Trust from the Daimyo!

Seeing this, Uchiha Fugaku was struck with horror.

If not for Roy's warning, he would still be outside the village at this moment!

If anything were to happen to the Daimyo, then...

At the mere thought of the consequences, Uchiha Fugaku's Sharingan began to spin frantically.

In an instant, it transformed into the shape of an inverted pinwheel.

His Mangekyō Sharingan was activated directly!

"Roy, use your wide-range Fire Style!"

Uchiha Fugaku roared.

"Understood."

"Fire Style: Flame Pillar!"

Roy mobilized the chakra within his body without hesitation, and a massive inferno surged upward instantly.

It enveloped the entire surrounding area.

"Oh?"

"Not a bad flame!"

"Susanoo!"

Uchiha Fugaku raised his hand, and a colossal Susanoo instantly erupted around him.

The Flame Pillar that had been encircling the area was sucked away in an instant.

The Susanoo in Uchiha Fugaku's hand reached out and grasped the flames.

They transformed into a giant sword.

"Sshhh!"

As the longsword swung out, several ninjas failed to dodge in time and were instantly engulfed by the flames.

In mere seconds, they were reduced to ashes.

"So this is Uchiha Fugaku's Mangekyō?"

"Flame enhancement, flame control!"

Roy narrowed his eyes, speaking with a thoughtful expression.

Although he knew Uchiha Fugaku possessed a Mangekyō, he had never known what his specific ability was.

"Retreat!"

Seeing that Uchiha Fugaku had arrived, the surrounding ninjas prepared to flee.

Are you kidding? Go fight Uchiha Fugaku while he's piloting a Gundam?

They weren't Danzo; they wouldn't try to stab a Susanoo with a kunai.

"Want to leave?"

"Too late!"

"That move just now was called Flame Pillar, right?"

"Fire Style: Flame Pillar!"

As Uchiha Fugaku finished speaking, the Susanoo's hand instantly rose.

Terrifying flames immediately encased the surroundings.

"Feel the despair. I know who you are, so there is no need to let you underground rats remain as a nuisance."

After Uchiha Fugaku spoke, the Susanoo expanded instantly.

"Let's go!"

Uchiha Shisui appeared beside Roy, grabbed him, and headed straight toward Uchiha Fugaku's position.

The remaining Uchiha ninjas also brought the Daimyo and entered the area covered by the Susanoo.

"BOOM!"

The powerful flames enveloping the area converged toward the center point in an instant.

Following that, a terrifying explosion rippled outward.

Once the dust settled, the area had been completely cleared; there was no trace of anyone left.

"Uchiha Fugaku, is it?"

"I recall you are the current clan head of the Uchiha; very good."

The Daimyo of the Land of Fire walked out slowly, looking at Uchiha Fugaku before him with a satisfied expression.

"Daimyo, I apologize for the fright you have endured."

"Next, we..."

"Daimyo!"

Just then, a group of masked ninjas appeared on the scene.

The Anbu member in the lead interrupted Uchiha Fugaku.

"We have been sent by the Hokage to protect the Daimyo."

"Please, follow us to the Imperial Palace."

The lead Anbu member stated directly.

"Go back and tell your Hokage that I have already entrusted my safety to the Uchiha."

The Daimyo said, turning back toward Uchiha Fugaku.

"Captain Fugaku, I..."

"Since when have the ninjas of Konoha become so disobedient?"

Before the Anbu ninja could finish, the Daimyo barked in anger.

He had been attacked at the gates of Konoha, yet for so long, not a single other ninja from the village had appeared.

From the outside to the inside, only the Uchiha had been protecting him.

One who could become a Daimyo was certainly no fool.

"Understood, Lord Daimyo."

The Anbu ninja nodded helplessly before vanishing with a Body Flicker.

"Clan Head Fugaku, take me to the Uchiha Compound."

"I believe it will be much safer within your territory."

"Let's go."

With that, the Daimyo followed Uchiha Fugaku toward the Uchiha Compound.

Leaving only a few men behind to clear the battlefield, everyone else departed with them.

Inside the Hokage Office.

"Refused, were they?"

"It seems Danzo has lost this move as well."

After receiving the report, Sarutobi Hiruzen's brows knit together tightly.

Exhaling a cloud of smoke, his gaze turned sharp.

There were certain things that needed to be prepared.

Otherwise, the Uchiha would soon become impossible to suppress.

"Lord Third."

Just then, two people entered the Hokage Office.

There were only a few who could enter without being announced.

The arrivals were none other than Utatane Koharu and Mitokado Homura.

"Why are you here?"

Sarutobi Hiruzen did not hold much affection for the pair.

Although they had all served as guards for the Second Hokage and fought side by side many times, since Sarutobi Hiruzen had taken office, these two had cared only for their own clan's interests.

As long as their own interests were not compromised, they were the type to completely wash their hands of village affairs.

Over the years, they had frequently used their status to secure benefits for their own families.

Coming here now, they were likely feeling threatened.

"Is there still no solution for the Uchiha problem?"

"The Uchiha are no longer just a single powerful clan."

"Their reputation among the commoners is also very high."

"Plus, now that they have completed the mission of escorting the Daimyo, they have brought tangible benefits to the village."

"Some of the other clans are starting to waver as well."

Utatane Koharu looked at Sarutobi Hiruzen with a reproachful expression.

"Koharu is right."

"If things continue like this, the influence of the Uchiha will gradually expand."

"By the time we can no longer suppress them, we will be the ones being suppressed."

"At that point, the Uchiha might even become the Hokage of Konoha and lead the village down a perilous path!"

"Third, do you have a plan yet?"

Mitokado Homura followed up with a question.

Hearing their words, Sarutobi Hiruzen almost wanted to laugh.

Back when he had asked them to contribute their efforts to deal with the Uchiha, both of them had made all sorts of excuses to shirk responsibility.

In their eyes, Danzo and Sarutobi Hiruzen were already more than enough to handle the Uchiha.

Yet, after so much time had passed, not only had the Uchiha not declined, but they had watched as the clan grew stronger step by step.

Now they had come running to cast blame; it was truly in character for the two of them!

"Stop hiding your true intentions."

"I have a way, but it will require you both to sacrifice certain interests."

"How about it? Are you willing?"

Sarutobi Hiruzen looked at the two of them with a playful expression.

Upon hearing Sarutobi Hiruzen's words, the expressions of the two men grew somewhat tense.

Since Sarutobi Hiruzen had brought this matter up separately, the price they would have to pay was definitely going to be beyond what they could comfortably bear.

But if they did not agree, they would have no grounds to blame Sarutobi Hiruzen for anything in the future.

He truly was an old fox; with just a single sentence, he had turned his retreat into an advance.