Uchiha Ryūha's "Ambition"

The oilcloth was unfolded.

Inside lay a kunai.

It was a standard-issue weapon, yet the handle bore a clear mark—the Uchiha clan crest, the pattern of a fan.

"This was found in the hand of a Kumogakure Chunin corpse at the ambush site," Shimura Danzō's voice grew colder.

"The body was mangled by explosive tags, but this kunai was clutched tightly in his grip. The Root technical division has analyzed it, and the traces of Chakra remaining on the kunai..."

He looked toward Sarutobi Hiruzen and slowly spat out the conclusion:

"They match Uchiha Ryūha's Chakra perfectly."

"BOOM!"

It was as if a thunderclap had exploded inside the tent.

Utatane Koharu and Mitokado Homura turned deathly pale, their mouths agape, yet they could not utter a single sound.

Sarutobi Hiruzen staggered back a step, gripping the edge of the table to steady himself.

The kunai, the matching Chakra, the survivor's testimony, plus the fact that Uchiha Ryūha had indeed known the route...

"No... impossible..." Sarutobi Hiruzen muttered.

"That child saved Hatake Sakumo, saved Uzumaki Kushina, and repelled Kumogakure multiple times on the battlefield. How could he possibly..."

"Why is it impossible?" Shimura Danzō's voice rose sharply, laced with suppressed fury.

"Hiruzen, you are too naive! What kind of clan is the Uchiha? They are a clan born with a rebellious spirit! Uchiha Ryūha's rise has been too fast, abnormally fast! A Special Jonin at eleven? Escaping the AB Duo unscathed? Do you really believe it was all thanks to that so-called 'Eye of the Heart'?"

He stepped closer, his single eye locked onto Sarutobi Hiruzen:

"Think about it. It has been barely half a year since he awakened his bloodline. What has he done in these six months? First, he won over Hatake Sakumo, then saved Uzumaki Kushina, and formed a life-and-death bond with Namikaze Minato. His reputation within the clan is growing, and his fame on the front lines is soaring—he is weaving a web, a web capable of shaking the very power structure of Konoha!"

"But why would he do this?" Utatane Koharu's voice trembled.

"Why?" Shimura Danzō sneered. "For the Uchiha! To seize the position of Hokage! Think back to what Lord Senju Tobirama once said—the Uchiha are a clan of love, but when they love too deeply, they easily veer into the extreme! Kagami Uchiha was an exception, but Uchiha Ryūha? He is more dangerous than Uchiha Madara. Because he knows how to hide, how to package his ambition with kindness and merit."

He took a deep breath, his voice dropping to a low, lethal tone:

"This ambush on the transport team is the best proof. Uchiha Yashiro was a capable lieutenant of Uchiha Fugaku and one of the leaders of the Uchiha's middle generation. With him dead, the Uchiha's contribution to the war effort is significantly diminished. And with the supplies destroyed and the front lines under pressure, if Konoha is defeated, who benefits most? Kumogakure! And Uchiha Ryūha, who just happened to clash with Kumogakure's AB Duo and 'escaped unscathed'—was it truly an escape, or was some sort of understanding reached?"

"Are you saying..." Mitokado Homura gasped.

"That he colluded with Kumogakure, betrayed his own kin, and killed two birds with one stone by weakening the Uchiha's influence in the village while sabotaging the Konoha front lines?"

"The evidence is conclusive." Shimura Danzō pointed to the kunai and the scroll on the table.

The tent fell into a deathly silence once more.

Only the sound of raindrops hitting the canvas and Sarutobi Hiruzen's heavy, ragged breathing remained.

After a long time, Sarutobi Hiruzen slowly raised his head, his eyes bloodshot, filled with pain and profound exhaustion.

He looked at the two advisors, both of whom avoided his gaze.

"Do you... also believe this?" Sarutobi Hiruzen's voice was hoarse.

Utatane Koharu opened her mouth, then finally lowered her head: "The evidence... is indeed unfavorable for Uchiha Ryūha."

Mitokado Homura remained silent, but his trembling hands betrayed his inner wavering.

"Hiruzen, we cannot hesitate any longer," Shimura Danzō said sternly.

"Uchiha Ryūha is currently on the front lines, commanding a squad and maintaining close ties with Hatake Sakumo and Namikaze Minato. Once he realizes his plot has been exposed, he may act out of desperation, and the consequences would be unimaginable! We must apprehend him immediately, escort him back to the village, and subject him to interrogation."

"But he is a Special Jonin who has rendered distinguished service; to arrest him without a definitive trial would chill the hearts of the soldiers on the front lines..."

Sarutobi Hiruzen was still struggling, but his voice had already grown faint.

Or perhaps, out of fear for the Uchiha clan, he was more willing to believe it was true.

"Then use the Hokage's authority!" Shimura Danzō snapped.

"Summon him back to headquarters under the pretext of 'cooperating with the investigation into the ambush of the supplies.'

If he has nothing to hide, he will naturally comply. If he resists..."

A cold glint flashed in Shimura Danzō's single eye:

"Then his guilt will be confirmed.

At that point, my Root will personally intervene and strike him down on the spot!"

Sarutobi Hiruzen closed his eyes.

The face of that black-haired youth flashed before him.

The composure with which he crushed his clansmen during the graduation exam, the sharpness with which he confronted Shimura Danzō in the Hokage Office.

The decisiveness with which he saved Sakumo and Kushina on the battlefield...

Is he truly a traitor?

Yet the evidence was laid out right before him.

Kunai, eyewitness accounts, motive, timing... everything was terrifyingly perfect.

"Hiruzen!" Shimura Danzō urged.

Sarutobi Hiruzen slowly opened his eyes.

In that instant, he seemed to age another ten years.

With trembling hands, he picked up a pen and wrote a line on a blank command scroll.

Then, he pressed the Hokage's seal upon it.

"Issue the order..." His voice was as dry as sandpaper rubbing together.

"Fourth Special Operations Squad Captain, Special Jonin Uchiha Ryūha, is to return to headquarters immediately to cooperate with the investigation into the Wind Howl Canyon ambush.

Any delay or resistance... shall be treated as an act of treason."

The command scroll was taken by Shimura Danzō.

A faint, fleeting sneer curled the corner of the one-eyed old man's mouth.

"A wise decision, Hiruzen."

He turned, lifted the curtain, and stepped into the rainy night.

Inside the tent, Sarutobi Hiruzen slumped into his chair, covering his face with his hands.

Utatane Koharu and Mitokado Homura exchanged glances, seeing deep concern in each other's eyes, along with a hint of... relief.

If Uchiha Ryūha were truly a traitor, eliminating him early would be a good thing for Konoha.

Even if he was once a hero.

The rain fell harder and harder.

In the pitch-black night, several masked figures slipped out of the headquarters.

Like ghosts, they dispersed into the curtain of rain, speeding off in different directions toward the front lines.

One of those figures gripped the command scroll bearing the Hokage's seal tightly in their hand.

Target: The frontline reconnaissance outpost where Uchiha Ryūha was stationed.

The viper had finally bared its venomous fangs.

Twenty kilometers away, in a temporary camp hidden within a mountain hollow.

Uchiha Ryūha sat by the fire, slowly wiping the blade of Kyōka Suigetsu with a soft cloth.

The surface of the blade reflected the dancing flames, as well as his calm, ripple-less eyes.

Suddenly, his wiping motion paused slightly.

At the edge of his Reiatsu perception, he caught several Chakra signatures approaching at high speed.

They were coming from the direction of the headquarters.

Uchiha Ryūha put down the cloth and slowly sheathed Kyōka Suigetsu.

The blade clicked crisply against the scabbard.

"So, you've finally come."

He whispered to himself, a cold arc forming on his lips.

Even if that old man hadn't made a move, he had already been planning to deal with him.