Naka Shrine.
The Uchiha clan's ancestral ground, and their secret meeting place.
Konoha's leadership had long known of its existence.
But previously, they weren't clear on the exact location.
Until after Shisui and Itachi defected to them, the Uchiha clan fell completely into their grasp.
However, there was still one thing they didn't know.
Underground at Naka Shrine, there was a stone tablet inscribed by the Sage of Six Paths.
Only by reading it in sequence with the Sharingan, Mangekyō Sharingan, and Rinnegan could one see all of its contents.
Because Danzō had sent Root ahead, by the time he and Hiruzen arrived, the search was over.
"Lord Danzō. Lord Hokage."
The Root members saluted in unison.
Hiruzen's brow furrowed ever so slightly.
Brazen, truly.
They addressed Danzō first, then him.
Root no longer had any reason to exist.
Hiruzen glanced around and found a corpse covered with a white sheet not far away. He asked, "Who is that?"
"Sarutobi Seinosuke."
The Root member's answer left Hiruzen frozen in place.
After a long while, he stiffly turned his head and asked, "Who did you say?"
"Your son, Sarutobi Seinosuke."
"Impossible!"
Hiruzen rejected it on instinct.
He staggered forward, reached out, and with trembling hands lifted the sheet.
"No!"
Hiruzen's face grew more haggard.
At his age, aside from the Hokage title and Konoha, only children and grandchildren mattered.
He had two sons, Sarutobi Seinosuke and Sarutobi Asuma.
One grandson, Sarutobi Konohamaru.
But he wasn't born yet—his eldest son's wife was nine months pregnant.
Sarutobi Asuma had been rebellious since childhood and later joined the Twelve Guardian Ninja of the Land of Fire's Daimyō, only recently returning.
Sarutobi Seinosuke had stayed by his side, followed his arrangements, entered ANBU, and become a captain—he was pleased with him.
In other words, this was the son he favored.
And now he'd gone before his father.
One could imagine Hiruzen's pain.
Danzō glanced once, unruffled.
He was a loner.
No wife, no children—standing guard over Konoha through the long night, to the bitter end.
To him, family was just an obstacle.
"Where are the others?"
Danzō suddenly realized something was off.
"No one else."
The Root member replied, "We searched here. Aside from Sarutobi Seinosuke, we found no second person."
"What did you say?!"
Danzō thumped his cane in agitation. "In a place this big, not a single person?"
"None."
The Root member repeated coolly.
"Damn it!"
Poison and resentment flickered in Danzō's eyes.
He knew he'd been played—came away empty-handed.
If he couldn't get Sharingan, then he would claim the Hokage's chair.
Danzō looked at Hiruzen, his expression growing colder.
You've made me take the fall so many times—now it's your turn.
Hiruzen, I told you, you'll regret this!
…
Land of Waves, Daimyō's mansion.
Hinae was busy; there were three hundred people to settle.
Most were civilians, not shinobi.
The shinobi had been culled by Itachi.
But plenty slipped the net.
Including Uchiha Shisui, Uchiha Mikoto, and Uchiha Izumi, they had taken in thirty-two ninja in total.
Five were jōnin; the rest were chūnin and genin.
Natsume's organization suddenly swelled.
At least Hinae's side no longer had to worry about safety.
[Because of your actions, the fates of Uchiha Izumi, Uchiha Mikoto, Uchiha Shisui, Itachi, Danzō, Sarutobi Hiruzen, and others have changed. You have gained a total of 370 Fate Points.]
The string of prompts put Natsume in a great mood—worth the all-nighter.
And it wasn't over yet.
Next, it depended on Danzō's moves.
Hopefully, he wouldn't disappoint.
If necessary, Natsume could help.
Natsume knocked. No answer.
"I'm coming in."
He slid the door open and saw Mikoto, heart like dead ashes.
She sat on the floor, dazed, her eyes lifeless.
If she had merely lost her husband or her son, it would have been a little better.
But she had witnessed Itachi killing Fugaku.
No normal person could accept that.
In the original story, Mikoto chose to die with Fugaku—she didn't resist and died under Itachi's blade.
Now, Natsume had stopped that.
"Aunt Mikoto."
"...?"
Mikoto looked at Natsume's true face, a bit surprised.
Normally, she would have been shocked.
But at this moment, nothing could stir her.
"Let me go."
Mikoto spoke.
All her usual gentleness was gone.
To prevent her from committing suicide, Natsume had tied her up.
Otherwise, she would have followed Fugaku already.
He understood Mikoto now.
She wanted only death.
Natsume squatted down to look at her up close.
After the calamity, her delicate face was pale, her black hair disheveled—she looked haggard.
Her kimono had come loose from when Natsume had pinned her, exposing dazzling, snow-white skin.
"Aunt Mikoto."
Natsume reached out and smoothed her messy hair.
She didn't react.
"Just a little while ago, the Ninja Academy held a pop quiz."
As Natsume tidied her up, he spoke.
At the mention of the Academy, light returned to Mikoto's eyes.
She suddenly lifted her face. "What about Sasuke?!"
She had thought Sasuke had died by Itachi's hand.
If he killed his own father, how could he spare his younger brother?
"He's alive—and safe."
Mikoto froze at that, tears spilling out uncontrollably.
She pressed her head to Natsume's chest and sobbed.
This also meant she no longer sought death.
A mother's strength.
Itachi could no longer be saved, but Sasuke still had hope.
She couldn't just die and leave her poor child to face a cruel world alone.
Natsume patted her back without speaking.
At this moment, she just needed to vent until it passed.
After a long while—
Mikoto lifted her tear-streaked face.
"Untie me. I want to see Sasuke."
"You'll have to wait a while to see him."
Natsume released her restraints and explained, "Konoha is under lockdown now. And your appearance would affect Sasuke."
"Why?"
Mikoto couldn't understand the latter half at all.
"If you want revenge, you need power."
Natsume's voice was calm. "You know your clan's Sharingan requires emotional stimulus to awaken. For Sasuke, this is a good opportunity. If you're by his side, it will blunt that emotion."
Mikoto hesitated.
She didn't want Sasuke to endure such pain.
But Natsume was right.
If Sasuke wanted to grow, he had to pay a price and work for it.