Iruka's hurried footsteps echoed through the Hokage building's corridors as he rushed toward the office of the Third Hokage. His breath was heavy, his mind racing with worry. He had never thought Danzo would act so brazenly, sending a Root operative to take one of his students without even informing the Hokage.
His hands clenched into fists. He didn't know what Danzo wanted with Shouta Kazuki, but it couldn't be anything good.
With a loud BANG, Iruka pushed the doors open without waiting for permission.
"Hokage-sama!"
Behind the desk, Sarutobi Hiruzen stiffened slightly. The old man hurriedly tucked something away—a crystal ball—before turning toward Iruka. His expression was calm at first, but as he saw the urgency in Iruka's face, his demeanor shifted.
"Iruka? Shouldn't you be in class? Why the rush? Did something happen at the Ninja Academy?"
Iruka, too focused on the issue at hand, ignored whatever the Hokage had been doing and spoke without hesitation.
"Hokage-sama! Just now, Elder Danzo sent a Root operative to the Ninja Academy to take Shouta Kazuki away! And the attitude of that ninja was extremely aggressive!"
For a moment, silence filled the room. Then—
"What did you say?!"
Sarutobi Hiruzen stood abruptly, his expression darkening. He had received word from Jiraiya, who was already on his way back to Konoha. The plan had been to have Jiraiya take Shouta Kazuki as an apprentice, given the boy's extraordinary potential. But before he could even act, Danzo had already made his move?
His fingers tightened around the pipe in his hand.
"Danzo… you dare act behind my back?"
This was not the first time Danzo had moved on his own, but to directly seize a student from the Academy? That was too bold.
Iruka took a step forward, his voice filled with urgency. "Hokage-sama! What should we do?"
Hiruzen exhaled slowly, then nodded. "We move immediately."
With a wave of his hand, a squad of ANBU operatives appeared behind him. Without another word, the Third Hokage led them out of the office, moving swiftly toward the Root base.
Inside the Root Base
The underground lair of Root was exactly as Shouta Kazuki had expected—dimly lit, oppressive, and sterile, like a place where emotions went to die. The walls were lined with sealing inscriptions, designed to suppress chakra. The air was thick with an unsettling stillness.
Shouta walked forward, his expression calm despite the ominous surroundings. He was led into a vast chamber, where a lone figure sat atop a raised platform.
Danzo Shimura.
Even from a distance, Shouta could feel the weight of Danzo's gaze—sharp, calculating, and devoid of warmth.
"Shouta Kazuki," Danzo said, his voice gravelly yet controlled. "You have finally arrived."
Shouta tilted his head slightly, his Sharingan gleaming under the dim light.
"I didn't have much of a choice, did I?" he replied lazily. "Your dogs came barking, so here I am."
Danzo's single visible eye narrowed slightly. The air grew tense as he examined the boy in front of him.
Inside Shouta's psychic space, the legendary souls were watching closely.
Senju Hashirama frowned. "There's something… wrong."
Senju Tobirama nodded in agreement. "I sense Sharingan fluctuations… coming from Danzo."
Hashirama's face darkened. "It's not just the Sharingan. There's something else… something that feels disturbingly familiar."
Madara, who had been silent for a moment, scoffed. "Hmph. He's stolen from the Uchiha. That much is obvious. But you're right, Hashirama. There's more."
The realization struck Hashirama like a lightning bolt.
"My cells."
Tobirama turned sharply to his brother. "What?"
Hashirama's expression was grim. "That man… he's using my cells. I can feel it."
Madara sneered. "Pathetic. This coward thinks he can wield the power of the Uchiha and Senju? He doesn't even deserve to breathe the same air as us."
Minato's eyes narrowed as he processed the information. He had always known Danzo to be a dangerous man, but this… this was something else entirely.
Uchiha Fugaku felt the weight of every gaze upon him. The piercing eyes of the past Hokages bore into him, demanding answers that he had long buried in silence. He clenched his fists, inhaled deeply, and finally spoke.
"It all started during the reign of the Second Hokage…" His voice was low, laced with regret. "The distrust between the Uchiha and Konoha grew over the years. No matter how much we tried to prove our loyalty, the village always saw us as a threat. The Uchiha were pushed to the margins, monitored, restricted, distrusted…"
He paused, glancing briefly at Senju Tobirama. The Second Hokage remained silent, his expression unreadable.
Fugaku continued, "With time, the resentment festered. The village leaders—Hiruzen Sarutobi and Shimura Danzo—made decisions that only widened the gap. The Uchiha were placed under surveillance. We were excluded from positions of power. And when tensions escalated… the decision was made."
He stopped there, carefully omitting one crucial detail. He could not reveal the true executioner of the clan. He could not bring himself to say that it was his own son, Uchiha Itachi, who had wielded the blade against their people.
But what Fugaku didn't know was that Uchiha Madara had already pieced it together.
Madara's cold eyes locked onto Fugaku. His voice was laced with venom. "Hmph. So you let your clan be slaughtered without a fight?"
Fugaku's throat tightened. He dared not respond.
Senju Hashirama's expression was a mix of grief and anger. His fists trembled. "Konoha was meant to be a place of peace! A place where the clans could stand together as one! Madara and I built this village to protect everyone, not to have them slaughtered like cattle!"
His rage filled the psychic space. Even Minato Namikaze, the ever-composed Fourth Hokage, had an expression of deep unease. He had worked to bring unity between Konoha and the Uchiha, but in the end, it had all been for nothing.
"I see now…" Minato murmured, his blue eyes darkening. "The Uchiha weren't destroyed by an external enemy. They were destroyed by their own village…"
A heavy silence settled among the ghosts of the past. They turned their attention back to the present—back to Shouta Kazuki, who stood face to face with the man responsible for so much suffering.
Inside the Root Base
Danzo sat on his elevated platform, his single eye scrutinizing the young boy before him.
"Shouta Kazuki," he said, his voice carrying authority.
Shouta raised an eyebrow, a lazy smirk appearing on his lips. "Yeah? What's up, One-Eyed Elder?"
Danzo's fingers twitched slightly at the blatant disrespect. The Root ninja standing beside Shouta reacted immediately, unsheathing his short blade with a sharp clang and pressing it against Shouta's throat.
"Show some respect!" the operative barked.
Shouta didn't flinch. Instead, he glanced sideways at the blade against his skin, then turned back to Danzo with an amused chuckle.
"Seriously?" he sighed. "You dragged me down to your creepy little hideout, and the first thing you do is threaten me? I thought you were smarter than that, One-Eyed Elder."
Danzo's visible eye narrowed. He raised a hand, signaling his operative to back down. The Root ninja hesitated for a moment before stepping away.
Danzo leaned forward slightly. "You have a dangerous tongue for someone so young. But arrogance will only get you killed."