Naruto: The Rise Of Uchiha

"As expected, you intended to use that jutsu for mutual destruction!"

Uchiha Fugaku stood at the edge of the massive hemispherical crater, a sneer curling his lips. He had anticipated Shimura Danzo might resort to such a desperate measure and had prepared accordingly.

"While his strength wasn't the pinnacle of Kage-level, his stubbornness made him formidable," Fugaku murmured, checking his chakra reserves, which were nearly depleted from the battle.

Even with his enhanced chakra capacity—doubled due to his previous corpse-smelting techniques—Danzo Shimura had pushed him to the brink. That Izanagi technique had certainly been troublesome.

"After all, his death does make the Uchiha clan the biggest suspect. But so what?"

Fugaku chuckled as he recalled Danzo's final words. It was true that the Uchiha clan's movements would inevitably draw suspicion from the Hokage and the village. However, he had long accepted this risk.

Without Danzo Shimura and his elite Root forces, the Hokage's faction was significantly weakened. Meanwhile, the Uchiha clan's power had grown steadily under Fugaku's leadership. Their combined strength was now formidable, far beyond what the Hokage could easily suppress.

"Suspicions alone aren't enough," Fugaku muttered. "Without hard evidence, the Hokage won't dare act recklessly."

The great elder Uchiha Setsuna approached, his face alight with a mix of relief and triumph. "Danzo Shimura—he's finally dead. After all these years of his schemes and interference, this threat is gone!"

The third elder, Uchiha Tsukasa, wore a grim expression. "It's about time this troublemaker met his end. His actions against our clan were beyond forgiveness."

The other Uchiha members shared similar sentiments. Danzo Shimura had long been a thorn in the side of the Uchiha, and his death was cause for both relief and celebration.

"What are the casualties?" Fugaku asked, his tone calm despite the underlying tension.

"Thirteen injured, five of them seriously. Thankfully, no one was killed," reported Uchiha Atsuko.

Initially, Danzo had brought over a hundred elite Root ninjas. However, their numbers had been drastically reduced during the battle, thanks to Fugaku's decisive actions. With the combined forces of the Uchiha clan, they had overwhelmed the enemy.

Fugaku nodded in satisfaction. "Good. Now, clean up the area. Leave no traces that could implicate us."

The Uchiha clan members sprang into action, meticulously erasing all evidence of their involvement. They burned the bodies of the Root ninjas and obliterated any traces of Uchiha-specific techniques.

However, Fugaku took one precaution. Among the remains, he carefully sealed the corpse of a Yamanaka clan member in a scroll. The Yamanaka were known for their sensory and mind-manipulation abilities, and this corpse might prove useful in the future.

After half an hour, the area was spotless. Fugaku and his team quickly left the scene, vanishing into the surrounding forest.

Meanwhile, back in Konoha, a disturbance rippled through the Root organization.

The Seal of Tongue Cursing—a powerful jutsu Danzo had placed on his subordinates to ensure their silence—had inexplicably vanished.

"How could this happen? Why is the seal gone?"

"The only explanation is that Danzo-sama is… dead."

"No way! Danzo-sama can't be dead!"

Panic spread like wildfire among the Root ninjas. The Seal of Tongue Cursing had been their constant reminder of Danzo's control. With its disappearance, the unthinkable suddenly seemed possible.

It wasn't long before the disruption was noticed by the Anbu, who reported the situation to the Third Hokage.

The Hokage, along with his advisors Koharu Utatane and Homura Mitokado, hurried to the Root base.

"Where is Counselor Danzo?" the Hokage demanded, his gaze sharp as he scanned the gathered Root ninjas.

The room fell into an uneasy silence. Root ninjas, loyal to Danzo above all else, were hesitant to speak.

The Hokage's patience wore thin. He fixed his gaze on a team leader wearing an ox-shaped mask. "You. Answer me. Where is Danzo?"

The masked ninja hesitated before finally speaking. "Danzo-sama left the village two days ago with a contingent of elite Root operatives. His current whereabouts are unknown."

The Hokage frowned deeply, his mind racing. Two days ago, he recalled, the Uchiha clan had also mobilized a significant number of their members.

Could Danzo have left the village to confront Uchiha Fugaku?

"What is causing this disruption?" Koharu Utatane interrupted, her tone sharp. "Why is the Root in disarray?"

The Root ninja hesitated again before replying, "The Seal of Tongue Cursing that Danzo-sama placed on us… it's gone."

"What?"

The Hokage and his advisors exchanged shocked glances. The Seal of Tongue Cursing was a powerful technique that ensured the loyalty and silence of Danzo's operatives. Its disappearance could only mean one thing.

Danzo Shimura was dead.

Utter disbelief filled Koharu's voice. "Impossible! How could Danzo be dead?"

Homura Mitokado turned toward the Root team leader. "Do you know what Danzo's mission was when he left the village?"

The ox-masked ninja shook his head. "I do not. Danzo-sama did not share the details of his plans with us."

"Does anyone know why he left?" Koharu pressed, her frustration evident.

The gathered Root ninjas remained silent. Either they genuinely didn't know, or they feared revealing Danzo's intentions.

The Hokage's expression darkened. His suspicions grew stronger.

Danzo Shimura had been determined to undermine the Uchiha clan for years. The timing of his departure coinciding with the Uchiha's movements could not be a coincidence.

"Could Danzo have orchestrated a confrontation with Uchiha Fugaku? And if so… did he fail?"

The Hokage's thoughts swirled. If Danzo had indeed gone after Fugaku and perished, it meant the Uchiha clan had grown far more formidable than anticipated.

"Danzo's overconfidence might have been his downfall," the Hokage muttered to himself.

Though Danzo's death was a blow to the Hokage's faction, it also presented a delicate situation. Without definitive evidence of the Uchiha's involvement, any rash action against them could destabilize the village.

"We must proceed carefully," the Hokage finally said aloud. "Investigate Danzo's last known movements, but do not act without evidence. The village's stability comes first."

The Root operatives, now leaderless, awaited further orders. Meanwhile, the Hokage and his advisors left the base, their minds weighed down by uncertainty.

(End of Chapter)

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