The attic floor was covered in blood.
Danzo clutched his agonizing chest and leaned against a cracked wooden pillar, panting.
Decades of painstaking work had all been buried beneath the rubble in the northwest corner.
His storeroom, his top-secret files-everything was gone.
He turned his head, his single eye glaring at the twelve suicide operatives behind him, all dressed in Uchiha police uniforms.
"Lord Danzo, our base is already gone."
"We should retreat. Hiruzen's Anbu will be surrounding the place to investigate any moment now."
The squad captain lowered his head and quietly urged him to reconsider.
Danzo shoved the captain aside.
"Retreat?"
"Where am I supposed to retreat to now?"
"Tens of millions of ryo gone, my base blown to pieces-I've become the laughingstock of all Konoha!"
"Will that old bleeding heart Hiruzen protect me? He'll only kick me while I'm down!"
Danzo pointed at the bustling main viewing stand on South Street, his expression grim.
"I have no way out."
"Go. Carry out the original plan!"
The captain froze for a moment.
"But, my lord, the Explosive Tags never went off in the stands."
"South Street is full of civilians, guards, and diplomatic missions from other villages now."
"If we charge straight in to assassinate the Daimyo, our chances of success are far too low."
Danzo backhanded the captain across the face.
The sharp slap echoed through the attic.
"Idiot!"
"Who told you to assassinate him?"
"What are you wearing? The uniforms of the Konoha Military Police Force!"
"All you need to do is charge in, draw your swords, and swing at the Daimyo."
"Even if you can't hit him, as long as you attack in front of everyone, the Uchiha will never clear their name!"
"The charge of treason will be proven on the spot!"
"**Go! I