47. Kakashi's Eyes Are "Taken Back"!

"Danzo, hand over Kakashi's Sharingan!"

The Third Hokage sighed, exchanging a silent look with his old companion. If he had known things would escalate this way, he wouldn't have made such a spectacle. Now, the whole village knew, and he'd lost face.

"Sarutobi, I don't know what you're talking about. You brought all these people here in the middle of the night—what's the meaning of this?"

Danzo replied with a sullen expression. He knew he'd likely be blamed, but he wasn't willing to accept it so easily. Kakashi's Sharingan… he'd only ever thought about it; he hadn't actually taken it!

"Lord Danzo, there's no point in playing dumb. The Third Hokage has a body marked with the Cursed Tongue Eradication Seal in his possession. Surely you won't claim ignorance of that?" 

Yagami spoke up, his words making both the Third Hokage and Danzo's expressions darkened.

Damn it! Why did this idiot Sarutobi bring a Uchiha kid along? Is he here just to mock me?

Damn it! Yagami, can you just keep quiet and act invisible? Hearing your voice is torture right now.

"I won't deny sending someone to test Kakashi's strength, but I never took his Sharingan! I don't even have a Sharingan…"

Danzo tried to explain, admitting he'd had someone confront Kakashi but denying any intent to take his Sharingan.

"Lord Danzo, think carefully before you speak. I don't know if you have Kakashi's Sharingan, but you certainly have a Sharingan—in your right eye."

"Kakashi's Sharingan was agreed upon by the Uchiha and the village, and we won't interfere as long as the agreement holds. But if you have it in your possession, believe me, I'll tear down this place to reclaim the Sharingan!"

Yagami's tone grew sharper as he activated his Mangekyō Sharingan, with Shisui beside him following suit. The surge of chakra and killing intent weighed heavily on the air, making even the Third Hokage's eyelids twitch at the tension.

Damn it! I didn't even touch the Uchiha this time! Why are they so riled up? They act like they're ready to strike me down!

Danzo cursed internally, unsure of how to respond. By now, everyone believed he'd stolen Kakashi's Sharingan, and he'd been caught red-handed—despite never even laying eyes on it.

"Danzo, I won't say it a third time. Return Kakashi's Sharingan! Otherwise, as Hokage, I won't be able to prevent Uchiha from reclaiming their bloodline limit."

The Third Hokage's gaze grew colder, sending a chill down Danzo's spine.

Damn it! What's wrong with Sarutobi? It's as if he's ready to cut ties entirely. He's never reacted this way, not even when I targeted Kakashi in the past!

Danzo's mind was in turmoil. His power in Konoha wasn't solely due to being the Hokage's old comrade but rather his skill in reading the political landscape.

The Third Hokage could tolerate Danzo's political manoeuvring and occasional overreach into Hokage duties, but he drew the line at harming Konoha's interests.

This was Sarutobi's bottom line. Danzo had previously skirted around it without consequence.

But with Kakashi, things had gone too far. Only moments before, the Third Hokage had entrusted Kakashi with the task of looking after Naruto and suppressing the Nine-Tails, yet Danzo had immediately undermined him.

For the Third Hokage, this was not only a challenge to his authority but a threat to Konoha's stability. If Naruto, as the Nine Tails' Jinchūriki, lost control, it could be disastrous.

"Lord Hokage, I won't stand by while my clan's bloodline limit is at risk. If you don't act, I'll do it myself."

Enough was enough! Watching the two old allies in stony silence, Yagami decided he'd had enough and voiced his reminder aloud.

"Damn it! You, Uchiha, might have some secret method to detect a Sharingan, but can't you tell me who the Sharingan is? The Sharingan I have isn't Kakashi's!"

Danzo's face twitched uncontrollably as he realized he was about to lose his last Sharingan. Yet, with everyone's eyes on him, he couldn't argue back, especially under the weight of the two Mangekyō Sharingan and the Third Hokage.

"Fine! The old man will admit it this time…"

With no other choice, Danzo begrudgingly handed over the Sharingan, ready to put an end to the whole debacle. As for the truth, it no longer mattered.

The Third Hokage took the Sharingan from Danzo, frowning slightly. Danzo, what's with that look you're giving me?

Danzo's gaze darkened as he scrutinized the man he'd known for decades, almost as if he were trying to see through him completely.

Danzo had his suspicions. If he planned to take Kakashi's Sharingan and blame the Uchiha, he'd naturally have certain precautions in place, including monitoring the Uchiha clan. But he was sure now—the Uchiha really hadn't interfered in this matter.

His own men had attacked Kakashi; one had been killed, but no Sharingan was retrieved. The Uchiha hadn't stepped in, which left only one possibility!

The Third Hokage must be hiding the Sharingan! Kakashi's eye was likely still with him.

Good! Very good! Sarutobi Hiruzen, I underestimated you!

"Lord Hokage, our Uchiha clan awaits your explanation. Now that this matter is resolved, we'll be on our way. Don't keep us waiting!"

Yagami's words cut through the tension as he turned to leave, satisfied with the outcome. Though he hadn't forced Danzo to a breaking point as he'd hoped, the result was still beneficial. Danzo's supply of Sharingan was depleted; there seemed to be a rift between him and the Third Hokage, and on top of it all, he'd gained Kamui.

What? Kamui was Kakashi's? Well, didn't the Third Hokage just return a Sharingan? Then that one's his...

As for whether Obito might approach Kakashi for his eye one day and realize it's not his original Sharingan, that was no concern for Yagami. After all, it was Danzo who had taken Kakashi's eye, and the Third Hokage had retrieved it from Danzo, so any follow-up issues could be referred back to Danzo.

Seeing the outcome, the crowd dispersed, though the looks they cast toward the Third Hokage and Danzo were filled with mixed emotions.

The Third Hokage sighed internally, knowing that this incident would make it difficult to suppress the rising voices in the village. Dissatisfaction wasn't limited to Danzo; it extended to himself as well.

After the Third Shinobi War, his leadership left the village uneasy, which was only alleviated with the appointment of the Fourth Hokage. Then, after the Fourth Hokage's death, he resumed the role, facing no criticism only because of the dire circumstances at the time.

But now, with the world relatively peaceful, recent incidents like the Hyuga affair and his handling of the Uchiha conflict had further strained relations with the village's major clans.

"Hmph!"

Danzo snorted coldly, shook his sleeves, and left.

"Old man, you… sigh!"

Jiraiya, who had witnessed the entire ordeal, let out a long sigh, unsure of what to say. Although Kakashi's Sharingan had been "retrieved," the Third Hokage's handling of the situation left much to be desired.

"Remove Danzo from his position as an elder, confine him to the clan grounds for three months, and convene a high-level meeting tomorrow morning. Notify all shinobi and ensure the Uchiha clan attends!"

The Third Hokage issued his orders, weariness evident in his voice. Anbu immediately vanished to carry them out. The damage was done, and agonizing over it was futile; now, he needed to find a way to appease the Uchiha.

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

You can read advanced chapters here: patreon.com/GregariousLion