"Alright!"
Kushina finished writing the spell and immediately formed a dozen hand signs. The characters "came alive," flowing like tadpoles into Shimura Rō's mouth, forming another circle around the Tongue Curse Seal.
Tsunade raised an eyebrow, seeing through her sister's little trick: "This isn't unsealed, is it?"
"I couldn't help it," Kushina said, hands on her hips, her pretty face full of triumph. "Time was so tight, unsealing it was a bit too difficult. So, I just developed a Sealing Jutsu that can seal the Tongue Curse Seal!"
Tsunade ruffled Kushina's hair, then picked up Shimura Rō and tossed him into the center, calling for a few members of the Yamanaka Clan.
Hiruzen Sarutobi's face darkened even further. He had to suppress the impatient Utatane Koharu and Homura Mitokado to prevent them from making things worse.
As the Hokage "presiding over justice," he didn't have sufficient reason to stop them. Any blatant obstruction would only enrage the Uchiha and completely expose his own guilt.
It's fine, Hiruzen Sarutobi gritted his teeth, reassuring himself. Danzo shouldn't be so foolish as to issue a mission to Shimura Rō face-to-face. He must have used special codes and passwords. As long as there's no direct evidence, there's still room to maneuver.
The Yamanaka Clan Head glanced at the Third Hokage, and seeing that he didn't stop them, resignedly led two guards forward.
"You two," Tsunade pointed at Entō and Fūyō, "go with the Yamanaka Clan to view Shimura Rō's memories."
Memories cannot be tampered with, but to ensure neither side could lie, Tsunade also had several other Ninja Clans send reliable individuals to witness the process.
Nearly ten people sat in a circle around Shimura Rō, as the Yamanaka Clan began reading his brain information and transmitting it to everyone.
Before long, the Yamanaka Clan Head found that segment of memory and experienced it entirely from Shimura Rō's perspective.
When he saw Danzo actually issuing a mission to "himself" face-to-face, he knew the other party was truly finished this time.
He forced himself to continue watching until that exceptionally talented Uchiha youth was pierced through the heart by "himself." Only then did he stop the Ninjutsu, opening his eyes with a heavy expression.
The others also emerged from the memories with grim faces, feeling a chill run down their spines.
That was a child plagued by severe illness, with not long left to live. He was obedient, sensible, and cared for his companions, yet now he met an end with no burial ground.
If they remained indifferent to this matter, it was hard to guarantee that this kind of slaughter wouldn't befall their own Clan Member one day.
"Danzo Shimura!!!"
The moment Entō opened his eyes, he roared in anger, his Sharingan flashing red as he searched around.
Since Naraku was indeed assassinated under Danzo's orders, then Shisui and the other children must also be in his hands!
— If this grudge is not avenged, I, Uchiha Entō, am unworthy of being a father!
Fūyō reported to Fugaku and the Clan Member in a hoarse voice, his voice trembling uncontrollably when he described seeing Naraku being run through the chest by a long sword and falling off a cliff from exhaustion.
Fugaku closed his eyes in pain, then transformed his grief and indignation into killing intent.
"Sandaime, hand over Danzo Shimura!!!"
With his furious roar, all the Uchiha simultaneously revealed their eyes, glaring at the opposing side with murderous intent.
The fury and killing intent almost solidified, converging into a tsunami that swept over them. The Ninja facing this terror felt their backs tense up and cold sweat break out on their foreheads.
"No, it can't be… Is it really true?"
"How is this possible?"
"The Village… assassinated an Uchiha…?"
The Konoha Ninja felt their faith crumbling, and many were unable to face the truth, their hands holding weapons dropping to their sides, having lost the will to fight.
Hiruzen Sarutobi saw everyone's reactions and knew things weren't as he had imagined. After hearing the Yamanaka Clan Head's report, he looked up at the sky with a hint of despair and sighed.
— Danzo was actually that stupid! How could he say such a thing face-to-face!
The hidden Danzo Shimura was also stunned. After realizing what had happened, he cursed his past self for sleepwalking.
He had originally thought he hadn't appeared in person, but had given orders using special methods. Now it seemed he had indeed given the instructions to Shimura Rō in person at the time.
Utatane Koharu stepped forward, giving him a look: What should we do?
Homura Mitokado "tsk-ed," secretly gesturing: Let's detain him first. We can't hand him over to the Uchiha, otherwise Danzo will surely die.
"Ahem."
Hiruzen Sarutobi cleared his throat and said, "Given the sufficient evidence, Danzo Shimura's duties are hereby revoked, and he will be imprisoned in the Anbu dungeon for further interrogation. The Village will certainly compensate the Uchiha."
"As for the missing children, does the Uchiha have any other evidence to provide?"
"If not, I will have the Anbu investigate this matter and provide an explanation as soon as possible."
Hiruzen Sarutobi wanted to say more, but suddenly noticed Uchiha Fugaku's Chakra surging, giving off an even colder and more terrifying feeling than before.
"I said…"
The Chakra overflowing from Fugaku's body began to burn, the tomoe elongating and deforming, his Dōjutsu Power completely transforming and erupting. The ground beneath his feet cracked and shattered, unable to withstand such immense pressure.
"Hand over Danzo Shimura!!!"
Before his words finished, a giant red skeletal figure emerged from the void—first the ribs, then the spine, followed by the shoulder blades, sternum, cervical vertebrae, and arms. Finally, a skull with flames burning in its eye sockets let out a furious roar that shook the heavens and earth.
All the Uchiha wore expressions of almost fanaticism, staring intently at the majestic figure before them. Several older elders were even more excited beyond words, tears welling up in their eyes.
"Th-this is––" Hiruzen Sarutobi's eyes widened in disbelief: "Mangekyo!?"
The half-formed skeletal giant was as fiery and vibrant as if alive, reflected in everyone's eyes, giving them a new understanding of why the Uchiha were born with such arrogance.
Those who had gleaned fragments of information from ancient texts or their elders dared not even blink.
They knew this was the divine power obtained by one of the Ninja World's oldest bloodline Clans—the Uchiha.
Susanoo!
The moment Susanoo manifested, Fugaku knew he had to act quickly. Once Hiruzen Sarutobi reacted, it would be difficult to capture Danzo Shimura with a surprise attack and minimal casualties.
The Mangekyo ability contained within his left eye, Shinkō Kagami Gyō, activated instantly, allowing him to see through all illusions and deceptions, reaching the truth he desired.
The next moment, Uchiha Fugaku moved.
"Stop him!"
Hiruzen Sarutobi didn't care about starting a war or not. The opponent was heading straight for the Hokage Building, so he had to be stopped no matter what.
"Cover the Clan Head!"
"Cover the Clan Head!"
The Uchiha also roared and charged forward, rushing towards the overwhelming numbers of Jonin and Chunin on the other side.
In the midst of the chaos, even if Tsunade and Jiraiya wanted to stop the free-for-all, it would take some effort.
Boom—
Fugaku, with Susanoo active, ignored all attacks and crashed directly into the building. He swept away the obstructing bricks and rubble, directly breaking through layers of deceptive formations and seals, then brought his hands together.
"Oh no!"
Danzo Shimura was shocked that all his arrangements had been easily seen through. He quickly used Wind Release: Vacuum Great Sphere to blast open the two bone hands that were about to close, and slipped through the gap.
Fugaku immediately tried to block his path and capture him, but Danzo also had considerable combat power. The two exchanged blows several times in the narrow floors, and for a moment, neither could gain the upper hand.
The Mangekyo pattern spun rapidly, and blood tears flowed from Fugaku's eyes. His left eye's Shinkō Kagami Gyō saw through Danzo's escape route, and his right eye's Kenrai Toshin activated instantly.
"You won't escape!!"
Danzo was only a few steps away from leaving the Hokage Building when the space in front of him suddenly twisted and expanded. Accompanied by black and blue high-temperature electric arcs formed by violent atmospheric friction, a fierce and massive shockwave erupted in an instant.
The sound of the explosion echoed through the sky, and many people looked towards the source of the sound, their eyes wide with terror.
The Hokage Building, the spiritual totem of Konoha, was now a horrific sight. Nearly half of its side wall was destroyed, and even the rooftop was on the verge of collapsing.
The situation was getting out of control. Just as Hiruzen Sarutobi decided to summon Enma and personally intervene, he saw Susanoo retreat from the building, firmly clutching a person in its hand.
Danzo Shimura, who usually lorded over everyone, was now held in Susanoo's grip, like a helpless mouse awaiting slaughter.
"Cough, how is this possible––" Danzo spat out a mouthful of blood, his exposed left eye blurred by blood, unable to see clearly, "Damn Uchiha––!"
"You are the one who should atone in hell!! Danzo Shimura!!"
Fugaku roared, about to crush Danzo, but Tsunade rushed to his side and sharply yelled at him to stop.
"Wait! He still has things to confess! The Uchiha children are still missing!"
Susanoo's movement paused, crushing all of Danzo's ribs before stopping.
Seeing that he was listening, Tsunade finally let out a sigh of relief and said, "First, have the Uchiha stop, and then we'll talk after he spills the information."
It took a great deal of resolve for Fugaku to suppress the impulse to kill Danzo. He led his people back to the area occupied by the Uchiha.