Dirty Political Dealings

Konoha.

Bright sunlight spilled across the land, and Konoha looked full of life, as though last year's Nine-Tails Night had already been carried away by the wind.

Inside a three-story detached wooden house, Uchiha Yoru smiled as he looked at Sarutobi Hizuki, who was now middle-aged and carried an air of rigid old-fashionedness.

"Uchiha Yoru, I do not know what you mean by this."

The documents before him were deeds to several shops. Sarutobi Hizuki's stern expression now seemed to carry an air of unyielding righteousness.

Uchiha Yoru, who had come in person, spoke solemnly. "Unno Ki was arrested by the Konoha Military Police Force for causing trouble while drunk. However, because he was drunk, he let something slip. After an investigation by the Konoha Military Police Force, it was confirmed that he had once betrayed the village's interests, which was also the reason Jōnin Sarutobi Hizuki's mission in the Land of Grass failed back then."

"Unno Ki has already confessed, but he has a nephew at home. He deeply regrets what he did and feels guilty, but his nephew, Umino Iruka, is innocent. Therefore, he hopes that Jōnin Sarutobi Hizuki, his former captain, can forgive him."

Uchiha Yoru recounted everything with righteous indignation, as though it were the truth. Shisui, who knelt behind him with his head lowered, concealed his expression. He feared that he would lose control and let the other man see the disgust on his face.

Sarutobi Hizuki was stunned upon hearing this. Yet with all his years of experience, he hesitated for a long while with an ugly expression. In the end, as though he had made up his mind, a sharp glint flashed through his eyes.

"Then, are you representing the Uchiha, or Lord Orochimaru this time?"

After all, Uchiha Yoru's identity was far from ordinary. Not only was he an Uchiha, but he was also Orochimaru's Disciple. Likewise, Sarutobi Hizuki was a Jōnin of the Sarutobi Clan.

He needed to know clearly which identity and purpose the other party represented.

Faced with Sarutobi Hizuki's question, Uchiha Yoru gave a false smile. "Whether it is the Uchiha or the Hyuga, aren't we all people of the village?"

His tone seemed to imply that Orochimaru was already destined to become the future Hokage, and that the Uchiha and Hyuga were both part of the village.

Sarutobi Hizuki fell silent at those ambiguous words. He understood now. The other side was extending a gesture of goodwill. As for whom they represented? The Uchiha needed to ease relations with the village, and so did Orochimaru.

As for there being no difference between the Uchiha and Hyuga, both had already thrown their support behind Orochimaru.

More importantly, no one would have imagined that Orochimaru would defect in the future. Even though Sarutobi Hizuki, as a Jōnin of the Sarutobi Clan, had entered the center of power and knew of his clan's plans, he also understood one thing.

Orochimaru's status carried tremendous weight. They did hope for Shin'nosuke Sarutobi to become the Fifth Hokage, but compared to Orochimaru, the difference in prestige between the two was more than a little.

"Ah, I never expected that he was the one who leaked the information about that mission."

Sarutobi Hizuki immediately took on a grief-stricken expression. In the end, he shook his head and sighed. "Because the intelligence was leaked back then, so many people died."

Sarutobi Hizuki looked as though he had fallen into memories of the past. Yet Uchiha Yoru smiled. The other man had accepted this goodwill, while Shisui's heart was filled with disgust for this political deal.

Sarutobi Hizuki had one stain on his life: the failure of a secret mission in the Land of Grass, which resulted in the deaths of seventy-three ninja.

The exact reason for the mission's failure could no longer be investigated, but Sarutobi Hizuki and Shisui both knew one thing clearly: Unno Ki was merely taking the blame.

Perhaps this was what dirty political dealings looked like. The Uchiha used their power for personal gain, did Orochimaru's dirty work, and then sent the Sarutobi a signal of friendship.

As for claiming that the Uchiha came up with this on their own? Did anyone really believe that? And if the Uchiha did this, didn't that mean they represented Orochimaru?

"Ah, I have made a fool of myself." Sarutobi Hizuki emerged from his sorrowful memories with a bitter smile, as though it were all real. Yet his hand had already reached for the deeds to the three shops.

In Shisui's eyes, the man was clearly making some dirty deal, yet his expression did not change in the slightest. He even put on a grief-stricken look and sighed. "Consider these compensation for the seventy-three ninja who died during the Land of Grass mission."

Whether the descendants of those fallen ninja would truly receive any compensation was unknown, but it was obvious that the three shops had now fallen into his hands.

Sarutobi Hizuki also felt a wave of melancholy. The stain in his heart seemed, at this moment, to have finally been washed away.

The two wore political false smiles as they drank tea together. Seeing the other's smiling but silent expression, Sarutobi Hizuki inwardly sighed. This man truly was not a simple ninja. No wonder he had become Orochimaru's right-hand man.

"I wonder what Lord Orochimaru intends?"

The benefits were already in his hands, but the other side could not simply give them away for nothing. At Sarutobi Hizuki's question, Uchiha Yoru shook his head and sighed. "Teacher Orochimaru is devoted to the development of ninjutsu. As you know, that requires a great deal of money."

In other words, now that the shops were in his hands, they were naturally not all for him. The two sides would cooperate.

Sarutobi Hizuki fell silent after hearing this. His clan wanted another Hokage from the Sarutobi family, but the Uchiha's sincerity was considerable. Besides, even if the Sarutobi family produced another Hokage, Orochimaru would certainly still hold a position of great authority.

They had not only offered money, but more importantly, reputation! They were completely erasing a stain from his life. This sincerity moved him.

After a long while, Sarutobi Hizuki glanced faintly at the youth before him. He lowered his eyes and took a light sip of hot tea before softly saying, "I understand."

The deal was made!

He was already forty years old and could be said to be starting his decline. He had spent his entire life being cautious and had only barely reached his current position. Now, the chance to erase the stain from the Land of Grass lay right before him. How could he not be tempted?

The two sides had reached a political deal. The Uchiha would erase his stain, while he would reveal some reliable information.

"...Recently, there have been quite a few voices in the clan calling for the young clan head to become Hokage, but there are also people who think Orochimaru's prestige is too great."

A breeze passed through. After the two drank their final cup of tea, Uchiha Yoru smiled and respectfully nodded. "Please stay, Lord Sarutobi Hizuki. Uchiha Yoru will take his leave first."

"Be careful on your way out." It was not Sarutobi Hizuki's concern, nor was it a polite remark. It was an unconscious warning not to let anyone discover them.

Uchiha Yoru smiled and nodded. "Rest assured. The ninja accompanying me is known as Body Flicker Shisui."

The meaning was clear. No one had noticed them when they came today, and likewise, no one would notice them when they left.

After Uchiha Yoru left with Shisui, Sarutobi Hizuki sat in silence inside the house, a complicated expression on his face. He muttered to himself, "Unno Ki, go in peace. I will take good care of your nephew."

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