Disclaimer: Naruto and all of its character belong to Masashi Kishimoto. I own nothing but the original characters I make.
Chapter 44: Suspect Is Danzo
Even though Raiken had already stated his demand to the Senju Clan, he knew deep down that this matter could not be settled by his words alone or the approval from Senju Clan and Lady Mito.
It required approval from the Hokage. Politics, after all, was a battlefield not of steel and blood, but of wit and persuasion. Whoever could sound more reasonable, more righteous, would emerge victorious.
Unless one controlled the economy. With gold and influence, one could maneuver the outcome even if reason was on the other side. But the Uzumaki Clan did not yet hold such strength. Raiken new shop in Konoha had just begun to flourish, generating 5 million ryo revenue daily, but compared to the wealth and reach of the Sarutobi, Shimura, and Nara, it was still nothing. To topple Konoha economic foundation was a dream far from reality.
That was why Raiken had chosen his path carefully. He first informed the Senju Clan, the closest clan to the Uzumaki by blood and marriage. Their reaction was unexpected especially from Senju Ren, luckily the other two Senju are more incline on agreeing with him. Luckily he now had also included the Uchiha Clan, weaving ties of shared interest. Only then could he prepare to face the Hokage.
"Go and inform Hokage-sama about the intruder," Raiken ordered Uzumaki Hiroki.
Hiroki, standing at attention, gave a quick nod. "Yes, Clan Leader."
In the next instant, his figure vanished in a blur, leaving only the faint rustle, he just used instantaneous move. He sped through the village rooftops like hopped toward the Hokage office.
---Hokage Office---
"Hokage-sama!" greeted Hiroki upon given permission to meet the Hokage. "We have found the intruder who may have leaked information to our enemies."
"What?" Sarutobi Hiruzen, the Hokage froze upon hearing the news, his expression tightening at once. The scroll in his hand nearly slipped, and the atmosphere in the room shifted. Koharu Utatane and Homura Mitokado, who were present, exchanged alarmed glances.
The word intruder are not expected by them and furthermore Konoha was a fortress of shinobi, how could an intruder slip past their defenses unnoticed?
"What do you mean by intruder?" Hiruzen demanded. His voice was calm but to those whi know him will know he is slightly panic.
Hiroki gave a detailed account on what just happened at Uzumaki residence. He explained about the strange white-bodied enemy who had infiltrated the Uzumaki residence, the attempt to flee, and how they were ultimately forced to kill him to prevent them from escape. But he carefully withheld one key fact, the existence of the sealing barrier detection. That was the Uzumaki Clan treasure and even allies did not need to know everything.
"You are saying," Hiruzen pressed, "that even after killing this intruder, you could not identify him?"
"Yes, Hokage-sama," Hiroki replied firmly. "But our clan leader suspects that this intruder was the same type of enemy who once leaked information about the Uzumaki Clan… and may even be tied to the fall of Uzushiogakure."
The mention of Uzushiogakure made the room fall into a heavy silence. Hiruzen exchanged grim looks with Koharu and Homura, who both gave subtle nods.
"Where is the intruder body now?" the Hokage asked.
"In our clan residence," Hiroki answered.
"Then show me the way," Hiruzen said immediately. He turned to his ANBU guard. "Send word to Danzo. He must be informed."
Five ANBU masked shinobi appeared silently at his side, ready to follow. Koharu and Homura also rose, clearly unwilling to be left behind in a matter that touched both the Senju and the Uzumaki.
And so, with Hiroki leading, the Hokage and his subordinate made their way swiftly toward the Uzumaki residence.
---Suspicion---
When the Hokage entered the Uzumaki hall, he was startled to see familiar figures already present. Lady Mito herself stood there, flanked by three elders of the Senju Clan, Haruto, Takeshi, and Ren. Their presence immediately made the situation more complicated.
"Lady Mito," Hiruzen greeted respectfully. Koharu and Homura followed suit.
Mito acknowledged them with a nod, her expression unreadable.
"This," Hiroki declared, pointing to the pale corpse lying, "is the intruder."
The Hokage and his advisors stepped closer. Their eyes widened as they touching the body. The figure was unlike anything they had ever seen, white from head to toe, with an unnatural, almost plant-like texture to its flesh. It resembled neither man nor beast, clan nor bloodline they could identify.
Now it was clear why the Uzumaki had claimed they could not determine the intruder origin. The body itself was something that they never wood style chakra.
Koharu face darkened. "Hiruzen… this is Wood Style."
The words fell like a thunderclap.
Hiruzen breath caught heavily. He stared harder, pressing his hand against the cold skin of the corpse and then channeled the chakra.
Yes. It was unmistakable. The faint remnants of wood style chakra,
"This cannot be…" Hiruzen whispered, his chest heavy.
If the Uzumaki had discovered the intruder who possessed wood style here, they might suspect him. No wonder Lady Mito had personally come. She must suspect the worst. And if she suspected… then perhaps she suspected him.
Not just him. Koharu and Homura faces betrayed unease as well. As disciples of the Second Hokage, they knew the truth. Tobirama Senju had indeed conducted experiments with Hashirama cells. Those experiments had been deemed failures, dangerous and forbidden.
But now, staring at the white-bodied intruder pulsing faintly with Wood Style chakra, both Koharu and Homura thoughts twisted toward the same dark suspicion.
Could it be… that Hiruzen or Danzo had secretly continued those experiments?
The possibility made them glance sideways at their old comrade, doubt flickering in their eyes.
Meanwhile, Hiruzen himself was suspecting Danzo. He had granted his old friend a freedom in his root division, So in terms of research, it is possible that Danzo had done it. But the idea that Danzo might have begun Wood Style experiments behind his back made him feel betrayed.
How dare he? How dare Danzo conduct such experiments without informing me, Hiruzen thought bitterly.
But before he could voice his word, Mito voice cut through.
"Hiruzen," she asked firmly, her gaze sharp as a blade, "did you begin Wood Style research again?"
Author Notes: To read advanced chapter you can go to my patreon.
Chapter 73: The Entertainment
Chapter 74: The Chain Of Corruption
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