Jonin Conference

Before long, the Hokage's decision on Danzo's punishment spread through the upper ranks of Konoha's major clans as if it had grown wings.

Uchiha Compound, meeting room.

When Uchiha Chishin heard from his informants about the punishment the Third Hokage had meted out to Danzo, he fell silent for a moment, then let out a cold, mocking laugh.

"Suspended from duty? Budget cuts? Required to report his operations? A written apology?"

He looked around at the elders and jonin present, whose faces were just as displeased as his.

"Does Hiruzen Sarutobi think he's fooling children? He expects these toothless punishments to quell the Uchiha's anger? To give that child, Ling, an explanation?"

"This is going too far!"

Uchiha Setsuna roared again. "He's simply covering for Danzo! He doesn't take the Uchiha seriously at all!"

"Clan Head, we absolutely cannot accept this!" The other Uchiha spoke up one after another, their anger rising.

Uchiha Chishin raised a hand, quieting the crowd. A sharp glint shone in his eyes.

"Of course we can't accept it. Hiruzen Sarutobi wants to smooth things over and bury the matter? Not a chance!

"If he can't handle this fairly, then let every jonin in Konoha judge the matter!"

"Immediately submit a formal request in the Uchiha Clan's name, together with every clan on friendly terms with us, to convene a Jonin Trust Conference!

"The reason: to review Root leader Shimura Danzō's gross dereliction of duty and the threat he poses to the village's security and unity, and to demand his impeachment and harsher punishment!"

A Jonin Trust Conference! It was one of Konoha's highest-level meetings. All active jonin attended to discuss and vote on major village affairs, and could even influence the Hokage's decisions!

"Yes, Clan Head!" The Uchiha shinobi sprang into action, as if they'd been given a shot of adrenaline.

It wasn't just the Uchiha. The Hyuga Clan, the Ino-Shika-Cho Clans, the Inuzuka Clan, the Aburame Clan... even some small and mid-sized ninja clans joined in.

When they learned of Danzo's despicable actions and the Third Hokage's "slap on the wrist," they were all chilled by the thought that they could be next.

This time, a Uchiha prodigy had been assassinated. Would their own clan's children be next?

Danzo and Root's lawlessness had crossed the bottom line for every ninja clan!

To Hiruzen Sarutobi's surprise, the moment the Uchiha submitted their request, a large number of clans immediately backed it.

Once again, pressure surged toward the Hokage Office like a tidal wave.

Hiruzen Sarutobi looked at the mountain of requests on his desk, all demanding a jonin conference. His expression was grim.

In the end, he hadn't managed to contain the matter.

With no other choice, he could only approve convening a jonin conference.

The day after the Uchiha Clan submitted their joint request, Konoha's largest conference room was filled with a solemn atmosphere, tense enough to spark a fight.

Nearly every active jonin in Konoha, along with the heads or representatives of the major clans, had gathered there.

Every seat was taken. People whispered among themselves, their eyes occasionally shifting toward a few particular spots.

At the front sat a group of Uchiha jonin led by Uchiha Chishin. They were like a silent volcano, their fury ready to erupt.

Beside them sat the Hyuga Clan's representatives. The Hyuga Clan Head wore a calm expression, but the veins around his Byakugan stood out slightly, showing that he wasn't truly calm.

The heads of the Ino-Shika-Cho Clans sat together. Nara Kashima stroked his chin, his eyes shifting as if he were calculating something. Representatives from the Inuzuka Clan, the Aburame Clan, and others were also present.

The Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, sat in the seat of honor. His expression was composed, but weariness and concern lingered between his brows.

At his sides sat the two advisors, Mitokado Homura and Utatane Koharu. Their expressions were equally grim.

Shimura Danzō sat alone in a relatively secluded spot, head bowed over his cane. A chilly aura that warned others to keep their distance surrounded him as he endured the angry, overt and covert scrutiny coming from every direction.

The meeting began with Hiruzen Sarutobi briefly recounting what had happened and the punishment he had given Danzo.

As soon as Hiruzen Sarutobi finished speaking, Uchiha Chishin was the first to stand.

Uchiha Chishin didn't immediately erupt into a tirade. Instead, he first bowed to the Third Hokage and the assembled jonin, his movements precise and graceful.

Only then did he speak, his voice heavy with grief and conviction.

"Lord Hokage, fellow jonin. The Uchiha Clan is utterly shocked, outraged, and heartbroken by this incident!"

Uchiha Chishin's voice echoed through the silent conference room, drawing everyone's attention.

"Uchiha Ling, a child who had only just reached the age of graduating from the Ninja Academy, cherished the village and upheld the Will of Fire.

"When danger struck, he risked his life to rescue our comrades from powerful Cloud Village shinobi. He defended the village's honor and prevented a war from breaking out!

"His contribution is plain for all to see! He was gravely wounded for it and now lies in a hospital bed!"

Chishin's voice rose, brimming with emotion. "And yet! In Konoha Hospital! In the very place where the village should have made him feel safe and comforted!

"What happened to him?! He was subjected to a despicable, merciless assassination attempt from within the village!

"Three Root chunin! Brutal in their methods, clear in their intent—they meant to kill him!"

Uchiha Chishin's gaze snapped toward Danzo in the corner, as sharp as two swords.

"And the one who ordered it all was Elder Shimura Danzō! His reason? His ridiculous, baseless suspicions! The Kekkei Genkai of a child from our clan! His surname—Uchiha!"

"How absurd! How dark! How utterly outrageous!"

Uchiha Chishin's voice rang like thunder, shaking the entire hall. "Today, he can assassinate a Uchiha hero over mere suspicion. Tomorrow, will he assassinate anyone here just because he takes a dislike to them? Will he assassinate any shinobi who has bled and sweated for Konoha?

"Does Root exist to protect Konoha, or to satisfy the reckless lust for power of certain people?!"

Uchiha Chishin's words struck at the heart, giving voice to the fear and anger many of the shinobi present had been holding inside.

"That's right!"

"The Uchiha Clan Head is right!"

"He must be punished severely!"

Below the dais, many jonin from small and mid-sized clans, along with independent jonin, couldn't help speaking up in agreement.

Even the representatives of the major clans, including the Ino-Shika-Cho Clans, nodded in agreement, their expressions grave.

Uchiha Setsuna sprang to his feet and roared, "Just suspending him and cutting his budget? That punishment insults our intelligence! We demand that Shimura Danzō be stripped of every position immediately! Disband Root! Hold him fully accountable!"

"Agreed!"

"He must be punished severely!"

"Disband Root!"

The Uchiha rose to their feet one after another, their voices filling the room.