The Young Couple Who Had Been Overjoyed Died at the Hands of Their Own People!

Hiruzen Sarutobi showed no expression. "Oh? What do you mean?"

Shinji laced his fingers together and swept his gaze over everyone. "I've read the document the Hokage's Office issued to the Konoha Military Police Force. It was signed by the Second Hokage, Lord Tobirama Senju."

"It said nothing about whose approval was needed to replace the Police Force Chief. Personally, I have great respect for the Second Hokage. He helped the Uchiha Clan become a true part of Konoha after the village was founded, and he made great efforts and concessions to do it."

"Are you saying his policy broke the rules?"

Hiruzen Sarutobi's face darkened, but his hat hid it from view.

"If it broke the rules, whose rules were those?"

Shinji went on, looking utterly earnest. "Were they your rules, Third Hokage Hiruzen Sarutobi, disciple of the Second Hokage, Tobirama Senju?"

"Are you questioning your teacher's decision? Do you want to overturn the Second Hokage's policy and remake Konoha and the Uchiha Clan as you see fit?"

The Clan Leaders exchanged looks.

They had known the brat could fight, and that he had defeated Uchiha Fugaku at the Clan Meeting. They hadn't expected him to be so sharp with words too!

Every word struck where it hurt!

This involved the previous Hokage: the current Hokage's teacher, one of Konoha's founders, the man who had personally raised him to the Hokage Position—Tobirama Senju.

How could Hiruzen Sarutobi answer?

Agree?

Then what was the point of today's meeting?

Disagree?

On what grounds? If word got out that he meant to overturn the Second Hokage's policy, his reputation would be ruined...

He, Hiruzen Sarutobi, had enjoyed a lifetime of respect. Would he stain his name now, at the end?

No!

Absolutely not!

So.

Hiruzen Sarutobi chose not to argue with Shinji and changed the subject. "...We're in a meeting. Stop twisting my words!"

"Twisting your words?"

Shinji looked from side to side, puzzled. "Does Lord Third Hokage think that recounting the Second Hokage's achievements and policies is just me arguing for the sake of it?"

"Enough!"

Sarutobi spoke sharply. "The circumstances when my teacher set those rules were nothing like they are today. He taught us that even the hardest stone wears down to sand over time. A village's rules cannot remain unchanged forever!"

"You can't judge the situation our village faces today by policies made when Konoha was founded! You Uchiha were the first to defy my teacher's wishes and do as you pleased in the village!"

"First you appointed a Police Force Minister among yourselves. Then you created a new department and formed a new force, treating the Konoha Military Police Force as the Uchiha Clan's private institution! Isn't that sowing division? Isn't that a betrayal of my teacher's wishes? Is this how you repay everything he did for you?"

"Even if my teacher were here, he would never stand by and let it happen!"

The Clan Leaders nodded to themselves.

Sarutobi's rebuttal had recovered some of his standing, but...

Shinji was no easy opponent. How would he respond?

In any case.

They agreed on one thing: negotiate if they could. If they couldn't...

They still couldn't let the talks fall apart!

Clap, clap, clap!

Shinji applauded lightly and smiled. "Lord Third Hokage is right! No rule stays the same forever! So what's wrong with the Uchiha reforming the Konoha Military Police Force that the Second Hokage entrusted to us? We created a new, active department and formed an armed unit under the police force to meet the turmoil now sweeping the Shinobi World. We're adapting. What's wrong with that?"

"Enough—!"

From the corner, Danzo suddenly spoke. "Sharp-tongued brat. I have no time to listen to you argue. Today, you must give us an explanation—give everyone in the village an explanation! What exactly are you trying to do?"

"Oh?"

Shinji raised an eyebrow. "What explanation do I owe the village?"

Shimura Danzō spoke in a grave voice, full of righteous conviction. "Rest assured, we won't break the unspoken rules everyone knows and interfere in your clan's internal affairs. But this time you've gone too far. I've sent someone to bring Clan Leader Fugaku here. Once he arrives..."

“First, Uchiha Fugaku is no longer the Clan Head. Second...”

Shinji rose with a hand on the table. His smile vanished, and his tone turned strange. "Who the hell are you to demand an... explanation from me?"

Danzo flew into a rage. "You inherently evil Uchiha brat! I'll—"

"Shut up!!!"

Shinji's cold shout cut Danzo off.

Everyone stiffened. They had heard the sudden chill in Shinji Uchiha's voice. His easy banter was gone.

They exchanged glances.

Something about the way Shinji Uchiha and Danzo faced each other felt deeply wrong.

"You old dog! You want an explanation from me?"

"Hahahahaha—!"

Shinji suddenly threw back his head and laughed. His face twisted, all trace of his usual refinement and grace gone!

Smack!

He pressed a palm over his face.

Then he slowly dragged it down, revealing a pair of scarlet Three Tomoe Sharingan.

"I... have wanted an explanation from Elder Danzo too. For a very long time. Ever since the Nine-Tails attacked, right up... to this moment!"

!!!

Hiruzen Sarutobi's heart lurched.

He looked at Danzo without thinking.

Danzo looked back at Hiruzen Sarutobi, his eyes dark with fury. The blame in them was unmistakable: Hiruzen had hesitated. If he had eliminated this threat sooner, they would not be facing this trouble now!

Some of the Clan Leaders looked baffled. Others silently counted back the years...

Then realization struck.

Back then.

The Third Hokage had ordered ANBU to surround the Uchiha Clan's compound and strictly forbidden any Uchiha from leaving without permission... But in truth.

Anyone with eyes could see.

Danzo had had a hand in it!

Hyuga Hiashi stared at Shinji Uchiha's sudden outburst and let out a quiet sigh. He glanced at Hiruzen Sarutobi.

Then he lowered his head and said nothing.

Outside the office door.

Kakashi Hatake leaned against the wall, his eyes lowered. No one could tell what he was thinking.

Hiruzen Sarutobi coughed, composed himself, and said gently, "Shinji, what happened back then was an accident. It's over."

"Over?"

Shinji's eyes were bloodred, yet he wore a gentle smile. "You're right. I thought I could let it go too. After all... people die every day in this Shinobi World. Every moment, someone loses their parents, loses family. Whether you're three, seven, twelve, twenty, or fifty, anyone can die in this chaotic world, where wars start for no reason. So losing both my parents seemed reasonable enough, didn't it?"

"I thought I could accept it!"

Shinji raised his head and fixed his scarlet eyes on Danzo. "But I was wrong. Every time I see that ugly face of yours, I remember the first thing I saw when I opened my eyes in this world: a young couple beside themselves with joy. Why were they so happy? Later, I realized... their child had just been born."

"Of course, they could have died... If they'd died on a battlefield, I would have had nothing to say."

"But they didn't... They died in the village! They died at the hands of their own people!!!"

Hiruzen Sarutobi's eyes widened.

Shimura Danzō went pale with shock. He dropped his gaze, not daring to meet Shinji's eyes.

The Clan Leaders stiffened.

None of them could make sense of the strange things Shinji Uchiha was saying, but they understood that his emotions were surging!

Because...

Before everyone's eyes, the Three Tomoe in Shinji Uchiha's eyes gradually merged into a field of black, slowly...

Forming an intricate, mysterious pattern!