I'm the Hokage!

Bang! Danzo violently shoved open the door to the Hokage's office. The Third Hokage irritably looked up, his sharp gaze fixed on the doorway.

"Danzo, what are you doing?"

Bang! Danzo, dressed in a white cross-collared shirt beneath a black-trimmed robe, his right eye wrapped in bandages, slammed the door shut.

"Hiruzen, didn't you know that Orochimaru took on an Uchiha disciple?" Danzo demanded angrily.

"I knew. Orochimaru told me."

"The Anbu also informed me that Uchiha Gen went to Orochimaru's residence and stayed there for quite some time."

With Orochimaru's pride, taking on a disciple naturally would not be done in secret, though neither would he make a grand spectacle of it. He had merely informed his teacher.

"Then why didn't you stop it?"

"Shisui Uchiha is Kagami's descendant. His thinking leans toward the village, and with a little guidance, he can inherit the Will of Fire."

"It would have been one thing if he joined Team 7, became Minato's disciple, and your grand-disciple."

"But what about Uchiha Gen?"

"Orochimaru is your disciple. He is a more suitable candidate for Hokage than Minato."

"Can't you see the Uchiha Clan's wolfish ambitions?"

Danzo strode up to the Hokage's desk and launched into a tirade. He was so worked up that saliva sprayed from his mouth.

Orochimaru was a more suitable candidate for Hokage than Minato?

Not necessarily.

This disciple of his was becoming increasingly difficult to understand. It seemed he had already strayed down the wrong path.

And don't think I don't know that Orochimaru is very close to you. If Orochimaru becomes Hokage, the power in your hands will surely expand rapidly.

Thoughts raced through Hiruzen Sarutobi's mind, but his expression remained calm. He slowly picked up the pipe from his desk and placed it between his lips...

A wisp of Fire Release Chakra traveled along the pipe stem and ignited the fine tobacco. With a puff, Hiruzen Sarutobi exhaled a thick cloud of smoke, veiling his face in a haze.

Seeing his indifferent attitude, Danzo's anger surged. Just as he was about to continue berating him, Hiruzen Sarutobi spoke.

"Danzo, although I don't particularly like the Uchiha either, I have to say that your prejudice runs too deep."

"The Uchiha Clan's main force is fighting bloodily on the Hidden Mist Battlefield under their clan head's leadership. Uchiha Clan ninja also contributed on the fronts that concluded earlier."

"In this Great Ninja War, the Uchiha Clan, like Konoha's other clans, has made tremendous contributions and earned merit."

"Two Uchiha ninja taking Minato and Orochimaru as their teachers is hardly something to make such a fuss about."

Danzo refused to accept that, snorting coldly. "When the village is in danger, every ninja should fight to the death and even sacrifice themselves if necessary."

"Besides, Mist has already pushed into the Land of Fire. The Uchiha Clan, Hyuga Clan, and other clans joined forces yet still failed to stop them. What merit do they have?"

With his pipe in his mouth, Hiruzen Sarutobi shook his head. "Danzo, the latter half of what you said is simply unreasonable."

"For the major ninja clans and some civilian ninja to keep Mist from advancing into the heartland of the Land of Fire was already no easy feat."

"To demand that they keep the enemy outside the national border is asking the impossible. Besides, after reinforcements were sent some time ago, part of the territory was retaken."

"It's fine to say such things here, but if they spread, the ninja on the front lines would be deeply disheartened."

After a moment of silence, Danzo said, "I misspoke."

"But the Uchiha Clan absolutely cannot be allowed to step outside the Military Police Force. Once they gain more power, Konoha's future will be unimaginable."

"Alarmist nonsense!" Hiruzen Sarutobi rebuked.

"With me here, with you here, with Koharu and Homura here, with the Sannin here, with Minato here, with the major ninja clans here, with countless Konoha Ninja here—"

"What waves can the Uchiha possibly stir up?"

"How is Konoha's future in jeopardy?"

"Besides, is power outside the Military Police Force so easy to obtain?"

"Setting aside whether they are suited for it, even if they are, they would have to compete against ninja who are highly skilled in the corresponding positions. Would it be easy for them to win?"

"Though the Uchiha Clan is standing with one foot in each camp and their conduct is not particularly aboveboard, from another perspective, it shows their determination to align themselves with the Hokage."

"Since they are actively drawing closer, why push them away?"

"Wouldn't that just be asking for trouble?"

Hiruzen Sarutobi finished voicing his opinion in one breath, leaving Danzo speechless and flushed with frustration.

Clearly, Hiruzen Sarutobi still trusted the Uchiha at this time. Though he did not like them much, he would not deliberately target them.

"Hiruzen, you'll regret this!" Danzo said in furious embarrassment.

"Danzo, I'm the Hokage!" Hiruzen Sarutobi responded forcefully.

"Hmph..."

Faced with Hiruzen Sarutobi's ultimate move of "I'm the Hokage," Danzo truly had nothing to say. He snorted coldly, then with a bang, slammed the door and left.

Hiruzen Sarutobi shook his head. Pipe in mouth, he picked up his pen and continued dealing with the accumulated documents.

After leaving, Danzo considered whether to send Root ninja to keep watch...

After thinking it over, Danzo ultimately gave up on the idea.

After all, Uchiha Gen was Orochimaru's disciple. He had to give Orochimaru some face. If Orochimaru discovered it, damaging their cooperative relationship would not be worth the loss.

Time flew by, and ten days passed in the blink of an eye.

That morning, Uchiha Gen was training his physical fitness at the training ground when a sharp, resounding eagle cry suddenly rang out...

Uchiha Gen looked up and saw a hawk circling in the sky. He could not help but freeze slightly. Was this Konoha's emergency summons?

At the same time, more than one ninja hawk cried loudly over Konoha. Their calls could be clearly heard and seen throughout the entire village, even in the forests.

Every ninja who heard or saw them changed expression. Genin and Chunin quietly guessed at what major event had occurred.

The Jonin who were not on duty came to their senses and immediately rushed toward the Hokage Building at top speed.

Uchiha Gen also put on his clothes, gathered his equipment, and hurried over.

He was not currently a Jonin assigned to the Military Police Force, but part of the Administrative Department's roster. Since he had no duties at the moment, he was among those summoned.

Aside from the minister and deputy minister, the other Jonin of the Military Police Force did not need to go. They had to lead their people in maintaining order and stability within the village.

At a special time like this, ninja could travel by leaping across trees and rooftops.

As Uchiha Gen rushed over, quite a few figures flashed past around him, moving so quickly that ordinary people would think their eyes were merely playing tricks on them.

After arriving at the Hokage Building, Uchiha Gen did not hurry inside. Instead, he stood to one side and waited, intending to enter with someone he knew.

If Orochimaru arrived first, he would go in with Orochimaru. If Fugaku Uchiha arrived first, he would go in with Fugaku Uchiha.

It was not that Uchiha Gen was intimidated by the occasion. Rather, if he went in alone, given his seniority and age, he would probably only be able to stand in the last row.

He did not like that position.

Its status was far too low and completely mismatched with his true strength. At the very least, he should be standing in the middle, right?

After waiting briefly, all he could say was that a Kage-level powerhouse was indeed a Kage-level powerhouse. Orochimaru arrived first.

Uchiha Gen ran over and greeted him. Orochimaru gave a slight nod, and the two of them ran into the Hokage Building together.

Although they had already arrived, it still would not have been appropriate to walk.

When they reached the large conference room of the Hokage Building, more than half of Konoha's Jonin had already arrived. Uchiha Gen followed Orochimaru to the very front.

Standing behind Orochimaru, he was roughly in the second row. Those in this position were either leaders holding real power in Konoha or the heads of the major ninja clans.

Minato Namikaze had arrived even earlier than Orochimaru. Upon seeing Orochimaru and Uchiha Gen, he gave them a slight nod.

Lord Orochimaru returned the gesture with a slight nod, while Uchiha Gen responded with a small bow.

Uchiha Gen then greeted Kakashi and Shisui Uchiha, who stood behind Minato. The two responded with slight nods.

Another minute passed, and Fugaku Uchiha and the other Jonin arrived, each taking their respective places.

The next moment, Hiruzen Sarutobi emerged from the back of the conference room with Danzo, Mitokado Homura, and Utatane Koharu, then took their seats on stone chairs.

"This emergency summons is to inform everyone of some bad news. A major change has occurred on the Hidden Mist Battlefield..."

Hiruzen Sarutobi said with a grave expression.

Upon hearing this, everyone's hearts sank.