Early in the morning, as the sun rose, a new day began in Konoha. 𝚏𝕣𝕖𝚎𝚠𝚎𝚋𝚗𝐨𝐯𝕖𝕝.𝕔𝐨𝕞

Sarutobi Hiruzen strolled slowly through the village streets, warmly greeting the villagers as he passed. Everything seemed peaceful on the surface.

But as he reached the Hokage Building, his right eyelid twitched involuntarily. A strange unease crept up his spine—a foreboding sense of dread.

He climbed the stairs and pushed open the door to the Hokage’s office.

His eyes widened.

The Hokage’s chair was turned away, and just as he stepped forward, it slowly spun around—revealing the last person he wanted to see sitting in it.

Danzo.

Danzo didn’t stand, didn’t speak right away. He simply leaned back with cold arrogance in his expression, his only movement the slight narrowing of his eyes as they locked onto Hiruzen.

Something was off. Danzo wasn’t acting like himself.

Before Hiruzen could question him, Danzo broke the silence.

"Hiruzen, the Root base was attacked last night. Every operative stationed there... is dead."

Danzo stood and pushed the chair aside, gesturing for Hiruzen to sit.

The news hit Hiruzen like a kunai to the chest. Anger flared across his face.

"Did the perpetrators leave any message? I swear I’ll bring them to justice!"

This wasn’t Danzo’s rage—it was Hiruzen’s. Despite their rivalry, despite Danzo’s dark methods, they had once been comrades. Brothers-in-arms.

He had overlooked so much—turning a blind eye to Danzo’s crimes, even when Danzo had sent assassins after him. He had scolded and suppressed him but never punished him.

Now, with Root decimated, Hiruzen felt compelled to act. Justice had to be served.

Danzo’s lips curled into a sneer.

"The ones responsible were Uchiha Hikaru, Uchiha Fugaku, and Uchiha Itachi."

"I’ve warned you again and again—the Uchiha have long harbored treason in their hearts. But you refused to believe me."

"What a tragedy! Root’s loyal shinobi, dead not by enemy hands, but slaughtered by their own villagers! Disgraceful!"

Danzo’s anger rose with each word until he slammed the desk, scattering documents to the floor.

Hiruzen’s face grew pale as he processed the names. But logic forced him to question it.

"Hikaru, Fugaku, and Itachi... how could just three of them wipe out an entire Root base? That includes more than thirty elite Jonin and Special Jonin!"

"Impossible. Your intelligence must be wrong!"

Hiruzen tried to cling to reason. He wanted to believe it wasn’t true.

Danzo stepped closer, gaze sharp and deliberate.

"If they were just three ordinary Uchiha, it would be impossible."

"But one survivor from Root saw it with his own eyes—Uchiha Hikaru’s Sharingan wasn’t just three tomoe. It was a special pattern."

The words struck Hiruzen like thunder.

His mind flashed back to the legends—the forbidden Uchiha feared throughout history. The man said to rival the First Hokage himself: Uchiha Madara.

The image of a colossal blue Tengu-like figure surged into his mind.

In that legendary battle, Madara had been defeated, but Senju Hashirama had sustained fatal injuries and died shortly afterward.

And Madara’s power—derived from the god-like Mangekyō Sharingan.

Hiruzen did not know that Madara had possessed the Eternal Mangekyō.

But if Hikaru had awakened the same kind of terrifying power, then he could surpass even the White Fang of Konoha.

Danzo saw the fear in Hiruzen’s eyes—and he relished it.

Yes. That’s the look.

Let him fear. Let him turn on the Uchiha. Then Danzo would claim the Mangekyō Sharingan for himself. Konoha would be his—and then the entire shinobi world.

He imagined himself riding a Susanoo, wielding Mokuton, leveling entire nations. Maybe even subduing the Great Buddha itself.

"Hiruzen, do you understand now? I was right all along. The Uchiha Police reform was a smokescreen."

"They tricked us into lowering our guard. And now that we trust them, they deliver the killing blow. The entire village is in danger!"

"If not for the survivor, even I would’ve believed the Uchiha’s innocent facade!"

Danzo leaned in with a cold, persuasive tone.

This wasn’t like the confrontation with Jiraiya. Now, Hiruzen’s heart was gripped by doubt and fear. Hikaru’s sincerity had moved him once—but that flicker of trust was burning out.

Hiruzen stared down at the Hokage’s desk, haunted by the words of the Second Hokage.

"Monkey... I could never solve the Uchiha issue. The police force is a pressure cooker. Ten, twenty years... it will explode."

He forgot the second half of Tobirama’s words:

"You must resolve it properly. That’s why I took Uchiha Kagami as my student. I hoped he could be a bridge... I failed to fulfill my brother’s wish. I entrust it to you, the Third Hokage."

But Hiruzen remembered only his title: Sandaime Hokage. He was the leader of Konoha. If the Uchiha could wipe out Root today, they could eliminate ANBU tomorrow. Assassinate the Hokage the day after.

"Danzo," he said grimly, "gather the remaining Root operatives. I’ll call in the Hokage Guard and ANBU. Once assembled, they’ll be on standby."

"I’ll summon Uchiha Hikaru and Uchiha Fugaku to the Forest of Death."

"If they can’t give us a satisfactory explanation... we’ll eliminate them. And we’ll begin the purge of the Uchiha Clan."

His face was devoid of the warmth he once showed. The tears he’d shed during the Police Department’s celebration were forgotten.

Now, there was only fear—and the hunger to retain power

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Send Power Stones

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