Chapter Thirty-Two: Danzo's Cane

Faced with the gathering gazes, Danzo’s cane creaked in his grip, as though it might shatter at any moment. This was already the second cane he had replaced recently, and both times, the culprit behind its destruction was none other than Uchiha Rei before him.

“Damn the Uchiha, damn Uchiha Rei, that cursed clan deserves to perish!” Danzo glared daggers at Rei’s direction, cursing inwardly. Yet, he dared not voice his anger, especially under the current circumstances. He could not bear the consequences of an outburst.

Hiruzen Sarutobi had warned him before departing, instructing him to issue a formal apology. This incident had escalated to implicate all the village’s bloodline clans, and without a clear stance, it would be impossible to quell the unrest.

Though it was midday, the sun was not fierce today, yet Danzo felt as if he were standing under a blazing heat. At last, clenching his teeth, he spoke in a sullen tone, “This matter is my responsibility.”

With those words, Danzo turned sharply, preparing to leave. He had no wish to linger any longer; if he remained, he might truly lose control.

“Hold on, Danzo. Are you really just going to leave like this?” Uchiha Rei’s voice stopped him in his tracks.

Rei had to admit, the Third Hokage’s handling of the matter was nearly flawless: from monetary compensation to public admission of wrongdoing—these were the basics. The real masterstroke was stripping Danzo of his duties, winning the hearts of the clans. Having Nara Shikaku, the ANBU, and even Danzo himself apologize before everyone—such sincerity could not be denied. Were the Uchiha to remain unsatisfied after this, they would seem ungrateful.

Thus, the issue, as far as Rei could see, was almost resolved; he could not demand endless explanations from the village. However, he was not about to let Danzo off so easily. Since he finally had Danzo apologizing, how could he allow it to end so simply?

Danzo, hearing Rei’s words, turned back, his eyes cold and filled with killing intent. He stared at Rei and replied in an icy voice, “What do you want?”

As he spoke, Danzo’s cane creaked again, exuding a menacing aura that made all present avert their eyes.

But Uchiha Rei was unfazed. Sweeping his gaze across the camp, he finally spoke, “It’s not what I want, but rather that you should not leave so easily.”

He paused, then declared righteously, “My clan and I have received the village’s apology, and everyone is willing to trust the village. But what about you?”

Rei stepped forward, gesturing to the entire camp, pointing at every person there.

“Do you truly have any intention of apologizing to us, to the village, to those whose bodies were desecrated?”

“If you are sincere in your apology, at least bow deeply and admit your fault aloud!”

“Of course, you could kneel as well—I wouldn’t mind…”

Rei’s words left the entire camp dumbstruck, especially those aware of Danzo’s status.

Who was Danzo? He was the Hokage’s advisor, the head of Root. Even stripped of all positions, he remained a high-ranking figure and the head of the Shimura clan. His methods were notoriously domineering, his word law. Lesser clan leaders trembled in his presence, and many sent their own to Root for “training.”

Yet here stood Uchiha Rei, addressing Danzo without a shred of deference, demanding he bow and apologize to all—and perhaps even kneel. This was not merely a slap in the face, but trampling him underfoot.

A few people involuntarily swallowed, sensing chakra surging tumultuously from Danzo. In the center of the camp, Shikaku and the ANBU, who had yet to rise from their bows or half-kneeling posture, now looked on in terror, cold sweat on their brows.

Danzo’s expression darkened to its deepest shade. Though Rei had not uttered a single curse, nor made any overt gesture, to Danzo, every word felt like an insult, every glance a slap.

He felt himself on the verge of madness, his hand tightening around his cane, pointing it at Rei. The distance between them was short—he could drive the cane through Rei’s heart with a single motion.

Yet, the consequences flashed through his mind. If he still wished to remain in the village, to become Hokage in the future, he could not act on this impulse.

Danzo took a deep breath, forcing himself to calm down, and lowered his cane. There, before hundreds of witnesses, before his most hated Uchiha, Danzo bowed his head slowly.

“I am sorry. I apologize for my failure in leadership. I… hope… to be… forgiven.”

Though he uttered the last words through gritted teeth, his voice reached the entire assembly.

With a sharp crack, Danzo dropped his newly replaced cane and disappeared from the camp.

A gentle breeze swept through, the silence so profound that even the falling leaves could be heard. Only one phrase could capture the moment: “Parting is the silent sound of the flute, silence is the serene river at night.”

Suddenly, the Uchiha behind Rei broke the silence, leading the applause. Soon, the entire camp erupted in a wave of clapping.

Watching this, a smile finally lit Rei’s face; he felt truly at ease. He then walked over to Nara Shikaku, who wore a complex expression.

“Chief Nara,” Rei began, “my clan and I are satisfied with the village’s response—I believe no one has further objections. This incident was not your fault, so let us put it behind us. In the battles ahead, the Uchiha will continue to fight for the village as always. If you need anything, just send word.”

With that, Rei nodded to Uchiha Miri and the others, signaling them to lead the clan back.

“It’s enough that you understand the village’s intentions,” Shikaku said, finally regaining his composure, unable to suppress a sigh. No matter how highly he regarded Rei, each encounter left him with a deeper impression. This thirteen-year-old youth possessed not only formidable strength, but an uncanny grasp of the human heart and the tides of circumstance.

Step by step, Danzo had been utterly humiliated, his defeat complete.

As Rei’s figure faded into the distance, Shikaku pushed aside further thoughts and departed with the ANBU at his side.

In the crowd, a young figure followed after Uchiha Rei…