Danzō Falters and Faces Defeat
"Go to hell, Uchiha Yue!"
With a determined yet desperate aura, Shimura Danzō roared and charged forward, intent on taking down his enemy.
Watching the scene unfold, Sarutobi Hiruzen remained motionless, silently permitting Danzō's actions. Despite everything, Hiruzen still harbored feelings for his old friend and could not bring himself to see him imprisoned and executed in disgrace.
Moreover, Danzō's reckless attack aligned with Hiruzen's own interests. If he could kill Uchiha Yue, it would be a victory. If not, at the very least, they could gauge his true strength and prepare accordingly.
As these thoughts flashed through Hiruzen's mind, he kept his gaze locked on Danzō, curious to see what his old comrade could accomplish when fully unshackled and driven by the will to fight to the death.
Then—
Boom!
A deafening impact shattered the air.
In the blink of an eye, Danzō was mercilessly swatted away by the colossal hand of a skeletal Susanoo. His body was crushed, reduced to an unrecognizable mess of flesh and blood, and his charge ended as abruptly as it began.
The stark contrast between his dramatic advance and his pitiful fate left everyone momentarily stunned.
"Hahaha! This is hilarious! Is this really the strength of the Hokage's assistant? What a joke!"
"Hahaha, who said it wasn't! Speaking so highly of oneself makes it seem like I'm some kind of legend who has suffered endlessly—is that what happened?"
"Tch, to even dare covet our Uchiha's Sharingan so brazenly... So many stolen eyes, even Mangekyō Sharingan—it's a blasphemy against our clan."
"…"
Seeing Danzō's swift and ruthless attack, the Konoha shinobi were startled, though they maintained their composure. On the other hand, the Uchiha present erupted in laughter. Their fury at Danzō's arm, grotesquely covered in stolen Sharingan, seemed to fade slightly, replaced by a deep sense of satisfaction.
"Then, Third Hokage-sama, will you continue this battle?"
Still maintaining the form of his half-body Susanoo, Uchiha Yue gazed at Sarutobi Hiruzen with an unwavering calm. His tone was indifferent, yet his presence alone was enough to send a chill down the old Hokage's spine. Even without overt hostility, Hiruzen found himself instinctively on high alert.
"Uchiha Yue, the Uchiha clan is still a part of Konoha. I hope you remember that."
"What happened tonight was due to Shimura Danzō's actions. Now that you have taken his life, I hope this matter ends here—for the sake of not just the Uchiha, but all of Konoha."
Though every fiber of his being screamed for him to strike Uchiha Yue down, to wipe out the Uchiha entirely, Sarutobi Hiruzen knew such a thing was impossible. His forces were uncertain, shaken, while Uchiha Yue had demonstrated power beyond expectation.
Swallowing his rage, Hiruzen suppressed his killing intent, forcing himself to speak with careful restraint, burying his true feelings deep within.
"Oh, the Uchiha clan is, of course, a part of Konoha. In fact, Konoha itself was built upon the alliance between the Uchiha and Senju clans," Uchiha Yue stated firmly.
"So, while others may turn their backs on the village, the Uchiha cannot. I trust you understand this, Hokage."
"In addition, our Uchiha clan values both gratitude and vengeance. We do not resort to harming the innocent. As long as no one seeks their own downfall, there will be no unnecessary bloodshed."
Uchiha Yue observed Sarutobi Hiruzen carefully. Even if he could not fully read the Hokage's mind, he could still make an educated guess about his intentions. Standing his ground, he spoke without hesitation or concession.
Hiruzen met his gaze with a deep, measuring look before finally responding in a slightly softer tone.
"Very well. I understand. I hope you will stand by your words."
With that, he gave a firm gesture, signaling for the Konoha ninja to withdraw. The assembled forces quickly retreated from the Uchiha compound, heading back toward the village.
The tension in the air slowly dissipated, and behind Uchiha Yue, the Uchiha clansmen allowed themselves to breathe a sigh of relief.
Despite their elite strength, they knew that an all-out battle would have led to disastrous losses on both sides. Konoha's forces outnumbered them, and while Uchiha Yue himself might have been able to hold his ground, the same could not be said for the rest of the clan.
In the end, survival was a fragile thing—one that could not be taken for granted.
"What a shame," Yue murmured to himself.
Watching Sarutobi Hiruzen and a group of Konoha Shinobi leave, and seeing most of the injured Uchiha clan members, Uchiha Yue sighed, feeling a deep sense of helplessness.
After all, the time given to him had been far too short, and his preparations were woefully inadequate.
His own strength was considerable—through sheer determination and the advantage of an outsider's perspective, he had managed to achieve a breakthrough in just three months. He had reached the pinnacle of the Jōnin level, excelling in nearly every aspect. However, individual strength alone was not enough to turn the tide.
The Uchiha clan's situation was dire. Those who should have been their strongest assets, the Mangekyō Sharingan wielders, instead brought ruin upon them.
One, Uchiha Itachi, had resolved to slaughter his entire clan to protect his younger brother, even going as far as to collaborate with a powerful outsider, Uchiha Obito.
Then there was the clan's leader, Uchiha Fugaku, whose indecisiveness and repeated concessions had pushed the Uchiha into a desperate corner. Even when conflict became inevitable, he hesitated, unwilling to fight against his own son, ultimately choosing death.
As for the rest of the clan, they were vocal in their grievances and eager to rise up, but in the end, their ambitions far outweighed their actual strength.
This time, the Uchiha Clan Downfall occurred earlier than expected. Due to his current status, Uchiha Yue had little time to make thorough preparations in advance.
He could only act on the spot, relying solely on his overwhelming strength to shift the tide in his favor.
However, no matter how powerful he was, the Uchiha Clan's predicament was dire. Their downfall had already been set in motion, and even if he managed to create an opportunity for them, the clan itself might not be able to grasp it.
If he were to fight Sarutobi Hiruzen head-on and succeed in killing him, the immediate consequence would be the complete isolation of the Uchiha. They would become the prime target of Konoha's collective wrath, leading to even more severe repercussions.
Such a direct confrontation could spark a chain reaction, potentially escalating into a full-scale conflict that the Uchiha were not prepared to handle.
Instead, it was wiser to take a step back—cause just enough of a disturbance to buy himself time. This way, he could stabilize the clan and rebuild its foundation before engaging in an all-out struggle.
Once he had solidified the Uchiha's position and secured enough political legitimacy, eliminating Sarutobi Hiruzen would not only be feasible but would also ensure that the Uchiha could enjoy their victory without immediate backlash.
With all this in mind, Uchiha Yue chose not to escalate the battle into an all-or-nothing confrontation. Instead, he maneuvered strategically, setting the stage for a temporary truce.
However, both he and Sarutobi Hiruzen were fully aware that this peace was temporary. They knew that sooner or later, another confrontation would be inevitable.
While Uchiha Yue focused on strengthening and reorganizing his clan, Sarutobi Hiruzen would undoubtedly consolidate his power, stabilize Konoha's military forces, and prepare for a decisive strike of his own.
Thus, the battle was far from over—this was merely the calm before the storm.