NOVEL WEB Chapter 160: CHAPTER 160
Walking down the street, Tobirama Senju beckoned to a newsboy, purchased a newspaper, and began reading it silently.
The Village Hidden in the Leaves (Konoha) was more bustling than usual. Newsboys darted through streets and alleys waving papers—a rare sight, reserved for times of major events.
Now, newspapers had become a powerful tool in Kawaki Aoba's hands, and no one dared to underestimate the influence of the printed word.
Although Mitokado Homura's more serious crimes couldn't be publicly disclosed, a build-up of minor offenses was enough to tarnish the Fire Shadow Advisor's reputation—at least for a while.
It was believed that soon, rumors of a disgraced Konoha Elder would spread across the Land of Fire, even drawing ridicule from rival villages.
Weaker in military might, those villages found solace in the failures of their stronger competitor.
"Hmph." Tobirama Senju folded the newspaper and sighed, not for the first time. "Impressive."
Only those who lived in Konoha and truly observed its people could perceive that a certain power had infiltrated the village—quietly and completely.
It wasn't just control over people or politics—it was control over public opinion.
Homura hadn't understood this. Koharu Utatane likely hadn't either. Perhaps even Hiruzen Sarutobi had only glimpsed it.
But Tobirama Senju understood it completely.
To oppose the one who commanded this power was to oppose Konoha itself. This power was called momentum.
Tobirama had once wielded that momentum—during the time he had suppressed the Uchiha.
The proud Uchiha clan had once earned the support of many families in Konoha, but Tobirama's political maneuvering turned the tide against them. The collective will of those clans—that was momentum.
But Tobirama's momentum was fleeting, focused solely on the Uchiha issue.
Now, Kawaki Aoba could stir the emotions of civilian ninjas with nothing more than a newspaper. He had created a momentum that could bend the village's will to his own.
In many ways, Kawaki Aoba was more of a Hokage than the actual Hokage.
Especially now—he was about to try his two former disciples. As for those two… useless was putting it kindly.
They deserved to die.
Even Tobirama, as their former master, could find no excuse for what Danzo Shimura had done.
Conducting human experiments could be rationalized as an ugly necessity. Ruthlessness could be understood in war. But turning on one's fellow villagers—and getting exposed? That was unforgivable.
"Tobirama, Tobirama! Look over here—good news!" shouted a voice.
A member of the Konoha Military Police Force, clearly Uchiha, approached.
"Someone from the enforcement team just reported: Elder Kawaki Aoba has successfully captured the rogue ninja Danzo Shimura! He'll be tried at the Hokage Building this afternoon. That damned old man had the nerve to covet our Uchiha bloodline—we can't let him die easily."
The Uchiha added, "I'm no fan of Elder Aoba, but credit where it's due."
Tobirama's smile was forced.
He now knew with absolute certainty: Danzo had been in Kawaki Aoba's custody long before the news broke. There were no coincidences in this world.
Together, they arrived at the Hokage Building. The outer hall was packed, overflowing with spectators. Inside, where clan representatives gathered, it was only slightly less crowded.
Each clan had suffered under Danzo Shimura. Tobirama counted himself among the victims now.
His presence was unquestioned—he bore the Three-Tomoe Sharingan, a symbol of Uchiha power, and that alone gave him the right to stand among them.
A high platform had been erected at the center. Danzo Shimura knelt there, his arms bound and spread. His right arm was grotesque—lined with Sharingan eyes.
On either side of the platform, large bulletin boards listed Danzo's crimes:
Experimenting on fellow villagers
Using children for illegal tests
Selling classified village information
Plundering bloodlines and secret techniques
Desecrating fallen heroes
The crimes were endless. Danzo Shimura had committed enough atrocities to warrant death a hundred times over.
Yet the man himself showed no remorse.
His lone functioning eye swept over the crowd, sharp with bitterness. The Sharingan in his arm had long since dulled, lacking chakra to sustain them.
"You fools know nothing," Danzo rasped, his tone weak but his conviction unwavering. "Everything I did was for Konoha."
And he meant it. That was the terrifying part.
His warped vision of Konoha's future had consumed him, and in that twisted mirror, he saw himself as righteous.
"Hey! Danzo Shimura!" Tobirama shouted from below. "Weren't you my student? Is this all you learned from me—dirty tricks and cowardice?"
Danzo's eye flared with sudden rage as he spotted Tobirama's Uchiha Military Police uniform.
"You... Uchiha!" he spat. "You people never understood the Second Hokage. I was the only one who inherited his will. Hiruzen was too soft!"
He laughed bitterly, blood flecking his lips.
"I suppose this is the end. Pity I never got to purge your cursed clan before it came to this."
"Help me deliver a final message to Hiruzen," Danzo Shimura said coldly. "I've said it long ago—the Uchiha are a malignant tumor within Konoha. If they are allowed to erupt, they will destabilize the village. The only way to ensure peace is to eliminate them completely."
Danzo then turned his gaze toward Kawaki Aoba. "Boy, I've no complaints about losing to you. But after dealing with the Hyuga clan… am I correct in assuming your next target is the Uchiha?"
He smirked faintly. "Don't bother denying it. You and I are cut from the same cloth. The only difference is… you're better at it. Go on, do what you must. Hahahahaha…"
Even on the brink of death, Danzo Shimura remained the kind of man who sowed seeds of discord with his final breath. His last words weren't just aimed at Kawaki Aoba—they were calculated to provoke the Uchiha and stir chaos in the village.
The atmosphere in the arena grew tense and silent. Aside from Danzo's weak, wheezing laughter, not a sound could be heard. Dozens of eyes were now fixed on Kawaki Aoba, watching to see how the strongest man in Konoha would respond.
Aoba chuckled softly. "Danzo… I understand your bitterness in the face of death, but your methods are far too crude. Honestly, I expected more."
His voice was calm, measured. "If I were you, I would've provoked the Uchiha's emotions more cleverly. They are a clan deeply driven by feeling—passion that can ignite tremendous power. That's what gives them the potential to rival me."
He continued, "But trying to drive a wedge between us now? It's too slow, too uncertain."
Fugaku Uchiha's expression tightened. He hadn't anticipated that Danzo's public trial would suddenly turn toward implicating the Uchiha once again. Worse still, Kawaki Aoba had offered no clarification—he had even critiqued Danzo, not for his ideology, but for his lack of finesse. Was this a veiled threat?
Fugaku's heart skipped a beat.
Before he could act or speak, Kawaki Aoba stepped down from the platform and approached a young Uchiha in the crowd. He laid a hand on the man's shoulder with solemn intent.
"Danzo was malicious, yes—but he wasn't entirely wrong. I do have plans to reform the Uchiha," Aoba said calmly. "But these changes will come from within the clan. After all, you trust your own blood more than an outsider like me, don't you?"
He met the young man's eyes. "Your name is Tobirama, correct? I have high hopes for you. I believe you can guide the Uchiha into a new era."
Fugaku nearly activated his Mangekyō Sharingan on the spot.
What does he mean, internal reform? And why Tobirama of all people? That young man was known as one of the radicals among the Uchiha—someone whose ideology had already caused division.
This isn't reform—it's sabotage.
Before he could act, Kawaki Aoba continued, his voice steady and calm:
"Tobirama, have you considered serving in the Konoha Enforcement Division? I believe the position of First Division Captain suits you well. If you're willing, you may also recommend other Uchiha for roles in the department. You have my full authorization."
Fugaku Uchiha: What?!
The Konoha Enforcement Division was practically a rebranding of the Uchiha Police Force—Kawaki Aoba's version of it, anyway. Allowing someone like Tobirama to lead it, especially with the authority to bring in his own faction? That was political infiltration, pure and simple.
Fugaku moved to object, but it was too late.
"With such generosity, Elder Aoba," Tobirama replied, "I would be honored. Of course, if I'm to lead the First Division, I'll need full operational authority over its internal affairs."
"Naturally," Aoba nodded.
Just like that, with a single question and answer, the matter was finalized—without even giving Fugaku a chance to intervene.
His lips trembled. He's splitting the clan from the inside… and he's using our own people to do it.
This wasn't just a political blow. It was the beginning of the end.
Even worse, this may have been the least destructive outcome. If he resisted openly, it could give Kawaki Aoba the excuse he needed to strike.
No, Fugaku resolved. I cannot let this spiral. I must neutralize this Tobirama immediately—use the authority of the Police Force to suppress his influence. Quietly, firmly.
Still, this was only a stopgap.
The real threat was Kawaki Aoba himself.
If he remains unchecked, the Uchiha will fall.
A sudden thought occurred to him—Itachi.
His eldest son, Itachi, had just come of age to join the Academy. Fugaku had always wanted him to have a normal life, but under these circumstances…
He is my son. He must understand what sacrifice means for the good of the clan.
He had made his decision.
On the platform above, Kawaki Aoba raised his voice again.
"Regarding Shimura Danzo—his crimes are clear. The verdict is death."
He paused, then added, "However, before his execution, and in honor of the clans whose bloodline limits were stolen, all of the Sharingan implanted in his body will be extracted and returned."
Even the ones lost forever to Izanagi.
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