I, Uchiha, will not be whitewashed!

Danzo's death stirred up a silent storm among the Konoha leadership.

The Hokage Building, top-floor office.

The Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, sat behind his desk, a pipe resting on the edge, smoke slowly dissipating under the lamplight. He wasn't smoking; the embers in the pipe had already died out.

His fingers pressed against an investigation report submitted by the undercover agents, his knuckles turning white.

"What did you find out?" His voice was calm, but those who knew him well knew that this was the calm before the storm.

The ANBU member kneeling before the table had his head bowed, his expression obscured by his mask. "Lord Danzo was last seen on the outskirts of Amegakure. The two Root guards who accompanied him are still missing."

"Amegakure?" The Third Hokage frowned. "What's he doing there?"

The secret service remained silent for a moment.

"Based on the traces left at the scene, a large-scale battle took place in Amegakure. The participants included the forces of Hanzo the Salamander, the leader of Amegakure, a civilian organization called 'Akatsuki,' and... the Root organization, which was suspected to have been brought there by Lord Danzo."

The Third Hokage tapped his finger on the table. "Akatsuki?"

"An organization composed of young ninja from Amegakure advocated for peace negotiations. Hanzo lured them to the meeting place under the guise of cooperation and set up an ambush. Lord Danzo... was very likely involved in this operation."

The third-generation pipe slipped off the edge of the table and fell to the ground with a dull thud.

He didn't bend down to pick it up.

He stared at the ANBU, and there was something in his aged eyes—not anger, but weariness. Danzo had acted on his own again.

The third generation closed their eyes.

Danzo is most likely dead.

Even after he dies, he'll still be a burden to us.

He knew Danzo; if he were still alive, he wouldn't have been so easily found by the Anbu. He was either dead or in hiding. But Danzo wasn't the type to hide. So, he died.

What was found at the scene?

"The battle was extremely fierce. There were numerous corpses, including members of the Anbu and Root from Amegakure. However, Lord Danzo's remains were not found." The Anbu paused.

"There are extensive burn marks at the scene, suspected to be caused by an explosive tag. The possibility of... cover-up cannot be ruled out."

The third generation closed their eyes. They destroyed the body and covered their tracks.

Danzo is dead.

It's not a possibility, it's a certainty.

He knew Danzo; if he were still alive, he wouldn't have been so easily found by the Anbu. He was either dead or in hiding. But Danzo wasn't the type to hide. So, he died.

"Where are the two guards?"

"Also missing. Presumably, they are dead as well."

The third generation remained silent for a long time.

He opened his eyes and looked out the window.

It was already dark, and the lights of the Hokage Building shone alone in the night.

He recalled something from long ago—himself, Danzo, Koharu Utatane, Homura Mitokado, and Kagami. Back then, they were all young and believed they could change Konoha.

Now Kagami is dead, and Danzo is dead too. Koharu and Homura are old, and so is he.

"Who else knows about this?" The third generation's voice was very low.

"Only those within the Anbu know. Lord Danzo's disappearance has not yet been made public."

"Do not disclose this information for now."

The Third Hokage stood up and walked to the window. "Danzo secretly went to Amegakure, colluded with Hanzo, and ambushed and killed a member of a civilian organization—if this gets out, Konoha will lose all face."

"Yes."

"Continue the investigation. But don't make a fuss." The Third Hokage turned to look at the Anbu. "Find evidence that Danzo is dead. We need to see him alive or dead."

The ANBU hesitated for a moment. "What if we can't find it?"

The third generation remained silent for a moment. "Then let's assume he's dead."

Can't find it? Isn't that the answer?

The secret service team withdrew.

Only San Dai remained in the office. He walked back to the desk, bent down to pick up the pipe, and placed it on the table.

He didn't light a cigarette; he just stood there, looking out the window.

Amegakure, Hanzo, Akatsuki, Danzo.

These names swirled in his mind like a tangled mess. Why did Danzo go to Amegakure? Why did he help Hanzo? What was he after?

I don't know about the third generation.

But he knew one thing—Danzo was dead, and a corner of Konoha's darkness was gone. That corner of darkness had once protected Konoha, and it had also harmed Konoha.

It's gone now.

He should be happy, but he can't be.

Outside the window, the moon peeked out from behind the clouds, its pale light shining on the Fire Shadow Rock.

The Third Hokage's portrait sat silently in the moonlight, as if asking a question. The Third Hokage didn't speak. He turned around, walked back behind his desk, sat down, picked up his pipe, and lit it. (Smoke...)

The fog dispersed under the lamplight, blurring his face.

Danzo is dead.

The sun will rise as usual tomorrow.

-

There was no evidence, no clues, and no information about Danzo's death.

The Anbu investigated for half a month but found nothing. The Third Hokage locked the investigation report in a drawer and never opened it again.

But some people don't need evidence.

Fugaku Uchiha sat in the clan head's hall, a mission registration form spread out in front of him.

The names of Shuoge, Feng, and Yan were prominently listed—they were on a mission outside the village, with details including the time, location, and mission level. He looked at it for a long time, then closed the registration form and put it aside.

The wind was his teammate, and so was the proverb.

They were once members of Jing's guard, having fought together on the battlefield, killed enemies together, and carried Jing's body back from the battlefield together.

He understood them. Feng wasn't the type to take on tasks without a reason, nor was Yan.

What mission requires three Jonin to be deployed simultaneously?

And they are all Uchiha Jonin who have awakened the three-tomoe Sharingan? What's more, Sakugo—a ten-year-old Jonin who just received his appointment letter and hasn't even had time to warm up to it before he's in a hurry to leave the village?

Fugaku closed his eyes.

He recalled the news from Amegakure: Hanzo of the Salamander had laid an ambush, the Akatsuki leader was killed, and the Konoha Anbu—Root—had appeared at the scene.

Danzo never appeared again after that.

He remembered the day Shuoge left the village; the wind followed him, and the proverbs followed him.

Three people, three swords, three pairs of Sharingan with three tomoe.

He remembered the day Jing died, when Feng knelt in the clan hall, covered in blood, saying, "The clan leader has fallen in battle." Yan stood behind him, his eyes red, but he didn't cry.

He opened his eyes and looked at the task registration form on the table.

The handwriting was written in the wind; the date, time, and task number were all filled in neatly and without a single omission.

But Fugaku knew this was just a facade. Danzo was dead, killed in Amegakure. And Kaze, Gen, and Sakuga happened to leave the village around that time, heading in that direction.

He had no evidence. But he knew.

Fugaku stood up and walked to the window. Outside was the street of the Uchiha compound; people were walking, talking, and training with shuriken. Everything seemed normal, as if nothing had happened.

He looked at it for a while, then turned around and walked back to the table, picked up the mission registration form, stuffed it into the drawer, and placed it together with the clan's confidential documents.

The next day, he had those few lines in the task register copied again.

The date has changed, the time has changed, and the task number has changed.

It's not destruction, it's cover-up. If someone comes to investigate, they'll see a normal, impeccable mission record. No one will suspect anything, no one will question it.

"You shouldn't have done that." Mikoto's voice came from behind. She stood in the doorway, holding a cup of tea, her face expressionless. "If someone finds out—"

"No one will find out." Fugaku's voice was calm. "Kaze always does things cleanly."

Mikoto didn't say anything more. She put the tea on the table, turned around, and left.

Fugaku sat alone in the hall, picked up the cup of tea, took a sip, and found it was cold.

He put down his teacup and looked at the Uchiha clan crest on the wall.

Danzo is dead.

The mastermind behind Mirror's death is finally dead. Not on the battlefield, not in a hospital bed, but in his own conspiracy, in the filthy mud of Amegakure.

Fugaku should be happy.

But he couldn't be happy.

Because it wasn't him who killed Danzo, but Sakugo—a ten-year-old child, a child who had just received his Jonin appointment. And he, the head of the Uchiha clan, could do nothing.

He closed his eyes and leaned back in his chair.

The candlelight flickered, and his face was illuminated and dimmed in the light and shadow.

After a long while, he opened his eyes, stood up, blew out the candle, and walked out of the hall. The moonlight shone on the stone path, giving it a cold glow. He walked towards his room, his steps neither fast nor slow.

Behind him, the altered mission record lay quietly in the drawer, sinking into darkness along with those secrets that would never be seen.

……

……

……

The envoys from Kumogakure arrived in Konoha on a sunny day.

A banner hung on the gateposts at the village entrance, which read "Welcome to the Cloud Hidden Envoys".

The Third Hokage personally greeted them at the entrance, followed by Minato, Jiraiya, Sakumo Hatake, and several Jonin. Sakumo stood behind the crowd, his sword behind his back, his hands hanging at his sides, watching the group of Cloud Village ninja walk in through the gate.

Leading the way was a middle-aged man with a scar on his face and a deep gaze. He held a scroll in his hands, walked up to the Third Generation, and bowed slightly.

The third generation took the scroll, opened it, glanced at it, and nodded.

There was no unnecessary small talk, no polite formalities.

The war ended, a peace treaty was signed, and that's all.

Shogo noticed that Raikage A and Killer Bee hadn't come. His second-in-command had. They didn't need to come in person, nor did they need to apologize; they only needed to stamp the treaty.

The five major powers have been fighting for so many years that none of them are able to fight anymore, and none of them want to fight anymore.

The signing was merely a formality; the ceasefire was the reality.

-

That night, the lights in the Hokage Building stayed on all night.

The Third Hokage finalized the details of the agreement with the Cloud Village delegation in his office, with Minato accompanying him throughout.

Jiraiya was waiting outside, as was Sakumo Hatake.

Sakugo stood at the end of the corridor, leaning against the wall, his sword beside him, his eyes closed. He didn't need to participate in the negotiations, but he needed to be here—as a Jonin, as Minato's subordinate on the northern front, as a sword of Konoha.

-

Three days later, the Third Hokage officially announced his abdication and recommended Minato Namikaze as the Fourth Hokage.

The conference room in the Hokage Building was full of people.

Jonin, elders, and clan leaders. Fugaku sat in the Uchiha's seat, his face expressionless.

Hiashi Hyuga sat opposite him, his hands on his knees, his back ramrod straight. Koharu Utatane and Homura Mitokado sat on either side of the Third Hokage, one with a furrowed brow, the other with her eyes closed. Danzo's seat was empty.

The third generation stood up and read a brief abdication proclamation.

He didn't speak for long, didn't get sentimental, and didn't reminisce about his decades-long Hokage career. He simply stated the facts: the war was over, Konoha needed a new leader, and he recommended Minato Namikaze.

"Does anyone have any objections?" The third generation's voice was flat.

No one spoke. Minato's reputation was too high—he had shattered a thousand-strong army on the Iwagakure battlefield, repelled the AB combination on the northern front, and his name, the Yellow Flash, resounded throughout the ninja world.

No one can question his strength, no one can question his military achievements.

Danzo might have opposed it when he was alive, but Danzo is no longer here.

Minato stood up, walked to the Third Hokage, and took the Hokage hat. He put it on, turned around, and looked at everyone present. Golden hair peeked out from under the brim, and his blue eyes shone brightly.

"I will protect Konoha." His voice wasn't loud, but everyone heard it.

Applause erupted.

It wasn't the kind of enthusiastic, heartfelt applause, but rather polite, just-right applause.

Shoko didn't clap; he just looked at Minato, at that young face.

He recalled the scene in the canyon on the northern route, where a water gate descended from the sky, and a single person broke through the encirclement of the Hidden Stone Village.

Now that person has become Hokage. He should be happy, but he just feels that the world is becoming less and less like the one he remembers.

-

News of Orochimaru's defection spread on the third day after Minato took office.

Shuoge was teaching Shisui shuriken techniques on the training field when Feng walked in from outside, looking rather grim. He walked over to Shuoge and whispered a few words. Shuoge's fingers paused for a moment, then he continued teaching Shisui.

"Raise your hand. Don't rotate your wrist."

Shisui looked at his face, trying to read something from his expression, but she couldn't read anything.

He nodded, raised his hand, and the sword flew out, striking the bullseye.

-

Orochimaru's laboratory was discovered by the Anbu. It was filled with human specimens, cell samples from the First Hokage, and dozens of corpses—not salvaged from the battlefield, but living people.

The Third Hokage personally went to the laboratory, stood there, and looked at the corpses preserved in formaldehyde for a long time.

He did not order Orochimaru's arrest, but simply sent someone to inform him to come see him.

But Orochimaru did not come.

He ran away.

He disappeared into the night in the direction of the Land of Rain, carrying with him his research findings and his ambitions.

Some say that the three generations of masters deliberately let him go out of consideration for their master-disciple relationship.

Some say Orochimaru was prepared, and by the time the Anbu arrived, the place was already deserted.

Regardless of the truth, the result is the same—Orochimaru, one of the Legendary Sannin of Konoha, became a rogue ninja.

When Shuoge heard the news, he was at home cleaning his knife. Feng sat opposite him, and Yan leaned against the doorframe. The three of them remained silent for a long time.

"Orochimaru is gone." The wind's voice was low. "Danzo is dead too. The higher-ups in Konoha have changed."

Shuoge didn't speak. He sheathed his sword, placed it beside him, and looked at the moon outside the window.

"The third generation is getting old," Yan suddenly spoke up. "Minato is still young. He needs people."

Feng glanced at him, then at Shuoge. "You mean—"

"Minato wants to ease tensions with the Uchiha clan," Yan said calmly. "He needs someone. Someone from the Uchiha clan, someone he trusts, and someone the Uchiha can accept."

Both of their gazes fell on Shuoge at the same time.

-