On Kage Rock.
Tobirama Senju listened to Utatane Koharu's grievances.
He fell into thought...
Danzo had brought his situation on himself.
Tobirama had always believed that no matter how bitter the divisions within the village became, no one should arbitrarily label a person or a family an "enemy."
His approach to governing had always favored decisive action, and he had little tolerance for wrongdoing.
But...
He had accepted the Uchiha, taken Kagami Uchiha as his student, and entrusted the Uchiha with the Konoha Military Police Force, an institution charged with enforcing order in the village.
That alone said plenty.
Madara Uchiha had once spoken ill of him to his elder brother. Tobirama knew that perfectly well, but... all he could say was that Madara Uchiha had underestimated him!
The facts proved that, at least under his rule, the Uchiha had continued to thrive!
But what had happened with Mitokado Homura?
Had Hiruzen killed him with his own hands?
Because of pressure from the Uchiha?
Tobirama lowered his head and pondered for a long time. Only by putting himself in Hiruzen Sarutobi's position could he, with great difficulty, grasp what lay at the heart of it all...
He glanced at Hashirama Senju, who was gazing out over Konoha with emotion on his face.
Then he shook his head.
"As I thought, only overwhelming strength—the power to crush every enemy—can bring an age of chaos to an end. Politics and schemes must both give way before absolute power!"
Then...
He turned to the grief-stricken Utatane Koharu. "So what do you want me to do?"
Koharu's eyes lit up, and she said bitterly, "Teacher, the Uchiha! All of this happened because of the Uchiha Clan, because of that wretched brat Shinji Uchiha!"
"If we just get rid of him..."
"Enough!" Seeing his elder