Chapter 6: Chapter 6: Enemies Around the Hokage
"Lord Third, you're finally here." It was only now that Uchiha Miyuki, who had been silent from the beginning, spoke slowly.
"Miyuki, what exactly happened?" Sarutobi Hiruzen glanced at Danzo's half-dismantled body on the ground before asking.
"This morning, we received a mission from the village, but we were ambushed along the way." Uchiha Miyuki spoke calmly. "After we killed all the incoming ninjas, we discovered Danzo's body among the attackers."
"You're lying! How could Danzo possibly be trying to kill you?" Koharu Utatane, one of the elder advisors, immediately shouted angrily.
"No matter how you look at it, that's the truth." Uchiha Miyuki's tone remained calm. "During the battle, he revealed the Sharingan on his arm. After we took him down, believing him to be a thief who had stolen our clan's bloodline, we realized it was Elder Danzo."
"Hiruzen, don't listen to his nonsense! This is clearly the Uchiha clan framing Danzo after killing him!" Another elder, Mitokado Homura , spoke up.
"The Uchiha clan would never desecrate the body of one of their own!" An elder from the Uchiha clan, standing behind Miyuki, shouted in anger.
"What we found was not just the Sharingan." Uchiha Miyuki, unbothered by the accusations, calmly removed the Sharingan from Danzo's arm, then lifted the seal that had been placed on it. The unrestrained cells from Hashirama Senju's DNA immediately began consuming Danzo's remains, turning them into a twisted wooden stake.
"This is… Wood Style?" Some of the older ninjas recognized the phenomenon. At the same time, Uchiha Miyuki signaled to Inaho, who was standing beside him, to throw down the body of the injured Yamato.
"During the battle, we also discovered this – a ninja capable of using Wood Style. I'm sure you understand what that means without me explaining further." Uchiha Miyuki's gaze burned as he looked directly at Sarutobi Hiruzen.
"You dare desecrate the body of the First Hokage?" The voice came from one of the more conservative Uchiha elders, a man who had always held deep respect for the First Hokage. Seeing such a sight, he could not accept it.
At this moment, the ninjas on Sarutobi's side also showed signs of agitation. After all, Danzo's actions had completely trampled on their beliefs.
Sarutobi Hiruzen understood that he could no longer remain silent: "Everyone, I will have this matter investigated thoroughly. I will provide answers to all of you, but please, give me some time!"
"We can't trust them! Miyuki, lead us in rebellion! You've awakened Madara's eyes! You can surely lead the Uchiha clan to glory!" Sarutobi's words failed to quell the anger of the Uchiha clan, and immediately two members of the radical faction stepped forward, shouting loudly.
Among the crowd, Shisui and Itachi were in a hurry, but the Uchiha clansmen around them had already fallen into a state of frenzy.
The two exchanged a glance and, without a second thought, decided that they would stop this, even if it meant risking their lives.
But just then, Uchiha Miyuki suddenly turned around and shouted, "Everyone, quiet down!"
Upon hearing Miyuki's words, the Uchiha clan, who had been shouting about rebellion just moments ago, were instantly taken aback. Several of the more militant clan elders looked at Uchiha Miyuki in disbelief.
At that moment, Uchiha Miyuki's eyes, which had previously been the regular Sharingan, had transformed into the Mangekyo Sharingan. Then, without mercy, he reprimanded them, "What are you shouting for? Konoha was founded jointly by the First Hokage and Lord Madara! We were born here, grew up here; this is our homeland! We've lived on the water of the Nami river, and eaten the rice grown in the same fields as the rest of the village. We are a part of this village!"
Hearing this, both Shisui and Itachi froze for a moment. Could it be that Uchiha Miyuki didn't want to rebel?
"Clan Leader, you agree with this, don't you?" Uchiha Miyuki then turned to Uchiha Fugaku, who had been silent the entire time.
Uchiha Fugaku looked deeply at Uchiha Miyuki before stepping out of the crowd and bowing towards Sarutobi Hiruzen. "Miyuki is right. My clansmen were too agitated earlier, and I apologize for the disturbance, Hokage-sama."
The radical faction behind them wanted to say something, but upon seeing the Mangekyo Sharingan in Uchiha Miyuki's eyes, they wisely kept silent.
"I understand," Sarutobi Hiruzen responded, using this opportunity to smooth things over. "Even I, if I saw my clan's remains treated this way, would struggle to remain calm. Fugaku, please have your people return for now. Once everything is investigated and cleared up, I will give everyone a satisfactory answer."
"However, Hokage-sama, we do need an explanation." Uchiha Miyuki suddenly spoke again, holding up the mission scroll they had received earlier that morning, which bore the Hokage's seal.
"This scroll, was it issued by you?" Uchiha Miyuki looked at Sarutobi Hiruzen, smiling as he asked.
"Miyuki, I haven't issued any missions to you. There's no record of it in the mission hall." Sarutobi Hiruzen, now focused on distancing himself from Danzo, briefly glanced at Danzo's body, now a twisted wooden stake, and continued.
"So, this was all Danzo's personal action, correct?" Uchiha Miyuki asked.
"Forgive me, Danzo," Sarutobi Hiruzen thought to himself, but he knew he had to sever ties.
"That's right." Sarutobi confirmed.
"How despicable!" Uchiha Miyuki immediately became indignant. "The Hokage spends every day worrying for the village, yet some people act out of selfishness and harm the village! There are bad people by the Hokage's side!"
As he spoke, Uchiha Miyuki deliberately cast a glance at the two Counsil member, who were standing nearby.
"Miyuki, I understand your feelings. Don't worry, I will get to the bottom of this," Sarutobi Hiruzen said, trying to quell the situation. He didn't know what else to say, so he kept repeating his assurances.
"Hokage-sama, the Uchiha clan is willing to help you with this matter." Uchiha Miyuki bowed.
"I understand your intentions…" Sarutobi Hiruzen wanted to continue speaking, but when he looked up, he saw the Mangekyo Sharingan spinning slowly in Uchiha Miyuki's eyes.
"Hokage-sama, the Uchiha clan is willing to help you with this matter."
Cold sweat dripped from Sarutobi Hiruzen's forehead as he finally realized what Uchiha Miyuki's true intentions were. Looking at the spinning Mangekyo Sharingan, he remembered what Shisui had told him the previous day about the dangerous genjutsu that Miyuki had gained control of. Though, as he had mentioned to Shisui, using that genjutsu wouldn't directly impact Konoha's situation, it didn't mean he was willing to be controlled by it. Sarutobi had let Danzo act freely, partly hoping Danzo would help him bear the brunt of the consequences.
It was at that moment that Sarutobi Hiruzen truly understood that Uchiha Miyuki was more difficult to deal with than any Uchiha he had encountered before.
With a sigh, Sarutobi Hiruzen finally spoke, "If that is your intention, then I will leave this matter to you."
Once the words were out, the Mangekyo Sharingan in Uchiha Miyuki's eyes disappeared. He bowed again to Sarutobi Hiruzen.
"Understood." After speaking, Uchiha Miyuki turned to look at the rest of the Uchiha clansmen.
Just as Sarutobi Hiruzen was about to leave, Uchiha Miyuki's voice rang out once again:
"The Uchiha clan salutes the Hokage-sama!"
Uchiha Miyuki, standing at the front of the Uchiha clan, raised his right hand and placed it at his forehead: "Loyalty! Faith! Power!"
The rest of the Uchiha clan, including Fugaku, followed suit: "Loyalty! Faith! Power!"