True Evil Ninja

"Mangekyō Sharingan?!" 

In the Hokage's office, Sarutobi Hiruzen had been smoking his pipe all night. The fumes were so thick they stung the eyes and choked the air. 

After hearing Uchiha Shisui's report, his face twisted in shock. 

As the student of the Second Hokage, Senju Tobirama, Hiruzen knew all too well the terror of the Mangekyō Sharingan. 

Back then, it was because both Uchiha Madara and his brother, Uchiha Izuna, had awakened the Mangekyō that they'd been able to fight the Senju—a clan that produced two Hokage—to a standstill. 

Hiruzen's gaze turned icy as he stared at Shisui. 

"Shisui, I won't blame you for holding back." 

"But answer me this…" 

Shisui knelt on the floor, not daring to raise his head. 

"Ask me anything, Hokage-sama." 

"If you were to fight Uchiha Yoru seriously…" 

"What are your odds of winning?!" 

Shisui exhaled in relief. If Hiruzen had asked anything else, he might've hesitated. 

But when it came to strength… 

"Hokage-sama, you have nothing to worry about!" 

"Yoru's Mangekyō Sharingan has only just awakened. His ocular power is far inferior to mine. And more importantly…" 

"No one can match the power of my Mangekyō's unique ability." 

"Not to mention…" 

"I possess the ultimate technique hidden within the Mangekyō— 

"Susano'o!" 

Hiruzen's expression softened slightly. 

"Susano'o, hm?" 

"A legendary power indeed…" 

"My teacher once said it's the 'third force'—only attainable by awakening both Mangekyō abilities." 

Shisui couldn't help but admire Hiruzen's knowledge. 

"As expected of the 'Professor,' Hokage-sama." 

"Even among the Uchiha, few know these secrets." 

Hiruzen shook his head dismissively. 

"It's all from my teacher's research on your clan." 

Despite Shisui's confidence, Hiruzen's unease lingered. 

Just then— 

Dawn broke outside. 

As they spoke, the Hokage's office door was knocked on once more. 

"Hokage-sama." 

Hiruzen's eyes sharpened. 

"Kakashi?" 

"Enter." 

Hatake Kakashi stepped in, his fox-like mask hiding his face. Hiruzen studied him, as if trying to see through it. 

"Well, Kakashi? Any findings?" 

Kakashi nodded grimly. 

"Yes. This is the report from my investigation with Inoichi and Ibiki." 

Hiruzen skimmed the document, his brow furrowing instantly. 

"This is…" 

Kakashi sighed. "Hokage-sama… I'm afraid…" 

"Uchiha Yoru's claims were true." 

"Captain… that is, Shin'nosuke-sama, did order an ambush to retaliate against Yoru, severely injuring two Konoha Military Police members—Uchiha Aoki and Uchiha Yamakaze." 

Hiruzen and Shisui exchanged a glance. 

Neither was surprised—they already knew the truth. 

What did shock Hiruzen was… 

Kakashi's stance. 

"I see…" 

"So, Kakashi, are you saying Shin'nosuke deserved to die?" 

Kakashi stiffened. "No, Hokage-sama. I'd never say that." 

"While I… disagree with Shin'nosuke's methods…" 

"I also don't condone Yoru's extremism." 

Hiruzen pressed further. 

"If you were Yoru, what would you have done?" 

Kakashi paused, then answered honestly. 

"I'd have fought for my comrades' justice too…" 

"But not so ruthlessly." 

In his mind flashed Uchiha Obito's determined face—and the words he'd once told him: 

"Those who break the rules are scum." 

"But those who abandon their comrades…" 

"Are worse than scum!" 

Hiruzen watched him intently. 

"Then, how would you punish Yoru?" 

"That's the Hokage's decision—" 

"I'm asking you." 

"I… believe imprisoning him for reflection would suffice." 

Hiruzen's voice hardened. "Not execution?" 

Kakashi fell silent. 

Hiruzen sighed. 

"I understand." 

What he understood was Kakashi's loyalty—not blind obedience, but a man with his own principles. 

Unlike Shisui or Itachi, he couldn't be so easily controlled. 

As both men stewed in their thoughts, the door was knocked on a third time. 

"Hokage-sama." 

"Zō? Enter." 

Hiruzen's personal ANBU guard, "Zō," stepped in. 

"Hokage-sama, the Kumogakure envoy has arrived." 

"Already?" 

Hiruzen's face darkened. 

Though full-scale war hadn't erupted, skirmishes between Konoha and Kumo persisted—a lingering aftershock of the Third Great War. 

And after the Nine-Tails' attack, Konoha's weakened state made peace a necessity. 

After countless concessions, Kumo had finally agreed to a ceasefire. 

For Hiruzen, drowning in internal strife, this was a godsend. 

After all—secure the home front before facing external threats. 

His true enemy wasn't Kumo, but the real cancer festering since Konoha's founding… 

The Uchiha Clan. 

To achieve this, he'd sacrificed mountains of leverage in negotiations—all for this ceasefire. 

The accusations of weakness? 

He didn't care. 

To the public, he preached "peace, stability, and progress." 

I'm not weak. I'm merciful. 

But with crisis piling upon crisis, even Hiruzen felt overwhelmed. 

Yet he was a leader forged in war. With a deep breath, he steeled himself. 

"Detain Yoru for now. No executions, but no leniency either!" 

"The Kumo negotiations come first." 

"Once that's settled, we'll deal with him—and the Uchiha." 

Kakashi and Shisui shared a glance. 

"Yes, Hokage-sama!" 

Hiruzen stood abruptly, his presence radiating authority—sharper, fiercer than his usual grandfatherly demeanor. 

"Come. Both of you will accompany me to meet Kumo's envoys!" 

"Yes, Hokage-sama!" 

—— 

"Kumogakure's envoys…?" 

When Yoru heard the news from the returning Uchiha Yamakaze, his eyes narrowed. 

He knew exactly why they'd come. 

And more importantly— 

The disgusting, underhanded deal Hiruzen would make. 

In his past life, few things enraged him more than Uchiha Itachi and Obito's betrayals… 

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