Inside the Hokage's office, Sarutobi Hiruzen's fingertips trembled, ash spilling in a soft patter into the ashtray.
Sarutobi Hiruzen: If they dared to kill Danzō... they'll dare to kill us... We should be thinking about how to run.
"Danzō was right in front of me when Uchiha Sanpo cut off his head. That boy didn't hesitate at all when he struck."
Mitokado Homura pushed up his crooked glasses and said, "Root's base has already been breached, and the secrets inside have been exposed. The people of Konoha have already lost faith in us."
The office fell into dead silence. The ticking of the wall clock in the corner suddenly became unsettling.
Utatane Koharu broke the silence. "Hiruzen, what are you thinking?"
Sarutobi Hiruzen suddenly pulled open a drawer and took out a scroll engraved with a flame crest. "The Uchiha will definitely make other moves. We have to think of a way out for ourselves. The 'Twelve Guardian Ninja' plan the daimyō proposed three months ago—now is the time to activate it."
Utatane Koharu frowned. "Hiruzen, didn't you 'look down on the daimyō' before, saying he wanted to develop ninja power to counterbalance Konoha... so you never agreed? And now you want to seek refuge with him... after dragging it out for more than three months... Will the daimyō still agree?"
Sarutobi Hiruzen rubbed his fingers over the scroll and cut her off. "Things are different now. From now on, Konoha won't be a place where we call the shots. I've decided to have Asuma join the Twelve Guardian Ninja... and at the same time, have him take some of the Sarutobi clan with him... to seek refuge with the daimyō... Consider it an apology."
Utatane Koharu and Mitokado Homura's gazes briefly met in midair, and they nodded in tacit