Hiruzen Sarutobi roared on the spot.
"What are you cleaning up? There's a bone this damn big lodged in our throats! Do you really not understand, or are you pretending not to?"
Danzo naturally knew what he meant.
The Konoha higher-ups had ordered Itachi Uchiha to wipe out his clan. If this mess could not be contained, none of them would get away clean.
He answered unhurriedly.
"Hmph. It's just a broken bone. Someone has already gone to clean up the loose ends."
Hiruzen Sarutobi inwardly relaxed.
Good. That partner who specialized in taking the blame was back on the job.
But he could not let it show on his face.
His brows pressed down, and his voice was harder than steel.
"Danzo! You have repeatedly acted on your own authority. I can no longer pretend not to see it."
"From this moment on, surrender your position as Hokage Advisor."
The smugness had not yet faded from Danzo's face before it froze there.
"Hiruzen, you..."
"Shut up!"
Hiruzen Sarutobi gave him no chance to finish.
"If you claim it was for the village, then the Uchiha Clan was part of this village too!"
"Root's ANBU will be disbanded immediately. The decision regarding your punishment will follow. Until then, you are confined!"
Danzo's face turned so green it looked as though juice could be squeezed from it.
Hiruzen Sarutobi did not even spare him another glance before flicking his sleeve and vanishing.
Danzo stalked off in the other direction with a dark expression, his footsteps heavy and muffled.
Two Root members in black robes silently followed him.
One of them stepped half a pace forward and spoke in a lowered voice.
"Lord Danzo, the number of bodies does not match."
"What?!"
"Several bodies are missing!"
Danzo halted and whipped around to