Danzo is Dead (I Killed Him)

Not long after Sarutobi Hiruzen had ordered the Anbu to search for Jiraiya, the door to the Hokage Office was kicked open once again, this time by Mitokado Homura and Utatane Koharu.

"Hiruzen, what is the meaning of this?"

"Why is the deed to the Senju Clan Compound in the hands of the Uchiha Clan?"

"And why are you allocating fifty million ryō each to the Military Police Force and the Uchiha Clan?"

"Are you not aware that the village's finances are already extremely tight?"

"To grant such a massive appropriation to the Uchiha Clan at a time like this—have you gone mad, or have I?"

The words of Mitokado Homura and Utatane Koharu pelted Sarutobi Hiruzen like machine-gun fire.

Sarutobi Hiruzen looked at his two old friends and could not help but feel a headache coming on.

He simply took out a document and handed it to the pair.

Mitokado Homura and Utatane Koharu exchanged glances, then looked at the scroll on the desk, picked it up, and examined it carefully.

The scroll recorded every dark deed Shimura Danzō had committed, as well as the assistance the two of them had provided him in terms of funding and other matters.

After reading through the information, Mitokado Homura took a deep breath and spoke.

"Hiruzen, what is the meaning of this?"

Sarutobi Hiruzen then addressed Mitokado Homura and Utatane Koharu.

"You both participated in Shimura Danzō's plan to exterminate the Uchiha Clan yesterday, didn't you?"

Mitokado Homura and Utatane Koharu looked at each other and replied.

"So what? What does that have to do with this?"

Seeing their expressions, Sarutobi Hiruzen felt a pang of heartache as he dropped another bombshell.

"Danzō is dead."

"..."

After the initial shock, Mitokado Homura and Utatane Koharu immediately demanded.

"What? Shimura Danzō is dead?"

"How did Danzō die?"

"Why haven't we received any news?"

Hearing their questions, Sarutobi Hiruzen signaled for them to keep it quiet before speaking.

"The Uchiha Clan possesses someone comparable to Madara Uchiha."

"How is that possible? Who is he?"

Mitokado Homura and Utatane Koharu were incredulous.

Seeing their expressions, Sarutobi Hiruzen understood; after all, if he hadn't experienced it himself, he wouldn't have believed it either.

"Uchiha Fugaku."

"And that is the truth of the matter, otherwise Danzō would not have died."

"After all, attacking fellow villagers is a grave crime."

"But..."

Before Mitokado Homura and Utatane Koharu could finish, Sarutobi Hiruzen continued.

"But we will announce to the public that Danzō sacrificed himself for the sake of the village's peace while desperately fending off the Masked Man's attack on the Uchiha Clan."

"Although I could not save his life, I wish to leave him with some shred of reputation."

Mitokado Homura and Utatane Koharu had no choice but to helplessly accept this reality.

"So, you mean the Senju Clan Compound and that one hundred million ryō are compensation for the Uchiha Clan?"

Hearing the words of Mitokado Homura and Utatane Koharu, Sarutobi Hiruzen could only reply with a muffled, "Yes."

Upon hearing this, Mitokado Homura and Utatane Koharu both fell into silence.

After waiting for a moment, Sarutobi Hiruzen finally dropped one last bombshell.

"Furthermore, I intend to abdicate."

"Everything Danzō has done is already known to the Uchiha Clan Head, Fugaku."

"Only by having a new Hokage take office can we prevent these matters from eventually causing a crisis."

Hearing Sarutobi Hiruzen's decision, Mitokado Homura and Utatane Koharu expressed their understanding, then asked.

"Who is your candidate for the next Hokage?"

"Tsunade or Jiraiya."

"But what if neither of them is willing?"

"They will have to be, whether they like it or not. This is the only way left; we certainly cannot allow the next Hokage to emerge from the Uchiha Clan."

Outside Konoha.

Uchiha Obito looked at his newly attached arm, then turned to Black Zetsu beside him and asked.

"The plan to exterminate the Uchiha Clan has been ruined, and the Uchiha clan leader is a wielder of the Eternal Mangekyo Sharingan."

"What should we do next?"

Black Zetsu looked toward Konoha and spoke with extreme composure.

"Let us set aside the targeting of the Uchiha Clan for now and ensure that things proceed smoothly on Nagato's end."

"After all, there is still Madara's Rinnegan."

"You must know that the Rinnegan is an existence that surpasses the Sharingan, and when I escaped, I also stole the Hashirama cells that Danzo of Konoha had been keeping."

"Without Hashirama cells, it is impossible for the Eternal Mangekyo to evolve into the Rinnegan."

"Once Nagato is ready, we will wipe out the Uchiha Clan in one fell swoop."

Hearing the plan Black Zetsu had already prepared, Uchiha Obito expressed his approval.

"Indeed, the Rinnegan plan should take priority."

"However, I still need to retrieve something of mine."

Hearing Uchiha Obito's words, Black Zetsu understood his intent, yet asked with some surprise.

"Weren't you always unwilling to take it back?"

Uchiha Obito replied with extreme calmness.

"But now I need power; only greater strength can ensure the plan proceeds smoothly."

"Only then can I create a world that has Rin."

Being easily defeated yesterday made Uchiha Obito realize that his strength was truly too lacking.

If he wanted to fulfill his dream, he had to retrieve his other Sharingan.

Military Police Force.

Uchiha Fugaku looked at the massive pile of documents before him, feeling pained beyond measure.

"Ah, how can there be so much paperwork to do?"

"And what are all these trivial, petty matters?"

One must know that even in the past, Fugaku had found it strenuous to handle, let alone the current Uchiha Fugaku who had unlocked the memories of his past life.

Having unlocked his past life, how could Fugaku possibly have the patience to deal with such trifles now?

Besides, Fugaku still had cultivation to research.

How could he waste time on such minor things?

Thinking of this, Uchiha Fugaku instantly developed the idea of finding a little secretary, just like Tsunade.

"But who would be suitable?"

With that thought, Uchiha Fugaku began to pace around the Military Police Force.

A hurried figure ran past Uchiha Fugaku, causing his eyes to light up involuntarily.

Isn't this a ready-made little secretary right here?