Naruto: Starting with Snatching the Mangekyō Sharingan

Upon hearing her words, Hiruzen nodded with an impassive expression. He then turned to Shikaku and asked, "Shikaku, what are your thoughts on this matter?"

Shikaku glanced subtly at Fugaku and Akira before speaking. After a brief moment of thought, he replied, "I agree with the advisors' assessment."

The current situation was clear: the Uchiha clan would stop at nothing to see Danzo and Orochimaru brought to justice. That much was certain.

Even if Hiruzen wanted to shield Danzo from the consequences of his actions, it was no longer feasible. The Uchiha clan would never stand for it.

If Hiruzen dared to cover up Danzo's crimes, the Uchiha clan would undoubtedly retaliate. That would lead to a direct confrontation between the Hokage and the most powerful clan in Konoha.

In the past, the Hokage's faction would have held a significant advantage. But after the Nine-Tails' attack, that advantage had greatly diminished.

Furthermore, Danzo and Orochimaru were no longer assets to Hiruzen's faction. They had been exposed, their utility lost.

Currently, the Hokage's faction no longer had the upper hand in terms of top-tier power. On the contrary, the Uchiha clan now held a slight edge in that regard, though they still lacked broad public support.

"This will bring about major change. The Third Hokage might not be able to hold onto his position for much longer… The Uchiha clan is bound to continue making moves. If the Third Hokage can't swiftly end the war and restore his reputation, his seat as Hokage might truly be in jeopardy…" Shikaku mused to himself.

Hiruzen narrowed his eyes slightly but nodded in agreement. He spoke in a heavy tone, "Then it's settled. I'll have them compile the details as soon as possible and disclose everything to the public."

There was no other choice now—Hiruzen could not defy the inevitable.

Internally, he sighed, Danzo, I'm sorry.

"Does anyone have any objections to this decision? If not, we'll proceed as discussed!" Hiruzen deliberately glanced in Fugaku Uchiha's direction.

Fugaku, naturally aware of the Hokage's gaze, understood the unspoken question. Without hesitation, he spoke up, "Hokage-sama, the Police Force has no objections."

With Fugaku taking the lead, the others followed suit and voiced their agreement.

Hiruzen nodded solemnly and announced, "Orochimaru and Danzo have violated Konoha's core principles, causing grievous harm to our people and committing unforgivable crimes.

"As Hokage, I hereby decree that the truth will be made public. One month from now, I will stand before all the villagers of Konoha to declare their crimes and sentence them to death!"

His gaze swept across everyone present, his expression stern.

"Does anyone have any objections to my decision?"

Even Fugaku and Akira Uchiha had no objections to this result—it was exactly what they wanted.

Danzo and Orochimaru had been sentenced to death. There was no coming back from this.

Both were promptly escorted back to Konoha's prison by a joint force of the Police Force and the Hokage's Anbu for further interrogation. Special precautions were taken to guard them, given their high-level status and capabilities.

In particular, Orochimaru required extreme caution. Akira strongly suspected that Orochimaru had already developed his Cursed Seal. Even if he were killed, there was a chance he could somehow return.

Under a genjutsu, Orochimaru had been surprisingly cooperative, answering all questions in detail. But Akira wasn't satisfied yet—he planned to interrogate Orochimaru further, ensuring nothing of value was overlooked.

As the meeting came to an end, Hiruzen dismissed everyone with a few final words. The Uchiha and Anbu promptly escorted Orochimaru and Danzo to their cells.

Once the large conference room was empty, only Hiruzen, Koharu Utatane, and Homura Mitokado remained.

Seeing there were no outsiders, Hiruzen let out a long sigh, his face etched with weariness.

"To think that Danzo and Orochimaru would go so far… and to be caught by the Uchiha," Koharu lamented.

"The real shock is that Orochimaru was captured alive," Homura added gravely. "Fugaku and Akira are far stronger than we had anticipated."

Hiruzen shook his head helplessly. "This was entirely beyond my expectations. I never imagined Danzo and Orochimaru would conspire to commit such unforgivable acts."

"Let it go, Hiruzen," Koharu urged. "Danzo and Orochimaru's fate is sealed. The Uchiha clan won't let them off. Focus your attention on the Uchiha—they won't stop here."

Homura nodded. "Exactly. The Uchiha's real goal is the Hokage seat. Since Minato's death, they've been restless."

"I understand," Hiruzen replied, his tone resolute. "From now on, I'll keep a closer eye on the Uchiha and ensure they don't get the chance to act. You have my word."

"Good. However, the fallout from Orochimaru and Danzo's actions may still cause problems," Koharu warned. "Both Kumogakure and Iwagakure might use this as an opportunity to stir up trouble."

Homura agreed. "Indeed, Kumogakure has been on edge with us for a while. Losing two Kage-level shinobi might embolden them."

Hiruzen appeared thoughtful before shaking his head. "It shouldn't come to that. Danzo has been off the battlefield for years, mostly relying on the Root's members. The Root hasn't suffered significant losses and can be integrated into the Anbu with minimal disruption.

"Our real loss is Orochimaru, a Kage-level fighter who could act on short notice. Even so, his absence shouldn't be enough to spur Kumogakure or Iwagakure into action. We still have individuals capable of filling his role."

Homura frowned. "Are you suggesting we bring back Torifu to replace Orochimaru?"

Hiruzen nodded reluctantly. "We have no choice. Torifu Akimichi must return to active duty. There's no one else left."

Torifu Akimichi, one of their old comrades, had been a member of the Second Hokage Tobirama Senju's personal guard. Though retired for years, his strength was undeniable—strong enough to temporarily fill Orochimaru's shoes.

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Pls Drop some Power Stones

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