Late into the night, lights still illuminated the meeting room.
Inside were the Third Hokage, Danzo Shimura, and the heads of each major clan.
Rain pattered against the windows.
Hizashi Hyuga sat with his eyes closed in silent meditation, while Inoichi Yamanaka exchanged glances with Shikaku Nara. The other clan heads also sat silently, the room filled with an eerie stillness.
Danzo, seated to the side, had his eyes half-closed, while Hiruzen Sarutobi stood by the window, gazing into the night.
A crimson light suddenly pierced through the chaotic darkness.
Light…
Hiruzen was momentarily stunned, then quickly realized it wasn't just light; it was a massive fireball heading straight for the Hokage building.
"Hokage-sama, watch out!"
The intense, blinding flames surged forward in an instant, accompanied by an Anbu's panicked shout.
Boom!
The fireball struck the building, exploding on impact, the terrifying force creating a gaping hole in the red structure.
Swish, swish, swish!
Shadows darted across the building, diving into the ruins.
Cough, cough!
Dust filled the air as Hiruzen pushed off the debris covering him, reaching his hand out from under the broken furniture.
Lying on his back, he felt the cold rain on his face, shocking him back to his senses.
What's going on…
"Hokage-sama, are you alright?"
A weak voice reached his ear, and Hiruzen realized that an Anbu member had shielded him with his own body. However, the Anbu looked gravely injured.
Around the meeting room's ruins, sounds of violent coughing and pained groans gradually emerged.
The clan heads slowly lifted their heads, all visibly shaken, none able to react in time to the sudden explosion.
Several Anbu stood protectively behind Hiruzen, warily scanning the surroundings.
Was that… a Fire Release technique…
Just as the thought crossed Hiruzen's mind, he suddenly noticed a figure appear atop the ruins in front of him.
It was a young man with short black hair, dressed in blue combat attire, a red and white fan symbol printed on his sleeve.
He stood in a high position, looking down coldly at Hiruzen.
"You're still alive, Hokage-sama."
"…"
Cough, cough. "What happened?!" Danzo stood up from the rubble. The moment he saw the young man, his gaze shifted sharply.
"Uchiha Shisui!"
Hiruzen glanced around. The clan heads had all managed to stand up. Besides Inoichi Yamanaka, who had blood at the corner of his mouth, likely injured in the blast, the others appeared unharmed, albeit disheveled.
"Just now…" Hiruzen began with a serious tone.
"Ah, it was me," Shisui responded calmly.
The Anbu guards immediately moved to surround Shisui, alert and on guard.
Yet, with just a single glance, all the Anbu dropped to their knees, screaming in terror as though seeing something horrifying.
"Aaaaah!!"
The clan heads were shocked beyond belief as they witnessed the scene.
Uchiha Shisui… did he just attack the Hokage?!
Hiruzen, however, maintained his composure.
"Why are you doing this?" he asked.
"Shisui!"
A shout echoed from afar, and soon two more figures arrived in an instant.
Uchiha Itachi and Uchiha Fugaku.
Fugaku moved in front of the Hokage protectively, staring intently at Shisui.
"Shisui… what are you doing?" Itachi asked in shock. They had been approaching the Hokage building together, but just before they arrived, Shisui had suddenly launched a Fire Release technique toward it.
"Shisui, are you planning a rebellion?" Fugaku asked gravely.
"Uchiha Shisui!" Danzo's face darkened as he spoke harshly.
"Do you realize what you're doing?!"
Swish!
A kunai shot through the air, slicing past Danzo's cheek.
Shisui glared at him. "Are you talking to me?"
Blood trickled from Danzo's face bandages as his pupils narrowed, his gaze fixed on Shisui.
Shisui then looked back at Hiruzen, speaking in a detached voice. "Why…"
"I want to know why, Danzo wants me dead."
"Hokage-sama, did you know?"
Hiruzen only glanced at Danzo without responding.
A glimmer of light flickered in Fugaku's eyes as he spoke. "Shisui, what nonsense are you spouting? Lord Danzo would never harm you! You've committed a grave act. Don't you think it's time to surrender and seek forgiveness from the Hokage?"
"Seek forgiveness…" Shisui murmured, looking up at the sky, allowing the rain to fall on his face.
"What crime… did I commit?"
"That warranted Lord Danzo wanting to eliminate me."
Danzo's face twisted with an unpleasant expression as he glared at Shisui coldly.
"Your existence has become a serious threat to the village's safety. You must be purged!"
Shisui listened, his expression remaining impassive.
Danzo sneered and continued, "Not only you, but your entire Uchiha clan has harbored treacherous intentions for a long time!"
Hiruzen frowned upon hearing Danzo's direct words.
"Lord Danzo, that's an accusation you cannot make lightly," Fugaku spoke up with displeasure.
"Our Uchiha clan is one of Konoha's founding families, always loyal and devoted. Is there any other clan in Konoha that can match our contributions and seniority?"
The other clan heads, realizing this was now a conflict between the Uchiha and the Hokage, chose to remain silent. But if it came to a fight, they would undoubtedly side with the Hokage.
"Loyalty?" Danzo sneered. "Your Uchiha clan dares to speak of loyalty? Wasn't this Mist Village assault a plot orchestrated by your clan in secret?"
Fugaku responded, "All accusations require evidence. The Uchiha clan will not accept such baseless slander!"
"Slander?" Danzo scoffed. "Then ask Uchiha Itachi where he was in the days before the Mist attack!"
A deadly silence filled the room.
Danzo's words were shocking, leaving the clan heads struggling to process the information.
Itachi stood frozen, feeling several gazes fall on him.
What should I do… If I admit it, I'll doom the Uchiha clan.
Yet, denying it outright… he couldn't find the words.
But someone answered for him.
Shisui suddenly threw his head back and laughed wildly, the laughter growing louder and more brazen.
Hiruzen watched him calmly; in this tense moment, he alone remained unflustered.
"What are you laughing at?"
Shisui gradually stopped, his face turning cold once more.
"It's pathetic," he said.
"What's pathetic?" Hiruzen asked, his eyes narrowed.
"Ignorance, short-sightedness, filth, decay," Shisui said slowly, his gaze shifting between the Hokage, Danzo, and Fugaku.
"All of you… are truly pathetic."
"The entire Konoha, the entire Uchiha clan, is filled with such small-mindedness."
Fugaku demanded, "Shisui, what are you talking about!"
"The Mist Village night raid… it was my plan," Shisui suddenly declared.
Itachi's eyes widened in shock.
"Surprised?" Shisui looked at Itachi impassively.
"You think, 'But I went to the border, I was the one who lured them across the boundary.'"
"But you…"
"You're nothing but a pitiful waste, controlled by my eye technique."
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