What Adult Would Get Serious with a Child?

"Stop!"

Sarutobi Hiruzen had clearly run all the way here. He was slightly out of breath when he stopped, but he immediately stated his purpose: "Miss Hikari... I guarantee you, in my capacity as the Third Hokage, that the Root assassination incident will be handled properly. Please stop at once!"

"..."

Uchiha Hikari remained where she was, merely tilting her head as she looked at Sarutobi Hiruzen.

Though she said nothing and showed no unnecessary expression, the aura radiating from her made Sarutobi Hiruzen unconsciously clench his fists, his back drenched in sweat.

Beside Sarutobi Hiruzen,

the two advisors and the Anbu agents spread out slightly in small steps. While preparing for battle, they rapidly surveyed their surroundings.

"Third Hokage..."

An Anbu who appeared to be from the Hyuga clan activated his Byakugan. After looking in Danzo's direction, he leaned close to Sarutobi Hiruzen and spoke in a low voice. "Lord Danzo is over there. He's alive, but badly injured..."

"Hmm?!"

Sarutobi Hiruzen's pupils trembled at those words. "What did you say..."

He was still alive?!

Ever since receiving Uzuki Yugao's report, Sarutobi Hiruzen had prepared himself for the worst. He had immediately issued an emergency summons, called over all nearby Anbu, and hurried here with the two advisors. Yet from the moment he arrived at the Root Base until now, every scene he had witnessed had shaken this battle-hardened old Hokage to his core.

Especially when he entered this corridor and saw Uchiha Hikari, Sarutobi Hiruzen felt an indescribable fear.

She defeated Danzo and wrecked the entire Root Base like this... yet she wasn't even injured?!

No, there seemed to be a few cuts on her arm from Wind Release, but only her sleeve was torn. The flesh beneath was completely unharmed... Did Danzo not even have the ability to fight back against her?

If that's the case, then perhaps only the Dead Demon Consuming Seal...

But even with the Dead Demon Consuming Seal, Sarutobi Hiruzen was not confident he could win.

If the worst happened and all of Konoha's high-ranking officials were buried in this sunless underground lair, he did not even dare imagine what would become of a leaderless village...

On the way here, Sarutobi Hiruzen had weighed every possible gain and loss. He had only just made up his mind to open with his ultimate move.

But...

"Danzo isn't dead?"

This sudden news even gave Sarutobi Hiruzen a flicker of pleasant surprise.

On the other side,

Uchiha Hikari curled her lips into a bright, radiant smile like that of the girl next door. "Third Hokage, you worry too much. How could I possibly do something so bloody and cruel? After all... have you ever seen an adult get serious with a child?!"

"?!"

At that moment, Sarutobi Hiruzen and the two advisors' expressions changed drastically.

Ever since Second Hokage Tobirama had passed away, no one had dared speak to them in such a tone for a very long time.

But...

they had no way to refute her.

From appearances alone, Uchiha Hikari was the "child." But counting from the day she was born, she was already over a hundred years old. Not only their generation—even First Hokage Hashirama Senju, standing before her, could only be considered a junior.

Thus, what sounded like a provocation was actually a statement of fact.

Only...

Why does the way she speaks sound so much like Uchiha Madara back then...?

"Miss Hikari, you jest."

Sarutobi Hiruzen gave a somewhat bitter smile. His gaze turned toward Danzo behind the smoke and dust as he carefully chose his words. "I have already learned that Shimura Danzō and Root privately plotted to assassinate you. I suspended Danzo from duty at once, but I did not have time to explain it to you... The truth is, this all began as a misunderstanding. Root acted on its own initiative with insufficient intelligence. Once this matter is settled, I will give you an explanation."

That was true.

When Sarutobi Hiruzen first learned of Root's assassination attempt, he had indeed intended to find Uchiha Hikari and explain—though at the same time, he had secretly mobilized the Sealing Team and Barrier Team, making preparations to seal Uchiha Hikari away once more.

However, after the assassination attempt, Uchiha Hikari vanished without a trace and was presumed dead, so the matter was left unresolved.

Had Uchiha Hikari appeared two months earlier, Sarutobi Hiruzen would have been far more confident, whether in peacefully negotiating a resolution, sealing her away, or killing her. But she had appeared now, when all those preparations had long been set aside...

Fortunately, she had not killed Danzo on the spot. That allowed Sarutobi Hiruzen to relax slightly.

"Heh."

Uchiha Hikari let out a cold laugh and said casually, "There's no need for an explanation. Let's talk about compensation instead."

"Compensation?"

Sarutobi Hiruzen frowned slightly.

"I heard Konoha possesses a scroll called the 'Book of Seals,' which records many powerful forbidden techniques. I'm very curious about it. As compensation for that 'misunderstanding,' how about lending me that book? Don't worry, I'll return it afterward."

As Uchiha Hikari spoke so lightly,

before Sarutobi Hiruzen could say anything, Utatane Koharu could no longer hold back. "That's impossible! The Book of Seals was personally ordered sealed by Second Hokage Tobirama. Only Hokage throughout the generations are qualified to read it. How could an Uchiha clansman like you—"

"Koharu!"

Sarutobi Hiruzen coughed heavily, interrupting Utatane Koharu, then carefully said:

"Miss Hikari, the Book of Seals is an important item of Konoha. Unless someone has rendered outstanding service to Konoha, it cannot be lent out lightly... How about we discuss this another time after the situation here has been dealt with?"

Their eyes met.

"...Very well."

Uchiha Hikari nodded with an indifferent expression.

Sarutobi Hiruzen had not outright said he would refuse to lend it.

No matter what, he was Konoha's Hokage. In front of so many subordinates and colleagues, it would not be appropriate for him to give in too easily, or he would find it difficult to maintain his authority. Since that was the case, Uchiha Hikari could give him a little face.

But if Sarutobi Hiruzen did not want that face afterward...

then she would not mind exercising an elder's authority and teaching these juniors how to behave.

With the "mark" left behind when she used Tsukuyomi last time, she could pull Sarutobi Hiruzen into the genjutsu space whenever she wished. If they truly fought... it probably would not be much harder than dealing with Danzo.