October 31. Height of the Konoha clans' meeting.
Root of the Problem.
Orochimaru, as facts unfolded—Uzumaki Haero—began shifting covertly and quietly. Slowly. Under seals. Noting all surroundings (on Shimura's order). Choosing between Fugaku's target. For killing. And second target (as his gut signaled), safe layout! Retreat amid clan infighting. Sneak out! And while time allows. Rob Minato's office of his Uzumaki scrolls and Second Hokage's legacy.
Temptation and choice...
The Sannin craved everything now for the first time. And new techniques of the Fourth Hokage—"Hiraishin" and "Rasengan." "Shiseki Yojin" (Cube Barrier) of the Second. And Shimura's Sharingan. With Mukai's Byakugan. All. At once. Almost within reach. And what excited especially—he swallowed in anticipation, the snake—"to see how they'll drown... his blackmailer and patron NE in the village's 'Deep' problems. Konoha's Shadows and their 'holy' kompromat."
"Ku-ku-ku-ku," the snake gloated inwardly. "Today, Danzo will definitely fold."
"...Caught."
"They've cornered him masterfully. Even pinned him to the wall, seating him in the tiger chair for local torture. By the whole clan assembly! No matter how the old man writhes like an eel," the snake sannin licked his lips, "he won't slip away this time. Definitely."
"Seems so," the snake's eyes met his, "Shimura's realized it all already. And now deciding."
"What decision? Tricky question." The answer! Either way—he'd choose soon. Maybe "Izanagi."
"And so, in our case, Danzo will clean up and drown all subordinates and pawns like lab rats. And he'll start," his gaze slid to the clock, "I'd bet on midnight. Sadly, today..."
(Tick-tock... tick-tock... the second hand kept moving over Konoha's Shadow's head).
"Right after the strike on the Uchiha Clan!"
"Because, Shimura-dono—my choice is made." No matter how intriguing... staying here, alas... it's getting too dangerous.
Closing his eyes for a second, Orochimaru envisioned the events' resolution. Today's and upcoming. Thrilling. And promising so much ahead. Nearly moral ecstasy from it.
"Such major events," the sannin licked his lips again, "our village under sensei's leadership lacks them in daily life! His bland politics and stagnation in development after Second Hokage, Sarutobi retrograde and company."
"Ke-ke-ke-ke, splendid!" Glee rejoiced. "Historic day! All old top faces on a platter. I'll definitely remember your fiasco! Failure of Konoha's old wolf and... even his friend's face, the 'God of Shinobi' himself. Will of Fire agitator."
"Oh yes, Sarutobi-sensei." A smile crept onto his face. "Looks like you and Danzo have been outplayed on your own turf by Konoha's clans. Ha-ha-ha-ha. United and made a knight's move. Now you're the victims. Feel like a little snake before a boa of 'public forces.'"
"Well for me, sensei," his gaze went to the secret exit, "time to shed Konoha shinobi skin. Sadly, publicly today."
And the quicker and more suddenly I shed it, his gaze fell on the clock again, the tastier the prey and greater the head start. Naturally, for me. As a scientist and Second Hokage's heir.
"And for you, sensei, consolation will be a surprise. ANBU NE. And a splendid gift from First with his Wood Style to Shimura and 'Will of Fire' in Konoha's labs."
"Ku-ku-ku-ku."
Operation "Red Woodpecker."
For a while, silence hung in the Konoha clan council chamber. Uzumaki Haero's words were too shocking for everyone present.
Thud... thud... thud...
The sound of a cane on stone floor echoed through the chamber, drawing attention and silencing the assembly. Then many eyes turned to Konoha's Shadow—Danzo Shimura. Whom immediately seized the moment. He scanned the entire chamber with a piercing gaze... set aside the cane, awaited Hiruzen Sarutobi's nod, and moved to the fourth report point and his main goal for this clan assembly! More precisely... reveal the truth of the Nine-Tails Demon Fox attack day. Death of the Fourth Hokage and vessel—Kushina's—Kyuubi jinchuriki. And finally, turn his old plan into reality with a powerful strike at the accursed Uchiha Clan. Accuse it of the village's woes, relocate it to Konoha's very walls, and take it under control! Then outright tame the ancient Sharingan clan. Turn it into a tool serving Konoha's good. Respect village leadership. And fulfill the Will of Fire! Or as Second Hokage bequeathed, make the harder but right choice... thereby shielding Konoha from many future horrors.
Flipping through several new sheets, Konoha's Shadow stopped at the needed one, then fixed his left eye on the expectant chamber—coughed, clearing his hoarse throat—and went on the offensive, beginning his long-awaited fateful report.
"Khm." The voice of intelligence and counterintelligence head—Danzo Shimura—sounded. "Esteemed assembly, I propose continuing the report. And finally discussing the fourth issue. Specifically! Prelude and the Kyuubi no Yoko attack on Konoha itself. And as result—its new jinchuriki! Uzumaki Naruto!"
"And so." Danzo returned to the questionnaire. "We'll start in the previously agreed order. First point of the fourth issue: Attack during labor on the previous jinchuriki Kushina Uzumaki. And as consequence—her complete loss of Kyuubi no Yoko control! And its handover to our village's enemies!"
"Yes, you heard right!" Shimura raised his voice over the rising clamor. "During the Kyuubi no Yoko attack on our village, the Fox Demon was under enemy shinobi control. Indicating the Konoha attack was meticulously planned. Kushina Uzumaki's death with Fox extraction from her, taking Kyuubi under control, and simultaneous battle with three ANBU operative squads and Fourth Hokage... followed by his death... This chain of events," Danzo, feeling the moment's gravity, spoke even more grimly elevated, "is no mere coincidence! Definitely! This, including discovery of the jinchuriki's labor site," Konoha's Shadow demonstratively turned, giving the assembly time and food for thought, squinted, and burned with his left eye—Uzumaki Haero—"is an malicious enemy plan!"
"And it—this plan—was successfully executed!" The NE ANBU head's cane thumped again, marking the moment's importance.
"Danzo Shimura-dono." Shikaku Nara slowly raised his hand and calmly addressed the spymaster. "If you please. Details."
"Of course, Shikaku-dono." Konoha's Shadow nodded and continued. "And so. As we all know, Minato Namikaze—Fourth Hokage—was an incredibly strong shinobi capable of annihilating hundreds or even thousands alone. And the Kannabi Bridge battle loudly proves it! Therefore!" Emphasizing the moment's core, Shimura raised a finger high overhead. "For sabotage passage through the fuin barrier set by Kushina Uzumaki—note," the NE ANBU head creaked his cane, "a sealing master! And simultaneously! Covert elimination of the guard of three elite ANBU squads—note again—before Kyuubi extraction," Shimura coughed and continued, "and attack killing Fourth Hokage... All this was an enemy plan impossible without embedded spies. Which is impossible," again, "for many clear reasons obvious to the esteemed assembly! Or," Danzo Shimura's sharp, icy gaze turned to Fugaku Uchiha, his voice chilling blood, "...in case of a state coup plot in Konohagakure no Sato! And attempt—if unsuccessful—to spark civil war! By the Uchiha Clan!" Loudly, grimly "bravura-ing" the last phrase and slamming his cane on the floor, Danzo dropped the mightiest informational bomb on those present.
For a while, ringing silence reigned in the Konoha clan council chamber. The chief spy's words were too shocking for all. But then...
"Please continue, Danzo Shimura-dono." Against all expectations, Fugaku Uchiha calmly—almost lazily-casually—addressed the old spymaster and his unspoken foe Shimura. "We're all," Fugaku gestured over the assembly and continued, "listening attentively, esteemed NE ANBU head. And we'll follow your plan for this clan assembly."
"Do you support us with Danzo Shimura-dono on this, Hiruzen Sarutobi-dono?" Fugaku's questioning gaze shifted twice from Third Hokage to Konoha's dungeon NE head.
"Yes, Shimura-dono," the elderly "shinobi god" nodded to both (Danzo and Fugaku), "continue. State the full report on issue #4. Then we, the clan assembly... will decide how to proceed."
"And so." Shimura flipped the report page. "I'll state the following facts. First: During the Kyuubi no Yoko attack on Konoha, evidentiary base formed—direct witnesses to the event. And irrefutable proof that the Nine-Tails Demon Fox's eyes showed Sharingan! Three tomoe pupils—Blood Wheel of Samsara!" At such screaming news—the official accusation against Konoha's founding clan—the assembly "roared." But Danzo drew attention again with his tried method, thumping the cane on the floor... loudly several times.
"The just-stated directly indicates the Fox Demon attack was planned! And Kyuubi was under Sharingan control. Since we know Sharingan is the perfect genjutsu weapon, many recall—as happened in Konoha! Almost right after its founding!"
"Yes-yes, you heard right! Forty-six years ago! Then Madara Uchiha attacked Konoha with his controlled Kyuubi no Yoko! In a similar key to ours! And this," Danzo wind-element levitated archive files ("Madara Uchiha and Kyuubi Attack on Konohagakure no Sato") across the table to the entire clan assembly, "is established, officially registered, confirmed fact! Nothing but Sharingan," Shimura stood and gestured over the assembly, "thrice," and pointedly jabbed his index finger at Uchiha Fugaku, "can subdue a Tailed Beast with genjutsu! Except! Sharingan!!!"
"Note separately! Established fact," Shimura, growing heated, pulled out a dossier and shook (before all patriarchs' eyes like the deadliest virus in a thin fragile glass vial) photos of jinchuriki—Mito Uzumaki, Kushina Uzumaki, and a separate large photo of Madara Uchiha—"to plunge the strongest Bijuu—Kyuubi no Yoko—into genjutsu... Capable exclusively, only exclusively, by strong Sharingan!"
"And as all know," Shimura pressed his assault on the red-eyed clan, "only a true Uchiha can unleash full Sharingan power! After all, to fully control an awakened bijuu, strongest of all—Kyuubi no Yoko—requires S-rank genjutsu power! Thus no one but Uchiha can do it!"
After the stated facts, the chamber gradually sank into reflection, then quiet patriarch whispers.
At that moment, all studied and analyzed secret archive data (on Madara Uchiha) so kindly provided by the caring zealous Konoha interests guardian—NE ANBU head—in ultimatum accusation.
"From evidence and eyewitnesses," the spymaster creaked in a slightly hoarse voice again, "we have testimonies from the following Konoha civilians and shinobi: Kaori Shibi—'civilian' shinobi and Konoha bank deputy director. Rutaro Kiyoshi—Chunin and Seiki Butai employee. Jiro Orinako—Tokubetsu Jonin and CHUBU employee. Kento Makoto—Chunin and B-rank iryonin. Nobu Mazeki—Genin and Genin Corps employee. Harimura Sebero—Chunin and shinobi academy teacher. And also," Danzo took a new sheet, "seventeen shinobi witnesses. Including three B-rank Jonin, one A-rank, and to cap it... one S-rank!"
"All witnesses," Shimura's voice grew darker and darker, "voluntarily underwent a full mental check by the ANBU department, as well as, for certainty and internal reporting to Seiki Butai, by employees of the 'Torture and Interrogation' department, plus, by their Yamanaka Clan mentalists!
At the last mention of multiple 'voluntary' mental checks by the tender hands of the most accommodating Yamanaka specialists, many in the hall shuddered inwardly, imagining themselves in the place of those witnesses with their brains gutted (by Yin mind techniques). The consequences of which these poor souls would still be treating for at least a year! Meanwhile, Danzou clearly caught the wave and now accelerated his expressiveness in earnest.
"Also, one of the witnesses to this incident is a direct participant in today's clans' assembly. Yes, esteemed ones, this is an established fact! I am saying," Shimura slowly raised his hand, allowing everyone to follow him, and pointed his index finger to the other end of the hall, "Clan Head Hatake—Kakashi Hatake! A jonin of S-rank! And an active operative of the ANBU assault unit.
"With his Sharingan, Kakashi Hatake-dono personally recorded this fact! The fact of the Kyuubi no Yoko's attack! He was able to recover it in his memory, then showed it to Seiki Butai and ANBU specialists. After which, the Yamanaka specialists fully confirmed the authenticity of his memories. And the reason for the absolute confidence of all our operatives lies in the fact that Kakashi Hatake-dono voluntarily agreed to undergo a Full memory mental check for October 10th! As a result and thanks to which, I, as head of ANBU NE, the deputy, due to the impartiality of ANBU—Karami Yotori, as well as Councilors Utatane Koharu-dono, Mitokado Horuma-dono, and Hiruzen Sarutobi-dono… all of us SAW THIS personally, and confirm these proofs!
After Danzou Shimura's words, ... all the listed individuals rose from their seats and, closely scanning the entire council hall, openly and aloud confirmed the "verdict" of Konoha's Shadow. Then, all those who had risen turned to Fugaku Uchiha and thereby, for the other people of the clans' assembly, ... and Konoha as a whole, designated—the True Root of the Problem. - The Uchiha Clan!
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