Hitting a Nerve

It was half a month before he saw Danzo again. The war had also broken out in full, no longer limited to probing each other for intelligence.

Learning that Uchiha Yan had not only survived but earned merit, obtaining vital intelligence about the alliance between Kumogakure and Kirigakure, only intensified Danzo's desire to kill him.

"Uchiha Yan, who gave you permission to go to the Land of Sea on your own initiative?"

Uchiha Yan looked utterly bewildered. "Lord Danzo, did you forget? You told me to investigate Kirigakure's commander-in-chief. Didn't the Third Hokage tell you what happened?"

"I received no letter from the Third! Did investigating the commander-in-chief require going to the Land of Sea? Were you trying to defect?"

"Sigh!"

Uchiha Yan rubbed his cheek, looking helpless. "Lord Danzo, you can't be this shameless.

"You claim the Third Hokage didn't send you word. Not even an idiot would believe that.

"Are you an idiot, Lord Danzo? Or are you treating everyone here like idiots?"

"How dare you!"

Thud! Thud!

Danzo struck his cane hard against the grass, producing dull thumps.

"Uchiha Yan, you'd better tell the truth, or you'll most certainly be paying Root a visit!"

"Waaah..."

Like a child, Uchiha Yan dropped butt-first onto the ground in a flying-crow pose, tears smeared all over his face.

"There's no justice! An old man is bullying a child! I'm only twelve, and I've risked my life for Konoha, only to be treated like a rogue ninja in the end.

"Boohoo... just because the Uchiha are Konoha's foremost clan, Danzo keeps targeting us. Is being strong a crime?

"Boohoo... if the Uchiha are wiped out one day, who'll be next? Lord Danzo, do you really intend to slaughter every last Uchiha?

"Boohoo... you can't just do this because the Second didn't choose you..."

"Shut up!"

Before he could finish his tearful complaint, Danzo snapped coldly, "What nonsense are you spouting? When have I ever targeted you?"

Uchiha Yan wiped away his tears, stood up, and stared straight at Danzo.

"Do you dare swear on the Hokage position? If you've deliberately targeted Uchiha Yan, you'll never become Hokage."

"Brat! Believe what you like. Now you'd better explain how you survived at the hands of the Kirigakure ninja."

?????

Uchiha Yan tilted his head, looking at Danzo as though he were an idiot.

"What's that look?! What is that look you're giving me? Bastard! Do you believe I'll kill you right now?!"

"You're not mistaken. This is how you look at an idiot!"

Uchiha Yan mocked him mercilessly. "Even an idiot could see they let me out because they wanted you to kill me. You still can't see it?

"The Second Hokage made the right choice back then. Thank goodness he didn't make you Hokage, or your stupidity would surely have destroyed Konoha.

"Sometimes I wonder why you're so confident-confident enough to believe your talents could lead Konoha to glory.

"People should know their own limits! If you don't have a mirror, at least piss and look at your reflection. If you really can't, there's plenty of seawater outside. Go take a look in that.

"Life is dull, and idiots benefit humanity. You benefit humanity in your own unique way. I, Uchiha Yan, am impressed.

"What are you glaring at? Am I wrong? Point out anything I said that was wrong!

"Sorry! I forgot animals can't understand human speech. I was asking too much of you.

"Look at your eyes. You've got a worse case of red-eye than the Uchiha Clan.

"Wow! Those whites of your eyes could rival the Hyuga Clan's cataracts. Congratulations on unlocking the Shinobi World's two most powerful ocular techniques.

"But they still can't make you evolve into a human..."

"Die!"

Enraged beyond caring, Danzo raised his cane and thrust it straight at Uchiha Yan.

Uchiha Yan had been ready for him. Gripping his kunai tightly in his right hand, he blocked hard, then retreated, his mouth still going.

"Only incompetent people try to solve problems with violence. Lord Danzo, don't you think you're becoming more and more like an Uchiha?

"How about changing your name to Uchiha Danzo? I think the Second Hokage would be happy for you in the Pure Land.

"Uchiha Danzo, you inherently evil brat, I, Tobirama Senju, have high hopes for you... mmph, mmph..."

Halfway through his words, everyone present finally recovered from their shock and rushed forward to restrain Danzo and Uchiha Yan. Hizashi even clapped a hand over Uchiha Yan's mouth.

"Lord Danzo, he's only a child. Don't hold it against him!"

"That's right! That's right! Lord Danzo, the war is what matters most right now. Once it's over, we won't object to anything you want to do."

"Uchiha Yan, I'm begging you, rein in that mouth. Do it for our sake, if nothing else."

"Hizashi, hurry up and take your subordinate away. Don't let him show up again!"

"Huff, huff..."

Uchiha Yan forcefully shook off Hizashi's hand and kept laying into Danzo.

"See that? Do you know why they're protecting me? Not because everyone loves me, but because their interests are tied to my life.

"You still won't believe me when I call you stupid. You could clearly let me off for now, secretly find someone to kill me, then call me a Kirigakure spy, and that would be the end of it.

"Even if the Uchiha Clan learned the truth, they'd have no choice but to swallow that bitter pill.

"But you just had to let me provoke you and attack me on the spot. Now, no matter whose hands I die at, the Uchiha Clan won't let you off.

"The other ninja clans won't let you off either, for the sake of the situation on the Land of Lightning battlefield. When that happens, even the Third Hokage won't be able to protect you."

With that, Uchiha Yan snickered. "Lord Danzo, you can't kill me now, unless you intend to defect and no longer want to become Hokage.

"Of course, you could also have Kirigakure ninja kill me in full view of everyone. Unfortunately, that's beyond your intelligence."

Everyone stood rooted to the spot at those words. They had thought Uchiha Yan was simply throwing caution to the wind, never expecting that this was what he had been after.

They had already received letters from their respective clan heads, telling them to protect Uchiha Yan when necessary and not let him die at Danzo's hands.

The letters made it clear that the Uchiha Clan valued Uchiha Yan greatly. Besides, he had earned such great merit that, if he really died at Danzo's hands, trouble within the Uchiha Clan would be all but inevitable.

Even without defecting, merely going through the motions without putting in any effort would be more than they could bear. The foremost ninja village in the world was Kumogakure, not Konoha. Without the Uchiha's strength, they would inevitably suffer heavy losses.

Danzo now realized it too. Ever since this brat had taken sole responsibility for the Uchiha's offenses, his standing among the Uchiha had changed.

Once he calmed down, Danzo regained his former indifference.

"Uchiha Yan, I won't touch you during the war. You have the promise of a disciple of the Second Hokage.

"But if you die at someone else's hands, don't blame me."

"Of course!"

Uchiha Yan smiled as he spoke. "In exchange, I'll give you some intelligence, Lord Danzo. The Three-Tails hasn't revived yet, but it won't be long now.

"I'm sure you'll make good use of this intelligence, Lord Danzo. Don't get muddleheaded and put a genin like me into your plans."

Danzo's eyes lit up. He really had forgotten that the Three-Tails was already dead. Judging by the time, it would revive in a year at most.

"Hizashi, I'll leave locating the Three-Tails' revival to you! Keep a close watch on Uchiha Yan. Don't let him appear at headquarters again."

"Yes!"

Everyone secretly breathed a sigh of relief. For the time being, until the Three-Tails revived, Uchiha Yan would be safe enough.

With Uchiha Yan's brains, who knew how many schemes he could devise in that time? Killing him would surely become harder and harder for Danzo.