Enough! Danzo! I am the Hokage!

Furthermore, Fugaku's arrival left Sarutobi Hiruzen feeling deeply uneasy.

Although the Anbu had not yet come to report, he was genuinely worried that the Uchiha clan might already be mobilizing at this very moment.

Thinking of this, Sarutobi Hiruzen looked toward Kakashi.

Kakashi bowed in acknowledgment before exiting the Hokage's office with several of his subordinates.

What was to be discussed next was not for the ears of the Anbu, and Kakashi also needed to keep an eye on the movements within the Uchiha district.

The moment the heavy doors closed, Sarutobi Hiruzen looked at Danzo. "Danzo, I recall that all operations by Root require my approval as Hokage before they can be carried out, do they not?"

Upon hearing this, Danzo immediately retorted in a rush, "I did it only for the sake of the village! And I merely wanted Uchiha Shisui to cooperate with an investigation!"

"Then may I ask, Elder Danzo, what actions has Shisui taken that would require a Konoha elder to treat him in such a manner?" Fugaku did not even look his way, merely stating this plainly.

Meanwhile, Hayato had already taken his place behind Fugaku, with Shisui standing beside him.

Well done, Clan Head. It's all up to you now.

"I have my reasons for sending people out."

"Shut up!"

Sarutobi Hiruzen barked coldly. Did Danzo think that because he had held the position of elder for so long, his word was law?

"Danzo, every suspicion must be based on evidence. Slandering a comrade of the village is unacceptable, even for an elder advisor."

Thump!

Shimura Danzo slammed his cane hard against the floor and shouted, "Whether it is true or not, hand him over to me for interrogation! I will find out the truth clearly!"

As soon as these words were spoken, even Mitokado Homura and Utatane Koharu, who were standing to the side, could not help but look at Danzo in astonishment.

They had come because Danzo claimed the Anbu sent by Hiruzen had been killed by the Uchiha, but up until now, what they were hearing was almost entirely different from what Danzo had told them.

Fugaku looked at Sarutobi Hiruzen, the meaning in his eyes clear.

Is this your intention, Third Hokage?

"Enough! Danzo! I am the Hokage!" Sarutobi Hiruzen roared.

Seeing Danzo excitedly trying to speak again, Sarutobi Hiruzen raised a hand to stop him. "If you have a target of suspicion, you should report it to me first, rather than sending your own men to seize them!"

After being interrupted, Danzo took a long moment to compose himself before saying indifferently, "Everything I do is for the sake of Konoha."

"Pfft..."

A faint, mocking snort echoed through the office, loud enough to draw everyone's gaze.

Hayato lifted his head and said apologetically to Sarutobi Hiruzen, "My apologies, Third Hokage. I just heard a joke and couldn't help myself."

"Uchiha Hayato, are you showing contempt for the Council of Elders?"

Utatane Koharu looked at Hayato with cold eyes. A mere junior, yet he dared to sneer at the Council.

No matter how wrong Danzo might be, it was not for a junior to mock him; this was a slap in their faces.

"Clan Head, may I speak?" Hayato turned his gaze toward Fugaku.

Fugaku gave Hayato a deep look before bowing to Sarutobi Hiruzen. "Please forgive the rudeness, Third Hokage. However, since Hayato wishes to explain himself, I will let him speak."

His attitude was impeccable; at the very least, compared to Danzo, Sarutobi Hiruzen found Fugaku's conduct much more favorable.

Hayato's request for permission from Fugaku was also standard; even if Konoha was the nominal leader of the Uchiha, Hayato still needed to consult his clan head first.

At the very least, the request Fugaku made afterward was beyond reproach.

"Very well."

Sarutobi Hiruzen nodded in agreement.

"Konoha village was founded on the foundation laid by the First Hokage and our clan's Lord Uchiha Madara. I was born and raised in Konoha, and my father gave his last drop of blood to protect this land for the sake of the village."

"Hearing what this elder just said, why does it sound as if Konoha is the private property of one family or surname?"

"Everything done for the sake of Konoha... what high-sounding words."

"By what right do you define the crimes of the Uchiha clan with a single sentence, and in doing so, disregard the principles established by the First and Second Hokage?"

By the end, Hayato was facing Shimura Danzo directly.

A dull thud echoed as he struck the floor with his cane.

Shimura Danzo's eyes were as cold as poison, his face devoid of emotion, showing only a bone-chilling malice.

He turned to Sarutobi Hiruzen, his voice raspy and cold. "Konoha was indeed founded by the Senju and the Uchiha, but Madara is a traitor who was long ago expelled from the village..."

"Wait, when was our Lord Uchiha Madara defined as a traitor? You are destroying the very foundation of Konoha!"

"I would like to know, is this the definition of the First and Second Hokage, or is it the Third Hokage's own intent?"

Hayato attacked with great intensity, as if he had heard the most ridiculous joke in the world, before turning his gaze to Sarutobi Hiruzen.

One had to remember that after the battle at the Valley of the End, the Ninja World believed Uchiha Madara had died in his fight against Senju Hashirama. Konoha had never officially issued an order labeling Uchiha Madara a high-risk target or authorizing a manhunt.

He had found a loophole.

"Calm yourself, Hayato."

Sarutobi Hiruzen raised a hand to signal that Uchiha Hayato need not be so agitated, then looked toward Danzo and said, "Let us have no more talk that undermines the harmony of the village."

Having said this, Sarutobi Hiruzen ignored Danzo, whose face had turned as dark as coal, and looked at Hayato.

His gaze held a glimmer of light; he had previously thought that Shisui was the only member of the Uchiha clan who truly held Konoha in his heart.

He had not expected to discover another one today.

Indeed, Uchiha Madara had never been officially branded a missing-nin by Konoha—that was something that had not even occurred during the era of the Second Hokage.

The Uchiha clan had lived in constant anxiety for so many years precisely because of Madara's departure and the subsequent actions of the Hawk Faction, which had always been restless and eager to stir up trouble.

Now that Hayato had spoken these words, it meant that Sarutobi Hiruzen once again had some room to maneuver in order to ease the situation.

Sarutobi Hiruzen looked at Uchiha Hayato, who stood before him with a firm gaze and spoke of Konoha in every sentence, and his tense expression softened slightly.

He could see that this young man held Konoha in his heart and was not one of those whose minds had been blackened by rumors.

Sarutobi Hiruzen's gaze rested on Hayato, yet Hayato did not shrink back in the slightest; instead, he stared steadily at Sarutobi Hiruzen with clear eyes, which made the Third Hokage feel a genuine sense of relief.

"Well said. Konoha is a village built by the hands of the Senju and the Uchiha together. This is the foundation laid down by the First Hokage and the Second Hokage, and no one must ever forget it."

He paused, his tone deepening, though it remained gentle: "Born in Konoha, raised in Konoha, with a father who sacrificed himself for Konoha."

"Such a background and such intentions are enough to prove his loyalty to the village. To convict someone based solely on suspicion is not the way of Konoha, and it goes against the will of our predecessors."

"It is good that you keep the roots of Konoha in your heart. Do not be afraid; the village will ensure justice for you and for the Uchiha."