The daimyo strode into the village.
The attendants behind him hurried to keep up.
Hiruzen Sarutobi turned and threw Uchiha Itachi an appreciative look, then followed as well.
He still had some matters to clean up on his end.
As for the Uchiha side, there would be no hurry to hand out rewards after this was over.
The remaining Uchiha group turned in the mission, then all returned to the clan compound.
And Danzo, as one of the higher-ups, naturally went along to receive the daimyo.
Only, looking at the daimyo before him, unharmed down to the last hair, and then at Hiruzen Sarutobi, whose mouth could barely close from all the praise, a thought even flashed through Danzo's mind—he might as well kill the daimyo right here.
Of course, that thought was only a thought.
After all, if he really dared make a move here, forget becoming Hokage; whether he could walk out of this room alive today would be another matter entirely.
Besides, Danzo's original intention had always been to protect Konoha at any cost, not destroy Konoha.
The first thing Fugaku did after returning to the Uchiha Clan Compound was look for Sasuke. "Where's Sasuke?!"
He made a circuit around the compound, but he did not see the boy's shadow anywhere.
Fugaku found Mikoto and asked with a face full of astonishment.
Judging by that boy's usual temperament, he should have seized the chance and come running over to negotiate terms right away.
Why had he vanished instead?!
"Dad!"
Just then, Sasuke's voice came from behind Fugaku.
This Sasuke looked rather battered.
Forget the fact that his clothes were in a ridiculous mess; just from those wounds on his body, anyone could tell they were not light.
But... why would Sasuke be injured?!
"Sasuke, you..."
"I'm fine.