The Awareness of Being a Scapegoat

When Minagawa Uchiha learned that Sarutobi Hiruzen and Shimura Danzō were joining forces to deal with Obito Uchiha, he immediately considered raiding their home turf. Though he wanted to watch the spectacle of Uchiha Itachi consciously directing the siege against Obito Uchiha, the Wood Release Ninjutsu and Flying Thunder God Technique in the Scroll of Seals made his decision for him.

In Minagawa Uchiha's view, Obito Uchiha had White Zetsu spread throughout Konoha, along with his unbeatable Mangekyo Sharingan. Even if he let his guard down and was successfully ambushed, he still had Izanagi to turn the situation around.

Once he was given even a moment to catch his breath, he would surely seize the initiative. Compared to that already foreseeable outcome, the various powerful ninjutsu in the Scroll of Seals were far more worth plotting over.

Although he had previously found some of the ninjutsu from the Scroll of Seals in the Root Base, many famous techniques had yet to be collected. Either Danzō had failed to obtain them, or he believed no one could master them and had given up collecting them.

Take the Flying Thunder God Book, for example. Aside from its creator, the Second Hokage Tobirama Senju, only Namikaze Minato had completely mastered it. That alone proved that not everyone was capable of learning the techniques in the Scroll of Seals. As a pragmatist, Shimura Danzō naturally would not bother keeping them as collectibles.

Thus, Minagawa Uchiha did not hesitate and promptly formed a plan to raid their home turf.

When Sarutobi Hiruzen and Shimura Danzō led most of the elite Anbu and Root ninja away to ambush Obito Uchiha, Minagawa Uchiha also set out and lay in wait at the Hokage Building.

After receiving intelligence that they had made their move against Obito Uchiha, Minagawa Uchiha timed it precisely, entered the room where the Scroll of Seals was stored, and directly took the Scroll of Seals.

Moreover, in order to gain some real combat experience, Minagawa Uchiha did not choose to leave immediately. Instead, he fought head-on against the ninja who learned of the intrusion after the alarm traps were triggered. With Sarutobi Hiruzen having transferred away much of the garrison, Minagawa Uchiha easily fought his way out.

"So, that side has already finished too? What a surprisingly sloppy ending. Uchiha Itachi clearly joined the fight, and with Sarutobi Hiruzen's strength and experience as Hokage, plus such targeted preparations in advance, they still failed to force out even Obito Uchiha's Izanagi. Instead, they left their own side in such a sorry state."

"As expected of you, Sarutobi Hiruzen—competent in civil conflict, useless against outsiders. Still, I never expected Uchiha Itachi to be this disappointing. Did they reach some kind of agreement in Tsukuyomi Space? It seems I still cannot underestimate people with extraordinary combat instincts. Once they spot even the slightest clue, they can immediately sense what is going on."

"Still, you were never truly of one mind. In the Original Work, you guarded against each other, and even after death, you still schemed against one another. Even if you discovered that I had plotted against you now, you could never put aside your grievances and deal with me wholeheartedly."

"Besides, Sarutobi Hiruzen never made a move from beginning to end. Perhaps they have realized that I exist as well."

Although he had seen through the truth behind this game, Minagawa Uchiha, who was no longer the person he once was, showed no sign of nervousness. After a brief consideration, he guessed their next likely plan. Nothing more than the three sides joining forces and moving against the Uchiha in advance to force him to reveal himself.

The current situation was already an arrow on the bowstring. Rather than trying to unravel all their schemes, he might as well use the Scroll of Seals he had just acquired to improve his means of dealing with enemies.

At the end of the day, this world depended on whose fist was bigger. Strength was the foundation. As long as his own power was strong enough, no matter how his enemies plotted, he would shatter it all with one punch.

Leaving aside Minagawa Uchiha, who was reaping great rewards as he redoubled his training, Sarutobi Hiruzen and his group finally returned to the Hokage Building with ugly expressions. They saw that every ninja left behind to guard the building was wounded, while more than a dozen dead Anbu corpses lay on the ground.

Even Sarutobi Hiruzen, who had long maintained his kindly image, was overcome with anger, and powerful chakra erupted from him.

"Mitokado Homura, explain what happened here. And where is Utatane Koharu? Where did she go?"

Though the enraged Sarutobi Hiruzen forcibly suppressed his anger, he still began questioning Mitokado Homura, who had remained behind, by using his full name. The surrounding Anbu did not dare make a sound, and even their heavy breathing slowed.

Even Shimura Danzō, who had always played the hardliner, looked at Sarutobi Hiruzen in shock, a trace of wariness flashing through his eyes.

"Hiruzen, Danzō, you finally returned. Koharu was injured and is receiving treatment now. Not long after you left, that Masked Man invaded the Hokage Building and took the Scroll of Seals. Although we fought desperately to stop him, the Hokage Building's defenses were simply too weak, and he still escaped. Koharu was injured then as well."

It was also the first time Mitokado Homura had seen Sarutobi Hiruzen this furious. Even during the Nine-Tails Incident, he had remained composed as Hokage, so Mitokado Homura had exaggerated the intensity of their resistance by another level.

But Shimura Danzō understood that Sarutobi Hiruzen had been so composed back then only because he was not sitting in the Hokage's seat and did not need to risk his life for it.

After all, Namikaze Minato, the Hokage, had been standing in front. Even if Minato, who possessed Space-Time Ninjutsu and was proficient in Fuinjutsu, could not handle the Nine-Tails, he still had the Reaper Death Seal that Sarutobi Hiruzen had given him as a trump card. Of course Sarutobi Hiruzen had no reason to panic. If Flying Thunder God and Fuinjutsu succeeded, he could continue ruling from behind the scenes. If the Reaper Death Seal succeeded, he could resume being Hokage. Either way, his power would remain untouched.

Thinking of this, Shimura Danzō became even more wary of Sarutobi Hiruzen, the Third Hokage. Seeing an opportunity right before him, he immediately stepped forward to condemn Sarutobi Hiruzen.

"Hmph, Sarutobi, you actually left such a flaw for the enemy to exploit. You must bear full responsibility for the attack on the Hokage Building and the theft of the Scroll of Seals."

Hearing Danzō's accusation so suddenly, Sarutobi Hiruzen's expression darkened further.

"Enough! Danzō, at a time like this, you are still fighting for power? The Masked Man who invaded the Hokage Building this time was most likely the one who invaded your Root yesterday. There were such major flaws in the intelligence you provided. You cannot escape blame for these losses."

Sarutobi Hiruzen sternly rebuked Shimura Danzō and placed all the blame for the Hokage Building incident on Danzō's erroneous intelligence. He had originally intended to use this opportunity to weaken some of Danzō's forces as punishment for his overstepping, but remembering that the Uchiha's dirty work still required Danzō, he let the matter go and instead began to placate him.

"Enough. Now is not the time to pursue whose responsibility this is. The urgent matter is finding this Masked Man who has been causing trouble everywhere. Otherwise, even more serious incidents may occur."

Danzō fell for that tactic again and was momentarily left speechless, able only to fume inwardly.

"Damn it. You are the leaves basking in sunlight, while I am the roots buried deep in darkness. One day, I will become Hokage. Sarutobi, you will regret this!"