Sakumo, who had bowed his head and confessed before Hiruzen, never imagined that the teammate he had risked mission failure to save would not only feel no gratitude toward him, but would also bear a grudge against him.
Knowing that the punishment concerning him would not be handed down immediately, Sakumo lowered his head again before leaving the room with his teammates under the ANBU's escort.
"Phew..." Once Sakumo and the others had left, Hiruzen slowly took a pipe from his robes and lit it. He let out a long breath and began puffing out clouds of smoke.
"Hiruzen, you called me here..."
Danzo, who had rushed over upon receiving the notice, pushed open the door and was immediately engulfed in smoke.
Frowning, Danzo waved his sleeve to disperse the smoke before him. Only then did he see Hiruzen's unpleasant expression clearly.
"What happened?"
Seeing Hiruzen's expression, Danzo frowned as well and immediately realized that something must have happened.
"Sakumo's mission failed." Hiruzen glanced at Danzo, exhaled a cloud of smoke, and spoke quietly.
Danzo froze for a moment before cautiously asking, "The mission personally assigned by the daimyo?"
"Yes, that mission." Hiruzen nodded in confirmation.
"Konoha's White Fang actually failed?" Danzo knew about that mission. Though it was somewhat difficult, it should not have been enough to stump even Sakumo...
"Imin Rujin fell into a trap. Sakumo voluntarily abandoned the mission in order to save him." Hiruzen took a hard drag from his pipe and said sullenly.
"Hmph, all because of something like that..." Danzo's tone carried a hint of disappointment at Sakumo's failure to live up to expectations.
"But it does fit Sakumo's personality. He has always been someone who cares deeply for his comrades." Hiruzen instinctively spoke in Sakumo's defense.
"No matter what, a failed mission must be punished." Danzo slammed a palm onto the table.
"Mm." Hiruzen nodded. He had no intention of favoring Sakumo, and besides, the daimyo needed an explanation as well.
"In your view, how should we explain this to the daimyo?" That was precisely why Hiruzen had called Danzo here.
"What explanation does the daimyo need? The mission failed, so we simply forfeit that subsidy. Ninja missions were never guaranteed to go smoothly."
Seeing Hiruzen agonizing over such a trivial matter, Danzo sharply flicked his sleeve and walked over to him.
Hiruzen was quite satisfied with Danzo's answer.
His position did not allow him to treat the daimyo with such an attitude, but Danzo could.
Danzo had never shown the daimyo the respect he ought to.
Danzo could first frighten the daimyo a little, then Hiruzen could step in to smooth things over. That should be enough to bury this matter.
It was just a shame about that sizable subsidy...
"Then what about Sakumo? How do you think he should be disciplined?" Hiruzen extinguished his pipe and asked for Danzo's opinion.
"Konoha's White Fang is, after all, one of the village's top combat assets. We still need his reputation to deter Sunagakure. In my opinion, we should keep this matter confidential and suspend his team for the time being."
After thinking for a moment, Danzo gave his answer.
There was some selfishness in that answer as well. After all, he still intended to support Sakumo as the next Hokage, thereby paving the way for his own son.
If this stain were made public, it would certainly damage Sakumo's reputation.
"Sakumo was indeed negligent in this operation. Once the uproar dies down, we might as well send him to the border. That can count as punishment." Hiruzen nodded and voiced his own thoughts as well.
"I don't think we need to inform Koharu and the others about this."
If those two found out about it, who knew what sort of trouble they would cause.
The two quickly settled on a general plan and came to an agreement on several details.
"Then I'll leave this matter to you." Only after leaning back against his chair did Hiruzen finally relax.
Danzo said nothing in response. He nodded to Hiruzen, then turned and left.
"Abandoning a mission for the sake of his comrades..." Watching Danzo close the door, Hiruzen turned his gaze to Tobirama's photograph hanging on the wall and murmured to himself.
"By order of Lord Danzo, Sakumo's team is to suspend all operations temporarily, submit to an ANBU investigation, and refrain from mentioning this mission to anyone outside."
At the hospital, an ANBU ninja suddenly appeared before Sakumo and his group, who were gathered together receiving treatment.
After reading out Danzo's order, the ANBU ninja did not leave. Instead, he stood at the doorway and openly began monitoring them.
Sakumo showed no emotion in the face of the ANBU's surveillance, but Imin Rujin beside him grew tense.
Lord Hokage really handed this matter over to Danzo, and they even suspended our duties. This was clearly all caused by Sakumo, so why? Why did it turn out like this?!
Glancing at the silent Sakumo beside him, the venom in Imin Rujin's eyes nearly took physical form.
Why don't those damned higher-ups just arrest Sakumo? Why drag innocent people like us into this?
Of course. He's Konoha's White Fang. The higher-ups must be planning to protect that guy.
No, I can't just sit here and wait to die. I have to do something.
The higher-ups want to protect Sakumo, do they? Then I refuse to let them have their way.
Believing that he would become Sakumo's scapegoat, Imin Rujin began plotting in his heart.
Kazashiro, completely unaware of what had happened, returned home as usual, only to discover that neither Ryoma nor Danzo was there.
Only Yakushi Nonō sat on the sofa, studying Medical Ninjutsu.
"Big Sister Nonō, where are Teacher Ryoma and the others?" Kazashiro asked curiously.
"Oh, Kazashiro, you're back. Ryoma and the others went on a mission with Lord Danzo. They probably won't return tonight. You can practice ninjutsu by yourself, or you can study Medical Ninjutsu with me."
Tucking the hair by her ear aside, Nonō looked at Kazashiro and gave him a lovely smile.
There's really such a good thing?
Hearing that he would not have to get beaten today, Kazashiro visibly brightened. He gave Nonō a sweet smile and said to her with a hint of coquettishness, "Then I want to study Medical Ninjutsu with you, Big Sister Nonō."
"Alright, then I'll go cook first." Having received his answer, Nonō rose from the sofa and stretched, revealing her graceful curves and making Kazashiro blush slightly.
Heh heh, today really is a good day. Not only do I not have to get beaten, I don't have to eat that old geezer's cooking either...
Come to think of it, what mission did that old geezer and the others go on? Is it dangerous? It should be dangerous, right...
Elsewhere, Imin Rujin, who was being interrogated by Yamanaka Zen, was doing his utmost to express his innocence.
"Brother, please make sure you tell Lord Danzo that this was all Sakumo acting on his own. I was clearly prepared to sacrifice myself for the village. It was him, all him..."
"Mm." No matter how much Imin Rujin said, Yamanaka Zen merely nodded in acknowledgment, his face beneath the mask utterly expressionless.
Before you continue