Although the Third Hokage spoke with deep sincerity, Uchiha Akihito had no intention of giving him any face.
Was Danzo the only one who had played dirty during the war? Hiruzen Sarutobi himself was hardly innocent.
Akihito shook his head.
"Lord Hokage, the matter has already been thoroughly investigated."
"The assassins were from Danzo's Root."
"The two Root shinobi are still in my custody, and there were plenty of eyewitnesses at the scene."
As soon as Akihito finished speaking, Hyuga Hiashi immediately stepped forward.
"Lord Hokage, I can testify."
"Everything Akihito just said is the truth."
Back when Konoha's higher-ups had attempted to sacrifice Hyuga Hizashi, Hiashi had already developed resentment toward Danzo.
Now that he finally had the chance, he naturally wouldn't hesitate to make things difficult for him.
After Hiashi voiced his stance, Nara Shikaku also stepped forward on behalf of the Ino–Shika–Cho.
"Lord Hokage, we can testify as well."
Uchiha Shisui looked conflicted.
He did not want to make things difficult for the Third Hokage, but he also wanted justice for Akihito.
After a long internal struggle, Shisui finally spoke tactfully.
"Lord Hokage, those two assassins should indeed be Root shinobi."
Danzo had become the target of public accusation, yet Hiruzen remained calm and composed, his expression unmoved.
He took a deep breath and said in a steady voice,
"I am aware of the matter."
"After I send people to investigate and gather evidence, I will handle it impartially."
Everyone had spoken firmly, yet the Third Hokage still refused to punish Danzo on the spot.
"Investigate and gather evidence" was merely a delaying tactic.
As long as he stabilized everyone's emotions, he could later deal with Danzo lightly.
Danzo was the head of Root and the Hokage Advisor personally appointed by Hiruzen.
The Police Force under Akihito had no authority to enforce the law against him; it would have to be handled by the Hokage's own Anbu.
When Danzo once instigated Kakashi to assassinate the Hokage, that matter had ultimately been brushed aside.
If the Third Hokage was the one enforcing the law, how could anyone expect Danzo to receive severe punishment?
Realizing this, a cold smile curved Akihito's lips.
Trying to shield Danzo?
Then don't blame me for turning the blade on you instead.
"Ahem."
Akihito cleared his throat.
"Let's set aside the assassination for now."
"What about Konoha's refusal to send me reinforcements?"
"Lord Third Hokage, were you planning to watch the frontline shinobi die?"
His gaze was sharp as a hawk's, locking directly onto Hiruzen.
Facing Akihito's icy stare, Hiruzen felt distinctly uncomfortable.
He sighed.
"Akihito, don't be angry."
"Konoha couldn't dispatch reinforcements in time because of unusual movements from neighboring nations."
Akihito let out a faint laugh.
"Unusual movements from neighboring nations? Heh…"
"As far as I know, the other three Great Hidden Villages were merely waiting to see who won. None of them intended to attack Konoha."
"Lord Hokage, surely you're not trying to brush me off with such a clumsy excuse?"
Hiruzen gave an awkward chuckle.
"How could that be?"
"We did receive intelligence at the time."
"There is Root intelligence as proof."
Akihito rolled his eyes.
Intelligence?
Wasn't that something you could write however you pleased?
"The Uchiha also have our own intelligence channels."
"Why didn't I receive any reports of unrest from neighboring nations?"
Hiruzen's expression grew stiff.
Whether neighboring countries had shown signs of movement could easily be verified—it wasn't some great secret.
The so-called intelligence had come from Danzo. To be honest, Hiruzen hadn't believed a single word of it.
As for why he hadn't sent reinforcements?
Naturally, he had hoped to eliminate Akihito through the war.
But that truth could never be laid out in the open.
Hiruzen forced a smile.
"Is that so?"
"I will have the Anbu investigate the source of the intelligence."
Akihito's Mangekyo Sharingan flared to life as he spoke coldly,
"No need to investigate."
"The ones who tried to assassinate me were from Root. The ones who submitted false intelligence to the Hokage were also from Root."
"With Root harboring such malicious intent, its leader Danzo bears undeniable responsibility."
"I request that the Hokage severely punish Danzo and give everyone justice. Otherwise, I will have no choice but to act personally."
Akihito's hand rested on the hilt of his sword, killing intent flashing in his eyes.
"Akihito, calm down."
"I will handle these matters fairly."
Hiruzen tried to salvage the situation, but Akihito refused to yield.
"Lord Hokage, I am very calm."
"If not for your sake, would Danzo have walked away unharmed after demanding the Eight-Tails from me?"
With the matter pushed this far, Hiruzen knew there was no peaceful resolution left.
He couldn't help blaming Danzo inwardly.
Why did you have to provoke Akihito at a time like this?
Haven't you caused enough trouble already?
Both the assassination and the refusal to send reinforcements were extremely difficult to justify.
Hiruzen sighed to himself.
At this point, the only option was to make Danzo sacrifice something to placate Akihito.
Turning toward Danzo, Hiruzen's voice grew stern.
"Were you aware of Root's actions?"
"So many problems have arisen under Root. As its leader, you have been gravely negligent!"
Standing there, Danzo's face remained expressionless.
Though Hiruzen appeared to be reprimanding him, he had not pinned any serious crime on him.
By that logic, Danzo was guilty of nothing more than poor supervision.
Hearing Hiruzen defend him so subtly, a trace of smugness surfaced in Danzo's heart.
So what if you flip the table, Uchiha Akihito?
In the end, you still can't touch me.
Hiruzen is the Hokage—and I, Danzo, am Konoha's second emperor!
But before he could savor that thought, Hiruzen's next words shattered it completely.
"After careful consideration, I have decided to remove Danzo from all his positions."
"Root shall be disbanded effective immediately."
Danzo froze on the spot.
He had only been accused of lax leadership.
How could the punishment be this severe?
Akihito, however, understood Hiruzen's intention.
A light crime—but a heavy punishment.
This way, Hiruzen could quell Akihito's anger while leaving room to reinstate Danzo in the future.
In matters of political maneuvering, Hiruzen Sarutobi was undeniably shrewd.
But once Danzo stepped down, Akihito would never give him a chance to rise again.
"No! Such a decision is unacceptable!"
Snapping back to his senses, Danzo immediately protested.
But Hiruzen, having made up his mind, left no room for objection.
"The matter is decided."
"Only by dissolving Root can we give everyone an explanation."
Danzo had no choice but to swallow his anger.
Most Root members were his diehard loyalists—even the Hokage couldn't freely command them.
Though Hiruzen had ordered Root disbanded, as long as he turned a blind eye, Danzo could still operate in the shadows.
Akihito understood this perfectly.
After the Uchiha massacre in the original timeline, the Third Hokage had also stripped Danzo of his advisory role and ordered Root disbanded.
Yet in reality, Root operatives had remained active in secret, still serving Danzo.
After punishing Danzo, Hiruzen turned to Akihito with a genial smile.
"Akihito, are you satisfied with this outcome?"
Akihito withdrew his hand from his sword and nodded calmly.
He had never expected Hiruzen to crush Danzo outright.
Stripping him of his titles was more than enough.
Before, Danzo had held the title of Hokage Advisor, placing him beyond the jurisdiction of the Police Force.
Now, nominally, he was nothing more than an ordinary jonin.
If Akihito wanted to deal with him, it would be effortless.
Given Danzo's long history of taking the blame for Konoha's dirty work, Akihito could easily dig up countless issues.
If he wished, he could ensure Danzo died without burial.
But seizing control of Konoha required patience.
The Third Hokage still controlled too many key departments.
Of Konoha's seven major divisions, Administration, Anbu, Medical, and Education remained under the Hokage and the two advisors.
Akihito controlled only the Police Force.
The Intelligence Division was jointly managed by clans led by the Yamanaka.
And Root had answered solely to Danzo.
Before Akihito's rise, the higher-ups monopolized five of the seven.
No wonder the Uchiha had ultimately fallen in the original storyline.
Trying to seize power with only the Police Force—their foundation had been far too weak.
If Akihito intended to ascend, he had to change that.
Now that Danzo had been stripped of office, Root would sooner or later fall beneath his blade.
After eliminating Root, Akihito planned to build his own faction.
If he became Hokage Advisor, he could rightfully inherit everything that had once belonged to Danzo.
If Danzo could create a Root, then as Hokage Advisor, creating a new department of his own would hardly be excessive.
On top of that, the Intelligence Division could be courted.
With the backing of major clans like the Hyuga, Akihito could elevate his foundation to the same level as the Third Hokage.
Strength. Prestige. Foundation.
With all three united, he would be the obvious candidate for the next Hokage.
Even if Tsunade returned, she might not be able to compete.
Besides, Tsunade was deeply disappointed in Konoha's leadership and had no desire to become Hokage.
"Hokage is garbage. Only idiots want that job."
If one followed Tsunade's logic, Akihito was that idiot.
Wouldn't lying flat be more comfortable?
Why bother being Hokage?
Akihito would have loved to lie flat—but the original storyline left him no choice.
He had no intention of being slaughtered on the Night of the Uchiha Massacre by Obito or by the dutiful son Uchiha Itachi.
The destruction of the Uchiha Clan was something he simply could not accept.
After exchanging a few polite words with the Third Hokage, Akihito returned home to rest.
The next morning, he attended the collective funeral for the war's fallen.
Before Konoha's Memorial Stone, Akihito personally engraved the names of the fallen Uchiha.
Their deaths were, to some extent, connected to him.
But he did not regret it.
If he wished to change the Uchiha's fate, some sacrifices were inevitable.
If they were unwilling to bleed now, they would bleed even more in the future.
Of the three thousand shinobi who marched to war, over two thousand returned.
For Konoha, this was an unprecedented victory.
As for Kumogakure, they had lost more than three thousand in total—more than the entire force Konoha had deployed.
The Fourth Raikage A had suffered a crushing defeat at Akihito's hands.
After the funeral, Akihito returned to a quieter routine—training daily or freeloading meals next door.
Kumogakure had yet to send envoys to negotiate for Killer B's return.
The Third Hokage had also remained silent about rewarding Akihito for his merits.
Akihito didn't care.
Prestige was already in his grasp. Would power really be far behind?
Yet while Akihito sought leisure, others had no intention of leaving him be.
Only days after the funeral, Hyuga Hiashi personally sent his eldest daughter, Hyuga Hinata, to Akihito, hoping he would teach her.
Upon hearing this, Uchiha Fugaku shamelessly sent his younger son, Sasuke, as well.
Both children were only four years old, heirs of prestigious clans.
Now that both had become Akihito's disciples, his status rose even further.
When Hiruzen heard the news, he couldn't help feeling displeased.
Not only had Uchiha Akihito achieved extraordinary military merit—
He had also formed close ties with the Hyuga Clan.
If this continued…
Konoha might truly be on the verge of change.
✨ Want to read ahead?
You can access advanced chapters on Patreon ♥
patreon.com/c/InkWhispers151
Every bit of support helps unlock bonus chapters and keeps the story moving.
💬 10 reviews → extra chapter
💙 100 Power Stones → extra chapter
Thank you for supporting my work! 💫