Dragging Hatake Sakumo Down

Uchiha Dan continued, "From Utatane Koharu, I got another piece of information: Shimura Danzō has always wanted to form Root."

"Utatane Koharu once threatened me: 'Once Danzō's Root is formed, I'll make sure you evil brat die without knowing how.'"

"Ever since then, I've started paying attention to this matter."

"The so-called Root is a secret department that no one knows about."

"The philosophy of this department sounds grand and noble: to become the dark side of the village, protecting Konoha at all costs, shielding the village from external threats and internal turmoil."

"But in reality, once this department is established, it will only be Shimura Danzō's private army. And after its establishment, it will only do one thing: secretly eliminate anyone he dislikes."

"If this department is truly established, all future shameless acts can be attributed to it, and no one will ever know. What do you think the outcome will be?"

"Hiruzen Sarutobi has suppressed himself for so many years, always walking on thin ice, afraid of his reputation. There are many things he wanted to do but dared not because he cared too much about his reputation."

"Once Root is established, Hiruzen Sarutobi won't have to take responsibility for anything. Someone will take the blame for him. Guess what? Will he completely let loose?"

After Uchiha Dan finished speaking, Tsunade's back felt ice-cold.

Was this still the Konoha leadership she knew?

What kind of people were they? And what were they doing?

Corruption, abuse of power, harboring criminals, eliminating dissenters.

"So my hope for you to become Hokage is not just for myself," Uchiha Dan said seriously. "If you disagree, I'll have to leave and secretly train my younger brother."

"Although he's still young, he will definitely listen to me. It will just take a long time."

"What do you say, Hatake Sakumo-senpai?" Uchiha Dan suddenly shouted towards a large tree not far away.

Hatake Sakumo's figure flickered, and he appeared in front of Uchiha Dan and Tsunade.

"Is everything you just said true?" Even though he was wearing a mask, Sakumo could feel his expression was incredibly grim.

"Come on, big brother, you've been monitoring me the longest. How many times have I been to the Pharmaceutical Department, have I gone to the hospital rooftop to enjoy the view every day? Don't you know?"

"Of course, you can report our conversation truthfully to Hiruzen Sarutobi right now," Uchiha Dan said with a smile. "I just don't know who will die first, you or me."

Hatake Sakumo's eyes changed, and a murderous intent laced his voice as he said coldly, "You deliberately dragged me into this?"

He now knew countless dark secrets about Konoha's high-ranking officials. Once he reported truthfully, Hiruzen Sarutobi's first target for elimination would likely not be Uchiha Dan, but himself, Hatake Sakumo.

Furthermore, Hatake Sakumo was loyal to Konoha, not Hiruzen Sarutobi. Hearing such things, how could he possibly report it?

"Hahaha, Sakumo-aniki, that's right, I am dragging you down with me. So, are you going to kill me?" Uchiha Dan laughed fearlessly.

Tsunade was right there. Hatake Sakumo couldn't make a move.

Besides, he wasn't that afraid of Hatake Sakumo anymore. If he couldn't win, he could still run.

Given Hatake Sakumo's personality, if he didn't act now, he would only keep this matter to himself afterward.

"Uchiha Dan, why are you harming me?" Hatake Sakumo was furious.

"For so many years, out of sympathy and pity for you, I only monitored you from afar."

"I never restricted your freedom, affected your life in any way. I was even afraid of not hiding well enough and affecting your mood. And this is how you treat me?"

"I'm not harming you!" Uchiha Dan flatly denied. "As long as you don't report today's events, you'll remain safe. The decision is yours."

"Moreover, I'm helping you, and I'm saving you!"

"Hmph, kid, do you think I'm easily fooled?" Hatake Sakumo said coldly.

"You're right, I actually think you're quite easy to fool," Uchiha Dan admitted without reservation. "You've been monitoring me for over four years, right?"

"Haven't I been acting well enough? You only recently started to think I'm not simple. Did you have the slightest suspicion before?"

"I even often inadvertently showed you expressions of helplessness, despair, and sorrow, only to put on a brave face for my adoptive parents and brother the next moment. All this was so you would pity me, care for me."

"You really fell for it. As long as it didn't violate Hiruzen Sarutobi's orders, you kept loosening the restrictions on me, to the point where I often forgot you were following me."

"You brat, you've been plotting against me from the very beginning?" Hatake Sakumo was so angry his liver trembled.

He had thought more than once, if he had a son and he encountered the same situation as Uchiha Dan, how heartbroken would he be?

And yet, this brat had been playing him the entire time.

"You still have the nerve to say that?" Uchiha Dan immediately got angry. "I was the one who saved you when you were severely injured."

"And you repay my kindness with such behavior?"

"If it weren't for you, Hatake Sakumo, I would have run away long ago."

"I can't beat you, but can't I beat others? Do you really think any cat or dog can stop me, Uchiha Dan?"

After calming down slightly, Uchiha Dan continued, "Of course, it's not just me. Hiruzen Sarutobi probably also thinks you're easy to fool and is deceiving you like an idiot!"

"Brat, explain yourself clearly!" Hatake Sakumo said angrily.

"Fine, then I'll break it down for you!" Uchiha Dan said seriously. "How strong are you in the Anbu, Hatake Sakumo?"

"No one is my match," Hatake Sakumo said proudly.

"Before I exposed my true self, how much of a threat was I to the village?"

"Almost no threat!"

"Do you think Hiruzen Sarutobi is crazy or stupid, sending a master like you to monitor me? And for over four years?"

"In those four-plus years, how much could you have done for the village? How many missions could you have completed? How much money could you have earned?"

"If it weren't for monitoring me day and night, you would have been married and had children long ago. They'd probably be old enough to run errands."

"I didn't plan to get married that early!" Hatake Sakumo retorted.

"Shut up!" Uchiha Dan got angry. "Am I talking to you about getting married or not?"

"The reason you, Hatake Sakumo, were assigned to monitor me is because four years ago, you completed 10 S-rank missions and 22 A-rank missions in just one year."

"At the time, many people in the village knew about you, considering you a rising star."

"But you're not exactly the obedient type, and Hiruzen Sarutobi dislikes you. So, he didn't want to see you gain fame."

"Coupled with Shimura Danzō whispering in his ear, saying you're a dangerous person."

"To put it bluntly, what's the difference between you and me? Aren't we both feared by the village higher-ups, unable to be ourselves?"

Uchiha Dan wasn't sure if Hatake Sakumo knew these things, but he didn't care.

If Hatake Sakumo didn't know, it was a good opportunity to tell him.

If Hatake Sakumo already knew, it would just reinforce the impression.

In any case, ever since that time he concealed the matter between himself and Tsunade, he had essentially boarded Dan's ship, and there was no getting off for the rest of his life.

Tsunade, standing nearby, was stunned.

She had seen Uchiha Dan's various schemes recently, but she never expected him to have even calculated Hatake Sakumo, and to have started planning over four years ago.

However, she was hardly in a position to pity Hatake Sakumo.

Wasn't she also constantly being manipulated by Uchiha Dan?