Danzo’s Failure and Hiruzen's Countermove

50 Feet Under Konoha- Root headquarters

Danzo sat alone in the dimly lit room, the flickering shadows from the single candle casting a tense atmosphere. His fingers drummed against the armrest of his chair, each tap echoing his growing frustration. His plan had been flawless in theory—a calculated move to frame the Uchiha, to weaken their influence and sow distrust in the village. Yet, somehow, the operation had failed.

He had dispatched his agents to plant explosive tags near the East Merchant's Center, a well-known marketplace frequented by villagers and travelers alike. He also placed subtle evidence implicating the Uchiha, confident that the combination would point suspicion squarely at them. But when the explosion was set to trigger, nothing happened. His agents didn't report back, and the explosive tags remained dormant.

Danzo's brow furrowed. Had they been compromised?

His thoughts were interrupted by the soft knock on the door.

"Danzo-sama," a Root agent's voice echoed from the threshold. "The Hokage requests your presence. He is calling a meeting with the Council Elders."

Danzo's expression tightened, his anger simmering beneath the surface. Hiruzen. He had no doubt the Hokage had already caught wind of his failure. He stood and nodded curtly. "I will be there."

The Root agent bowed and left, leaving Danzo to gather his thoughts. This was a setback, yes—but not an insurmountable one. He would find a way to make the Uchiha pay, to further his vision for the future of Konoha. He would not let this failure linger.

A short while later, Danzo entered the Hokage's office, where the usual tension in the air was thick enough to cut with a kunai. The room was filled with the figures of the council: Homura Mitokado, Koharu Utatane, and Hiruzen Sarutobi. The Hokage's face was unreadable, but his eyes betrayed the slightest hint of knowing something Danzo did not.

"Danzo," Hiruzen began, his voice calm but firm. "I'm glad you could join us. We've made some discoveries that will shed light on the recent explosion incident."

Danzo's pulse quickened slightly. What discoveries?

Hiruzen placed a stack of documents onto the table in front of them, each page thick with evidence. He looked between Homura and Koharu, who were both eyeing the papers with interest. "It seems the Uchiha were involved in uncovering some troubling information."

"Troubling?" Koharu echoed, raising an eyebrow. "What do you mean, Hiruzen?"

"Visitor logs," Hiruzen said, his gaze sharpening. He slid a specific page across the table toward them. "We discovered a spy who had been coming and going from Konoha under the guise of a merchant."

The paper was marked with a detailed record of someone—Ryoji Kurokami—whose name Kotetsu had recalled from his investigation the night before. The man had been entering and leaving the village regularly, despite there being no record of him as a known merchant or traveler.

Homura leaned forward, studying the log. "A spy? And this was found by the Uchiha?"

"Correct," Hiruzen confirmed. "They brought the information to our attention. After further investigation, we were able to detain Kurokami."

Koharu crossed her arms. "If he's been coming and going for so long, why haven't we detected him earlier?"

Danzo's eyes narrowed. "Because this man is skilled, and perhaps someone aided him in remaining hidden." He couldn't help the suspicion that gnawed at him, though he chose not to voice it aloud. His thoughts kept returning to his failed mission. The Uchiha had outsmarted him, at least for now.

Hiruzen continued, "Kurokami was caught, but not without consequences. He took a suicide pill, which we were fortunate to stop in time. However, we did manage to retrieve his communication logs." He placed another folder onto the table, opening it to reveal a series of encrypted messages. "With this, we can investigate where this trail leads."

Danzo's eyes glinted with interest. "You believe this is connected to the Cloud Village?"

Hiruzen leaned back in his chair, eyes distant for a moment. "Considering the heightened tensions with the Cloud since the Hyūga incident, and now this… it's reasonable to suspect Kumogakure's involvement. We've been in a delicate position with them for years."

Homura and Koharu exchanged a glance, clearly intrigued but also hesitant. "If this is true," Homura began, "how do you plan to handle this?"

Hiruzen's expression hardened. "We need to get the Raikage's attention. The Lightning Daimyo has not done enough to keep their shinobi in check, and if Kumogakure is behind this, it would be in Konoha's best interest to put pressure on them."

Danzo smiled inwardly, though his face remained stoic. This was an opportunity, one he had not expected to come so soon. While Hiruzen's public stance was one of diplomacy, Danzo saw it differently. The Cloud had been an issue for Konoha for years, and this might be their chance to strike—without directly implicating Konoha itself.

"I believe that's the right course of action," Danzo said, his voice low but steady. "If Kumogakure is involved, they will not stop at just espionage. We must act swiftly."

Hiruzen's gaze lingered on Danzo for a moment before he nodded. "We will proceed carefully. But we have the evidence we need to make a strong case. The Cloud's involvement will not go unnoticed."

As the meeting came to a close, Hiruzen stood and dismissed the council members, his words lingering in the air. "We have much work ahead of us."

Danzo, however, had other thoughts as he walked out. The game was far from over. His plan had been thwarted for now, but the opportunity to manipulate the situation in his favor was too good to pass up. With Konoha on the brink of a new conflict with Kumogakure, Danzo's path was clear.

And if he needed to use Kotetsu and Izumo to further his cause, so be it. They had their uses.

Uchiha Main District- Clan Heads House

The quiet clatter of chopsticks against ceramic was the only sound filling the Uchiha household. Mikoto had prepared a warm meal, hoping—praying—that tonight would be different. That they could sit together, just like they used to, before tensions started creeping into every aspect of their lives. Before Itachi became a ghost in their home, always away on Anbu missions. Before Fugaku's expression became permanently hardened, his mind lost in the growing divide between the Uchiha and the village.

Sasuke, just eight years old, ate happily, oblivious to the unspoken words that sat heavy between his parents and older brother. His small legs swung under the table, a bright contrast to the weight pressing on everyone else's shoulders.

Mikoto stole a glance at Fugaku, who sat with his usual stoic expression. She could tell he was thinking—always thinking—about the clan, the village, the future. Itachi, seated across from him, was unreadable as ever, but Mikoto could see the tension in his posture.

The silence stretched, thick and stifling, until Itachi finally broke it.

"The explosion in the village… what happened?" His voice was even, but there was something in his tone—something sharp, probing.

Fugaku paused, his chopsticks hovering mid-air before he slowly set them down. He exhaled through his nose, his sharp eyes briefly flicking to Mikoto before settling on his son.

"The Uchiha were suspected at first." His voice was level, controlled, but Mikoto could hear the faint trace of bitterness underneath. "But the truth… the truth was different."

Sasuke, sensing a shift in the conversation, looked up, his dark eyes flicking between his father and brother.

Fugaku leaned back slightly, folding his arms. "It was an enemy attack from the Cloud. Their intent was clear—they wanted to cause chaos and drive a wedge between the Uchiha and the village. If we had been accused and condemned without proof, it would have only increased the hostility between us and Konoha."

Itachi's expression remained neutral, but his fingers curled slightly around his chopsticks. "And how was the truth uncovered?"

Fugaku let out a rare, small smile—one that caught even Mikoto off guard. "The gate guards. Kotetsu and Izumo."

Itachi blinked. "Kotetsu and Izumo?"

Fugaku nodded. "When the explosion happened, they immediately began gathering information—witness accounts, movement patterns, details that others overlooked. By the time I approached them, they had already organized everything in a way that made presenting the evidence to the Hokage seamless. Their work was invaluable."

Itachi was silent for a moment, processing. He had seen the two around the Uchiha compound's gates from time to time but hadn't thought much of it. To hear that they played a crucial role in preventing an escalation against the clan was… unexpected.

Sasuke, unaware of the deeper implications, pouted. "What does 'invaluable' mean?"

Mikoto let out a quiet chuckle, brushing Sasuke's hair fondly. "It means they were very helpful."

Sasuke grinned. "Then we should thank them!"

Fugaku let out a low hum, though his expression remained thoughtful. "Perhaps," he said, his mind already drifting to the ever-growing tension in the village.

The silence crept back, heavier this time, as each of them retreated into their thoughts. The brief moment of warmth was gone, replaced by the reality that still loomed over them.

Tonight was no different after all.

A Private Conversation: Mikoto and Fugaku

The moonlight seeped through the window, casting a faint glow over the room. Mikoto sat on the edge of their bed, her hands resting in her lap, fingers gently twisting together. Fugaku stood near the window, arms crossed, his gaze distant as he stared out at the village that both revered and feared his clan.

She exhaled softly. "When is this going to end, Fugaku?" Her voice was quiet but carried the weight of years of frustration. "When is the village going to stop being afraid of us?"

Fugaku closed his eyes briefly, already weary of this conversation before it had even begun. He hated these talks. There was a time, early in their marriage, when he could ease her worries. Back then, he could rely on Minato—a man who held no prejudice against the Uchiha, a Hokage who would have treated them fairly. Even though Fugaku had lost the position to him, he had not been bitter like the others. He could stomach it because Minato had been someone he could trust.

But Minato was gone. And with Third Hokage back in power, Fugaku couldn't predict what would happen.

And so these conversations with Mikoto had become more frequent over the years. And every time, he had no good answer to give her.

So he said what he always did. "We'll figure it out."

Mikoto let out a quiet breath, her lips pressing together before she spoke again. "You said the gate guards helped with the explosion case. That they were able to organize information in a way that made it impossible for the higher-ups to say otherwise."

"Yes," he admitted.

"Then maybe they can do it again," she suggested.

Fugaku turned slightly, his gaze meeting hers. "That's a lot to ask of them," he said. "And it's better if they don't get involved. If the village sees them as sympathizers to the Uchiha, they'll be shunned just like us."

Mikoto lowered her gaze, fingers still twisting together in thought. "At the very least," she murmured, "we should reward them."

Fugaku frowned slightly. "Reward them?"

"It's nothing for an Uchiha clan with a thousand years' worth of wealth to give a small gift," Mikoto reasoned. "Something to acknowledge their efforts."

Fugaku considered this, rubbing his chin in thought. He was not a man who handed out favors lightly, but she had a point. A gesture of gratitude—one that didn't tie them too closely to the clan—wouldn't be unwise.

But what could he give them? Money felt impersonal. A direct show of favor from the Uchiha could draw unwanted attention. Something useful, something discreet.

He exhaled through his nose. "I'll think of something."

Mikoto finally smiled, just a little. "Good."

For tonight, that would have to be enough.