The Uchiha and Sarutobi Clans Are Different!

Inside the Hokage's office in the Hokage Building.

Shikaku Nara held a newly delivered intelligence report, his expression grim.

"Lord Fifth, something has happened."

"Danzo has broken out of prison and escaped!"

Shikaku Nara walked up to the desk and spoke in an extremely grave voice.

Hearing the news, Gengetsu, who sat in the Hokage's seat, frowned as well, surprise appearing on his face.

During this time, Gengetsu had been busy with the transfer of power within Konoha and the follow-up matters concerning the Daimyō's Residence, so he had paid no attention to Shimura Danzō, who was being held in prison.

After all, as far as Gengetsu was concerned, he had already completely destroyed and stripped away the Hashirama cells transplanted into Danzo's body and the armful of Sharingan.

A decrepit old man who had lost Wood Release and Sharingan, along with an arm, could hardly cause any trouble.

He had never expected Danzo to actually defect from Konoha.

"Lord Fifth!"

"Shimura Danzō was utterly vicious. He killed every ninja guarding the prison and defected straight out of Konoha!"

Shikaku Nara continued through gritted teeth.

Clearly, Shikaku Nara also deeply despised rogue ninja.

What was more, Shimura Danzō was no ordinary criminal. He still faced charges of releasing the Nine-Tails, killing the Fourth Hokage, and destroying the village.

Now that Shimura Danzō had killed people and broken out of prison, didn't that definitively confirm those charges?

"Lord Fifth, should we issue a rogue ninja wanted notice immediately?!"

Shikaku Nara looked at Gengetsu and asked for instructions.

"Of course. Issue a wanted notice of the highest level immediately!"

"List his crimes as releasing the Nine-Tails and killing the Fourth Hokage! Inform the entire Shinobi World of his crimes!"

Gengetsu spoke without hesitation.

Danzo had already taken the blame anyway. Now that he had run off himself, this was the perfect opportunity to pin it firmly on him.

After dealing with Danzo's matter, Gengetsu's gaze fell on the casualty report on his desk. Something seemed to occur to him, and he could not help asking.

"By the way, Shikaku, have the death benefits been paid for the ninja Danzo killed while they were guarding the prison?"

Hearing Gengetsu suddenly ask about this, Shikaku Nara froze for a moment before replying.

"Uh! Lord Fifth..."

"They didn't die while carrying out a combat mission assigned by the village. They were only performing routine guard duties..."

"Besides, all of them were only Genin. Under Konoha's previous regulations, in a situation like this... they aren't eligible for death benefits."

Gengetsu's expression changed at those words, and he slammed his palm onto the desk.

"How can that be allowed?!"

"As long as they are ninja of Konoha, as long as they gave their lives working for the village, the village must never abandon them!"

"Those damned old regulations are all abolished as of today!"

"Now that I am the Fifth Hokage, I will never abandon a single Konoha ninja! Whether Jonin or Genin, their lives are all lives of Konoha!"

Gengetsu's words rang out with conviction.

Even Shikaku Nara looked at him in surprise.

In Shikaku Nara's understanding, the Uchiha Clan were all arrogant and cold, but the breadth of mind and bearing Gengetsu now displayed left him profoundly shaken.

As a Konoha ninja, who would not want the person sitting in the Hokage's seat to be a good Hokage who genuinely cared whether the lowest-ranking ninja lived or died?

Shikaku Nara drew a deep breath, suppressed his excitement, and answered loudly, "Yes, Lord Fifth! I understand!"

"Make the arrangements immediately. Skip those tedious procedures and pay out the regular death benefits at the highest rate!"

Gengetsu waved his hand and gave the order directly. "Also, have Uchiha Inabi handle this personally! Be quick!"

"As you command, Lord Fifth!"

Shikaku Nara was delighted as well. Even his steps grew much lighter as he immediately turned and hurried out to make the arrangements.

Meanwhile, in front of a dilapidated house in Konoha's civilian district.

A bleak funeral was taking place there. People dressed in black mourning clothes filled the surroundings, and subdued sobs could be heard everywhere.

The deceased was named Kawata Akaishi, one of the prison guards Danzo had killed.

He had been nothing more than an ordinary Genin, with neither a distinguished clan nor great strength. Even his death had been so quiet and unnoticed.

"How could you leave us like this? How are your child and I supposed to live...?"

Kawata Akaishi's wife knelt before the funeral altar, tears falling ceaselessly, while several relatives beside her kept wiping away their own tears.

The few low-ranking Genin who had come to offer condolences also wore sorrowful expressions.

"Ah, Akaishi was just too unlucky. All he did was go guard a gate, and he lost his life."

"Yeah. I heard there aren't even any death benefits because he didn't die on a combat mission."

"Life is just this hard for Genin like us with no backing!"

The Genin whispered among themselves, their voices filled with sorrow and helplessness.

Just then, a squad of ninja suddenly hurried over from a distance.

Everyone turned to look and saw Uchiha Inabi approaching with several Uchiha ninja.

Uchiha Inabi's eyes held the Uchiha Clan's trademark arrogance, but his expression was extremely solemn.

"What's going on?! Why are the Uchiha here?"

"Yeah! Did Akaishi get into some kind of trouble while he was alive?"

While everyone was still puzzled, Uchiha Inabi had already reached the funeral altar. Then he took out a stack of banknotes and held it out to Kawata Akaishi's wife with both hands.

"These are Kawata Akaishi's death benefits. Please accept them," Uchiha Inabi said in a ringing voice.

Everyone present froze at the sight of the banknotes in Uchiha Inabi's hands.

Even Kawata Akaishi's wife stood there stunned, not knowing what to do.

The Genin around them exchanged looks, their faces filled with disbelief.

Kawata Akaishi had only been a Genin, and his usual work had only involved guarding the prison. He did not meet Konoha's standards for death benefits at all, so how could he receive such a large sum?

Seeing everyone's confusion, Uchiha Inabi immediately announced loudly:

"Lord Fifth has said!"

"As long as someone is a Konoha ninja, Konoha will never abandon them!"

"Any Konoha ninja who gives their life for Konoha, whether Jonin or Genin, whether in combat or on a routine mission, will have their family protected by Konoha!"

As Uchiha Inabi's voice fell silent, a deathly hush settled over the gathering.

Everyone's eyes widened. They could hardly believe their ears.

Not abandon a single ninja?

As long as they gave their lives for the village, their families would receive Konoha's protection?

For Konoha Genin like them, who could lose their lives at any moment, this was nothing short of an immense blessing!

Uchiha Inabi looked at their stunned expressions, then continued shouting:

"Our Uchiha Clan is different from the Sarutobi Clan!"

"Lord Fifth won't be like those people before him, looking out only for their own clan's interests and treating you as cannon fodder to be discarded at any time!"

"Keep this safe. Lord Fifth personally ordered these death benefits paid out."

Uchiha Inabi placed the money in Kawata Akaishi's wife's hands, then waved his hand.

"Let's go! We still have to deliver death benefits to the other fallen brothers!"

Only a moment after watching Uchiha Inabi walk away did the funeral gathering suddenly erupt into discussion.

"Heavens! It's real! Lord Fifth really paid out death benefits!"

"Long live Lord Fifth! Long live the Uchiha!"

"This is wonderful! When I die, there'll be death benefits too!"

"Lord Fifth really is better!"

"I'll always be loyal to Lord Fifth!"

"..."

Not only the Konoha ninja around her, but even Kawata Akaishi's wife looked at the banknotes in her hands and repeatedly offered thanks in the direction of the Hokage Building in her excitement.

Soon, within just a few hours, news of Uchiha Inabi personally distributing death benefits spread through every street and alley of Konoha.

At the same time, the words "the Uchiha Clan is different from the Sarutobi Clan" became deeply etched in everyone's hearts.

For a time, all of Konoha was abuzz.

Every Konoha ninja, whether Genin, Chunin, or Jonin, was filled with gratitude and admiration for the Uchiha Clan and the Fifth Hokage, Gengetsu.

After all, who would not want a Hokage who always kept them in mind?

"So the Uchiha Clan really is different from the Sarutobi Clan!"

"When Hiruzen Sarutobi was Hokage, he talked about the Will of Fire every day, but when we died, he wouldn't even pay death benefits!"

"Lord Fifth is the good Hokage who truly cares about us!"

"If we'd known it would be like this, how wonderful would it have been if someone from the Uchiha Clan had become Hokage sooner!"

"Exactly! Exactly!"

"..."

For a time, Gengetsu's prestige as the Fifth Hokage among Konoha's ninja rose once again.

Meanwhile, atop the enormous Hokage Rock, at the highest point in Konoha.

Gengetsu looked down from above over the whole thriving village of Konoha.

Suddenly, a voice only he could hear sounded in his mind.

[The host's prestige in Konoha has increased! Reward obtained: Sensitive Reflexes!]

[Sensitive Reflexes: You possess exceptionally advanced neural reflexes, allowing you to perceive every minute change in your surroundings in an extremely short time and make the fastest physical response.]

As the system notification ended, Gengetsu suddenly felt a strange warmth instantly flow throughout his body and rush directly into the nerves of his brain.

Immediately afterward, Gengetsu felt his neural reflexes improve several times over in that instant.

"What a powerful ability!"

Excitement flared in Gengetsu's eyes.

Although [Sensitive Reflexes] did not directly increase his strength, it was undoubtedly an extremely formidable ability.

In a life-and-death battle between ninja, no matter how powerful one's perception was, it was useless if one's own reaction speed could not keep up.

Now that Gengetsu had [Sensitive Reflexes], his reflexes had improved immensely, allowing him to react swiftly in an extremely short time.

Just as Gengetsu was feeling excited about his newly acquired ability.

Gengetsu seemed to sense something.

"Who's there?!"

A kunai immediately appeared in Gengetsu's hand, and he stabbed behind him.