Seeing that Uchiha Yusuke showed no intention of settling scores afterward, Sarutobi Hiruzen secretly let out a sigh of relief.
He knew very well what kinds of underhanded moves Konoha's higher-ups had pulled during the war.
If Uchiha Yusuke insisted on pursuing the matter, then as Hokage, Hiruzen would definitely have to give everyone an explanation.
The issue of not dispatching reinforcements was something Hiruzen himself knew he was in the wrong about.
He had originally hoped to use this maneuver to eliminate Uchiha Yusuke, a serious threat to his authority.
But who could have expected that Uchiha Yusuke would pull off a shocking reversal in a desperate situation?
As a result, Hiruzen ended up failing at a sneaky plan and losing even more than he gained, putting himself in an awkward position instead.
If Uchiha Yusuke chose to tear off the mask entirely, this Third Hokage would be stuck between a rock and a hard place.
Hiruzen couldn't help but regret listening to the two advisors' suggestions in the first place.
Unfortunately, spilled water couldn't be gathered back up.
It was already too late for regret now.
Uchiha Fugaku pulled Yusuke aside and began speaking to him in a low voice.
By now, Fugaku had fully aligned himself with Yusuke and would no longer side with Konoha's higher-ups.
He patted Yusuke on the shoulder and said sincerely,
"To defeat the Cloud's AB Combination all by yourself…"
"In just half a year, your strength has improved by quite a bit, kid."
Uchiha Yusuke smiled slightly.
"I just got lucky."
Fugaku laughed along with him.
Everything about this junior was good—except that he was a bit too modest. Defeating two Kage-level powerhouses by himself wasn't something that could be explained away with a simple "good luck."
The Fourth Raikage couldn't possibly have lost just because he suddenly had a stomachache, right?
Fugaku lightly punched Yusuke on the shoulder.
"You brat…"
"Still holding back even with Uncle Fugaku?"
"Come on, tell me properly how it went."
Yusuke forced himself to put on a serious expression.
"Uncle Fugaku, I'm the clan head now."
"Please watch your words."
Fugaku immediately pulled rank.
"What's so great about being clan head?"
"I'm still the former clan head!"
"Let's not talk about status—let's talk seniority."
Yusuke's mouth twitched slightly.
Since when did Uncle Fugaku learn to shamelessly argue like this?
Did people really start letting themselves go once they put down their burdens?
Just as the two were chatting happily, Danzō—leaning on his cane—suddenly approached.
With a gloomy expression, Danzō spoke in a half-commanding, low voice,
"Where is the Eight-Tails jinchūriki?"
"Hand it over to Root for handling."
Hearing this, Uchiha Yusuke's eyes narrowed.
Trying to demand the Eight-Tails from him with empty words?
Who the hell did Shimura Danzō think he was?
Seeing that Yusuke didn't react, Danzō's tone immediately grew harsher.
"Uchiha Yusuke, did you not hear what I just said?"
Uchiha Fugaku's expression darkened.
"Danzō-sama, the way you're doing this—"
Before Fugaku could finish, Danzō coldly cut him off.
"Silence. This is no place for you to speak."
"Uchiha Yusuke, hand over the Eight-Tails immediately!"
Looking at Danzō, the corner of Yusuke's mouth curled into a cold smile.
I haven't even gone looking for trouble yet, and you're delivering yourself right to my door?
Perfect timing.
"Cough, cough…"
Yusuke cleared his throat and said calmly,
"And if I don't hand over the Eight-Tails, then what?"
Danzō's face sank.
"Are you daring to defy an order from your superiors?"
Yusuke sneered and shot back,
"Defy an order from superiors? Heh."
"Since when did Root become the superior of our Police Force?"
Danzō's Root and Yusuke's Police Force were both part of Konoha's ANBU system.
By convention, the six divisions were independent of one another—there was no hierarchy.
As captain of the Police Force, Uchiha Yusuke was fully qualified to stand on equal footing with Danzō, the head of Root.
Danzō froze.
Uchiha Yusuke wasn't giving him, the Hokage's advisor, any face at all.
If this could be tolerated, what couldn't?
A cold glint flashed in Danzō's eyes as he said icily,
"Uchiha Yusuke, are you determined to become my enemy?"
Yusuke showed no fear whatsoever.
"So what if I am?"
"You old undead bastard."
That casual insult nearly made Danzō's lungs explode with rage.
Since the death of the Second Hokage, who had ever dared curse him to his face?
Not even the Third Hokage Sarutobi Hiruzen, nor the Fourth Hokage Namikaze Minato, had ever done so!
Danzō roared angrily,
"Impudent brat!"
"The Uchiha are courting their own destruction!"
Hearing this, Yusuke's expression instantly turned cold.
"Is that so?"
"Say one more word, and believe it or not, I'll draw my sword and kill you right here."
Danzō opened his mouth—but after weighing things repeatedly, he ultimately chose to back down.
If Uchiha Yusuke could defeat the Cloud's AB Combination, then dealing with a Danzō would be trivial.
At that moment, the Third Hokage—having finished addressing the soldiers—walked over.
Sensing that the atmosphere was off, he immediately asked,
"What's going on here?"
Yusuke replied calmly,
"Danzō-sama just demanded that I hand over the Eight-Tails jinchūriki."
After hearing this, Hiruzen immediately turned around and scolded Danzō.
"How the Eight-Tails is to be handled will be decided after convening everyone."
"Root doesn't need to concern itself with this matter."
Danzō's expression turned ugly.
With the Hokage having spoken, it was basically impossible for him to continue demanding the Eight-Tails from Uchiha Yusuke.
Danzō backed down—but Yusuke had no intention of letting things end there.
He cleared his throat and asked mockingly,
"When the war ended, I was assassinated by two of our own people."
"May I ask, Danzō-sama, what exactly was that about?"
Danzō pretended ignorance.
"Oh? Such a thing happened?"
"I'll have Root investigate thoroughly afterward."
Danzō tried to change the subject, but Yusuke refused to let him off.
"I've already investigated it."
"They said the order came from you."
Danzō not only denied it but counterattacked instead.
"Absurd!"
"How could I possibly do such a thing?"
"Uchiha Yusuke, do you know what crime it is to slander the Hokage's advisor?"
Yusuke chuckled.
"Whether it's slander or not—you know that yourself."
"After all, there's only one place in Konoha that uses the Tongue Curse: Eradication Seal, isn't there?"
Yusuke couldn't make the two assassins speak—but that didn't mean he lacked evidence.
Seeing the two on the verge of clashing, the Third Hokage immediately stepped in to smooth things over.
"Before the matter is fully investigated, we shouldn't jump to conclusions."
"Yusuke, rest assured—regarding the assassination on the battlefield, I will definitely give you an explanation."
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