Danzo Shimura

"What!? We're making our move tonight!?"

Hiashi Hyuga was startled.

"Though I do want to act as soon as possible, isn't tonight too rushed? The Hyuga clan hasn't prepared anything at all!"

"It can't be helped. I too wanted to delay it for a while, but there's no time. If we let tonight pass, even greater variables may arise. So we must act tonight!"

Hiruzen Sarutobi shook his head helplessly.

"Variables!? Other than Uchiha Sasuke, are there other variables?"

Hiashi Hyuga frowned as he asked.

"Itachi Uchiha!"

Hiruzen Sarutobi slowly spoke a name.

"Hm! I've heard people mention Itachi Uchiha quite often. A genius ninja who became a Chunin at the age of ten!"

"Compared to ordinary ninja, he truly is exceptional. But compared to his monstrous younger brother, he shouldn't count as a variable, should he?"

Hiashi Hyuga's face was full of confusion and incomprehension.

Having witnessed Uchiha Sasuke's absurd strength, he instantly found Itachi Uchiha to seem rather ordinary.

"No! Your understanding of Itachi is still far too superficial, Hiashi. He's only thirteen this year, yet he has awakened the legendary Mangekyō Sharingan!"

"The Uchiha clan truly is a cradle of geniuses!"

Hiruzen Sarutobi sighed sincerely.

But Hiashi was stunned and said in shock:

"What! The Mangekyō Sharingan! The eyes rumored to have been awakened only by Uchiha Madara!"

"This... is troublesome! Destroying the Uchiha clan will be extremely difficult. We may suffer grievous losses as well!"

Worry filled Hiashi Hyuga's eyes before he suggested:

"How about we bring Tsunade and Jiraiya back before acting? That would ensure nothing goes wrong!"

Hiruzen Sarutobi shook his head and chuckled.

"There's no need to be so tense, Hiashi. Though Itachi is from the Uchiha Clan, he is also an outstanding inheritor of the Will of Fire. So for now, he stands with us! He will help us deal with the Uchiha clan!"

Hiashi Hyuga sighed in relief, but his gaze at Hiruzen Sarutobi was filled with wariness.

That brainwashing ability was truly terrifying. He had actually made an Uchiha—and the clan head's son at that—betray his own clan.

In the future, he had to keep the younger members of the clan farther away from that old fox.

"Lord Third, you truly are impressive!"

Hiashi offered a word of praise.

But Hiruzen Sarutobi shook his head.

"Even so, Itachi remains an uncertain factor. He still doesn't know that his younger brother's strength has suddenly skyrocketed. I'm not sure whether his faith in the Will of Fire will waver once he learns of it."

After a pause, Hiruzen Sarutobi said solemnly:

"Therefore, we must strike the Uchiha clan immediately before Itachi receives the news. If we delay too long, we may lose this high-level combatant!"

Hiashi Hyuga nodded in understanding, finally realizing why the Third was so anxious to act.

But he was still somewhat worried.

"I understand your concerns, Lord Third, but I'm still worried about my side..."

Before he could finish, Hiruzen Sarutobi interrupted him.

"There's no need to worry. Your Hyuga clan only needs to provide combat support. Danzo and his Root will naturally handle everything else."

"When the time comes, Root will be responsible for the frontal assault. We only need to hold the perimeter and make sure no Uchiha clansman escapes amid the chaos!"

Hiashi's eyes lit up.

"Good. Then I have no issues on my end!"

"Mm." Hiruzen Sarutobi nodded. "Next, let me explain the battle arrangements to you in detail!"

Half an hour later.

Hiashi Hyuga emerged from an inconspicuous wooden hut. The smile on his lips showed that he was in an excellent mood.

But when he looked in a certain direction, the smile vanished, replaced by intense hatred in his eyes!

The direction he was looking toward was the Uchiha compound.

"Heh heh heh! Uchiha, your end is coming soon! I hope I'll get to see that regretful, remorseful expression on your face then! Uchiha Sasuke!"

Root.

"How rare, Hiruzen. Instead of staying in your Hokage Building, what brings you to my Root?"

Danzo Shimura, whose right eye was wrapped in white bandages and whose chin bore an X-shaped scar, looked at Hiruzen Sarutobi, who had suddenly appeared at the Root base, and spoke in a sinister tone.

"I am the Hokage. There is nowhere in Konoha that I cannot go!"

Hiruzen Sarutobi stared expressionlessly at his old friend of many years.

Danzo Shimura had always coveted the position of Hokage. Sarutobi knew this perfectly well.

Thus, whenever the two were together, the atmosphere was never particularly friendly.

"Hehe! How imposing, Hiruzen. Did you come all the way to my Root just to emphasize your identity as Hokage!?"

"Or did you come specifically to vent at me because that Uchiha brat humiliated you today?"

Danzo Shimura continued to sneer mockingly.

With Root's intelligence-gathering capabilities, he had naturally learned about what happened at the village gate immediately.

To be honest, hearing that Hiruzen had been mocked so thoroughly by a mere brat had made Danzo feel especially pleased. It was only a shame he had not been there to witness Hiruzen's furious expression firsthand.

At the same time, he had become interested in the brat named Uchiha Sasuke. Possessing such strength at such a young age simply made no sense, so there had to be a secret hidden within him!

Greed flashed in Danzo's eyes... He needed to find an opportunity to capture that brat and bring him to Root for a thorough study.

"Enough, Danzo. I didn't come here to argue about such nonsense. I have important business with you!"

Hiruzen Sarutobi wore a solemn expression.

"Is it about the Uchiha clan? Hehe! After all, you embarrassed yourself quite badly earlier. I can understand if you're lashing out in anger!"

Wisdom shone from Danzo Shimura's single eye.

Hiruzen Sarutobi took a deep breath, ignoring the other man's barbs as he said gravely:

"That's right! Tonight, the Uchiha clan will disappear from the Ninja World forever!"

"Tch! We're acting tonight?"

Danzo Shimura gave the Third a surprised look.

"Since when did you become so decisive, Hiruzen? I'm starting to wonder whether you're an impostor!"

"Stop spouting nonsense! Danzo, can you act tonight or not!?"

Hiruzen Sarutobi frowned, growing dissatisfied with Danzo's constant jabs.

"Hmph! My side has long been fully prepared. If you hadn't kept dragging your feet, I would have taken down the Uchiha Clan long ago. Why would we have delayed until now!"

Danzo snorted disdainfully as he planted his cane on the ground.

Hiruzen Sarutobi ignored his complaints and merely said calmly:

"Though the timing of the plan has changed, our course of action remains the same! Go, Danzo. Have your men summon Itachi from ANBU. Let him serve as the vanguard!"

"Hmph! Since you're unusually decisive for once, I won't hold it against you for ordering me around this time!"

Danzo's words carried dissatisfaction, but he still gave an order toward the darkness.

"Ko! Go to ANBU and summon Itachi Uchiha!"

"Yes!"

A voice answered from the shadows.