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In short, Danzo had no way to explain himself. Even if he hadn't done anything, the mud on his hands would make it look like he had.
Connecting with the Daimyo might benefit the Uchiha.
Thus, Kazuki, who had been silently observing, proposed that the Uchiha protect the Daimyo.
The Daimyo was surely aware of how bad the relationship between Uchiha and Danzo was; otherwise, he wouldn't have brought it up earlier.
The Third Hokage was a bit surprised.
He didn't expect Kazuki to make such a suggestion, but having the Uchiha protect the Daimyo was indeed an option.
The Daimyo didn't trust the people the Hokage sent, fearing they were Danzo's spies. But if the Uchiha did it, that would be different.
After all, the relationship between Uchiha and Danzo couldn't be worse.
As for Kazuki's intentions, the Third Hokage couldn't worry about that now. The most important thing was handling this matter properly.
Otherwise, the village's finances would remain tight, and Konoha would become a laughingstock among other villages.
The Third Hokage couldn't allow that to happen to him.
"Well..."
The Hokage's men might be problematic, but Uchiha's ninja were more trustworthy.
After all, their relationship was terrible, and the Daimyo was somewhat convinced.
Though he had recruited quite a few ninjas, they were not the best.
If Danzo were pushed to the brink and decided to act, the ninjas he bought with money wouldn't be able to protect him.
"I think this proposal is good."
The Third Hokage had to step up and support Kazuki.
Kazuki added fuel to the fire:
"Daimyo, the Uchiha members we send will be our strongest, among the best in Konoha. Even if Danzo dares to act, with our protection, you'll be safe."
Has Kazuki already discovered that Shisui has the Mangekyō Sharingan?
The Third Hokage was shocked.
That was a top-secret, known by very few.
Looks like Shisui is no longer trustworthy.
In his mind, the Third Hokage shifted Shisui from useful to unusable.
Trust? He never trusted the Uchiha.
Even his former classmate Uchiha Kagami was under scrutiny, let alone Shisui.
"Really?"
A top-tier ninja in Konoha protecting him would significantly enhance his security.
The Daimyo was truly tempted now.
"Absolutely. If you don't believe me, ask the Hokage. He knows best how strong our Uchiha clan is."
"..."
Damn, you've put me in a spot where I can't say anything against it.
You might as well give Shisui's favorite colour.
The Third Hokage reluctantly nodded.
"Alright, I'll leave this matter to the Uchiha. If you can ensure my safety, I'll help resolve the misunderstandings and conflicts between your clan and the village."
If you gain something, you naturally have to give something in return.
Thus, the Daimyo reciprocated Kazuki's offer.
Kazuki almost laughed out loud; was this an unexpected surprise?
It seemed his suggestion was spot on, judging by the Third Hokage's sour expression.
The village's constant surveillance and targeting of the Uchiha had restrained them.
But with the Daimyo involved, the Third Hokage would have to ease his actions against the Uchiha.
If the Hokage eased up, Kazuki would have enough time to address internal clan issues.
The hardliners were always a ticking time bomb that needed to be dealt with promptly.
Kazuki initially thought it would take a long time to handle the hardliners, but who knew an unexpected trip to the Daimyo's mansion would present such an opportunity.
As they left the palace, the Third Hokage's face was sullen.
Without resting, he instructed Kazuki to find Kaze and Izumi and return to the village immediately.
He needed to handle Danzo and Root's issues quickly, or the Daimyo's uproar would cause a big mess.
Finding enough trouble for Danzo kept the Third Hokage extremely busy and even gave the Uchiha a new opportunity. It was indeed a stroke of luck.
"Gather immediately, we're returning to the village."
Kazuki found Kaze and Izumi but didn't explain the urgency of their return.
The three quickly reached the Daimyo's palace gates, met up with the Third Hokage, and headed straight back to the village.
The return trip was swift compared to their leisurely pace earlier, and by nightfall, they arrived in Konoha.
"Thank you for your hard work."
Back in the village, the Third Hokage left with just these words, hurrying off.
If this matter wasn't handled properly, it would severely impact the village. Not to mention, Danzo would definitely cause a ruckus.
"You two go rest; I have matters to discuss with the clan leader."
Kazuki sent Kaze and Izumi home to rest and went alone to the clan leader's residence.
It was already late, and Fugaku's family was asleep.
Entering the courtyard, Kazuki deliberately made some noise to avoid any misunderstandings and waited.
The commotion woke three out of the four members of Fugaku's family.
"It's Kazuki; it seems to be important."
Fugaku got dressed while Mikoto said, "I'll make some tea."
Opening the door, Mikoto saw Itachi peeking out. She patted his head and smiled:
"It's Kazuki; he has important matters to discuss with your father. Go back to sleep."
Itachi obediently nodded and went back to his room, but lay by the window, curious about the courtyard.
But he couldn't see or hear anything and didn't dare eavesdrop, so he reluctantly went back to sleep.
He planned to tell Shisui about it tomorrow.
Unbeknownst to Itachi, he wouldn't get the chance. Shisui would be leaving that night for tasked with protecting the Daimyo.
This would also create a rift between Shisui and the higher-ups, killing two birds with one stone.
"Why return so urgently?"
Fugaku frowned slightly, sitting cross-legged on the mat.
"It seems something important happened at the Daimyo meeting."
Kazuki always hated sitting on the floor for long periods, finding it uncomfortable for his knees.
"Yes, very important. For the village and the Uchiha. We might have a new opportunity."
Kazuki nodded and explained the events, including the Third Hokage's constant muttering on their way to the Daimyo's mansion, though he minimized it as much as possible.
"..."
Fugaku was stunned for a few seconds after hearing Kazuki's account. Mikoto, bringing tea, was also taken aback.
"Hahaha..."
A few seconds later, Fugaku laughed joyfully like a child, the usual solemnity of a clan leader replaced by pure delight.
Fugaku was happy for a simple reason: not only did the Uchiha's difficult situation have a potential turnaround, but also because Danzo was in big trouble.