Reincarnated as Itachi Uchiha at the Start

"Damn it! Who the hell is targeting me?" Danzo trailed off in fury, his face blazing red.

"What grudge could anyone have against me?" he slammed his fist down, shattering the table with an explosive crack.

"This is a vendetta beyond forgiveness. If I ever discover who's behind this, I'll tear them apart ruthlessly—make them regret ever existing!"

"Aaargh! I'm seething!" Danzo screamed, raging and tossing things around. The Root shinobi cowered in fear and quietly slipped out.

...

Naruto had had a dream last night. He dreamt of the Fourth Hokage and a red-haired woman, both claiming to be his parents.

He was overjoyed.

In the dream, they showered him with love and affection. They patiently taught him chakra control, played with him, and talked at length.

He learned that he wasn't unable to perform Clone Jutsu—he simply had too much chakra, and it was hard to regulate. They taught him how to control it.

Then they taught him a technique:

Multiple Shadow Clone Jutsu.

Now he could create hundreds of clones at once, and even walk on water and climb trees!

Naruto wished he could live that dreamy happiness forever, never waking up.

But the alarm rang.

He opened his eyes to find his messy room transformed. His clothes were washed and hung neatly on the balcony.

Every speck of dust on the floor was gone.

Most important: a steaming breakfast and fresh milk waited on the table.

A fried egg shaped like a heart, and a note:

"Eat up, Naruto! Keep it up! Love, Mom & Dad (づ￣3￣)づ╭～ We'll always be by your side~"

Tears streamed down his face as he ate. This was what it felt like to have parents—he never wanted to wake up from this!

After breakfast, Naruto left home, steeling himself for sneers and cruel remarks.

But today felt different.

The usual cold stares had been replaced by pity—and guilt.

"That's the Fourth Hokage's son, isn't it?"

"Yeah, blond hair and blue eyes—he's the spitting image."

"I didn't notice until you mentioned it. His eyes, his hair—it's uncanny."

"Hey, did you hear? Danzo was the masked man that night of the Nine-Tails attack!"

"Seriously? He was jealous of the Fourth, wanted the Hokage seat, so he engineered the Nine-Tails attack—killed Minato and Kushina?"

"For real or rumor?"

"I'm not making it up. My friend's uncle is in Root—he said Root did nothing that night."

"Even Uchiha efforts to stop it were blocked by Root."

"My cousin's girlfriend said the same. Danzo was the masked man. He's got that bandage over his right eye—obvious Sharingan."

"And Orochimaru's experiments? All Danzo's orders."

"Really?"

"It's in the papers and news. Danzo hides his arm—obvious foul play."

"I can't believe we were fooled by Danzo."

"Poor Naruto. A hero's son—treated like a demon fox."

"He's just a kid. And Danzo goes after him so harshly."

"Have you noticed? ANBU following Naruto on his way to school—they're Root agents—clearly Danzo's doing."

"Damn corrupt politics!"

"I spit on it."

On the way to school, nobody bullied or harassed Naruto. Some even offered him breakfast.

Confused but buoyed by kindness, Naruto ran faster than ever.

"Look how fast he runs—that's the Hokage's son!"

"Blond Flash's kid runs that quick? No wonder!"

"At that age, he already moves like his father. True Hokage heir!"

Naruto felt the world had changed, now friendly to him.

But the Root operatives tailing him sensed the shift too—felt scorn, hate relentlessly festering now.

"Look at them skulking in the shadows—that's Danzo's people. I spit on them."

"-face masks, hiding behind masks like dogs and pigs—worth nothing."

The Root shinobi were humiliated—people threw leftovers at them, poured foot-wash buckets over their heads, children sneered and avoided them, even dogs went out of their way to mark them.

Outside the Hokage's office: a crowd of angry civilians holding banners and demanding justice. Families wept inconsolably.

"Murderer must be punished—return our son's life!"

"Hokage, demand Danzo's arrest!"

"Human experimentation unchecked—Konoha must grant justice!"

"Officials protect criminals—enablers of evil!"

"No more letting one hand cover the sky!"

"Remove the umbrella of protection—purge Konoha!"

"Abuse of power, kidnappings, human experiments—Hokage, arrest the true villains and punish severely!"

"Hokage-sama—please say something!"

Giant red characters spelled "INJUSTICE" everywhere. Hiruzen's face paled, his decades of prestige teetered on collapse.

"Hokage-sama, this crowd demands Danzo be punished."

"Media from the Land of Fire request an interview," ANBU reported calmly.

Damn. Hiruzen's expression darkened—this felt like being roasted alive. He knew Danzo's schemes intimately—and this was a referendum on his legacy.

Would he sacrifice Danzo to placate the villagers?

Danzo was not just a subordinate—but his comrade, his trusted retainer.

"Hokage-sama—heads of all Great Clans request an audience," an ANBU member whispered.

"What do they want?" Hiruzen furrowed his brow. A palace coup?

"They demand full transparency on the Nine-Tails attack. They want confirmation whether Danzo's arm contains Hashirama cells."

Hiruzen fell silent.

"Can't we delay a bit more?" he asked, voice low. He just needed time—Tenzo and Kakashi were investigating rumors. He hoped results would emerge soon.

"No," the ANBU officer replied with a heavy heart. "Too many people have gathered—civilians from Konoha and across the Land of Fire. There are malicious elements stirring unrest, spreading rumors with intent to destroy Konoha's image."

"If you don't intervene soon, things could spiral into riot!"

PS: Read Advance Chapters at https://www.patreon.com/c/ReadJin