Ren looked down at Danzo.
"Did you think I'd follow you into this rat hole without taking precautions?"
"I knew contacting Naruto would bring that old dog's tests and pressure down on me. Every member of the Temple was already here, waiting!"
He paused.
"As for my family, Uchiha Shisui, who has awakened the Mangekyō Sharingan, is guarding them personally."
"You think the worthless trash under your command could lay a finger on them?"
Danzo took half a step back. He had thought he could exploit Ren's weakness, only to discover Ren had planned for it all along!
Ren tightened his grip.
"Urgh!"
Danzo let out a low groan.
"Prick up those dog ears and listen carefully."
Ren's voice hardened.
"If my family suffers the slightest harm, even a scratch—"
"I promise the entire Root and every last member of your Shimura Clan will die with them!"
Killing intent surged across the chamber, mingled with Conqueror's Haki.
At Ren's words, the Three Tomoe in the eyes of the forty-three Temple elites spun rapidly.
"We'll follow you to the death, Lord Clan Leader! If anyone dares hurt your family, we'll tear them apart!"
Tekka Uchiha and the others roared in unison, their terrifying killing intent locking onto every Root ninja present.
The Root ninja retreated, lowering their heads to avoid their gazes.
Danzo was shaken by their presence, but he was an old fox long accustomed to power. He would not accept defeat so easily.
"Uchiha Ren!"
Clutching his shoulder, Danzo spoke.
"You brought a large force of your clan into a restricted area of Konoha without permission, then threatened the village leadership in public."
"You intend to launch an armed rebellion! Your Uchiha Clan is the same as ever—evil by nature and bent on betraying Konoha!"
Faced with that damning accusation, Ren released Danzo's shoulder.
"Betrayal? Don't smear us with your lies."
Ren's voice rang through the underground chamber.
"We Uchiha are one of Konoha's founding families."
"Our ancestors poured their blood and sweat into every inch of this village! We will not betray Konoha!"
Ren swept his gaze across the Root Base.
"But the roots of Konoha's great tree have rotted and begun to stink, and its branches are riddled with tumors."
"As its owners, we have both the responsibility and the duty to cut away those rotten roots and branches!"
Ren was making himself perfectly clear to Danzo: the Uchiha would not flee. They would openly keep his rotten Root in check!
Danzo gripped his cane.
If I don't crush Ren here today, Root will never know peace again!
Then, as Danzo rose and calculated his next move, he made a gesture beneath the cover of his wide sleeve to Fū Yamanaka, who was hidden in a blind spot.
Fū understood at once.
As a top expert of the Yamanaka Clan and one of Root's core elites, Fū had complete confidence in his secret mental technique.
If I catch him off guard, I can seize control of his body—even if he's Kage Level!
Now!
Fū rapidly formed Hand Seals, his eyes fixed on Ren.
"Mind Body Switch Technique!"
Whoosh!
Powerful mental energy left Fū's body and shot straight toward Ren's brow!
Got him!
Fū's spirit successfully entered Ren's mind.
But the moment Fū stepped into Ren's mental world, he froze.
How could this be a normal person's mind?!
It was a hellscape of destruction, engulfed in black and crimson lightning.
High in the sky, a pair of Mangekyō Sharingan radiating boundless divine power looked down on him.
Immense mental power filled the space.
"Wh-what kind of monster is this?!"
Fū's spirit stopped dead beneath the crushing pressure.
"A mere firefly dares to run wild in my mind?"
Ren's commanding voice echoed throughout the mental world.
"Get out!"
Ren's terrifying mental power, far beyond that of an ordinary person, combined with the Mangekyō Sharingan's mastery of illusions. Together, they became a devastating mental storm that crushed Fū's spirit!
"No—!!!"
Back in the real world.
Fū, still hidden and holding the posture of his technique, let out a scream!
His eyes rolled back. Shocking black blood poured from his nose, ears, and the corners of his eyes. He flew backward, slammed into the rock wall, and slid to the ground, his fate unknown!
Defeated in an instant!
No one had even seen how Ren had done it!
"Fū!"
Torune Aburame stepped forward. He had never imagined Fū's nearly impossible-to-dodge secret technique could rebound and leave him gravely wounded!
The Root ninja stopped in their tracks, staring at Fū as blood streamed from his face.
Danzo took a step back.
Fū was one of his strongest trump cards, yet he had been taken out without even touching Ren's clothes!
That monster... I can't let him live!
Danzo clenched his teeth and seized the bandages around his left arm.
Riiip!
Danzo was about to unwrap them and use the ultimate trump card he had kept hidden, even if it meant they both went down together. He had to keep Ren here!
At that critical moment—
A tremendous crash came from the shattered ceiling of the Root Base!
Amid a rain of dust and stone, a large force of Konoha Anbu ninja in black bodysuits and animal masks descended, surrounding everyone at the scene!
There were many of them, and their bearing was entirely different from Root's.
Escorted by the ANBU, an elderly figure in black battle gear descended into the very center of the chamber, the Adamantine Staff in his hand.
The Third, Hiruzen Sarutobi, had arrived in person!
"All of you, stop!"
Hiruzen Sarutobi struck the ground heavily with his Adamantine Staff. An intimidating presence radiated from him, though he showed no anger.
The standoff reached a breaking point.
When Danzo saw Hiruzen Sarutobi arrive with his forces, his left hand froze on the bandages.
How did Hiruzen get here so quickly?!
A quarter of an hour earlier.
Inside the Hokage Office on the top floor of the Hokage Building.
Hiruzen Sarutobi sat behind his desk, frowning as he smoked his pipe.
Whoosh!
An ANBU squad captain knelt on one knee before the desk and reported urgently.
"Lord Hokage, urgent intelligence! A large force of elite Uchiha ninja with awakened Sharingan has suddenly left the clan compound and is moving rapidly through the village!"
"What?!"
Hiruzen Sarutobi sprang to his feet, nearly dropping his pipe.
"What are they planning? Has the coup started early?!"
"No!"
The ANBU captain swallowed.
"Their target is... Root's underground base."
"Our emergency investigation found that Danzo sent Root elites to take Uchiha Ren by force just moments ago!"
"Danzo, you fool!!"
Hiruzen Sarutobi slammed his palm onto the desk, cracking its solid wood surface.
He knew all too well how volatile the situation was.
The Uchiha were already on the brink of an explosion. For Danzo to abduct Ren, who held tremendous influence among them, was like pouring oil on a fire!
"Gather every elite ANBU and come with me to Root!"
Hiruzen Sarutobi shouted and snatched his battle gear from the wall, ready to leave.
Just then—
Creak—
The heavy wooden door of the Hokage Office slowly opened from outside.
Hiruzen Sarutobi and several ANBU turned toward it at once.
Fugaku Uchiha walked into the Hokage Office, dressed in a formal traditional robe, his steps steady.
"Fugaku? Your timing is perfect!"
At the sight of him, Hiruzen Sarutobi said urgently,
"Order your clan members to stand down. I'll deal with Danzo personally and make sure nothing happens to Ren. We must not start a civil war!"
But despite Hiruzen Sarutobi's urgency,
Fugaku Uchiha gave no order to retreat.
He looked at the Third, who had led Konoha for decades.
"Third, you misunderstand."
Fugaku stood before the desk.
"I didn't come here today to discuss how to calm this situation."
Meeting Hiruzen Sarutobi's gaze, Fugaku made a formal announcement.
"I came to notify you. An hour ago, I stepped down as Clan Leader of the Uchiha Clan and head of the Military Police Force."
"As of today, Uchiha Ren is the new Clan Leader of the Uchiha Clan!"
Before you continue