040 Hokage's Affinity

Your grandfather hacked at my father...

Remember the original release website domain ??????????.??????

Such a down-to-earth exchange between the Hokage and his advisor.

Not only did the Inuzuka Clan and Aburame stare blankly, even Uchiha Homura, who had been craning his neck defiantly, unconsciously pricked up his ears.

"That did happen, but wasn't that during the Warring States Period?"

Shimura Danzō narrowed his eyes. "If you put it that way, your father once burned my uncle with Fire Release!"

Hiruzen Sarutobi's father was named Sasuke Sarutobi.

Though he could not compare to legendary figures like Madara and Hashirama, he was still quite renowned.

During the Warring States Period, Shimura Danzō's grandfather had once set his sights on Sasuke Sarutobi, intending to kill the genius before he could fully mature.

The story between Sasuke Sarutobi and Danzō's second uncle was roughly the same.

That was the Warring States Period. Without blood ties to serve as a bond of trust, it was all too common for Ninja Clans to slaughter one another...

They might have been allies last year, only to become mortal enemies hacking at each other this year.

Besides, even blood ties were no guarantee.

It was hardly unusual for members of the same clan, even cousins, to kill each other.

"Heh heh, wasn't that just how the Warring States Period was?"

"That is precisely what makes the village so meaningful and precious..."

Hiruzen Sarutobi sighed. "Whether it is Konoha or any other Hidden Village, if you examine the various Ninja Clans closely, which ones have never been enemies?"

"But now, everyone has built a community where we help one another."

Uchiha Homura unconsciously nodded slightly.

Though the Uchiha had fought the Senju most fiercely, that did not mean they had enjoyed good relations with the other Ninja Clans.

The proud and warlike Uchiha, under the high-pressure conditions of the Warring States Period, would sometimes kick even a dog they saw by the roadside. Once their eyes turned red with killing, they would not even spare their own people.

During the period when Izanagi was at its most prevalent, the Uchiha had even begun slaughtering one another, seizing each other's Sharingan to strengthen themselves.

Hiruzen Sarutobi's words were meant to show that the hatred between the Senju and Uchiha was not so exceptional...

The clans of the Hokage and the Hokage's advisor had once borne hatred as well, yet weren't they getting along just fine now?

"The grudges and obsessions of the Warring States Period should be buried alongside that cruel era."

"Standing united and looking forward is the belief we should uphold today..."

"I, as Hokage, do not dare make grand claims. But I can pound my chest and promise to treat every Konoha ninja fairly, and to do everything within my power to help everyone live a little better."

Hiruzen Sarutobi took out a pack of cigarettes and slowly tore it open.

He had swiped it from his eldest son, Shinnosuke...

Though the Tobacco Pipe had become one of his trademarks, cigarettes were still more convenient when he was out and about.

Uchiha Homura remained silent.

Other Uchiha might have argued upon hearing Hiruzen Sarutobi's words...

But as a member of the Patrol Force, he had personally experienced the village's support and regard...

Whether it was Hatake Sakumo visiting him in person or the respect shown by the Inuzuka Clan and Aburame, all of it had made this Uchiha from the Warring States Period feel respected.

Uchiha Homura had also heard from others that the Patrol Force's funding had been donated to the village by Hiruzen Sarutobi...

His stiff neck had long since relaxed. Uchiha Homura nodded silently and spoke in a hoarse voice. "Third, you are right..."

"I only hope that you will remain this way."

"I will." Hiruzen Sarutobi pulled two cigarettes from the pack. "Want one?"

Uchiha Homura accepted it, then politely ignited a flame at his fingertips and lit Hiruzen Sarutobi's cigarette.

Hiruzen Sarutobi shielded the flame and patted Uchiha Homura's hand.

The two simply stood there, puffing away. As the smoke drifted, the oppressive tension from earlier seemed to float away with it.

From afar, Uchiha Homura and Hiruzen Sarutobi looked more like two old friends who had happened upon each other and stopped for a chat.

Shimura Danzō ground his teeth quietly at the side.

This Hiruzen really was silver-tongued, wasn't he?

He could even smooth over such an awful atmosphere...

Yet for some reason, watching Hiruzen Sarutobi and Uchiha Homura smoke together made Shimura Danzō inexplicably irritated.

You are the Hokage, and he is an Uchiha!

Did you not have even a shred of self-awareness as Lord Tobirama's disciple?

"Hiruzen, you should smoke less. Even if you are under some pressure as Hokage, you ought to restrain yourself."

"Cigarettes are not a good thing," Shimura Danzō abruptly said.

"Mm-hm, got it, got it. You're right," Hiruzen Sarutobi replied with a smile.

Shimura Danzō's expression darkened. He turned to Uchiha Homura again and said, "I'm not targeting anyone. As the Patrol Force, carrying an odor while on duty is negligence!"

And he had spotted another Blind Spot.

Right, couldn't Fire Release be used to light cigarettes?

He refused to believe that, with Hiruzen Sarutobi's nature transformation capable of burning flames white, he couldn't manage that...

So when Hiruzen had explained the concept of the "Buffer Layer" to him earlier, was that whole act of pretending to look for a lighter deliberately meant to whet his appetite and make him light the cigarette for him?!

Damn it, he'd only just realized!

What Shimura Danzō had not expected, however, was this.

Uchiha Homura nodded with utmost seriousness and did not refute him.

"Assistant Danzō is right. This is my fault. I'll write an explanation of this matter to Lord Sakumo, request punishment, and guarantee there won't be a next time."

Uchiha Homura's way of thinking was simple.

Right was right, and wrong was wrong.

Pointing it out now might look like provocation, but the problem he had pointed out objectively existed, so there was nothing wrong with it.

Shimura Danzō's mouth twitched slightly.

You old Uchiha bastard, why are you being so agreeable?

"I should reflect on this matter too..."

Hiruzen Sarutobi stuffed the entire pack of cigarettes into Uchiha Homura's hands. "It really did interfere with normal work. I won't do it again."

Uchiha Homura accepted them and echoed, "Thank you, Lord Third!"

How exactly does the village treat the Uchiha Clan? I'll tell the clansmen every last detail.

A pack of cigarettes won't buy me off. I'll use these eyes to see every truth... Yet his hands carefully put the cigarettes away.

Uchiha Homura and Hiruzen Sarutobi inadvertently met each other's eyes, and the two suddenly laughed.

Who knew what they were laughing about...

But Shimura Danzō's face turned even darker.

Are you two that close?

After Uchiha Homura and the others continued their patrol and walked away, Hiruzen Sarutobi said, "Danzō, the resentment in the Uchiha Clan's hearts and their unease toward the village won't fade in a short time."

"What I said earlier was just for appearances. Though slaughter during the Warring States period was commonplace, the impact Teacher Tobirama brought about belongs to the era of nations and villages."

Shimura Danzō froze.

No, wasn't that what I was planning to say? If you say it, what am I supposed to say?

And I thought you really believed that!

"We need to take this step by step. We cannot let down our guard against the Uchiha, but we need to do it more intelligently... Having the Anbu bluntly monitor the Uchiha is both useless and crude."

"Have the Patrol Force, Anbu, and Military Police Force interact under the guise of official work. That will naturally allow our people to obtain intelligence while further strengthening the village's security."

At that moment, a thought unconsciously rose in Shimura Danzō's heart.

Perhaps the one more like Teacher Tobirama really wasn't himself, but Hiruzen Sarutobi...

"No, it's me! I'm the one..." Shimura Danzō muttered.

"What did you say?"

"Nothing..." Shimura Danzō let out a long breath and once again warned himself that he absolutely could not admit defeat. There was much here that he could learn from.

"I said, it's the Hokage!"