156. Irrefutable Evidence!
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The Hokage's Office.
Silence choked the room. Hiashi stood quietly, but his eyes burned with restrained fury.
His thoughts drifted to his private conversation with Tsunade just the night before:
"I'm worried something may happen to Neji…"
"Then go. Bring him back quickly," Tsunade had said.
Danzo, standing nearby, narrowed his eyes.
'Too late now' he thought bitterly. 'It's already begun.'
---
Elsewhere – Near Root's Hidden Sector.
Neji walked between two ANBU escorts. But before they could cross into Root territory, another group of masked operatives stepped in.
"The Hokage has ordered Hyuga Neji to be taken into custody for questioning," the Root leader said coldly.
"That's not your jurisdiction," one ANBU snapped. "Back off."
The Root agents fanned out into attack formation. Tension crackled in the air.
"Stand down," the ANBU leader warned.
No response.
A Root ninja lunged at Neji blade drawn—not to capture, but to kill.
"Traitor!"
The ANBU threw kunai, but Root operatives intercepted them midair.
The blade was inches from Neji's neck when—
"Enough!"
Hiashi appeared in a blur, his palm slamming into the assassin's chest.
CRACK.
The Root ninja flew backward, crumpling against a stone wall. His body went still.
Silence.
An ANBU knelt beside the fallen operative… and then slowly shook his head.
"He's dead."
Hiashi's eyes widened. "That wasn't a killing blow!"
The ANBU leader didn't argue. "Take him in. We'll investigate the corpse. Hiashi-sama, Hokage-sama will want to hear this personally."
Hiashi nodded grimly.
Someone wanted Neji dead.
They would not let this go unchallenged.
Neji watched it all with a calm, neutral gaze. A shame. If I'd been injured, the narrative would've been even easier to control.
---
Hokage Office.
Shock. Fury. Disbelief.
Tsunade's face was ice.
"You're saying someone tried to kill Neji on your orders?!" she shouted, glaring at Danzo.
"Don't be ridiculous. I never ordered an execution."
"You expect me to believe your Root agents act without your command?"
Hiashi stepped forward. "First you arrest him. Then you try to silence him? Danzo, if there's no justification, the Hyuga Clan will see this as a declaration of war."
Danzo gripped his cane tightly. "Clear the room," he growled.
Tsunade hesitated then waved everyone out.
"Shizune, leave us."
Within seconds, only four remained: Tsunade, Danzo, Hiashi, and Neji.
"Talk," Tsunade said curtly.
Danzo sneered. "Hyuga Neji has been stockpiling Uchiha Sharingan in his lab. My agents confirmed it. For the sake of secrecy, I moved to secure him before the evidence could be destroyed."
Hiashi and Tsunade both turned sharply to Neji.
"Is it true?" Tsunade asked.
Neji's voice was calm.
"Impossible. When the Uchiha Massacre happened, I was eight. And blind."
Danzo slammed his cane against the floor.
"Eight? That's old enough! There are ninjas younger than that already killing on missions!"
Neji tilted his head. "So I stole Sharingan… as a blind child?"
Danzo bared his teeth. "If not stolen, then where did they come from?"
"Enough!" Tsunade cut in. "Let's go to the lab. We'll see for ourselves."
Danzo nodded smugly. "Perfect."
---
Neji's Laboratory.
It was clean. Minimal. Efficient. Tsunade swept the room with a glance.
"Where's the evidence?"
"Downstairs," Danzo said.
Neji nodded and pointed calmly to the basement.
Down below, dozens of sealed jars lined the walls each one glowing faintly.
Tsunade's brow furrowed. "Open them."
ANBU operatives moved quickly, peeling back seals.
And there they were. Dozens of Sharingan.
Danzo laughed.
"Well, well. What now, Neji? Still claiming innocence?"
Hiashi's expression darkened. "Neji…?"
Neji stared at the jars, feigning surprise.
"I don't understand. These are supposed to be synthetic prototypes I've been testing."
Danzo sneered. "Synthetic? Please. These are the real thing."
Neji frowned. "Then… someone must've switched them. We can check the surveillance footage. It should still be backed up."
Danzo's eye twitched. Surveillance!?
"You're wasting our time. The proof is in front of us!"
Tsunade narrowed her eyes. "Why so nervous, Danzo? If there's surveillance, let's see it."
Hiashi crossed his arms. "Yes. Let's confirm this."
Neji smiled faintly. "The camera's right above. Shall we—?"
CRACK.
The group turned.
The surveillance console had been smashed.
Wires were scorched. The footage is gone.
Danzo stood silently, the barest smirk curling at the edge of his lips.
Checkmate.
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