Hokage's Office.
"You did well, Itachi. As expected of Minato's chosen student. You've proven yourself to be the kind of ANBU I love—thorough and decisive."
Hiruzen Sarutobi took the mission report from Itachi Uchiha and nodded in satisfaction.
The Uchiha clan was like a double-edged sword—it could wound enemies, but also pose a threat to the one wielding it.
That's why it had to be handled carefully.
If not used properly, it could turn against you.
Fortunately, he was now the one holding the blade.
And thankfully, Danzo had pushed Shisui to his death—otherwise, the Uchiha might never have ended up in his hands.
In a twisted way, Hiruzen owed Danzo his thanks.
If Danzo hadn't "had heart problems," how else could it be claimed the Shimura clan died from a "hereditary heart disease"?
Especially the way Itachi had pressured the other clans into participating in the purge of the Shimura clan—forcing them to "pledge their loyalty." That tactic earned Hiruzen's full approval.
It perfectly aligned with his long-standing strategy: stabilize the inside before dealing with threats from outside.
By making every major clan complicit, he tied their survival to Konoha's current leadership—and to his own. So when it came time to face future enemies—be it Orochimaru, the Nine-Tails, or even Danzo himself—he knew those clans wouldn't dare turn against him.
He couldn't afford betrayal at a crucial moment.
If he fell, the entire Sarutobi clan would fall with him.
So, for the sake of Konoha's future, the Shimura clan and Root—this dangerous cancer—had to be cut out completely.
"By the way, how's today's public response and media control? I don't want to see any more of those... articles or comments popping up in Konoha again," Hiruzen asked.
The protest posters and critical news from the night before had been a major embarrassment.
He had to find a way to shut it all down, or if the information leaked to other villages, Konoha's reputation would be destroyed—and with it, his own standing in the shinobi world.
He was supposed to be the warm, ever-smiling Hokage in the sunlight.
Danzo had always been the ruthless blade hidden in the dark.
He didn't want to carry the blame.
He didn't want to be remembered as a tyrant.
He refused to be nailed to the wall of shame in shinobi history.
So the best option—erase the evidence, kill Danzo, and dump everything on him.
Then Hiruzen's legacy would remain spotless.
"You don't have to worry, Lord Hokage," Itachi said calmly.
"Everything's already been arranged. With the Sarutobi clan's support, not even a mosquito is getting out of Konoha."
"Good. You've done well," Hiruzen replied with satisfaction.
All of Konoha's newspaper agencies were shut down for "internal review."
Editors and journalists were quietly taken away for "tea" by Sarutobi clan ANBU.
Although the mission had been framed as a joint operation between the Sarutobi and Uchiha clans...
It was the Sarutobi who handled it directly.
They didn't trust even one article to fall into Uchiha hands. That would leave a record—and risk exposure.
It was better this way. Safer.
Inside the printing offices, stacks of manuscripts were burned.
It didn't matter what they said—any article was interpreted as a veiled attack or mockery of the Hokage.
Every line was treated as sedition.
Writers were tortured and cursed-marked to ensure there were no hidden messages left behind.
In short: better to wrongly kill a hundred than to let one threat slip through.
All dangers—inside and out—had to be eliminated.
The people of Konoha walked on eggshells.
They thought Hiruzen would stop there.
But clearly, they were too naïve.
The usually unseen ANBU now roamed openly, arresting people left and right.
Konoha had entered a wartime state.
Extraordinary times called for extraordinary methods.
If you resisted even slightly, you'd be killed on the spot.
Guilt didn't matter.
Resistance itself was the ultimate crime.
In a certain underground hideout, a group of villagers had gathered.
"This isn't working. We need to organize—we can't just sit here and wait to be picked off," someone said, his fear barely hidden.
"Exactly. If we stay quiet, the ANBU will eventually find us."
"Look what happened to the Senju, the Uzumaki, the Shimura clans—do you want to be next?"
"If we keep ignoring this, just like Grandpa Tree warned us... they'll take us down one by one, and no one will be left to speak out."
"That's why we have to save ourselves!"
"Grandpa Tree once said: Lone beasts fall, but cows and sheep survive in herds." one man said.
"What does that mean?"
"It means if wild bulls and sheep unite under a leader, they can form a wall of horns to defend against beasts.
But if they scatter in panic, they'll all get hunted down one by one."
"In Konoha today, if Hiruzen wants control, he has to destroy our ability to organize.
He wants to break families and isolate individuals.
If we're all divided, he can crush us one at a time."
"So we must fight back! If we don't break the silence, we'll be wiped out because of our silence!"
"Only by uniting, by rallying everyone who can be rallied, can we become that herd of wild bulls, standing strong against the predator!"
"Otherwise, like scattered sheep, we'll be food for the next lone monster."
"We have to stand together—bring down Hiruzen's rule—and let the people of Konoha rise up with dignity!"
"Yes! Stand tall! Unite!"
"Then we need a leader!"
"It's you!"
"Yeah, you're the one!"
"In that case, I won't refuse the honor!"
"What's your name, leader?"
"My real name doesn't matter. Just call me... Firecloud Evil God."
"What a name!"
"So powerful!"
"What should we call our group?"
"A name, huh..."
"From now on, our group will be called—Sun and Moon Palace!"
The Firecloud Evil God declared with pride.
"Leader, what does the name mean?"
"It means: What a noble spirit, willing to sacrifice all, bold enough to change the heavens!
Wherever the sun shines and the rivers flow, that land shall be ours!"
"We may be small now—but a single spark can start a wildfire.
From today on, we, the righteous few, shall take up our blades and strike down all injustice in this world!"
"In the name of the Evil God, we'll bring light back to the people of the ninja world!"
"YES!"
PS: Read Advance Chapters at https://www.patreon.com/c/ReadJin