The Third Hokage was about to awaken the Sharingan too

The Third Hokage was torn. Letting Uchiha Yan die would damage Danzo's authority and that of the Hokage Building.

Letting Uchiha Jinyan and the others die would cost Konoha fighting strength. Both Jinyan and Taka had the strength of elite jonin and could turn the tide at a critical moment on the battlefield.

Just as the Third Hokage suspected, Uchiha Yan had seen this, which was why he had offered to shoulder all responsibility without any reservations.

Otherwise, he had no particularly deep attachment to either Konoha or the Uchiha, so why should he die?

Perhaps sensing the Third Hokage's dilemma, Uchiha Yan decided to pile on the pressure and prepare his escape:

"Lord Third Hokage, what are you still thinking about? Hurry up and drag me out for trial. Let the villagers drown me in their spit.

"I'm just a genin. My death won't affect the battlefield, and it'll even restore morale.

"Don't worry. I've already sent word to the clan head. He won't object, and he'll do everything he can to hold off Kumogakure's Ninja.

"Lord Third Hokage, I'm begging you! Let me die! I'm useless. Staying alive is just a waste of air and food.

"Someone like me deserves to die ten thousand times over. Lord Third Hokage, stop shielding me..."

"Shut up!"

The Third Hokage was so agitated that he could not help shouting, "What good would your death do? Would it bring those villagers back to life?"

"But if I don't die, how can we answer to the villagers and our comrades fighting on the front lines?"

"Do you need to tell me that? Do you think I don't know?"

"How about..."

Uchiha Yan cautiously glanced at the Third Hokage and the others, then lowered his voice. "How about having Jinyan and the others change their names? Then we could find a few people in the Interrogation Department to execute?

"All mission rewards earned by the Uchiha Clan and Root over the next ten years could go to the families of the villagers who died this time as compensation?

"And transfer me to the Land of Water battlefield to atone through service? I won't be allowed back to Konoha until the war ends."

"Do you think everyone else is blind? Do you think people don't know what Uchiha Jinyan looks like?"

"That's easy!"

Without a second thought, Uchiha Jinyan took out a kunai and slashed his own face. Blood sprayed onto the back of Yan's head.

Everyone stared, dumbfounded. What kind of person was this? The Third Hokage had not even made a decision, and he had already slashed himself?

Uchiha Yan touched the back of his head and turned around in bewilderment. At the sight of the scar on Jinyan's face, his Sharingan showed faint signs of advancing.

In that instant, he finally exploded and slapped Jinyan on the head:

"Could you be any stupider? Get any stupider and I'll awaken the Mangekyō Sharingan! What good is disfiguring yourself? The Hyuga Clan can identify your chakra with one look.

"I can't take it! I can't take it! Just go die! If you don't hurry up and die, word that the Uchiha Clan is full of idiots will probably spread across the entire Shinobi World.

"Are idiots like you what I risked my life to save?

"You need to go to the Land of Rain and let its endless downpours wash the dust out of your brain. Then go to the Land of Wind and use the water in your head to grow trees in the desert.

"The Second signed a contract with the Sea. Did your brain sign one with it too?"

"I've never..."

"Enough!"

Jinyan roared, "Can you stop insulting me? Keep this up and I'll awaken the Mangekyō Sharingan too!"

"Oh, go ahead! Awaken it! Show me! You're no Uchiha if you don't.

"You've lived this long, and you still don't think about the consequences before speaking or acting. What, do you live in a primitive society, or are you the only mouth in your family to feed?

"You're a jonin. How many jonin does all of Konoha have? Your death is a small matter. If Konoha loses the coming war because it's missing your strength, that's what matters.

"With that brain of yours, there's no explaining this to you!"

Hearing this, most of those present turned their eyes toward the Third Hokage. They finally understood his concerns.

Utatane Koharu could not help reminding him, "Hiruzen, us old folks can still take to the battlefield. We can't just let this slide."

Mitokado Homura chimed in as well. "Hiruzen, be decisive when a decision is needed. Kumogakure's Ninja have already finished assembling. We can't delay any longer."

Rather than answer, the Third Hokage looked at Danzo. "Danzo, what do you think?"

???????

Danzo's head filled with question marks. What was going on? Why was Monkey asking him now? He knew full well that Danzo would definitely get the Uchiha killed.

No! He wants me to make the decision, so any defeats on the battlefield later will be my fault too!

Uchiha Yan really was right. What he said made perfect sense. This monkey is truly evil!

"Hiruzen, I think we should wait until the war is over before making a decision."

"Hmm?"

Utatane Koharu's expression froze. Was this really Danzo? Had someone used the Transformation Technique?

Beside her, Mitokado Homura also stared unblinkingly at Danzo, as though trying to see straight through him.

Only the Third Hokage sighed inwardly. Uchiha Yan had put it well: to someone steeped in darkness, everyone was dark.

Just as expected of Danzo. He truly is the Darkness of Konoha!

"Yan, ultimately, this was your fault. Your life alone isn't enough to make up for Konoha's losses.

"Neither are the lives of the Uchiha clan members and Root Ninja."

"You need to give the Hokage Building an answer, give Konoha's villagers an answer, and give the Ninja on the front lines an answer."

Uchiha Yan lowered his head in thought. He knew that to survive this ordeal, he had to find a way to keep Konoha's villagers from resenting the Hokage Building while also ensuring that battlefield morale would not be affected.

Five minutes later, Uchiha Yan slowly raised his head, swept his gaze around the room, and spoke with a solemn expression:

"We can't deceive the villagers. Make the whole story public, and punish everyone involved.

"The Uchiha and Root members will go to the Land of Rain to hunt down the Fourth Hokage's killer. Until they find the killer, they can never return to the village. If they fail to find any leads within three months, execute them immediately.

"For this war, I'll head to the battlefield at once. Until the war ends, I won't leave it.

"The Uchiha and Root will bear full responsibility for the villagers' losses and all subsequent compensation."

"Why go to the Land of Rain?"

"Because of Jiraiya!"

Uchiha Yan explained, "Jiraiya's students are in the Land of Rain. With them keeping watch, these people won't be able to leave the Land of Rain at will.

"Besides, the Land of Rain borders the Land of Earth. If the other side makes any moves, we'll know in time."

"No!"

Danzo flatly refused. What a joke. Others might not understand what was going on with that Rinnegan, but how could he not? If Root Ninja went to the Land of Rain, would any of them survive?

He did not care about the lives of Root Ninja, but he could not send them to their deaths for nothing either. Training a jonin was no easy task for him.

Danzo's strange attitude aroused the Third Hokage's suspicions. This proposal offered Danzo benefits without any drawbacks. He could not understand it.

"Danzo, are you hiding something from me?"

"Nonsense! What could I possibly hide from you?"

"Then tell me why you disagree."

"If Uchiha Jinyan defects, are we supposed to send people to capture him?"

The Third Hokage glanced at Danzo and said evenly, "He won't get away. Even Kakashi is no match for Jiraiya's students.

"That's settled! We have to guard against Iwagakure, and doing this will also show the villagers that we haven't forgotten the Nine-Tails' Attack.

"Giving them three months is a chance for them to atone through service, not letting them off.

"But someone still has to die for this. Pick a few spies from Root and establish that Uchiha Yan only did this because spies from outside the village misled him.

"Also, since you want to go to the Land of Water battlefield too, you'll go this time.

"Just like Uchiha Jinyan, if you can't end the war within a year, go meet our teacher yourself."

"Hiruzen, you..."

Bang!

The Third Hokage slammed the desk, unleashing the full force of his presence:

"Danzo! It's one thing for you to act against me, but this time it was the village! Have you forgotten our teacher's teachings?

"Blame your own stupidity. If this keeps up, sooner or later I'll awaken the Sharingan. When that happens, you'll be the guilty one!"

Faced with the Third Hokage's fully unleashed presence, Danzo shot Uchiha Yan a vicious glare, then stood and left.