Sarutobi Hiruzen and Fugaku: The Advantage Is Ours-A World Where Only Danzo Gets Hurt Has Been Achieved!

Sarutobi Hiruzen slapped the table and made the final decision outright.

Yes!

He absolutely would not agree to let Uchiha Jin join Root. After all, he knew exactly what his old friend was thinking. For the sake of the Hokage Position, there was nothing Danzo wouldn't do. Hadn't the members of Root already been brainwashed into tools?

If a genius like Uchiha Jin really became a sharp blade in Danzo's hands, would he still dare sleep soundly at night?

But, likewise.

He did not want Uchiha Jin to leave the ranks of the ninja and once again become a private soldier of the Uchiha Clan.

He still had considerable confidence in his own Will of Fire.

The current squad captain, Takada Fujiwara, was a jōnin from the civilian faction and naturally belonged to his Hokage faction.

His own Sarutobi Clan was also a witness to the Ino-Shika-Cho earring oath, while Kakashi, because of Hatake Sakumo's death, now naturally belonged to his Hokage faction as well...

Almost, one could say.

In a squad made up entirely of his own people, he was confident he could turn Uchiha Jin into one of his own!

He could not help thinking of how Kakashi had come to see him late at night a few days ago, hoping that Uchiha Jin could become his teammate.

At the time, he had been unwilling, but considering that Hatake Sakumo had just committed suicide, he had ultimately agreed to it with reluctance.

Now that he thought about it carefully, perhaps this had been Heaven's guidance!

Sarutobi Hiruzen could not help thanking Kakashi inwardly.

What a good boy!

Of course.

If he knew that Nara Shikaichi had a mediocre relationship with the clan, that Kakashi had already faintly sensed the darkness of Konoha and thus developed some distaste for the Will of Fire, and that the civilian jōnin Takada Fujiwara was slowly being corrupted by money...

He would probably cry, wouldn't he?

"Well, all right!"

"I acknowledge Hokage-sama's arrangement. The Uchiha are willing to follow the village's wishes."

Although Fugaku was somewhat unhappy, he still softened, "without the slightest surprise."

This was perfectly normal!

If he could truly stand firm, the Uchiha would not have fallen to the point of being wiped out.

He might have wanted Uchiha Jin to return to the clan, but compared with the worst possible outcome of joining Root, the current arrangement was barely acceptable.

Although a regular squad had to carry out the village's missions, they would still return to the clan when they had no missions. At that time, he would naturally have a chance to win Uchiha Jin over.

He was also very confident in himself on this point.

After all, he was the Uchiha Clan Head. If he personally met that little fellow Uchiha Jin, Jin would surely be so excited that he would faint, right?

Once that happened, if he simply offered him a few benefits, wouldn't Uchiha Jin submit immediately?

At the thought, a faint smile appeared on Fugaku's face.

"All right, Fugaku." Sarutobi Hiruzen slowly spoke. "You may return first."

"Yes, Hokage-sama!"

After bowing, Fugaku did not even acknowledge Danzo and simply left.

Ordinarily, Uchiha etiquette would not permit such rudeness. However, Danzo's words had been too infuriating. Fugaku did not dare lead the entire clan in rebellion, nor did he dare disobey the village's orders, but for a minor matter like this, he was still bold enough to refuse Danzo the respect he was due.

Seeing this, Danzo snorted coldly. "What a lack of manners!"

"Enough, Danzo!" Sarutobi Hiruzen said directly. "Do you have anything else?"

Leaning on his cane, Danzo narrowed his eyes slightly. "The Uchiha all have something wrong with their heads. Hiruzen, you can't control them. Only Root can control that child."

"Don't even think about it. Absolutely not!" Sarutobi Hiruzen rolled his eyes.

Danzo's face darkened. "Then hand the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki over to me. That child, Uzumaki Kushina, is too naïve. I'll turn him into Konoha's strongest weapon."

"Cut the crap and get out!" Sarutobi Hiruzen was nearly laughing from anger. Pointing at the door, he roared, "Absolutely not!"

Danzo's face grew even darker!

His entire body trembled with rage, and his eyes were filled with disbelief.

Uchiha Jin was off-limits, and Uzumaki Kushina was off-limits too?

This was too much!

Still forcing down his anger, he gritted his teeth and said, "There is darkness within Kakashi. Surely this one is acceptable, right?"

"Put him under Root's command. I'll turn him into one of Konoha's sharpest blades—a blade more obedient than Hatake Sakumo's and even more powerful!"

Sarutobi Hiruzen could not help sighing at this.

When it came to his old friend Danzo, he truly felt helpless!

Was his brain really just a lump of feces?

As the village's Hokage, he knew perfectly well that Root did not obey the Hokage's orders. How could he possibly hand the village's absolute elite to a faction that disobeyed the Hokage?

He tolerated Root now because Root was still useful and could barely serve as his hidden hand.

Did this fellow Danzo really not even possess that much common sense?

And he still dreamed of competing with him for the Hokage Position?

Where was his brain?

However, he was too lazy to argue with Danzo. He still had a mountain of work to do.

So he simply waved his hand. "Still no. Don't even think about it."

"Root already has enough experts. And as for those little schemes you're carrying out behind my back, don't think I, the Hokage, don't know about them."

"Listen to me and stop."

Hearing this, Danzo's face flushed red with anger.

Damn it!

He had clearly taken one step back, then two, and had even retreated to the point where he could retreat no further. Now he was asking for nothing more than Hatake Kakashi.

That was still not allowed?

He felt as if his lungs were about to explode. If he had stepped forward first back then, then the person sitting in the Hokage's seat now would most likely have been him, Danzo!

But damn it.

He had been only one step away!

At the thought, an angry flame burned in Danzo's heart.

"Hiruzen, you'll regret this!"

"Danzo, I am the Hokage!"

Danzo angrily threw out those words, then left the Hokage's Office and slammed the door hard behind him.

BANG!

With the thunderous crash, dust fell all over the floor.

Sarutobi Hiruzen sighed.

When it came to his old friend Danzo, he truly felt helpless.

But, in the end.

Thinking that the old fellow was still useful, especially with the current situation in the entire Shinobi World being abnormal and seemingly liable to develop into a shinobi war at any moment, he knew that Danzo's Root was needed to handle certain matters. Thus, he forcibly suppressed his anger.

"Someone, bring Nara Shikaku here!"

"Yes!"

As Sarutobi Hiruzen spoke, a figure emerged from the corner.

He knelt on one knee and spoke respectfully.

About ten minutes after he left, the pineapple-headed Nara Shikaku walked in. "Hokage-sama, did you summon me for something?"

"Yes, a minor matter." Sarutobi Hiruzen slowly spoke. "Your clansman, Nara Shikaichi."

"Do you have any impression of him?"