Qianyu had obtained the Sharingan from the seven Uchiha ninja. He sealed them into a scroll and handed it to Snake, who would deliver it to Danzō.
Several days later.
Seven glass vials sat on Danzō's desk. Inside them floated seven pairs of Sharingan eyes. The smile hadn't left Danzō's face since they'd arrived.
"Efficient," he murmured, admiring the collection. "I like that. Much more obedient than that snake."
News of Qianyu killing seven Uchiha in the Land of Waves had reached Hiruzen Sarutobi.
His first reaction was confusion.
His second reaction was that Qianyu had lost his mind.
He'd wanted the boy to pressure the Uchiha, not to spark their outright fury.
Sure enough, Uchiha Masaki stormed into his office.
Masaki launched into a complaint—how the Uchiha had fought and bled for the village since the war began, how Qianyu had butchered their clansmen, how it was an outrage. He demanded punishment.
Hiruzen offered platitudes. He soothed. He danced around the topic of punishment.
Yes, Qianyu had gone too far. But Qianyu was a perfect instrument. A useful one. Finding another like him would be impossible.
Masaki wasn't fooled. He could see Hiruzen trying to sweep this under the rug. But he was determined. He wanted Qianyu stripped of command. He wanted him punished.
His son, Fugaku, was in the Land of Waves. What if Qianyu decided to kill him next?
Hiruzen was developing a headache.
Then Danzō arrived.
He strode into the office without a word. A thick folder of documents hit the desk right in front of Masaki with a sharp thwap.
Masaki frowned at the papers. "What is this?"
"Look for yourself," Danzō said, his voice cold.
Masaki opened the folder. His expression grew darker with each page.
Reports. From every front. Detailing Uchiha misconduct—attacking comrades, disobeying orders, causing endless trouble.
He opened his mouth to protest.
Danzō cut him off. "Questioning their authenticity? My agents compiled these reports. If you doubt them, my Root operatives can retrieve those ninja. You can ask them yourself if it's true."
Masaki's mouth snapped shut. The words died in his throat.
"I… I don't doubt their authenticity, Lord Danzō," he said, his voice losing its edge. "I will discipline them severely. The current issue is Qianyu in the Land of Waves—"
Danzō interrupted again. "Discipline them? Do it within your clan compound's walls. The battlefield is not a place for your internal squabbles. Do you have any idea how much damage your clansmen have caused? How many opportunities for decisive victories were lost because of their tantrums?"
Danzō slammed his palm on the desk.
BAM!
The sound made Masaki flinch.
Hiruzen, behind his desk, struggled to keep a straight face. Danzō's timing was impeccable. In a few sentences, he'd shifted the entire argument.
Danzō took a seat beside Hiruzen. He crossed his arms, his presence filling the room. "Now. You were saying? About Qianyu?"
Masaki understood now. Danzō was here to back Qianyu up.
Without these files, he could have stood his ground. Now? He felt the confidence drain away.
But he was in too deep. He pushed forward. "Qianyu slaughtered seven of our clansmen in the Land of Waves. One of them was a jonin. The act is utterly reprehensible. I demand the Hokage punish him!"
Danzō pointed a finger at the folder. "You haven't read the last report, Clan Head Masaki. Read it."
Masaki's eye twitched. He pulled out the final document.
It was about the Land of Waves incident.
He finished reading and drew a slow breath. "Even if they were at fault… death was not warranted. And Qianyu's order was unreasonable. It was a suicide mission! Kazuo merely voiced a legitimate concern, and Qianyu executed him. A jonin. He acted as judge and jury. If there was wrongdoing, it is the Hokage's place to dispense justice. Qianyu's actions show contempt for your authority, Lord Hokage."
Danzō produced another folder. He tossed it onto the desk with a scoff. "Look at this one."
Masaki was numb. Why not just say it?
He opened the new file.
His face paled further.
This was a record of Qianyu's achievements. From the early days with Orochimaru in the Land of Hot Water, pushing the front lines forward, to every major and minor victory since. A flawless track record.
"Finished reading, Clan Head?" Danzō's voice was like ice. "For years now, wherever Qianyu went, missions succeeded. His decisions consistently maximized Konoha's advantage. His order in the Land of Waves was a calculated move. Uchiha Kazuo understood nothing, yet he challenged it. He incited others to do the same. If a commander yields to such open defiance, how can he lead? How can he command?"
He leaned forward. "This is a warzone. If the commander's orders are questioned and ignored, how do we fight? Tell me, Clan Head Masaki. Was Uchiha Kazuo deserving of death? Were those who rallied against their commander deserving of death?"
A cold sweat broke out on Masaki's brow. His goal today was dead in the water.
Danzō pressed him, relentless. "Well? Answer me. Was Qianyu right or wrong?"
Masaki was trapped. He'd come here to demand Qianyu's head. Now he was being asked to endorse the killing of his own clansmen.
Hiruzen chose that moment to speak, his tone artificially cheerful. "Now, now, Danzō. Clan Head Masaki simply came to voice his concerns. I, too, feel Qianyu may have been… excessive. A reprimand would have sufficed. No need for such finality."
He offered Masaki a placating smile. "Do not worry, Clan Head. I will admonish Qianyu. I will instruct him to be more… measured in the future."
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