"Hiruzen, I know what you're thinking, but this time it absolutely wasn't me."
Just as Hiruzen was thinking that, Danzo walked in.
Hiruzen turned and looked toward the doorway.
"If this time wasn't, then does that mean you admit the last time was?"
"The last time wasn't either!"
Danzo's voice grew sharp.
This feeling of being framed infuriated him. All his life, he had been the one framing others—but now, in such a short span of time, he had been framed twice.
"Then why are you here?"
"I came to tell you that I've already handed Root over to Homura completely. From now on, if you need Root to do anything, contact Homura directly. There's no need to come to me again."
Danzo said, "For the next period of time, I'll devote myself to rebuilding the Shimura clan."
Having said that, he turned and left without waiting for Hiruzen to respond.
Hiruzen withdrew his gaze, his eyes flickering slightly.
"Root is still entirely in Homura's hands? Danzo, you underestimate how well I know you."
"With your personality, there is no way you would truly hand Root over. But if this can make you quiet down for a while, then for the village, that is already a good thing."
"As for what you do outside the village… I won't interfere."
Both the ANBU and Root were investigating the cause of "Uchiha Gen's" death.
And before the investigation yielded results, the discussions about "Uchiha Gen" would never stop. And if they did not stop, then there was a very high chance that Uchiha Kagami would be brought up as well.
After all, "Uchiha Gen" had mentioned Uchiha Kagami several times that day.
Which would naturally lead people back to the rumors about Uchiha Kagami.
That was the effect Rasa wanted.
Before long, the story of "Uchiha Gen" began to spread beyond Konoha.
Even if it was not an important matter, too many people were talking about it.
Fuguki Suikazan fell silent for a moment.
"I knew the Uchiha were all freaks. To think someone would do something like that—trying to let Konoha's villagers vent their anger on him and then forgive the Uchiha. What kind of lunatic idea is that? Dying was what he deserved."
That thought immediately made him worry about the few Uchiha prisoners Kirigakure was holding.
"Those Uchiha… they won't cause trouble too, will they?"
"Hopefully the village won't give them the chance."
Uchiha Yashiro cursed openly.
"Idiot!"
"A hopeless idiot!"
"An idiot so stupid he belongs in a museum!"
The more Uchiha Yashiro hated Konoha, the more he hated what "Uchiha Gen" had done.
"As a member of the Uchiha, instead of being loyal to the Uchiha, he chose to be loyal to Konoha—wagging his tail at Konoha like that, throwing away all the dignity of the Uchiha."
But even so, Uchiha Yashiro had to admit one thing.
With this news spreading, the Uchiha rebels who had still retained even the slightest hope toward Konoha had now become completely hopeless.
Any thought of returning to Konoha had been severed entirely.
If even an Uchiha like "Uchiha Gen" had died, then if any of the Uchiha rebels present returned to Konoha, who among them would not die?
"I ought to thank the person who killed Uchiha Gen."
Uchiha Yashiro looked toward the Land of Fire and drew a slow breath.
"If the Uchiha are to survive, then two things must be done."
"First, we need to find a relatively safe place to settle. We cannot wander forever."
"Second, Konoha must not be allowed to become idle. Their war must continue—whether against Iwagakure or another ninja village. Otherwise, they will inevitably turn their attention to us Uchiha."
Yashiro hated Konoha, but he could not deny Konoha's strength.
For the current Uchiha to contend against Konoha was essentially impossible.
"Unless someone among us can reach the level of Madara-sama back then…"
A trace of ambition flashed through Yashiro's eyes.
"If that happens, then perhaps the Uchiha can still take Konoha back!"
…
…
A figure hurried into the Kazekage Building.
"Kazekage-sama."
"Yashamaru? What brings you here?"
"Kazekage-sama, have you heard about that recent Uchiha matter in Konoha?"
"Uchiha Gen?"
"Yes."
"That Uchiha Gen is unbelievably absurd. What he did is practically beyond what any normal human being could do."
Rasa: "…"
Rasa narrowed his eyes slightly as he looked at Yashamaru.
If he did not know for certain that his brother-in-law could not possibly know that "Uchiha Gen" had been him, Rasa might have wanted to give him a Desert Funeral on the spot just to help him calm down.
How was Uchiha Gen absurd?
How was Uchiha Gen not human?
Wasn't his "one scheme harming three worthies" brilliant enough already?
It had not only pushed the rumors about Uchiha Kagami into wider discussion yet again—
It had also made Uchiha Shisui personally witness the senseless murder of an Uchiha who had loved Konoha so deeply—
And it had made Hiruzen Sarutobi connect Uchiha Shisui to Uchiha Kagami.
From now on, every time Hiruzen saw Uchiha Shisui, he would be reminded of Uchiha Kagami.
Even if Hiruzen had held no particular feelings toward Uchiha Kagami before, as the rumors surrounding Kagami spread, he would inevitably develop some resistance toward that name.
And that meant Uchiha Shisui, in the future, would find it very difficult to remain entirely of one heart with Konoha.
Hiruzen would dislike Uchiha Shisui.
Uchiha Shisui would begin to doubt Hiruzen.
There would no longer be any perfect mutual devotion between a Hokage and his loyal Uchiha.
And Shisui, in turn, might influence Uchiha Itachi.
"Though on that point, I'm not entirely confident. If all Uchiha are freaks, then Uchiha Itachi is the freak among freaks. Who knows what kind of thoughts he'll have in the future."
"But Uchiha Gen has already done more than enough."
Rasa cut Yashamaru off.
"Yashamaru, what exactly are you trying to say?"
"Kazekage-sama… I don't want to keep looking after those two little Uchiha brats anymore."
The Three Great Villages had split up the Uchiha.
Sunagakure had obtained five of them.
Among them, Uchiha Daitei and Uchiha Ro had been placed under strict supervision. Rasa had deliberately arranged for several upright, ordinary Sunagakure women to marry the two of them.
That way, they could obtain Uchiha bloodlines.
Half Uchiha, half Sunagakure—if the newborn children had little contact with the role of "father," there was a high probability they would not grow up feeling they were not part of Sunagakure.
As for Uchiha Hazuki, she had not yet been dealt with for the time being.
Uchiha Izumi and Uchiha Hai had been handed to Yashamaru by Rasa.
To educate them.
To train them.
Or rather—to indoctrinate them.
"And if you don't do it, then who will?"
"In all of Sunagakure, who else do I trust this much?"
"This is wealth the village only obtained with great difficulty. If you're willing to do it, then good. If you're not willing, you'll do it anyway. This is an order. My order as Kazekage!"
Yashamaru's face filled with bitterness.
"Yes, Kazekage-sama."
Watching Yashamaru leave, Rasa turned his eyes to the system panel, and his expression brightened slightly.
[Points: 1505!]
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