Chapter 24: You and I Know It Well

"Take Uchiha Nanshu to the interrogation room. You must uncover the cause and effect of this matter to give the Cloud Ninja a satisfactory explanation."

There was not a trace of expression on Danzo's face, and he had long since ignored Nanshu's existence, shifting his gaze to others instead.

With the assistance of the Hyuga, Uchiha Nanshu was already doomed to die. Danzo did not have much emotion for a man about to die, but he was very interested in the power represented behind the dead man—this was also why Danzo wanted to take Nanshu back to the Root interrogation room. As long as he was brought back, the rest would be up to him, and any rebuttal from the Uchiha would be meaningless.

Watching the two subordinates closing in on Nanshu, it was actually more like Danzo was pressing step by step toward the Uchiha. The former's gaze was cold, revealing a chilling murderous intent, while the latter's entire body surged with an aura like a powder keg ready to explode at the slightest touch.

Danzo grinned as if mocking, but his eyes were full of malice.

Take down this Uchiha brat, and then use this brat's head to pry open the Uchiha family's heart of rebellion. The day you start a rebellion is the day you become enemies with all of Konoha. Perhaps Konoha will suffer huge losses, but the final victory will inevitably belong to me, and then after quelling you troublemakers...

Danzo quietly focused his gaze on the Hokage's face; that ambitious look was already self-evident.

The Hokage frowned, his gaze wandering back and forth between Danzo, the Hyuga, and the Cloud Ninja.

Although Danzo's seemingly secretive actions had actually been seen through by him long ago, he did not stop this conspiracy against the Uchiha the moment he came to his senses, but instead remained silent and watched the changes.

Deep down, Sarutobi was indeed unwilling to see the Hyuga Clan suffer losses, especially when the situation within the village was unstable. The support of the Hyuga Clan and the other small families behind them was particularly important to the Hokage, and for the Uchiha Clan, the Hyuga were also an important ballast.

But conversely, forcing the Uchiha like this would inevitably make them desperate, and Danzo's plan might backfire.

At this moment, countless thoughts flashed through the Hokage's mind, corresponding one by one and then comprehensively judging, finally deciding which interest was most beneficial to Konoha.

Thus, after careful consideration and judgment, the Hokage, who had already gently wanted to stand up, sat back down again. ………………

Watching the Hokage's demeanor of having seen through all the truth yet remaining silent, a wave of disgust could not help but rise from the bottom of Danzo's heart.

Still as hypocritical as ever. If it were you, you could easily overturn everything, but when you knew clearly that I was colluding with the Hyuga and the Cloud Ninja to shift the conflict to the Uchiha, you still chose to remain silent.

In my view, there is no difference between you and me. Whether it is the means or the goal, you and I are actually two sides of the same coin. My actions have never left your sight, and you are almost fully aware of what I have done.

So you clearly saw through my thoughts yet remained silent, because you know that what I am doing is the most beneficial choice for the village—the "dark means" that you would absolutely never choose, or even if you did, you would find ways to make me push them forward. You are always high and mighty, keeping yourself clean, while all the dark schemes and despicable infamy are borne by me. That is why I became the "Root" forever buried deep underground.

Sarutobi, for a long time you have been the light of the village, while I can only hide underground as the dark side of the village. You are like the sun, looked up to by the people in the village, while I can only stay quietly underground, silently watching everything. Sarutobi, can you understand? Actually, I once fantasized about walking in the sunlight myself. If Teacher Nidaimei had chosen me instead of you back then, perhaps the result would have been very different.

However, for now, just sit there and continue to put on your weak and easily bullied disguise. Watch carefully how I, Shimura Danzo, do things. I will make you and the teacher clearly understand that compared to you, Sarutobi, I, Shimura Danzo, am the best candidate for Hokage! …………

Nanshu's expression gradually changed from anger to silence, the waves in his heart no longer surging, replaced by a gaze as cold as an iceberg.

"That is enough, Nanshu."

Just as Nanshu was in crisis, a large hand quietly pressed on Nanshu's shoulder, and at the same time, Fugaku's voice reached his ears.

Fugaku stood in front of the Root members. He just swept his eyes over the two, and the two Root members immediately trembled all over and could not move, standing stiffly in place like rigid puppets. The Uchiha's Three Tomoe are not very prominent in anime, but in reality, they possess extremely terrifying suppressive power.

Of course, Fugaku's eyes are indeed different.

"Step back."

Fugaku knew that continuing would only let the Uchiha, let the young man before him, suffer more humiliation.

"……Yes."

After Nanshu retreated unwillingly, Fugaku raised his head to look at the Hokage. What was the stance of the Hokage, who had not spoken from beginning to end?

If even the Hokage expressed support, then there was no need for this meeting to continue; they could just move to take down Uchiha Nanshu directly.

But the Hokage knew well that this move would inevitably completely enrage the entire Uchiha Clan. As the final ballast of the entire meeting, he would not easily reveal his attitude until the last moment, so that he could still come out to clean up the mess if the situation became uncontrollable.

At the same time, the Hokage also happened to lower his head to look at Fugaku. The two's gazes crossed in mid-air. Although there was no expression on either of their faces, they seemed to have understood something.

Fugaku spoke to everyone in the meeting room: "Excuse me, everyone. Young people are just hot-blooded and cannot stand being wronged. I apologize deeply to everyone present on his behalf for the rude behavior just now."

Having said that, Fugaku stood up from his seat and bowed to everyone to apologize.

The people in the meeting room turned their gazes to this Clan Head one after another. Standing in the middle of the room with his head bowed in apology, the long bangs on both sides of the Clan Head's face obscured his expression. Although he seemed to have lowered his arrogant head, he still exuded an oppressive force that could not be ignored. As the other party slowly stood up, this feeling of being unable to breathe, as if even the air were suffocating, became even clearer.

Those Three Tomoe exuding a scarlet glow made everyone who met his gaze subconsciously feel a chill; the more timid a person was, the more afraid they were. When those eyes swept over the Cloud Shinobi, a terrifying aura instantly enveloped everyone. The Cloud Shinobi were like small animals that had been frightened, instinctively tensing their nerves and muscles in an instant, their entire bodies surging with chakra, each of them staring at Fugaku with nervous expressions.

"Is this... really the oppressive power that Three Tomoe should have?"

Baton was no exception; he quietly clenched his fists, his forehead covered in cold sweat oozing out from fear.

He had seen Uchiha, and he had seen the Sharingan with Three Tomoe.

But it was the first time he had felt like falling into an abyss, his whole body stiff and unable to exert even a bit of strength, just from a single glance from Fugaku. In front of those eyes, he felt a sense of despair that no matter how he struggled, it was a dead end. Moreover, looking at Fugaku's eyes gave him an ominous feeling that he would immediately sink into them if he were not careful, which was a world of difference from the Sharingan he had seen in the past.

Blood...

A blood-red world...

I... seem to have seen... in the sky...

Cold sweat flowed down Baton's cheek to his chin.

Drip.

A bead of sweat dripped onto the floor, splashing into countless water droplets.

——！？

In an instant, all the oppressive feeling suddenly disappeared.

As if a throat that had been gripped by someone had suddenly been released, the Cloud Shinobi returned to their senses one after another, pale-faced and gasping for breath. At the same time, they finally realized that just a moment ago they had fallen into Fugaku's mental world. But what was even more chilling was that Fugaku had not used any genjutsu at all; he had wiped them all out just by relying on his ocular power.

"Do not look into his eyes!"

Baton, with a lingering fear, instinctively took a step back and gritted his teeth to give the order. He knew this was Fugaku's retaliatory action against the Cloud Shinobi. He was not a small character like Nanshu whom the Cloud Shinobi could slander at will.

Fugaku withdrew his gaze.

After the test just now, he had already determined that the strength of these Cloud Ninja was not worth mentioning at all.

Watching Fugaku, who was directly demonstrating against the Cloud Ninja, a flash of malice crossed Danzo's eyes.

"Fugaku—at this point, what else do you want to defend for that sinner?"

Hearing this, Fugaku raised his head to look at Danzo, and that familiar oppressive feeling struck again.

"Step back." Danzo waved his hand to dismiss the Root members blocking in front of him. These two, as well as the other Root members who were stirring in the dark, all revealed murderous intent the moment they felt that threat. The already oppressive meeting room became even more terrifying in the face of Fugaku's oppressive feeling and the Root's murderous intent. The conflict between the two became sharper, as if they were already on the verge of losing control.