In Shiraishi's mental space, vast amounts of memory data were being processed by a massive simulation engine, manifesting as a domain of pure, dark-green digital light.
Under the illumination of four distinct glows, Shiraishi—seated at the center—shook his head at Hozuki Haigetsu's proposal.
"Having Danzo serve as Hokage might accelerate Konoha's internal decay, but it would also trigger a frantic counterattack from the Sage of the Six Paths."
As Shiraishi spoke, complex data projections materialized before his three split consciousnesses.
On the map of the Land of Fire, the chakra signature marked as "Hagoromo Otsutsuki" was incredibly dense around Konoha, whereas the Land of Wind was almost entirely devoid of the Sage's influence.
The Hidden Sand's maritime trade network spanned the globe; special sensory arrays hidden within scrolls and trade goods acted as a global nervous system
. These sensors fed back into Shiraishi's super-calculation device, allowing him to visualize the distribution of the Sage of the Six Paths' lingering consciousness.
Before his death, the Sage had transformed his titanic chakra into an omnipresent consciousness. While he didn't claim to be the "Will of the Heavens," his reach extended to every corner of the world.
The reason the Sage's presence was so thin in the Sand was due to the "Uzaki Tomoko" incident.
Her birth was effectively a compromise between the Sand and the Sage—a silent pact of non-interference that allowed the Sand's "Child of Destiny" to be born.
In exchange, the Sage's focus shifted almost entirely to Konoha, where his most vital concerns lay.
The Sage's two sons—the transmigrating spirits of Ashura and Indra—had clearly been reborn. If Shiraishi threw Konoha into total chaos and caused the premature death of these two "Children of Fate," the Sage of the Six Paths would likely retaliate at any cost.
"The son of Minato Namikaze and the second son of Fugaku Uchiha are almost certainly the reincarnations of Ashura and Indra," Shiraishi stated. "Kaede, keep a close watch on them."
During the Night of the Nine-Tails when Naruto Uzumaki was born, the Sage's chakra had flickered significantly. Identifying the second child was a simple matter of looking for an Uchiha of the same age: Sasuke Uchiha.
Shiraishi's perspective now operated on a level far beyond his splits. Uchiha Kaede, who had been silent until now, also voiced his disagreement with Haigetsu's wild plan.
"From the start, the 'Hokage' on this mission has been Hatake Kakashi in disguise. Hiruzen would never walk blindly into Danzo's trap."
As one of the two "guards," Kaede knew the truth. "The Third Hokage still doesn't trust the Uchiha. Shisui and I weren't sent to protect him; we were sent to wipe out Danzo's Root operatives."
Hiruzen Sarutobi was an old fox who calculated every variable. Danzo stood no chance. In the original history, Hiruzen only fell because he chose to handle Orochimaru personally during the Konoha Crush.
The Ambush at the Pass
In the physical world, Uchiha Kaede, Uchiha Shisui, and Hatake Kakashi stood alone against a massive elite battalion of Root.
To ensure the assassination succeeded, Danzo had deployed two elite squads—nearly three hundred shinobi. It was a staggering force.
Facing the encirclement, Kakashi (still disguised as the Hokage) followed Hiruzen's instructions: he did not shed his disguise, instead allowing the two Uchiha geniuses to showcase their strength.
Facing the Root members who had once plotted against him, Kaede no longer held back. In an instant, crimson flames erupted as he manifested two burning blades in his hands. The extreme heat caused the air to shimmer and vibrate with violent intensity.
The sheer explosive power of his Fire Style made even Kakashi and Shisui take notice.
My cousin's fire... when did it become this destructive? Shisui wondered.
Even as he marveled at Kaede's progress, Shisui flickered and vanished.
"Watch out! It's Shisui of the Body Flicker!"
The name "Shisui of the Body Flicker" had already echoed across the shinobi world. As Root members braced for an attack, Kaede swung his twin blades, unleashing a literal vortex of high-temperature destruction.
Fire Style: Great Fire Rend!
As the flames roared, one Root member lunged forward, using Wood Style to create a barrier. However, Kaede's fire was designed for pure, unadulterated destruction. It didn't just burn the wood; it consumed it entirely, turning the barrier to ash in seconds.
Such powerful Fire Style...
The Wood Style youth retreated rapidly. Kaede recognized him—this was the future Yamato, the original source for the puppet Shiraishi had controlled in another timeline.
While Kaede's flames kept the bulk of the Root forces at bay, Shisui began his work. His tanto was a blur of steel. Within moments, dozens of Root members collapsed, neutralized.
He's not killing them?
Kaede found Shisui's idealism baffling. Narrowing his eyes, he performed a series of rapid hand signs. A massive sphere of flame—the Great Fire Annihilation—rose into the sky like a second sun.
The Great Fireball Jutsu?
The seals were the same, but the scale was soul-chilling. Kaede's face twisted into a fierce grin as he shouted, "Katsu!"
The fiery sun shattered, transforming into thousands of flaming needles that rained down, impaling the unconscious Root members Shisui had just spared. The battlefield turned into a sea of death.
Shisui frowned at Kaede's lethality, but Hatake Kakashi remained unmoved. These were Root, not the Hokage's men. They were currently attempting to assassinate the leader of the village; such treason was a capital offense.
The two Uchiha fought with seamless precision, forcing Root into a humiliating retreat. It was only then that the survivors realized the "Hokage" they were hunting was merely Kakashi.
The Dream Ends
Back in the Hokage's office, Shimura Danzo—convinced of his victory—was sitting alone in the Hokage's chair. A triumphant, predatory smile stretched across his face.
From the shadows, Hiruzen Sarutobi watched his old friend sitting in the seat of power. He took a deep drag from his pipe and sighed.
"Danzo, it's truly a pity. I had planned to stay in this seat for quite a while longer."
Hiruzen's voice struck like a thunderbolt, shattering Danzo's dream instantly.
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