Who Dug This Secret Tunnel?

Root Base.

When Danzo received the news, the atmosphere in the stone chamber instantly dropped to freezing.

The Root shinobi responsible for probing the area knelt on the ground. A faint smell of medicinal powder still clung to his right hand, and his face was pale.

Not because he feared death.

But because the mission had failed.

Root did not tolerate failure.

Especially not such a foolish failure.

Danzo sat on a stone chair, his one eye fixed on the shinobi.

"You were countermarked by a nine-year-old brat?"

The Root shinobi lowered his head.

"It was my mistake."

Danzo's voice was icy.

"Your mistake?"

"Because of your mistake, the Uchiha discovered a secret tunnel."

"Do you know what that means?"

The Root shinobi fell silent.

Of course he knew.

That tunnel was one of Root's routes for keeping watch on the outskirts of the Uchiha Clan Grounds.

It wasn't one of their most critical passages, but its discovery would still cause plenty of trouble.

Worse, the Uchiha hadn't rushed inside.

They had sealed off the site.

That meant Root couldn't simply send someone to destroy the evidence.

The moment they made a move, they would be caught red-handed.

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

The slower it became, the more unnerving it was.

"Uchiha Shingetsu."

Danzo spoke the name one syllable at a time.

"It's him again."

Last night, he had killed Root's men in a counterattack.

Today, he had awakened his Two-Tomoe at the Training Ground.

And tonight, he had turned the tables once more and forced a secret tunnel into the open.

Danzo was now completely certain that the boy wasn't an ordinary genius.

He was dangerous.

So dangerous that he had to be eliminated as soon as possible.

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

He might even be more troublesome than Shisui and Itachi.

Shisui was softhearted.

Itachi still had the village's interests to use against him.

But Shingetsu was different.

He had no faith in Konoha High Command.

He felt nothing but hostility toward Root.

And he was ruthless, levelheaded, and exceptionally good at turning the situation to his advantage.

The Uchiha couldn't be allowed to live.

Danzo spoke coldly.

"Don't touch the tunnel."

"Destroy all related records."

"Anyone who helped maintain that route must be transferred immediately."

The Root shinobi lowered his head.

"Yes."

Danzo continued, "As for you..."

The failed Root shinobi stiffened.

Danzo said calmly, "The Cursed Tongue Eradication Seal will take care of your memories."

"After that, you'll be assigned to a long-term mission at the border."

"Without orders, you are not to return to the village."

The Root shinobi lowered his head.

"Yes."

He didn't argue.

And he wasn't afraid.

Tools of Root had no need for fear.

After the man left, Danzo sat alone in the stone chamber.

His one eye was filled with cold malice.

Hiruzen would certainly come to question him.

The Uchiha would seize this chance to make trouble, too.

This time, he would have to sacrifice something.

But it didn't matter.

Root existed to bear everything in the darkness.

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

Of course, Danzo's idea of protecting Konoha always included protecting the power in his own hands.

"Uchiha Shingetsu."

"You think finding one secret tunnel can shake me?"

Danzo gave a cold laugh.

"How naive."

"Root goes deeper than you can imagine."

The next morning.

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

This time, more Uchiha had come.

Fugaku led the way.

Tekka, Inabi, Yashiro, and other Police Force members followed close behind.

They weren't making a big show of themselves.

But every face was frighteningly grim.

Tekka especially.

If Fugaku hadn't ordered him to hold back, he would probably have already stormed into the Hokage Building to demand answers.

The guards at the entrance saw the group and their expressions shifted.

The Uchiha had just come yesterday.

Now they were back.

And their attitude was even colder.

That meant the issue hadn't been resolved. It had grown worse.

Before long, Fugaku and the others entered the Hokage's office once more.

The Third Hokage sat behind his desk.

Mitokado Homura and Utatane Koharu were there as well.

The atmosphere was even heavier than the day before.

Fugaku skipped the pleasantries.

He placed a scroll on the desk.

"Lord Hokage."

"Last night, someone broke into Shingetsu's home again."

The Third Hokage said gravely, "I already know about it."

Fugaku looked at him.

"Then Lord Hokage should also know that we followed the intruder's trail and found a secret tunnel on the outskirts of the Uchiha Clan Grounds."

The Third Hokage didn't answer immediately.

Fugaku continued, "The entrance was disguised."

"There were traces of a seal inside."

"It appeared to be of a type used by Anbu."

"There were obvious signs that the tunnel had been in use for a long time."

He stared at the Third Hokage and spoke each word deliberately. "Lord Hokage, I'd like to ask you a question."

"Who dug this secret tunnel?"

The office fell completely silent.

Tekka glared at the Third Hokage and the two Councilors.

Mitokado Homura and Utatane Koharu looked troubled, too.

They had already received the news last night.

But facing the Uchiha's questioning in person still put them under tremendous pressure.

This was simply too difficult to explain.

If they said they didn't know, it meant the Hokage Building had failed in its duties.

If they said they did know, it would amount to admitting that they were spying on the Uchiha.

There was no good answer.

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

Tekka gave a cold laugh.

"Investigate again?"

"Lord Hokage, we were attacked yesterday, and you said you'd investigate."

"Today, we found a secret tunnel on the outskirts of our clan grounds, and you're still saying you'll investigate."

"Are we supposed to wait for your investigation even if the Uchiha Clan Grounds get blown up one day?"

Utatane Koharu's expression darkened.

"Uchiha Tekka, remember that you're speaking to the Hokage."

Tekka didn't back down.

"I know perfectly well."

"That's why I'm asking the Hokage."

"If I wanted to ask Danzo, I wouldn't be standing here now."

That remark pointed almost directly at Root.

The atmosphere in the office tightened at once.

Fugaku didn't stop him.

This time, the Uchiha needed to show that they were serious.

The Third Hokage looked at Tekka.

"Until there is evidence, don't make accusations against anyone."

Tekka was about to speak again, 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 tunnel must be inspected jointly by the Uchiha Police Force and the Anbu directly under the Hokage."

"The entire inspection must be recorded."

"No one may enter alone or tamper with the site."

Mitokado Homura frowned. "This involves the village's defense secrets."

Fugaku shot back, "Why would a secret tunnel on the outskirts of the Uchiha Clan Grounds involve the village's defense secrets?"

Mitokado Homura was at a loss for words.

Fugaku continued, "Or is this to say that the tunnel was set up by an agency within the village?"

Mitokado Homura's expression grew even more troubled.

The Third Hokage slowly drew on his pipe.

He knew he couldn't refuse this request.

Refusing would make him look guilty.

So he said, "Very well."

"Anbu will inspect the tunnel together with the Police Force."

A hint of coldness flashed in Tekka's eyes.

Fugaku continued, "Second, the person who broke into Shingetsu's home last night must also be included in the investigation."

"The intruder left fragments of an Eavesdropping Talisman and used infiltration methods employed by the village."

"I want the Hokage Building to retrieve all Anbu patrol records from around the Uchiha Clan Grounds last night."