Naruto: The Fall of the Uchiha - Chapter 40
A madman!
This guy is a complete lunatic!
If Hiruzen Sarutobi had doubts about Uchiha Jin’s “jade fragment” nature before, he was now utterly convinced that Jin was an irredeemable madman.
What good could come from this for the Uchiha?
Danzo’s actions were far from clean, but how much better could Uchiha’s record be?
Does Uchiha Jin think that no one in Konoha knows the Uchiha’s ambitions? It’s just that no one has the decisive evidence or the means to prosecute one of Konoha’s founding noble clans.
Everyone in Konoha understands the shady dealings, but no one dares to expose the final layer of pretense.
What if it ends with the Uchiha being pushed to rebel?
Or if the angry Uchiha targets key figures for retaliation?
Who would be responsible then?
But why drag them all down if Uchiha Jin is crazy?
A rational person should find a way to clean their slate, not try pulling down Danzo’s dirty laundry.
This is a mess!
The most critical point is that Hiruzen knows that if they dig into Danzo’s memories, the result would be far more explosive than any Uchiha rebellion.
Wood Release experiments, the death of White Fang, Orochimaru’s defection…
Just the dozen or so incidents recorded in Hiruzen’s little notebook would be enough to get Danzo executed a hundred times over, not to mention Danzo’s habit of leaving loose ends—who knows how many traps lie in wait.
The most crucial part!
Danzo knows that Hiruzen knows!
This is insane!
Hiruzen couldn’t hold back his frustration even with his years of self-discipline. He moved stealthily beside Danzo and kicked his kneeling comrade.
Useless troublemaker!
Hiruzen silently cursed, feeling like all his years of meditation had been wasted, surrounded by rule-breakers and madmen.
“Damn it!”
“U… Uchiha, you… calm down, the village… the village trusts the Uchiha! There’s no need for memory probes…”
Who needs to probe memories? Do whatever you want. Just don’t drag us all down with you!
Hiruzen’s heart raged, but his face maintained a strained smile.
But clearly…
Hiruzen’s smile was more twisted than a grimace, like a convulsing older man, with a hint of grotesque humor.
“The village definitely trusts the Uchiha!”
“Oh, are you sure?”
Seeing the forced kindness on Hiruzen’s face, Jin’s anger subsided, replaced by a playful smile.
“Of course, the Uchiha are an inseparable part of the village!”
Hiruzen declared firmly, the aura of the “strongest Hokage” radiating again as if he had always seen the Uchiha this way.
Heh~
Jin chuckled lightly, then teased again.
“You’re sure this isn’t too much of a strain? We Uchiha always conquer with virtue. Clan Leader Fugaku is a man of great righteousness, willing to prove his innocence even if it means… exposing his memories!”
(Uchiha Fugaku: Achoo!)
Damn it!
Hiruzen was close to grinding his teeth to dust, but he had no choice.
Jin’s aim wasn’t to clear the Uchiha’s name but to drag them all down with him.
But this righteous “political correctness” hit Hiruzen’s weak spot, leaving him with no choice but to avoid confrontation.
No choice!
Hiruzen had to consider not just himself but the Sarutobi clan and Konoha.
Sure!
Hiruzen could mobilize his elite ANBU and the Sarutobi clan’s forces. His authority as Hokage would allow him to rally some of Konoha’s elite.
But that wasn’t enough…
Combined forces could suppress the Uchiha, but not as decisively as the Uchiha had crushed the Root ninjas.
In an all-out battle!
The Sarutobi clan’s elite would suffer heavy casualties, and Konoha’s overall strength would weaken, inviting the other great nations to prey on them.
Committing such a folly would make Hiruzen the laughingstock of the ninja world, forever enshrined in disgrace.
The barefooted fear nothing, do they?
Hiruzen couldn’t fathom Jin’s mindset, but he had no choice.
“It’s not a strain… not at all. The Nine-Tails incident had nothing to do with the Uchiha. Anyone who brings it up in the future is disrupting Konoha’s harmony and stability, and all the ninja clans will unite to eliminate them!”
With those words, an eerie silence fell over Konoha’s streets, broken only by Hiruzen’s heavy breathing.
Some people just want to see the world burn!
Hiruzen sensed the burning desire in Jin’s eyes as if he wanted to incinerate everything.
But…
Sometimes, rules don’t uphold justice—they become shackles.
Hiruzen realized he was trapped by his rules and powerless against Jin’s wanton destruction.
“Tch~”
Jin shook his head, feeling a mix of disdain and disappointment towards Hiruzen’s decisiveness.
As time passed, clarity emerged.
In the past, seeing the anime for the first time, Jin admired Hiruzen’s heroic sacrifice.
But now, he saw it as his inherent love for irony and tragedy.
Traitors die for loyalty, schemers for fidelity, thieves for altruism, selfish people for sacrifice, sunflowers before dawn, and weeds die unnoticed in the wind.
Hiruzen’s true nature didn’t matter. His actions defined him.
Thus, his fight to the death against Orochimaru felt both ironic and satisfying to Jin.
And now?
Your position determines your mindset!
With the upper hand, it’s time to beat the fallen dog!
“Since the Third Hokage acknowledges the Uchiha’s innocence in the Nine-Tails incident, what should be done with Danzo?”
Damn it!
Hiruzen knew this was coming but couldn’t avoid it.
“He’s just a child…”
…
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