Chapter 24: The Weight of Evidence
"Researching the transplantation of the First Hokage's cells?" Uchiha Mikoto stared at her husband, her astonishment plain. The idea seemed reckless, dangerous.
As the wife of the Uchiha patriarch and a Konoha jonin herself, Mikoto was well aware of Konoha's dark history with such experiments. The desperate attempts to replicate Hashirama's Wood Release had resulted in a gruesome series of failures, countless volunteer deaths, and an eventual, shame-faced termination and sealing of the entire project by the village leadership.
"Fugaku, the risk is too great. Is such an extreme step necessary?" she pressed, her tone solemn. "Minato is the clear favorite for Hokage. Our position will be secure. Why gamble now?"
Transplanting Senju cells was a forbidden act in Konoha. Discovery would bring catastrophic disgrace upon the entire Uchiha clan, tarnishing a millennium of honor.
Hearing her reasoning, a flicker of doubt crossed Fugaku's face. She was right. With Namikaze Minato's ascension almost certain, and given the Uchiha's backing of him, the clan's influence would naturally rise. Toying with a village taboo at this juncture seemed unwise.
"Ming," Fugaku said after a moment's contemplation, turning to Akira. "Your thoughts?"
Uchiha Akira, of course, wanted to push this forward. To master the Demonic Mirror Technique, he required resources on a massive scale—research into Senju cell compatibility, advanced biological cloning, directed organ cultivation. These were not ventures for a lone shinobi. They demanded the vast wealth and infrastructure of the entire Uchiha clan.
"Clan Head, Sister Mikoto," Akira began, his voice measured. "I believe it is not only necessary, but imperative."
"Explain," Fugaku urged.
"The Clan Head is aware," Akira said, "of Danzo's close association with Orochimaru, one of the Sannin. As we know, Orochimaru is not merely a powerful shinobi. He oversees numerous… research projects for Konoha, particularly in the biological sciences."
"Danzo…" Fugaku murmured the name, a cold glint entering his eyes. The animosity between the Uchiha and Shimura Danzo was no secret. A senior Uchiha had vanished years prior, all evidence subtly pointing to Root operatives. Without concrete proof, the clan had been forced to swallow the insult.
"You're suggesting," Fugaku reasoned, "that the individual wielding both Wood Release and the Mangekyō is a product of Danzo and Orochimaru's collaboration?"
"It is the most logical conclusion," Akira nodded. "Danzo is a man who recognizes no boundaries. His Root… is a fascinating entity."
Fugaku's expression shifted to surprise. "Ming… have you infiltrated Root?"
Uchiha Mikoto's face filled with immediate concern. "That's far too dangerous. Root is not some ordinary outpost."
Akira offered a reassuring smile. "You overestimate my recklessness. I am not so impulsive."
"Good," both Fugaku and Mikoto exhaled slightly in relief. They couldn't afford to lose a talent like Akira to brashness.
"Then how do you know of Root's activities? What have they been doing?" Fugaku pressed, curiosity and wariness warring in his gaze.
In response, Uchiha Akira reached into his pouch and produced a sealing scroll. With a soft poof of dispelled chakra, a light-green glass container filled with preservation fluid materialized on the table between them.
Uchiha Fugaku leaned forward, his eyes widening. "A fully intact Byakugan?!"
"Ming, how did you come by this?" Mikoto asked, her beautiful eyes wide with shock. In the shinobi world, acquiring a complete Byakugan was famously more difficult than obtaining a Sharingan, thanks to the Hyuga's brutal Caged Bird Seal.
"Did you recover the Byakugan stolen from the Hyuga on the battlefield?" Fugaku connected the dots swiftly.
"Exactly," Akira confirmed. "A stroke of luck while tracking a Kiri operative. An unexpected prize."
"I see," Mikoto murmured, the pieces falling into place.
"So," Fugaku said slowly, a new understanding dawning. "You used this to observe Root?" He assumed Akira had temporarily transplanted the eye—a logical, if dangerous, deduction for a shinobi of his caliber.
Akira did not correct him. Letting Fugaku believe he had personally witnessed Root's secrets through the Byakugan added a layer of undeniable credibility to his claims, pushing Fugaku closer to the decision Akira needed.
Mikoto's expression turned grave. "What did you see, Ming?"
"Danzo and Orochimaru," Akira stated, his voice dropping. "They are conducting clandestine experiments. Wood Release cell transplantation. Human cloning. And… directed organ cultivation."
The color drained from Uchiha Fugaku's face. This was dire news. Danzo, the Hokage's shadowy advisor, commanded Root, a force rivaling the Anbu. Orochimaru, the Hokage's favored disciple and a legendary Sannin, commanded immense prestige and a devoted following. Together, they represented a formidable, entrenched power bloc within the village.
And the most chilling question: were these experiments sanctioned by the Hokage himself?
Wood Release and cloning were one thing. But "directed organ cultivation" had a clear, horrifying purpose: targeting kekkei genkai. Eyes. Like the Sharingan. Like the Byakugan.
Seeing Fugaku's mounting fury, Akira decided to strike the final blow. He lowered his voice further. "Clan Head… Danzo has already undergone a transplant. He possesses a Sharingan."
"WHAT?!"
Fugaku's rage erupted. Scarlet chakra flared around him as his Sharingan spun into life unbidden. "I will take this to the Hokage! Now!" He made to storm from the shrine.
"Clan Head!" Akira's voice cut through the anger, cold and sharp. "Do you truly believe the Hokage is unaware?"
The words stopped Fugaku dead. It didn't matter if Sarutobi Hiruzen knew personally. In Fugaku's mind, in the paranoid landscape of clan politics, the Hokage must know. The implication was a betrayal of cosmic scale.
Fugaku's hands clenched into white-knuckled fists, his body trembling with suppressed fury. His teeth ground together, the sound harsh in the silent chamber. "How… how dare they…"
(End of Chapter)
✨If you're enjoying this story, consider supporting me on Patreon —
Patreon.com/TofuChan
💕Patreon members get early access to chapters, bonus content, and voting power on future ideas.💕
Every bit of support helps me write more and faster. Thank you so much for reading! 🥰
Bonus Chapter For Every 100 Power Stones
Lets hit the goal of 200 Patreon Members now for 5 Extra Chapters 💕
We are at 156 members 🎉
There is a limited discount going on Patreon now 3 days left 😊