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He'd originally planned to use Danzō to shatter Hiruzen's spotless, "noble leader" image while he was at it.
Clearly, things weren't unfolding the way Akira had expected.
"Heh heh…"
Danzō Shimura chuckled, like he'd seen straight through Akira's scheme. A mocking curl tugged at his lips.
"As for why I killed Konoha's so-called hero—it was because of the power of Shisui Uchiha's Mangekyō Sharingan.
That ability… its very existence was a sin."
"What kind of ability could justify something so reckless?" Hiruzen Sarutobi demanded, brow furrowed deeply, as though he truly had no idea what Shisui's Mangekyō could do.
Nice acting, Akira sneered inwardly.
"Heh! You'd never guess," Danzō's voice rose sharply. "His Mangekyō Sharingan could alter memories.
That means if Shisui wished it, he could manipulate anyone in Konoha. That kind of power is pure evil!
Who can guarantee he wouldn't use it on his own comrades? Such a power has no place in the shinobi world!"
He grew more impassioned as he spoke.
"For Konoha—for the sake of preventing him from abusing that ability—I made the decisive choice to eliminate him. I removed a grave threat!
If bearing the crime of killing a hero protects the memories of Konoha's ninja from being tampered with… then so be it! Everything—for Konoha!"
His speech sent a chill through the gathered ninja.
Altering memories at will… controlling people without them ever knowing. It was terrifying.
Even if Shisui never intended to use it on them—who could be certain?
It was like living with a blade forever hanging over your head.
And just like that, Danzō had turned the crowd. Fear did the rest. People were selfish by nature—if his actions protected their own interests, they'd accept them, right or wrong.
Akira's voice cut in calmly.
"Oh? If his eyes were such a threat to Konoha, then why transplant one into yourself?"
"Obviously to protect Konoha. To strengthen its forces," Danzō replied smoothly, clearly prepared. "You see, I only implanted one eye. Its power is diminished. I can only alter memories temporarily."
Shisui was dead. No one could verify the truth.
Danzō smirked. "Besides, this is Konoha's internal affair. What business is it of an outsider like you? Just because you're strong doesn't mean you get to meddle."
Hiruzen sighed heavily.
"Danzō, even if your intentions were good, your methods were extreme. Killing Shisui in secret was wrong. You must pay with your life."
He paused.
"However… in consideration of your years of service, you are hereby stripped of your position as Root's leader and removed from the council. You will serve fifteen years in Konoha prison.
Shisui Uchiha will be honored as a Hero of Konoha. His name will be engraved in a special section of the Memorial Stone, alongside past Hokage.
This will return justice to the Uchiha. Does this satisfy you?"
He looked at Akira sincerely.
"I have no objections," Danzō answered immediately, then turned to Akira with a sneer. "Well? You self-righteous brat. Happy now? If you're still angry, kill me. I'm not afraid of death."
Akira ignored Hiruzen entirely, staring coldly at Danzō.
"Heh. Trying to provoke me? Feeling clever?"
"If I kill you now, you'll die a martyr. A hero remembered by Konoha. Worshipped in death."
His gaze turned ice-cold.
"But I won't kill you. Not before I drag every filthy secret of yours into the light.
You'll live. Live like a sewer rat. Hated by everyone."
He swept his gaze across the crowd.
"You really think this bastard only killed Shisui?"
"You're wrong. Dead wrong. His cruelty and scheming are beyond your imagination.
Villagers. Civilian ninja. Clan shinobi. He's abducted them all—for human experimentation."
"Lies!" Danzō roared. "I would never conduct human experiments, much less on my own village! If you have no proof, stop slandering me!"
Hiruzen's voice hardened.
"This isn't a joke. I refuse to believe Danzō would go that far. Human experimentation is strictly forbidden in Konoha."
Akira shot him a glance. "Funny. You were so certain earlier that he wouldn't harm his own people either."
"This is different," Hiruzen said firmly. "Human experimentation is absolutely prohibited. He wouldn't dare."
The surrounding ninja murmured in agreement.
Experimentation was barbaric. Even in wartime, it was done on enemy shinobi. In peacetime? Unthinkable.
The only one who had dared break that taboo was one of the Legendary Sannin—Orochimaru—and he'd become a rogue ninja for it.
Danzō? A seasoned elder? Impossible.
"Don't believe me?" Akira gave a cold laugh. "Then let's see for ourselves."
He grabbed Danzō by the collar and strode toward the area where the wounded were being treated. No one dared stop him—not even Hiruzen, who followed with a grim expression.
"How exactly do you plan to prove such nonsense?" Hiruzen demanded.
"You'll see. If I'm wrong, I'll release him."
Soon enough, Akira scanned the injured Root ninja.
"There you are. Danzō's lapdog."
In under a minute, he locked onto a Root operative wearing a black cat mask, one arm severed—Code Name: A.
The man had guarded Danzō closely before. If anyone knew about the labs, it was him.
The moment Akira's gaze landed on him, A tried to bite down on a poison capsule.
Too late.
—Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan: Genjutsu Control!
The illusion seized him instantly.
"Trying to kill yourself? Guess I picked the right one."
Akira shot Danzō a warning glare. "And you—don't even think about it."
Damn it! Danzō raged inwardly. Why is A still alive?! Useless fool!
If the labs were exposed, he'd be finished.
He had to act.
Subtly, the middle finger of his remaining right hand twitched—a signal.
Akira's eyes flashed.
In the next instant, he tore Danzō's right arm clean off.
"Ahhh!!"
"I told you not to move," Akira said coldly over the man's scream.
Hiruzen's face darkened. "Is this necessary? The truth isn't even confirmed!"
"Shut up. If I'm wrong, I'll apologize."
Hiruzen clenched his teeth. An arm for an apology—what humiliation.
"You heard him," Akira sneered at Danzō. "Trying to warn your people to destroy the evidence? Nice try."
He formed hand seals. Shadow clones burst outward in different directions.
Moments later—
Screams echoed from the darkness.
The clones returned, each dragging a half-dead Root ninja before dispersing.
"Still think you can cover it up?" Akira said lightly.
Danzō's face went deathly pale, though he forced a scowl. "You're killing my subordinates without cause! What signal? I gave no signal! There's nothing to hide!"
Hiruzen frowned. "This is going too far."
Akira shrugged. "Relax. They're alive. Barely. If I'm wrong, I'll apologize to them too."
Then he turned to the controlled operative.
"Take us to the human experimentation base."
"Yes."
Without hesitation, A sprinted toward the outskirts of the village.
Akira followed, hauling the bloodshot Danzō behind him. The Uchiha clan, Hiruzen, and countless Konoha ninja trailed after them.
Soon, they reached a small hill outside Konoha.
"It's here," A said flatly, pointing to a pile of scattered rocks. "One of Root's most secret bases. The entrance is there."
Akira looked down at Danzō.
"Anything to say?"
"It's just an ordinary Root base!" Danzō spat.
"We'll see how long you keep talking."
A massive purple skeletal arm materialized behind Akira.
Hiruzen's eyes widened. "That's… Susanoo! You're Uchiha?!"
Susanoo towered behind him, its aura oppressive and violent.
So that's why he sided with the Uchiha…
But when had such a monster appeared among them?
Akira didn't bother answering.
With a single sweeping strike—
BOOM!!!
The hill was flattened in an instant. Rocks flew everywhere.
As the dust cleared, the hidden interior lay exposed before everyone.
And what they saw inside…
Made even Akira's expression darken.
The reason Akira frowned had nothing to do with nerves.
It was the scene inside the base.
This wasn't what he'd expected at all.
If this place had truly been a facility for human experimentation, then what should've been laid out before them now would be rows of specialized equipment built for testing on people… and test subjects.
And there were test subjects here. Plenty of them.
Just not human.
Rats. Snakes. Dogs. Creatures of every kind floated inside translucent containers filled with murky green fluid.
It was clearly an animal testing site.
Nothing like what Akira had imagined.
There wasn't a single living person in sight. Not one corpse from Root either.
It felt as if the Root operatives stationed here had gotten word in advance and evacuated before anyone arrived.
Which meant Akira's plan to grab someone on the spot and interrogate them had just fallen apart.
Danzo burst into laughter.
"Well? What did I tell you?" he said smugly, eyes gleaming with ridicule as he looked at Akira. "This is nothing more than an ordinary experimental facility under my Root division."
"The materials I use are nothing but beasts!"
"These so-called human experiments you're accusing me of? Pure slander. Wild nonsense meant to disgrace me!"
He let out a cold chuckle.
"What? Am I not even allowed to conduct animal experiments now? How utterly ridiculous."
Then he turned to the gathered crowd, voice ringing with righteous force.
"You've all seen it with your own eyes. There are no human experiments here. Everything this man has said is baseless rumor."
"As for these animal trials, my purpose has always been the same. Konoha."
"I test new medicines on animals. Refine them. Improve them."
"Drugs to treat injuries. Cures for illness. I've devoted years to developing better medical treatments."
"All of it is to benefit the people of Konoha. To give our shinobi better care on the battlefield."
As he spoke, his expression softened, emotion rising in his gaze.
"And that's not all. Through these animals, we test powerful new jutsu as well, strengthening Konoha as a whole."
"My Root operatives risk their lives every day, facing the backlash of unstable techniques."
"I have personally stood on the front lines of these experiments. This eye of mine was destroyed during a critical test."
His hand brushed the bandages over his face.
"That was why I had no choice but to transplant Shisui's Sharingan."
"For decades I have toiled in the shadows. Bled in silence. Given everything I have."
"All for Konoha. For its prosperity. I have never harbored a single selfish thought."
His body began to tremble. His voice grew hoarse, thick with emotion.
"And now… now I'm being slandered by an outsider. My entire life's work trampled like this!"
"..."
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