Sarutobi, You'll Regret This; Danzo, I'll Be Hokage! (Please Follow, Vote Monthly Tickets, and Recommend)

"Uchiha clan has changed clan heads. Bai Ye has become the new clan head."

Itachi and Shisui knelt on one knee and reported everything that had happened within the clan to Hiruzen Sarutobi.

After hearing their intelligence, Hiruzen Sarutobi's eyes flickered, and he could not help but feel startled.

Changing clan heads at a time like this?

Did the Uchiha clan mean trouble?

"So it's that child Bai Ye. I remember that back at the Ninja Academy, he and you, Itachi, were known as the Uchiha Twin Stars, weren't they? Who would have thought that in the blink of an eye, he would become the Uchiha clan's head."

A trace of emotion flashed through Hiruzen Sarutobi's eyes. He had not expected that child Bai Ye to become clan head.

Then what was his attitude toward Konoha?

"Shisui, did you ask Bai Ye how he intended to handle the relationship between the Uchiha and Konoha?"

Hiruzen Sarutobi asked.

"My apologies, Lord Hokage. We haven't yet. We didn't attend today's clan meeting either, so we aren't very clear on the matter."

The clan's affairs were no longer shared with them.

So Shisui did not know what attitude Bai Ye truly held.

But after hearing Itachi's analysis just now, he felt that Bai Ye was indeed highly likely to belong to the Radical Faction. Still, before confirming it, Shisui had no intention of voicing his speculation.

After all, it was only his own guess.

"I understand. If there's no other way, I'll call Bai Ye over later and ask for his opinion. I hope that child is like the two of you."

Hiruzen Sarutobi sighed, a sense of foreboding rising in his heart.

After speaking with them for a while longer, Shisui and Itachi left the Hokage's Office. The instant they departed, a figure emerged from a shadow in the corner.

Danzo stared darkly at Hiruzen Sarutobi and said, "Wasn't it obvious from what they said? The Uchiha clan changed clan heads internally at a time like this. Doesn't that mean the Radical Faction has risen within their clan? Fugaku is truly useless, to be driven from power by a brat!"

He had originally intended to boil the frog slowly in warm water, but if the Radical Faction had taken power, matters would likely not be so easily resolved afterward.

In the end, Danzo had long since decided what to do about the Uchiha clan. If the moderates held the initiative, he would slowly eliminate them. If the Radical Faction rose, he would eliminate them immediately.

In short, the Uchiha clan had to be eliminated.

Who told them to be the evil Uchiha clan?

"Hiruzen, say something already!"

Danzo looked at Hiruzen Sarutobi, who had remained silently smoking, and instantly grew furious.

He had been talking for so long, but had Hiruzen Sarutobi even listened to any of it?

"I know what you want to say, but for now, I still hope the village and the Uchiha can coexist peacefully. If there's room to turn things around, I don't want to go that far!"

Hiruzen Sarutobi exhaled a long stream of smoke, then slowly raised his head and looked at Danzo.

"You really are hypocritical, Hiruzen!"

Danzo looked coldly at Hiruzen Sarutobi, unable to stop himself from mocking Hiruzen Sarutobi's hypocrisy.

Everything he did was clearly for Hiruzen Sarutobi.

Yet Hiruzen Sarutobi got to play the spotless saint, while Danzo bore every bit of blame.

But Danzo accepted it. At the very least, he could occasionally enjoy authority similar to that of the Hokage.

The Hokage stood in the light and did not need any stains on his reputation. Meanwhile, he was Konoha's Root, so he would bear all its darkness.

"Hiruzen, act now. Before the Uchiha clan can react, the Radical Faction has already risen. If we act later, the losses will definitely be maximized. The Uchiha clan has become Konoha's most unstable factor. Have you forgotten our teacher's will?"

Danzo's expression was slightly agitated. In his understanding, Tobirama Senju's will was to target the Uchiha clan.

Besides, he had his own goals.

Thus, Danzo had always spared no effort in pushing for the Uchiha clan's destruction.

"I said no action. At least, no action now!!"

Hiruzen Sarutobi let out a low roar, clearly forbidding Danzo from acting.

In his view, if Danzo acted now, what reason could they possibly use?

Though the Uchiha clan was arrogant, if they directly wiped out an entire clan, what would the other clans think?

After the Uchiha clan was destroyed, the Hyuga clan would be the first to feel threatened. If they did not rebel then, that would truly be strange!

"Hiruzen, I told you, I'll bear the darkness. I can have Root do this!"

Danzo thought Hiruzen Sarutobi simply did not want to bear the blame.

Fine!

If he did not want it, then Danzo would do it himself!

"Danzo, if you dare move against the Uchiha clan now, I will immediately strip you of your positions as Hokage's advisor and Root's leader!"

Hiruzen Sarutobi gave Danzo a deep look, and that gaze made Danzo uneasy.

It was clearly a warning not to act rashly.

After all, Hiruzen Sarutobi truly could strip him of his authority.

"Fine, fine, fine!" Danzo was nearly furious enough to explode. He turned and left at once. When he reached the door, the more he thought about it, the angrier he became. Without looking back, he coolly tossed out one sentence: "Hiruzen, you'll regret this!"

"Danzo, I am the Hokage!!"

Bang!

Danzo slammed the door shut behind him. As he left, fury filled his heart.

He could not help recalling the time when the Second Hokage had covered their retreat and asked who was willing to step forward.

It was because of that moment of hesitation that Hiruzen Sarutobi had ultimately become Hokage.

For Danzo, he had regretted all these years that he had not been just one second faster. If he had been one second faster, he would have been the one sitting in that position.

Instead of being dismissed today with Hiruzen Sarutobi's single sentence: I am the Hokage.

Fine!

Danzo could still wait, and besides, Hiruzen, you forced my hand.

Danzo's eyes darkened as he began plotting how to eliminate Hiruzen Sarutobi.

He knew very well that as long as Hiruzen Sarutobi remained in office, he would have no chance at all.

A figure suddenly appeared in his mind.

Orochimaru!

A plan immediately formed in his mind. With that thought, he had already decided that he ought to have a talk with Orochimaru later.

Inside the Hokage's Office.

Hiruzen Sarutobi stood and looked down at the bustling crowds below. Then his gaze drifted unconsciously toward the Uchiha clan's district.

"Troubled times indeed. Why can't you dissolve your clan like the Senju and simply integrate into Konoha?"

Though he did not quite agree with Danzo's plan, Hiruzen Sarutobi believed that the Uchiha's existence truly affected his rule over Konoha.