The Ultimatum to Konoha

Everyone understood what the Third Hokage meant. At this point, Hatake Sakumo could no longer keep pretending not to understand.

He gave a wry smile and shook his head before stepping forward. "I'm sorry, Third Hokage. If this were about fighting, I wouldn't hesitate to charge in first. I wouldn't care if it cost me my life. But asking me to do something like that..."

Sakumo's expression turned troubled, and he fell silent.

Sakumo's words caused an uproar.

No one had expected him to actually make that choice. He was the head of Konoha's Anbu, after all, and always put Konoha's interests first. If even he was saying such things, what trick had Uchiha Chen used to bewitch them all?

It wasn't just Sakumo. Everyone who had been close to Chen seemed to have a decent impression of him—and even seemed inclined to defend him.

Everyone found this baffling. They couldn't get a clear answer out of anyone, only vague replies that were no help at all.

"What exactly is going on?" One person still hadn't caught on. Seeing the strange looks on everyone's faces, he quietly asked the person beside him.

Seeing that the fool still hadn't figured it out, the other man didn't tease him. He just pursed his lips and said, "Have you forgotten about the two little prodigies at the Ninja Academy who are about to graduate?"

"Them?"

"Did you really forget? Those two prodigies were left in Konoha by that man named Uchiha Chen. Before all that happened, didn't you see them wandering around the streets all the time?"

"I see!" The man hurriedly said, "Then what are we waiting for? Let's get moving! Why are we wasting time?"

"Danzo-sama already had Anbu put the two little ones under surveillance. He's just waiting for the