The hall erupted in an instant. Shouts of alarm, curses, and questions surged through it like a rising tide.
Choza Akimichi sprang to his feet, the chair screeching against the floor. "He actually dared to do something like this!"
Shikaku Nara, beside him, didn't react nearly as strongly.
He'd long suspected something was wrong with Danzo. He just hadn't expected him to be so reckless.
"Shikaku, do you know something?" Inoichi Yamanaka came over.
Shikaku shook his head. "I've only managed to piece a few things together."
Inoichi eyed Shikaku suspiciously and lowered his voice. "Don't hide it from me. Our three clans have always stood together. Are you really saying you haven't noticed anything? Last month, several young members of my clan who were skilled at sensing were suddenly reassigned to the Anbu. They didn't even bother to inform us."
He paused, absently rubbing his sleeve between his fingers. "Looking back, I'm afraid Root had their eyes on them."
Shikaku nodded and was about to say more when a young voice rang out across the hall.
"Everyone, the Uchiha Clan can testify that Lord Hokage's words are true!" Uchiha Ao stepped onto the platform reserved for the clan heads. Uchiha Tekka and Uchiha Inabi came forward from either side, carrying scrolls seized from Root Base.
"Why isn't Fugaku going up there to speak for himself? Why send a child instead?" Inoichi scratched his head, puzzled.
Behind Hyuga Hiashi, Hinata saw Ao-kun step forward and looked delighted.
When she'd entered the conference hall earlier, she'd glanced toward the Uchiha side several times.
But she hadn't seen Ao-kun, no matter how hard she looked.
She'd even wondered if she'd imagined seeing him in front of the Hokage Building.
"Fugaku, you're really going backward with age. You're making a child speak for you."
A Hyuga Elder leaned on his cane, his tone full of scorn. His cloudy eyes swept over the Uchiha Clan. "Didn't your clan pride itself on its arrogance? And now you don't even have the courage to face us?"
Hyuga Hiashi furrowed his brow and was about to stop the elder from saying more, but Uchiha Ao calmly turned around.
The boy's gaze swept over the hall before settling on the Hyuga Elder. "Elder of the Hyuga Clan, I'm afraid you've misunderstood something."
His voice was young, but carried a steadiness beyond his years. "I'm the head of the Uchiha Clan now."
His words sent a stir through the hall.
The Hyuga Elder slammed his cane against the floor with a dull thud. "Ridiculous! Uchiha Fugaku is standing right there. Since when does a green boy like you get to—"
Before he could finish, Shisui, standing beside Uchiha Ao, suddenly took half a step forward, revealing his scarlet Mangekyō Sharingan.
A surging wave of ocular power enveloped the Hyuga Elder.
The elder's voice cut off. The scorn on his face froze into terror, and he stood rooted in place. His cane clattered to the floor.
"Shisui, that wasn't right," Uchiha Ao said sharply, taking a step forward. "The Hyuga Clan and the Uchiha Clan are both part of Konoha. How can we attack our friends?"
After speaking, Uchiha Ao bowed to Hyuga Hiashi.
Hiashi gave a slight nod, unsure what the Uchiha boy was trying to do.
Watching Ao-kun's tall, straight back, Hinata felt her admiration for him grow.
"Hmph. You Uchiha brat know what's good for you." The Hyuga Elder stooped shakily to pick up his cane and returned to his seat.
On the platform, Hiruzen Sarutobi stared fixedly at Shisui.
"Hiruzen, that's the Mangekyō..."
Utatane Koharu spoke with a tremble. Her wrinkled hands gripped the armrests tightly, and her cloudy eyes were full of wariness and unease. "The Uchiha Clan really is uncontrollable!"
Mitokado Homura's face was equally grim. He slammed his hand on the table, tipping over a teacup and spilling tea across the surface. "I knew there had to be a reason for such a sudden upheaval in the Uchiha Clan. One of them has awakened the Mangekyō! Hiruzen, I told you we should have acted against the Uchiha Clan!"
Hiruzen ignored the two fools. Couldn't they use their heads and wonder why the Mangekyō wielder hadn't become clan head, while a boy of about ten had?
It seemed Shisui might not be the only one in the Uchiha Clan to have awakened the Mangekyō.
Hiruzen's gaze swept over Uchiha Ao's youthful yet composed face as he considered this.
"Quiet." As the scene grew more chaotic, Hiruzen Sarutobi rubbed his temples. His aged voice, strengthened by a thick surge of chakra, boomed through the hall, making everyone's eardrums ache.
He walked down the steps, his gaze beneath the Hokage Hat falling on the scrolls in Uchiha Ao's hands. "If you have evidence, let us verify it here and now."
All he had to do was pin the blame on Danzo. Then the Uchiha Clan would take its revenge on Danzo, and he could remain Hokage.
"Xiang." At Hiruzen Sarutobi's low call, an Anbu Ninja appeared before him.
"Go examine those scrolls."
After receiving his orders, Xiang went to Inabi and Tekka and opened the scrolls in full view of everyone.
As the scrolls unfurled completely, densely written characters and seals came into view on the yellowed pages.
After examining them, Xiang said, "Lord Hokage, these records... are all genuine. They include a detailed list of the ninja kidnapped by Root, as well as clear records of the experiments and their locations."
Choza Akimichi smashed his fist against the stone pillar beside him, knocking loose a shower of chips. "Monsters! They used Konoha Ninja for live experiments!" The veins in his neck bulged, and his eyes reddened as if he wanted to tear Danzo apart.
Hiruzen nodded. Many of these experiments had been carried out with his tacit approval. How could he not know whether the records were real?
Even so, he put on a sorrowful expression and slowly turned to face the crowd. Beneath his Hokage Hat, his gaze passed over their shocked, furious faces.
His aged voice trembled just enough to sound pained. He pressed his right hand to his chest. "As Hokage, I was completely unaware of such heinous crimes. I have failed the countless people of Konoha."
Hiruzen slowly removed his hat. His white hair stirred in the breeze, and his wrinkled eyes seemed to hold unshed tears. "Danzo betrayed Konoha and turned Root into his private tool. Such crimes must be punished!"
Utatane Koharu was about to speak, but Hiruzen stopped her with a raised hand. "Koharu, Mitokado Homura, come with me at once to reorganize the Anbu and investigate the remnants of Root."
His words brooked no argument, but from the corner of his eye, he caught the faint smile on Uchiha Ao's lips. Alarm bells rang in his mind.
"Since Lord Hokage feels he has failed the people of Konoha, shouldn't he... step down?"
Oh no. They really are coming after me!
Before you continue