Hokage and Danzo (2/4)

The moment Chiba deduced the plan, in the Hokage's Office.

"Lord Third Hokage, Minato Namikaze, Kakashi, Obito, Rin, Taki Chiba, Uchiha Hirohiko, and Hyuga Yukina have all proceeded along the routes assigned to them. They have already reached beyond the village's safe perimeter. The covert protection mission has been lifted."

Before the Hokage's desk, an Anbu Ninja knelt on one knee and reported to the Third Hokage seated behind it.

"Mm... good."

The Third Hokage lowered his head slightly, folded his arms, and nodded in acknowledgment. Yet instead of relaxing because both Minato Squad and Kushina Squad had departed smoothly, his brow only furrowed tighter.

"Then, do you have any further orders, Lord Third Hokage?"

The Anbu lowered his head and maintained his kneeling posture as he asked.

"Not for now. You may withdraw first."

The Third Hokage still did not raise his head, as though troubled by something. Even his tone sounded somewhat distracted.

"Yes!"

After responding, the Anbu vanished from the Hokage's Office in a flicker.

Did I really do the right thing? At that moment, a thought that had been churning in the Third Hokage's heart ever since he finalized the two-route strategy to destroy Kannabi Bridge flashed through his mind.

Reflected in his eyes was a scroll. It bore a coded document written in a handwriting he recognized, encrypted entirely in ciphers. The dense text filled the whole scroll, which was nearly an arm and a half long.

Why would Danzo, who had always kept out of public affairs, present me with such a plan at a time like this?

And why did he propose it so uncharacteristically just as I was making the final decision to have Minato, Kakashi, Obito, and Rin carry out the Kannabi Bridge destruction mission?

The Third Hokage read through the