Adding Fuel to the Fire

Hiruzen Sarutobi fell silent under Uchiha En's questioning.

He knew his old friend Shimura Danzō all too well.

If the eye beneath those bandages were not a Sharingan, Danzō would have uncovered it in front of everyone long ago.

His every excuse made it obvious: that eye was Shisui Uchiha's Mangekyō Sharingan.

Hiruzen did not know how to answer.

At the same time, he cursed Shimura Danzō inwardly. Danzō had ruined a situation that had been going so well.

"Enough!"

As the standoff dragged on, the other two elders spoke up.

Mitokado Homura and Utatane Koharu exchanged a glance, then urged him earnestly:

"Uchiha En, you need to consider the bigger picture."

"Konoha is facing an outside intruder. We should stand together against the enemy."

"Finding the Masked Man and Uchiha Itachi is what matters now."

Uchiha En gave a cold snort.

"The bigger picture?"

His voice dripped with mockery.

"To you two elders, the Kekkei Genkai and secret techniques passed down through our clans don't count as part of the bigger picture?"

"We should just hand them over selflessly to strengthen Konoha, is that it?"

Mitokado Homura's expression stiffened.

Utatane Koharu's lips moved, but she could not find a word to say.

Uchiha En gave neither of them a chance to speak.

"Do you still not understand?"

"Unless we get to the bottom of this, every ninja clan here will carry a thorn in its heart."

"Distrust of the Konoha High Command will spread like wildfire."

"Do you really think everyone will still be able to work together?"

As he spoke, he looked at the members of every clan present.

"We risk our lives fighting for Konoha on the front lines."

"Meanwhile, back here, the Konoha High Command schemes to seize our clans' Kekkei Genkai and secret techniques."

"Can any of you feel safe?"

He was asking the heads of the other ninja clans.

Silence filled the meeting room.

Hyuga Hiashi tapped his fingers against the table without realizing it, his brows drawn tight.

Shibi Aburame adjusted his sunglasses and said nothing.

Tsume Inuzuka patted her dog's head, but kept her eyes on Uchiha En.

Shikaku Nara narrowed his eyes. Choza Akimichi and Inoichi Yamanaka exchanged a glance and saw the same grave concern in each other's eyes.

"How dare you!"

Shimura Danzō was furious as Uchiha En pressed him harder with every word.

He slammed his cane against the floor and pointed at Uchiha En.

"You're tearing Konoha apart!"

"Guards!"

At his command,

Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh—

Numerous Root ninja emerged from the shadows and surrounded the meeting room.

In black coats and with impassive faces, every Root member radiated a chilling presence.

The tension in the meeting room surged to a breaking point.

The ninja from the other clans immediately went on guard.

Hyuga Hiashi rose to his feet, his hands curling into fists. His Byakugan was already active, and Chakra flowed through his meridians.

Shibi Aburame quietly rested a hand on his ninja-tool pouch.

Tsume Inuzuka's Ninja Dog gave a low growl, baring its teeth slightly.

The heads of the Ino-Shika-Cho Clans also stood and took defensive stances.

"Has Danzō lost his mind?"

Someone whispered the question in shock.

"Bringing out Root here... Does he want to make enemies of every ninja clan?"

Uchiha En, however, smiled.

He calmly swept his gaze over the black-clad Root ninja, a hint of contempt curling his lips.

"Elder Danzō."

His voice was steady, with a trace of amusement.

"Are you trying to prove, in front of every ninja clan, that the Konoha High Command really does rule through fear?"

"You've been sitting in your high offices too long."

"You've forgotten how terrifying the Mangekyō Sharingan is."

With that, his eyes abruptly changed.

Black and white, yin and yang, intertwined to form a Taiji Pattern.

It spun wildly.

A terrifying surge of Chakra erupted from his body, sweeping through the room like a storm!

Whoosh!

The meeting room windows rattled, and papers flew from the table.

Every Root ninja's expression changed.

They felt the crushing pressure in that Chakra. It was power enough to overwhelm them all!

Danzō's pupils contracted sharply.

He gripped his cane, a fine layer of cold sweat beading on his forehead.

The Mangekyō Sharingan.

This twelve-year-old boy had only awakened it last night, yet he already possessed such power.

"Enough!"

Hiruzen Sarutobi saw where this was heading. If he did not speak now, a civil war would break out.

He shot to his feet and unleashed his Chakra, forcing the entire room into stillness.

"All of you, get out!"

He gave the order directly to the Root ninja.

The Root ninja did not move.

They looked to Danzō, waiting for his signal.

Hiruzen Sarutobi's face darkened.

"What?"

"Will you no longer obey even me, the Hokage?"

His voice held tightly restrained anger.

Danzō knew he could not make a move today.

With a cold snort, he waved a hand at the Root ninja.

"Stand down."

Only then did the Root ninja slowly withdraw and vanish into the shadows.

The Mangekyō Sharingan in Uchiha En's eyes returned to normal.

That terrifying Chakra receded like the tide.

Calm returned to the meeting room once more.

But everyone knew dangerous currents stirred beneath that calm.

Uchiha En was not finished.

He turned to Hiruzen Sarutobi, a cold smile touching his lips.

"Hahaha, Lord Third Hokage."

"Did you see that?"

"Those Root ninja don't listen to you at all."

"To them, Danzō's orders come first."

"If Danzō ordered them to assassinate you, they probably wouldn't even hesitate."

His words left the room deathly silent.

Hiruzen Sarutobi's face turned livid.

Mitokado Homura and Utatane Koharu looked equally grim.

The heads of the other ninja clans exchanged uneasy glances.

Uchiha En's words had poured fuel on the fire.

He was telling everyone that the Hokage had no control over Konoha's Root forces.

The man who truly controlled them was Shimura Danzō.

Hyuga Hiashi's frown deepened.

He looked at Hiruzen Sarutobi with a searching gaze.

If he can't even control Root, what authority does he have left as Hokage?