Hiruzen! Is the Uchiha Clan Going to Rebel?

The Hokage Building.

Sarutobi Hiruzen was puffing on his pipe as he looked through some documents when a figure suddenly appeared in the office.

"Lord Third!"

"An attack just took place in the area near the Uchiha Compound. Uchiha Shisui and Uchiha Hayato were surrounded by ten Anbu."

Uzuki Yugao, who had been summoned by Kakashi, knelt on one knee as she reported.

Sarutobi Hiruzen's heart sank. "Were Uchiha Shisui and Uchiha Hayato injured? Have they been stopped?"

Hiruzen was now worried that something might happen to the two of them. If it did, the Uchiha Clan would truly erupt.

"No. By the time we arrived, eight Anbu had already been killed. The captain sent me to report first." Uzuki Yugao shook her head.

"What?" Sarutobi Hiruzen was taken aback. He knew a fair amount about Root's training, but he hadn't expected eight of them to be taken out so easily.

"Lord Third, the captain has already brought them here. However... before Uchiha Hayato came over, he asked the captain to notify the Uchiha Clan Head."

Hearing this, Sarutobi Hiruzen couldn't help frowning.

Just as he was about to get up from behind his desk, the door was pushed open.

Danzo strode in with Mitokado Homura and Utatane Koharu. "Hiruzen! Is the Uchiha Clan going to rebel?"

When Sarutobi Hiruzen saw Danzo and the others, he sat back down and stared straight at Danzo.

The incident had only just happened. Even the Anbu had taken some time to report it, and Hiruzen had only just learned about it. Yet the Council of Elders... had managed to arrive together at this late hour.

Sarutobi Hiruzen interlaced his fingers beneath his chin, resting his elbows on the desk as he fixed his gaze on the three who stood before him, brimming with hostility.

The office fell silent.

Danzo furrowed his brow, unsure what Sarutobi Hiruzen was getting at.

"Hiruzen! The Uchiha Clan killed Anbu! Are they planning to betray the village?" Seeing that Sarutobi Hiruzen didn't respond, Utatane Koharu stepped forward and demanded loudly.

Click!

Footsteps sounded from the open doorway, followed by a slow, unhurried voice.

"An Elder is certainly in a hurry. But I'd like to ask: have you actually confirmed that the people we killed were Anbu? Or is pinning the blame on the Uchiha simply the easiest way to put your mind at ease?"

As Hayato finished speaking, everyone in the office turned to look at him.

Even Sarutobi Hiruzen did the same. It was the first time he'd seen an Uchiha who was so good with words.

Utatane Koharu glared at Hayato like a blade, her tone even more cutting. "Kakashi! Take down these two rogue ninja!"

Huh!

Hayato raised an eyebrow. He'd expected the Council of Elders to be arrogant, but not this arrogant.

Kakashi didn't move. Instead, he looked to Sarutobi Hiruzen. His meaning was clear: he took orders from the Third Hokage.

The three elders' expressions darkened at Kakashi's response.

He was ignoring them!

"Lord Third." Hayato turned to Sarutobi Hiruzen, who sat behind his desk, and gave him a slight bow. Then he asked quietly, "I'd like to ask: aren't the Anbu directly under your command?"

Watching this Uchiha, so different from before, Danzo's eyes flashed with surprise. This Uchiha was far more silver-tongued than he'd expected.

Danzo stepped directly into Hayato's line of sight toward Sarutobi Hiruzen. His gaze turned cold. "You killed Anbu, Uchiha Hayato. You're trying to betray the village!"

"Your Uchiha Clan has always been an inherently evil clan. Today, I'll put an end to your crimes!"

With that, Danzo suddenly charged toward Hayato and Shisui, reaching out to seize Hayato.

Hayato watched Danzo's actions with an indifferent gaze, without the slightest intention of fighting back.

The next moment, a figure stepped between Hayato and Shisui. Kakashi said coldly, "Do the Elder Advisors intend to start a fight in the Hokage Office?"

Hayato's lips curled slightly. The show was about to begin.

"Kakashi! Insolent!" Mitokado Homura and Utatane Koharu rebuked him at the same time.

Danzo stared coldly at Kakashi. The only person who could direct Kakashi's actions was Sarutobi Hiruzen.

With that in mind, Danzo turned and glanced back at Sarutobi Hiruzen behind the desk.

"Hiruzen, what do you mean by this?"

"Gentlemen, I am the Hokage." Sarutobi Hiruzen rose slowly. The Council of Elders' actions had already displeased him.

In the past, no matter how much the three of them opposed him, he'd believed they were acting in Konoha's best interests.

But now they were trying to seize someone right in front of him, in the Hokage Office?

At those words, the three men's expressions immediately darkened.

What was Hiruzen trying to emphasize?

Sarutobi Hiruzen ignored them and looked toward Hayato and Shisui. "Hayato, Shisui, tell me exactly what happened tonight."

Hayato and Shisui bowed respectfully before slowly recounting what had happened that night.

Danzo remained silent, pondering the deeper meaning behind Hiruzen's actions.

Only after Hayato had finished recounting everything did he look at Danzo, who was still standing there. "Lord Third, I'd like to ask: why did the village's Anbu come after us? Had we done anything wrong?"

"I only said, 'Aren't the Anbu directly under Lord Hokage's command?' Danzo—I didn't know who he was—and he tried to attack me without a second thought. Shisui and I were simply forced to fight back."

"Your clan has never been peaceable. The Anbu went there only to look into a few things. Their deaths must have been a step in your plot to rebel!"

Danzo slammed his cane against the floor and shouted.

Hearing this, Hayato's lips curled into a smile. He remained completely unruffled.

"As a shinobi of Konoha, I know only Lord Third. I've never even heard of any Danzo. The Anbu would need Lord Hokage's written order to come to our door."

After speaking, Hayato looked toward Sarutobi Hiruzen.

Danzo's expression darkened. The Hokage again! I'm the one who should be Hokage!

Sarutobi Hiruzen slowly exhaled a cloud of smoke, veiling his face.

To be honest, although Hayato's words were addressed to Danzo, their meaning was clear: the Uchiha recognized him as the Hokage.

Hiruzen realized he couldn't stay silent any longer and was just about to speak when a voice came from outside the office.

"Lord Hokage, sorry for the wait."

Fugaku appeared in the office and bowed to Sarutobi Hiruzen. "But Hayato speaks for me as well. Hayato and Shisui acted impulsively, but they were trying to protect themselves. You can't blame the two young men entirely."

Seeing Fugaku arrive, Sarutobi Hiruzen sighed inwardly once more.

Fugaku's meaning was already clear. And the previous incident had happened only recently. Afterward, Fugaku had also followed Hiruzen's arrangement and sent clan members to pursue Orochimaru, responding to his test.

If Hiruzen didn't make his position clear now, he would only drive the Uchiha Clan further away.