Naruto: The Fall of the Uchiha - Chapter 36
Finally, someone worth fighting!
From the moment Hiruzen Sarutobi saw Uchiha Jin, he couldn’t help but feel a thrill of excitement, sensing a worthy opponent.
Though they were merely testing each other, Hiruzen could tell from Jin’s well-organized responses and subtle tactics that his instincts were right.
“Danzo, you fool!”
Despite considering Danzo’s years of “hard work,” Hiruzen couldn’t help but be angered by his clumsy lieutenant.
*Sigh…*
Hiruzen sighed inwardly, a warm smile creeping onto his face. Danzo’s personality and lack of brains had allowed Hiruzen to tolerate him for so long. Otherwise…
Heh heh!
Yet, standing before him now with a calm and confident smile, Uchiha Jin was no ordinary opponent.
First, there was the choice of the battlefield!
Had Jin followed his “break everything” approach and attacked the Hokage Tower, it might have seemed like a high-success strategy, but it would have led to a dead end.
After all, even without Danzo constantly whispering in his ear, Hiruzen Sarutobi would never be foolish enough to leave himself undefended.
This “dagger tactic” wouldn’t stand a chance with adequate defenses.
If Uchiha tried a coup, Hiruzen could quickly mobilize Konoha’s war potential and crush the Uchiha clan with minimal losses, using the fortified Hokage Tower.
But Jin seemed to anticipate this, choosing Danzo’s Root base as the focal point, giving the Uchiha a strategic advantage.
This choice forced Hiruzen and his advisors, Homura Mitokado and Koharu Utatane, to avoid rashly rescuing Danzo.
With over a hundred battle-ready Uchiha with Sharingan, the Hokage’s direct ANBU could not handle the situation alone. They needed the strength of the entire village.
Such a battle would cause irreparable damage to Konoha’s overall strength.
As the Hokage, Hiruzen wouldn’t make such a decision unless necessary. He wasn’t as “pure-hearted” as Danzo.
The evil Uchiha…
Heh~
Knowing this, Hiruzen chose to step back, planning to use the Hokage’s authority to suppress the situation, saving the political maneuvers for later.
But Jin’s countermeasures were sharp and precise. Starting with a political compromise, Jin invalidated Danzo’s position as Hokage’s advisor and head of Root, then used the Second Hokage’s decree to legitimize the Uchiha Police Force.
Then, under the guise of the Police Force, he framed Danzo and the fallen Root members as enemy spies, trying to pin the blame on the “Strongest Hokage.”
In this way, the assault on Root ninjas and the beating of an elderly advisor turned into a political struggle between the Hokage faction and the Uchiha.
This forced the other ninja clans to reconsider whether they wanted their families to suffer by siding against the Uchiha.
In a short time, Hiruzen pieced together the unfolding events like a movie playing in his mind.
*Gasp…*
Realizing the full scope of the situation, Hiruzen couldn’t help but gasp inwardly.
Since when did the Uchiha become this cunning? They planted seeds two years ago and have waited until today to act.
When Fugaku Uchiha proposed the exchange back then, Hiruzen had been surprised by Fugaku’s apparent indecisiveness.
Still, it wasn’t unexpected. Any clan leader would seek to secure some benefits for their clan.
With no chance of escaping their fate, shifting some blame onto Danzo and dragging down a powerful enemy seemed like a fair trade.
Faced with Fugaku’s sincere offer, Hiruzen had reluctantly reprimanded his old friend Danzo, seizing much of Root’s accumulated wealth and resources.
Thus, he had quelled the potential Uchiha rebellion, checked Danzo’s ambitions, and gained a windfall.
At the time, Hiruzen had been pleased with his triple success, not realizing it was part of someone else’s plan.
However, not everything unfolding here was unfavorable for Hiruzen. The most reassuring part was Shisui, who had just been kicked aside.
Despite being an “elite ninja,” quickly kicked away, it revealed Shisui’s inner struggle between loyalty to the village and his clan.
Given Jin’s hostility, it was clear Shisui leaned slightly toward the village.
Danzo would likely view Shisui as disloyal and a threat to be eliminated.
*Sigh… Danzo, you fool.*
Hiruzen, however, knew better. He understood the gray areas of human nature.
Seeing the world in black and white, as Danzo did, was naive. The actual reality was in the gray areas.
We are balancing opposites, finding harmony in conflict.
That was human nature!
Ninja clans and the Uchiha alike were not fools. No one would genuinely destroy their own family for some ideological principle.
If an extremist, willing to destroy everything for some “Will of Fire,” ever appeared, Hiruzen knew that blade would eventually fall on him, too.
Hiruzen would have to decide whether to wield or destroy that blade in such a case.
Shisui’s current state was ideal. He was loyal to the village, believed in the Will of Fire, and was deeply attached to his family.
Compared to ANBU operatives, Shisui could play a crucial role in the struggle between the Hokage faction and the Uchiha.
Still…
In this dull village, finally, a worthy opponent!
If I play the Hokage’s authority, you counter with Konoha’s ancient laws…
Uchiha Jin!
…
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