Hiashi still had concerns.
"Lord Third, I understand your worries, but I'm still worried about my side of things—"
Before he could finish, Sarutobi Hiruzen interrupted him.
"No need to worry. As long as the Hyuga Clan provides combat support, the rest will be handled by Danzo and his Root."
"When the time comes, Root will launch the direct assault. All we need to do is hold the perimeter and make sure no Uchiha escape."
Hiashi's eyes lit up.
"Good. Then I have no objections."
"Excellent," Hiruzen nodded. "Now, let me go over the operation in detail."
Half an hour later.
Hiashi stepped out from an inconspicuous wooden cabin, a faint smile on his lips.
But when he looked toward the Uchiha district, the smile vanished, replaced by a deep and burning hatred.
"Heh… Uchiha, your end is near. I hope I get to see the look of despair on your face, Uchiha Rukawa."
Meanwhile, at the Root headquarters.
"Well, this is rare. What brings the great Hokage to my little Root base, instead of staying comfy in the Hokage Tower?"
Danzo Shimura—his right eye covered in bandages, a distinctive "X"-shaped scar on his chin—regarded Sarutobi with his usual cold sneer.
Sarutobi stared back expressionlessly.
"I am the Hokage. There's no place in the village that is off-limits to me."
He knew full well Danzo had long coveted the Hokage position. Every time they met, the air was heavy with tension.
"Heh, how bold, Lord Third. You came here just to flaunt your power?" Danzo said snidely.
"Or… are you here to vent your frustration after being humiliated by a mere Uchiha brat today?"
Of course Danzo had already heard. Root's intel network was second to none.
Hearing about Hiruzen's public humiliation brought Danzo a deep sense of schadenfreude.
It was just a shame he hadn't been there to witness the Third fuming in person.
And this Uchiha Rukawa… a kid with monstrous strength? Clearly, there's a secret there.
Danzo's eye glinted with greed.
That child needs to be studied… dissected, if necessary.
"That's enough, Danzo. I didn't come here to argue. I have business," Hiruzen said gravely.
"It's about the Uchiha, isn't it? Hmph. No surprise there. After today's embarrassment, I'd expect no less."
Danzo leaned on his cane, his tone mocking.
Hiruzen ignored the taunts.
"Yes. Tonight, the Uchiha will disappear from the ninja world—forever."
"Tonight? You're finally growing a spine, Hiruzen? Who are you and what have you done with the real Hokage?"
"Quit your nonsense," Hiruzen said irritably. "Can you move tonight or not?"
"Hmph! Root has been ready for weeks. If it weren't for your constant delays, the Uchiha would already be gone."
Danzo slammed his cane on the ground.
Hiruzen didn't argue. He just said flatly:
"The schedule has changed, but the operation doesn't. Go. Have your men summon Uchiha Itachi from the ANBU. He'll lead the charge."
Danzo clicked his tongue but didn't argue.
"Fine. Since you're finally showing some guts, I'll play along."
Then he turned to the shadows.
"Kō. Summon Itachi from ANBU."
"Yes, sir," came the cold reply from the dark.
At ANBU HQ.
Uchiha Itachi sat alone, quietly tormented by the burden he was about to bear.
He'd been confined in his ANBU quarters for days, contemplating whether he could really kill his entire clan for the village's sake.
Suddenly, a message arrived—he was summoned by the village leadership.
"Lord Third and Lord Danzo… both at Root?"
Itachi frowned. That wasn't normal.
A strange unease crept over him.
He turned to the ANBU operative named Kō, who had come to fetch him.
"Do you know why I've been summoned?"
"I don't know," Kō replied flatly.
"Has anything strange happened in the village these past few days?"
He had been isolated, unaware of the chaos that had unfolded.
"Don't know," Kō said again, offering no insight.
Itachi sighed.
There's nothing to do but go and see for myself.
At Root.
Itachi bowed respectfully.
"Lord Third, Lord Danzo. You summoned me?"
Danzo turned away, grumbling to himself—he was irritated that his name came second.
But Sarutobi gave Itachi a warm smile.
"Yes, Itachi. We need to talk about the Uchiha."
His face grew solemn.
"We've received intel: the Uchiha plan to stage a coup… as soon as tomorrow."
Itachi's face paled.
"Tomorrow? But I was told we'd wait five more days before taking action!"
Sarutobi sighed dramatically, putting on a look of regret.
"The situation has changed. Your clansmen are becoming unhinged. I didn't want things to come to this, but… we have no choice."
"If we don't act tonight, they'll rebel tomorrow. The village will become a battlefield. Innocents will die. The other nations will seize the opportunity to attack."
"Konoha will fall, and the Uchiha will be remembered as the clan that destroyed it all."
His voice trembled with sorrow. His eyes even glistened, as if he were envisioning the Leaf's destruction.
Danzo looked away, scoffing inwardly.
This guy… always playing the tragic hero.
At least I'm honest about doing what's necessary.