Seeing Fugaku and Genya leave, Danzo Shimura’s face immediately shifted as he roared at Hiruzen Sarutobi:
“Hiruzen!
It’s all because you’re too soft-hearted!
Now another Mangekyo has appeared in the Uchiha; he might just become the next Uchiha Madara!
You must take full responsibility for this!”
Even as Danzo fumed with rage, his resolve to eradicate the entire Uchiha clan only deepened.
The Uchiha clan was simply too dangerous.
Uncontrollable power like the Sharingan could only be safe for Konoha if it was held in his own hands!
I will be the one to realize sensei’s goal!
Hiruzen Sarutobi was also extremely annoyed.
He hadn’t expected that he would one day be cornered in the very field he took the most pride in—the professional arena of politics.
Being suddenly shouted at by Danzo only fueled his irritation.
Since there was no one else around, he decided to vent all his frustration on Danzo.
“Oh, now you know how to speak up?
Then why didn’t you dare say that while Fugaku was still here?”
“Come on then.
They haven’t gone far yet.
If you’ve got the guts, go out there and tell Fugaku to his face that you don’t agree to their demands.”
“If he doesn’t hack you into several pieces on the spot, then I’ll admit you’ve actually got some skill!”
Danzo was stunned by this barrage of roars, unable to recover for a long time.
It wasn’t because he was at a loss for words, but because of Hiruzen’s attitude toward him.
Hiruzen, you actually dared to yell at me!
This was the first time Danzo had been scolded so severely by Hiruzen Sarutobi, and his old face turned flush with anger.
But to ask him to chase after them and risk his life against a pair of Mangekyo…
he absolutely wouldn’t dare.
He had only just started collaborating with Orochimaru, and the research into Wood Style had barely begun.
Without a right arm transplanted with Wood Style, he only had a single Three-Tomoe Sharingan in his right eye that could trigger Izanagi.
Going head-to-head against a pair of Mangekyo with just one Three-Tomoe was a suicide mission.
“Hiruzen, you…
Hmph!”
This time, Danzo was likely truly hurt.
He didn’t even drop his signature “You’ll regret this” parting threat before slamming the door and leaving.
Hiruzen Sarutobi massaged his temples forcefully.
Feeling a wave of exhaustion, he pondered how he was supposed to solve this current dilemma.
Fugaku, that pushover, actually awakened the Mangekyo…
Hiruzen Sarutobi realized for the first time that things seemed to be spiraling out of his control.
…
Back at Root, Danzo Shimura felt a knot of anger in his chest that he couldn’t release.
He wasn’t the type to endure in silence; if he had a grudge, he usually settled it the same day.
Danzo barked out a command, “Someone, come here!”
Several Root ninjas wearing animal masks appeared behind Danzo, kneeling on one knee.
“Go and kill the Uchiha clansman who’s been the most active lately.
Bring back the eyes.”
Danzo knew this was undoubtedly what Hiruzen Sarutobi wanted to do most as well.
It was just a matter of knocking down the Uchiha who had been getting ahead of themselves recently; it wasn’t the first time he’d done it.
It was just that Hiruzen couldn’t bring himself to lose face by doing it.
As long as they didn’t touch Fugaku’s family, that spineless coward Fugaku would likely just swallow his anger.
“Yes!” The Root ninjas immediately vanished using the Body Flicker Technique.
Danzo’s philosophy for training ninjas was exactly this: they existed solely to complete missions, serving as absolute tools.
In Danzo’s view, these ninjas only needed to risk their lives on the front lines.
As the leader of Root and a future Hokage, he had many more things to consider.
…
Having acquired power within the Police Force, combined with Fugaku’s hands-off approach, Genya had now effectively become the number two figure in the entire Uchiha clan.
In truth, Genya wasn’t very interested in the position of Clan Head.
The authority of the Police Force allowed him to mobilize nearly eighty percent of the Uchiha’s elite, with only some highly respected elders and some clansmen who hadn’t awakened their eyes being out of his direct reach.
Besides, a Clan Head had to manage the trivial daily affairs of the entire Uchiha clan.
Regardless, the mission requirement was only for prestige within the Uchiha, not official rank.
Gaining enough prestige among this bunch of “red-eye” patients was actually very simple.
You just had to demonstrate unparalleled power.
Just as Genya was thinking about how to show off his prowess, he happened to encounter a girl on the streets of Konoha with a boisterous personality and unruly, spiky hair.
It was none other than Orochimaru’s disciple, Anko Mitarashi.
Anko Mitarashi wore a black mesh bodysuit paired with black stockings and ninja boots, but she had a khaki short trench coat over it—intended to hide the Cursed Seal of Heaven on her neck.
At this moment, Anko had just bought a skewer of three-color dango and was about to pop it into her mouth.
It was clear she had an unusual fondness for sweets.
Seeing Anko Mitarashi, Genya thought of that man who pursued science in a world of ninjas, so he immediately stepped forward to block her path.
“Who are you?” Anko looked at Genya with a hint of annoyance, her sweet intake having been interrupted.
At this time, Anko was still a teenage girl with a rather flamboyant personality.
Since Orochimaru hadn’t defected yet, her darker side hadn’t been triggered, and her personality was generally on the sunny side.
Unfortunately, Orochimaru had always treated Anko as a tool for developing the Cursed Seal.
When he defected, he also sealed her memories, leading her to live a life of resentment thereafter.
It wasn’t that she resented Orochimaru’s defection; she resented why he hadn’t taken her with him when he left.
To see such a good girl turn out this way—Orochimaru really was a fountain of malice.
Glancing at the table tennis racket symbol on Genya’s clothing, Anko Mitarashi showed a wary expression and habitually pulled up her trench coat to cover the seal on her neck.
Her teacher had told her not to get involved with the Uchiha clan for no reason.
Genya said, “Let me introduce myself.
I am Uchiha Genya.”
Anko crossed her arms, keeping her distance as she said, “I’ve heard of you.
Why are you stopping me?
Do you need something?”
“Can you contact your teacher?
I want to meet Orochimaru.”
The moment that name was mentioned, Anko’s gaze changed, her eyes filled with even more suspicion as she looked at Genya.
“What do you want with Sensei?
Let’s get one thing straight: if it’s about that Uchiha nonsense, Sensei can’t help you right now.”
Almost everyone in Konoha knew the Uchiha wanted to become Hokage.
Strictly speaking, Orochimaru had also been one of the strong candidates for the position of Fourth Hokage.
It was only because Hiruzen Sarutobi felt Orochimaru was too gloomy and difficult to control that he passed the position directly to Minato Namikaze.
Anko probably thought the Uchiha wanted to ally with Orochimaru to stir up some big trouble in Konoha.
Genya shook his head.
“This time, I’m collaborating with Senior Orochimaru only on my own behalf.
It has nothing to do with the Uchiha clan.”
“You just need to pass on the message.
Whether to see me or not is a decision your teacher will make himself.”
[ Author’s Note :