After Fugaku's attempt at provocation failed, he began to deeply suspect whether the Uchiha Clan had chosen the wrong partner. His expression shifted unpredictably.
"Fugaku... Clan Head Fugaku! What are you thinking about?" It was not until he heard Hiruzen's call that he snapped out of his thoughts. He hurriedly answered on instinct, "Ah! Lord Hokage, I merely feel that although Lord Danzo's reputation... is somewhat poor, it is unlikely that he would be involved in this matter."
But Hiruzen simply shook his head dismissively. "Those words are not from your heart. If you truly had no suspicions, why did you bypass Root and report this matter directly to me?"
The speaker had not meant much by it, but the listener took it to heart. Fugaku, who already had a guilty conscience, immediately felt uneasy upon hearing the question. He secretly cursed himself for talking too much. Of course he had bypassed Root at Danzo's request. It would be disastrous if the Hokage saw through their true relationship.
His mind raced as he tried to distance himself from Danzo, yet he could not think of a suitable excuse. Before long, sweat covered his forehead, and he stammered so badly that he could barely form a coherent sentence.
Seeing his embarrassed reaction, Hiruzen not only felt no suspicion at all, but instead smiled reassuringly. "All right, Clan Head Fugaku, there is no need to be so nervous! I do not mean to blame you. On the contrary, I think you handled this very well!
Now that I think about it, whether Root or the Anbu learned of this matter, they would certainly help Orochimaru destroy the evidence at once. Therefore, reporting the situation directly to me was the correct choice."
Seeing that Hiruzen had clearly misunderstood something, Fugaku immediately breathed a