Chapter 82: Leaf Village Cannot Afford Another Uchiha Madara

Midnight.

When Kakashi finally left the Leaf Village Cemetery and returned to his home, he was in a daze.

The information Uchiha Iizumi had revealed about Obito echoed relentlessly in his mind.

—“The one who unleashed the Nine-Tails on the night of the attack, plunging Leaf Village into chaos, and responsible for the deaths of the Fourth Hokage, his wife, and countless innocent civilians… was Uchiha Obito.”

Especially those words struck him like a blade.

Obito was still alive…

Though Kakashi couldn’t fathom why the surviving Obito had never returned to the village, why he’d never come to meet him—still, as his closest friend, he should have been relieved.

But now, after learning everything from Uchiha Iizumi, Kakashi felt a cold dread twist in his chest.

He wished Obito had died.

Because this man was no longer the Obito he remembered—the hot-blooded idiot who dreamed of becoming Hokage.

This was a monster who had brought suffering upon countless innocent lives, who had killed the Fourth Hokage and his wife.

Obito…

Had fallen into an abyss from which there was no return.

"Why… did you do this?" Kakashi exhaled slowly, his gaze falling upon an old photo on the table.

The photo showed him, Konoha Rin, the Fourth Hokage, and Obito—smiling, young, alive.

Kakashi removed his forehead protector, revealing the Three Tomoe Sharingan beneath.

He pressed a hand to his eye, his expression heavy with sorrow.

"What have you endured all these years, Obito? Was it Rin’s death… that broke you?"

A flicker of unease passed through his eyes.

The Obito who had fallen into darkness—what had brought him back to the village this time?

Was it truly just to pay his respects to Rin?

…

The next day.

Morning.

Hiruzen Sarutobi arrived once more at the Anbu Base. The dark circles under his eyes, the deep lines etched into his face—clear signs he had not slept a wink through the night.

He cut short a greeting from an approaching Anbu Ninja.

“Where is Danzō now?”

The Anbu replied, “Medical-nin have tried countless methods, but they cannot ease Shimura Danzō’s pain. Itachi Captain even attempted his own techniques—still, no success.”

He paused, then added, “The medical team believes this isn’t physical or mental agony. It may be pain at the soul level.”

“Soul-level pain…” Hiruzen Sarutobi’s eyes narrowed with deep unease.

Any technique tied to the soul was, by nature, forbidden—most of them were Zetsu’s own creations.

And a power so overwhelming that it had left both the Anbu and the medical team utterly helpless?

That could only mean one thing.

A Forbidden Forbidden Technique.

Hiruzen entered Danzō’s private chamber.

The man lay motionless, eyes closed, yet his body trembled violently.

Hiruzen frowned. “What’s happening?!”

Two exhausted medical-nin were frantically working beside him.

One of them rushed to respond, “Hokage-sama… to prevent further suffering, we injected Danzō with massive doses of anesthesia.”

“But we soon realized… the drugs did little good. Even though he’s unconscious and no longer screaming, the pain never stops.”

“The pain… never ends,” the medic whispered, his voice trembling. “Even in deep sleep, he’s enduring agony no human should bear.”

Hiruzen stared in silence.

Iizumi’s Mangekyō Sharingan… was far too dangerous.

…

“That child’s Sharingan is too dangerous! Too uncontrollable! Why didn’t you seize Uchiha Iizumi the moment he arrived? That was the perfect chance! But instead, you let him wound Danzō—you let him!”

Tsunade Konoha’s face twisted with disbelief.

“If he were just hunting criminals, scaring off troublemakers—then even if he acted recklessly, I could endure it.”

“But he didn’t just attack Danzō—he did it in front of everyone. He defied the Hokage openly! Uchiha Iizumi has crossed the line—he’s no longer controllable!”

She paced back and forth before Hyūga Menji, muttering sharp condemnations against Uchiha Iizumi, then turning to voice her disappointment in Hiruzen Sarutobi’s weakness.

Hyūga Menji, however, offered a different perspective.

“Hiruzen isn’t weak. If he had fought Uchiha Iizumi—now possessing a Mangekyō Sharingan—on the battlefield last night, even if he had captured him, the Anbu would have suffered devastating losses.”

He paused, voice low.

“And there were over twenty Uchiha shinobi present. If a fight had erupted, it wouldn’t just be between Danzō and Iizumi. It would have become a war between the Uchiha Clan and Leaf Village.”

“For the sake of peace, Hiruzen chose reason over rage.”

Tsunade Konoha frowned. “But there were dozens of Anbu, and Fugaku was on our side. How couldn’t they control the younger Uchiha?”

Hyūga Menji let out a weary sigh.

“Danzō has made too many enemies. Who would risk their life for him—especially against someone like Iizumi?”

Tsunade Konoha fell silent.

It was true.

Danzō’s own Sharingan, and the stolen Wood Release Cells he’d implanted—enough to alienate every bloodline clan in the village.

“Hiruzen has his reasons. He is the Third Hokage. We can only offer advice.”

He paused, then added quietly, “But… Iizumi’s Mangekyō is a threat. If he ever turns against Leaf Village, he will be our greatest enemy. We must gather intelligence on his abilities—prepare a plan.”

Even if they didn’t harbor Danzō’s extreme prejudice toward the Uchiha Clan…

The truth remained: the Uchiha were, in their minds, the most unpredictable force in the village.

Especially since the Sharingan required intense emotional trauma to awaken.

Then what level of pain would it take to awaken the Mangekyō?

And once awakened—was the mind of an Uchiha still sane?

“Leaf Village… cannot afford another Uchiha Madara.”

“Even if we can’t destroy the threat before it grows, we must have a plan to kill him.”

“We can discuss it with Hiruzen later.”

Hyūga Menji spoke with grim resolve.

Tsunade Konoha’s expression softened slightly—not just because of Danzō’s suffering, but because she felt a chilling fear.

She knew all too well what it meant to be on the wrong side of power.

After all… was her own record any cleaner than Danzō’s?

…

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end