A Race

"Bastard!"

"Insolence!!"

"How dare you speak so wildly to Lord Danzo! Who do you think you are!!"

"Do you think this is still the Warring States period? Even if you are Uchiha..."

Before Danzo could speak, the Anbu ninjas behind him could no longer restrain their shouts of indignation.

Root, the full name being the Anbu Training Department, was not yet the mindless killing machine it would become under Danzo's later brainwashing; many Anbu ninjas were still selected from its ranks.

Having received his tutelage, these Anbu ninjas held Danzo in high regard.

A tall figure stepped forward, shielding Kaminazuki behind him.

"It is true that Kaminazuki was rude, but..."

Iwamasa said calmly: "At the time of Konoha's founding, the First Hokage promised that the village would not pry into the secret arts of the various clans, nor would it interfere in their internal affairs."

"Lord Danzo... are you intending to defy the orders of the First Hokage?"

A familiar tactic of the older generation.

The Police Force had already concluded the battle, arresting all the pursuing ninjas and gathering them behind him.

Pairs of Sharingan opened in the night, the terrifying pressure causing the Anbu ninjas to keep their hands on their hilts, yet they dared not act rashly.

Overly autonomous noble clans were a massive obstacle to the development of Konoha...

Lord Tobirama was right.

Danzo's eyelids drooped slightly as he said indifferently: "I was merely curious and asked a casual question; there is no need for Clan Head Iwamasa to pin such a grave charge on me."

So what if I defy the First Hokage? I am the one who inherited the will of the Second Hokage.

Now... only the Uchiha remain.

Possessing law enforcement authority and numerous privileges, the Uchiha acted like a "state within a state," and even a mere brat dared to talk back to me to my face...

Danzo shifted his gaze to Kaminazuki: "As for what you said... there is no need to trouble the Uchiha. The Shimura Clan has sacrificed much for the village, and it will likely end with my generation."

"Are you satisfied with that?"

In politics, showing weakness is a tactic.

It was Danzo who had asked about the secret arts first, violating a taboo, and Iwamasa had immediately escalated the pressure.

If you show your sharp edge, then I shall concede.

If this matter spreads, the clans of Konoha will not think it was Danzo's fault, but rather that the Uchiha were being overbearing and held no respect for the Hokage's advisor.

He who cannot bear small misfortunes will ruin great plans. Uchiha...

Continue to be arrogant; once everyone is dissatisfied with you, that will be the time for a reckoning!

The Anbu ninjas looked at Kaminazuki with intense malice.

To treat Lord Danzo, who had sacrificed so much for Konoha, in such a way... it was simply vicious!

Satisfied, or not satisfied?

This question could absolutely not be answered; any response would be a mistake!

Iwamasa frowned, still thinking about how to reply.

Not speaking was the best course of action; silence would suffice!

He was just about to signal Kaminazuki.

"Is the Shimura Clan the only one that has sacrificed?"

Kaminazuki said calmly:

"Lord Danzo, do you still remember Senior Kagami?"

"If he knew that the comrade he risked his life to protect was now targeting his own kin, what would he think?"

You want to change the subject and play the emotional card?

Kaminazuki's eyes revealed a look of sorrow as he sighed: "By seniority, I should call him uncle. After my parents died, he took great care of me and often spoke of you. I never expected it to be like this..."

The malice in the eyes of those Anbu ninjas faded, replaced by shame.

What was I just thinking...

This is just a child who lost both parents; what kind of ill intentions could he possibly have?

Lord Danzo is indeed a bit...

"Enough!"

Danzo's face darkened. Kaminazuki's clumsy acting certainly couldn't fool him, and besides...

Were you even born when Kagami died?!

What could he possibly have said to you? Appeared in a dream?

And you bunch of idiots, do you believe whatever this brat says? Can you use your brains for once!

"Take her away."

Before Kushina was led away by the Anbu, she bowed to Kaminazuki: "Thank you... thank you for saving me."

"It has nothing to do with me. Even if I hadn't come, you wouldn't have died."

Kaminazuki paused, looking at the girl who had to feign strength despite suffering the pain of losing her clan, and said:

"As long as you are alive and keep this surname, the Uzumaki Clan has not disappeared."

"Carry the clan and keep moving forward."

"The clan..."

Danzo ordered the Anbu to hasten Kushina's departure and looked at Iwamasa: "And those people, hand them over."

Iwamasa hesitated for a moment, then waved his hand to have the captives from Kumogakure and Kirigakure brought forward.

"This matter ends here, Clan Leader Iwamasa. Keep him in check..."

Danzo took a deep look at Kaminazuki: "I don't know what little schemes you have, but you had better stay away from her."

He couldn't be wrong; Kaminazuki definitely had designs on Kushina Uzumaki.

This was a special intuition between villains.

Kaminazuki let out a cold snort.

If his strength were sufficient, he wouldn't want to waste breath on this old bastard.

He would not wait until Danzo had completely turned dark and was about to strike at the Uchiha before fighting back.

Harming others before they can cause you harm is Kaminazuki's creed of conduct.

"You really hate Danzo?"

On the way back, with no one around in the clan grounds, Iwamasa asked in a low voice.

"Don't you?"

Iwamasa gave an awkward smile: "I wouldn't show it so obviously. Kaminazuki... sometimes you should learn to hide your emotions, otherwise..."

"Go home and lecture Fugaku; I'm not learning that."

Kaminazuki's lips curled slightly: "As an Uchiha, if you don't even dare to express your likes and dislikes, you really have become more cowardly as you've aged."

Iwamasa didn't quite understand.

The Uchiha had indeed been at odds with the village leadership before, but the radical faction led by Setsuna had been sanctioned by Tobirama Senju.

To secure his position as the Third Hokage, Sarutobi Hiruzen had also granted the Uchiha sufficient preferential treatment.

For these years, most of the clan advocated for peaceful coexistence with the leadership. Who exactly had influenced Kaminazuki?

It couldn't be the Third Hokage's student, could it? That would be a huge joke.

Excluding these possibilities...

It could only be said that it was innate.

At the gate of Kaminazuki's residence, Iwamasa sighed, his voice dropping even lower: "The times are different, Kaminazuki. The outcome of a clan opposing a great nation... you saw the Uzumaki Clan yourself."

"Do you not understand the position you are in?"

"As a student of Orochimaru, you are the Uchiha most likely to enter the village's decision-making level. Before that happens..."

Kaminazuki stepped onto the stairs, paused, and looked back, his eyes turning cold.

"Relying on the status of being Orochimaru's student? Is that your real thought?"

"Honestly, don't exhaust the little goodwill I have for you."

"Who do you think I am..."

A chilling aura permeated the air, followed by a low, oppressive roar that exploded outward.

"I will surpass our ancestor!"

"Madara Uchiha lost, but I will not!"

Within those scarlet pupils, a second pitch-black tomoe branched out from the first.

Whoosh--!!

Demonic ocular power whistled through the air!

The stone steps cracked under the violent impact, and the background began to warp.

Having weathered the changes of the world and long since attained a heart as still as stagnant water, even Iwamasa could not help but feel his knees go weak.