Because Sarutobi Hiruzen stopped him, Hyuga Hiashi did not activate his Byakugan immediately.
The Hyuga Clan had always maintained a neutral stance in Konoha.
Disgusting Danzo was one thing, but openly opposing the Hokage did not serve the Hyuga Clan's interests.
Besides, whether he used the Byakugan to look now was no longer important. Unless Danzo removed the bandages over his right eye and revealed that there was only an ordinary eye beneath them, proving with facts that Xuanye's accusations against him had been nothing but slander.
Otherwise, every jonin in Konoha would unanimously believe that Shimura Danzō had killed the Fourth Hokage and his wife, causing so many casualties during the Nine-Tails Incident.
One had to know that the people who died in that disaster were not just civilians. There were also shinobi who had tried to stop the Nine-Tails, only to be stomped flat like speed bumps.
Quite a few people present had even lost friends and family in that chaos.
Facing the culprit behind it all, remaining calm already counted as remarkable restraint.
If Sarutobi Hiruzen still tried to handle this coldly, his prestige would fall to its lowest point.
Seeing the public outrage at the scene becoming increasingly difficult to suppress, Sarutobi Hiruzen inwardly lamented.
He even somewhat regretted stepping forward to speak for Danzo earlier.
At this point, all of Konoha's jonin, aside from some stationed along the Land of Fire's borders, had gathered here.
They even had the power to initiate a vote of no confidence and strip him, the Lord Third, of all authority.
Uchiha Genya's move was truly ruthless! Using Danzo's name as a pretext, he was actually suppressing the authority of the Hokage himself.
"Xuanye..."
Xuanye directly cut off whatever Sarutobi Hiruzen was about to say.
"Lord Third-sama, don't tell me you were about to say something like how you would definitely seek justice for everyone?"
"I recall that just moments ago, you were still saying this matter had to be investigated thoroughly to give the Fourth Hokage and his wife justice."
"But why is it that now the prime suspect is your close friend, you're making every excuse and even covering for him?"
Xuanye wore an expression as though he were considering Sarutobi Hiruzen's interests as he said seriously, "Of course, Elder Shimura Danzō is only a suspect. Everything I am doing is to clear him of suspicion."
"Lord Third-sama, surely you don't intend to avoid clearing Elder Shimura Danzō's name, do you?"
Sarutobi Hiruzen's aged face flushed red. Whether he said yes or no, neither answer would work.
Uchiha Genya had completely blocked every word he might say next, leaving him trapped from both sides.
For someone as concerned with appearances as him, such a public slap in the face was absolutely unacceptable.
Xuanye let out a cold laugh.
You want to handle this coldly and stall for time? I won't give you that chance.
Danzo is as good as mine this time. Even if the Sage of Six Paths himself came, he couldn't save him. I said so.
Danzo continued to press on at this moment.
Leaning on his cane, his face flushed crimson, looking as though he desperately wanted to rush over and fight Uchiha Genya to the death, he pointed at him and said:
"This old man has nothing to explain. Everything this old man has done was for the village!"
Sarutobi Hiruzen's raised heart sank completely.
If he had previously only been 99.99...9% suspicious, then the moment Danzo said those words, he became certain.
What had happened to Minato and his wife last night, along with the Nine-Tails disaster, had absolutely been Danzo's doing!
Because whenever Danzo did something Hiruzen had not permitted, he would habitually say those very words afterward.
It had become a fixed impression by now.
Sarutobi Hiruzen closed his eyes.
Danzo, you've lost your way!
Even if it was to become Hokage, you couldn't resort to such methods! How was this any different from pushing all of Konoha to the edge of a cliff?
The Third Great Ninja War had only just ended, and the surrounding great nations and villages were all eyeing them greedily.
Did you want to destroy Konoha?
Yet at this moment, he still had to protect Danzo. So long as Danzo was not convicted on the spot, there would be plenty of room to maneuver afterward.
Thus, beneath Xuanye's half-smiling gaze, Sarutobi Hiruzen stepped forward yet again.
"I... I am absolutely not covering for Danzo, but the matter must be investigated thoroughly!"
"As for matters involving shinobi... naturally, we cannot reach a conclusion so easily. We need complete evidence."
The moment Sarutobi Hiruzen spoke those words, not only the shinobi clans present, but even the Anbu looked at him with profound disappointment.
Kakashi stood among the Anbu ranks. Watching Sarutobi Hiruzen continually cover himself with clumsy excuses, he recalled what Xuanye had once told him, and the final filter over his eyes shattered.
Was this unsightly display truly the Shinobi Hero, Sarutobi Hiruzen, whom he had known?
Or was this his true face, while the Sarutobi Hiruzen of the past had merely been a layer of disguise?
Watching Sarutobi Hiruzen go on and on about the Three Prohibitions of Shinobi and the Will of Fire, Xuanye could no longer be bothered to listen.
His goal had already been achieved. He had no desire to waste any more time here.
"Then I shall wait here in eager anticipation of Lord Third-sama's final investigation results."
"Remember to make the final result public to everyone. I hope it won't once again end without resolution, treating everyone like fools."
"If even the assassination of a Hokage receives no outcome, then the Hokage's prestige will cease to exist."
After Xuanye finished speaking, he rose directly and led the Uchiha away.
Everyone immediately understood what Uchiha Genya meant.
If killing a Hokage could be brushed aside so lightly, then today it could be Danzo—why could it not be Uchiha Genya tomorrow?
That slash from last night still had not faded from anyone's mind.
Had that blade not been swung toward the outskirts of the village, it would have been enough to split all of Konoha in two.
This was a threat, an open threat made using the assassination of a Hokage.
But Sarutobi Hiruzen truly did not dare do anything now.
At this all-jonin conference, Xuanye had forcibly turned the Uchiha from suspects into victims, while conveniently saddling Shimura Danzō with a disgrace he could never wash off.
And just before leaving, he had fiercely threatened Sarutobi Hiruzen.
Old man, do you think my blade isn't sharp enough?
Sarutobi Hiruzen naturally understood the implied threat in Xuanye's words. His expression shifted repeatedly, yet he could never make up his mind.
Many people who could see the situation clearly had already understood that Konoha's skies were likely about to change.
"Oh, right."
Before leaving, Xuanye turned back to look at Sarutobi Hiruzen and Shimura Danzō on the stage, who resembled two clowns, his voice exceedingly calm.
"Elder Shimura was right about one thing. Uchiha's Kekkei Genkai will definitely be reclaimed by us in the end."
"Anyone who dares transplant an Uchiha Sharingan will suffer Uchiha's vengeance, one that will not end until death."
"No matter who it is."