With One Man's Strength, He Brought Down the Hokage!

Uchiha Itachi carried Shisui swiftly toward the edge of the square. Shisui lay curled in his arms, hands still clutching the source of his pain, his face white as paper and cold sweat running down his temples.

Itachi moved fast but steadily, keeping the jostling to a minimum. His robes snapped in the wind.

He knew that kind of agony all too well.

Within moments, Itachi had vanished into the alley east of the square with Shisui in his arms, heading for Konoha Hospital.

Uchiha Yongye looked away, his sneer deepening.

"Fuck, every one of them is dumber than the last."

He spoke so quietly that only the Mechuan Steward beside him heard.

The steward's mouth twitched. He didn't dare answer, but he was stunned. The brightest twin stars of the Uchiha, called fools by this boy!

Yongye shifted his gaze and, sure enough, saw Danzo staring in the direction Itachi and Shisui had disappeared.

Danzo stood at the edge of the crowd, leaning on his cane. The bandages hid any expression on half his face.

Yongye knew what he wanted without having to guess. He quickly devised a plan to let Danzo make his move, then swoop in after him.

"Something as good as Kotoamatsukami naturally belongs to the worthy! A fine man like me is the one qualified to take it!"

"For strong-willed women like Tsunade and Mei Terumi, Kotoamatsukami might be the only way to get them both to willingly..."

Yongye smiled and nodded, pleased with what lay ahead, as though he could see paradise beckoning.

Hiruzen Sarutobi could almost see hell beckoning.

He slowly raised his head. His gaze passed over Yongye, the Mechuan Steward, the whispering villagers and the clan leaders with their varied expressions before finally settling on Mitokado Homura and Utatane Koharu.