Naruto: The Hyuga Mastermind

Chapter 129: Our Enemy is the Daimyo!

The gray, oppressive sky hung so low it seemed ready to collapse, smothering the world beneath a heavy pall. The air was stiflingly silent, even the wind seemed drained of energy, listlessly wandering the deserted streets.

The streets were sparse with passersby, and those who did venture out hurried along with downcast eyes, their faces etched with worry and exhaustion, the happiness of the past nowhere to be found.

"What's the autopsy result?"

"Tsunade-sama had previous autopsy records of Fuji-sama's clones. We've obtained them from Shizune-san. After comparison, it's a match."

So, this was indeed Hyuga Fuji's corpse.

In the Hokage's office, a medic-nin swallowed hard, a strange mix of fear and anger creeping through his heart.

The Hokage's assistant, murdered inside Konoha—who did it? Who could have done this?

Shikaku's face was haggard, and he sighed deeply upon hearing the result, unsurprised. "For now, suppress this result. To the outside…"

"Shikaku-sama."

An ANBU member entered the room, reporting to Shikaku: "The news of the Hokage's death and Jiraiya-sama's disappearance has already been leaked by some merchants. It was retaliation from the black market. We've apprehended everyone involved."

Behind his mask, the ANBU member's bloodshot eyes burned with anger, one eye revealing the shape of a Mangekyo Sharingan.

It was Kakashi.

Shikaku looked at the strongest shinobi Konoha currently had to offer, his jaw clenched. "Interrogate the instigators. Once you've extracted the information, execute them all!"

When Yakumaru had relayed the news, Shikaku had suppressed it, fearing it would provoke rash actions.

But with Orochimaru's high-profile defection and Hyuga Fuji's body being seen by numerous villagers, Konoha had become a powder keg ready to explode.

Now that the black market had made its move, all of Shikaku's efforts to contain the situation had been wasted.

"Understood."

Kakashi's voice was low and steady as he vanished from sight.

One crisis followed another.

Moments later, another ANBU appeared to report: "Shikaku-sama, a number of shinobi outside are demanding the autopsy results of Fuji-sama's body. They want you to prove your innocence. They're saying the current situation feels like…"

"Like retaliation from the clans and Danzo, isn't it?"

Shikaku's voice turned cold.

The Fourth Hokage was dead.

The Hokage's assistant was dead.

Jiraiya was missing.

Orochimaru had defected.

Of these, Hyuga Fuji's and Orochimaru's cases were the most suspicious.

As the Hokage's assistant, Hyuga Fuji had died silently on the Hokage Rock during the night, right in Konoha.

Who could have done it?

It was only natural to suspect someone inside Konoha, someone familiar with Hyuga Fuji.

And as a student of the Third Hokage, the leader of Root, and one of the Sannin, Orochimaru's sudden branding as a criminal conducting human experiments and subsequent defection seemed equally unbelievable.

Many already knew that Orochimaru had stepped aside to let the Fourth Hokage ascend to his position.

Orochimaru had even helped Minato defeat Danzo in the past.

And yet, this same man was supposedly experimenting on Konoha's shinobi? And for this, he defected?

It didn't add up.

The conclusion many reached was that it was all slander. Orochimaru had been forced to defect.

And in Konoha, the only ones with a motive for such acts were the defeated clans and Danzo.

Shikaku understood their thinking.

But reality wasn't so simple.

He had personally investigated Orochimaru's case. The man had indeed planned his defection for some time.

As for the true enemy… Yakumaru's intel had already revealed the answer.

"I'll go speak to them personally."

Shikaku took a deep breath and stepped out of the Hokage building. Facing the gathered shinobi, he scanned each one.

Their eyes, now red with anger and pain, bore into him.

One Uchiha among them had activated his Sharingan, his cold chakra radiating a desire to destroy everything in sight.

It was the Fourth Hokage and this era that had elevated them to the pinnacle of Konoha.

And now, both the Fourth and Hyuga Fuji were dead, as if announcing the end of this era.

"The Hokage is dead. Fuji-sama is dead. Jiraiya-sama is missing. Orochimaru-sama has been falsely accused and has fled. Shouldn't someone pay for this, Shikaku-taicho?"

The voice was low, like a whisper from the depths of hell.

Anger and sorrow had transformed into hatred, spreading like wildfire.

The assembled shinobi's faces twisted as they awaited his response.

It seemed as if, with his agreement, they would tear everything apart.

At that moment, Shikaku fell silent.

They weren't truly questioning whether he sided with the clans. Instead, they wanted him to step forward and lead them in seeking revenge.

Because Konoha now had no one else who could take charge.

And did he not hate as well?

Shikaku felt the taste of blood in his mouth as he clenched his teeth.

Did he not hate?

Of course, he did!

The Daimyo, the black market, the other shinobi villages—they all deserved to pay!

Shikaku looked up at the darkening sky and the drizzle falling steadily. His hatred, however, could not ignite into an all-consuming blaze.

If he could, he would gladly plunge into the abyss of vengeance, just like these shinobi, questioning and destroying everything.

But he couldn't…

He had to remain clear-headed and stabilize Konoha's fragile situation.

Revenge could come, but not now.

Konoha was at its weakest, in desperate need of a rational leader, not one consumed by rage.

"I understand your anger, but the enemy is not someone within Konoha. Our enemy…"

An agitated jonin interrupted him. "Then tell us—who? Who is our enemy?"

"Fuji-sama is dead, his body hung before all to see on the Hokage Rock! Orochimaru-sama was falsely accused and fled! Are we not even allowed to know the truth?!"

Shikaku opened his mouth but could only sigh. "We still need to investigate. There are many things I don't understand yet. But I can tell you this clearly—it's not someone within Konoha. Your emotions are too unstable right now. You must calm down."

He avoided directly addressing Orochimaru's situation.

The timing of Orochimaru's defection was too suspicious. If he claimed Orochimaru acted willingly, these shinobi would immediately brand him a traitor.

"Is it the other great nations? The Hokage died during the Five Kage Summit—that can't be a coincidence. If they dared to do this, then let's go to war. We're not afraid!"

An Uchiha's Sharingan spun furiously as he spoke in a chilling tone. "The Five Kage haven't returned yet. Let's kill them now…"

Shikaku closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and roared, "Everyone, calm down! If you act now, you'll be playing right into the enemy's hands!"

"You keep telling us to calm down," a civilian shinobi suddenly spoke, drawing everyone's attention.

Shikaku's eyes darted toward him, pupils narrowing sharply. He tried to stop him, but it was too late.

"Before, you told me to stop talking about the Hokage trying to take the Daimyo's position. Our enemy is the Daimyo, isn't it?"

"He was unhappy with the Hokage's growing prestige and worried that Fuji-sama would become another Fourth Hokage. So, he conspired with those dissatisfied with them to kill Fuji-sama, right?"

"If it were shinobi from other villages, you could tell us directly. If it were someone within Konoha, you could take action. But when it comes to the Daimyo, there's nothing you can do!"

Shikaku stood frozen, watching the shinobi's faces light up with newfound conviction. He closed his eyes in pain.

It was over.

…

The shinobi who had gathered to confront Shikaku were the more level-headed ones.

Elsewhere in Konoha, others, consumed by their own theories, began lashing out violently.

The police force struggled to maintain order—or rather, some members of the police force were already involved.

It was the Fourth Hokage who had brought them into Konoha's inner circle. Now, with both the Fourth and Fuji-sama dead, if they didn't even dare to avenge them, how could they call themselves Uchiha?

Fights broke out on the streets. Fortunately, Konoha's morale was so low that most civilians stayed indoors, avoiding harm.

"Was it you? The better the village becomes, the more it proves how foolish and ridiculous you were before. So you took action while the Fourth was away?"

"It wasn't us. We're benefiting from the village's strength just like you. Why would we destroy that?"

"Then why is Fuji-sama dead in the village?"

"We're investigating it too!"

Such exchanges repeated between the clans and supporters of the Fourth Hokage.

Amid the chaos, one faction began to coalesce.

Those who once stood behind Minato gathered together. Admirers of Hyuga Fuji also started forming groups. Orochimaru's subordinates, ignorant of the truth, reached out to one another.

Their ties to these figures united them, and their anger drove them to action.

As the chaos deepened, they searched for answers—and for their enemy.

Finally, a whisper rose and spread like wildfire:

"Our enemy… is the Daimyo!"

(End of Chapter)

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