Minagawa Uchiha Exposed

The various experimental records in these files left everyone horrified. Not Only did they contain data from numerous human experiments, but there were also records of experiments fusing children with the First Hokage's Wood Style cells. Even more horrifying was that the children used in these fusion experiments had come from the village, with a survival rate of nearly zero.

Combined with the fact that Orochimaru, one of the Sannin, had defected from Konoha over human experimentation, it was hard not to suspect that Orochimaru had merely been a scapegoat pushed out to take the blame. The true protector behind it all was Shimura Danzō, who had always occupied a position in the upper ranks. The darkness within the village sent a chill down everyone's spine.

Another file contained research on various Kekkei Genkai and secret techniques, including many Kekkei Genkai and secret techniques from within the village. From the records, it was not hard to see that these techniques had come from elite Clan Members drawn by Root from the major clans.

As they read the evidence of each crime recorded within, the crowd instantly erupted in cries of disbelief.

"Th-This... I never thought Root was conducting forbidden experiments! Back when Orochimaru carried out human experiments, Shimura Danzō was probably the one ordering him around! They even used the village's residents and ninja as test subjects—and directly experimented on children. This is utterly inhuman!"

"And that's not all! They even desecrated the First Hokage. How did they obtain those Wood Style cells? Did they steal the First Hokage's corpse? That's unforgivable!"

"Bastards! They actually handed over their own clans' secret techniques to Root! Are these people ninja of their clans, or Shimura Danzō's loyal dogs?"

"..."

For a time, everyone began condemning these crimes. The ninja from the clans were even less restrained, openly calling Shimura Danzō by name, leaving Sarutobi Hiruzen's expression grim.

Sarutobi Hiruzen also knew that any plan to use this opportunity to take down the Uchiha Clan had now completely gone up in smoke. Coupled with his earlier defense of Shimura Danzō, the Konoha High Command would likely now be branded as his accomplices.

The most urgent matter was to pin every crime on the already-dead Shimura Danzō, completely distance themselves from him, and preserve the authority of the upper ranks.

Ignoring Utatane Koharu and Mitokado Homura, who had quietly slipped away from the scene and hidden in the distance after realizing the situation had turned against them, he rose to his feet and loudly announced to everyone:

"Shimura Danzō, former Hokage Assistant and leader of Root, deceived the Hokage and abused the power in his hands to deliberately murder village comrades, covet the Kekkei Genkai and secret techniques of others, desecrate the First Hokage, and secretly conduct human experiments. The nature of his crimes was exceptionally vile.

Fortunately, the Uchiha Military Police Force uncovered the truth with irrefutable evidence. When they attempted to apprehend him, he resisted fiercely and was killed on the spot."

"Hereby, in the name of the Hokage, I strip Shimura Danzō of his positions as Hokage Assistant and leader of Root, revoke his status as a Konoha Ninja, and designate him a criminal of Konoha."

Sarutobi Hiruzen's words were cold and merciless. Not only did he strip Shimura Danzō of all honor, but he also declared him a criminal of Konoha while absolving himself, implying that everything Shimura Danzō had done had been carried out while deceiving him, the Hokage.

If Shimura Danzō knew of this in the afterlife, would he regret always taking the blame for this old friend?

This was also a helpless move on Sarutobi Hiruzen's part.

The major clans had long been dissatisfied with Sarutobi Hiruzen's continued grip on the Hokage's authority. Even after the Fourth Hokage took office, he had continued to interfere, remaining comfortably seated in the Hokage's Office and refusing to hand over control of the Anbu.

Furthermore, with Sarutobi Hiruzen's support, Shimura Danzō had continuously poached elite Clan Members from the major clans. On the surface, they were supposed to serve the village better, but in reality, they had become Shimura Danzō's personal tools, further intensifying that resentment.

That alone might have been tolerable. So long as it was for the village and brought honor to their clans, they had tacitly accepted it. But now, these Clan Members had Not Only failed to contribute to their clans and Konoha, but had instead turned around and undermined the foundations of both. How could they possibly endure that? Their resentment toward the upper ranks had reached its peak.

Therefore, in order to continue receiving the support of the various clans and maintain the interests and status of the upper ranks, Sarutobi Hiruzen had no choice but to thoroughly cast Shimura Danzō into the ranks of Konoha's criminals.

Only by punishing Shimura Danzō more severely could he ease these ninja's resentment and better prove that this matter had little to do with him, the Hokage.

This turmoil must be Calmed Down as quickly as possible, lest even more remarks unfavorable to the upper ranks arise. And the Uchiha Clan... I never expected them to suppress Danzō and his Root in such a short time. It seems that the Masked Man who infiltrated the Hokage Building is among them.

As Sarutobi Hiruzen calculated inwardly, a fierce killing intent flashed in his eyes. He searched through the Uchiha present and immediately noticed Minagawa Uchiha, the youngest Uchiha aside from Uchiha Itachi.

This was also Minagawa Uchiha's oversight. As someone who had transmigrated, ever since recovering his memories, he had instinctively stopped seeing himself as a child.

Yet among the Uchiha gathered here, every Clan Member had at least a Two-Tomoe Sharingan. To develop the Sharingan to such a level, one either needed exceptional talent or years upon years of experience.

Such talent was rare even in the history of the Uchiha Clan. Naturally, the Clan Members with Two-Tomoe Sharingan or above who appeared here were generally older, making Minagawa Uchiha and Uchiha Itachi stand out.

But Uchiha Itachi was renowned as a genius throughout Konoha, while Minagawa Uchiha was still a Ninja Academy student, obscure and unknown. Yet he had appeared here, and Sarutobi Hiruzen noticed him at once.

Thinking of Uchiha Shisui and Uchiha Itachi from the same generation, he could not help but assume that Minagawa Uchiha was also a genius like them. But after thinking carefully, Sarutobi Hiruzen realized that he knew almost nothing about this Uchiha youth, aside from the fact that he was still a Ninja Academy student.

But how could a Ninja Academy student possibly take part in a battle of this scale?

Another youthful genius like Shisui and Itachi? Most likely, he is that Mangekyō Uchiha who slipped through the net.

He had clearly awakened the Mangekyō Sharingan, yet chose to keep a low profile. If he had not discovered this crisis, he likely would not have exposed himself.

Hmph. As expected, the Uchiha are a group of uncontrollable dangers. At such a young age, he is already so calculating. In the future, he will inevitably become a tremendous threat to Konoha's stability.

But fortunately, a child is still a child. He failed to think things through, and just like Shisui, naively believed that attacking the Root Base and the Hokage Building could redirect the conflict and stop the village's plans.

How laughably naive. Perhaps he can be used.