Night Talk

Looking at Watanabe Tsuyoshi lying at his feet, Hiruzen Sarutobi frowned.

After speaking with Jiraiya at the Training Ground, he returned to the village.

Although he had not officially been declared Hokage, he had already begun taking on the Hokage's duties.

So after taking a day to "play" with his former students, he still had to rush back to the Hokage Office Building that evening to finish the day's work.

But as soon as he reached the entrance of the Hokage Office Building, he sensed a watchful gaze.

It had to be said that the newly established Root organization truly lacked powerful members.

Danzo naturally understood this as well, so the orders he usually gave his members mostly involved monitoring Genin or Chunin Level individuals.

He simply had not expected eight-year-old Kagura to be far stronger than he had imagined, easily discovering his arrangement.

If even Kagura could notice it, then Hiruzen Sarutobi, as Hokage, certainly would not be any less perceptive.

If Watanabe Tsuyoshi had been in his right mind, he would naturally have known that someone of that caliber was beyond his ability to monitor.

But under the influence of Kotoamatsukami, he automatically overlooked that fact.

The moment he noticed that gaze, Hiruzen Sarutobi attacked without hesitation.

Yet he instinctively held back, so Watanabe Tsuyoshi had merely been knocked unconscious rather than left bleeding on the spot.

Upon seeing the watcher's face, Hiruzen Sarutobi quickly found a matching face in his memories.

This person was likely named Watanabe Tsuyoshi, a Chunin of Konoha.

And he was certain that this person had joined Root.

After all, Danzo had established Root with his tacit approval.

Hiruzen Sarutobi had personally reviewed the list of the first batch of recruits.

At that moment, the guards stationed within the Hokage Office Building finally came out.

When they saw the person collapsed at Hiruzen Sarutobi's feet, their expressions changed.

Hiruzen Sarutobi waved to them and said calmly:

"Send this person over to Root. Danzo will naturally understand what happened."

Inside the Hokage Office, Hiruzen Sarutobi and Danzo sat facing each other, each with a steaming cup of tea before him.

After Danzo entered, the two had remained in this strange silence.

Danzo was still young then, without bandages wrapped around him or an arm deliberately tucked away.

Though he had an X-shaped Scar on his chin, it did nothing to diminish his handsome face.

As a man capable of competing with Hiruzen Sarutobi for the Hokage position, he carried a naturally steady presence.

It could be said that if not for the Second Hokage Senju Tobirama's personal appointment—

He might well have replaced Hiruzen Sarutobi as the Third Hokage.

In the end, Danzo was the first to speak, breaking the silence.

"I never gave an order to monitor you."

After a pause, he continued:

"You and I both know very well that if I truly had such intentions, I would not have sent someone like him.

The only person who could carry out such a task would be me."

Hiruzen Sarutobi nodded in agreement. He picked up the teacup before him, slowly took a sip, and only then spoke.

"I know.

But what I want to know more is what task you originally assigned Watanabe Tsuyoshi."

Danzo silently watched Hiruzen Sarutobi for several seconds before finally choosing to be honest.

"The person I originally sent him to monitor was Uchiha Kagura."

"Uchiha Kagura...?"

Hiruzen Sarutobi murmured the name, pondering the meaning behind those words.

In an instant, he understood many things.

He let out a laugh, shook his head helplessly, and said:

"It seems you have quite a few people around me.

Uchiha Kagura only revealed his strength this afternoon, yet you were already able to act so quickly."

Danzo remained calm as he explained:

"You may have misunderstood something.

There are indeed people of mine around you, but their task is not to monitor you.

After all, those who leave Root will eventually become Anbu.

I merely sent them to protect you. In practical terms, you will become Konoha's Third Hokage."

Hearing this, Hiruzen Sarutobi set down his teacup and looked into Danzo's eyes.

"Then your wariness toward Uchiha Kagura is not a misunderstanding, is it?"

Danzo did not deny it.

"Yes.

You should understand Uchiha's terror better than I do.

Even someone like Tobirama never dared lower his guard against the Uchiha Clan.

I do not believe there is anything wrong with monitoring the younger generation among them who possess outstanding talent."

"The problem is that you failed!"

Hiruzen Sarutobi stood, braced both hands against the table, and looked down at Danzo as he spoke.

"Though I do not know how Kagura kid did it—

The person you sent to monitor him was fooled by his genjutsu and ended up coming to me!

This is him expressing both goodwill and dissatisfaction!

The fact that he did not kill that person means he still bears goodwill toward the village.

Sending him to me, meanwhile, was him expressing his dissatisfaction."

He stared sternly into Danzo's eyes and warned:

"If you could have done it without him noticing, that would have been one thing.

But since he has the ability to notice, stop what you are doing.

I do not want a promising future to be pushed to Konoha's opposite side because of your personal suspicions."

Danzo frowned and still tried to argue.

"But..."

"No buts.

At yesterday's graduation ceremony, Mito-sama personally saw Kagura.

Mito-sama believed that youth posed no threat to Konoha.

You should know very well what Mito-sama is capable of."

Even Danzo could not help falling silent upon hearing the name Uzumaki Mito, who had devoted her entire life to Konoha.

Hiruzen Sarutobi stepped away from the table and walked to the window.

Gazing at Konoha beneath the Night Sky, he spoke again.

"Danzo, I understand your determination to protect the village.

But the village cannot continue to grow through blindly relying on dark methods.

The times have changed. I firmly believe that only under the sunlight can Konoha soar higher."

Danzo left.

Though he said nothing in the end, he tacitly accepted Hiruzen Sarutobi's decision.

Looking at his former companion's back view concealed in the Black Night, Hiruzen Sarutobi felt more and more keenly how difficult it was to become Hokage.

"Teacher Sarutobi?"

Suddenly, a voice pulled him back from his thoughts.

When he turned around, the approcher was Tsunade.

After today's test, Tsunade had felt troubled by her own weakness for the first time.

After going home and thinking for a long time, she decided to come find her teacher and ask about the direction of her future training.

Knowing Hiruzen Sarutobi's daily schedule well, she headed straight for the Hokage Office Building.

Thanks to her special background, the renowned Princess Tsunade reached the Hokage Office without any obstruction.

But the moment she entered, she saw that her teacher was not seated at his desk handling official business as usual, but standing by the window in a daze.

Looking at his well-behaved student before him, Hiruzen Sarutobi smiled slightly and responded:

"Oh, it's nothing.

I was just dealing with some trouble caused by Uchiha Kagura kid."

Uchiha Kagura?

The moment she heard that name, Tsunade's eyes suddenly lit up.

She hurriedly tugged on Teacher Sarutobi's sleeve and asked:

"What did that idiot do this time?

He must have caused trouble again, right?!"

Seeing Tsunade suddenly grow excited, a trace of vigilance flashed through Hiruzen Sarutobi's eyes, and a possibility arose in his mind.

Though he personally held no prejudice against Uchiha, if Tsunade, who represented the Senju Clan, and that Uchiha kid truly had something going on—

Then he, as Hokage, would likely have quite a few more troubles to deal with.

He looked Tsunade up and down, then asked directly:

"Tell me, Tsunade. Why do you seem particularly concerned about Kagura kid?

Don't tell me you like him?"

Tsunade had not expected Teacher Sarutobi to ask so bluntly, and her face turned flushed.

She forcefully let go of Hiruzen Sarutobi's sleeve and said in a panic:

"Te... Teacher, what are you talking about?

How... how could I possibly like an idiot like that!

I just can't stand that arrogant kid. He always acts like he looks down on everyone.

And as opponents from the same class, isn't it perfectly normal to want to surpass a strong opponent?

I haven't been paying special attention to him at all!"

She had stumbled over her words at first, but after seemingly finding an excuse for herself, she grew more confident with every word.

Hearing Tsunade's explanation, Hiruzen Sarutobi nodded in satisfaction.

So that was it...

He finally let go of the worry in his heart.

This was why one should never expect a middle-aged man to understand a girl's feelings.

If Uzumaki Mito had been here, she would have seen through it at a glance.

This granddaughter of hers... her heart had likely long since ceased to belong to herself.