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"Something like that."
Danzo gave a vague, noncommittal answer.
"What do you mean, 'something like that'? It either is or it isn't. Or do you want to get a taste of my Thousand Years of Death?"
Akira frowned.
Danzo's face twitched, but he didn't dare dodge the question again.
"Nué was something I've been researching for years. The Nine-Tails was captured by that man claiming to be Madara Uchiha.
"Hiruzen provided us with a curse seal he'd just developed. Once triggered by a powerful genjutsu, the seal carved into the brain would activate and cause the head to explode. It was specifically designed to counter the Uchiha's Mangekyō Sharingan.
"As for the rest of the plan, Hiruzen wasn't involved. He didn't know about Nué or the Nine-Tails."
The words poured out of Danzo like beans spilling from a cracked jar. He held nothing back.
"So that old bastard created the curse seal…"
Akira's eyes narrowed.
"I wonder if you've got one carved into your own brain."
His Eternal Mangekyō flared to life, locking onto Danzo's gaze.
The power of the Mangekyō slipped straight into Danzo's mind without resistance.
Akira let out a low chuckle. "Figures. You branded your subordinates with that suicide seal, but not yourself. Selfish to the core."
Since there was no explosive curse seal to worry about, Akira moved smoothly, taking control of Danzo's mind. He rewrote fragments of memory and implanted a few carefully crafted commands.
When Danzo came to, his face was pale with fear.
"What… what did you do to me?"
"You're about to die. Does it really matter what I did to your brain?" Akira replied calmly.
Danzo paused, then let out a hollow sigh.
"Fair enough."
A man on death's door had no business worrying about such things.
"I've told you everything I know. Keep your promise. Give me a quick death."
"Relax. You're not dying until I've squeezed every last bit of value out of you. Once you're no longer useful, I'll personally send you on your way."
With that, Akira's speed surged, and he shot toward Konoha.
Meanwhile, at the battlefield where Obito had fallen—
Across the cratered, broken ground, tiny black specks began to stir. They were almost impossible to see with the naked eye, but they moved slowly, gathering together.
More and more of them clustered, forming the outline of a human figure.
At last, a pitch-black silhouette rose from the earth.
"This kind of attack, without Six Paths power, can't kill me."
Black Zetsu muttered to himself. He surveyed the devastated battlefield. Once he confirmed Obito was truly dead, his already dark expression grew even darker.
"I didn't expect Obito to die just like that. This complicates things."
"Uchiha Akira… where the hell did that freak come from?"
His voice dripped with malice.
"For a thousand years I've plotted to resurrect Mother. I won't abandon my plan just because of you. You will not stop me."
Killing intent radiated from him like cold mist. Then he sank into the ground, speeding toward the Hidden Rain Village.
Still, he allowed himself a thin smile.
"Obito… your death wasn't completely meaningless."
This mission hadn't been a total loss.
He had obtained crucial intelligence about Akira.
The Rinnegan could manipulate space, swapping the positions of two targets within a certain range.
As for that Eternal Mangekyō, its abilities were similar to Itachi's. Amaterasu and Tsukuyomi. That information had come straight from Danzo.
If he delivered this intelligence to Nagato, their chances against Uchiha Akira would be much higher.
Konoha.
After dispatching shinobi to clean up the battlefield, Hiruzen Sarutobi made his way to the village square to address the civilians.
He stood atop the platform, facing a sea of shaken villagers. His expression was heavy with grief. He even managed to squeeze out a few tears for those who had lost their lives.
Then he began his speech, solemn and steady, maintaining the image of the kind, grandfatherly Hokage.
In plain terms, he was consolidating public support. The disaster had caused massive casualties. As Hokage, he would inevitably bear responsibility. That was not something he intended to accept.
So he shifted the blame.
"My fellow villagers," he said gravely, "as Hokage, I will give you an explanation.
"Danzo is the true culprit. His Root organization created that monster in secret and released the Nine-Tails."
He sighed deeply, looking regretful.
"This tragedy could have been avoided. When I uncovered Danzo's crimes, I intended to execute him and make him pay with his life.
"But Uchiha Akira intervened. Instead of execution, Danzo was imprisoned. Later, he escaped… and today's catastrophe followed. Had Akira not obstructed me, none of this would have happened."
The crowd erupted in whispers and angry murmurs.
They hated Danzo, but now many began to see Akira as equally responsible.
"If only Danzo had been killed back then…"
"Exactly! A criminal like that should've been dealt with properly!"
"Why would Akira spare him? Doesn't he know you have to pull out weeds by the root?"
Hiruzen gave the faintest nod. Just as he'd hoped, the attention had shifted.
But he wasn't finished.
"There is one more matter," he continued. "The Nine-Tails."
His voice grew sharper.
"The Nine-Tails had always been under my supervision. It would never have been taken so easily.
"But this morning, Uchiha Akira forcibly seized control of the Nine-Tails' jinchūriki from me. He assured me he would keep the jinchūriki safe.
"And what happened? In less than half a day, the seal broke. The Nine-Tails ran rampant through our village."
The square fell into stunned silence before exploding into outrage.
Now many glared with red-rimmed eyes, anger shifting fully toward Akira.
Some even began to suspect something worse.
He was powerful. Strong enough to protect the jinchūriki. So how could such an accident happen?
Unless it wasn't an accident.
What if he had deliberately released the Nine-Tails, only to step in later as a savior and claim the villagers' gratitude?
The thought made their teeth grind.
They had once seen him as a hero for exposing Danzo. Now he looked like a scheming hypocrite.
"I, Hiruzen Sarutobi, swear before you all," he declared with righteous conviction, "every word I've spoken is true. I am not slandering Uchiha Akira. These are facts.
"When he returns, even if it costs me my life, I will demand an explanation from him."
Cheers erupted.
"We believe you, Lord Third!"
"This is our Hokage!"
"Thank you, Lord Third!"
Hiruzen closed his eyes, savoring the applause.
Now Akira carried the full weight of public hatred.
You humiliated me, Uchiha Akira. You dared to treat me as nothing.
If I can't kill you, I can at least ruin you.
He was just about to add more fuel to the fire—
BOOM.
A figure dropped from the sky.
Before anyone could react, Akira's foot came down hard on Hiruzen's chest, slamming him flat against the ground.
"Bastard! Uchiha Akira, what do you think you're doing? Release me at once!"
Hiruzen's fury blazed. His eyes burned as he glared up.
He was the Hokage. And in front of the entire village, he had been stomped into the dirt.
Unforgivable humiliation.
He roared, veins bulging on his forehead, grabbing Akira's leg with both hands. He strained with all his strength, trying to break free.
The foot pressing on his chest looked ordinary.
It felt like a mountain.
He couldn't budge it even an inch.
Switching tactics, Hiruzen formed hand seals, preparing to use Earth Release to sink underground and escape.
Crunch.
Akira pressed down slightly harder.
Hiruzen spat out a mouthful of blood. His chest felt like it was caving in. The pain shattered his concentration, interrupting the jutsu.
"Let go of the Third Hokage!"
The hidden ANBU, unable to endure the humiliation any longer, emerged from the shadows with kunai in hand and charged.
They knew they stood no chance. But they had to act.
They didn't even get within ten meters.
A casual sweep of Akira's hand unleashed a violent gust that blasted them backward. One by one, they crashed to the ground, unconscious.
0 ····Please Send Flowers···· ··
Below the stage, fury erupted across every face.
This was too much. Sure, he was strong, but strength didn't give him the right to humiliate someone like that.
The man under his foot was the ruler of Konoha. The Third Hokage they revered.
How could anyone step on him like he was dirt?
They wanted to shout, to curse Uchiha Akira and demand he release Sarutobi Hiruzen.
But the savage aura Akira radiated crushed that impulse before it could take shape. No one wanted to be the next corpse on the ground.
They had all heard the stories. This was a man who showed no mercy, not even to civilians.
So instead, they glared at him with burning hatred, hoping their eyes alone could wound him.
Akira let out a cold laugh.
"A bunch of idiots. You really think this whole mess happened the way that old bastard described?"
He casually tossed Danzo to the ground and ordered,
"Danzo. Tell these fools the truth."
The moment those words fell, the special genjutsu Akira had planted deep within Danzo's mind activated.
"It's all exposed, Hiruzen. Admit it. Stop pretending. It's time to take off that hypocritical mask."
Danzo's face remained blank. He realized, to his horror, that he couldn't control his own mouth.
Yet the words that came out were enough to make the Third Hokage's heart skip.
'That bastard… Is he trying to drag me down with him?'
Hiruzen forced his voice steady. "Danzo, I don't know what nonsense you're spouting."
"There's no point denying it," Danzo continued, mechanical and emotionless. "The reason I escaped prison wasn't because of my own ability. No mysterious savior broke me out."
"It was you, Sarutobi Hiruzen. I was never truly imprisoned. The one in Konoha's jail was a fake."
Murmurs spread like wildfire.
"After that, you and I planned today's operation together. The goal was to wipe out the Uchiha. That monster called Nue? You developed it long ago as the ultimate weapon. I participated in that research."
"As for the Nine-Tails, you secretly ordered its release at the critical moment."
"The mastermind behind all of this… was Sarutobi Hiruzen."
Danzo spoke calmly, his eyes clear and steady. There was no trace of being controlled, no visible distortion. It felt real. Painfully real.
"Lies!" Hiruzen roared. "Danzo, what the hell are you saying? I had no part in this! Stop slandering me!"
"Denying it won't change the facts," Danzo replied. "Without your support, how could I have done any of it? My Root forces had already been destroyed by your orders. I was crippled. Alone."
"There's no way I could've orchestrated such a meticulous plan without your help."
That line sealed it.
Everyone knew Danzo had been a cripple at the time. Without the Third Hokage's intervention, there was no way he could've recovered.
"Don't be fooled!" Hiruzen shouted desperately. "He's under a genjutsu! This is Uchiha Akira's trick to frame me. Don't believe it!"
"My mind is my own," Danzo said slowly. "Everything I've said is the truth. Stop struggling, Hiruzen. Accept judgment."
The crowd snapped.
"So the Third really was that kind of person? I trusted him!"
"He doesn't deserve to be Hokage! Destroying the Uchiha like this? Disgusting!"
"Send the old bastard to hell!"
The plaza filled with curses. Rage. Spit and venom.
Every voice wanted him dead.
Hiruzen's face twisted, veins bulging.
"Uchiha Akira! You're despicable! To stoop this low just to take me down!"
Akira's expression didn't change.
Why bother arguing with a dead man?
"Enough. The evidence is clear. Time to send you on your way, Sarutobi Hiruzen."
He pressed down harder.
"Next life, try being a decent person. Drop the fake smile."
Boom!!!
Stone shattered. A massive crater formed beneath his foot.
But Hiruzen was gone.
Akira clicked his tongue.
"Underground, huh? You think that's enough to escape?"
Behind him, a massive purple skeletal arm materialized and slammed into the ground.
"..."
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