"Oh? Someone dared lay a hand on the Uchiha?"
Gentō raised an eyebrow and looked down at the two men on the ground.
Both wore animal masks, one patterned like a tiger and the other like a cat.
Gentō reached down and removed their masks, revealing two unfamiliar faces.
Both men averted their eyes, their lips tightly shut.
"Who sent you?"
Neither answered Gentō's question. They simply pressed their lips together and stayed silent.
Gentō shook his head, not bothering to ask again.
He formed hand seals.
"Yin Release: Heart Divergence!"
One ninja's eyes instantly went blank, as though his soul had been pulled out.
"Tell me. Who are you, and who sent you?"
The ninja opened his mouth and mechanically uttered a few words:
"I am... Roo..."
Before he could finish, his expression changed drastically.
"Aaargh!"
His entire body curled up violently, both hands clamping around his own throat as his veins bulged.
Choking rasps escaped his mouth, as though something had blocked his throat.
His body convulsed on the ground, his legs kicking wildly. His back arched into a bridge before slamming down again.
Saliva mixed with bloody foam dribbled from the corners of his mouth. His eyes rolled back, and his whole body shook as though he were being electrocuted.
The other, still-conscious ninja went deathly pale. His pupils dilated, and his lips trembled as he tried to speak, but he could not force out a single word.
His legs went weak as he scrambled backward, only for Shisui to kick him to the ground.
Gentō frowned as he watched the struggling man slowly go still.
"They're probably from Root. Danzo placed the Cursed Tongue Eradication Seal on them. The cursed seal activates if they reveal any secrets."
Shisui stood to one side, explaining quietly.
Gentō looked away.
"Take these two away and lock them up."
"Yes."
Shisui picked up both men and vanished into the night.
Gentō remained where he stood, gazing into the distant darkness as he softly murmured a name:
"Danzo..."
"Already unable to resist making a move against the Uchiha?"
Over the next few days, Danzo waited for his subordinates' report, but it never came.
Then, one day, Aburame Torune hurried in and dropped to one knee.
"Lord Danzo, the two ninja we sent to the Uchiha... have gone missing."
Danzo's hand froze over the documents he had been reading.
He turned to Aburame Torune in disbelief.
His chilling gaze sent a shiver down Torune's back.
"Missing?"
Cold sweat seeped from Torune's forehead as he braced himself and nodded.
"Yes... They were last seen on the outskirts of the Uchiha Compound... After that... we heard nothing more."
Danzo fell silent for a moment, then abruptly rose.
"A bunch of useless fools! They couldn't even handle something this simple!"
With that, Danzo headed for the Hokage's Office.
Inside the Hokage's Office, the Third Hokage was speaking with his two advisers.
"What do you think of the two Hokage candidates proposed by the Daimyō?"
Hiruzen held his pipe between his teeth, smoke curling around him.
Utatane Koharu spoke first.
"Uchiha Gentō? He merely got lucky, took advantage of an opportunity on the battlefield, and scraped together enough fame to catch the Daimyō's eye. How could he possibly compare to Minato?"
Mitokado Homura nodded in agreement.
"Minato is humble and powerful. He's also Jiraiya's student and the husband of Kushina, the jinchūriki. No matter how you look at it, he's a better choice than Uchiha Gentō."
Hiruzen did not respond. He merely smoked in silence.
Suddenly, the door swung open.
Danzo strode inside.
Hiruzen looked up.
"Danzo, what brings you here?"
Danzo sneered.
"What? Am I not allowed to come?"
He swept his gaze over the three seated figures and raised his voice.
"Two of my Root ninja have disappeared in the Uchiha Compound."
Utatane Koharu and Mitokado Homura exchanged a glance, their expressions shifting slightly.
Hiruzen frowned.
"I've warned you repeatedly not to investigate the Uchiha without authorization!"
"Who gave you permission to send people to the Uchiha?"
Danzo's expression immediately darkened.
"My ninja were merely passing through when the Uchiha detained them. We don't even know whether they're alive!"
He stepped forward and stared at Hiruzen.
"Hiruzen, have you gone senile? Have you forgotten what our teacher, the Second Hokage, said back then?"
"The Uchiha Clan's Sharingan draws its power from hatred. They're dangerous by nature! We have to keep them under control!"
"And look at what you're doing now!"
"Uchiha Gentō is about to become Hokage!"
His voice grew louder and louder.
"How could we possibly hand the village over to the Uchiha?"
Utatane Koharu immediately voiced her agreement.
"Danzo is right. The Uchiha's power has been growing far too quickly lately. It's time to rein them in."
Danzo seized the opportunity.
"Whatever happens, I'm launching an investigation into the Uchiha. Don't stand in my way!"
With that, he swept his sleeve aside, turned, and left.
Hiruzen watched him go, his eyes flickering, but remained silent.
Once back at Root, Danzo immediately gave an order.
"Send three skilled operatives this time. Use the missing ninja investigation as a pretext and bring Uchiha Gentō back to me."
He paused, the corners of his mouth curling into a sinister smile.
"If he dares resist... Hmph. That'll give us the perfect excuse to deal with him!"
The next day, at the Uchiha Compound.
Gentō stood beside the construction site, watching Koboku Yanō direct the craftsmen as they put on the finishing touches.
"Tomorrow! Both buildings will be ready to use tomorrow!"
The old man thumped his chest in assurance.
Gentō nodded, already planning the work that would begin once the buildings opened.
As he was thinking, a commotion suddenly broke out up ahead.
He turned to look and saw the brothers Inabi and Tekka blocking the road, facing three ninja in animal masks.
The leader wore an eagle mask, with a fox mask to his left and a cat mask to his right.
"Move, move, move!"
Eagle Face's voice came from behind his mask, as though he were shooing stray dogs off the road.
"Root has the highest clearance to conduct investigations in Konoha! Anyone who gets in our way has a death wish!"
"Tell me where Uchiha Gentō is, right now!"
Inabi immediately glared at the three of them.
"What do you want with Gentō?"
The tall, thin man in the fox mask stepped forward, tilting his head as he spoke in a mocking tone.
"Well, well. The Uchiha certainly think highly of themselves. Does Root have to report to you before doing its job? Do you Uchiha think you're worthy of that?"
He looked Inabi up and down.
"You put on a Konoha Military Police Force vest and suddenly think you're somebody?"
"Get out of the way! Otherwise, we won't mind taking you two in as well!"
"You!!!"
Inabi seethed with rage. Just as he was about to lash out, a voice came from behind him.
"What's going on?"
Inabi turned, saw Gentō, and immediately called out:
"Gentō, these three Root ninja want to arrest you!"
Eagle Face turned toward Gentō, looked him up and down, then scoffed.
"Oh? So you're Uchiha Gentō?"
He tilted his head.
"Two members of Root went missing among you Uchiha. We suspect you're involved. Come with us immediately and cooperate with Root's investigation!"
He paused, then added:
"Don't even think about refusing. We might not be gentle when we bring you in."
Gentō glanced at the three of them before replying:
"Who the hell do you think you are? What makes you worthy of investigating me?"
"What did you say?!"
"You dare look down on Root? We answer directly to Lord Danzo!"
"Even the Hokage has to show Root's Lord Danzo some respect! You're just the Uchiha Clan Head. Who the hell do you think you are?"
"I'm telling you, you're coming with us today, whether you like it or not!"
Gentō continued in the same contemptuous tone:
"Danzo isn't worth a damn! He has no authority to investigate me, Uchiha Gentō!"
"The three of you had better get out of the Uchiha Compound before I lose my temper."
"Otherwise... you'll answer for the consequences!"
The three Root ninja exchanged glances, then spoke:
"Teach him a lesson. Get him!"
Before you continue