao, and shrieked,
"How dare you! Attacking a Hokage Advisor in broad daylight! Uchiha Yao, you... are you trying to rebel?"
Uchiha Yao seemed to have heard the funniest joke in the world. He threw his head back and laughed, his voice full of scorn and defiance.
"Rebel?"
"Hahahaha! The village's leadership is shielding the criminal who desecrated my clan!"
"They're turning a blind eye to the irrefutable evidence and only trying to smooth things over!"
"Today... if the village can't give my Uchiha Clan a just! Fair explanation!"
Yao's laughter stopped abruptly. His icy gaze swept over Utatane Koharu and Mitokado Homura as he enunciated each word.
"So what if I rebel?"
Sasuke felt his blood boil and his heart surge with excitement. He, too, glared coldly at Mitokado Homura and Utatane Koharu.
"This is outrageous! Absolutely outrageous!!"
Utatane Koharu was so furious that her fingers trembled. Her face turned ashen.
"Guards! Seize this lawless brat!"
Kakashi blurred into motion, stepping between Yao and the two advisors.
He looked calmly at Utatane Koharu, his voice quiet but weighty.
"Advisor, I hope you'll stay calm. This isn't the time to escalate things!"
Utatane Koharu was still seething. Her icy gaze stabbed toward Kakashi.
"Kakashi! Is this the good student you taught?"
"Pointing a weapon at a Hokage Advisor—is that how a Konoha ninja should behave? Have you no respect for the rules?"
Kakashi shrugged. His tone was almost lazy, but there was no softness in his words.
"I'm sorry, Advisor. When it comes to teaching students, I probably don't qualify as a good teacher!"
"However..."
Kakashi shifted gears, his one visible eye narrowing slightly as he glanced at Yao.
"Just today, Sunagakure's Jinchuriki went berserk in the village. Uchiha Yao stepped in and subdued him, preventing even greater casualties and destruction."
"Judging by the result, he could at least be called a 'good kid' who protected the village."
Mitokado Homura and Utatane Koharu's faces grew even darker.
Kakashi's words might have seemed like he was speaking up for Yao, but in truth, he was reminding them.
Or even... warning them:
The Uchiha Yao standing before them wasn't some ordinary Genin or boy they could push around at will!
He was a terrifying force capable of subduing a Tailed Beast head-on! If they pushed him too far, no one would be leaving here unscathed today!
"All right, all right, let's all cool down. No need to get so worked up. We can talk this out!"
Jiraiya, who had been standing aside with his arms folded and enjoying the show, finally stepped forward with a grin to defuse the tension.
He studied the black-haired boy with interest, wearing his trademark roguish smile.
"Young Uchiha, I hear you used Wood Release to tame that fat raccoon Shukaku?"
"Impressive! The younger generation is truly something else. You're a prodigy of the Uchiha Clan!"
"Having a promising young person like you in Konoha is a blessing for the village and a hope for the future!"
It was hard to be rude to someone who came smiling, especially a famous Sannin.
Yao glanced at Jiraiya. The fierce aura around him eased slightly, and the wooden spike silently withdrew.
He nodded faintly, acknowledging the compliment. "You're too kind, Lord Jiraiya. I was only doing my duty!"
Jiraiya laughed heartily, then turned to Mitokado Homura and Utatane Koharu, his tone turning serious.
"Advisors, Elder Danzo... no, Shimura Danzo, did indeed serve the village in the past!"
"That much can't be denied!"
"But he conspired with Orochimaru to attack the Third Hokage, leading to Sarutobi-sensei's death. That's an indisputable fact!"
"What's more!"
"Today, before everyone's eyes, he transplanted the Uchiha Clan's Sharingan and desecrated their bloodline remains. The evidence is irrefutable!"
"So many people saw it. There has to be an explanation!"
"At the very least, the Uchiha Clan and everyone else deserve an answer!"
"Trying to cover it up will only make it difficult to convince people—and will only chill their hearts."
"Jiraiya, you..."
Seeing that even Jiraiya was clearly taking Yao's side, Utatane Koharu knew the tide had turned. Her chest was tight with anger, but she could no longer give voice to it.
She stared fixedly at Yao and squeezed the words out through clenched teeth. "Uchiha Yao... state your terms!"
"Simple!"
Yao stood his ground. "On behalf of the village, issue an official announcement to all of Konoha, and even the entire ninja world!"
"Declare that Shimura Danzo attacked the Third Hokage and harmed the Uchiha Clan, with irrefutable evidence against him!"
"Effective immediately, strip Shimura Danzo of all his positions and honors, and officially classify him as a Konoha Rogue Ninja!"
"Then issue the highest-level S-rank wanted order and hunt him across the entire ninja world!"
Before you continue