Inside the Uchiha Clan Compound.
The only remaining shinobi elder of the Shimura Clan was now completely surrounded by a group of radical Uchiha shinobi.
One malicious gaze after another wandered up and down his figure.
"If I recall correctly," said Uchiha Setsuna, leaning on a cane, "most of the Shimura Clan's shinobi served under Root. But ever since Uchiha Keizumi started his ruthless hunt and slaughter of Root operatives… your clan's forces have been dwindling fast. The youngest of your new generation is already in their teens, isn't that right? At this point, you probably only have a handful of strays left."
Setsuna narrowed his eyes as he stared at the Shimura elder, who was about his age.
"Besides, ever since Shimura Danzō was defeated by Uchiha Keizumi last time, the Third Hokage stripped him of his leadership over Root. And he's been missing for days now."
"A dwindling clan, its leader vanished. And you think you're still worthy of forming an alliance with me?"
Uchiha Setsuna's haughty posture cast a dark shadow across the Shimura elder's face.
As expected of the Uchiha—a clan born steeped in darkness. Every single one of them radiated an aura of arrogance and menace.
"Danzō-sama hasn't disappeared," the elder retorted coldly. "He's remained in Konoha all this time. However…"
"Last night, during a shameless ambush by Uchiha Keizumi, Danzō-sama gave his life to protect the village."
"…!!!"
Setsuna froze.
In truth, news of Danzō's death had only circulated in very limited circles since the night before. It hadn't yet been made public.
Setsuna hadn't known—until this very moment, when the Shimura elder had laid it bare.
"Dead, huh… Danzō." Setsuna's weathered face twitched ever so slightly, and the corners of his mouth curled into a sneer. "Well, good riddance! Hmph… If memory serves, he was always the one who despised the Uchiha the most, wasn't he?"
The old man dropped the sneer and spoke in an icy tone.
"The very existence of Shimura Danzō meant our two clans were natural enemies. Now that he's dead, do you really think the Uchiha would suddenly forgive your lot?"
"The Shimura Clan without Danzō is one breath away from complete extinction. And with just a handful of you left, do you truly believe you have the right to speak so boldly in front of me?"
The elder clenched his fists—but this wasn't his turf, and he knew better than to lose control here.
Besides, this trip wasn't about picking a fight with Uchiha Setsuna.
His face darkened. Gritting his teeth, he growled, "But we do have a common enemy, don't we? Uchiha Keizumi! That outlier within your own clan… surely he's the greatest obstacle standing in your way!"
"If the Shimura Clan is willing to put everything on the line… just to drag Uchiha Keizumi down with us and bury him alongside Danzō-sama—would you still ignore my words then, Uchiha Setsuna?"
"Because whether it's the fall of the Shimura Clan or the death of Uchiha Keizumi—either outcome benefits you, doesn't it?"
Setsuna's murky eyes deepened, his wrinkled fingers slowly stroking the cane in his hand, its once-rough wood polished smooth from years of wear.
No doubt about it—what that old bastard from the Shimura Clan just said did stir something in him.
However…
"Hey, hey! Are you trying to sow discord within the Uchiha Clan, you old relic!?" one of the younger radical Uchiha shinobi sneered, his eyes filled with hostility as he stared down the elder of the Shimura Clan. "What do you take us for? You think we're that dumb?!"
"Shimura Danzō was the one we wanted dead the most. Now that Uchiha Keizumi has killed him, we should be thanking him! And you expect us to team up with you just to take Keizumi down? Hah! What a joke!"
"If you're gonna come here and try to stir shit up within our clan, you might as well leave your old life behind right now. This isn't some place you just walk in and out of as you please."
Another Uchiha scoffed, "An alliance with you? You think you're worthy? Let Danzō crawl back out of his grave and kneel before us—then maybe we'll consider it."
"Uchiha Keizumi, whatever else he may be, is still one of our own. And honestly, his whole 'Absolute Justice' thing? Kind of speaks to me. So why the hell would we help you take him out?"
Uchiha Setsuna: "…"
Both his old, wrinkled face and that of the Shimura elder darkened at the same time.
Because Setsuna realized something troubling—the younger radicals had completely changed their view of Uchiha Keizumi.
Yes.
He had to admit it—the Shimura elder's proposal had tempted him.
But now he was beginning to realize that his own subordinates were no longer entirely in sync with him.
Damn it!
That brat Keizumi—what the hell did he do? Had he secretly reached out to these radicals behind his back?
Setsuna's face darkened further as he fell into a swirl of suspicion and malice.
"I see now," the Shimura elder suddenly said, regaining his composure. He exhaled slowly, glanced at Uchiha Setsuna, and said flatly, "It seems you no longer have control over the hardliners in the Uchiha Clan. So that's how it is… Looks like I've come to the wrong person."
With those words, he turned as if to leave.
"Hold it right there!"
Setsuna's face turned even gloomier as he cut him off, forcing each word out from between clenched teeth.
"Did I say you could leave?"
…
Danzō—killed by Keizumi.
Uchiha Fugaku had learned this shocking news from none other than his eldest son, Uchiha Itachi.
The storm in Fugaku's heart took a full half-minute to settle before he managed to calm himself even a little.
Though Danzō had been stripped of his position among the village leadership by the Hokage…
Everyone knew that was just for show.
Given time, the Hokage would surely reinstate Danzō to a position of power. Perhaps not as Root's leader again, but definitely somewhere close to the top.
In other words, it had only been a matter of time before Danzō returned to the upper echelons of Konoha's leadership. That's why Fugaku had never once let down his guard, even during Danzō's long absence.
And yet—
That same man he had treated with such caution… was killed last night by Keizumi!
"Itachi… were you there… when it happened?" Fugaku asked at last, after who knows how long.
"No."
Uchiha Itachi spoke with an expressionless face.
"By the time I noticed Uchiha Keizumi, he had already succeeded. If I had been present at the scene, there's no way I would've let him lay a hand on Danzō-sama. However, to be precise, Keizumi only played a leading role. The one who actually carried it out… was Uchiha Izumi."
"Izumi… that girl has fully embraced [Absolute Justice]. It seems she's the only trainee from the Police Force who's stayed by Keizumi's side for this long."
Fugaku let out a dazed sigh.
"Itachi… you understand very well what it means for Danzō to be killed—and by someone connected to the Uchiha Clan, no less."
Itachi replied coolly, "Some within the shinobi clans will begin to stir because of this. They'll naively assume that the so-called Konoha leadership isn't so untouchable after all. That kind of narrow-mindedness will only lead to an irreparable disaster."
"Itachi… give me some time. Please."
Fugaku took a deep breath.
"There's no need for the future to end in tragedy. Maybe I can find a better way to resolve this."
Itachi stared deeply at Fugaku.
"Father, what you call a solution… is just patchwork."
"The only true way to resolve the conflict that's about to explode…"
"…is just one."
Fugaku opened his mouth, but no words came out. He stared at his eldest son—at once unfamiliar, and yet strangely reassuring.
In the end, all he could do was sigh silently, and repeat that same line again, powerlessly: "Itachi, give me a little time. Things between the Uchiha and Konoha haven't yet reached the point of no return."
He wasn't even sure if he could sway his son.
"But…"
In his eyes was a father's tenderness, mixed with an indescribable pain and conflict.
"If I can't resolve this… I won't try to stop you again."
"I know there's pain behind that cold expression of yours. I know that the threat you've posed to Sasuke—it's your way of showing love. You want him to grow up strong."
"Itachi, if it ever really comes to that… whatever decision you make then—I'll be proud of you."
Itachi stood in silence for a long moment, then gave a deep bow.
"Yes, Father!"
…
The incident of Danzō's death didn't seem to cause much of a stir. Hiruzen appeared to be deliberately suppressing its impact, and he never sought out Uchiha Keizumi for a direct confrontation.
After all—
As much as he hated to lose a combat asset like Danzō, his death wasn't necessarily a bad thing for the Hokage.
At the very least, that "Root" organization—once a rogue black-gloved fist that even he had trouble controlling—was now completely under his command.
And there was no longer any need to guard against Danzō suddenly snapping and pulling some absurd assassination-coup stunt again—because Danzō had a long history of attempted power grabs.
The pros and cons canceled each other out—so it was as if nothing had ever happened.
The one Hiruzen was now most worried about… was Naruto.
He had no idea just how deeply Naruto might have been "brainwashed" by Keizumi.
And whether anything he'd said to Naruto yesterday had gotten through… or not.
Does Naruto truly understand how to reconcile the Will of Fire with a sense of justice—forming a shinobi path that stands on Konoha's side?
Hiruzen Sarutobi couldn't help but feel uneasy.
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