In a huge meeting hall in the Hokage's tower, several people gathered.
The room was circular, with high windows that allowed natural light to enter. Banners with the symbol of the Leaf hung from the walls, silent witnesses to decades of decisions that shaped the village's destiny. The air was thick with unspoken tension, each person present understanding the gravity of what was to come.
Hiashi Hyuuga sat in a prominent position, accompanied by Li Shang and two old clan elders. His posture was erect, dignified, but his pale eyes observed everything with caution. Shikaku Nara leaned back in his chair with a bored expression, but his sharp eyes missed no detail. Shibi Aburame remained motionless, only the occasional buzzing of insects under his clothes indicating his presence. Chouza Akimichi chewed something discreetly, but his attention was fully focused. Inoichi Yamanaka had his arms crossed, his face showing genuine concern.
Homura Mitokado and Koharu Utatane, the two elder advisors, sat on the opposite side, their expressions already showing ill-concealed irritation. Other important members of the village filled the rest of the chairs, each representing different factions and interests of Konoha.
In front of everyone, Tsunade sat behind a large, polished table. Beside her, Kakashi maintained his characteristic relaxed posture, but his Sharingan was covered and his eyes showed unusual seriousness. Guy was surprisingly quiet, his arms crossed over his chest.
Shizune moved silently through the room, serving tea to those present with efficient hands.
"Where is Danzo?"
Homura, restless, asked. His gaze immediately turned to Li Shang, and there was accusation in that look. The implication was clear: he already suspected something, and the young Hyuuga was the target of his suspicions.
Tsunade rested her hand on her temple, her fingers lightly massaging as she thought about how to answer that question. It was a delicate situation. Danzo was one of the founders of Konoha's current system, a contemporary of the Third Hokage. Accusing him publicly without adequate evidence could cause a schism in the village.
But remaining silent would be an even greater betrayal.
"Danzou Shimura is sealed in the Forest of Death for now... but his health is uncertain."
Murmurs spread through the hall instantly.
"Sealed?"
"Forest of Death?"
"What happened?"
"This is absurd!"
Voices overlapped, creating a chaotic buzz. The two advisors, incredulous, rose from their chairs with such force that they scraped loudly against the floor. They stared at Li Shang, their faces contorted in a mixture of shock and fury.
"How can you do such a thing without discussing it with the council?"
Koharu asked, impatiently. Her voice had that sharp tone of someone accustomed to being obeyed without question. "Danzou Shimura is a war hero, one of Konoha's pillars! And you, dare to raise your hand against him?"
"Me?"
Tsunade slammed her hand on the table hard enough to make the teacups jump. The sound echoed through the room like a gunshot, instantly silencing all murmurs.
"You were there. You know exactly who did this and why, right?"
Her voice was low, dangerous. Her amber eyes swept over the two advisors with an intensity that made both instinctively recoil. It was the voice of someone who had seen too many betrayals, lost too many people, and would tolerate no more political lies.
The silence that followed was absolute.
"Neji Hyuuga, speak."
She ordered loudly, making the attention of everyone present turn to the Hyuuga delegation.
"What does my nephew have to do with the situation of Konoha's council?"
Hiashi spoke first, his voice calm but laden with patriarchal authority. He had noticed the hostile gaze of the advisors directed at Li Shang and instinctively positioned himself to protect his clan member. His eyes narrowed slightly, Byakugan ready to activate if necessary.
"It's alright, patriarch."
Li Shang placed his hand on Hiashi's shoulder, a gesture of respect but also of trust. He stood up and walked calmly to the front of Tsunade's table, each step echoing in the now silent hall.
All eyes were fixed on him. The young Hyuuga who had caused such a stir, who had defeated one of Konoha's most powerful elders.
"Hokage-sama."
He bowed respectfully, but not subserviently. It was the bow of a warrior to his leader, not of a frightened subordinate.
"Tell everyone what happened."
Tsunade took a sip of her tea, her eyes never leaving Li Shang. There was trust there, but also curiosity. She wanted to see how the young man would fare under the scrutiny of all of Konoha's leaders.
Li Shang turned to face the entire room. His posture was relaxed, almost casual, but his Tenseigan eyes glowed with a cold, determined light.
"Danzou Shimura, using the stolen eyes of the Uchiha clan, tried to control the Fifth Hokage and was stopped by me."
He spoke calmly, each word clearly pronounced, without hesitation or regret.
The room exploded.
"Impossible!"
"Stolen eyes?"
"Control the Hokage?"
"THIS IS TREASON!"
Shikaku Nara straightened in his chair, his eyes narrowing. 'Problematic. If this is true, the political ramifications will be...'
Inoichi Yamanaka was pale, his hands clutching the arms of the chair. As a master interrogator, he immediately understood the implications of mind control being used on the Hokage.
Hiashi remained impassive, but internally he was re-evaluating everything. 'Nephew... what kind of person are you really?'
And Homura and Koharu? They were frozen, their faces showing genuine shock.
Because if this was true, then everything they thought they knew about their old friend was a lie.
"Neji Hyuuga, who recently became an ANBU, defeated Danzo and two subordinates alone?"
Koharu questioned, incredulously. Her voice carried scorn and disbelief in every syllable. She took a step forward, pointing an accusing finger at Li Shang.
"How do you expect anyone to believe that? Danzo Shimura survived three Great Ninja Wars! He trained under the Second Hokage! And you want us to believe that a seventeen-year-old boy defeated him?"
Homura nodded stiffly. "This is absurd. Clearly there's something else going on here. Perhaps a conspiracy to remove Danzo from power? He was always... vocal about his disagreements with certain policies."
Murmurs of agreement spread among some of those present. It was easier to believe in a political conspiracy than to accept that a young man had defeated a legend.
Tsunade said nothing. Instead, she made a simple gesture over the table. And there, in the center of the polished surface, appeared Danzo's pale arm.
The sight was grotesque, impossible to ignore. The skin had an unnatural, almost gray coloration in the daylight. And like macabre jewels of an unholy crown, there were all the remaining Sharingan. Six red eyes that occasionally blinked, their tomoe slowly rotating even separated from the original body.
The silence that fell over the room was absolute.
Shibi Aburame leaned forward, his insects buzzing louder for a moment before calming down. Shikaku Nara had completely lost his bored expression, his eyes fixed on the scene before him. Chouza had stopped chewing, his mouth slightly open.
Hiashi remained impassive, but his fists were clenched under the table. The two elders of the Hyuuga clan beside him exchanged quick, shocked glances.
"This is..." Homura whispered, his voice failing.
"Hashirama's cells." Tsunade completed, her voice cold and factual. "My grandfather. Danzo implanted the First Hokage's cells into his own body, along with Sharingan stolen from the Uchiha clan. Experiments that were forbidden decades ago for good reasons."
Koharu had recoiled, her hand going to her mouth. "Danzou... he couldn't... we..."
"Kakashi. Guy."
Tsunade called, and the two stepped forward, positioning themselves where everyone could see them clearly.
"Confirm what you witnessed."
Kakashi uncovered his Sharingan, the red eye slowly rotating as he stared at the room. His voice was grave, each word heavy with the authority of someone who did not lie.
"Everything Neji Hyuuga said is true. I witnessed Danzo Shimura using multiple Sharingan in combat. I saw Hashirama's cells growing wildly from his body when the eyes were removed."
He paused, letting his words sink in.
"I also witnessed Neji summon two colossal creatures. A black wolf approximately thirty meters tall and a dragon of similar size. Both possessed chakra levels that rivaled Bijuu."
Guy nodded emphatically. "It's true! I've never seen anything like those creatures! The power they emanated was... terrifying. And the sealing technique Neji used on Danzo was something I've never seen in all my years as a shinobi."
He crossed his arms, his expression serious. "There's no doubt. Neji Hyuuga defeated Danzo Shimura in individual combat."
The silence deepened even further.
Then, slowly, one by one, their gazes turned to Li Shang.
They were no longer looks of doubt or scorn. They were looks of shock, fear, reluctant respect, and political calculation. They stared at Li Shang as if a monster had emerged in Konoha.
Shikaku Nara was the first to recover, his fingers intertwined as he analyzed all the implications. 'Problematic doesn't begin to describe this. A shinobi so young with this level of power... he completely changes the balance of power in the village.'
Hiashi looked at his nephew with a mixture of pride and concern. 'Neji... what secrets do you hide?'
And Li Shang? He remained standing, calm, accepting everyone's scrutiny without averting his gaze.