"Hiruzen, Uchiha Kiyo has become too bold.
He disregards authority, defies rules at every turn. If he continues like this, he will soon become uncontrollable.
In my opinion, Tobirama-sensei was right. If the Uchiha are left unchecked, how can the village ever know peace?"
Danzo's voice was laced with barely concealed fury as he glared at the Third Hokage. The moment Uchiha Kiyo left the office, Danzo wasted no time in fanning the flames of doubt. He had brought up the entire Uchiha clan, attempting to paint them as an irredeemable threat once more.
If Uchiha Kiyo had been here to witness it, he would have surely scoffed and called Danzo shameless.
Hiruzen sighed deeply, pinching the bridge of his nose. He was already weary from the long years of making difficult decisions, and now Danzo was adding more weight to his burden.
"Danzo, you are overreacting again," Hiruzen said, his voice laced with quiet disapproval. "You cannot jump to conclusions without solid evidence. His reaction earlier did not indicate guilt."
Danzo narrowed his single eye. "Hiruzen, you saw his attitude just now. He lacks respect, he defies authority—he is utterly uncontrollable! If you don't take action now—"
"Enough!" Hiruzen's voice cut through the room, laced with authority. "Danzo, this matter is settled. You should return and recover from your injuries.
Also… there are clear issues within Root's management. You should be focusing on fixing that first."
Danzo clenched his remaining fist, his teeth grinding audibly. "Hiruzen, Uchiha Kiyo is a threat to Konoha's stability. He must be dealt with before it's too late. You are being too lenient!"
"I said enough, Danzo! I am the Hokage!" Hiruzen bellowed, his patience finally snapping.
His sharp gaze locked onto Danzo, daring him to challenge his authority any further. The room was thick with tension before Hiruzen exhaled and gestured toward the door.
"You're dismissed. Go back and focus on your recovery."
Danzo clenched his fist, his expression dark. He turned on his heel and left without another word, though his steps were heavy with resentment. He had half a mind to dramatically shake his sleeve as he exited—but, with his right arm gone, he was bitterly reminded that such an action was impossible.
His grip tightened as his thoughts turned to Uchiha Kiyo.
"You think you can just walk away unscathed? You're mistaken. I'll make sure Konoha is protected, no matter what it takes. And if I have to sacrifice one Uchiha to do it… so be it."
Of course, to say that Uchiha Kiyo had "threatened" Konoha was ridiculous. It was simply Danzo's vendetta against him. The Root leader was still brooding over the loss of his operatives and the fact that the murderer's chakra signature had resembled Kiyo's own. The true killer was dead, but to Danzo, that didn't matter—there was still one Uchiha left to blame.
For Kiyo, things were only getting more dangerous.
Paying Respects
After leaving the Hokage's office, Uchiha Kiyo chose not to return to the training ground. Instead, he made his way to a nearby florist, purchasing a bouquet of fresh flowers.
He walked through the village in silence, the scent of the blossoms mixing with the crisp morning air. Eventually, he arrived at the Konoha Cemetery. His steps slowed as he neared a familiar gravestone—one that bore the name of Nawaki Senju.
Kiyo knelt down before the grave, carefully sweeping away the dust and placing the flowers before it. The scent of the fresh petals mixed with the cold air of the cemetery, a bittersweet contrast that suited the emotions swirling in his heart.
For a long while, he simply sat there in silence, letting his thoughts wander.
He thought of his plans.
Would he ever have the chance to return here again? To visit Nawaki's grave once more?
He wasn't sure.
After two hours of silent contemplation, he finally stood up, exhaling slowly. He turned and walked away, his mind set on the future.
That night, instead of diving into his usual research, Uchiha Kiyo chose to rest early. He needed his strength.
A New Day, A New Obstacle
The following morning, Uchiha Kiyo was back at Training Ground Nine before dawn, ready to resume his training.
He activated the Gravity Barrier, pushing it to its maximum setting. The 3.0 version of the technique could now exert up to seven times normal gravity, something he hadn't expected to achieve for another three years. Yet, through continuous training and refining his body's endurance, he had reached this milestone in a fraction of the time.
Still, there was no time to develop an even stronger version of the technique. The village was on edge, and Danzo's watchful eye was ever present. Seven times gravity would have to suffice—for now.
Alternating his training regimen, Kiyo focused on his body-strengthening technique. He had developed a strict routine: three-hour sessions each day, with alternating intensity. One day, an hour-long session, the next, a full three hours. It was a grueling schedule, but he persisted.
For Kiyo, this was the only time he could truly let his mind relax. The repetition of movements, the rigorous exertion of his body—it was almost meditative. Even when exhausted, he found a strange sense of tranquility in the rhythmic, thoughtless flow of training.
Yesterday's rest had done wonders. Today, as he moved through the familiar forms of his exercises, something was different. He felt a shift, a deep connection to his body, an awareness of every muscle and movement.
The flow of his exercises became smoother, more natural. His body felt stronger, more responsive.
Lost in the rhythm, Kiyo didn't even notice how much time had passed.
Only when a sharp hunger gnawed at his stomach did he snap back to reality, realizing he had been training for nearly two hours without pause.
But just as he was about to take a break, a cold sensation crawled up his spine. His instincts flared.
His body tensed.
There was someone there.
He didn't turn immediately. Instead, he focused his chakra, expanding his sensory field. And then he felt it—two separate chakra signatures. One behind him, another in the bushes ahead. One belonged to an Anbu. The other…
"Root," he thought, his eyes narrowing.
Turning his head slightly, he spoke, his voice laced with irritation.
"Who's there?"
There was a pause, and then a masked ninja stepped out from the shadows, standing still as if his mere presence was explanation enough.
Kiyo frowned.
He could feel the second presence lingering behind him. They weren't even trying to be discreet about the surveillance. The arrogance in their posture irritated him further.
"So it's come to this, huh?" Kiyo muttered.
The Root operative had a distinct mask—one Kiyo recognized. Root's masks had small differences from standard Anbu masks, and this was one he had encountered before. He could tell at a glance.
In that moment, something snapped inside Uchiha Kiyo.
You dare spy on me in broad daylight? In the middle of the village?
Kunai in hand, he moved.
It happened so quickly that the Root operative barely had time to react. One moment, he was watching Kiyo, the next—
A flash. A blur. The cold bite of metal against his throat.
Danzo's agent barely had time to look surprised before his vision faded to black.
As the body hit the ground, Kiyo smirked, wiping the blood from his kunai.
"A Root agent in the village. That was your mistake, Danzo. Next time, send someone smarter."
He turned away, heading back to his training. There was work to be done. Strength to be gained. Plans to complete.
He wasn't going to fall. Not to the Hokage. Not to Danzo. Not to anyone.
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