"Is there really such a person?"
The daimyo's voice was low but sharp as he asked the question, his gaze fixed on Yan with an intensity that brooked no lies.
Yan nodded solemnly.
"Because our Uchiha clan has long been under surveillance by Anbu, and I, in particular, have been one of their main targets. I've had frequent interactions with Anbu operatives—both openly and in secret."
"Damn it!!"
The daimyo slammed his palm onto the lacquered table with such force that the ornate tea set on it jumped. Though his outburst was slightly exaggerated—likely due to the flush of sake—it still carried a heavy weight.
"????"
Tsunade furrowed her brows. They had all been summoned so abruptly, and now this line of questioning about an Anbu ninja named Tenzo? And the daimyo flying into a rage after confirming his existence?
She was trying to connect the pieces, but the whole thing felt bizarre. What exactly was the daimyo aiming at?
"I thought I had already overestimated the darkness within Hiruzen Sarutobi and Danzo Shimura. But it turns out I had underestimated them. The sheer rot in their hearts… it's a disgrace to Konoha!"
His voice grew louder with every word.
"How could they possibly be worthy of the orphans who died in vain? Or the countless villagers who believed in them?!"
"…!"
Tsunade stood there stunned. The daimyo had just openly condemned the Third Hokage and Danzo by name.
What had the old man and Danzo done this time to provoke such fury?
Hiko simply glanced at Tsunade, the look in his eyes saying: Don't ask me. I have no clue either.
"Tsunade, see for yourself."
The daimyo motioned with a wave of his hand.
Before their arrival, he had instructed his aides to transcribe the intelligence from the original source onto a new scroll. He didn't want to risk revealing where the information had come from, though the contents remained untouched.
Tsunade took the scroll with a heavy heart, already bracing for something unpleasant.
'Please, don't let this be another crisis,' she prayed inwardly, weary from the cascade of troubles since returning to the village.
But the moment her eyes scanned the parchment, she paused, squinting to confirm she had read correctly.
Her eyes darted to the daimyo, then back to the scroll.
Standing beside her, Hiko casually peeked at the scroll. Upon seeing its contents, he suddenly burst out laughing.
As expected—Fugaku had delivered. The information wasn't just leaked… it had been sold.
"This… this can't be real!"
Tsunade's initial confusion quickly evolved into horror. Her disbelief deepened as she read on. Her brow furrowed, her expression darkened, and her fists began to tremble.
The daimyo had brought up Tenzo the moment they met, and now Tsunade understood why—he was testing if the intelligence he had obtained was genuine.
So the old man really did it...
Konoha had secretly resumed the project to artificially recreate Wood Release by experimenting on Hashirama Senju's cells—even after the official shutdown.
Tsunade had once believed the experiment had been abandoned due to its instability. She had no idea it was still active... underground.
Even Orochimaru was involved.
No wonder Orochimaru had started behaving so strangely back then—so close to Danzo, always lurking in the shadows of the Root division.
And Danzo... no wonder he suddenly became so generous, eagerly collecting war orphans. All of it had been to provide test subjects for their inhumane experiments.
The scroll trembled in Tsunade's hand, her fingers digging into the parchment so hard that it tore under the pressure. Her knuckles turned pale, her body trembling with rage.
"Where did this information come from?" she growled.
Her chest rose and fell rapidly, her voice sharp, clothes taut from the sheer tension in her body.
"The Bounty Hall," the daimyo replied flatly. "The intelligence was purchased anonymously through one of their elite brokers."
He wasn't ashamed. After all, he hadn't betrayed the village—he'd simply bought something that was already for sale.
And really, the blame should fall on the Third Hokage and Danzo. Not him. As for Orochimaru—he was already a traitor, a scapegoat.
---
Meanwhile, at the Hatake compound.
Kakashi, still recovering from his injuries, was sprawled on a deck chair under a tree, idly flipping through a book. A cool breeze rustled the leaves overhead.
But the peace didn't last.
The sound of hurried footsteps broke through the tranquil air. He looked up just in time to see Tsunade and Hiko striding toward him.
"Lady Tsunade," he greeted, quickly getting to his feet and bowing respectfully.
But Tsunade didn't respond with the usual civility. Her eyes burned with fury.
Before Kakashi could react, she had grabbed him by the collar and lifted him slightly off the ground.
"Kakashi, I'm only going to ask once—Is there an Anbu member named Tenzo?!"
Kakashi froze.
"…Yes," he admitted after a beat.
"Was he recruited from Root? Was his code name 'A'—Jia?!"
"...Yes."
"Does he have Wood Release?"
That question made Kakashi hesitate. The Third Hokage had strictly ordered that Tenzo's origins and abilities be kept confidential.
But Tsunade... she wasn't just a Sannin. She had the authority to know such information.
"Should I leave?" Hiko asked from the side, raising an eyebrow.
"No need," Tsunade answered coldly.
"Kakashi," she continued, "I want the truth. Now."
Kakashi sighed inwardly and mentally apologized to the Hokage.
"…Yes."
That simple word shattered what little hope Tsunade had left.
So it was true. All of it. Every word in that scroll.
How the information had leaked no longer mattered. The rot was undeniable.
"I'm out of here," Hiko muttered, backing away.
This was no longer fun. If he stuck around, he risked becoming collateral damage in Tsunade's rage.
"Captain, what's got you in such a good mood?" asked Zhiyan, appearing just as Hiko was walking away.
"Don't follow me," Hiko said irritably, pushing him aside. "Go tell the clan to prepare—we're returning to the village tomorrow. And tell Shisui to come see me."
"Yes, sir!" Zhiyan said cheerfully and dashed off.
---
Soon after, Shisui entered Hiko's quarters.
"Sit," Hiko gestured, sipping his tea.
Shisui obeyed.
Once he was seated, Hiko placed the teacup down and spoke gravely.
"Just now, Tsunade and I met with the daimyo. From him, we learned something... monstrous."
"Something related to the village?" Shisui asked immediately, sensing the weight in Hiko's tone.
Hiko nodded.
"Exactly. And not just any part of the village. The highest levels."
Hiko summarized everything that had happened—Tsunade's discovery, the scroll, the experiments. As he spoke, Shisui's eyes widened in disbelief. His body tensed, and his face turned pale.
The truth hit him like a Genjutsu hammer.
The Hokage—the symbol of justice and peace—had sanctioned human experimentation?
War orphans, villagers, even fellow shinobi used as test subjects? For the sake of replicating the First Hokage's power?
It didn't matter that the Third may not have personally conducted the experiments. He allowed Danzo to do it under his nose. That made him complicit.
If he hadn't approved it, Danzo could never have acted with such impunity.
Shisui looked sick.
Hiko placed a comforting hand on his shoulder.
"Shisui, tomorrow I will lead the Uchiha back to the village alongside Lady Tsunade. But I want you to stay."
"Stay?" Shisui blinked.
"To protect the daimyo," Hiko explained. "He's the only one keeping the pressure on the village right now. If Danzo feels cornered, he may do something desperate."
Shisui hesitated.
"If the information continues to leak and Danzo is backed into a corner, he could assassinate the daimyo. We need someone to watch over him in the shadows."
Shisui nodded slowly.
"I understand. I will stay."
"Good." Hiko smiled faintly. "The Uchiha and the daimyo's future depend on you."
"Oh, and one more thing."
Hiko's eyes darkened.
"I need to investigate the clan's genealogical archives. Check if any members mysteriously disappeared or lost their Sharingan during or after the Third Shinobi World War."
He narrowed his gaze.
"I suspect Danzo and Orochimaru were targeting our clan all along."
Whether or not they found proof didn't matter.
In Hiko's mind, the blame belonged to them anyway.
"Danzo has been after the Uchiha forever. Let's give him the consequences he deserves."
"I understand," Shisui said, his voice steadier now. "I will watch the daimyo, and I'll be ready—if Danzo makes a move."
"Good."
Hiko patted him again.
"Also, be especially careful around Danzo. If it ever comes to a confrontation..."
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