Hiruzen's lips twitched.
Where did Satoshi learn this ability to speak without a shred of evidence, to just make things up?
How could he push everything onto a dead person?
"Why did Itachi kill Danzo?"
"Internal conflict."
"Explain clearly."
"From beginning to end, Danzo, Itachi, Obito, and Orochimaru were all colluding together."
"They cooperated on the surface, but in reality, each had their own ulterior motives."
"The four of them came together for different purposes, and each played a different role in this matter."
"Danzo was responsible for providing vast funds and test subjects."
"Itachi infiltrated Anbu, and for a long time monitored and leaked intel on Konoha Military Police Force deployments and operations to them, which was key to their repeated escapes from pursuit."
"Orochimaru was responsible for conducting those inhumane experiments."
"As for Obito, he was constantly causing trouble in the Ninja World to attract Konoha's attention."
"Their ultimate ambition was to overthrow the Hokage regime, have Danzo or their puppet take power, and then divide the entire Ninja World."
Hiruzen listened quietly, feeling that the development of events was becoming increasingly strange. Yet, it seemed to connect all the suspicious points.
"I need evidence."
Satoshi unsealed the scroll and released Danzo's corpse.
The bandage on his face was pulled back, revealing the blind Sharingan. Then, there was the arm implanted with Wood Release.
"Danzo, stealing the Uchiha clan's Sharingan and having the audacity to desecrate Hashirama-sama's remains."
"Hokage-sama, is that enough evidence?"
Hiruzen's face showed some fluctuation.
The entire village, including the Uchiha, respected Hashirama greatly. Yet, this idiotic Danzo was so audacious.
"How dare he! Danzo actually committed such a rebellious act."
Regardless of whether Hiruzen knew about these things or not, he had to disassociate himself.
Hiruzen then said, "I will investigate this matter thoroughly, but it will take some time."
Satoshi had a look of indignation. "How detestable! Hokage-sama works tirelessly for the village every day, yet this scoundrel committed such a harmful act for personal gain."
"There are bad people around Hokage-sama."
Hiruzen looked at Satoshi, his righteous demeanor greatly reassured him.
"Satoshi, don't worry, give me some time, and I will definitely get to the bottom of this matter."
Satoshi, however, sighed. "Hokage-sama, I naturally trust you, but the clan members are very anxious."
"On this matter, the Uchiha clan is willing to share Hokage-sama's burdens."
Hiruzen gulped.
This was putting him on the spot.
He closed his eyes, then opened them a moment later, as if he had made up his mind. "Tell me your plan."
Satoshi said, "Establish a Konoha Investigation Department, directly under Hokage-sama's jurisdiction, with me as the leader. This department will first do three things."
"Withdraw Anbu surveillance of the Uchiha, to show trust in the Uchiha."
"Since Danzo colluded with Orochimaru, it means Root is also not clean, and Konoha Military Police Force has a responsibility to thoroughly investigate."
"However, Konoha is busy with affairs, and the Advisor position is also very important, so why don't I temporarily take it?"
Hiruzen gasped.
With a casual remark, he became an Advisor.
When had the Uchiha clan ever reached such a high position?
Plus the Uchiha's increasingly expanding Konoha Military Police Force...
Hiruzen felt that he was no different from Yagura of the neighboring Kirigakure, they were both puppets.
The only thing that comforted him was that this person was Satoshi.
Hiruzen even thought that it might be good to let Satoshi try.
If he truly inherited Kagami's will, by approximation, he was also Tobirama-sensei's student. In the future, it would be acceptable for him to inherit the Hokage position.
Hiruzen asked, "Satoshi, I want to know, what exactly do you feel about Konoha?"
Satoshi looked at Hiruzen and slowly said, "No matter who it is, as long as they threaten the village, I will never let them go."
Hiruzen's pupils constricted. He didn't know why, but he seemed to see a familiar person.
Wait.
He just noticed that Satoshi's eyes had turned red without the Sharingan activated.
Tobi...
Bah, I'm overthinking.
However, if sensei really came back, that would be good.
Hiruzen had long wanted to retire. The Hokage position was not easy to hold.
"I understand, Satoshi, you and I are alike, everything is for Konoha."
...
Hiruzen acted quickly.
As soon as Satoshi left the office, he issued an order to cancel the surveillance of the Uchiha. He recalled Anbu members to stand by and began issuing other orders.
This series of measures left his two old friends, Hokage Advisors, Koharu and Homura, deeply puzzled.
Late at night, they arrived at the Hokage Office, their faces filled with disapproval.
"Hiruzen." Homura spoke first, habitually pushing up his glasses on his nose.
"You ordered all Anbu monitoring the Uchiha to be withdrawn?"
Hiruzen sat behind the large desk, nodding slightly with fatigue, signaling them to sit down.
"That's right."
Homura frowned deeply. "But, won't that be too reckless?"
In his deeply ingrained belief, strict monitoring of the Uchiha clan was a necessary means to maintain the village's stability, and it was perfectly normal.
Now, Itachi, the key spy, was dead, and Danzo, who controlled Root, was also dead.
Their grasp of Uchiha's movements had already fallen into an unprecedented predicament. To now withdraw the last of their eyes was somewhat reckless.
Hiruzen sighed, "What good would monitoring them do? Force them to rebel again?"
Homura continued, "The Uchiha have lost Shisui and Itachi, two geniuses. Do they still have the capital for a military coup?"
Hiruzen glanced at him, wondering what these two did every day.
Couldn't they pay attention to intel, understand the latest Uchiha developments?
Shisui and Itachi were already things of the past version.
Now the most formidable one was the twelve or thirteen-year-old white-haired boy, Satoshi.
When they heard Hiruzen's grave description of how Satoshi shattered Susanoo, which was known as absolute defense, both of them instinctively gasped. Satoshi was actually that terrifying.
"Fortunately, the one who awakened this power was Satoshi, and not a fanatical worshipper of Madara. Otherwise, Konoha now would probably have..."
After a brief silence, Homura blurted out another sentence.
"But sensei once said that Uchiha are an inherently evil clan and must be controlled."
Hiruzen irritably pinched the bridge of his nose.
Tobirama-sensei would say that eight times a day, and his ears were getting calloused from hearing it.
But how could he have Tobirama-sensei's ability and courage?
Under Tobirama's governance, the village prospered, and the relationship between the Uchiha and Konoha was decent.
The three of them, plus the deceased Danzo, combined were not even half of Tobirama.
Hiruzen said, "How to control them? Danzo has the Uchiha clan's Sharingan on him, this alone is enough to ignite their anger."
At these words, the two advisors instantly became speechless.
They had dealt with the Uchiha for many years and knew what kind of people they were. They could accept clan members dying on the battlefield. But their clan members' eyes being gouged out and their corpses desecrated was an unbearable humiliation.
After a while, Koharu said cautiously, "Danzo is dead, will this matter end?"
Hiruzen shook his head. "I'm afraid it's just beginning. According to Satoshi, Danzo was an undercover agent colluding with the rogue ninja Orochimaru."
"To protect Konoha, he will absolutely not let go of anyone involved."
"To prove this, he even killed Itachi, the eldest son of clan head Fugaku."
Actually, there was nothing wrong with these words. It just sounded strange coming from an Uchiha.
The last person to be so decisive towards the Uchiha was Tobirama.
How could the methods of these two be somewhat similar?
Hiruzen seemed to have seen their doubts.
"Satoshi's father was Kagami's student. And Kagami was an Uchiha in whom Tobirama-sensei placed great hopes."
"Perhaps some of Satoshi's actions are influenced by Kagami, or indirectly by Tobirama-sensei's ideals."
Kagami, I failed to protect your clan members. But your will seems to have preserved the entire village.
On the other side.
The Uchiha were gathered, anxiously awaiting Satoshi's return.
"Why has he been gone so long with no news? Did something happen?"
"Konoha's high-ranking officials kidnapped Satoshi? Damn these bastards, let's go surround the Hokage Building."
"Look on the bright side, what if Satoshi killed the Hokage and is currently cleaning up?"
"Good point. How about we go kill those two Advisors too, just for fun?"
(End of Chapter)
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