The Uchiha's Blood Runs with the Will of Fire!

"These prisoners all have the Root Organization's Cursed Tongue Eradication Seal on their tongues. And among the people who attacked us were members of the Yamanaka Clan, the Aburame Clan, and the Hyuga Clan."

"This proves there's a serious problem within Konoha. I propose that we lock down the village, gather up members of these three clans, and restrict their freedom until we've confirmed they weren't behind this. Then we can decide what to do."

"Maybe they're all following Uchiha Madara's orders, planning to overthrow Konoha!"

Uchiha Gin put on an exaggerated look of shock.

His face was grave as he spoke, as if disaster were just around the corner.

Kakashi, standing beside him, stared in disbelief. He clearly hadn't expected Uchiha Gin, whom he knew, to say something like that.

Uchiha Gin had been in the same class year as Kakashi. They were the same age, but attended different grades. They knew each other, though they weren't close.

"Cough, cough!"

Sarutobi Hiruzen was so startled by Uchiha Gin's words that he choked on the smoke he'd just inhaled and began coughing violently.

He hadn't expected Uchiha Gin to turn the tables and use all these rules and regulations against him.

He was almost too angry to do anything but laugh.

Still, it would be difficult to make excuses for Danzo this time. The evidence was overwhelming. But he didn't want the Uchiha Clan to get their way so easily, either.

"This matter is too serious. I'll have the Anbu restrict Danzo's freedom and place him in their custody. He'll be removed from his position as Hokage Assistant, and we'll conduct a thorough internal investigation to ensure this never happens again."

Hiruzen's answer was clear.

That was his bottom line. Danzo couldn't die, and there was no way he'd hand him over to the Uchiha. He could only strip him of his position and put him under something resembling house arrest.

Whether that would really count as imprisonment, though, was another matter.

"Anbu custody? An internal investigation?"

Hearing that answer, Uchiha Gin couldn't help laughing.

Wasn't that just like those stock responses people gave in his past life?

Internal problems should be dealt with internally—but they had nothing to do with you.

Just then, someone knocked on the office door.

Hiruzen had a bad feeling. He'd already issued his orders: unless it was an emergency, no one was to enter.

"Come in!"

He spoke in a low voice.

Nara Shikaku opened the door and entered.

"Third Hokage, the Uchiha Police Force has issued an order to arrest Shimura Danzo. They're searching for him throughout the village. Everyone knows about it now."

Nara Shikaku briefly explained what had happened.

Hiruzen's pupils contracted.

The veins on his right hand, gripping his pipe, bulged.

The Uchiha Clan had acted without even notifying him. He was clearly furious at the move, which was an unmistakable challenge to his authority.

He no longer hid the cold killing intent in his gaze as he looked at Uchiha Gin.

"What does the Uchiha Clan think it's doing?"

Hiruzen's voice was icy as he confronted Uchiha Gin.

"Apprehending targets who pose a threat to Konoha. That's the duty the First Hokage and Second assigned to the Uchiha Clan."

"Shimura Danzo tried to attack a senior member of the Police Force, and his alleged collusion with Uchiha Madara hasn't been investigated yet. Naturally, we have to arrest him before he can cause even more trouble."

"What if the Nine-Tails Incident happens again? What will Konoha do then?"

If Fugaku had been there, he might have shown some restraint in the face of Hiruzen's reaction.

After all, Hiruzen had watched Fugaku grow up. But Uchiha Gin was different. He didn't fear Hiruzen at all.

Maybe the old man was doing this for Konoha, but what did that have to do with him?

He'd already drawn a line between Konoha and the Uchiha. Hiruzen could stop pretending to be benevolent!

Uchiha Gin invoked the old rules set by the founders: the Uchiha were doing what the First and Second had authorized them to do.

If Hiruzen had the guts, he could directly order the Uchiha Clan to stop. If not, he could keep his mouth shut!

"Have the Anbu detain Danzo and bring him here."

Seeing this, Hiruzen had no intention of continuing to argue with Uchiha Gin. The young man was far more difficult to deal with than Fugaku.

He had none of the deference expected of a shinobi. He met Hiruzen's gaze without lowering his head even slightly.

It infuriated Hiruzen, but he wasn't ready to break with the Uchiha yet. He realized that the outcome now depended on who got control of Danzo first.

As long as Danzo was in his hands, he would control the situation. He could explain things however he pleased.

If the Uchiha got to Danzo first, things would be different. It would be a major problem, especially if Danzo resisted and a fight broke out between him and the Police Force.

Kakashi immediately left to notify the Anbu.

Hiruzen ignored Uchiha Gin and used the Telescope Technique to locate Danzo.

"?"

But after performing the technique, Hiruzen found that he couldn't lock onto Danzo's chakra anywhere within the barrier around Konoha's residential district.

The Anbu and Root had already been told not to let Danzo return. Normally, the Hokage Assistant handled his work in the Hokage Building or in the nearby building where missions were assigned.

Unease welled up inside him.

When Kakashi returned alone, Hiruzen's unease deepened.

Uchiha Gin was already smirking. He could practically see how this would play out.

"Third Hokage... according to our intelligence, Shimura Danzo left Konoha yesterday. He took a team to carry out a mission near the Land of Rain border. He used an Anbu exit route, so no one noticed."

Kakashi knelt on one knee and reported the news, which made the situation even worse.

Besides the Konoha Gate, the Anbu had secret routes out of the village that weren't detected by the barrier. But only members of at least squad-leader rank could use them.

"So he'd already prepared to run!"

"The two who escaped today must've informed Danzo. He was probably still around the village, setting up an ambush against our comrades. Now he's defecting to Amegakure!"

"Looks like Uchiha Madara is hiding there!"

Uchiha Gin spoke up, mocking them.

Danzo had realized this operation would bring trouble if it failed, so he'd run for it!

It looked like killing him wouldn't be something they could accomplish right away.

Still, Uchiha Gin couldn't tell whether Hiruzen had deliberately let this happen or if Danzo had truly fled.

He also took the opportunity to stir up more trouble for Obito, easing some of the pressure on the Uchiha.

### Chapter 29: The Uchiha's Blood Runs with the Will of Fire!

Sarutobi Hiruzen's expression was frighteningly grim. Danzo had clearly decided to fight to the death, and he no longer trusted Hiruzen. The moment things went wrong, he'd run.

After all, Hiruzen had once given Orochimaru the position of Root Organization leader instead of him. Ever since then, Danzo had stopped trusting Hiruzen.

Hiruzen was more like a politician, willing to make concessions for the sake of his interests. But when it came to achieving his goals, he could be just as ruthless as anyone.

Danzo was far more extreme. He was almost obsessed with targeting the Uchiha, and he was fixated on becoming Hokage. He'd done many things that didn't need to be done, all to prove he was stronger than Hiruzen. He'd secretly helped Konoha handle certain unsavory matters, but had nothing to show for it publicly and no support from the villagers.

Nara Shikaku, standing nearby, thought the Uchiha were certainly arrogant. How dare they provoke the Third Hokage to his face?

"Has the Uchiha Clan taken over Konoha now?"

"Decisions like this are for the Hokage to make. Does the Uchiha Clan have something to say about that?"

Hiruzen's expression was cold. He was practically tearing off the last scraps of pretense.

He was almost unable to hold back the urge to teach this evil Uchiha brat a lesson!

"Huh?"

"I think your Will of Fire is beyond reproach, Third Hokage. Why would I question your authority?"

"So I believe you should do as the First Hokage did. The First Hokage built Konoha together with Uchiha Madara, but when Madara threatened the village, the First Hokage defeated him without hesitation."

"Now, I believe you'll make the same choice as the First Hokage. Even if Shimura Danzo was your classmate and has worked alongside you and served Konoha all these years—"

"His deeds still don't come close to what Uchiha Madara did for Konoha. So I believe you'll immediately issue a wanted order and personally deal with this traitor to Konoha. Isn't that right?"

Uchiha Gin looked genuinely puzzled.

As if he were wondering how Hiruzen could think otherwise.

Then he directly held up the example of the First Hokage and Uchiha Madara.

If the First Hokage had acted that way, then Hiruzen should do the same now!

Hiruzen was always emphasizing the importance of the Will of Fire. Now he was about to feel its consequences firsthand.

Nara Shikaku was stunned. Did the Uchiha Clan really have so little respect for Uchiha Madara?

"Not a single member of the Uchiha Clan betrayed Konoha back then. Not one Uchiha followed Uchiha Madara when he defected!"

"So I believe that no one in Konoha would support Shimura Danzo now, either. Someone like him needs to be thoroughly purged!"

"Danzo's followers must have been forced into it. The Uchiha Police Force has heard rumors that Shimura Danzo uses the families of Anbu members to threaten them and make them work for him."

"Even the major clans have been treated this way. He threatens the major clans with betrayal, and the Uchiha have been treated the same!"

"Shimura Danzo must have been tempted by Uchiha Madara. He has no Will of Fire—"

Uchiha Gin continued, sounding aggrieved.

As if Shimura Danzo were the most despicable man alive.

Hiruzen's face reddened. Not just his face—he was turning red with rage.

"Third Hokage."

Just then, Nara Shikaku called out.

He also gestured for Hiruzen to look out the window.

Hiruzen was puzzled, but rose and turned to look outside.

It was completely dark now, but a crowd had gathered outside, split into two distinct groups.

The Uchiha Police Force and shinobi from several other clans stood facing each other. The atmosphere was tense, and the many pairs of glowing red eyes carried a powerful menace.

Hiruzen looked at the scene, lowered his eyes, and said nothing.

There were only four people in the room: Uchiha Gin, Kakashi, Nara Shikaku, and Sarutobi Hiruzen.

The odds were three to one.

"Izanagi..."

A flicker of regret passed through Hiruzen's eyes. If he'd acted sooner, the price would have been far lower than it was now.

He turned to look at Uchiha Gin, thinking that the young man might become a new Uchiha Madara.

Now he understood why Shimura Danzo had wanted to kill Uchiha Gin. If that attempt had succeeded, the Uchiha Clan wouldn't dare act so arrogantly.

But that was only a hypothetical.

If he acted now, it would lead to an all-out battle and drag Konoha into the mire of war.

"Shimura Danzo threatened and coerced Konoha shinobi, attacked Uchiha Gin, a senior member of the Police Force, and is suspected of colluding with Uchiha Madara. He is now classified as an S-rank missing-nin."

"Shikaku, issue the wanted notice. Put him at the top of Konoha's priority pursuit list. Also, offer a bounty of 50 million ryo on the Black Market."

"Kakashi, send two Anbu teams to the Land of Rain border immediately to pursue Shimura Danzo. Investigate whether Uchiha Madara is colluding with the Land of Rain as well."

Hiruzen gave his orders.

He made the decision without waiting for Utatane Koharu or Mitokado Homura. Even if they came, they'd only have two choices: break with the Uchiha or do what he had just done.

"Yes, Third Hokage!"

Nara Shikaku and Kakashi answered in turn.

As the two of them prepared to leave, Uchiha Gin spoke up again.