Give It a Try, Third Hokage

After Uchiha Chisen brought up the "Fourth Hokage," who had sacrificed himself on Nine-Tails Night, Sarutobi Hiruzen was taken aback.

He had not expected Uchiha Chisen to mention the Fourth in front of Naruto.

But when he noticed Naruto hanging his head, too afraid to speak, apparently not having caught on...

Sarutobi Hiruzen inexplicably breathed a sigh of relief.

Lowering his voice slightly, he said, "Chisen, I believe you understand Naruto's special circumstances very well. Being thrown in prison over a prank would traumatize him."

"So..."

Speaking in a conciliatory tone, Sarutobi Hiruzen said earnestly, "Giving the village's young sprouts a little room to grow from time to time is also the finest expression of Konoha's Will of Fire."

But Sarutobi Hiruzen realized that, despite all his painstaking persuasion...

There was not the slightest wavering in Uchiha Chisen's eyes.

Expressionless, Uchiha Chisen said, "Lord Hokage has already abused his authority for personal gain, acted against Justice, and chosen to shield Shimura Danzō, who somehow possesses the Uchiha Clan's Sharingan."

"And now, you intend to continue abusing the Hokage's authority to shield Uzumaki Naruto, who should have received proper discipline but was somehow left to run wild, resulting in his values becoming warped."

"Lord Hokage's actions are no different from splashing filthy stains across the word [Justice]."

Sarutobi Hiruzen: "!!!"

Sarutobi Hiruzen felt that he had just been cursed at—right to his face.

However...

The implications within Uchiha Chisen's words were so immense that Sarutobi Hiruzen's expression turned grave.

"Chisen, what do you mean by Danzo's Sharingan?"

Sarutobi Hiruzen immediately changed the subject.

Uchiha Chisen had no qualms about exposing Danzo's secret. In an icy tone, he said, "While fighting me, he used the Sharingan's secret technique, 'Izanagi.'"

"Why would Shimura Danzō, who is not from the Uchiha Clan, possess an Uchiha Sharingan? Why could he use the Sharingan's forbidden technique? Lord Hokage, it's very 'hard' to guess!"

Sarutobi Hiruzen's expression changed slightly.

He knew that Danzo had secretly conducted many human experiments with Orochimaru, and he also knew that Danzo had researched the Wood Style Kekkei Genkai.

But Sarutobi Hiruzen had not expected Danzo to be so obsessed with the Uchiha Clan's Sharingan as well.

Sarutobi Hiruzen thought of Uchiha Shisui, who had been declared "dead, with an unknown cause of death" by the village.

He had long suspected that the "unknown cause" of Shisui's death was most likely inseparable from Danzo's Root.

After all, Shisui's exceptionally special Sharingan...

Given Danzo's nature, he would never have left it alone.

Sarutobi Hiruzen also recalled how, during the Third Shinobi World War, the Sharingan of some fallen Uchiha Clan shinobi had mysteriously vanished, supposedly dug out by ninja from enemy villages.

Could Danzo have secretly sent people to dig them out?—The absurd thought suddenly surfaced in Sarutobi Hiruzen's mind.

He considered it highly likely!

He knew Danzo far too well. Sarutobi Hiruzen felt there was at least a ninety-nine percent chance that Danzo would do something like that.

Besides, Chisen had never falsely accused anyone.

Although some of his methods, and the [Absolute Justice] he believed in, were not things Sarutobi Hiruzen particularly agreed with—they always seemed too extreme...

That did not affect his trust in him.

"Chisen, as for Danzo... I will give you, and the Uchiha Clan, an explanation." Sarutobi Hiruzen's tone stiffened slightly, and he suddenly felt a trace of guilt over having "shielded" Danzo.

But in the blink of an eye, that so-called guilt vanished without a trace.

And he vaguely realized that he seemed to have somehow accepted the label of "shielding" that Uchiha Chisen had pinned on him?

No!

As Hokage, he was merely trying to prevent the village's shinobi from fighting among themselves. How could that possibly count as shielding someone?

Sarutobi Hiruzen coughed and said, "But Naruto..."

"Non-negotiable." In full view of the Anbu Ninja, Uchiha Chisen once again lifted Naruto up by the collar.

Causing a stir among the Anbu Ninja.

But Uchiha Chisen did not care. Staring directly at Sarutobi Hiruzen, he said, "I will not let Root, which obstructs the execution of Justice, go either. In Konoha, there can be either me or them."

"I will certainly find where the 'Root' hidden in Konoha's depths lies, and I will completely eradicate that Root, which is filled with darkness and sin, in order to uphold my belief in [Absolute Justice]."

"You may be able to stop me once, twice... but can you keep stopping me forever?"

Sarutobi Hiruzen: "..."

He felt that this attempt at mediation had not resolved the conflict at all.

Instead, it had escalated the conflict between Chisen and Danzo to the level of all Root.

Chisen would never make baseless accusations.

If he said that, it meant he truly wanted to destroy Root!

He truly intended to sink his teeth into Danzo and never let go!

Sarutobi Hiruzen drew a deep breath and glanced at Naruto, who had already given up struggling, his face filled with pleading and misery.

Frowning, he said, "Chisen, your methods are too extreme. What if I order you, in my capacity as Hokage, to set aside your conflict with Root and let Naruto go?"

Uchiha Chisen said, "Give it a try, Third Hokage."

Clink— Suddenly, an Anbu Ninja lightly drew his Ninja Sword an inch from its sheath.

"Uchiha Chisen, the Hokage's orders must not be defied." The Anbu Ninja issued a warning. "And you should address him as Lord Hokage, not Third Hokage."

Uchiha Chisen glanced at him.

Sarutobi Jōnoo—during the Third Shinobi World War, vented his personal resentment on civilians, killing large numbers of ordinary townspeople in enemy nations and murdering civilians to claim military merit.

The Anbu Ninja who had tried to draw his blade suddenly felt a chill run through his heart.

For some reason, he felt as though Uchiha Chisen was looking at him like he was already dead.

Uchiha Chisen carried Naruto away as if nothing had happened.

"Uchiha Chisen! You—"

"Wait." Sarutobi Hiruzen stopped the Anbu who wanted to make a move. He stared at Uchiha Chisen's retreating back, his expression shifting slightly before he finally said in a low voice, "Let him go."

"Lord Hokage, that is Uzumaki Naruto..."

An Anbu Ninja reminded him.

With his hands behind his back, Sarutobi Hiruzen said faintly, "In his eyes, I am no different from Danzo now. If we keep stopping him, the ones who will end up clashing by force will be Chisen and me. As his strength continues to grow, even I will find it difficult to keep him in check."

The Anbu Ninja found it unimaginable.

Uchiha Chisen actually wanted to fight Lord Hokage?

How did he dare?

What gave him the right to dare?

At that moment, Kakashi, who had remained silent the entire time, finally spoke. "Lord Hokage, you already have a plan for the Jinchuriki, don't you?"

Sarutobi Hiruzen nodded slightly. "Chisen took Naruto away because it is his duty as a member of the Konoha Military Police Force, and it is also his right. As Hokage, I have the authority to grant Naruto a special pardon."

"Kakashi, take an Anbu squad and stay behind to handle the aftermath. The rest of you, come with me to the Root Base!"

"Yes, Lord Hokage!"