Soothing the Uchiha

"Danzo acts without considering the consequences."

After pondering for a while, the Third spoke. "The Uchiha Clan's situation is quite special. Orochimaru, you also understand the nature of the Sharingan, the clan's ocular technique. If they are provoked without regard for the consequences, it may bring great trouble to the village. It could even lead to utter disaster."

"It is precisely because of such a potential threat that Danzo believes they should be eliminated all the more." Orochimaru said it was what "Danzo believes," but there was a meaningful undertone in his words.

Of course, the Third understood. Hiruzen Sarutobi, to some extent, also harbored thoughts of eliminating the Uchiha.

It was simply that he truly disliked charging ahead without considering the consequences, unless an exceptionally good opportunity to eliminate the Uchiha presented itself. Yet the current Third felt that such an opportunity was unlikely to ever arise.

But although the Third disliked acting recklessly, he had still indulged Danzo in targeting the Uchiha.

That left the current Third somewhat confused.

Why was he so indecisive? Since he knew that charging in without considering the consequences would most likely produce terrible results—and might even bring utter disaster upon Konoha—

Then he should simply soothe the Uchiha and prevent such a terrible outcome.

Yet instead of soothing them, he had allowed Danzo to keep provoking the Uchiha, while lacking any way to truly eliminate the Uchiha Clan. What exactly was he thinking, leaving things hanging like this?

Either do not do it at all, or see it through to the end.

Could he really wait for a good chance to eliminate the Uchiha under such circumstances? Normally, if one wanted to seek such an opportunity, one should make the Uchiha lower their guard.

How many rulers throughout history had operated this way?

To eliminate rebellious subordinates, one first had to pacify them, make them lower their guard, and then wipe them out in one stroke.

If one could eliminate them while never pacifying them and constantly provoking them instead—

Then heaven itself would have to favor you, spoon-feeding you and arranging every unbelievable condition perfectly.

Surely the Third Hokage was not waiting for heaven to arrange everything for him?

Of course not. He had absorbed the Third's memories and knew that the Third had simply been indecisive. He wanted to deal with the Uchiha, yet did not dare act rashly, so he allowed Danzo to target them, leaving things in this awkward state.

What a foolish choice.

Since eliminating the Uchiha was difficult, whether they intended to eliminate them or not, the current Third believed that pacifying them was necessary.

Because the Uchiha truly posed a threat, they had to be soothed all the more.

"Danzo is too foolish," the Third said with a sigh.

Orochimaru looked at him in surprise.

"The Uchiha Clan is difficult to control. Whether they can be eliminated or not, they must first be pacified."

Hearing this, Orochimaru nodded. He did not voice the slander in his heart: Danzo was only this foolish because you indulged him, Teacher.

However, Orochimaru also understood that Danzo was not truly foolish.

Danzo targeted the Uchiha to uphold his own political position. After the Night of the Nine-Tails, quite a few people in Konoha had indeed begun to believe that the Uchiha were a potential threat to Konoha.

The more Danzo targeted the Uchiha, the more support he would receive from hardliners concerned about Konoha.

It looked like foolishness, but in essence, it was for his own political interests.

Did Danzo truly not know that targeting the Uchiha this way would likely do nothing to help with actually eliminating them?

Of course he knew. But it benefited his political position.

And the reason he was willing to target them this way, aside from the political tradition passed down from the Second through the Hokage line, was because this was what the Third himself wanted.

In other words, Danzo's foolishness stemmed from the Third's foolishness.

Or rather, from the Third's indecisiveness.

Orochimaru understood this as well. Naturally, he would not say it aloud.

"So, we are going to pacify the Uchiha?" Orochimaru asked for confirmation.

"Yes."

Orochimaru relaxed slightly.

Teacher had finally stopped being foolish.

Sure enough, after changing, Teacher had come to see many things more clearly.

Perhaps the tragedy that the Nine-Tails' Rampage had brought upon Teacher was not entirely a bad thing.

"Then what about Danzo?" Orochimaru asked again.

At the mention of Danzo, the Third furrowed his brow.

He had also realized that Danzo was somewhat out of control. The Third had not handled this blade particularly well. In truth, he had noticed it long ago; after all, during the Nine-Tails' Rampage, Danzo had not been much help.

Yet the indecisive Third remained hesitant when it came to Danzo.

Or perhaps, guilty.

Yes, the Third felt somewhat guilty toward Danzo. He had always believed that he bore some responsibility for Danzo becoming so dark and twisted.

The Third truly cherished old ties.

But while sitting in the Hokage's seat, cherishing old ties in such matters was not a good thing.

"Remove Danzo from his position in Root."

Orochimaru nodded.

Root was a covert intelligence department. It could even be said that it was not a legitimate Konoha department.

If it were a legitimate department, there would have to be a suitable reason to remove its head. But since it was not legitimate, removing its leader was merely a matter of the Hokage giving the word.

Of course, this would only remove him in name. Danzo's control over Root's personnel was extremely strong.

"Should we cut off its funding?"

"No."

The Third shook his head.

"Given the channels Danzo has cultivated over the years, even if I cut off the funding, he can make up for it elsewhere. That would only increase Root's independence."

Orochimaru felt some regret. While handling the Hokage's affairs, he had deeply experienced just how tight Konoha's finances currently were. That was why he had conceived the idea of drawing funds from Root... he had even wanted to keep some of those funds to prepare his future laboratory.

Still, he admitted that Teacher was right. For Konoha's sake, Root's funding truly could not be cut off.

"Then let us do this. From now on, if Root wants to receive funding, it must provide detailed reports on how the funds will be used. If there is anything unclear about the spending, it must be investigated thoroughly. Only when there are no doubts may the funding be approved. Orochimaru, you can establish a Special Audit Team specifically for this matter and make financial expenditures more standardized."

Orochimaru nodded, finding it quite reasonable. "I will arrange for the Special Audit Team to coordinate with Root regarding its finances and send people to monitor the use of the funds it applies for. Also, we must review Root's future recruitment."

The Third glanced at Orochimaru, knowing that Orochimaru intended to plant people within Root and gradually erode it from within.

To truly turn Root into the Hokage's Root, rather than merely Danzo's private domain.

"Then do it."

The Third nodded in agreement.

With the Hokage's righteous authority behind it, Danzo had no way to refuse.

"Additionally, we must figure out the channels through which Danzo can obtain funding," Orochimaru added.

He unconsciously stuck out his tongue and licked it greedily.