"Hiruzen!"
Before the leader of the sealing team could leave, Koharu Utatane and Homura Mitokado stood up, stopping him.
"It's fine to involve Kushina Uzumaki, but Ethan Uchiha must not be allowed anywhere near Konoha's barrier!"
"You know exactly why!"
That kid was Uchiha.
There was no way they'd let an Uchiha gain access to the village's defenses.
It didn't matter how skilled he was in sealing techniques.
That was their bottom line.
Who knew what hidden tricks he might plant within the barrier?
The leader of the sealing team hesitated but quickly lowered his head.
This was way above his pay grade.
So he simply pretended not to hear and stayed silent.
"Fine!"
Hiruzen sighed, understanding their concerns.
"Then don't go to Ethan Uchiha. Just ask Kushina for help. Go!"
"Yes, Lord Hokage!"
The leader of the sealing team immediately followed the Anbu escorting him.
Once they were gone, Hiruzen turned to his two old advisors, shaking his head with a helpless smile.
"You two… You're too cautious!"
"Ethan is Tsunade's disciple—my own grandson in a way. He's well-behaved, and he believes in the Will of Fire."
"We shouldn't be so hostile toward him."
"He's not like the other Uchihas."
"Ha!"
Koharu scoffed.
"Am I naive, or is Hiruzen Sarutobi blind?"
"Did you already forget how Daniel Uchiha humiliated me in this very office?"
"How arrogant and condescending he was?"
"Now you want me to believe that his son is some perfect little angel?"
"Yeah, right!"
Women hold grudges.
Especially Koharu Utatane.
Hiruzen's face darkened slightly.
So you're saying I have no judgment? That I misread Ethan Uchiha?
Seeing his expression, Homura quickly tried to smooth things over.
"Hiruzen, being cautious is never wrong."
"No matter what kind of person Ethan is, he's still an Uchiha. We should always be on guard."
"As long as the Uchiha exist, we can't take any chances."
He subtly nudged Koharu, trying to calm her down.
She ignored him, still fuming.
She wasn't over it.
Hiruzen sighed heavily and waved a hand.
"Fine! Drop the subject."
"We'll just wait for Danzo's report."
This conversation was going nowhere.
Three Hours Later…
An Anbu agent returned, handing a sealed scroll to Hiruzen.
"The spy has been captured," he reported.
"But… We didn't get much useful information."
"Apparently, he accidentally stumbled upon the Root Headquarters."
Meanwhile, On the Rock Shinobi Frontline…
Danzo Shimura was FURIOUS.
He had just finished reading Hiruzen's letter… and his blood boiled with rage.
"Bastard! DAMN Mist Shinobi! DAMN Minazuki Clan!"
His roars of anger shook the tent.
For ten minutes, he cursed, raged, and fumed.
Then, finally, his fury settled.
But the pain remained.
His entire lair—gone in an instant.
His research. His treasures. His secrets. ALL GONE.
"Hiruzen… You have the NERVE to question ME?!"
"You can't even protect the village, and you call yourself Hokage?"
"Pathetic!"
Danzo's fingers tightened into a fist.
That Root base contained:
✔ Classified research
✔ Secret jutsu
✔ Incriminating documents
✔ And even his darkest deeds
Now, it was all gone.
"Damn it… The Hashirama cells!"
Danzo's breath hitched.
Did they take it?
Or was it destroyed?
That wasn't just any experiment—it was his most valuable asset.
If Mist Shinobi got their hands on it, it would be a disaster.
"I need to send spies into Mist Shinobi territory… Find out where my research ended up."
But First… Damage Control.
Danzo had to answer Hiruzen's letter.
But he couldn't tell him everything.
Instead, he carefully selected what to reveal.
✔ He admitted some research data was stolen.
✔ He "forgot" to mention his human experiments.
✔ He blamed Hiruzen for security failures.
Then, he sealed the letter and sent it off.
"If this leaks, I'll just deny everything."
"Lie. Manipulate. Deflect. Like always."
Danzo knew Hiruzen wouldn't risk turning against him during a war.
Once the war ended, though…
Hiruzen would come for him.
"I need to prepare."
Hokage's Office – Three Hours Later…
Hiruzen Read Danzo's Letter… and EXPLODED.
"DANZO, YOU FOOL!"
"Why the HELL would you keep these documents?!"
"You should have SEALED THEM UP!"
"Now the enemy has them ALL!"
If this information leaked, their entire reputation would be ruined.
Utatane Koharu's face darkened.
"You know why he kept those files, right?" she sneered.
"He was collecting blackmail."
"He wanted leverage over YOU!"
Hiruzen's teeth clenched.
"That bastard…"
Homura sighed. "Hiruzen, this is bad. We need to track down that Mist Shinobi Kage-level ninja."
Easier said than done.
No one knew who he was.
And with the war raging… finding him was near impossible.
"Let's just pray the information doesn't leak," Hiruzen muttered.
"Troublesome times indeed…"
Meanwhile, Back at Danzo's Camp…
A Root agent entered.
"Lord Danzo! Owl has returned. He brings survivors!"
"Owl?" Danzo's eyes narrowed.
"He lived?!"
"Bring him in. Now."
A few minutes later, Owl and two injured Root agents kneeled before Danzo.
"Lord Danzo!"
Danzo's eyes burned with suspicion.
"Owl! You were in charge of guarding the base."
"And yet, the headquarters was RAIDED."
"Explain yourself!"
Owl lowered his head, voice filled with regret.
"We were caught off guard, Lord Danzo."
"The enemy was a Kage-level assassin. We never stood a chance."
"But… we destroyed most of the valuable research before escaping."
Danzo's eyes flashed.
"Destroyed…?"
"Yes, Lord Danzo. Only one-third of the research was taken."
Danzo's rage faded slightly.
"Only a third? Not great, but not a disaster either."
At least he still had backups.
"Fine," he grumbled.
"Rest for now. You'll remain in the war camp."
"Yes, sir!"
Meanwhile, In Ethan Uchiha's Underground Lab…
Ethan smirked as he sorted through the stolen documents.
"Danzo, you fool."
"You just handed me everything I need to destroy you."
And he couldn't help but laugh.
"Danzo… good man!"
End of Chapter.
Advance chapter in PATREON
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