Perhaps the higher-ups truly had no intention of killing Hatake Sakumo, but in the end, Hatake Sakumo still chose death to prove his convictions, refusing to join the Konoha High Command in their corruption and using his death to prove his innocence.
For a loyal servant and powerful man who had rendered countless meritorious services to Konoha to end up like that was truly lamentable... and infuriating.
"Young master... what are you thinking about?"
Ino Yamanaka held a bun in her hand as she asked.
"Nothing." Akira Sarutobi shook his head and swallowed the bun in one bite.
After breakfast, the two walked down the street toward the end of the road leading to the Hokage Building.
A row of buildings called the "Document Archive" was rarely visited.
One of those warehouses was the Anbu reporting location, as well as Shimura Danzō's "Anbu office."
Of course, that was merely the surface. The intricate underground structures and network beneath Konoha were Danzo's Root.
At the office entrance, Akira Sarutobi happened to run into his father, Hiruzen Sarutobi, and his mother, Biwako Sarutobi.
Hiruzen Sarutobi was in his prime, full of vigor.
Through the thermal imaging view of his right eye, his father Hiruzen Sarutobi resembled a blazing sun, radiating unimaginable light and heat.
And Shimura Danzō standing beside him was no less formidable.
"Father, Mother, Lord Danzo."
Akira Sarutobi greeted them casually.
His calm, unsmiling demeanor was almost exactly like his mother Biwako Sarutobi's.
In terms of appearance, Akira Sarutobi had inherited his father Hiruzen Sarutobi's youthful handsomeness.
Anyone could tell at a glance that Akira Sarutobi was his biological son.
But only Akira Sarutobi himself knew that his soul... came from another world.
"Akira Sarutobi, joining the Anbu is not like being at home. Do not act like some young master. Start from the bottom..."
Biwako Sarutobi had also come from the Anbu.
Back then, she had even been among the first batch of ninja in the Anbu established by Senju Tobirama.
So she understood the Anbu's operating logic even better.
After her earnest instruction, Akira Sarutobi naturally nodded in agreement.
"Your son's upbringing is not an issue, but this old man has doubts about his abilities..."
Danzo stared at Akira Sarutobi, repeating the same old line.
Hiruzen, your son... is not dark enough. He is not suited for the Anbu.
Akira Sarutobi had been in this world for more than ten years and had interacted with Danzo quite a bit.
Danzo was not as foolishly naive as people on the internet claimed, nor would he say things like, "Hiruzen, you will regret this."
In Akira Sarutobi's view, Utatane Koharu would be more likely to say a line like that.
The real Danzo was an extremely calculating ninja.
He never showed his emotions, giving people only an impression of gloom and ruthless ambition.
Akira Sarutobi had never seen Danzo smile. He managed his emotions very well.
Otherwise, he could not have carried out plans such as killing Shisui, deceiving Itachi into exterminating his entire clan, and killing Yahiko... among others.
"Hmm..."
Hiruzen Sarutobi frowned slightly, his gaze shifting back and forth between his son Akira Sarutobi and his old classmate Shimura Danzō.
"Even if he does not succeed, it will still be a good experience to temper him..."
Hiruzen Sarutobi looked over his eldest son. This eldest son of his had a personality much like his mother's: unsmiling, yet not overly stern.
When carrying out missions, he was never conspicuous and never showed off. Yet he was ruthless and sparing with words, and his attacks were incredibly precise. That much could be judged from the wounds on the corpses of the enemies he had killed.
If he had any shortcomings, it was probably that he was too upright and somewhat solitary, making him less sociable than Minato Namikaze.
And a Hokage... had to be recognized by everyone before becoming Hokage.
With that thought, inspiration struck Hiruzen Sarutobi, and he asked almost as if possessed, "Akira Sarutobi, what kind of person... do you think can become Hokage?"
"Father, only someone recognized by everyone can become Hokage..."
Akira Sarutobi answered without the slightest hesitation. Hiruzen Sarutobi's expression changed, and a smile began to form.
That was the standard answer, and it also showed an understanding of the Will of Fire.
But Akira Sarutobi's next words made him frown.
"But sometimes, if the masses are deceived by a small group of people, then catering to their preferences at such a time is equivalent to joining that small group in their corruption... In the end, one blind man leads a crowd of blind men, and the crowd walks into a pit of fire... Even if one becomes Hokage, they will instead lead everyone into the abyss, condemning the village and its people to irreversible ruin... That is not a true Hokage. It is merely selfishness in pursuit of the title of Hokage."
After Akira Sarutobi finished speaking, his mother Biwako's brows began to furrow as well.
The atmosphere became strange.
For a moment, neither of them understood what their eldest son meant.
Just as Hiruzen Sarutobi and Biwako Sarutobi exchanged looks and tried to guess their eldest son's thoughts,
Danzo spoke.
"Hiruzen, I take back what I said earlier... Your son... may perhaps become the greatest Anbu ninja in history..."
Danzo's sudden change in evaluation left Hiruzen Sarutobi slightly stunned.
Then Hiruzen Sarutobi broke into a smile. "Danzo, since you say so, I can rest easy... Akira Sarutobi."
Akira Sarutobi: "Yes."
Hiruzen Sarutobi: "Danzo is your elder, and he has made great accomplishments in the Anbu..."
Simply put, work hard under Uncle Danzo.
"..."
In the end, Akira Sarutobi watched his father and mother leave before entering the dark Anbu office with Danzo...
Anbu Mission
"You should have already heard from Hiruzen Sarutobi..."
Danzo opened his narrowed eyes while Akira Sarutobi listened expressionlessly.
Beside him, Ino Yamanaka looked around, surveying the dark room.
Most people in the village believed Danzo was merely the Anbu Commander, unaware that he also had another force under his command called Root.
Root's personnel were a complicated mix. There were not only ninja from the village, but also children brought back from other villages and even foreign countries.
The room was extremely dark.
Even during the day, sunlight could not penetrate this place. Huge candles burned at the four corners of the walls.
Shadows enveloped Danzo's figure, making him appear even more sinister and frightening.
"This old man had thought... that you were not well suited for the Anbu..."
But Akira Sarutobi's words just now had changed Danzo's view.
Just as Danzo believed Hiruzen Sarutobi had inherited Senju Hashirama's weakness, the views of the majority were not always correct.
Danzo neither agreed nor disagreed with some of the First Hokage's beliefs. That much could be seen from his unfriendly attitude toward Tsunade.
As one of the disciples of the Second Hokage Senju Tobirama, Danzo had inherited Senju Tobirama's darker side. He also greatly admired Senju Tobirama's sharp and ruthless nature.
A minority, elite politics... To put it more bluntly, Danzo believed everyone else was drunk while he alone remained sober. Only he was suited to control Konoha and become Hokage.
"..."
Akira Sarutobi frowned.
Old bastard, did you misunderstand something?
Having read Naruto, Akira Sarutobi could naturally guess Danzo's thoughts.
But clearly, Danzo had misunderstood what he was trying to say.
Konoha's past and present problem was that all those at the top had embarked on the path of cultivating fire.
The Will of Fire had been twisted.
One blind man led a crowd of blind men, and the crowd walked into a pit of fire.
With such higher-ups in place, they would sooner or later drag Konoha into the abyss.
"Of course, we still need your achievements to prove yourself..."
Danzo unhurriedly opened a scroll and began assigning an Anbu mission to Akira Sarutobi and Ino Yamanaka.
Akira Sarutobi's earlier words had changed his mind.
Hiruzen Sarutobi's son was now under his command and might even join the Anbu.
The corner of Danzo's mouth curved upward, and rare joy emerged in his heart.
If he could use Anbu missions to make Hiruzen Sarutobi's son gradually accept his ideas, would that not mean he could prove that Hiruzen Sarutobi was wrong?
Danzo... greatly anticipated that future.
"The Second Shinobi World War has ended, and we have currently recovered the Ruins of the Land of Whirlpools..."
Danzo began his explanation with Akira Sarutobi's Jonin Exam.
"Besides that, there is still much work to be done after the war..."
Akira Sarutobi thought for a moment, and several possibilities surfaced in his mind. "A purge?"
"Clever..."
Danzo did not hesitate to praise Akira Sarutobi, giving him an approving look.
"Akira Sarutobi, you truly possess a mind no less capable than your father's..."
Not merely intelligence, but political sensitivity as well.
Danzo said, "During the war, espionage, selling off domestic assets, defecting to the enemy... such actions were extremely common..."
During wartime, it was inconvenient, or too late, to act.
Now that the war was over, it was time to settle the accounts properly.
"What I want you to do is go to a port town along the eastern coast of the Land of Fire and kill several people... These people are all ordinary civilians."
Danzo paused slightly at that point.
What did he mean?
Akira Sarutobi stared at Danzo.
Was he afraid that Akira Sarutobi would not act against ordinary people?
If he thought Akira Sarutobi would let his emotions interfere and hesitate, then he was overthinking it.
"Even ordinary civilians should receive the appropriate punishment for profiting from the nation's misfortune."
Hearing Akira Sarutobi's response, Danzo nodded in satisfaction. "Very good... These people colluded with the Hidden Mist, selling off the Land of Fire's assets during the war. According to this old man's subordinates, this activity is continuing even now..."
Danzo began explaining the specific operation for this Anbu examination mission.
If it were merely killing a few ordinary civilians, there would be no difficulty whatsoever.
Even a Genin could easily accomplish something like that.
"Who is backing them..." Akira Sarutobi asked the core question of the mission.
If no one supported them, then no matter how bold they were, a few ordinary civilians would not dare do such a thing.
Before you continue