"It was indeed a misunderstanding."
Danzō Shimura drew in a deep breath. His expression was so dark it looked as if he had swallowed something rotten.
He had never imagined that his carefully orchestrated move would end like this.
Shuoye Uchiha let out a low chuckle, his gaze sharp as a blade.
"A misunderstanding?" he said evenly. "You brought this many men to surround the Uchiha compound, and you call it that? Your skin must be impressively thick, Danzō-sama."
Danzō's face turned ashen. He had no rebuttal.
He knew he had overstepped.
Hiruzen Sarutobi stepped forward to smooth things over.
"Shuoye, I understand your dissatisfaction. But the Hidden Leaf Village is one united body. We will not allow any individual or clan to be treated unjustly."
He paused, measuring his words carefully.
"Name your condition. As long as it is within the village's ability, we will do our best to meet it."
A faint smile curved Shuoye's lips.
He looked at Hiruzen, eyes deep and unreadable.
"A condition?" he repeated. "Very well."
"I want a formal apology from the Hidden Leaf Village to the Uchiha clan."
"And Danzō Shimura will step down as leader of Root. Permanently. He will never again interfere in Uchiha affairs."
Silence fell.
Every shinobi present froze.
Even the wind seemed to stop.
No one expected such a direct demand.
Danzō's fists clenched.
His knuckles turned white.
Shuoye's expression did not change.
"Root," he continued calmly, "is nothing more than rot hidden underground. A shadow organization feeding on the village's resources while doing its work in the dark."
"If the village continues pouring strength into that pit, that is the real tragedy."
The words landed cleanly.
Danzō's breathing grew uneven.
"You dare insult me like this?" he snapped. "I will never hand Root's resources over to you!"
Hiruzen immediately intervened.
Enough.
He understood that a single spark could ignite open conflict.
"Shuoye," Hiruzen said steadily, "your request goes too far. However, given your contributions to the village, I am willing to negotiate."
"As for Root's resources, you may receive a portion—but not half."
"That is the Hidden Leaf's bottom line."
Shuoye nodded slightly, unsurprised.
"A portion will do," he replied. "Better than nothing."
There was faint amusement in his tone.
But Hiruzen was not finished.
"However," he continued, voice firming, "you must hand over the Eight-Tails."
"It is a tailed beast—a strategic asset of the highest order. It cannot remain under the control of any single clan. It must be managed by the village to ensure stability and security."
The silence returned, heavier than before.
Even Danzō stopped speaking.
Shuoye's smile sharpened.
So that was it.
No wonder Hiruzen had agreed so readily earlier.
This was the real objective.
"Hokage-sama," Shuoye said, his tone cooling, "are you serious?"
"The Eight-Tails was captured through the blood and effort of the Uchiha clan. And you expect us to simply hand it over?"
Hiruzen inhaled slowly.
"I understand your concerns," he said. "But the village will arrange matters properly. The Eight-Tails will not become the private possession of any clan."
"Under the village's protection, it can serve the peace and prosperity of the Hidden Leaf."
The tension grew suffocating.
Eyes shifted back and forth.
Danzō watched carefully.
If the Eight-Tails came under central control, even if Root lost half its resources, the gain would outweigh the loss.
A tailed beast was worth far more.
But Hiruzen's face remained grave.
He knew the risk.
If the Uchiha truly controlled a tailed beast, the internal balance of the village would tilt dangerously.
Yet forcing them outright would trigger something far worse.
Fugaku Uchiha and the others stood stiffly.
They felt the weight of the situation.
A deadlock.
Yielding meant humiliation.
Refusing meant confrontation.
Just as the pressure reached its peak—
Shuoye laughed.
The sound cut through the night like a blade.
It carried no joy.
Only mockery.
"Hokage-sama," he said quietly, and yet every ear caught it, "you claim the Uchiha cannot safeguard the Eight-Tails."
"Are you certain?"
"And since we are speaking of strategic weapons…"
His gaze fixed on Hiruzen.
"What about the Nine-Tails?"
"Do you truly believe no one remembers how that incident was handled?"
Hiruzen Sarutobi's face drained of color.
His pupils contracted sharply.
The past—
Had just been dragged into the open.
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