"Lord Hokage, it's here."
The ANBU's voice pulled the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, back to reality. He stood beside a pond in the Uchiha Clan Territory, rain soaking his Hokage cloak. In the pond, the genius child who had once shaken the entire Shinobi World floated quietly on the surface—Uchiha Chuan's head had been precisely pierced through by Water Release, yet his pale little hands still held the fishing rod as though even death could not stop him from fishing.
"He's dead and still fishing..." the Third Hokage muttered, his voice carrying indescribable complexity. "Uchiha Chuan, Uchiha Chuan, you're really obsessed with fishing."
Rain ran down the Third Hokage's wrinkles, impossible to distinguish from sweat. He crouched, intending to touch the tiny corpse, but his hand stopped halfway. An inexplicable fear seized him—had this child, who could predict the future at the age of six, truly died just like this?
"The Uchiha's plea for aid from the Hokage has failed. The Uchiha have been completely wiped out..."
The piercing broadcast rang out again. The Third Hokage suddenly looked up, the fury in his eyes nearly taking tangible form. He grabbed the ANBU beside him by the collar. "Bastard! Haven't you found the Uchiha's barrier core yet? Destroy it immediately!"
"Y-Yes!" The ANBU captain broke out in a cold sweat and hurriedly led his subordinates off to search in all directions.
The Third Hokage released him and looked at his trembling fingers. In decades of political life, he had never lost control like this. With two broadcasts, Uchiha Chuan had driven him to the edge of a cliff.
In the end, the Third Hokage still conducted a careful examination. He found nothing wrong. It seemed Uchiha Chuan was truly dead.
Outside the Hokage Building, Danzo's cane struck the wet ground with