*Chapter 59: I’m the Victim!*

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*"Sasuke, you've never even met Orochimaru. You shouldn't rashly speculate and connect him to Danzo."*

The Third Hokage forced a faint smile onto his grim face. Although he said this, he didn’t truly believe it. His mind was already racing, mentally connecting the three names Sasuke had mentioned.

"Yes, sir!"

Sasuke nodded, choosing not to press the point further.

People are often like this:

The more intensely you argue a point, the less likely they are to believe you—and they might even suspect you have ulterior motives.

Sasuke's goal wasn’t to convince the Hokage of Danzo and Orochimaru's connection but to extricate himself from this tangled web.

"Lord Hokage is right. I was reckless and shouldn’t have made assumptions about Lord Danzo!"

Sasuke took a step back, his sharp demeanor softening in an instant. The spirited edge he'd displayed moments ago was gone, replaced by calm composure with not a trace of panic.

*+4*

The number flickered before Sasuke's eyes. His previous combo had been broken, but he had no regrets.

Lost points could always be regained.

What mattered now was the situation at hand.

Sasuke took a deep, contemplative look at the Third Hokage, coming to a new understanding of the man’s shrewdness. He had expected the Hokage to display at least some anger at his accusations, but instead, the man had defended Danzo.

What an old fox, Sasuke thought, sighing inwardly. This unforeseen twist forced him to reconsider his next moves.

As the saying goes, “pull one thread and the entire fabric shifts.” With the unexpected arising in his plan, Sasuke knew the future would unfold differently than he had anticipated.

"Sasuke, your quick thinking and unique insights are commendable, but you’re still young. There are things you don’t yet understand."

The Third Hokage puffed on his pipe, the smoke curling around him like a veil.

"You’ve only met Danzo once, haven’t you? We’ve worked together for many years. You don’t truly know him."

His eyes took on a distant gleam.

"I’ve known Danzo since we were children. We’ve supported each other for decades. No one knows him better than I do. He’s someone who would die for the Leaf."

The certainty in the Hokage’s voice seemed intended more for himself than for Sasuke.

"Yes, sir," Sasuke murmured, his eyes fixed on the Third’s every movement. He was almost certain the Hokage didn’t truly believe his own words. Beneath the surface of that firm statement lay an undercurrent of wariness.

The relationship between Hiruzen and Danzo was anything but simple.

A love-hate relationship would be more accurate, Sasuke mused.

To the Hokage, Danzo was a double-edged sword—capable of both wounding enemies and harming himself. Because of its sharpness, he couldn’t bring himself to discard it.

"As for Mizuki..." the Hokage said with a faint smile, his voice soft, "I understand him. He just wants to pursue greater power. Following Orochimaru might be a good choice for him."

"...What?"

Sasuke’s eyelid twitched, momentarily stunned.

What kind of logic was this?

Even if Sasuke had framed Mizuki as a mere pawn in the grand scheme, shouldn’t the pawn at least be treated with some dignity? Instead, the Third Hokage had written him off as expendable.

Sasuke studied the Hokage’s face carefully. Throughout their conversation, the man’s micro-expressions had remained largely neutral. Only when Danzo and Orochimaru were mentioned did his face darken briefly, before quickly returning to calm.

This old guy... is not easy to fool.  

The more Sasuke interacted with the Third, the more he realized how slippery the man was.

There’s an old saying: “Great treachery appears loyal, great falsehood appears true.”  

Now it seemed perfectly apt to describe the Third Hokage.

Sasuke didn’t know how much of his story the Hokage believed. He could, however, sense the subtle hypocrisy buried beneath the man’s kind expression.

"Sasuke, setting aside Danzo, Mizuki, Orochimaru, and the sealing jutsu, what I really want to know is this: what role did you play in all of this?"

The Third Hokage clasped his hands behind his back, holding his pipe with a grandfatherly air. His tone was soft, but his words were sharp, cutting straight to the heart of what Sasuke wanted to avoid.

"I..."

Sasuke took a deep breath, forcing himself to remain calm.

Stay composed. The Third’s unflappable demeanor is a lesson in itself. Never let your emotions betray you.  

This wasn’t just a lesson for appearing cool—it was a matter of survival.

"I’m a victim!"

Sasuke’s voice was low and hoarse as he clenched his fists tightly, projecting an aura of anger and helplessness.

*+5*

The number jumped again. Perhaps it was coincidence, but it was an improvement from the previous reward.

"You’re a victim?"

The Third Hokage’s nose wrinkled slightly, his expression skeptical.

This kid is bold, Hiruzen thought.

Sasuke had:

- Copied the scroll.

- Taught Naruto a forbidden jutsu.

- Let Mizuki escape.

And now he was claiming to be an innocent bystander?

"That’s right, Lord Hokage!" Sasuke’s eyes turned earnest, his voice trembling with emotion as he quickly recalibrated the conversation.

"Lord Danzo sent me a letter. I don’t know if you read it carefully, but it stated that the Uchiha clan was pushed to the outskirts because of a leader’s machinations. This same leader orchestrated the massacre of my clan by Itachi. I’m a victim!"

Sasuke’s voice grew rough with emotion, his eyes glistening with unshed tears. The sadness and unwillingness in his tone were so genuine they would put seasoned actors to shame.

*+6*

"What leader? What did Danzo say?"

The Third Hokage’s brows furrowed tightly. He picked up the letter again, rereading its contents.

The letter recounted the events surrounding the Uchiha massacre, claiming a shadowy leader had first exiled the Uchiha to the outskirts, then branded them as rebels, and ultimately ordered Itachi to annihilate them.

But Itachi, unable to kill his younger brother, had spared Sasuke and defected from the village.

After finishing the letter, the Third Hokage felt a surge of powerlessness.

Danzo... what are you playing at?  

The "leader" mentioned in the letter—wasn’t that himself?

Was this Danzo’s idea of a confession?

"The content of this..."

The Third Hokage hesitated. Much of it was true, but explaining it away forcefully would only backfire when Sasuke inevitably learned the full truth.

"Lord Hokage, I know it’s all fake. Danzo used my clan’s tragedy to manipulate me into stealing the Scroll of Seals!"

Sasuke’s voice broke in anguish. "Am I not a victim?"

*+7*

The numbers in Sasuke’s vision continued to climb.

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(End of chapter)