The Daimyo was waiting for Konoha's response.
And the Third Hokage—Sarutobi Hiruzen—was waiting for the Daimyo's next move.
The facts were already verified. Anbu operatives had returned from the Daimyo's estate confirming that an attempted assassination had occurred. Worse still, the attackers had specifically targeted the Daimyo himself, not Uchiha clan members as Hiruzen had initially suspected.
While the Uchiha had been charged with guarding the Daimyo's residence, they had exercised restraint. They hadn't seized power, overstepped their role, or staged a coup. But the most damning evidence came from multiple bystanders: when Root agents attacked, one of them shouted about "eliminating the Daimyo for Konoha's future." Too many had heard it to deny.
That alone made the village's position perilous.
The Daimyo might be patient.
But the village treasury was not.
Konoha was flat broke.
Hiruzen had planned to request new funding from the Daimyo right after paying Uchiha their owed 500 million ryo. But now, not only was that request impossible—he feared the Daimyo might start holding Konoha accountable.
"Hiruzen, has the Daimyo's treasury released the funds yet?" asked Mitokado Homura, stepping into the Hokage's office uninvited.
His tone was tight, frustrated.
"The village's account is empty. We'll soon be unable to pay mission rewards. Some genin are already asking when their D-rank payouts are coming."
Hiruzen let out a long, exhausted sigh. Of all times for Homura to bring up money, it had to be now.
"Perhaps… there's just a delay," Hiruzen muttered. "Let the families shoulder the gap for now. It shouldn't take too long."
Homura frowned. "Hiruzen, that's not going to work. Our clan funds have already been hollowed out to help you pay Uchiha. We're drying up, too."
Initially, Homura had supported contributing family funds. The idea was simple—front the money, and the Hokage would replenish it once the Daimyo came through.
But that repayment never came.
Instead, their own clan stipends from the village budget had been slashed. Now the Mito clan was surviving on fumes. With no business ventures like the Uchiha or Nara to fall back on, they were dangerously close to collapse.
"You're asking me for money?" Hiruzen growled, temper flaring. "What do you want me to do—ask Uchiha for it back? Do you think they'll return even a coin?"
Homura flinched at the outburst. It had been years since Hiruzen had spoken to him like that.
"I—I didn't mean it like that. I just meant… maybe we should press the Daimyo for the allocated funds more directly?"
Homura wasn't stupid. He knew Uchiha had already spent the money. On the very night they received it, they had built yet another hotel in a major city to the east. Asking for it back now would be like asking a river to return water.
Still, something had to be done. Not only was the village on the brink of economic collapse, but so were the families that had backed Hiruzen's decision.
Hiruzen sighed deeply. "Call Koharu. This matter can't be ignored anymore."
It was time to face the music.
Within the hour, the three elder advisors were gathered in a secure chamber beneath the Hokage residence. The mood was tense.
As Utatane Koharu opened her mouth to speak, a door slammed open with a thunderous crack.
"SARUTOBI! WHAT IS THE MEANING OF THIS?!"
Danzo's furious voice echoed through the room as he stormed in, flanked by a pair of Root guards who had barely been allowed to accompany him.
"You've sent ANBU to monitor me? Restricted my movements?! Treated me like a criminal?! Have you lost your damn mind?!"
Hiruzen turned slowly, face calm, voice cold.
"You dare to ask me that, Danzo? After what you've done?"
Danzo blinked. "What I've done?"
"Don't play dumb!" Hiruzen bellowed, slamming his palm against the table, shattering the edge. "Because of you, Konoha is about to collapse! The Daimyo refuses to fund us—because of you!"
Danzo stiffened, rage and confusion clashing in his mind.
"That's my fault now? If you hadn't handed Uchiha half a billion ryo, none of this would've happened!" Danzo snapped. "You've coddled those degenerates for too long! If I were Hokage, the Daimyo would never—"
"Say another word like that about the Daimyo," Hiruzen cut him off, "and I swear, I'll consider it treason."
Even Koharu and Homura were stunned by the severity of the accusation.
"Enough!" Koharu shouted. "You two do this every time! We came here to discuss the problem, not to watch you rip each other apart!"
She motioned for everyone to sit, and despite their glaring stares, both men obeyed.
"Now. Hiruzen. Start from the top. What happened?"
Hiruzen took a deep breath. "The Daimyo was nearly assassinated."
He turned to Danzo, eyes like steel.
"And the killers were Root agents. Yours."
Danzo's mouth fell slightly open. "W-what?"
"We recovered the corpses. Uniforms. Seals. They carried the Root tongue-bindings, Danzo."
Danzo was speechless.
"I didn't authorize anything like that," he said slowly.
"Oh?" Hiruzen pulled out a scroll, slapping it on the table. "Then explain this."
The others leaned in. It was a sealed message from the Daimyo's personal envoy. Stamped, dated, and official.
In crisp, clear writing it read:
"...thanks to Konoha's Uchiha forces for eliminating assassins carrying the mark of Root. We await Hokage Sarutobi's response regarding Danzo's betrayal and this attempt on my life..."
Danzo's face went pale.
He suddenly remembered—the team he had sent to scout the Uchiha stationed at the Daimyo's estate. Twenty Root operatives, handpicked. Elite. They were supposed to gather intel, maybe seize a Sharingan or two.
They had never returned.
"Those fools," Danzo muttered. "I didn't tell them to target the Daimyo... I told them to target Uchiha!"
"They attacked in the open, Danzo," Hiruzen growled. "They shouted about 'cleansing corruption' and 'remaking the Land of Fire.' You think anyone will believe they weren't acting on orders?"
Danzo's mouth was dry. A cold sweat ran down his back.
This was no longer a misunderstanding. It was a diplomatic nightmare.
"This is a setup!" Danzo suddenly cried. "Uchiha twisted the situation! It's a smear campaign! They're framing me!"
Koharu and Homura exchanged uncertain glances.
Yes, the Uchiha had reasons to hate Danzo, but framing him for treason? Assassinating the Daimyo? That was extreme even for them.
Koharu frowned. "Even if they exaggerated, it's still your men that caused this. You sent an elite unit to the Daimyo's doorstep without consulting the Hokage. You handed our enemies the perfect justification."
Danzo bit his lip hard enough to draw blood.
He hadn't meant for this to happen.
He didn't want to assassinate the Daimyo.
He only wanted eyes. Power. Stability.
But now?
Now he was Konoha's greatest liability.
"Danzo," Hiruzen said finally, "You are hereby suspended from all advisory roles and stripped of your access to Root."
Danzo looked up in horror. "What—?!"
"You will remain under surveillance until the Daimyo completes their investigation. Depending on their judgment, you may be tried as a rogue."
"You can't do this! I built this village with you! I AM KONOHA'S SHADOW!"
Hiruzen's expression didn't change.
"Then you should've stayed in the shadows."
Danzo roared with fury, but Root agents were already at the door, ready to escort him back to confinement. He knew if he resisted now, it would only prove the Daimyo's accusations.
So he went.
But as he left, he shot one last glance at Hiruzen—full of hatred.
"This isn't over."