At this moment, everything flashed through his mind again, and he finally understood what was happening!
It must have been exposed tonight.
So this ろくでなし wanted to shift all the blame onto him.
No wonder the Third Hokage, Sarutobi Hiruzen, knew about his secret use of funds to cultivate his own power.
Aside from information leaking from the inner circle,
how else could they know so much about this?!
"No, no, it wasn't me! It wasn't me!!"
Shimura Jogawa roared,
turning his head to glare fiercely at Danzo.
Hatred burned in his eyes, flames of rage flickering wildly.
Danzo… If you're going to be ruthless,
then don't blame me for being the same!
"You…"
"Ugh!"
Shimura Danzo suddenly let out a long sigh,
shaking his head at Shimura Jogawa with a look of pity.
He interrupted whatever Jogawa was about to say:
"Elder, this is truly heartbreaking."
"Your grandson, Shimura Egawa… If he knew what you've done,
how could he ever hold his head up within the Shimura clan?
How would the people of Konoha see him?!"
What?!
Shimura Jogawa's expression changed drastically.
Danzo continued with a sorrowful tone,
"Egawa fell asleep at my residence tonight.
Now tell me, Elder—when I return home, how should I explain this to him?"
Shimura Jogawa stood frozen, as if struck by lightning.
Egawa… Egawa…
Why is my grandson Shimura Egawa at Danzo's house right now?!
Shimura Egawa is in Danzo's hands?!
He hid him…
He…
He actually kidnapped my grandson!!
He actually kidnapped my grandson just to threaten me at this moment!
As realization dawned, rage erupted within Shimura Jogawa.
His eyes turned bloodshot, filled with uncontainable fury!
"Elder! Elder! Why did you steal the Scroll of Seals?! What was your intent?!"
"In the northwest district of the village, an enormous chakra surge erupted just now—
the entire street has been reduced to a sea of flames… That was your doing as well, wasn't it?!"
"By the way—where is your son?!"
"Why didn't your son come with you?!"
Before Shimura Jogawa could respond,
Shimura Danzo had already turned to Sarutobi Hiruzen, speaking directly:
"Sarutobi, when Anbu raided the elder's home,
did they find his son, Shimura Egawa?"
Sarutobi Hiruzen's eyes flickered.
He didn't know what Danzo was planning,
but since he had brought it up,
Hiruzen turned to the Anbu ninja beside him.
Instead of answering directly,
he asked them if they had seen Shimura Jogawa's son, Shimura Egawa, at his residence.
The Anbu responded truthfully:
"Hokage-sama, when we apprehended Shimura Jogawa,
he was alone in his house."
Sarutobi Hiruzen's brow furrowed.
His tone grew sharp:
"Shimura Jogawa! Where is your son?!"
Shimura Jogawa was stunned.
No…
No way…!!
At that moment, Danzo seized the opportunity, his urgency growing.
Trying to shift all suspicion away from himself, he pointed at Shimura Jogawa and exclaimed:
"Elder! Konoha's commercial district—
You didn't send Shimura Egawa there, did you?!"
"Oh! Elder, you've lost your way!"
Danzo clutched his chest dramatically.
"The northwest district… It's been reduced to ashes.
Why did you send Shimura Egawa to destroy it?!"
"Was it to divert attention away from the theft of the Scroll of Seals?
To distract the Anbu?"
"Or did you lose everything at the gambling dens and seek revenge?!"
"Whatever your reasons, attacking the village is unforgivable!"
Danzo's expression was filled with sorrow.
Shimura Jogawa… understood now.
He understood everything.
His grandson had fallen into the hands of Danzō and had been kidnapped…
And his own son… had died on Northwest Street!
The shocking news spread like wildfire.
Shimura Jogawa, exhausted and pale, staggered before collapsing to the ground.
"You… you… you…"
He pointed at Shimura Danzō, struggling to form words.
"Elder, are you still clinging to your delusions?!"
Danzō's expression remained unreadable as he pressed forward.
"Do you need irrefutable proof before you accept the truth?!"
"You are the great elder of the Shimura clan. Even if you refuse to confess your guilt to preserve the clan's honor, at the very least, you should spare some dignity for your grandson, Shimura Egawa!!"
"I… I…"
Shimura Kazuki gasped heavily, his breath coming in ragged bursts.
Even breathing seemed like an unbearable burden.
Finally—
The light in his eyes faded, extinguished like a candle snuffed out by the wind.
"Lord Hokage, I plead guilty…"
"It was me…"
"It was me… I orchestrated everything…"
"I sent my men to steal the Scroll of Seals… I ordered the attacks in the marketplace…"
"The gambling dens on Northwest Street had drained my wealth for too long. I despised them. This was my opportunity—first, to create a distraction, forcing the Anbu to scatter… and second, to rid Konoha of those filthy casinos altogether."
"I did it all."
"I did it all…"
"I plead guilty…"
His voice grew weaker, and his already pale complexion turned deathly white.
"Take him away."
Sarutobi Hiruzen's tone was cold as he gestured to the Anbu beside him.
"Yes, Hokage-sama!"
Two elite jōnin-level Anbu operatives stepped forward.
They bound Shimura Jogawa tightly with chakra-suppressing restraints, preventing any resistance.
"Detain him in the prison. We will decide his fate later."
"Yes, Hokage-sama!"
Without hesitation, the Anbu hoisted Shimura Jogawa up and carried him away.
"Sarutobi! Sarutobi!!"
Before everything was settled, before judgment was finalized,
Shimura Danzō called out, stopping Hiruzen in his tracks.
With a heavy thud, he dropped to one knee, bowing deeply.
His face was grief-stricken as he addressed the Hokage:
"Third Hokage-sama!"
"Though Shimura Jogawa has committed grave crimes…
He is still the great elder of the Shimura clan."
"For the sake of our clan's long-standing service to Konoha,
I beg you to spare his life!"
Sarutobi Hiruzen narrowed his eyes, scrutinizing Danzō.
Slowly, he uttered his name with deliberate weight:
"Shi-mu-ra… Dan-zō."
As Hokage,
He could not allow anyone to claim special privileges.
The arrogant and overambitious Uchiha clan had already been eradicated…
He would not sit idly by and allow another clan to rise unchecked—
Not while he held the title of Hokage.
Yet Danzō remained kneeling, unwavering in his plea.
"I do not ask for Jogawa to be freed," he stated firmly.
"He can be imprisoned for life. I only ask, Hokage-sama,
That you consider the Shimura clan's long-standing contributions to Konoha…
And spare the elder's life."
Hiruzen did not respond.
"Enough. I am tired. You are all dismissed."
With a simple wave of his hand, he signaled for Anbu to escort the remaining officials out.
Then, without another word, he turned his back on them all.
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