Chapter 71: Uchiha Ikeizumi’s Mangekyo
Sarutobi Hiruzen felt that he finally understood what Ikeizumi really wanted to do.
Being held up like that, his face turned both pale and dark for a moment.
Uchiha Ikeizumi, Shimura Danzo, Uchiha Clan ninjas, Hyuga Clan, Anbu ninjas…… Facing the gazes of all sorts of people like these, Sarutobi Hiruzen’s mood was utterly terrible.
The solution he had initially envisioned was—to publicly remove Danzo from his position, slight Danzo’s face a bit, and make Danzo restrain himself in the future so he wouldn’t continue causing trouble.
If it were in private, Sarutobi Hiruzen felt he could achieve this solution.
However.
Under the gaze of so many eyes, at this moment of being held up, merely removing Danzo from his position was no longer enough to end things!
Sticking to his guns would only greatly damage his reputation as Hokage.
It would even cause the bloodline limit ninja clans in Konoha to feel alienated from him, the Third Hokage. After all, some of Danzo’s actions had already touched the bottom line of these bloodline limit ninja clans.
In a short instant, countless thoughts flashed through Sarutobi Hiruzen’s mind.
“Hoo…”
He gave Uchiha Ikeizumi a deep look, took a deep breath, and in a deep voice broke the weird silence: “Shimura Danzo is suspected of repeatedly framing ninjas in the village, suspected of stealing the Uchiha Clan’s bloodline limit, privately researching Wood Style cells and killing numerous infants…… Today, I will not only remove him from his position as Root Leader!”
With Danzo’s eyes widening, Sarutobi Hiruzen clenched his fist and then released it. He said coldly: “But also, under multiple sins punished together, sentence Shimura Danzo to life imprisonment! At the same time, confiscate all illegal gains of the Shimura Clan over these years!”
“From now on, Shimura Danzo will no longer hold any position in Konoha Village and will no longer enjoy any freedom! Ikeizumi, this is my「 absolute justice」 reply to you.”
Sarutobi Hiruzen ignored Danzo’s unthinkable glower.
He stood in front of Uchiha Ikeizumi, confronting this young Uchiha.
“Ikeizumi, I hope you can understand my difficulties.” Sarutobi Hiruzen said earnestly in a low voice: “Danzo is Konoha’s root. His death would make many people in the village feel disheartened.”
Sarutobi Hiruzen lowered his stance, feeling that he had already stepped back.
Tonight…… this young man had won.
He was helpless.
“Third Hokage.” Uchiha Ikeizumi stared into Sarutobi Hiruzen’s eyes, killing intent evident as he slowly said: “The aggrieved souls directly or indirectly killed by Shimura Danzo would also feel disheartened. Justice has already arrived late, yet you still want to stop its belated judgment?”
Sarutobi Hiruzen gritted his teeth: “Ikeizumi, don’t push too hard! I have my considerations as Hokage. You’re only concerned with your justice, but I need to consider all of Konoha.”
Suddenly, Sarutobi Hiruzen felt a scalding wave of hot air rushing towards him head-on.
His eyelid twitched.
He saw that one of Uchiha Ikeizumi’s arms was dripping lava downwards!
In an instant!
A large number of Anbu ninjas directly surrounded Uchiha Ikeizumi and Sarutobi Hiruzen, while some Anbu ninjas blocked the Uchiha Police Force.
The scene once again became tense, with the tense atmosphere spreading, making everyone present tighten their expressions.
This time, it was not the tension between Uchiha Ikeizumi and Shimura Danzo.
But the conflict between him and the Third Hokage!
“Ikeizumi!” Fugaku pulled back a Uchiha Police Force member who wanted to rush forward. He squeezed alone into the Anbu ninja encirclement, walked to Sarutobi Hiruzen’s side with a stern face, and said to Uchiha Ikeizumi: “You need to think clearly about what you’re doing! I know you’re trying to uphold justice, but if you conflict with the Hokage, you’re betraying Konoha!”
Fugaku was actually startled by Uchiha Ikeizumi’s sudden outburst of killing intent.
He was more worried than anyone about any Uchiha Clan member getting into a forceful conflict with the Hokage.
For the Uchiha Clan to remain safe and sound, sorry, Ikeizumi.
Tonight……
I can only stand on the Hokage’s side.
Fugaku took a deep breath, his gaze firm, and immediately warned the restless Uchiha Police Force members on the periphery: “Without my orders! None of you are allowed to act rashly!”
He knew that his behavior as clan leader, leaning outwards, would also cause resentment among the clan members.
But someone had to bear the pressure of maintaining the Uchiha’s future.
Itachi, for Konoha’s sake, willingly did such a thing.
Willingly bearing endless abuse from all of Konoha.
And he, as Itachi’s father, merely for the Uchiha Clan, merely facing the clan’s criticism……
Was already much easier than Itachi.
……
“Clan Leader Fugaku he…… what is he doing? Clearly Senior Ikeizumi is right. Judging a Shimura Danzo full of evil deeds and executing absolute justice—is that wrong?”
Izumi was stunned.
She had thought that when Clan Leader Fugaku arrived at the conflict scene, even if he didn’t openly support Senior Ikeizumi, at least he wouldn’t stand on the side of sin, wouldn’t stand against Senior Ikeizumi, right?
But things went against her wishes.
Izumi found she couldn’t understand the thought process of Uchiha Fugaku’s family, nor the thought process of the Hokage!
They were all crazy!
“Lord Ikeizumi’s evaluation of cowardly-eyed Fugaku has been correct from beginning to end.”
Kijiro squatted on Izumi’s shoulder, his cat face full of contempt and disdain: “Lord Ikeizumi once said cowardly-eyed Fugaku has the Mangekyo Sharingan. In my view, such power is wasted on him meow.”
“Meow, rookie, these guys are all「 justice」’s enemies.” Kijiro said earnestly: “You should see how difficult it is for Lord Ikeizumi to execute absolute justice in Konoha, right?”
“All of Konoha is a pile of insects obstructing justice. With their existence, the Ninja World can’t get better. That’s why Lord Ikeizumi said things like ‘one day I will purge the Ninja World’.”
……
“Heh, things have gotten interesting again. What an ugly scene.”
In Uchiha Obito’s line of sight, standing at the very center of the crowd in the distance were Uchiha Ikeizumi, Sarutobi Hiruzen, Shimura Danzo, and Uchiha Fugaku—these four people.
Then, there was a circle of Anbu ninjas surrounding the four of them. It seemed all of Konoha’s Anbu had been mobilized.
Further out, the Uchiha Clan’s Police Force, blocked off by a large group of Anbu ninjas.
Even further out, ninjas from various ninja clans or civilian ninjas.
One area had at least nearly a thousand ninjas gathered!
What Obito saw was a huge powder keg, but he temporarily couldn’t see where the fuse was.
……
Sarutobi Hiruzen unexpectedly glanced at Uchiha Fugaku who had chosen to stand on his side.
He gratefully nodded to Fugaku, then shouted in a deep voice: “Men! Take this criminal Shimura Danzo away for me! None of the punishments I announced for him tonight will be omitted! This is my promise as the Third Hokage!”
“Ikeizumi, with this result, you should be satisfied. For you, Danzo can no longer hop around.”
Sarutobi Hiruzen said to Uchiha Ikeizumi again.
“Ikeizumi, people need to learn to grow from compromise.” Fugaku took another step forward, his three-tomoe Sharingan already revealed. Although he hadn’t directly shown the Mangekyo Sharingan, if Uchiha Ikeizumi made any move, he would unhesitatingly activate it.
Fugaku sighed: “One day you will understand my difficulties and realize what I bear.”
“Is that so…… What if justice doesn’t compromise?” Uchiha Ikeizumi stared at Fugaku.
His eyes also revealed crimson three-tomoe Sharingan.
Seeing this, Fugaku frowned: “Ikeizumi, don’t force me. You know I don’t want to be your enemy.”
But the next second.
Fugaku’s pair of three-tomoe Sharingan suddenly contracted.
He was horrified to discover that the tomoe in Uchiha Ikeizumi’s eyes were visibly changing shape!!!
This is……
Mangekyo!!!
……
……
