Naruto had only just left when more and more masked ANBU operatives began gathering in front of his house. Their silent presence weighed heavily in the air, a storm about to break.
Inside, Hiruzen Sarutobi had changed into a clean set of robes. With his pipe left behind and his staff gripped tightly in his hand, he stepped outside where the ANBU had assembled in full.
"Move out," he ordered in a low, firm voice.
In the next instant, every shadow flickered and disappeared, melting into the night as they rushed toward their destination.
Meanwhile, Danzo Shimura was also making his way to the Uchiha compound, flanked by his personal Root operatives. He knew Itachi had already begun his grim work. For Danzo, this was an opportunity to squeeze the last bit of value out of the Uchiha clan. The Uchihas might have been considered dangerous, but their Sharingan was a treasure beyond compare. To him, it would be a waste not to harvest it.
But the moment he arrived at the outskirts of the Uchiha district, he was met with a sight that soured his plans. Hiruzen and his ANBU had also rushed to the scene. The two groups nearly collided in the dimly lit street.
"Danzo? What are you doing here?" Hiruzen asked, surprised for a moment. His expression quickly hardened into a stormy scowl. "Don't tell me… was this your doing?"
Danzo's reply came sharp and fast. "No."
It wasn't technically a lie. He hadn't swung the blade himself. Instead, he had nudged Itachi onto that path, whispering poison into the boy's ears and convincing him to act. Whether or not others had been involved wasn't his concern. To Danzo, the massacre was simply Itachi's burden to carry.
"Then why did you arrive so quickly?" Hiruzen's eyes narrowed, piercing him.
"My men reported unusual activity here," Danzo said, voice calm and unyielding.
Hiruzen's gaze darkened. He had known Danzo for too long, knew every cunning habit and ruthless trick. Not a word from his mouth could be taken at face value.
"Is that so? Strange. Even I only received word moments ago, yet you somehow knew before me? Your information moves faster than the Hokage's?"
The Third's voice carried an edge of steel. He had explicitly ordered that surveillance of the Uchiha compound be stopped, hoping to reduce tensions. That meant Danzo either ignored the order or had direct involvement in the bloodshed.
Danzo fell silent, his single visible eye unflinching.
Without another word, Hiruzen turned away and strode toward the Uchiha compound, his ANBU fanning out around him. Danzo followed close behind, though the air between them was thick with suspicion.
As they entered the district, the metallic stench of blood hit them like a wave. It drifted on the night breeze, seeping into every street and alley. The once-vibrant compound now lay in dreadful silence, as though the entire clan had been erased from existence.
Hiruzen gestured sharply. "Search the area."
ANBU operatives darted ahead, their figures vanishing into the ruins.
Danzo moved to send his Root operatives as well, but Hiruzen's command cut him off like a blade. "There is no need. My men will handle it. Keep your Root out of this."
Root operatives froze, glancing back at Danzo for instruction. His face darkened with restrained anger. He had come here expecting to reap the benefits, to quietly collect a harvest of Sharingan. Now, with Hiruzen's interference, the prize was slipping through his fingers.
For a long moment, Danzo considered pressing forward. But the risk outweighed the reward. Picking a fight with Hiruzen in the open, especially over the corpses of the Uchiha, would expose too much. He could only grit his teeth and wait, hoping the eyes would not rot before he had another chance.
Moments later, ANBU operatives returned with their report. "The entire Uchiha clan is dead. The bodies match the full number of their members, save for Uchiha Itachi and Uchiha Sasuke."
A heavy silence fell. Hiruzen stared into the darkened streets of the compound, his heart sinking. He had always believed in resolving conflict peacefully. He had extended goodwill, even allowing Fugaku Uchiha to meet with Naruto despite the suspicions cast on the clan.
During the Nine-Tails' attack, many had sworn they saw a Sharingan in the beast's eyes. The suspicion was damning, yet Hiruzen had chosen to trust Fugaku. Otherwise, he would never have permitted Naruto to step foot in the Uchiha compound.
He had done everything within his power to avoid bloodshed. To see Itachi act without warning, to realize both Itachi and Danzo had hidden their schemes from him, cut him deeply.
"Danzo," Hiruzen said finally, his voice heavy with disappointment. "From this moment on, you are relieved of your position as my advisor."
Danzo's eye twitched. "Hiruzen, I "
"Enough. Don't claim this was for the good of the village. The Uchiha were villagers as well. From this day forward, your Root division is to be disbanded. And until your punishment is decided, you are confined to your home."
His tone was iron. For the first time in many years, Hiruzen allowed his fury to show.
Danzo's lips pressed into a thin line. He could feel every Root operative watching. To fight here would be suicide. He turned on his heel, seething in silence.
But he had not walked far when one of his operatives suddenly called out, "Lord Danzo!"
He turned sharply only to freeze.
The man removed his mask, revealing a pair of glowing Mangekyō Sharingan.
"I'll be watching you," Itachi's voice echoed coldly, his body dissolving into a swirl of crows. "If you ever dare touch Sasuke, I will expose every secret of this village to its enemies, and I will kill you with my own hands."
Danzo stood rooted to the spot, his face twisting with fury and unease. "Uchiha… Itachi!"
Those eyes. That power. He couldn't know what abilities Itachi's Mangekyō carried. If it was anything like Shisui's, able to bend a man's will without him even realizing, then Itachi was a threat beyond measure.
As much as he coveted Sasuke, he dared not move against him.
Meanwhile, Naruto's shadow clone had carried Sasuke back to the hospital. After an examination, the duty medic could only shake his head. "His injuries aren't physical. His mind has taken severe trauma. At our current level, we can't treat such wounds. He'll have to recover on his own."
Naruto sighed, planting himself beside Sasuke's bed. He would wait. If Sasuke had to heal on his own, then he would not wake up alone.
As for the Academy, Naruto handled their leave of absence himself. The request was approved personally by Hiruzen.
The massacre spread quickly through Konoha, whispered in every corner, then carried outward by spies to the other nations. The shock rippled across the entire ninja world.
The destruction of the Uchiha was like blood in the water. The other villages stirred, hungry to test Konoha's weakness.
But Hiruzen was not naive. He mobilized forces to the borders immediately, sending a clear warning: strike, and we will strike back.
The other nations hesitated. The Third Shinobi War had only just ended, leaving the great powers weakened and mistrustful. None of them were ready to unite for a Fourth. For now, they restrained their greed.
Back in the Academy, word of Sasuke's tragedy soon spread. Students whispered, eyes filled with sympathy and curiosity. Many of the girls wanted to visit and offer comfort, but ANBU guarded the hospital room, turning them all away.
This was Hiruzen's final order protect Sasuke at all costs.