The Root Jonin exchanged bewildered glances.
Their masks hid their faces, but they couldn’t conceal the utter shock in their eyes.
After all, for a figure like Jiraiya to take the initiative to contact a member of the Uchiha…
it couldn’t possibly be just to write dirty books, right?!
Impossible!
Absolutely impossible!
Therefore…
Everyone lowered their heads, suddenly feeling that this seemingly filthy and indecent report in their hands actually concealed a profound, hidden meaning.
This wasn’t a discussion about creating erotica; this was clearly an encrypted communication between the Third Hokage and the Uchiha clan!
A communication specifically designed to hide from Danzo and completely bypass the eyes and ears of Root!
Even this completely uncamouflaged, brazen posture was likely a deliberate ploy to lower their guard!
“Hiruzen…
your intentions are incredibly sinister!”
Danzo let out a heavy sigh, slowly sitting back down in his seat, and stared intensely at the report on the table.
Between the lines, all he could see was ambition!
The Third Hokage’s ambition to completely conquer the Uchiha!
This was a monumental feat that even the Second Hokage, Senju Tobirama—his former sensei—had failed to accomplish!
If Hiruzen actually managed to pull this off…
“To completely subjugate the Uchiha!”
Danzo held his breath.
On his aged, weathered face, a rare expression of deep emotional turbulence surfaced:
“Hiruzen already sits securely on the seat of the Hokage.
If he uses this opportunity to seize the Uchiha in his hands as well, then where will that leave me?!”
“I absolutely cannot let him succeed!”
“Even if the Uchiha are to be conquered, it can only be done by me!”
At this thought, Danzo completely lost the patience to keep waiting.
After all, he had absolutely no idea how deep the connection between the Third Hokage and the Uchiha had already gotten.
If it was already a done deal…
Then there would be absolutely no room left to turn things around!
Leaving behind specialized shinobi to fully decipher the hidden codes in the “conversations” between Uchiha Shingen and Jiraiya, he immediately led his men and stormed the Hokage Building.
Bang—!
The doors to the Hokage’s office were violently shoved open.
The Third Hokage, who was currently slumped over his desk using his Telescope Technique to peep through his crystal ball, froze.
His old face stiffened as he nimbly and swiftly put the crystal ball away, frowning as he looked at Danzo:
“What’s gotten you so worked up?!”
Danzo sneered:
“Keep acting.
Go on, keep acting!”
“Tell me honestly: just how far along is your cooperation with the Uchiha!”
The Third Hokage looked bewildered.
The hand holding his pipe paused in mid-air, completely clueless as to what was going on.
However, what he didn’t realize was that, in Danzo’s eyes, this very posture was clearly the panic of having a heavily guarded secret mercilessly exposed!
“So, I saw right through it, did I?!”
“Hiruzen!”
How many years had it been?!
Just how many years had he been working under the Third Hokage?!
It had always been him getting shut down and suppressed by the Third Hokage in just a few words.
When had he ever seen Hiruzen show such an expression?!
In the end, my skills are simply a cut above yours!
Hiruzen!
“What exactly are you trying to say?!”
“I have no idea what you’re talking about!”
Realizing that the situation was off, the Third Hokage actively opened his mouth to deny it.
“Still playing dumb!”
“Jiraiya’s contact with Uchiha Shingen—that was secretly authorized by you, wasn’t it?!
Perhaps Uchiha Fugaku even had a hand in it!”
“For the past two years, who in Konoha doesn’t know that the two of you have been desperately trying to ease the tension between the village and the Uchiha?!”
“Listen to my advice: you cannot control the Uchiha!”
Danzo gave a cold laugh.
His tone softened slightly, ironically adopting the very same placating posture the Third Hokage usually used to soothe him:
“Just how far has your cooperation with the Uchiha progressed?!”
“I am trying to help you!”
The Third Hokage looked at Danzo without showing any visible emotion.
He remained silent for a long time.
After finally unraveling the true meaning behind Danzo’s words, his heart was filled with sheer astonishment.
Jiraiya was actually making secret contact with the Uchiha?!
What is that brat trying to do?!
Rebellion?!
No, that brat’s entire mind was dedicated to writing those trashy books, or otherwise searching for his so-called Child of Prophecy.
He didn’t even want the seat of Hokage; it was even less likely that he would coordinate with the Uchiha for a power play.
However, this was also an opportunity.
A genuine opportunity for the village to actually communicate with the Uchiha.
At this thought, the Third Hokage made his decision, and his expression turned cold:
“No comment!”
Danzo’s expression froze.
Seeing the Third Hokage’s resolute attitude, he knew there was absolutely no room for negotiation.
“Hiruzen, you will regret this!”
“Danzo…”
“I am the Hokage!”
Bang!
Danzo slammed the door and stormed out.
The Third Hokage waited for a long time.
After watching Danzo’s receding figure through the window of the Hokage’s office, he gently clapped his hands.
Swish!
Swish!
Swish!
Several Jonin from the Anbu Black Ops under his direct command materialized, half-kneeling before the Third Hokage, awaiting their orders.
“Investigate!”
“Find out exactly what Jiraiya has been doing recently.
And this ‘Uchiha Shingen’ that Danzo mentioned—find out exactly who he is.”
“Yes, Lord Hokage!”
The Anbu operatives responded respectfully, vanishing from the office in the very next instant.
Left alone, the Third Hokage turned his head to look in the direction of the Uchiha clan compound, taking slow, rhythmic puffs from his pipe.
His gaze gradually became deep and profound.
“The Uchiha…”
As Konoha’s greatest headache, but simultaneously its sharpest blade, the Third Hokage’s feelings toward the Uchiha were incredibly complex.
On one hand, in order to cope with the impending Great Ninja War, he had no choice but to rely on the power of the Uchiha.
On the other hand, he was constantly worried about when this very blade might unexpectedly plunge straight into Konoha’s heart.
If he could truly, completely dissolve the conflict between the village and the Uchiha, Konoha would have a much stronger foundation to face the upcoming war.
…
On the other side.
After leaving the Hokage Building, Danzo issued orders directly to Root.
Increase the manpower assigned to monitor Uchiha Shingen.
The moment he is alone, notify him immediately.
He would personally step in and bring this man under his wing!
After all, completely controlling the Uchiha was an achievement grand enough to propel someone straight to the seat of Hokage.
How could he not covet it?
Even if he failed…
He absolutely could not let the Third Hokage get his hands on it!
Over the next few days.
Uchiha Shingen continued to clock in and out of work as usual.
The only slight anomaly was that he could clearly sense a noticeable increase in the number of people trailing and monitoring him recently.
However, Konoha’s surveillance of the Uchiha clan members had been an open secret for ages.
After observing them for two days and confirming that they had no intention of making a direct move, Shingen stopped paying attention to them.
Instead, he shifted his full focus back to his daily clock-in routine.
Early in the morning.
The sun was shining brightly, and dewdrops still hung from the weeds lining the street.
Shingen arrived early at the gates of the Konoha Military Police Force to complete his daily check-in.
The familiar pop-up window materialized once again:
[Today’s Check-In Complete!]
[Cumulative Check-Ins: 7 Days.
Attribute Point +1!]
[180 Consecutive Days of Uninterrupted Check-Ins.
Additional Attribute Points +3!]
…
“Is this…
a streak reward for consecutive check-ins?!”
The three extra Attribute Points made Shingen’s eyes light up brightly.
With these 4 newly acquired Attribute Points, his total remaining points reached 7.
That should absolutely be enough to level up either his Sharingan or his Chakra!
Shingen hurriedly summoned his status panel.
Sure enough, right behind both the Chakra and Sharingan abilities, a conspicuous ‘+’ sign had appeared.
This was the exact proof that they could be upgraded!