After taking out the Anbu, Uchiha Shisui and Uchiha Tetsuya flashed back behind Masaki Uchiha and stood guard as if nothing had happened.
Seeing his subordinate cut down on the spot, Shimura Danzō's eyes filled with murderous intent. He slammed the table and stood, shouting, "Is the Uchiha Clan planning a rebellion?! You dare murder an Anbu member! Anbu, listen to my—"
"Enough!" Sarutobi Hiruzen shouted angrily, thinking, Have you even considered whether you're strong enough to take on Masaki Uchiha? You're just making trouble for me. And judging by the Fourth Hokage's expression, I can't let you stay here today.
Minato Namikaze's expression was grim, his hands clenched into fists.
"Hiruzen, you..." Shimura Danzō looked incredulous.
"Danzō, the Hokage now is the Fourth Hokage. You've overstepped your authority!"
"Do you even have any respect for the Hokage?! You dared to mobilize the Anbu without authorization to arrest a Konoha hero. Do you think you're the Hokage?!"
Watching Sarutobi Hiruzen's righteous indignation, Shimura Danzō immediately understood. Hiruzen, you're still as hypocritical as ever. We agreed that the Uchiha Clan would pay dearly today, but you've backed out at the last moment.
Minato Namikaze spoke up. "Elder Danzō has been overworked. He can go home and rest for three months. As for the position of Root's leader, let Shikaku Nara take over. Third Hokage, what do you think?"
Sarutobi Hiruzen gave a noncommittal reply. "It's up to the Fourth Hokage."
After all, the Nara Clan was also a staunch supporter of the Hokage faction, so there was nothing wrong with temporarily handing Root over to Shikaku Nara. It was just that there were certain things about Root he couldn't let Shikaku know. After this was over, he would have to explain a few things to him.
"Hiruzen, Root can't do without me!" Seeing Shimura Danzō still struggle in vain, Sarutobi Hiruzen's gaze flickered, but he avoided looking at him.
Minato Namikaze had had enough. "Shimura Danzō, I'm the Hokage!"
Hearing Minato Namikaze say this, Shimura Danzō's face twisted, and fury burned in his heart. Just because I'm not the Hokage, I have to obey all of you. If I were the Hokage...
Seeing Shimura Danzō fall silent, Minato Namikaze turned to Masaki Uchiha and said apologetically,
"Masaki, I'm truly sorry. I never expected something like this to happen today. I'll offer you the Sealing Jutsu [Eight Trigrams Seal] as compensation. I hope you'll accept this token of my sincerity." As he spoke, he took a ninjutsu scroll from behind him and handed it to Masaki Uchiha.
After watching the drama unfold for so long, Masaki Uchiha had been disappointed not to see a famous scene play out. He was still feeling a little regretful.
He hadn't expected Minato Namikaze to give him such a pleasant surprise.
"I have no reason to refuse the Hokage's goodwill. I'll accept it, then."
Masaki Uchiha laughed heartily, took the scroll without the slightest hesitation, and stuffed it into his ninja tool pouch.
When he saw Masaki Uchiha accept the scroll, Minato Namikaze smiled slightly, as if some weight had lifted from his heart.
"The main reason I asked you here today was at the request of the Third Hokage and the other elders. They'll question you from here on."
Seeing how Minato Namikaze had distanced himself from the matter, Masaki Uchiha couldn't help but reflect that power really did help a person grow. Even the "little sun" had matured.
Sarutobi Hiruzen also felt a sudden pang of emotion. It'll be harder to fool the Fourth Hokage from now on.
He turned his gaze to Masaki Uchiha. "Danzō received word that you were planning a rebellion, and that there was evidence to prove it. The other elders and I didn't believe you would do such a thing. We asked you here today to give you a chance to explain. It wouldn't do to let a misunderstanding arise."
"You're saying I'm planning a rebellion?" Masaki Uchiha pointed to himself, his face full of confusion. "What reason would I have to rebel?"
"During the Third Great Ninja War, I went south to fight Kirigakure and north to hold off Iwagakure. Even toward the end of the war, I went wherever I was needed."
"I earned Konoha a formidable reputation throughout the Ninja World, and now you're telling me I'm planning a rebellion? And that you even have evidence?"
"After all these years of service to Konoha, you're still going to accuse me of rebellion? Just because I'm part of the Uchiha Clan?"
"Besides, if I really were planning a rebellion, could all of you stop me?!"
As he delivered his final words, Masaki Uchiha smiled confidently.
Silence fell over the Hokage Office.
"Hmph, don't try to change the subject. You want evidence? I'll give you evidence!"
In Shimura Danzō's eyes, everything Masaki Uchiha had said was just an act. No one in the entire Ninja World understood the Uchiha better than Shimura Danzō did.
As the saying went, the person who knew you best wasn't your friend, but your enemy!
"Someone, bring Uchiha Daiku here."
"Yes, sir." An Anbu member acknowledged the order.
Before long, the Anbu member returned with a member of the Uchiha Clan.
"Elder Danzō, I've brought him."
Shimura Danzō nodded slightly. "Uchiha Daiku, I want to ask you: is Masaki Uchiha planning a rebellion? Do you have any evidence?"
Uchiha Daiku trembled where he stood. His lips quivered as he raised his head and glanced at Masaki Uchiha, who was watching him expressionlessly. His fear only grew, and he couldn't utter a sound.
Seeing this, Shimura Danzō spoke in a tone that sounded almost threatening. "Uchiha Daiku, think carefully. Everyone living in Konoha is family. You shouldn't fill your dealings with family with lies and schemes. If you have evidence, bring it out and show everyone. If you have no evidence, you know what the consequences will be."
At this, Uchiha Daiku's body stiffened. His wife, children, and parents flashed through his mind.
He also remembered the promises Sarutobi Hiruzen and the others had made him.
He steeled himself, squeezed his eyes shut, and quickly blurted out,
"Masaki Uchiha wants to win over Konoha's smaller ninja clans and compete for the Hokage Position!"
Hearing this, Masaki Uchiha scoffed and turned to Sarutobi Hiruzen and the others. "Winning over smaller ninja clans counts as rebellion? Wanting to become Hokage counts as rebellion?"
"Third Hokage, if that's rebellion, then plenty of people in Konoha should be put on trial. For example, Orochimaru and Hyuga Hiashi."
"And you call that evidence?"
Sarutobi Hiruzen's face twitched at this. Why was Danzō so careless this time? He hasn't come up with a single piece of solid evidence. What am I supposed to say now? He took a puff from his pipe and said,
"It looks like this was a misunderstanding. I always said that Masaki Uchiha possesses the Will of Fire. How could he possibly rebel?"
"As for Elder Danzō, he meant well, but he didn't understand the situation clearly. Since this was a misunderstanding, then..."
"Hold on. Since this was a misunderstanding, and to prevent this kind of thing from happening again, I expect Elder Danzō to apologize to me."
"Otherwise, someone could pop up at any time and accuse me of plotting a rebellion."
Watching Masaki Uchiha sit there with such an unruffled air, Sarutobi Hiruzen knew that he was trying to strike at Danzō's very core.
Making Danzō apologize to a member of the Uchiha Clan would be harder for him than dying.
But things had come this far, and it was best not to let them escalate. For Konoha's sake, he would have to make Danzō swallow his pride.
With that in mind, he looked at Shimura Danzō and said calmly, "Danzō, you were in the wrong. Apologize to Masaki Uchiha and let this go."
"What?! You expect me to apologize to a Uchiha?" Shimura Danzō had been keeping his emotions in check until now. His face turned livid as he stared at Sarutobi Hiruzen in disbelief.