"Itachi Uchiha!!!"
Koharu Utatane and Homura Mitokado looked grim. Itachi held some of their darkest secrets; once exposed, their careers as Village Consultants would be over. Furthermore, Itachi's terrifying ocular power was a constant, looming threat.
Better a dead friend than a dead me.
Faced with this reality, the two chose to abandon Danzo to protect their families and clans. After all, Danzo had failed, and Itachi had somehow learned everything.
Hiruzen Sarutobi stared at them, his voice heavy. "Have you decided? Are you waiting for Itachi's revenge, or will you show a gesture of goodwill?"
Koharu narrowed her eyes and replied, "Danzo has become too narrow-minded, selfish, and cruel. It is time he was thoroughly suppressed."
Homura echoed her without missing a beat, "Indeed. Danzo's personal interests weigh too heavy, and his ambition is far too great. His power must be stripped."
The two had no choice but to swallow their pride and compromise.
"Very well. I shall immediately issue an order to strip Danzo of all authority in Konoha. I will seize all funding from the Root, disband its members, and integrate them into the ANBU."
"The two of you will lead the team to execute this order!!!" Hiruzen's gaze was unyielding as he locked onto them.
The two consultants exchanged a sharp look. Koharu squinted and said, "Fine. Having us deliver the news provides Danzo with at least a shred of 'face' among old friends."
"I shall leave it to you, then. Do not disappoint me." A glint of victory flashed in Hiruzen's eyes. After this, he would hold Konoha in a firm grip; no one would dare oppose him openly again.
The Fall of the Root
Danzō Shimura was still seething at his headquarters when Koharu and Homura arrived. They didn't come alone; a massive force of ANBU ninjas completely surrounded the base.
Danzo led his men out to confront them. His face was a mask of shadows as he stared at his old teammates. "Koharu, Homura? What is the meaning of this?"
Koharu looked at him coldly. "Danzo, after deliberation, it has been decided to disband the Root. Your ninjas will be integrated into the ANBU, and you are to be placed under house arrest."
"What?! What happened to make you two treat me like this?!" Danzo roared.
"Danzo, I warned you not to move against Sasuke," Koharu said. "Look what happened—you brought the Crow himself back to the village."
"What 'warned' me? You were the one who said, 'What does it matter, he's an Uchiha'!" Danzo spat. "And now, you're so terrified of a single Itachi that you've turned into cowards!"
Homura ignored the mockery. "Danzo, talk is useless. Will you accept your fate quietly, or will you resist? Resistance means you are a traitor to the Leaf."
Danzo's face turned black with fury. With the two consultants siding with Hiruzen, he was in an impossible position. He had the strength to resist, but doing so would make him a rogue ninja, hunted by the Land of Fire. His ambitions were not yet realized; he couldn't afford to be a wanderer. Only by holding the Hokage seat could he fulfill his vision.
He would endure. He would outlive Hiruzen, and then he would rise again.
"I'm counting on you, Orochimaru. Don't let me down."
Danzo dropped his cane. "I agree to disband the Root. I accept the confinement."
Koharu and Homura both let out a sigh of relief. If Danzo had fought back, it would have been a bloodbath.
"Release your control over them, Danzo!" Homura pointed to the Root ninjas behind him.
Danzo swept a cold gaze over Homura before reluctantly undoing the Cursed Tongue Seals on his subordinates.
I will endure. I have Hashirama's cells; my life force is vast. I will live longer than all of you. One day, I will return, take the Hokage seat, and unite the entire shinobi world.
The Profiteer's Heart
While Danzo was being stripped of his power and the Shimura clan went into hiding, Raizen Uchiha remained blissfully unaware of the political upheaval.
Raizen was lying on a chair, enjoying a double massage from Kurenai and Momoko, when a system notification rang in his head.
[Ding! System Mall is now online. Papaya Nutritious Juice has been added to the stock. Welcome, Host.]
"What? A System Mall?"
Raizen curiously opened the system interface. Sure enough, a shopping icon had appeared. There was only one item currently available: Papaya Nutritious Juice.
"Hehe, the system is quite thoughtful!"
Knowing he was running low, it provided a way to restock. He checked the price: 10,000 Ryo per bottle.
"System, how do I pay? I don't have a balance here," Raizen mused.
[Host may hold physical currency and think 'Top Up' to convert money into system credits.]
"Got it. But why is there only juice? Where are the rest of the items?"
[Please wait. The system will notify the Host when new goods are added.]
Raizen felt a pang of regret. If he could buy S-rank jutsus or Kekkei Genkai, his wealth would allow him to conquer the world instantly. Clearly, the system wasn't going to make it that easy.
At 10,000 Ryo a bottle, it wasn't exactly cheap. If he kept giving it away for free, he'd be losing money. He didn't mind spending on his own wives, but for outsiders? No way.
As a businessman, he lived for profit. A business without a margin was a failing one.
"This juice is miraculous; women find it irresistible. Since I have the monopoly, I shouldn't sell it too cheaply... Let's go with 1,000,000 Ryo per bottle!"