"Do you know what you're saying? He is the hero of Konoha who won the Fire-Rain War. How can you sacrifice someone like him so easily? Have you thought about the consequences?"
Sarutobi Hiruzen angrily shouted.
Uchiha Ryun was not only a hero of Konoha but also his disciple's disciple. However, he avoided mentioning this because it would make him seem biased. If Ryun were handed over, what would his beloved student Orochimaru think of him? He would undoubtedly hate him!
"Of course we've thought about it, but this is not the time to discuss consequences. That damned Third Raikage said he would start a war if Ryun isn't executed. Tell us, what should we do? Should we go to war for the sake of one person? You say we haven't considered the consequences, but have you considered the immediate impact? Can the Land of Fire face three great nations at once? Can Konoha fight against the three strongest villages in the ninja world simultaneously?"
Koharu Utatane's expression was equally grim as she fired back with questions.
"Hiruzen, last night he destroyed a Root base and killed or injured multiple Root members. Those were all Konoha shinobi. Even if we don't use him to resolve the conflict, he still needs to face legal punishment... You know this well. Storming a military facility like Root without authorization is a capital offense. You cannot protect him on this matter. I might as well tell you, Danzo has already reported this to the Daimyo..."
Homura Mitokado also spoke up, reminding Hiruzen.
The two advisors took turns, one pressuring Hiruzen from a strategic standpoint, while the other convinced him to abandon Uchiha Ryun based on the law. They urged him not to obstruct the plan of 'sacrificing Ryun for the greater good' while also easing his psychological burden.
These words immediately shook Hiruzen's already wavering stance.
The implied meaning was clear: Uchiha Ryun had shed the blood of his fellow villagers. Abandoning him was the right choice. If they sacrificed him, all conflicts and pressures would be resolved.
By sacrificing Ryun alone, no one would have to face the threat from the Land of Lightning, and Hiruzen would no longer bear the immense internal pressure...
"How am I supposed to face Orochimaru? He's still fighting on the front lines... And how do I face Ryun?" Hiruzen slumped into his chair, looking utterly defeated.
"You are the Hokage. Your responsibility is to all the villagers of Konoha and the entire Land of Fire, not just one or two individuals. You..." Koharu continued to berate him.
"Enough, Koharu... You should also understand Hiruzen's difficulties..." Homura interrupted her scolding.
"Hiruzen... Haven't you always called him an inheritor of the 'Will of Fire'? Have you forgotten what the Will of Fire means?"
Homura stared intently at the despondent Hokage.
The Will of Fire was about 'burning oneself to light up Konoha'—a spirit of sacrifice where the individual was offered for the sake of the collective.
Hiruzen had always preached the Will of Fire. Now was the time for his disciple's disciple to fulfill it.
"The Will of Fire..."
The words struck Hiruzen like a bolt of clarity, and his eyes widened in realization.
One hour before nightfall.
The detention room was eerily quiet. The young man sitting cross-legged on the floor neither complained nor made noise, remaining unnervingly calm.
As time passed, the Anbu squad leader guarding him grew increasingly tense, beads of cold sweat forming on his forehead.
If Ryun had been frantically demanding updates about Asuka, the pressure might have been more bearable. But this silent, indifferent attitude was undoubtedly the calm before the storm... There was no doubt this prodigy was capable of killing anyone who stood in his way.
Thinking this, the Anbu squad leader signaled to a nearby jonin, instructing him to report the situation to the Third Hokage and request his personal presence to 'maintain order'...
Two minutes after the jonin left, a Root ninja wearing a strange mask entered the detention area and walked straight up to the Anbu squad leader.
"By Lord Danzo's orders, I need to speak with Uchiha Ryun alone," the Root ninja stated plainly.
"Without the Hokage's permission, no one is allowed to interact with Uchiha Ryun," the Anbu squad leader replied coldly. He did not take orders from the Root leader—his allegiance was solely to the Hokage.
"This matter concerns his mother..." the Root ninja explained.
Hearing this, Ryun's crimson eyes snapped open. He knew this was Danzo's next move against him.
"All of you, leave..." Ryun commanded in a tone that brooked no argument.
"But..." the Anbu squad leader hesitated.
"No 'buts.' Do you think this tiny detention room can hold me? I won't repeat myself!"
Ryun cut him off sharply, his three-tomoe Sharingan glaring coldly. If this man refused to comply, he would simply cast a genjutsu.
"I'm only here to deliver a message. It won't interfere with your mission—in fact, it might even help you..." the Root ninja said flatly.
Hearing this and seeing Ryun's unyielding attitude, the Anbu squad leader finally relented, stepping aside to allow them privacy while straining to eavesdrop.
Unfortunately for him, the moment the door closed, the room fell into complete silence. A small soundproofing barrier had clearly been activated.
"You guessed correctly. Your mother is indeed in our hands. If you don't want to see her turned into a cold corpse, you will comply with Konoha's arrangements. If you try to escape this detention room or come after us, we will execute Asuka without hesitation. Go ahead and test us if you don't believe it..."
The Root ninja stared coldly into Ryun's blood-red Sharingan, his gaze devoid of fear.
"If my mother suffers even the slightest harm, I swear I will eradicate every last one of you vile creatures. If she dies, the entire Shimura clan will pay with their lives!"
With that, Ryun gripped the steel bars on either side and bent them outward with brute strength, creating a gap large enough to walk through.
"My message has been delivered. Feel free to step out and try..."
The Root ninja chuckled. Even behind the mask, Ryun could see the mocking amusement in his eyes.
"Let me give you some advice: don't test Root's limits. If you disobey, you might just get your mother killed. That would be quite the sin, wouldn't it?"
"One last thing: your Sharingan genjutsu won't work on me. This is just a special shadow clone..."
With those final words, the Root ninja dispersed into smoke.
"Danzo!!!"
Ryun could no longer suppress his fury. A deafening roar infused with terrifying chakra shook the entire detention center to its foundations!
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