Naruto: Threads of Crimson

The doors to the Hokage's office creaked open, and Ryota, Nari, Shin, and Hiroshi entered, the weight of their recent ordeal evident in every step they took. The Uchiha shinobi team stood before Hiruzen, their expressions etched with a painful mix of grief and barely contained fury.

Hiruzen looked up from his desk, his eyes now filled with a deep concern, reading the severity on their faces. "You have something urgent to report, I assume?" he asked, his gaze sharp as it glanced over the group. "Could it possibly be why Kaito, your leader on the mission, is not here as well?"

Ryota's posture stiffened with restrained emotion. "Yes, Lord Third," he began. "We need to discuss the events of our recent mission and the circumstances that led to Kaito's death."

The Hokage's gaze hardened, the village had just lost one of its elite jonin. He gave a slight nod, gesturing for them to continue, and Ryota stepped forward, "We believe this mission wasn't routine. It was a setup—one orchestrated by Danzo."

Hiruzen's brows furrowed, a flash of something in his eyes. "A setup?" he repeated, his tone lower. "Are you saying Danzo purposefully placed your team in harm's way?"

"Yes," Nari interjected, "The enemy knew exactly when and where to strike us. It was too precise to be a coincidence. They were waiting for us, prepared beyond what a standard scouting unit from Kiri would have been. And even when we thought we'd seen the worst of it, reinforcements started to come in waves. They wanted to leave no survivors, which is odd, especially if they were indeed from Kiri."

Shin took a step forward, his gaze fixed on Hiruzen. "Lord Third, we believe Kaito was led to his death on Danzo's orders. The clan has long since realized that Danzo sees us, the Uchiha, as a threat to the village's stability." His jaw clenched. "But we are part of this village. We protect it with our lives. Kaito was proof of that."

Hiruzen's gaze grew heavy with contemplation as he leaned forward, resting his chin on his hands. "This is a serious accusation. You understand you're accusing the second in command of treason with these words, correct? If there is truth to what you're saying, then it's something I cannot ignore."

Before he could continue, the doors opened, and Danzo Shimura entered, his expression as unreadable as ever. He cast a quick, icy glance at the Uchiha before focusing on Hiruzen.

"Hiruzen, forgive my intrusion, but it appears I arrived just in time," Danzo said, his voice cold and clipped. "These Uchiha shinobi, they failed in their mission, and now they stand here accusing me of treason to avoid the responsibility of their own shortcomings." He glanced at the group to his side, "It's the same pattern with you Uchiha—you don't get your way, and suddenly everyone else is to blame."

The tension in the room thickened as Danzo's words hit their mark. Ryota's hands clenched into fists at his sides, fury flashing in his eyes as he took a step forward. "We did not fail due to negligence, Danzo," he shot back, his voice trembling with anger. "You know as well as anyone that Kaito was set up. And we have every reason to believe you had a hand in it."

The energy in the room grew more dreadful as each Uchiha's stance stiffened, their Sharignan fixed on Danzo. Hiruzen's face reflected a mix of consternation and disbelief. The accusations were severe, and yet he couldn't overlook the tension between the Uchiha and Danzo that had only worsened over the years.

He tried to reason, 'Danzo wouldn't target his own shinobi, especially an elite jonin like Kaito, not while the village was still entrenched in war.'

Danzo's visible eye narrowed, and his mouth set into a thin line. "How dare you." His words dripped with contempt as he met Ryota's fierce gaze. "I entrusted this team with a mission for the good of this village. And instead of fulfilling your duty, you stand here spewing accusations? Is this the Uchiha's way of declaring an uprising? Will you now seek to oust Hiruzen because he allowed me to assign you this mission?"

Nari's shoulders tensed, her hands beginning to shake by her side as she took a slight step forward, her voice sharp. "Don't twist this, Danzo. We lost one of our own out there—a life given for this village. But it's only you who continues to pit us against our allies."

Danzo's eye as cold as ever kept his attention on the Uchiha. His composure stayed stoic and his tone steady as he turned back to Hiruzen. "Hiruzen, I suggest you handle this insubordination swiftly. The Uchiha must know their place in this village, for the good of Konoha."

Hiruzen raised his hand, maintaining the calm authority that barely held the room together. "Enough. We'll address this matter without accusations and punishments flying back and forth. Danzo, the team has presented serious concerns. If they're true, the consequences would be severe—potentially a lifetime sentence for treason. I trust you'll provide some clarity on the specifics of this mission."

Danzo's face remained blank, not a flicker of guilt or defensiveness crossing his features. "The mission was routine," he replied, his voice even. "It required capable shinobi, which is why I selected Kaito and trusted him to gather his team. It's unfortunate he didn't return, but such are the risks of being a shinobi, If I must I'll remind you that we are currently at war."

"Risks?" Shin's voice came out like a low hiss, barely more than a whisper, carrying the bitterness he could no longer mask. "I bet you provided the ninjas with our strengths and weaknesses and told them exactly where and when to strike. You knew we'd be ambushed. You knew we wouldn't all make it out and at least one person would be killed."

Danzo's lone visible eye narrowed, his gaze hard and unyielding. "And you have proof of this so-called ambush I supposedly set up? Tangible evidence that substantiates this story you're spinning?"

Hiruzen turned his sharp gaze to the Uchiha team, silently awaiting their response, his posture tense but patient.

Ryota swallowed hard, knowing they didn't have any physical proof. "No, Lord Hokage, we don't have physical evidence," he admitted, the anger barely contained in his voice. "There were too many of them. We were fighting for our lives, and by the time Kaito finished off the last of them, their bodies were burned. The shinobi erupted into flames as they died, leaving nothing but ash."

Danzo scoffed, a dark look of disdain crossing his face. "So, no proof then? Nothing but the accusations of Uchiha shinobi who failed to complete their mission."

"Enough, Danzo," Hiruzen cut in sharply, his tone final. Turning back to the Uchiha team, his expression softened slightly. "While I understand the pain and anger you feel over Kaito's death, without concrete evidence, it's nearly impossible to substantiate an accusation as serious as a setup."

Ryota's eyes narrowed, his fists trembling with fury as he fought to contain his frustration. "But Lord Hokage—"

Hiruzen held up a hand, his tone gentle but firm. "I understand your pain, Ryota. Losing a comrade, especially a leader, is never easy, and it is felt even deeper when it happens under such circumstances. However, the village must operate on facts and evidence. While I don't dismiss your claim outright, I also can't act upon it without more substantial proof."

Danzo, sensing an opportunity, stepped forward, his voice steady and authoritative. "If these shinobi are unwilling to complete their assignment, I suggest it be returned to Root. This mission is vital to the security of the village and could very well prevent Kirigakure from rejoining the conflict. We cannot afford any hesitation."

Hiruzen's gaze hardened as he turned back to Danzo, his voice leaving no room for argument. "No, Danzo. I will not reassign this mission to Root. The ANBU will take it on with the utmost caution. None of us want another war front, especially with the Bloody Mist. We've lost too many already."

Danzo's visible eye flickered with a flash of frustration, though he managed to conceal it, his tone as gravely as ever. "Hm. As you command."

With that, Hiruzen gave a nod, dismissing the group. As the Uchiha shinobi turned to leave, Danzo cast them a final, cold glance before stepping out himself, his expression unreadable. But inside, a dark thought took root, his mind racing, 'The Uchiha… somehow they managed to kill every one of my agents. They shouldn't have been able to do that without some hidden power. What did they unleash?'

Once alone, Hiruzen leaned back in his chair, his mind weighted with doubt. The accusations lingered, echoing in his mind. 'Could Danzo truly have set up members of the village for his own gain?' He'd known Danzo since their days at the academy, trusted him as a friend. Danzo's methods had always been harsh, even ruthless, but they had always, at least in Hiruzen's eyes, served the village.

"No…" Hiruzen murmured to himself, furrowing his brow as he pondered the notion. "Danzo has always had the village's interests at heart. Eliminating Kaito, one of our best, would weaken the Leaf. Surely, he wouldn't jeopardize our strength at a time like this, not when we're finally on the brink of peace."

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(A/N: There goes Hiruzen and his boyfriend again. It was not a huge chapter, but I did try to explore the effects of Kaito's death on the rest of the group, especially as they were fighting with Danzo. Hope y'all are enjoying the chapters!) 

Powerstone Goals:

25 by Sunday = Extra Chapter

50 by Sunday = 2 Extra Chapters