White Fang's Might

Early the next morning, Konoha's upper brass gathered in the Hokage Office: Sarutobi Hiruzen, the Third Hokage; the two advisors, Mitokado Homura and Utatane Koharu; and the Hokage's assistant, Shimura Danzō.

"Danzō, how do you explain what happened to Sakumo?" The Third Hokage was somewhat angered by Danzō's actions.

The Third Hokage trusted Danzō and supported his establishment of the Anbu Root, an organization independent from the Hokage. But that did not mean he could tolerate Danzō harming people from the village. Sarutobi Hiruzen might indeed become indecisive and overly concerned with gains and losses in his old age, but in his prime, how could he allow Danzō to play petty tricks under his nose and harm a Konoha hero?

"Hiruzen, you're too old-fashioned! Ninja are tools to begin with. Letting personal feelings cause a mission to fail is unforgivable."

"Hiruzen, Danzō, calm down and cool off. Isn't Hatake Sakumo fine? Why get so angry?" Seeing the tension between them, Utatane Koharu hurriedly stepped in to mediate.

"Hiruzen, I think Danzō was right about this. Hatake Sakumo's act of abandoning the mission was wrong in itself. Danzō did nothing wrong by making it public and letting the villagers know." Utatane Koharu agreed with Mitokado Homura's words and simply fell silent.

"So you mean Sakumo deserved to die?" The Third Hokage was enraged by their attitudes.

"Hiruzen, don't misunderstand. I only think Hatake Sakumo needs to take responsibility for his failed mission. I never intended to kill him." Mitokado Homura's words eased the Third Hokage's expression somewhat.

Knock, knock! The knocking outside interrupted their conversation.

"Come in!"

"Lord Hokage, Elder Advisors, Elder Danzō." Hatake Sakumo greeted the four of them as soon as he entered.

"Sakumo? You've recovered? Why didn't you rest a little longer?" The Third Hokage's attitude toward Hatake Sakumo made the other three look rather displeased. Wasn't Sarutobi Hiruzen's concern for Sakumo a slap in their faces?

"Lord Hokage, there is no need to worry. Yamanaka Tohru's Medical Ninjutsu is exceptional. I'm mostly recovered."

"Oh? For you to praise him like that, the kid must be quite impressive!" The Third Hokage was greatly pleased that Konoha had produced such an outstanding Medical Ninja.

"Lord Hokage, there are some things I wish to ask you." After waking up last night, Hatake Sakumo had heard from Hatake Junko that an Anbu ninja had appeared at their home.

With Hatake Sakumo's intelligence, he quickly realized that Danzō and the others had set him up. Given his pride, hearing the villagers' gossip and his comrades' accusations could very well have driven him beyond what he could bear, leading him to take his own life—and he had indeed done so. Hatake Sakumo now even suspected that his comrades' capture had been arranged by Danzō's group. The Anbu ninja had naturally been keeping watch on the Hatake Family at all times, ready to enter and investigate at the first sign of trouble.

"Sakumo, say what you need to say."

"Lord Hokage, did you send an Anbu ninja to my home yesterday?"

The Third Hokage glanced at Danzō without changing his expression before answering, "No. Not a single Anbu under my command was deployed yesterday."

"Then what about Elder Danzō?"

"That's right. I sent the Anbu. I was afraid you might lose your head and commit suicide." Danzō did not deny it. Sending an Anbu operative to monitor Sakumo was no great matter.

"Elder Danzō, your man did not know the rules. He entered my home at will, so I killed him."

"Hatake Sakumo, you're utterly outrageous! You actually dared to kill an Anbu ninja in the village!" Utatane Koharu naturally knew that Danzō had sent someone to monitor Sakumo. What she had not expected was that Hatake Sakumo would directly kill a ninja belonging to Root.

"So what if I did?" Since all pretense had been torn away, Hatake Sakumo no longer cared about his attitude toward the three of them.

Danzō said nothing more and threw a punch directly at Hatake Sakumo.

At this time, before acquiring First Generation Cells and the Sharingan, Danzō was at most a Quasi-Kage. He dared to strike only because his status was higher than Hatake Sakumo's. He believed Hatake Sakumo would not dare to make a move in the Hokage Office—but he was wrong.

A flash of white light streaked through the room. Hatake Sakumo's White Fang Blade left its sheath, the Chakra short sword radiating white light. His expression was icy, and his merciless gaze regarded Danzō as though he were already dead.

For the first time, the Konoha White Fang displayed his strength within the village. Apart from the Third Hokage, no one in the Hokage Office could see when Hatake Sakumo had drawn his blade. The hidden Anbu were suppressed by Sakumo's killing intent and had no time to intervene. The White Fang Blade swept down, severing Danzō's right arm in one stroke.

Hatake Sakumo's expression did not change in the slightest after cutting off one of Danzō's arms. Behind him, Mitokado Homura and Utatane Koharu wore grave expressions. In their youth, they had both been disciples of the Second Hokage and had followed him through countless campaigns. Though their strength had declined somewhat after years in high positions, their judgment remained. Even so, the two were still shocked by Sakumo's power.

"Enough! Sakumo, Danzō! Do you still have any regard for me as Hokage?" At first, when the Third Hokage saw Danzō attack, he had not intended to stop him. He knew Danzō lacked the strength to injure Sakumo. What he had not expected was that Hatake Sakumo would show no mercy at all and directly cut off Danzō's right hand.

"Lord Hokage, you are Konoha's Hokage—not them! Hatake Sakumo is Konoha's White Fang, cutting down all obstacles for Konoha. I can die on the battlefield, but I refuse to die to the schemes of my own people! Lord Hokage, farewell." With that, Hatake Sakumo turned and left.

"Hiruzen, why didn't you stop him?"

"Koharu, it wasn't that I didn't want to stop him. I couldn't. I never expected Sakumo to have reached this level. Even if I had acted, the result would not have changed." Hearing the Third Hokage's words, Utatane Koharu fell silent.

"What a Hatake Sakumo. What a Konoha White Fang!" Danzō picked up his severed arm and left as well.

"Enough. This matter ends here! From now on, none of you are to provoke Sakumo. I believe he will always be Konoha's sharpest blade!"

"Fine, Hiruzen. Then we'll be leaving." Mitokado Homura and Utatane Koharu departed side by side.

"Ah... Danzō is my comrade. This is all I can do. I'm sorry, Sakumo." The Third Hokage sighed and stood by the window, lighting a cigarette.

Yamanaka Tohru knew nothing of what had happened in the Hokage Office. At that moment, he was still unconscious on a bed in Konoha Hospital.

Yesterday, Yamanaka Tohru had revived Hatake Sakumo, who had already been "dead." Konoha Hospital was neither particularly large nor particularly small, but overnight, everyone from the director down to the cleaning ladies had learned of Yamanaka Tohru's glorious feat.

Outside Yamanaka Tohru's hospital room, people had gathered so densely that not even water could pass through. Everyone wanted to see this genius Medical Ninja, only five years old.

Yamanaka Tohru had expended too much Chakra yesterday. Coupled with the prolonged mental strain of treating Hatake Sakumo, his body and mind had been utterly exhausted, causing him to collapse and faint.

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