Naruto: reborn as an Uzumaki

[At the Hokage's Office]

Inoichi Yamanaka's brow furrowed as he concentrated, his mind delving into the dark depths of Danzo's memories. The room was tense, and all eyes were fixed on him as he began to speak. Tsunade, the Fifth Hokage, stood leaning against her desk, arms crossed, her expression hard. Kakashi Hatake and Might Guy were silent beside her, their faces unusually grim. Kenshin, the one responsible for Danzo's capture, remained near the wall, his gaze unwavering on the unconscious man in front of him. Akane had been sent home, her Mangekyo Sharingan overexerted from earlier battles.

Inoichi's voice broke the silence, calm but weighted with the severity of what he was about to reveal. "I've uncovered the full scope of Danzo's crimes," he said, his eyes meeting Tsunade's. "And they run deep—rooted in Konoha's history, spanning decades."

Tsunade's eyes darkened. "Start from the beginning," she ordered, her voice firm yet cold. The room seemed to grow heavier as Inoichi continued.

"Danzo's first major offense goes back to the Second Shinobi War," Inoichi began. "He orchestrated the assassination of several high-ranking Konoha officials—people who opposed his ruthless methods. They were removed from power using operatives from Root, Danzo's private black ops group. He saw them as obstacles to his vision of a militarized village."

Tsunade clenched her jaw but said nothing. She was prepared for this—but hearing it spoken aloud still struck a nerve.

"And then, there's the Uchiha massacre," Inoichi continued, glancing at Kakashi, whose posture stiffened slightly. "Danzo exacerbated tensions between the Uchiha clan and the village. He stole Shisui Uchiha's Mangekyo Sharingan, intending to use its powerful Kotoamatsukami to bend others to his will. He manipulated Itachi into carrying out the massacre, all to eliminate a perceived threat to his vision of the village."

Kakashi's hands tightened into fists, his eyes narrowing behind his mask. Guy, sensing his friend's reaction, laid a hand on his shoulder, offering silent support.

Inoichi pressed on. "But it gets worse. Danzo was a key player in Orochimaru's human experiments. He supplied Orochimaru with test subjects—Konoha's own people. In return, Danzo gained access to forbidden jutsu and arcane knowledge, all in his pursuit of power. Many innocent lives were lost in the process."

Kenshin's eyes flickered with fury. "I knew he was scum, but I didn't realize how deep it went," he muttered under his breath.

"His crimes didn't end there," Inoichi added, his tone darkening further. "Danzo attempted to overthrow the Third Hokage multiple times, organizing coups and assassinations. Each plot failed, but it left the village in constant turmoil. He believed Sarutobi's leadership was weak and too lenient for the times."

Tsunade gripped the edge of her desk tightly, her knuckles turning white. "That explains the internal instability... Hiruzen was dealing with more than we ever knew."

Inoichi's expression turned grim as he revealed Danzo's most horrifying crime. "During the Third Shinobi War, Danzo ordered the slaughter of entire villages. Men, women, and children were executed on the suspicion that they harbored enemy spies. These weren't isolated incidents but part of a systematic campaign. He justified the deaths as 'necessary sacrifices.'"

A suffocating silence fell over the room, the weight of the atrocities too much to process all at once.

"Is there anything else?" Tsunade finally asked, her voice quiet, barely concealing her disgust.

"Many smaller crimes and transgressions," Inoichi answered. "But these are the ones that define his legacy."

Tsunade exhaled, her breath shaky. "We can't keep this hidden any longer. The people need to know what Danzo has done."

Before she could continue, Kenshin spoke up. "There's one complication. Itachi doesn't want the truth about the Uchiha massacre revealed. He wants to protect the reputation of his clan, even in death."

Inoichi looked at Kenshin, his brow furrowed. "Why wouldn't Itachi want the truth to clear his name? His own brother is out for revenge against him."

Kenshin's gaze hardened. "Itachi saved my life during a mission. Afterward, he told me everything—about the massacre, his role, and how he was forced into it by Danzo. He asked me to keep this secret, to let the Uchiha's honor remain intact, even if the truth could exonerate him."

Guy, uncharacteristically quiet, finally broke his silence. "We can't just bury this. The people deserve to know the full truth, even if it makes us uncomfortable."

Kenshin turned to him. "Guy-san, I'm not suggesting we hide all of Danzo's crimes. Just the truth behind the Uchiha massacre. Itachi sacrificed everything for the village. He didn't want his clan's name dragged through the mud because of one man's schemes. We owe him that much."

The room fell into silence once again as Tsunade considered his words. Finally, after a long pause, she nodded. "Very well. We'll keep the truth of the Uchiha massacre hidden. But everything else will be made public. Danzo will answer for his crimes."

She stood abruptly, her voice cold with finality. "Get this trash out of my sight."

Inoichi nodded, moving to take Danzo away, the weight of the past two days heavy on his shoulders. He would be imprisoned for the night; tomorrow, justice would be served.

Kenshin watched as the others began to file out. He glanced at the fading daylight outside, a hint of a smile playing on his lips. "Danzo's attack couldn't have come at a better time," he thought to himself. "Now that I've earned their trust, convincing Nagato to let me and mom stay in the Leaf won't be hard. But for now…" He chuckled quietly. "I think I'll spend the night with nee-san."

With that, he slipped out of the room, heading toward Akane's apartment.

---------------------

Everyone, thanks for your support with the previous chapter. As always, please give me your power stones if you want to support me and let me know if you have any helpful suggestions/criticisms.