Chapter 14: Elder Setsuna Did Not Lose Face for the Uchiha

The meeting in the Hokage Office concluded, and Sarutobi Hiruzen walked to the Hokage balcony, lighting his pipe once again.

Ever since the Third Hokage's wife sacrificed herself, he had been smoking more and more frequently, his pipe almost never leaving his hand.

Looking at the Uchiha Clan Compound not far away, Sarutobi Hiruzen exhaled a puff of smoke and asked, "Tell me, what kind of decision do you think Uchiha Fugaku has made?"

Shimura Danzo appeared from the shadows but did not answer Sarutobi Hiruzen's question: "Are you not going to handle the trouble with the Sarutobi Clan?"

Sarutobi Hiruzen replied, "Shinnosuke is listening in at the office; that child will handle it for me."

Shimura Danzo was taken aback: "Your eldest son is listening in?"

"I actually didn't even notice him; that child's strength is truly impressive."

"With an eldest son capable of succeeding you, it's no wonder you weren't very angry when that brat Asuma made a fuss about wanting to be a dog for the Daimyo."

Sarutobi Hiruzen nearly crushed his pipe stem: "Do not mention that rebellious son's name, my blood pressure is high!"

Shimura Danzo said indifferently: "Fine, let's get back to the matter of Fugaku."

"I don't think there's any need to worry at all. Given the brains and habits of the Uchiha, no matter what evidence they find, they will only come directly to you for a confrontation."

"When that time comes, just don't say anything, and leave everything to me."

Sarutobi Hiruzen revealed a smile: "Danzo, it's fortunate I have you; otherwise, I really wouldn't know what to do."

Shimura Danzo gave a haughty cold snort: "Everything I do is for Konohagakure!"

【Namikaze Minato is dead; it should be my turn, Shimura Danzo, to become Hokage. I will absolutely not tolerate the naturally evil Uchiha causing trouble!】

Shimura Danzo's inner thoughts were not spoken aloud, but Sarutobi Hiruzen had known him for fifty years; one glance at his expression was enough to know what his old classmate was thinking.

【Tsk, I'm truly sorry, Danzo.】

【Your personality is too dark, and your methods are too unscrupulous. Letting you become the Hokage of Konoha would inevitably drag Konohagakure into endless war.】

【I will not let you become Hokage!】

In the night, the two old men, whose faces were together but whose hearts were apart, each pondered their own thoughts while silently watching the brightly lit core buildings of the Uchiha Clan Compound.

That building was the Uchiha meeting room.

At this moment, Uchiha Fugaku and the elders had already finalized their plan and collected evidence of the Sarutobi, Shimura, Utatane, and Mitokado clans seizing villagers' properties.

Once their thinking was opened up, the Uchiha found that collecting evidence was actually quite simple.

As long as they took out the maps backed up by the Military Police Force and compared them with the new maps after the buildings were rebuilt, it was clear that they were not just repaired structures.

The Military Police Force also had archives of property transactions; confirming that the new buildings had no purchase or transfer procedures was evidence of seizing property through illegal means.

This made Uchiha Fugaku very happy, believing that this wave was completely secure.

But the elder Uchiha Setsuna spoke up and asked: "Clan Leader Fugaku, if—and I mean if—Sarutobi Hiruzen flatly denies it and refuses to acknowledge this evidence, what then?"

Fugaku waved his hand: "Eh, don't slander the Third Hokage like that; he is not a man who would lie with his eyes open."

Setsuna sneered: "Is the Clan Leader intending to vouch for Sarutobi Hiruzen?"

"Fine, I believe you!"

After the meeting dispersed, the elder Uchiha Sifang asked: "Setsuna, what did you mean by your final words?"

Uchiha Setsuna said: "I regret choosing Fugaku as our Clan Leader..."

"I never imagined that Uchiha Fugaku could be so foolish!"

"Sarutobi Hiruzen never tells lies, but when has he ever not just kept his mouth shut and let Shimura Danzo jump out to stir up trouble?"

"Only after Danzo has completely muddied the waters will he step out to act as the peacemaker, causing us Uchiha to suffer losses without a sound."

"This trick of playing the bad cop and the good cop has been played in front of Fugaku so many times, yet he still believes in Sarutobi Hiruzen!"

Uchiha Sifang frowned: "This time we have obtained solid, concrete evidence..."

Uchiha Setsuna countered: "Do you mean to say we didn't have evidence in the previous conflicts?"

"Those who seized the villagers' properties were all from Sarutobi Hiruzen's clan; even if they were to be convicted, they would be the ones executing the judgment. How would we know what the final result was?"

Elder Sifang thought for a moment and said: "Setsuna, do you have any ideas?"

Uchiha Setsuna said: "I remember mentioning two things tonight: the Sarutobi Clan seizing property and the Shanty Town."

"Didn't Fugaku say that place is a hell?"

"Good! We will dig up that hell and place it in front of everyone, letting them see with their own eyes what hell looks like!"

"I have an idea: tonight, we will send people to raid the Shanty Town, clean it out completely, and see what the situation is inside."

"The Shanty Town is under the responsibility of Root ninja; as long as we find problems, Shimura Danzo will not be able to escape the blame!"

"Even if we can't make Sarutobi Hiruzen stumble this time, I would feel satisfied if we could take down Shimura Danzo."

Uchiha Sifang closed his eyes and thought for a while, then suddenly opened them: "Good! I support you!"

Half an hour later, four elite Uchiha squads assembled and quietly sneaked toward the northeast corner of Konohagakure.

The actions of the two Uchiha elders were very sudden, and no one had anticipated them, but their operation did not achieve success.

Twelve Uchiha ninja—four Jonin with Three-Tomoe Sharingan and eight Chunin with Two-Tomoe Sharingan—easily broke through the obstruction of the Root ninja.

The combat power of the Uchiha was beyond doubt, but they had not expected that the Sharingan Genjutsu they took such pride in would have its effectiveness greatly reduced on these Root ninja.

The planned secret infiltration after controlling the guards thus turned into a fierce battle.

The Root ninja were indeed worthy of being tools; upon confirming they could not stop the Uchiha ninja, they immediately resorted to mutual destruction, using the Fire Style: Great Fireball Technique, which had great destructive power and caused a huge commotion.

The fireballs exploding continuously outside the Shanty Town walls shook the entire Konohagakure.

Less than ten days after the Nine-Tails Incident, the nerves of everyone in Konohagakure were stretched to the limit, and the village was in a state of extreme paranoia.

The massive explosion instantly drew the patrolling Anbu ninja, followed by elite ninja from various clans; the vigilant civilian ninja were only half a beat slower.

In just a few short minutes, over a hundred Jonin had gathered outside the Shanty Town.

The Third Hokage, Sarutobi Hiruzen, also arrived, and he and the bewildered Uchiha Fugaku stared at each other.

Shimura Danzo arrived with a large group of Root ninja, and upon confirming that the Uchiha had not breached the walls, he immediately felt relieved and raised his chin high.

"Naturally evil Uchiha, are you trying to rebel!"

Just at this moment, Uchiha Setsuna also arrived; this old thing who dared to talk back to the Second Hokage was not about to indulge Shimura Danzo, and he opened his mouth without losing any face for the Uchiha clan.

"Shimura Danzo! I 【expletive】 your mother!"

"You sonless eunuch dog! You piece of trash who can't beat the enemy and only knows how to bully your own people, what do you have to be so arrogant about!"

"You 【expletive】 just flap your lips together and claim that we Uchiha are rebelling; do you think you're the Hokage?"