Seeing Uchiha Jun killed, Yako said calmly, "Now there are no loose ends. We can report."
"Fox! You must—" Danzo began.
Sarutobi Hiruzen's eyes remained fixed on Uchiha Gogo's corpse—especially the blood-soaked, hollow eye sockets.
"Danzo. Be quiet. I want to hear Fox's report."
Danzo's eyelid twitched faintly with suppressed fury.
Yako spoke steadily.
"Hokage-sama, Mitokado-sama, Yellow Dog-sama. The incident began when an ANBU operative monitoring the Uchiha district was killed—his skull split open by steel wire.
"In the Land of Rain, I witnessed Uchiha Gogo's exceptional skill with shuriken and steel wire combinations. Because of that, I focused my investigation on him.
"Golden Eagle's subordinates tracked Uchiha Gogo, Uchiha Tōka, and Uchiha Jun heading toward this remote area. I followed with a squad.
"When I attempted to bring Uchiha Gogo to ANBU for questioning, he resisted violently—and used Susanoo.
"Uchiha Gogo had awakened the Mangekyō Sharingan."
Hiruzen and Mitokado exchanged glances.
Shock.
And fear.
Every Mangekyō heralded bloodshed.
"Continue," Hiruzen said quietly.
"I engaged Uchiha Gogo and was trapped by his ocular technique. It was called Ame no Mihashira.
"I escaped using a wood clone. Then Uchiha Suigiku appeared—and ambushed Gogo.
"The kunai buried almost completely in Gogo's abdomen—that was Suigiku's."
Suigiku lowered his head even further.
Hiruzen's gaze shifted to him.
He knew Suigiku now belonged to Root.
Kagami's son… had become Danzo's blade.
Yako continued.
"After that, Advisor Danzo arrived and attempted to take custody of Uchiha Gogo.
"An ANBU had died at Gogo's hands. I intended to bring him in.
"But after awakening the Mangekyō, he was too dangerous. I chose to kill him to prevent further casualties.
"Yet I realized Advisor Danzo was protecting him."
Yako leaned slightly toward Yellow Dog, speaking in a voice only he could hear.
"Advisor Danzo was trying to seize the Mangekyō Sharingan."
Yellow Dog relayed it quietly to Hiruzen.
Hiruzen's pupils trembled.
He looked at Gogo's hollow sockets.
"Where are the eyes?"
Danzo answered coldly.
"Fox defied my command and insisted on killing Uchiha Gogo. He even attacked me.
"In the chaos, Uchiha Tōka reaped the benefit and took the Mangekyō."
"You attacked Danzo?" Mitokado turned toward Yako.
"Does ANBU no longer follow the Council's orders?"
Traditionally, in the Hokage's absence, senior leadership could issue commands to ANBU.
Mitokado's thoughts were sharp.
If Fox dared defy Danzo—
Would he defy him one day?
Yellow Dog's influence was expanding too quickly.
Yako answered evenly.
"Mitokado-sama, it was not defiance. It was necessity.
"Uchiha Gogo's Mangekyō was extraordinarily dangerous.
"He is dead now, so we speak calmly around his corpse.
"But at the time—his pressure was overwhelming.
"Both his ocular techniques were instantaneous.
"One moment of hesitation, and I would have died.
"Anyone standing before him would have been killed.
"I stand by my judgment. I fought with full force to prevent greater loss."
He continued, voice steady.
"His left eye—Ame no Mihashira—created chakra pillars instantly, inescapable.
"His right eye—Onogoro Island—collapsed anything it touched into pulp. Impossible to defend against.
"If I had not killed him here, he could have killed anyone in the village."
His gaze rested briefly on Mitokado.
Meaning—
You too.
Mitokado felt a chill.
He realized his mistake.
One could not assume survival against Mangekyō simply because Fox and Danzo had survived.
Fox survived because he specialized in ultimate defensive arts.
Danzo survived…
Because he possessed Izanagi.
Yellow Dog spoke.
"Fox was on the front line. We cannot judge his combat decisions with hindsight.
"Battles shift in an instant. Against legendary ocular techniques, full force is the only option.
"Had any other ANBU been present, we would be mourning greater losses."
Hiruzen exhaled smoke.
"This does not constitute defiance.
"Danzo sought to secure power for the village.
"Fox sought to eliminate a threat to the village.
"Neither was wrong.
"There was simply… a failure of communication."
He paused.
"Where is Uchiha Tōka?"
Yako answered quickly.
"Hokage-sama, a powerful White Zetsu appeared beside him.
"I encountered him in the Land of Rain. He called himself Spiral Zetsu, claiming to serve Uchiha Madara.
"After taking Gogo's eyes, Tōka defected—seemingly aligning with Madara.
"And—Hokage-sama—under the shock of Gogo's death, Uchiha Tōka also awakened the Mangekyō.
"A new Mangekyō. Unknown abilities."
Hiruzen's expression darkened.
Two Mangekyō in the Uchiha clan.
One dead.
One escaped.
Was history repeating itself?
Madara and Izuna…
Could he face such an enemy?
He decided swiftly.
"Publicly announce that Uchiha Tōka killed his brother Uchiha Gogo for power and stole his Mangekyō Sharingan.
"Classify Uchiha Tōka as an S-rank missing-nin. Danger level second only to Uchiha Madara, above Sarutobi Kanosuke.
"Alert all shinobi—report immediately upon sight."
Yako thought inwardly—
Brilliant.
The tradition of Uchiha brothers killing each other made it believable.
"Mitokado, handle the Uchiha clan.
"Yellow Dog, secure the scene.
"Fox, pursue Uchiha Tōka immediately. Do not allow him to reach Madara.
"Danzo, with me."
Hiruzen turned—
And realized no one moved.
He spun back sharply.
Since when had his orders become optional?
Fox stood still because Danzo's gaze was cold and murderous.
Danzo stood still because he had lost a precious Sharingan and gained nothing.
"Danzo!" Hiruzen barked.
"Have Root and ANBU not suffered enough? What are you planning?"
Danzo withdrew his gaze from Fox.
A bitter laugh echoed in his mind.
Once, he alone did the dirty work.
Now—
Fox shared that burden.
And the protection that came with it.
Hiruzen favored him too much.
Danzo turned and followed.
Yako exhaled slowly.
After all the filth I've handled…
I've finally built political value.
He had obstructed Danzo from gaining the Mangekyō.
He dared not allow that.
He turned to an ANBU.
"Have White Ram bring a squad and follow me immediately."
He vanished in a Body Flicker toward the village outskirts.
Yellow Dog watched his retreating figure.
Good thing we repaired our relationship.
Who else would dare chase a Mangekyō wielder?
—
Elsewhere—
Uchiha Kagen and over a dozen clan members had been blocked by ANBU.
Humiliation burned in their chests.
Ocular chakra surged from the forest beyond—
Yet they were denied entry.
Uchiha Tōki's faction trembled with rage.
Mitokado appeared behind White Ram and Golden Eagle.
"Clan Head Kagen, please come quickly. Two Uchiha corpses have been discovered."
Kagen's cheek twitched.
"Very well."
They entered.
The battlefield bore scars of violent combat.
Dozens of three-tomoe Sharingan activated at once, reconstructing events.
An intimidating sight.
But key traces had already been erased.
Kagen approached the bodies.
One had a kunai embedded in the forehead.
Uchiha Jun.
The other—
Empty sockets.
Uchiha Gogo.
Kagen's vision darkened.
He staggered half a step back.
Uchiha Toki supported him.
He blinked repeatedly, steadying himself.
The clan had barely gained a Mangekyō—
And within a month—
It had been gouged out.
His expression hardened.
He had seen this before.
When his father, Uchiha Hokuto, was clan head—
They found Uchiha Kagami's corpse.
His eyes gone.
Mangekyō…
Kagen turned slowly toward Mitokado.
"What happened here?"