Shimura Danzo's Diary

However, even so, when Hiruzen Sarutobi learned of what Uchiha Kazuto had done, he was paralyzed with rage. Was this kind of thing meant to be made public for the villagers to know?

Once published, how was he supposed to treat Danzo? Oh, right, Danzo was dead, so that was fine.

No, that wasn't it—how could something that symbolized the dark side of the village be so casually revealed to the villagers?

Hiruzen Sarutobi was furious. He fumed, and then he fumed some more, because he realized that Uchiha Kazuto was currently too invincible. He was like a hedgehog; there was simply nothing he could do to him. At this moment, Uchiha Kazuto was too valuable to the village and to him. He was no longer just a simple clan head of the Uchiha or the captain of the Military Police Force.

Furthermore, he had absolutely no reason to punish Uchiha Kazuto, because such actions were a clear display of Uchiha Kazuto's loyalty. He was a Loyal Konoha Subject who was devoted to the village and could not bear to see any harm come to its interests or the Will of Fire.

Exposing the darkness of Konoha was exactly the kind of thing this guy would do; it was simply Uchiha Kazuto's style.

Moreover, the most important thing was that Uchiha Kazuto had only published the dirty deeds committed by Shimura Danzo, effectively distancing everyone else in Konoha from them. Even things that anyone with eyes could see were clearly tacitly approved by the Hokage were reframed as Shimura Danzo deceiving Lord Hokage, violating the Will of Fire, and acting behind the Hokage's back. It could be said that he had scrubbed him—the Hokage—and everyone else clean.

Uchiha Kazuto really knew how to handle things.

"Sigh."

Hiruzen Sarutobi let out a sigh. In the end, he could only call Uchiha Kazuto over, deliver a reprimand, and leave it at that. After all, Uchiha Kazuto was so loyal, and while what he had done was a bit excessive in his eyes, it had not yet crossed his bottom line.

"Yes, Lord Hokage. Loyalty!"

Uchiha Kazuto immediately stood at attention, his face filled with loyalty as he spoke, before turning to leave the Hokage's office.

Lord Hokage, this truly is the last time!

It was almost time; just a little more, and it would be time to close the net. Everything was going according to plan.

A faint smile curled at the corner of Uchiha Kazuto's mouth.

Meanwhile, as the dark side of Konoha was exposed, the village became even more stifling. More and more villagers, under the intentional or unintentional cover of the Military Police Force, began to unite and deliberate.

Konoha was actually this dark? Such things never happened during the reign of the Second Hokage. Shimura Danzo, was it? We know you—the disciple of the Second Hokage, the companion of Hiruzen Sarutobi. Back then, as a guard, you were supposed to do everything in your power to protect the Hokage, yet you were one of the guards who let the Hokage protect you while you escaped.

How laughable. It would be like a president paying his bodyguards, only for the bodyguards to let the president rush into the fray to fight the enemy while they ran away. Most importantly, everything that happened back then was only seen by the few of you. Who really knows what the specific situation was? Was the Second Hokage really killed by the enemy?

Third Hokage, you truly have grown old and muddled. To think you would allow a madman like Shimura Danzo, who dared to strike at his own comrades, to remain in the village and hold such immense power. Who was it that kept saying that for the sake of the village, one must have the Will of Fire and never harm one's comrades?

So, it's only okay for the officials to burn down houses, but not for the commoners to light a lamp? What is the difference between letting a guy like Shimura Danzo stay in the village and keeping a man-eating tiger? Are these villagers outside just rations you prepared for that guy Danzo?

If it weren't for Lord Kazuto, how would we have ever known that Konoha had such a terrifying dark side?

And it's ridiculous—what is this about Shimura Danzo committing crimes behind the Hokage's back for his own selfish gain? If it were just petty things, that would be one thing, but many of the crimes published look exactly like things you, the Hokage, tacitly approved!

Poor Lord Kazuto, out of consideration for you, you old man, he polished these pieces of evidence. But even so, the loyal Lord Kazuto still published them. Uchiha Kazuto, this lord, is truly devoted to Konoha.

A tide of conspiracy began to sweep through Konoha. Yet, Hiruzen Sarutobi remained completely in the dark about all of this.

There was no helping it; who in the village dared to speak about Hiruzen Sarutobi in public now? Once heard, the outcome was being invited for tea and getting a beating. Furthermore, the Anbu didn't need to pay much attention to these commoners, and Uchiha Kazuto certainly wouldn't report such street rumors to Hiruzen Sarutobi. Under these circumstances, it would be a miracle if Hiruzen Sarutobi knew anything at all.

Besides, even if he did know, what could he do? Could Hiruzen Sarutobi kill all these villagers? How could that be possible!

Soon, the real main event appeared.

A clumsy, yet effective ruse that no one cared to verify appeared.

In the Konoha detention room, a Root Shinobi, tortured to the point of being on the verge of death, seized a moment of inattention from the Military Police and fled with all his might.

"Hehe, I must escape! I must destroy... the diary of Lord Danzo..."

Fuu Yamanaka ran continuously, his heart filled with immense joy.

Despite having endured brutal torture and revealing many of Root's secrets, there was one secret he would never reveal, even in death. It was the ultimate secret concerning the safety and unity of the village.

The Diary of Shimura Danzo.

It recorded the secrets between Lord Danzo and the Hokage, as well as some terrifying secrets capable of overturning the village, which absolutely could not be leaked.

After Lord Danzo's death, he had followed his master's will to destroy it, but unfortunately, the Military Police had arrived too quickly. He hadn't had time to destroy it and could only hastily hide it within his own body. Fortunately, the people in the Military Police had been busy torturing him and hadn't killed him; otherwise, they would have surely found the diary on his corpse.

At the time, driven by a bit of curiosity, he had secretly taken a look. It turned out that the Second Hokage had not been killed by enemy ninjas at all, but...

But had been assassinated by a joint effort of Hiruzen Sarutobi, Shimura Danzo, Utatane Koharu, and Mitokado Homura. It was all for the sake of the Hokage position. When he saw this scene back then, he felt immense horror and dared not look any further.