A Traitor Among Us!

"Hiruzen, Mito-sama called us over so late at night. Did something happen?"

Shimura Danzō walked beside Hiruzen Sarutobi, muttering quietly. He looked at the high moon overhead; it had been brilliantly bright just moments ago, but was now covered by dark clouds.

A dark and windy night—perfect for murder and arson.

For some reason, Shimura Danzō felt a chill, and the looks the Senju Clan members gave him as he passed made him extremely uncomfortable.

Danzo's feelings were complicated right now. His good friend Hiruzen Sarutobi, however, appeared calm and composed.

"If it's a blessing, it isn't a disaster. If it's a disaster, you can't avoid it."

Hiruzen Sarutobi spoke flatly. The knife was in someone else's hand, and they were the fish on the chopping block. Things had already come to this—what else could they do?

At worst, they would die. Hiruzen Sarutobi wasn't afraid of death. He only regretted that he had failed to fulfill his teacher's dying wish.

Hiruzen Sarutobi quickened his pace. Seeing him speed up, Shimura Danzō hurried after him.

Inside the room.

Utatane Koharu, Mitokado Homura, Kagami Uchiha, and Torifu Akimichi had arrived at Mito Uzumaki's room ahead of the two of them.

Standing at the door, Hiruzen Sarutobi saw two Senju Clan jonin standing beside Mito Uzumaki.

Kihana Senju and Kiharu Senju. They had known these two ninja for a long time; both were jonin of the Senju Clan.

There were also two rows of Senju Clan Ninja standing inside, waiting for the two of them as though this were a tribunal.

Such a grand display made Hiruzen Sarutobi and Shimura Danzō's hearts pound.

If they failed to handle what came next properly, the trees planted in the Senju Clan compound would likely grow even more lushly.

When Utatane Koharu, Mitokado Homura, and the others saw that Hiruzen Sarutobi and Shimura Danzō had finally arrived, they gave them bitter smiles.

There was even a trace of relief in their eyes. The two of them had just stood here beneath the gazes of the surrounding Senju Clan Ninja, and it had felt awful.

Mito Uzumaki, seated at the head of the room, said nothing. Her face was completely expressionless. Aside from giving Kagami Uchiha a brief look when he first arrived, she had not looked at any of them again. She simply sat in her chair and slowly drank tea.

Mitokado Homura and Utatane Koharu knew their positions well. The two of them were like duckweed without roots, free to be handled however others pleased.

The power of the clans behind them carried no deterrence. Among Konoha's domineering Bloodline Families and Secret Jutsu Families, they were practically invisible. No one cared about them or the thoughts of the clans behind them.

If they died, they died. In all of vast Konoha, who would dare say anything?

Torifu Akimichi and Kagami Uchiha were different. One was the son of the Akimichi Clan Head, one of the Ino-Shika-Cho Secret Jutsu Families, and a future member of Konoha's Ino-Shika-Cho trio.

Kagami Uchiha, meanwhile, was a genius of the Uchiha Clan. Not only was he the Uchiha Clan's precious treasure, but his acceptance as Tobirama Senju's disciple had even greater political significance, meant to maintain the relationship between the Hokage and the Uchiha Clan.

No matter what, these two had nothing to fear for their lives.

Earlier, the Senju Clan Ninja had kept their eyes fixed on all of them. Under the dual burden of psychological pressure and the threat of death—

Mitokado Homura and Utatane Koharu kept feeling that those eyes were focused on the two of them, because they were the easiest targets.

And Mito Uzumaki had remained silent, only drinking tea. She was clearly waiting for someone—waiting for Hiruzen Sarutobi and Shimura Danzō.

No. She was waiting for Hiruzen Sarutobi, the Third Hokage personally designated by his teacher, Tobirama Senju. Shimura Danzō was in the same position as the two of them, merely an extra.

Hiruzen Sarutobi and Shimura Danzō stood at the doorway without entering. Faced with this extraordinary scene, it felt as though a string in their minds had snapped. Their heads buzzed.

Mito Uzumaki set down her teacup, looked at Hiruzen Sarutobi and Shimura Danzō outside, and said calmly,

"Since you're here, come in."

Such simple words made Danzo's scalp tingle. His feet seemed rooted to the ground, unable to move. He turned to Hiruzen Sarutobi to see what he would do.

After a brief daze, Hiruzen Sarutobi finally came to his senses at Mito Uzumaki's words. He took a deep breath, then strode through the door with a composed expression.

Shimura Danzō hurried after him, walking behind Hiruzen Sarutobi.

The moment Hiruzen Sarutobi and Shimura Danzō entered, the Senju Clan Ninja standing by the door immediately shut it.

Bang.

That bang made Hiruzen Sarutobi, Shimura Danzō, Utatane Koharu, Mitokado Homura, Torifu Akimichi, and Kagami Uchiha all shudder.

How terrifying!

Inside the room, Shimura Danzō and the other five all looked at Hiruzen Sarutobi. Their meaning was obvious.

This was when he should speak. He was the future Third Hokage—if he didn't step forward, who would?

Feeling everyone's gazes, Hiruzen Sarutobi swallowed and forced himself to step forward.

"Mito-sama, you called the few of us here so late at night. Did something happen in Konoha?"

Mito Uzumaki looked at Hiruzen Sarutobi. The few seconds their eyes met made his heart race.

"I remember telling you before."

"No one was permitted to spread word of Tobirama's death."

"But this afternoon, all of Konoha found out!!"

Mito Uzumaki slammed her hand on the table and demanded an answer with full force. Hiruzen Sarutobi and the others turned pale with panic. The six of them looked at one another, still having no idea what had happened.

That afternoon, they had all remained alone in the rooms the Senju Clan had prepared for them. They had either been resting or receiving treatment from the Senju Clan's medical ninja.

"I need an explanation!"

A fierce gleam appeared in Mito Uzumaki's eyes as she swept her gaze across Hiruzen Sarutobi and the others. Her Chakra began to rage, revealing the Nine-Tails' Chakra. Its chaotic, evil aura washed over every one of them.

We're going to die, we're going to die, we're going to die!!!

Utatane Koharu, Mitokado Homura, and Shimura Danzō screamed inwardly.

"I swear to heaven that I stayed in my room all day and never went out. Aside from the medical ninja sent by the Senju Clan, I didn't see anyone else."

"If I leaked news of Lord Tobirama's death, then... then may I die horribly!"

"I swear on my clan that I absolutely did not leak any information. Otherwise, my entire family will die!"

"Every last one of them will die!!"

"..."

Utatane Koharu was the only woman present, and her resolve was comparatively weaker. Faced with Mito Uzumaki at full force, she did not last even a few seconds before she began swearing frantically as if exposing everything about herself.

"I swear too, I swear too!!"

"I swear too!!"

"..."

Utatane Koharu's emotional collapse infected the remaining five. They promptly turned into parrots.

"Hmph. You think swearing is enough?"

"What I need is an explanation!!!"

Mito Uzumaki was not so easily fooled. If these little brats failed to provide anything useful, she would not mind employing certain special methods.

When it came to extracting intelligence from an enemy's mind, Konoha's Anbu were quite skilled at such methods.

Just as they were swearing desperately to prove their innocence, the door suddenly opened.

Someone entered from outside. It was Senju Momoki, and the moment he came through the door, he said,

"Mito-sama, we found the source of the news. It all came from Uchiha Clan shops."

As soon as those words fell, Hiruzen Sarutobi, Shimura Danzō, Utatane Koharu, Mitokado Homura, and Torifu Akimichi all turned to look at Kagami Uchiha.

Kagami Uchiha wore a stunned expression.

Me?

I wanted to show the traits of Konoha's various characters during this period and continue laying the groundwork for the later plot, writing the Naruto story in my own heart. After all, Kishimoto's old manga has quite a few logical loopholes.

Lastly, please leave comments, add it to your collection, and send recommendation votes. Hehehe.