Chapter 44
"Uncle Sakumo didn't say anything?" Haneda asked softly.
"He only mentioned that there was an attack, but it seemed like he was afraid of causing misunderstandings, so he didn't go into details," the clan leader replied. "And his mood wasn't great, so I didn't press him."
Hearing this, Haneda thought for a moment. Uncle Sakumo was still the same, tolerating the shady dealings between the Third Hokage and Danzo. But he hadn't fully kept quiet either. The fact that the clan leader sat next to Sakumo without being turned away or rejected showed this. It was Sakumo's way of applying pressure, expressing his dissatisfaction.
Haneda didn't intend to hide anything. He was counting on the clan leader and Uncle Sakumo to pressure the Third Hokage together, using this to negotiate some benefits. As for dealing with the true culprit? Haneda believed that dwelling on what had already happened wouldn't help and would only make things more complicated. At the very least, Danzo would never swallow his pride and would definitely take underhanded actions against him.
But one thing was certain: Haneda would repay this grudge someday. Once his strength increased, Danzo was a dead man.
Haneda slowly opened his Sharingan, revealing the three tomoe as he looked at the clan leader. Seeing these eyes, the clan leader's expression flickered with shock, then joy. A six-year-old with three-tomoe Sharingan—this was an unprecedented achievement in the Uchiha clan's history! Even the legendary Uchiha Madara hadn't reached Haneda's level at such a young age.
Seeing the clan leader's reaction, Haneda nodded inwardly. This was exactly what he wanted—to shock the clan leader and earn the recognition of the Uchiha clan. With the three-tomoe Sharingan and mastery of the first four gates of the Eight Gates technique, Haneda already had the strength of a high-level jonin. Combined with his powerful background, Haneda was ready to take control of his destiny.
"Clan leader uncle, it was Elder Shimura Danzo who led the Root to assassinate the Hokage. Kakashi and I were also targeted by Danzo in an attempt to threaten the Uchiha and Uncle Sakumo, hoping to seize the Hokage position."
Haneda summarized the incident concisely, with only a few words, but the information was enough to leave the clan leader deep in thought.
Danzo from the Hokage's faction attempted to assassinate the Hokage but failed, and Danzo hadn't been dismissed from his position. This meant that the Third Hokage hadn't imposed any punishment. So, what about Haneda and Kakashi, who had been attacked? Haneda represented the Uchiha clan, and Kakashi represented the famous Konoha's White Fang. Was this really just going to be swept under the rug?
No wonder Sakumo had been so angry the previous night.
The clan leader wasn't sure how Haneda had identified the difference between Root and ANBU ninjas. But he knew Haneda was smart. What he was willing to say, he would say; what he didn't want to mention, he wouldn't.
The clan leader asked seriously, "What do you want us to do, Haneda? Or rather, what do you want the Uchiha to do? Are you looking for revenge on Danzo, or...?"
Without hesitation, Haneda replied, "The Hokage doesn't want to deal with Danzo, and this incident is already in the past. Holding onto it would only make things awkward for everyone involved. Instead, we should take this opportunity to negotiate for benefits."
"Like what?" the clan leader probed, guessing that Haneda had something in mind.
"The Scroll of Seals and a position in the ANBU," Haneda said, meeting the clan leader's gaze.
The Scroll of Seals was for both him and Kakashi, while the ANBU position was for the Uchiha. When asking others for something, one must give something in return. Haneda had never thought the Uchiha owed him anything; rather, he believed he owed something to the Uchiha. And now was the time to repay that debt.
Hearing Haneda's request, the clan leader understood his intent. He looked at Haneda with admiration, thinking how great it would be if Haneda were his son. A boy with such talent and wisdom. Unlike Fugaku, who was an unpolished stone, incapable of being carved.
Haneda's words had considered everyone's position—Sakumo's, the Uchiha's, and his own. As for the Third Hokage, they were all adults and needed to take responsibility for their actions. And Haneda's demands weren't excessive, all within the realm of what the Hokage could accept.
The clan leader nodded, agreeing. "Alright. I'll contact Sakumo, and we'll apply pressure on the Third Hokage together. In the meantime, Haneda, rest up and wait for good news."
"Thank you, clan leader uncle, and thank you too, Fugaku," Haneda said in farewell.
Before leaving, Fugaku added, "If you need anything, just let me know, and I'll bring it for you."
Once the door closed, the room finally became quiet. Haneda glanced at the dango on the bedside table, picked up a skewer, and took a bite. The soft, sweet flavor spread across his tongue, and even after finishing a skewer, it didn't feel overly sweet. No wonder Itachi loved it as a child.
Just as Haneda was drinking some water to wash down the sweetness, the door opened again—this time, it was Tsunade.
"Kid, just now starting to eat something?" Tsunade said as she sat down at the bedside, carelessly grabbing a skewer of dango and peeling a banana. Taking a bite of the dango, she continued, "Living like this must be exhausting, huh?"
"Barely awake and already being visited by people with their own agendas under the guise of concern."
Haneda was a bit taken aback. He didn't understand why Tsunade was suddenly showing so much concern for him. After all, wasn't he the "naturally evil" Uchiha brat, according to Tobirama?
Haneda responded casually, "It's not that bad. Most people are pretty sincere."
Tsunade chuckled but didn't say much more. She continued eating her banana, staying silent until she tossed the peel into the trash. Then, she clapped her hands and said, "The old man went too far this time. Even Jiraiya hasn't been talking to him much lately, spending more time with his student Minato."
"Jiraiya, that fool. Who knows what goes on in his head? He's been searching for this so-called 'Child of Prophecy' for years now. A few years ago, he took on three kids from the Rain Village, and now he's teaching Minato and his team."
"Hmm. Kushina even fell for that blond brat. What luck..."
Tsunade rambled on, her slightly drunken gaze fixed on Haneda, the smell of alcohol on her breath becoming more noticeable. Haneda finally understood why Tsunade was acting so differently—she was drunk. But why had she come to him to vent?
Was it because he resembled her brother, like how Naruto did?
Well, his Sage body hadn't awakened yet, but theoretically, he did have direct Senju bloodline, so it wasn't impossible...
At that moment, Tsunade brought up Haneda's situation again.
"Heh... Kid, you must be wondering why one of the Legendary Sannin is getting drunk so early in the morning and venting to a little kid, right?"
Tsunade gently caressed Haneda's face, her drunken eyes staring into his. "Your scent... it's so much like my brother's. And your face, too... the more I look, the more alike you seem..."
"But unfortunately, you're not him."
As she spoke, Tsunade collapsed onto the bed, her head resting on Haneda's chest. She mumbled "Nawaki" and "brother" repeatedly, clutching Haneda tightly, unwilling to let go.
"Troublesome woman..."
Haneda didn't expect to gain any favor with Tsunade. This was just an accident. People who drank to drown their sorrows were mostly trying to escape their worries and troubles. And he just happened to look like her brother, providing Tsunade an outlet for her emotions.
***
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