46-50

*Chapter 46: Danzo Takes the Blame Again*

In the Uchiha clan district, most of the residents were ordinary civilians.

Though they weren’t all members of the Konoha Police Force with fully matured Sharingan, there were still quite a few who had awakened the Sharingan.

Especially Uchiha Fugaku, whose eyes were an exceptional pair of three-tomoe Sharingan. Danzo-sama certainly couldn't pass up on that.

He could even boast to Sarutobi Hiruzen about it.

After all, the biggest contributor to quelling the Uchiha rebellion this time was none other than Danzo himself.

As a direct unit under the Hokage, the Anbu were highly efficient.

In no time, they compiled a death list from the Uchiha district.

There was only one person whose body was missing—Uchiha Itachi.

With that, the truth became quite obvious.

This was the outcome Sarutobi Hiruzen had originally anticipated.

But Sarutobi knew things weren’t as simple as they appeared.

There was no way his eldest son, daughter-in-law, and three clan members were killed by Uchiha Itachi.

Firstly, he never issued a kill order on the Uchiha, and Team Shinnosuke had no reason to fight Uchiha Itachi.

Secondly, with Sasuke as a bargaining chip, Itachi would never kill his own clan members.

With that in mind, there had to be someone else.

The most likely suspect was the masked man who had once controlled the Nine-Tails, killed his wife Biwako, severed Danzo’s left arm, and stolen Shisui’s right eye.

Thinking of this, Sarutobi Hiruzen felt both anger and frustration, a deep sense of powerlessness welling up inside him.

He couldn’t understand why Konoha had been targeted so viciously, repeatedly suffering attacks and the deaths of its ninjas.

This time, the masked man had even killed his son and daughter-in-law.

If it were anyone else, he would’ve long dispatched a large number of elite Konoha ninja to hunt the culprit down.

But the masked man seemed to possess some kind of space-time ninjutsu, appearing and disappearing without a trace, beyond the reach of ordinary means.

As one issue remained unresolved, another one arose.

Just as Sarutobi was deep in thought, a commotion broke out nearby, interrupting him.

A moment later, an Anbu operative hurried over, "Hokage-sama, something terrible has happened."

"What is it?" Sarutobi Hiruzen frowned and asked.

"While we were collecting the bodies, a few of them mysteriously disappeared," the Anbu operative said fearfully.

Even the battle-hardened Anbu were unsettled by such a strange occurrence.

"Which bodies are missing?" Kakashi, sensing something unusual, approached and asked.

The Anbu operative replied, "Uchiha Fugaku, Uchiha Mikoto, Uchiha Izumi, Uchiha Kazehiko, Uchiha Zong, and Uchiha Seiyu."

"Without a doubt, all of them were Uchiha clan members who had awakened the Sharingan," Kakashi sighed, and the Anbu added, "Also, it seems Fujiwara Aizen's body is missing too."

"Fujiwara Aizen?" Sarutobi Hiruzen was startled, as if something clicked in his mind. He quickly asked, "Are you sure Fujiwara Aizen is dead?"

If anyone had the motive to kill his son, aside from the Uchiha clan members and the mysterious masked man, it would be Aizen.

After all, he had issued a kill order on Aizen.

Although Sarutobi didn’t believe Aizen had the power to defeat, let alone kill, his son’s squad, Aizen was a genius after all. There was always a chance.

What if Aizen had faked his death?

"Hokage-sama, Aizen is definitely dead. I personally examined the body with several Anbu operatives," Kakashi responded, picking up on Sarutobi's hidden concern. "I used my Sharingan to check. The fatal wound was to the chest, completely ruling out the possibility of faking death or using a transformation technique."

"Aizen, with his striking features, black hair, and black eyes, would easily be mistaken for an Uchiha if his Sharingan wasn't activated," Kakashi continued. "His body was placed right next to Uchiha Kazehiko, Uchiha Zong, and Uchiha Seiyu. I believe the person who stole the bodies must have mistaken him for an Uchiha."

"I see." Sarutobi Hiruzen narrowed his eyes, still not fully convinced, but moved on. "So, who do you think is responsible for this?"

"It was Uchiha Itachi." A low, aged voice came from behind.

Sarutobi and the others turned to see Danzo approaching, leaning on a cane, flanked by two black-robed members of his Root division.

Unaware that Fugaku's body had been stolen, Danzo continued, "Itachi despised his clan. That's why he killed Shisui and took his eyes, sparking conflict among the Uchiha."

"And eventually, it led to this tragic outcome."

"It was him? How could that be?" Kakashi asked, surprised. "Does that mean Aizen was also killed by him?"

Upon hearing this, the surrounding Anbu also turned to Danzo, seeking answers.

"Of course. Fujiwara Aizen was a Jonin of Konoha. If he witnessed Itachi slaughtering his fellow villagers, he would naturally try to stop him. Unfortunately, he was killed by Itachi." Danzo, now aware of Aizen’s death, gave a definitive answer.

Feeling proud of his plan's success, Danzo even glanced smugly at Sarutobi Hiruzen.

It was as if he were saying, "See, Hiruzen, my plan worked. We only sacrificed a minor figure like Fujiwara Aizen to easily resolve the Uchiha rebellion."

Listening to Danzo’s flawed, almost prescient explanation, Sarutobi Hiruzen knew he couldn’t let him keep talking. With his hands clasped behind his back, he turned away from the group and said, "Stop wasting time and get back to work."

"Yes, sir," Kakashi and the others responded respectfully and vanished.

As soon as they left, Danzo dismissed his Root operatives with a wave and approached Sarutobi, saying smugly, "Everything is solved now."

"Solved?" Sarutobi turned around, his face dark with anger. "You fool, Danzo! Look at the mess you've made. You've invited a wolf into the fold, wiped out the Uchiha, and got my son and daughter-in-law killed. I can no longer tolerate your reckless actions."

"Shinnosuke is dead?" Danzo asked, taken aback.

Sarutobi ignored him and continued, "From this day forward, you are relieved of your duties as Hokage advisor. The Root division is also disbanded."

"But Hiruzen, I..." Danzo was caught off guard by Sarutobi's sudden show of force. For a moment, it was as if he saw the great ninja hero of old, and his tone softened slightly.

*Chapter 47: Itachi and the Third Hokage*

"If it's for the village, there's no need to say anything. The Uchiha clan are also fellow villagers," Hiruzen Sarutobi, aware that Itachi was hiding nearby, emphasized this point. Then, impatiently, he added, "Alright, I’ll issue the order tomorrow. In the meantime, reflect on your actions at home."

After saying that, Hiruzen Sarutobi waved his hand dismissively and left.

His grandson, Konohamaru Sarutobi, was not even four years old yet. If he found out his parents had died, Hiruzen couldn't imagine how devastated he’d be.

He had to go back and comfort him.

But first, there was someone else he needed to see: Itachi Uchiha. He needed to confirm whether Aizen was really dead.

Also, the Intelligence Division was using mind-reading techniques to probe into Shinnosuke's mind and uncover his memories.

He had to find out who the culprit was.

"Tsunade, I saw it, and I’ll continue watching from now on. If you make any move against Sasuke, I'll leak all the village's intel to enemy nations."

After Hiruzen left, Itachi, just like in the original story, used his Crow Clone Jutsu to create a clone and warned Danzo.

Then, under Danzo's furious gaze, Itachi turned into crows and disappeared from the Uchiha compound.

At the same time, Aizen had arrived at Kurenai Yuhi's residence.

As usual, after saying goodbye to Might Guy, Genma Shiranui, and the others, Kurenai returned home and started her evening routine of having a drink.

Her favorite side dish: octopus with wasabi.

Suddenly, drowsiness hit her, and her glass quietly fell, caught by Aizen.

Kurenai herself lay down dazedly on the sofa.

"What a troublesome girl."

Aizen put down the glass, sighed helplessly, and tidied up for her just like back when they were Genin.

Then, he carried her to the bed, covered her with a blanket, and took out a solid gold ring he had prepared beforehand. He threaded it on a thin string and hung it around her neck, tucking it into her collar.

Finally, using his Sharingan, he implanted a psychological suggestion in her mind.

The ring was something very important to her, and she must never take it off or let anyone else know about it.

Only then did he leave, feeling at ease.

He didn’t tell Kurenai the truth.

Even if he had, it would only have harmed her.

For him, this so-called fake death was just a smokescreen for the higher-ups in Konoha.

Anyone with a bit of sense in the higher-ups would realize, from the dead bodies of the Sarutobi clan members, that it was his doing.

At the very least, it was someone wearing his Anbu outfit, his mask, and wielding his sword.

Yet his body had appeared in front of everyone’s eyes, only to vanish into thin air.

Leaving them no clues to trace.

That was enough to confuse them. By the time they realized what had really happened, it would be too late—he would be long gone.

It saved him a lot of trouble.

On the other side, Itachi Uchiha had followed Hiruzen Sarutobi to a large, secluded building in Konoha.

With his hands behind his back, Hiruzen stood before a kneeling Itachi, dressed in Anbu gear.

"You must have more to say if you came all the way here. I've already sent everyone else away," Hiruzen said in a low voice, his back still turned to Itachi.

Itachi bowed his head in thanks. "I appreciate the trouble, Lord Hokage."

"First, I want to thank you. Thanks to you, Konoha avoided civil war and maintained peace in the village. But I still regret that we couldn't find another way."

Hiruzen started by praising Itachi, placing a figurative crown on his head.

Under normal circumstances, Itachi would have been deeply moved.

But after experiencing the massacre of his clan, seeing Danzo's ugliness, and knowing that Hiruzen had tacitly approved it all, he was no longer so naive.

Now, his only concern was Sasuke.

Of course, Hiruzen had no idea.

Once he felt the atmosphere was properly set, Hiruzen finally got to the point. "What are your plans moving forward?"

"For this mission, I enlisted the help of someone claiming to be part of the Akatsuki. I've decided to stay by his side to prevent him from going back on his word and attacking Konoha," Itachi respectfully replied, showing his value to Hiruzen.

"So, you're planning to join the Akatsuki, is that right?" A flash of cold light flickered in Hiruzen's eyes. He was sure the death of his son was connected to the Akatsuki.

"Yes. For that reason, I’d like to ask for your promise," Itachi stated his purpose for being there.

"You can rest assured about your brother. I will keep my word—Sasuke will continue to go to school like any other child and will grow up to become a Konoha ninja." Hiruzen turned to face Itachi, locking eyes with him. "But before that, I have a few questions."

"I'll answer anything," Itachi nodded.

"I assume you're aware of the sudden disappearance of the bodies of Aizen Fujiwara, Fugaku, and several other Uchiha members. Do you know who was behind it? And is Aizen really dead?" Hiruzen asked.

Itachi thought for a moment before responding, "The only person who could make seven bodies disappear under everyone's eyes is the one who helped me eliminate the Uchiha clan. He controls a very strange space-time jutsu, allowing him to freely teleport and absorb things without leaving any traces."

"As for Aizen, he’s definitely dead. He died from my Mangekyo Sharingan technique, Tsukuyomi. I also finished him off to confirm his death on the spot."

Hearing this, Hiruzen felt somewhat relieved but continued asking, "Does that mean my son was also killed by him?"

"If Lord Shinnosuke encountered the man in the mask, it's possible," Itachi replied respectfully.

"I see." Hiruzen clenched his fists, suppressing his anger as he turned his back to Itachi. "From now on, Konoha will list you as an S-class rogue ninja, to be captured dead or alive."

"As for the Akatsuki, I leave it in your hands. If you get the chance, I hope you’ll eliminate that masked man who could threaten the village. Consider it your final mission from me."

"Understood," Itachi responded respectfully, then disappeared from the rooftop of the Hokage's building.

Once Itachi was gone, Hiruzen slammed his fist into the wall beside him, his face twisted in rage, veins bulging on his forehead. He cursed under his breath, "Damn Danzo, damn masked man."

Hiruzen was well aware of the secret dealings between Danzo and the masked man.

But with the Uchiha coup looming, he had no choice but to turn a blind eye.

Now, the threat of the Uchiha was gone.

But his son and daughter-in-law were dead, something he could not forgive.

Yet he was powerless against the masked man and couldn’t truly go after Danzo either.

He had no choice but to swallow his anger.

---

Chapter 48: The Third Hokage Faints from Anger

"Hokage-sama, something terrible has happened!" A voice from an ANBU agent echoed from afar, approaching quickly.

Hiruzen Sarutobi froze for a moment, feeling a sense of foreboding. He knew something significant had occurred again.

Outside the Hidden Leaf Village:

Just like in the original story, after Uchiha Itachi dealt with the two Root members assigned to kill him, he arrived at the meeting spot with Tobi.

"You finally arrived. So, is everything in place?" Tobi stood with his arms crossed, leaning against a giant tree, asking Itachi.

A gust of wind blew, scattering the leaves, and both Tobi and Itachi's long hair fluttered in the breeze.

"Yes, let’s go." Itachi didn’t inquire about the death of Sarutobi Shinnosuke, nor did he ask about the missing bodies of his Uchiha clan members.

He had an agreement with Tobi—he would turn a blind eye to Tobi's actions tonight. In exchange, Tobi would spare his younger brother and ensure that the Leaf Village would not be harmed in his lifetime.

"No, we need to wait for someone," Tobi shook his head.

"Who?" Itachi was taken aback. He didn’t expect a third person to be involved in the Uchiha massacre besides himself and Tobi.

"A new member of the Akatsuki," Tobi replied flatly, offering no further explanation as they waited in silence.

Before long, a figure approached swiftly. Each step covered dozens of meters in an instant, and in the blink of an eye, the figure appeared before them.

"So you’ve arrived. Why didn’t that girl come with you?" Tobi stood up and spoke to the shadowy figure.

"As for Izumi, I’ve already sent her out of the village using reverse summoning. It’s safer that way, and I’ll summon her back later when it's safe," Aizen casually gave a reason as he stepped out of the shadows. Under the white moonlight, a youthful and pale face was revealed.

"Fujiwara Aizen... how could it be you?" Upon recognizing him, Itachi gasped in disbelief.

"Why wouldn’t it be me?" Aizen retorted, a playful smile on his face.

Itachi glanced over at Tobi. "What is going on here?"

"As you can see, Aizen is now a member of the Akatsuki, just like you joined to protect your brother after wiping out the Uchiha clan. He made the same choice to protect that Uchiha girl. The Aizen you killed, along with the Uchiha girl, were just decoys created using special techniques," Tobi explained.

Aizen walked up beside Tobi and, despite Tobi’s disdainful look, casually slung his arm around Tobi’s shoulder. Addressing Itachi, he said, "So, Uchiha Itachi, the patricide and matricide culprit, surprised to see me? Your precious Mangekyō Sharingan doesn’t seem to work on me."

"Of course, you could try using the other eye’s power against me, but the price for a second attempt might be more than you can handle."

Itachi looked at Aizen, then back at Tobi. From Tobi’s expression, he sensed a deep wariness toward Aizen. After some contemplation, he responded indifferently, "I’m no longer a ninja of the Leaf. Since you’ve joined the Akatsuki, I won’t make a move against you."

"But I’m curious—Tobi said you made the same choice as me. Does that mean you wiped out a clan in the Leaf as well?"

"Of course," Aizen replied with a casual smile.

As the two conversed, Tobi, already growing impatient, shook off Aizen's arm. "Enough talk, we should get moving."

With that, Tobi used the Body Flicker Technique and vanished from the spot. Aizen followed closely behind.

Itachi pursued them, still curious. "Which clan did you wipe out?"

"Danzo threatened me with Izumi’s life and ordered me to assist you in the Uchiha massacre. At the same time, he ordered you to kill both me and Izumi, while Hiruzen Sarutobi turned a blind eye to it all. I’ve always been one to seek revenge. Now, which clan do you think I destroyed?"

Aizen glanced at Itachi with a teasing smile.

"The Sarutobi and Shimura clans?" Itachi finally understood.

Looking back at the Leaf Village one last time, a mix of emotions flickered in his eyes—confusion, shock, concern, and even a faint trace of relief.

He sighed deeply and followed Aizen and Tobi into the darkness.

In his heart, Itachi knew—the Leaf was about to undergo a massive change.

Meanwhile, in another part of the village, the ANBU had just finished gathering the bodies of the Uchiha clan members. Before they could catch their breath, they were once again placed on high alert.

They were urgently summoned.

Their new target was none other than the Sarutobi clan’s territory.

What met their eyes was a gruesome sight—corpses everywhere, blood staining the ground and buildings. The death toll was shocking.

Even Kakashi, who had witnessed the Uchiha massacre, couldn’t help but sigh inwardly. What kind of hatred could drive someone to such brutal slaughter?

Not even sparing women and children.

Hiruzen Sarutobi, at that moment, felt dizzy and overwhelmed with rage.

He had barely dealt with the thorn in his side that was the Uchiha clan when news of his eldest son’s death reached him. Not long after, another disaster struck.

His younger son had been gravely injured, with his lower body destroyed, ribs broken, and left crawling out of the Sarutobi clan's territory. He was found unconscious on the street, suffering from blood loss, and taken to the medical unit by the ANBU.

The ANBU followed the blood trail to the Sarutobi clan’s land, only to discover a scene eerily similar to the Uchiha massacre.

The entire clan had been wiped out. Bodies littered the ground, with almost no survivors.

Looking at the corpses of his clan members scattered across the land, Hiruzen Sarutobi felt his heart bleed.

His strategy for the Sarutobi clan had always been to quietly grow wealth and power.

Under his leadership, the Sarutobi clan had grown from an obscure family to a powerful force, on par with the Uchiha clan.

It had been the result of his blood, sweat, and tears, painstakingly built over decades. The clan had been his lifeline during his time as Hokage and his last stronghold.

He had believed that with the Uchiha gone, the Sarutobi clan would rise to dominate the village, becoming the undisputed top clan. The position of Hokage would remain in the Sarutobi family for generations to come.

But now, all of that was gone. In one night, it had all been destroyed.

His youngest son and grandson had been mutilated.

And he himself was old, his wife long dead.

Even if she weren’t, he was no longer fit for any kind of life.

The Sarutobi clan was doomed to extinction.

How could he remain calm?

How could he remain composed?

The more he thought about it, the more enraged and heartbroken he became. Hiruzen Sarutobi felt the world spinning, and with one last breath, he fainted on the spot.

(End of chapter.)

Chapter 49: Exposure

As Hiruzen Sarutobi fainted, a group of Anbu led by Kakashi immediately surrounded him and escorted Sarutobi to the medical unit.

Before long, with the full efforts of the medical ninjas, Sarutobi finally regained consciousness, and his complexion gradually returned to normal.

"How is Lord Hokage?" Kakashi asked the medical ninja.

"Lord Hokage is out of danger. It was just a moment of extreme stress. He’ll need some time to recover," the medical ninja sighed.

Hearing this, everyone in the medical room, including Kakashi, breathed a sigh of relief.

Konoha had just suffered a major upheaval: the Uchiha clan, the Sarutobi clan, and the Shimura clan were all wiped out in quick succession. If the Third Hokage were to fall now, it would cause even more chaos.

At that moment, Hiruzen Sarutobi slowly opened his eyes. "Kakashi..."

"Lord Hokage, are you alright?" Kakashi quickly helped him sit up, and someone placed a blanket over him.

"I'm fine," Sarutobi sighed, but he still looked weary. "What’s the situation?"

Seeing the Hokage's increasingly aged and weak appearance, Kakashi felt a pang in his heart. After hesitating, he said, "Except for Asuma and Konohamaru, there are no survivors from the clan."

Sarutobi continued, "Any leads on the culprit?"

Kakashi organized his thoughts and replied, "The analysis team is still investigating, but judging by the methods used, it seems to be the same person who killed Lord Shinnosuke."

"Additionally, we found a concealed barrier around the Sarutobi clan's grounds that blocks sound, smell, and even chakra detection."

"It also appears that the culprit knew the timing of the Uchiha massacre. While we were focused on the Uchiha grounds, they chose that exact moment to strike."

"As a result, none of our Anbu detected anything amiss within the Sarutobi grounds."

"If it weren't for Asuma running out of the barrier, we might not have realized what had happened even now."

There was one more thing Kakashi didn't say.

Despite the Sarutobi clan not being as prominent as the Uchiha or Hyuga, they were still highly respected as the family of the Third Hokage.

Even if someone sensed something was off, no one dared to investigate.

This was the real reason why the Sarutobi clan's massacre went unnoticed for several hours.

"Dammit!" For the first time, Sarutobi lost his composure in front of his subordinates and cursed. "Wake up Konohamaru and Asuma immediately. Also, gather two Chunin corpses from each Sarutobi household and send them to the analysis department. A crime like this cannot go unpunished!"

"Yes, Lord Hokage," the group responded respectfully and dispersed.

After Kakashi left, Danzo Shimura walked in, leaning on his cane. "Hiruzen..."

"What, did you come here to laugh at me?" Sarutobi glared at Danzo, his voice cold.

"No, I came to share your anger," Danzo replied, his face grim.

Just moments earlier, he had learned that his own clan had also been wiped out.

His entire clan was slaughtered, not a single survivor left.

"What do you mean?" A flicker of surprise crossed Sarutobi’s eyes.

"Not just your clan. My Shimura clan was also wiped out. Eighty-seven people, all dead," Danzo said, and with a snap, his cane shattered in his grip.

Danzo was always preaching that "a ninja must be willing to sacrifice," but when it came to his own loss, he couldn't bear it.

The extermination of his clan meant the end of the Shimura line. Danzo felt deep guilt towards his ancestors.

Just then, Konoha’s analysis team brought news. "Lord Hokage, we’ve retrieved Lord Shinnosuke's final memories."

Not long after, Yamanaka Inoichi, head of the analysis team, personally brought the results to Konoha Hospital.

"Lord Hokage, Lord Danzo, due to the heavy seals in Lord Shinnosuke’s brain, it took some time. As per your orders, I only retrieved the last five minutes of his life. Please have a look."

As Yamanaka Inoichi finished speaking, the curtains in the medical room were drawn, and the room dimmed. A light projection appeared.

On the screen, Shinnosuke and four others were seen stationed outside the Uchiha compound.

For the first four minutes, nothing seemed out of the ordinary. At 4:15, Shinnosuke’s wife was ordered to leave.

At 4:20, a head-like object suddenly fell, drawing the attention of the remaining four Anbu.

At 4:25, one Anbu was stabbed through the chest by a blade.

At 4:35, the culprit finally revealed himself—a young man in an Anbu uniform wearing a smiling mask.

"Fujiwara Aizen," both Sarutobi and Danzo exclaimed at the same time.

Yamanaka Inoichi paused the projection and handed them Aizen’s profile. "Lord Hokage, Lord Danzo, this is hard to believe. But according to the intel provided by Anbu Captain Kakashi, Fujiwara Aizen should already be dead. His mask and sword went missing, and even his body was stolen."

"Moreover, this mysterious person is far stronger than we remember Aizen being. We can’t accurately identify who this is."

"Play the rest," Sarutobi ordered in a deep voice.

At 4:40, the mysterious figure decapitated two more Anbu.

At 4:45, Sarutobi Shinnosuke had his wind blade caught by the culprit’s finger.

At 4:50, Shinnosuke was struck through the chest.

Ten seconds later, he lost consciousness, and the recording ended.

Upon seeing Aizen's astonishing speed, Danzo could no longer contain his emotions. He shouted, "It’s him! Hiruzen, this is the same person who cut off my left arm!"

"Are you sure?" Sarutobi frowned. The situation seemed to be spiraling out of control. After all, this mysterious man was also the one who stole Shisui's right eye with Kotoamatsukami.

"It’s definitely him. No one else has that kind of swordsmanship or body-flicker technique. No one else in the entire ninja world," Danzo declared emphatically.

"But Aizen was only eleven at the time. He hadn’t even graduated from the academy, hadn’t learned any jutsu, and had no proper guidance. How did he become this strong?" Sarutobi's brow furrowed even deeper. He turned to Yamanaka Inoichi. "Inoichi, you haven’t shown this footage to anyone else, have you?"

"No, Lord Hokage. As per your orders, no one else knows," Yamanaka replied solemnly.

"Have you examined the other members of the Sarutobi and Shimura clans?" Sarutobi continued.

(End of chapter)

*Chapter 50: S-Class Rogue Ninja Joins the Akatsuki*

"In accordance with your instructions, I only probed the memories within the last five minutes of their lives. There's no doubt that all of them were killed by a mysterious figure resembling Aizen Fujiwara. Furthermore, during my analysis, I saw the mysterious person using a technique similar to Kakashi's Lightning Blade. I can assert that the one performing these techniques was likely just a shadow clone."

As he spoke, Yamanaka Inoichi played a recording of Aizen’s shadow clone wielding the Chidori Sharp Spear and Chidori Senbon, massacring dozens of Sarutobi clan ninjas.

Watching the scene unfold, where the killings seemed as effortless as slicing vegetables, Sarutobi Hiruzen and Danzo remained silent, their expressions growing more solemn.

"Inoichi, archive this footage in a sealed file. I’ll send someone later to retrieve the bodies of Shinnosuke and the others. From today onwards, this will be classified as Konoha’s highest level secret. No one is allowed access without my explicit permission," Hiruzen said, rising from his bed and addressing Yamanaka Inoichi.

"Understood," Inoichi replied respectfully, packing up his equipment before vanishing from the room.

As the curtains were drawn, allowing light to flood the room once more, Danzo spoke from the side: "Hiruzen, Aizen Fujiwara once studied the Chidori under Kakashi. Given that kid’s talent in ninjutsu, it wouldn’t be surprising if he mastered and enhanced the Chidori within a year. Everything points to Aizen. In my opinion, he faked his death. Otherwise, how could his body vanish into thin air? Just give the order."

Hiruzen didn’t answer immediately.

Though he was often seen as soft toward external threats, he could be harsh within the village. Yet, he always hesitated at critical moments.

He wasn't driven by blind hatred.

Whether the massacre of his clan was Aizen’s doing or not, the situation had already spiraled beyond even the control of Konoha’s strongest Hokage.

Even if he sent out an elite force to hunt down the perpetrator, catching them would be a long shot. And even if they did catch up, they would likely be slaughtered.

After all, Konoha had already lost the Uchiha clan and the Sarutobi clan, along with a portion of the Shimura clan.

The village couldn’t afford another blow.

If Hiruzen made a wrong move, leading to further heavy losses for Konoha, the consequences would be devastating.

Would he even be able to keep his position as Hokage after that?

After much contemplation, Hiruzen devised what he believed was a safe plan: "Spread the word. Aizen Fujiwara is suspected of murdering the Sarutobi and Shimura clans. From today, he will be classified as an S-Class rogue ninja, alongside Itachi Uchiha."

"Are you really going to let that kid get off so easily?" Danzo’s bloodshot eyes were filled with unwillingness.

"What else do you want?" Hiruzen snapped, revealing his frustration. "Even if Aizen is the culprit, how will you find him? And even if you find him, how will you capture him? He wiped out our clans single-handedly in such a short time. Do you think you can capture him?"

Danzo faltered at Hiruzen’s words.

No matter how much he hated to admit it, the mysterious figure’s strength had far surpassed what any ordinary ninja could handle.

Unless they sent wave after wave of soldiers to overwhelm him, there was no way to capture him.

Hiruzen, growing impatient, continued: "This must be handled slowly and carefully. You know the current situation in Konoha. Our priority is to maintain stability. Tomorrow, I will still announce your punishment. If you truly care for the village, you should accept it gracefully. As for Aizen Fujiwara, I will have people secretly follow up on it."

He was willing to spend whatever it took, even issuing a bounty in the underground markets, to ensure Aizen was found, dead or alive.

Regardless of whether Aizen was the real killer, Hiruzen wanted his body. Even if Aizen was truly dead, they needed to read his mind to find out who had taken his mask and sword, and who was truly responsible for slaughtering his clan.

The Uchiha clan, the Sarutobi clan, and the Shimura clan were all annihilated.

Konoha now had two S-Class rogue ninjas.

This was a bombshell.

Itachi Uchiha: S-Class rogue ninja, crime: slaughtering the entire Uchiha clan.

Aizen Fujiwara: S-Class rogue ninja, crime: suspected of slaughtering the Sarutobi and Shimura clans, and killing numerous members of Konoha’s Anbu.

When these two wanted posters were released, they caused an uproar among Konoha’s ninjas and civilians.

While most people could understand Itachi Uchiha's actions, given the tension between Konoha’s leadership and the Uchiha police force, almost everyone had little sympathy for the Uchiha clan, viewing them as troublemakers.

Plus, with Sasuke Uchiha as a survivor, Itachi’s guilt seemed certain.

But Aizen Fujiwara’s situation was puzzling.

Not only did many, including the Anbu who had seen Aizen’s "corpse," find it hard to believe, but most civilians in Konoha couldn’t accept it either.

It wasn’t just a question of whether Aizen had the strength to wipe out both the Sarutobi and Shimura clans, with their powerful leaders like the Third Hokage and Danzo.

Even if he had the power, what motive would he have?

To everyone in the village, Aizen had always been a graceful, polite, and village-loving ninja who valued his comrades.

Before joining the Anbu, especially during his time as a genin and later as a jonin, he was highly respected by the villagers.

Even seasoned elite ninjas like Kakashi held him in high regard.

Now, to suddenly declare him an S-Class rogue ninja seemed unbelievable.

But of course, this was only temporary.

Given the influence of Konoha’s top leadership, it wouldn’t take long for over 99% of the villagers to despise Aizen.

If they said he was guilty, then he was guilty.

They could turn black into white if they needed to.

Let alone when the case was already so dark.

Sarutobi Hiruzen placed a bounty on Aizen, classifying him as an S-Class rogue ninja.

Aizen, however, remained unaware of this.

And even if he knew, he wouldn’t care.

At this moment, he had already arrived with Obito at the Akatsuki base in the Land of Rain.

This was a country where it rained for at least half the year.

It was also the most tragic nation in the world of Naruto, serving as a battlefield for the major powers.

Situated between the Land of Fire, the Land of Wind, and the Land of Earth, it was constantly ravaged by war.

Aizen, Obito, and Itachi were now sailing down a river toward Amegakure.

Perhaps knowing that guests were coming today, Nagato hadn’t activated his Rain Tiger technique.

Aizen was relieved that he wouldn’t end up soaked.

Following Obito’s lead, Aizen and Itachi boarded a small boat and drifted down the river.

"In the organization, everyone calls me Tobi. I’m not an official member yet—just a trainee with no real skills. You two will need to watch your attitudes towards me," Obito, now sporting short hair and an orange, swirling mask, stood at the bow of the boat, arms crossed, addressing the two.