Who Dug This Secret Tunnel

Root base.

The atmosphere in the stone chamber plummeted to freezing the moment Danzo received the news.

The Root ninja responsible for the probe knelt on the ground, his face pale, the faint scent of medicinal powder still lingering on his right hand.

It was not because he feared death.

It was because the mission had failed.

Root did not permit failure.

Especially not a failure as foolish as this.

Danzo sat on his stone chair, his single eye fixed intently upon him.

"You were counter-marked by a nine-year-old brat?"

The Root ninja lowered his head.

"A lapse in judgment, my lord."

Danzo's voice was icy.

"A lapse?"

"Because of your lapse, the Uchiha have discovered a secret passage."

"Do you know what this means?"

The Root ninja remained silent.

Of course he knew.

That secret passage was one of the routes Root had long used to monitor the perimeter of the Uchiha compound.

Although it was not the most critical path, its discovery would lead to a great deal of trouble.

What was worse, the Uchiha had not rashly entered it.

They had sealed off the scene.

This meant that Root could not easily send anyone to destroy the evidence now.

Because the moment they moved, they would be caught red-handed.

The sound of Danzo tapping his cane grew slower and slower.

The slower it became, the more heart-palpitating it felt.

"Uchiha Shingetsu."

Danzo enunciated the name, word by word.

"It is him again."

Last night, he counter-killed the Root operatives.

Today, he awakened his Two-Tomoe at the training grounds.

And tonight, he set a trap to force the secret passage into the open.

Danzo was now completely certain that this brat was no ordinary genius.

He was dangerous.

Dangerous enough that he had to be eliminated as soon as possible.

Otherwise, in a few years, he would undoubtedly become the sharpest blade within the Uchiha clan.

He might even be more troublesome than Shisui and Itachi.

Shisui was soft-hearted.

Itachi still had a stance regarding the village that could be exploited.

But Shingetsu was different.

He had no trust in the Konoha high command.

He held nothing but hostility toward Root.

Furthermore, he was ruthless, calm, and exceptionally skilled at leveraging situations to his advantage.

An Uchiha like this must never be allowed to live.

Danzo spoke coldly.

"Do not touch the secret passage."

"Destroy all related records."

"Anyone involved in the maintenance of that route is to be relocated immediately."

The Root ninja bowed his head.

"Yes."

Danzo added, "As for you..."

The Root ninja who had failed his mission stiffened.

Danzo said indifferently, "The Cursed Seal of Rood-Tongue Eradication will handle your memories."

"Afterward, you are to go to the border for a long-term mission."

"You are not to return to the village without orders."

The Root ninja bowed his head.

"Yes."

He offered no excuses.

Nor did he feel fear.

Tools of Root had no need for fear.

Once the man retreated, Danzo sat alone in the stone chamber.

His single eye was filled with cold malice.

Hiruzen would certainly come to question him.

The Uchiha would also seize the opportunity to make a scene.

This time, he would have to discard something.

But it did not matter.

The purpose of Root's existence was to endure everything in the darkness.

As long as Konoha could be protected, a few sacrifices were nothing.

Of course, Danzo's so-called protection of Konoha always included protecting the power in his own hands.

"Uchiha Shingetsu."

"Do you think that by catching one secret passage, you can shake this old man?"

Danzo sneered.

"Too naive."

"Root is buried deeper than you can imagine."

The next morning.

The atmosphere in front of the Hokage Building was even more oppressive than yesterday.

This time, more Uchiha had come.

Fugaku walked at the very front.

Tekka, Inabi, Yashiro, and other key members of the Police Force followed closely behind.

They did not make a grand display.

But everyone's expression was terrifyingly cold.

Especially Tekka.

If not for Fugaku's prior orders, he likely would have been unable to resist confronting the Hokage Building directly.

The guards at the building entrance saw this formation, and their expressions shifted slightly.

The Uchiha had only just come yesterday.

And they were back today.

Furthermore, their aura was even colder.

This meant that the matter had not been resolved, but had instead become more serious.

Soon, Fugaku and the others entered the Hokage's office once again.

The Third Hokage sat behind his desk.

Mitokado Homura and Utatane Koharu were also present.

The atmosphere was heavier than it had been yesterday.

Fugaku did not exchange pleasantries.

He placed a scroll directly onto the desk.

"Lord Hokage."

"Last night, Shingetsu's residence was infiltrated once again."

The Third Hokage said in a deep voice, "I am already aware of this matter."

Fugaku looked at him.

"Then Lord Hokage should also know that by following the traces left by the infiltrator, we discovered a secret passage on the outskirts of the Uchiha compound."

The Third Hokage did not answer immediately.

Fugaku continued, "The entrance to the secret passage was camouflaged."

"There are traces of seals remaining inside."

"It appears to be of standard Anbu design."

"There are clear signs of long-term use at the entrance."

He stared at the Third Hokage, saying every word with deliberate weight, "Lord Hokage, I would like to ask."

"Who dug this secret passage?"

A deathly silence filled the office.

Tekka stared fixedly at the Third Hokage and the two advisors.

Mitokado Homura and Utatane Koharu did not look pleased either.

They had already received the news last night.

But facing the Uchiha's questioning directly, the pressure was immense.

Because this matter was too difficult to explain.

If they claimed ignorance, it was a dereliction of duty by the Hokage Building.

If they admitted knowledge, it was a tacit admission of surveilling the Uchiha.

Neither answer was acceptable.

The Third Hokage said slowly, "Fugaku, the village will investigate this matter."

Tekka let out a cold laugh.

"An investigation, again?"

"Lord Hokage, when we were attacked yesterday, you said you would investigate."

"Today, we discover a secret passage on the perimeter of our clan grounds, and you still say you will investigate."

"Are we supposed to wait for your investigation even after the Uchiha clan grounds are blown up one day?"

Utatane Koharu's expression darkened.

"Uchiha Tekka, mind who you are speaking to."

Tekka did not back down in the slightest.

"I am well aware."

"That is precisely why I am asking the Hokage."

"If I were asking Danzo, I wouldn't be standing here right now."

This statement pointed the finger almost directly at Root.

The atmosphere in the office tightened instantly.

Fugaku did not stop him.

Because this time, the Uchiha had to demonstrate a sufficiently firm stance.

The Third Hokage looked at Tekka.

"Do not make accusations against anyone without evidence."

Tekka wanted to retort, but Fugaku raised a hand to stop him.

Fugaku looked at the Third Hokage, his tone low.

"Lord Hokage, we can refrain from accusing anyone."

"But this secret passage must be jointly investigated by the Uchiha Police Force and the Anbu directly under the Hokage."

"The entire investigation process must be recorded."

"No one is to enter alone, and no one is to disturb the scene."

Mitokado Homura frowned and said, "This involves the village's internal defense secrets."

Fugaku countered, "Why would a secret passage on the perimeter of the Uchiha clan grounds involve the village's internal defense secrets?"

Mitokado Homura was left speechless.

Fugaku continued, "Or are you saying that this secret passage was set up by an agency within the village to begin with?"

Mitokado Homura's expression grew even uglier.

The Third Hokage took a slow drag of his pipe.

He knew he could not refuse this request.

Refusal would be tantamount to a guilty conscience.

So, he said, "Very well."

"The Anbu will conduct a joint investigation with the Police Force."

A flash of coldness crossed Tekka's eyes.

Fugaku added, "Secondly, the person who infiltrated Shin-getsu's residence last night must also be included in the investigation."

"The perpetrator left behind fragments of an Eavesdropping Talisman and utilized standard village infiltration techniques."

"I request that the Hokage Building provide all Anbu patrol records from around the Uchiha clan grounds from last night."