With Bai Ye's strength, if he activated the Mangekyō Sharingan and went all out, he could kill them.
But what would Bai Ye gain from killing them?
It was better to keep them around, like leeks, continually producing Negative Energy and ninjutsu for him.
Hearing Bai Ye's words, Hiruzen Sarutobi understood. Bai Ye wanted money again.
"How much money would it take to compensate the Uchiha Clan for their losses?"
"Hmm... Let's start with a billion."
Bai Ye looked at Hiruzen Sarutobi as he spoke.
"'What!? A billion!'"
"You're extorting us!"
Hiruzen Sarutobi was shocked by Bai Ye's demand.
This time, Bai Ye was asking for far too much—an amount that was downright terrifying.
"Extortion? You're not wrong."
"What's the matter, Hokage? You don't want to pay?"
Bai Ye spoke menacingly as he raised his Ninja Sword again and aimed it at Danzo.
Bai Ye's meaning was clear: if they didn't pay, he would kill Danzo on the spot.
"Fine... A billion! I'll send someone to bring it over right away."
Through gritted teeth, Hiruzen Sarutobi finally agreed.
A billion was an enormous sum, but if they tightened their belts, they could still afford it.
After all, Danzo was the leader of the Root Organization, an elder of Konoha, and Hiruzen's trusted assistant. He wielded considerable power.
Whatever his reasons, Hiruzen Sarutobi couldn't simply stand by and let Shimura Danzō die there.
A moment later, an Anbu arrived in front of Bai Ye with ten storage scrolls.
"Thank you for the billion, Lord Hokage."
"You can take this traitor with you."
Bai Ye accepted the storage scrolls and handed them to Uchiha En.
"Hmph... Let's go."
Hiruzen Sarutobi waved his hand and quickly led all the Anbu away.
The half-crippled Shimura Danzō went with them.
"By the way, Lord Hokage, how did you deal with that missing-nin named Shin'nosuke Sarutobi?"
"Did you cut off his head?"
Bai Ye called after Hiruzen Sarutobi as he was leaving.
"That's none of your concern, Captain Bai Ye."
Hiruzen Sarutobi gave a cold snort and hurried away.
Bai Ye's words had infuriated him.
He didn't want to stay there another moment.
As for the shopkeepers' clansmen who had been taken away, they no longer had the heart to rescue them.
[Ping! Detected Hiruzen Sarutobi's resentment: +200 Negative Energy, +12 ninjutsu...]
[Ping! Detected Hiruzen Sarutobi's resentment: +300 Negative Energy, +14 genjutsu...]
[Ping! Detected Hiruzen Sarutobi's resentment: +400 Negative Energy, +20 Chakra...]
[...]
Seeing Hiruzen Sarutobi and the others leave in disgrace, all the Uchiha Clan members cheered.
"Lord Bai Ye, you're incredible!"
"Sure enough, only Lord Bai Ye can lead our Uchiha Clan to rise again!"
"What Hokage? Captain Bai Ye suppressed him with ease!"
"Lord Bai Ye's words were so cool!"
"The Hokage won't handle it, so we will... So this is the duty of our Security Force!"
"Long live Lord Bai Ye!"
"..."
Bai Ye's standing in the Uchiha Clan rose once again.
Many members of the Uchiha Clan who had once belonged to the dove faction began to waver.
The Hokage didn't seem so powerful after all. Lord Bai Ye had subdued him so easily.
Perhaps Lord Bai Ye really could lead the Uchiha Clan to rise again.
"Hmph, you still have the nerve to laugh?"
"Look at your injuries! You're members of the Uchiha Clan, yet ordinary shinobi managed to hurt you. What a disgrace!"
"From now on, you're all going to train properly! Make the Uchiha stronger!"
Bai Ye scolded the injured Uchiha Clan members as he looked at them.
"Yes, Lord Bai Ye!"
Despite his scolding, the Uchiha Clan members were still beaming with excitement.
The Uchiha Clan had been the strongest shinobi clan during the Warring States period.
The only clan in the entire shinobi world that could stand against the Uchiha Clan was the Senju Clan.
Now the Senju Clan had been driven to ruin by Hiruzen Sarutobi and the Konoha High Command.
In other words, there was no one left in the shinobi world who could stand against the Uchiha Clan.
However, the peaceful life in Konoha had made the Uchiha Clan lose their edge.
So Bai Ye planned to arm the Uchiha Clan.
Once the Uchiha Clan had the strength to take on all of Konoha, what would they have to fear from the Konoha High Command?
Inside the Hokage's office in the Hokage Building.
Hiruzen Sarutobi, Mitokado Homura, Utatane Koharu, and Shimura Danzō had gathered there.
All four of them looked grim.
They were the Konoha High Command, and they held power over Konoha.
Normally, any clan leader who met them would show them a great deal of respect.
But now, they had suffered a setback at the hands of the Uchiha Clan.
Shimura Danzō had it worst: he'd been slapped, blinded in one eye, and lost an arm.
"Danzo, how are your injuries?"
Hiruzen Sarutobi asked, looking at Danzo's bandaged head and arm.
"My arm's been reattached, but my eye is ruined."
Danzo spoke with a dark expression.
Since becoming a Konoha elder and the leader of the Root Organization, he had never suffered such a loss—especially not at the hands of the Uchiha Clan.
Danzo was furious. He wanted to destroy the Uchiha Clan at once.
"Sarutobi, we absolutely can't let this go!"
"That evil Uchiha Clan must be wiped out immediately!"
Shimura Danzō said furiously.
"Exactly, Sarutobi. The Uchiha Clan has gone too far."
"The Second Hokage was right. The Uchiha Clan is an evil clan."
Mitokado Homura and Utatane Koharu chimed in as well.
The Uchiha Clan had dared to defy the Konoha High Command. It was unforgivable.
No matter what the reason, the Uchiha Clan had to be taught a lesson.
"You're right."
"The Uchiha Clan must be dealt with, but now isn't the time."
Hiruzen Sarutobi also wanted to destroy the Uchiha Clan at once.
But he knew perfectly well that now wasn't the time to go to war with them.
That is, unless he didn't care about the damage to Konoha or the shinobi war that could break out at any moment.
As for taking down the Uchiha Clan without losses, Hiruzen Sarutobi didn't even dare consider it.
The Uchiha Clan of this era was nothing like the weakened clan of later generations.
There were at least a dozen elite jōnin among the Uchiha Clan.
And they also had Bai Ye, whose strength was unknown but who had easily defeated Danzo.
"Sarutobi, I..."
Hearing that Hiruzen Sarutobi had no plans to deal with the Uchiha Clan, Shimura Danzō was extremely unwilling to accept it and tried to continue.
But Hiruzen Sarutobi cut him off.
"All right, Danzo. That's enough."
"What you need to do now is recover your strength as soon as possible."
"And rebuild the Root Organization."
"Don't forget, I'm the Hokage."
Hiruzen Sarutobi looked at Danzo as he spoke.
The title of Hokage might mean nothing to Bai Ye, but it still carried plenty of weight with everyone else.
"I understand."
Hearing Hiruzen Sarutobi's words, Danzo could only accept it with great reluctance.
Before you continue