Questioning Danzo

Root Base.

"Useless! You didn't obtain a single piece of useful intelligence!"

Danzo berated Owl and Kabuto below him.

Having gone two days without sleep, he had fallen asleep after issuing the order to investigate the Uchiha Clan.

Only after waking did he learn that the Root agents sent to scout had all been taken down before they even reached the clan grounds' walls.

Of the six, only these two had been lucky enough to escape.

Owl reported quietly, "Their method of attack was strange. It was likely Genjutsu, and we had no way to guard against it."

Danzo gripped his cane, his expression dark and sinister.

The Uchiha Clan's Genjutsu was certainly formidable, but aside from Shisui, who had killed himself after Danzo gouged out his eyes two years ago—

No one's Genjutsu had ever been powerful enough to achieve such a thing.

"Why were all your teammates captured while only you two escaped?"

There was both anger and suspicion in Danzo's voice.

A man like him was destined never to trust anyone. Even though the Root members under him had been brainwashed by him for years—

He would still suspect them when he had reason to.

Owl hesitated. In truth, he had been knocked unconscious by Genjutsu and dragged into the Uchiha Clan Grounds.

But he had never regained consciousness, so naturally, he knew nothing about it.

After all, Kabuto had been the one to wake him. How could he know why?

"The Uchiha Clan's attack methods were strange. It should have been wide-range Genjutsu."

"The area we were investigating was closer to the outskirts."

After hearing that, Danzo's eye slowly shifted, as though he were deep in thought.

At that moment, another Root member arrived to report.

"Lord Danzo, the Uchiha Clan has turned everyone who broke into their territory that night into dried corpses and hung them from the walls of the clan grounds."

"Hmm?!" Danzo could no longer spare attention for Kabuto and Owl. He snatched the intelligence report and quickly read through it.

"Bastards!"

Danzo's expression twisted viciously. He had never expected the Uchiha Clan to dare provoke the village so brazenly after losing Fugaku and Itachi!

Then another Root member arrived, this one bearing an order from the Third Hokage.

"Lord Danzo, the Third Hokage requests your presence."

A sharp glint flashed through Danzo's eye, and a smile appeared on his face.

"It seems Hiruzen is dissatisfied with the Uchiha Clan's actions as well!"

"Come. We're going to the Hokage Office."

Leaning on his cane, Danzo entered the Hokage Office with a trace of urgency in his stride.

He was certain that Shien Uchiha's reckless act of hanging Root corpses had thoroughly enraged the Third Hokage.

This summons was surely to discuss how to crush the Uchiha Clan's remaining forces with thunderous force!

Yet the moment he stepped into the office, he was greeted by Hiruzen Sarutobi's frost-cold gaze.

As well as the equally grave expressions of the two advisors, Utatane Koharu and Mitokado Homura.

"Hiruzen, the Uchiha Clan is being so arrogant and overbearing, openly challenging the village's authority. We absolutely cannot—"

Danzo spoke first, attempting to set the tone.

"Danzo!"

The Third Hokage abruptly cut him off, barely suppressing the fury in his voice.

"I summoned you here to ask you this—why did you send Root members to infiltrate the Uchiha Clan Grounds without authorization last night?!"

Danzo's words caught in his throat. A trace of surprise flashed through his single eye before turning into gloom.

"Obviously, to gather intelligence! After the Uchiha Clan's internal conflict, their strength is unknown. As Konoha's Root, I have the responsibility to—"

"The responsibility to further intensify the conflict?!"

The Third Hokage slammed his hand against the desk and rose to his feet.

"Did I not explicitly warn you to suspend all actions against the Uchiha Clan?!"

Danzo grew angry as well. His cane struck the floor heavily with a sharp crack.

"Hiruzen! How much longer are you going to indulge evil! The Uchiha Clan has always harbored the ambitions of wolves!"

"Now that they have just suffered a devastating blow, they are at their weakest. We should press the advantage and eradicate them completely, eliminating all future trouble!"

"Are you going to sit by and watch them recover their strength and threaten the village again?!"

"Eradicate them completely?"

The Third Hokage's voice was icy.

"You make it sound easy! Then tell me, how do you plan to deal with Fugaku Uchiha and Itachi Uchiha, who have fled the village?"

"Before leaving, they clearly warned me that if the Uchiha Clan's last bloodline was exterminated, they would take all of Konoha's secrets and defect to an enemy nation! What kind of situation would Konoha face then?!"

A vicious glint flashed through Danzo's eye as he answered without hesitation.

"Those who accomplish great deeds do not concern themselves with trifles! As long as every Uchiha within the clan grounds is slaughtered, it will be too late to change anything!"

"No matter how strong Fugaku and Itachi are, how much chaos can the two of them cause? Can they possibly stand against the entire ninja world? By then, they will be stray dogs without a home, duckweed without roots!"

"Foolish!"

The Third Hokage's chest heaved with anger.

"You only see those two, but do you know what the situation inside the Uchiha Clan Grounds is now?!"

His sharp gaze swept over Danzo as he spoke each word distinctly.

"The Hyuga Clan confirmed with the Byakugan that the one who used that overwhelmingly powerful Genjutsu was Shisui Uchiha, who was supposed to be dead!"

"He has returned in some forbidden form similar to the Impure World Reincarnation! And that Shien Uchiha has also awakened the Mangekyō Sharingan!"

"Impure World Reincarnation?! Mangekyō?!"

Danzo's single eye widened instantly, and his breathing grew more hurried. After the shock came even deeper greed and killing intent.

"Just as I thought! So that's how it is! The Uchiha Clan was hiding such power after all! Hiruzen, do you see now? We must wait no longer! We must immediately—"

"Immediately what?!" the Third Hokage shouted, cutting him off.

"The Nara Clan, Yamanaka Clan, and Akimichi Clan have jointly expressed their concern for the Uchiha Clan to the Hyuga Clan."

"The Hyuga Clan has made it clear that they oppose using force against the Uchiha Clan! How many small and mid-sized clans do you think the stance of Ino-Shika-Cho and the Hyuga Clan represents?"

"If you move against the Uchiha Clan now, do you intend to completely tear Konoha apart from within?!"

Danzo was caught off guard by this string of information and accusations, yet he remained unwilling to accept it and gritted his teeth.

"For the village's long-term stability, a temporary pain—"

"There will be no temporary pain!"

The Third Hokage's tone was decisive.

"The Uchiha Clan cannot be touched now! Not only can they not be touched, but to placate them and keep their mouths shut, the village must provide an enormous amount of compensation!"

"The mess left behind by your failed operation must also be cleaned up by the village!"

Danzo's heart sank, and an ominous feeling rose within him. "How much?"

"Five billion! The first installment of two and a half billion must be paid immediately!"

The Third Hokage stared at him and added in an unquestionable tone.

"The village's finances are tight. This money will be deducted from Root's budget for this year and its future reserve funds!"

"What?! Five billion?! And you're cutting Root's funding?!"

Danzo flew into a complete rage. This was practically carving flesh from his body!

"Hiruzen! You are funding the enemy! You are raising a tiger only to invite disaster! Your weakness today will surely bring the Uchiha Clan's frenzied revenge!"

Faced with Danzo's roar, the Third Hokage's pent-up fury finally erupted completely. He slammed his hand down on the desk.

A deafening boom rang out. He leaned forward, his eyes blazing, and roared with unprecedented authority.

"Enough, Danzo! I am the Hokage!!"

That roar exploded through the office like thunder, declaring who held the final authority.

Danzo's entire body shook. His single eye stared fixedly at Hiruzen Sarutobi as his chest rose and fell violently.

"You'll regret this, Hiruzen!"

In the end, he forced out a cold snort through clenched teeth, turned sharply, and left in towering fury.

"Bang—!"

He slammed the Hokage Office's door shut behind him, producing a tremendous crash.