Chapter 254 – Aftermath
The wildfire in Konoha's northern forest had tugged at the hearts of far too many.
And the one who set it all in motion—Uchiha Kei—after leaving all cleanup matters to his subordinates, walked away without looking back. With Imai Kenta and Hyūga Ayaka overseeing the scene, if problems still arose, then there was no point in working with them any longer.
Shimura Danzō was dead. Kei's unique ocular power had locked onto him, and Susanoo's overwhelming strike left no room for resistance, no margin for escape.
At this point in time, Danzō lacked the stockpile of Sharingan that would later fuel Izanagi. He hadn't mastered the technique, nor fully adapted to Hashirama's cells to use them as a stable host.
In truth, Kei never gave him the chance. Danzō didn't even have intel on him. The old warhawk was too busy plotting his escape to realize he was already doomed. Kei simply had no interest in wasting time on him.
He understood Sarutobi Hiruzen well—perhaps better than most. He knew how dangerous "bonds" were in this world. Even if Danzō had, in some sense, betrayed him, Hiruzen would still likely forgive him. He would have traded away concessions, sacrificed Konoha's future, if it meant keeping his old comrade alive.
Kei wasn't about to allow that possibility. That was why he unleashed his full might, burning through more ocular power than he liked, simply to ensure Danzō's death.
"A bit wasteful… but for a snake like you, Danzō, it was worth it." Kei thought quietly. "Besides, this wasn't without gain."
Not political gain—though that too was undeniable—but something more personal.
For the first time, he had manifested the third stage of Susanoo. The memory of that resonance, the vibration of chakra and will in perfect sync, was seared into him. With training, he believed he could reach that level again without exhausting himself.
For now, he would still rely on the initial ribcage form. It consumed little chakra and didn't hinder his speed. But he couldn't stay at that level forever. Against true monsters, the ribcage wouldn't be enough. He needed to master full control over higher forms.
After a night's rest, Kei washed, composed himself, and headed to the Police Force headquarters.
He knew he ought to check in with Fugaku or even Minato first. But the bodies from last night were handled by his division. He had left his men with the grisly task, and if he didn't show up now, it would reflect poorly.
The streets were eerily silent. Too silent. Barely a shinobi in sight.
It wasn't until he passed a patrol unit, who saluted him with nervous respect, that he understood why.
The events of the previous night had shaken the village to its core. Every available jōnin without an active mission had been summoned to emergency meetings.
Kei tilted his head, amused. "So even I get special treatment, huh?"
But rather than rushing to the Hokage's office, he chose to head to headquarters first. The meeting would still be there later. Better to arrive after the crowd dispersed—private discussions were more productive than public debate.
At the Police Force building, he found Imai Kenta directing operations with surprising vigor. The other officers, however, looked utterly drained.
"Captain, you're here," Kenta said quickly.
Kei's eyes narrowed. "What's wrong with them? They look half-dead."
"Because none of us slept last night, Captain," Kenta muttered. "You left, remember? Everything else fell on us."
It wasn't the exhaustion that had shaken them. It was the discovery. Among the corpses Kei had slain, many bore unmistakable family traits—clan shinobi. Aside from a few orphans pulled from anonymity, the dead were sons and daughters of bloodlines.
Kei's single stroke had culled much of Konoha's clan shinobi in Root.
No wonder Kenta and the others hadn't dared sleep. They had spent the night piecing bodies back together, limb from limb, bone from blood. Kei's Susanoo strike had shattered many into unrecognizable remains.
Kei sighed. "That was… careless of me."
"What about Danzō?" he asked at last.
"I figured you'd want him intact," Kenta said grimly. He tossed a scroll across the table. "So I prioritized sealing his body."
Kei caught it, nodding in approval. Kenta truly was dependable—always anticipating what needed to be done. A shame he wasn't Uchiha.
"Good. The rest is yours. I'll report to the Fourth."
"Captain…" Kenta hesitated.
"I know," Kei cut him off. "I'll speak to Hokage-sama about the Fourth Division. He needs manpower, and he knows it. This time, you'll get what you were promised."
Kenta exhaled slowly. "Then I'll go prepare my own report."
"What about Ayaka?" Kei asked.
"She left early. Said she wanted to study the documents. Typical." Kenta sighed.
Kei chuckled. Ayaka's absence didn't bother him—better she bury herself in research than meddle in Police affairs. With her talents honed, she could train the next generation of medics like Iori, strengthening his private medical corps.
Not enough, though, Kei mused. The Medical Corps as a whole remained Konoha's greatest untouchable asset. With Tsunade as its former head, loyalists to Hiruzen still controlled it tightly. Even if Minato tried to claim it, all he'd inherit was a sabotaged, crippled department.
Kei shook his head. "One problem at a time. Danzō's gone. Hiruzen… I'll deal with later."
He walked to the Hokage Tower. The crowd was still thick inside, so he waited under a tree. Watching fresh genin await their jōnin instructors, he couldn't help but sigh.
Seven or eight years old, some of them. Far too young to be soldiers—and yet that was when he himself had first been thrown into war.
"Shisui must be about that age now…" Kei thought suddenly. He had long debated whether to seek out the boy, but had never met him. Shisui's future was a fog—how he awakened his Mangekyō, what shaped his powers—unknown.
If his heart longed to change reality itself, then perhaps that was why Kotoamatsukami was born…
Shaking his head, Kei resolved to assign someone to keep watch on Shisui, to learn more. He couldn't leave such a wildcard unattended.
At last, the meeting inside ended. Leaders spilled out—Fugaku, Hiashi, others of clan standing. Clearly the session had been meant for them.
Kei climbed the stairs. Inside, Minato greeted him with a weary smile.
"Kei. Sorry to keep you waiting. Kakashi said you were downstairs."
"It's nothing, Captain," Kei replied lightly. "I don't need to write a report on this meeting, do I?"
"No," Minato shook his head. "Kakashi will brief you. But… the results of last night—"
"Danzō resisted fiercely," Kei interrupted, placing a sealed scroll on the desk. "He fell in battle. You can cancel the hunt."
Minato looked at the scroll, his expression heavy. He already knew—Kakashi's report and the residue of monstrous chakra he'd felt left no doubt. Still, hearing it aloud weighed on him.
Half a year into his tenure as Hokage, one of Konoha's senior leaders was dead. A man despised, yes, but deeply entrenched in the village's structure. This would worsen everything between him and Hiruzen.
Minato exhaled. "I'll cancel the bounty. Thank you, Kei."
"Just doing my duty." Kei smiled faintly. "If that's all—"
"Wait." Minato gave a tired smile. Does he always have to make me say it?
"Relax. You still call me Captain. That means you've already chosen where you stand." He motioned toward the sofas. "Come. Sit."
Kei obliged, settling across from him.
"Let me guess," Kei said. "You struck a deal with the Third."
Minato nodded. "He surrendered ANBU and the Mission Center."
"But not Root," Kei said flatly. "And not the Medical Corps."
"Correct." Minato's tone darkened. "The elders argued only 'experienced hands' could wield Root. They invoked Danzō's legacy, even hinted at sparing him, had he lived."
Kei's lips curled. Of course.
Danzō was gone, and yet the shadow he cast still lingered.
If finding him were so easy, Kei thought, then just dealing with the Akatsuki would've killed him already.
"Enough," Minato exhaled, weary. "Danzō is dead. Whether they accept it or not, that fact won't change.
I'll find a way to secure Root's archives. I don't want that organization falling into the hands of others."
"Especially not into the hands of an ambitious schemer," Kei said with a thin smile. "Congratulations, Captain. At least now you've taken your first real step toward wielding the authority a Hokage should."
Minato nodded. It was true. For the first time, he felt he was beginning to hold the reins of power, however tenuously.
Key departments still refused to obey him. His own administrative staff were laced with loyalists to the Third. But with ANBU and the Mission Center under his command again, he finally had the leverage to start reshaping things.
The problem was manpower. His people were few.
"Kei," Minato asked cautiously, "many positions and posts are now vacant. I wonder if you—"
"Captain, that's not a question you should be asking me," Kei interrupted, shaking his head. His tone was firm but polite. "You're the Hokage. It's your decision, not mine. I won't meddle."
"…I see." Minato gave a short nod, though the weight in his shoulders didn't ease. "Another headache, then."
"No," Kei corrected calmly. "It's an opportunity. With these openings, you can cultivate your own people—those you trust. Or you can extend olive branches to clans who'll support you. Either way, it strengthens your base.
You need more than just the Uchiha at your back."
Minato's lips curved faintly. Kei's answer was exactly what he had hoped to hear. He had asked the question not for advice, but to gauge Uchiha ambition. If Kei had pressed to fill the posts with his own kin, Minato's wariness would've doubled.
Instead, Kei showed restraint, even foresight. It reassured him.
Still, Minato thought, being Hokage means walking on ice so thin it can crack with every step.
"I understand, Kei." For the first time that day, Minato let out a genuine, open laugh.
"Ah, and there's one more matter. Something you should prepare for…"