"Is that true?!"
After recovering from the shock, Second Elder Uchiha Ya could no longer remain seated. His three-tomoe Sharingan spun in his crimson eyes as he stared at Shimura Danzō and demanded confirmation.
A Konoha Elder seat—that was part of the village's true core decision-making circle.
Since the founding of Konoha, only one Uchiha had ever held such a position:
Uchiha Madara.
However, Madara's status as a Konoha Elder existed largely because of the political arrangements made during the founding of the village—and Madara himself had never acknowledged that title.
In Madara's view, the so-called Elder position was merely compensation from Senju Hashirama for not becoming Hokage.
Because of that, Madara had never exercised the authority of the position.
And after Madara defected from the village, the Uchiha clan gradually faded from Konoha's central leadership.
Forget becoming Konoha Elders—Uchiha rarely even held senior positions in any department outside the Konoha Military Police Force.
That was why Uchiha Ya reacted so strongly upon hearing Danzō's promise.
Danzō's expression showed no trace of deceit as he answered firmly:
"My word stands."
Ya's breathing grew heavier. Although he wanted to accept Danzō's proposal immediately, he ultimately held himself back and looked toward Uchiha Ren , who had the final authority.
Fugaku and Setsuna did the same.
All three waited for Ren 's response.
After the initial shock, Ren quickly regained his composure.
A mere Konoha Elder seat was not enough to shake his judgment.
He looked at Danzō and spoke calmly.
"You've probably made this same promise to others as well, haven't you?"
Danzō didn't bother hiding it.
"That's correct."
"I gave the same promise to the Hyūga clan."
"They have already firmly pledged their support to me."
"If the Uchiha clan also supports my ascension, I will possess the backing of the first and second strongest clans in the village."
"Even Hiruzen Sarutobi would be unable to stop me."
Ren pondered for a moment before shaking his head.
"Danzō, I admit your offer is very generous."
"But words alone mean nothing."
"You have deep ties with Hiruzen, Koharu, and Homura."
"If you succeed in becoming Hokage, they might simply accept reality, and your relationships could easily be repaired."
"And even if your relationship truly breaks down…"
"Those three are tightly united. Even if you become Hokage, eliminating them would not be easy."
"There are only so many Konoha Elder seats."
"If they remain in power, how would the Uchiha and Hyūga clans ever take those positions?"
"And if you do eliminate them…"
"The entire village would become your personal domain."
"At that point, whatever you say becomes law."
"Even if you break today's promise, we would have no way to stop you."
"The stubborn old men of the Hyūga clan might trust you…"
"But in the eyes of the Uchiha clan, your credibility is zero."
As soon as Ren finished speaking, Fugaku, Setsuna, and Ya immediately realized their earlier oversight.
Danzō's offer was indeed tempting.
But that depended on whether he could actually fulfill it.
And more importantly—
Was Shimura Danzō a man who kept his word?
After all, Root was the secret within the secret of the ANBU, an organization responsible for all the dark operations of the village.
It functioned like the intelligence agencies of a shadow government.
And Danzō was the spymaster behind it all.
Believing that such a man would faithfully honor his promises…
was about as believable as a pig climbing a tree.
Danzō remained calm, as if he had anticipated this response.
"I know it's difficult for you to trust me so easily."
"So I can provide some immediate benefits."
"And at the same time…"
"I will propose an action that will bind our interests together completely."
Ren 's interest was piqued.
"Oh?"
"What benefits?"
Danzō raised three fingers.
"Three forbidden techniques from the Scroll of Seals."
"You've all heard of the Scroll of Seals."
"It contains numerous forbidden techniques collected from various sources since the founding of Konoha."
"Many of these techniques can create Kage-level shinobi."
"For example—Minato Namikaze's Flying Thunder God Technique."
"I will allow the Uchiha clan to freely choose three forbidden techniques from the Scroll of Seals."
"That should demonstrate my sincerity."
Ren couldn't help clicking his tongue internally.
Danzō was truly selling the village's ancestral property without the slightest regret.
Normally, techniques from the Scroll of Seals were granted only as rewards to shinobi who had rendered extraordinary service to the village.
Sometimes years would pass without a single technique being granted.
Yet Danzō was casually offering three at once.
If Hiruzen Sarutobi learned of this, he would probably cough up blood from anger.
But before Ren could respond, Danzō continued.
"Of course, you fear that once I become Hokage, I might break my promises."
"But I also fear that the Uchiha clan might back out after receiving the benefits."
"So we need a certain opportunity."
"Something that builds trust…"
"And serves as a pledge of loyalty between us."
A sharp glint flashed in Ren 's eyes.
He immediately realized that the "opportunity" Danzō mentioned would likely be something earth-shattering.
Ren asked calmly,
"Since you came here to recruit the Uchiha clan, I assume you've already made preparations."
Danzō nodded, but instead of answering directly, he asked a question.
"You should already know that Hiruzen Sarutobi left the village today to report to the Fire Daimyō, correct?"
Although he didn't understand why Danzō suddenly changed topics, Ren still nodded.
"Yes."
"Hiruzen still manages the village's affairs as acting Hokage."
"Something as significant as him leaving the village would naturally be announced to everyone."
A ruthless glint flashed in Danzō's eye.
"Whether it's me becoming the Fourth Hokage, or the Uchiha clan gaining a Konoha Elder seat…"
"Hiruzen Sarutobi is our greatest obstacle."
"He is also our common enemy."
"This time, Hiruzen left the village with only two ANBU squads as escorts."
"This is the perfect opportunity to eliminate him."
Danzō's voice turned cold.
"I propose that Root and the Uchiha clan cooperate."
"We deploy our people together."
Then he spoke the final words plainly:
"Kill Hiruzen—seize the funds."
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