Sunlight streamed through the thick canopy of towering trees, casting dappled shadows on the ground below.
Amid the shadows, Haori's figure flashed past. He had already left Konoha!
"That old man's pretty efficient, I'll give him that."
As he hurried along, Haori couldn't help reflecting on it. He had brought the matter up with Uchiha Setsuna yesterday.
By that afternoon, Setsuna had sent someone to negotiate with the Hokage and secured the mission. Haori was already able to set out today.
Though there was no need to trouble the Hokage over a mission. Konoha's resource management was actually quite decent.
The Mission Department existed specifically to handle the assignment of missions, but Sarutobi Hiruzen was the sort of person who liked to keep everything in his own hands.
Besides, Uchiha Setsuna had his own reason for arranging this mission: Uchiha Shisui.
Uchiha Shisui was a prodigy of the Uchiha Clan, but he was one of the "other side."
Though he was several years younger than Haori, he already had a Three Tomoe Sharingan!
Uchiha Setsuna couldn't help being curious about such a talent, especially since he belonged to his "opponents."
"But just because you tell me to go, I'm supposed to drop everything and leave at once?"
For Haori, meeting Uchiha Shisui wasn't something he objected to.
As for Uchiha Obito and Uchiha Itachi, one was selfish to the extreme, the other arrogant to the extreme. Neither had the slightest sense of logic.
Haori's only response to them was Bian Que's Three-Step Treatment: "I can't save you. Just wait to die. Goodbye."
Uchiha Shisui, on the other hand, was a traitor too, but not a thoroughgoing one.
In his tumultuous yet fruitless life, if there was one thing people remembered most about him—
It was that he folded when he should have stood firm, and stood firm when he should have yielded.
He also had a poor head for making decisions at crucial moments. And, unlike Uchiha Itachi, he still cared about his clan.
Itachi had simply steeled himself and swung his blade, wiping out everyone, old and young, guilty or innocent, save for his beloved little brother.
"So, the guy's a traitor and a bit of a coward, but at least he's still human."
That was what Haori thought, but he'd have to meet the man before making up his mind about him.
For now, though, he didn't have the time. The most important thing was to go dig up a grave in Qiuyue Valley.--
Inside Konoha, in the Hokage's office.
Smoke curled through the room as the Third Hokage, Sarutobi Hiruzen, puffed on his pipe and looked over the document in his hands.
It was a peace agreement he had just drafted, and he hadn't shown it to anyone yet.
Still, he knew that once it came to light, it would cause a huge uproar.
As in the original story, he intended to acknowledge that Iwagakure's military actions had been meant to protect its own interests, and to give up any demand for war reparations from Iwagakure!
In his view, Konoha really couldn't take any more.
Kumogakure, on the northern border, had halted its large-scale offensive, but showed no interest in negotiating peace with Konoha.
Though Iwagakure had lost the war and also had to keep an eye on Kumogakure, he dared not underestimate its capacity to wage war.
Konoha had suffered enormous losses as well. Even though it still had plenty of untapped war potential, he was more eager to withdraw from the conflict peacefully.
"Besides, it's better to let Iwagakure and Kumogakure fight each other."
Sarutobi Hiruzen murmured. His reason for giving up what a victor should have been entitled to was clear.
He wanted to preserve Iwagakure's strength so it could keep fighting Kumogakure!
But he couldn't say any of that aloud. He was already prepared to face the blame once the peace talks were over.
"The most important thing right now is to make peace with Iwagakure."
Looking at the document in his hands, Sarutobi Hiruzen made up his mind.
After all, the people waiting in line to take over were all his own. As long as the policies stayed the same, that was enough!
Knock, knock, knock—
Just as Sarutobi Hiruzen made his decision, someone knocked on the office door.
"Come in."
Sarutobi Hiruzen frowned. He discreetly put the document away before answering.
"Hiruzen."
The door opened, and Danzo strode in with a grim expression. He didn't waste time and got straight to the point.
"Why did you let that Uchiha brat leave Konoha?"
"Haori?"
Sarutobi Hiruzen frowned. He immediately understood what Danzo meant, but chose to answer indirectly.
"Konoha is short on manpower right now. It's a good thing that he's willing to take on some simple missions."
"Hiruzen, you know that's not what I mean."
Seeing Sarutobi Hiruzen dodge the issue, Danzo's expression turned deeply displeased.
"Don't tell me you don't know about the boy's contact with Kushina!"
"I'm aware of his contact with Kushina, and I've looked into it."
Sarutobi Hiruzen watched Danzo's reaction. Though he was somewhat displeased, he knew Danzo was acting for Konoha's sake.
Having lived through Uchiha Madara's rebellion, neither of them could forget how easily the Sharingan had controlled the savage Nine-Tails.
But in his view, Haori was nothing like Madara. Still, he wasn't going to blame Danzo for raising the concern.
"Kushina told me Haori came to ask about Sealing Jutsu, at Minato's request.
"Also, Uchiha Obito and Kushina have a good relationship. Kushina has always treated Obito like a younger brother. Don't forget that."
"Don't be so naive, Hiruzen."
Danzo gave a cold snort, his tone growing more forceful.
"An Uchiha taking an interest in Sealing Jutsu? That's absurd.
"Even if he really is interested, don't forget that the boy belongs to Uchiha Setsuna.
"Uchiha Obito may have potential, but no one saw it before, and he never developed it.
"Most importantly, he's dead, and he left no Uchiha Setsuna behind.
"Hiruzen, we can't afford to be careless about the Nine-Tails!"
Danzo hadn't yet been beaten down in every direction, so he was still full of bluster.
It would probably take the Root being battered by Nagato and rebuilt, his attempt to assassinate the Third Hokage being foiled by Kakashi, and the Anbu surrounding him and forcibly taking "Yamato" away before he started showing Sarutobi Hiruzen any respect. Right now, he treated him as nothing more than a rival.
He had always believed that he had merely been too slow to speak up, and that was why his old friend had become the Third Hokage.
"Danzo, I know you mean well, and I understand your concerns."
Sarutobi Hiruzen looked at Danzo and took a puff of his pipe. Though his irritation was rising, he still spoke patiently.
"But Haori has Minato's trust, and he hasn't done anything wrong.
"Konoha is at a crucial point. We need to unite everyone so we can face our enemies together.
"Besides, don't forget that the boy is a hero of Konoha."
"Only because you built him up so much."
Danzo wasn't having it. He knew Sarutobi Hiruzen was right, but he didn't believe he was wrong either.
"Even if he's done something to earn his reputation, he crossed the line this time.
"I stand by my opinion. He must come back so we can keep an eye on him. If necessary, we'll have to investigate him.
"How can we face our enemies with confidence if we can't deal with problems at home?"
"That's enough, Danzo. You're overstepping now!"
Sarutobi Hiruzen had finally lost his patience. He didn't want to keep arguing with Danzo.
He knew all too well how alike the two of them were—
They both believed they were right, and that only they could lead Konoha to success.
But though Danzo was forceful, Sarutobi Hiruzen was still the renowned Shinobi Hero!
"Konoha is short on manpower, and the war isn't over yet. We have to stay united, just as before. Go back."
"You—"
Sarutobi Hiruzen's words left Danzo speechless. But when he saw the unyielding look on his old friend's face, he knew Hiruzen had made up his mind.
"Hmph, Hiruzen. You'll regret this one day!"
"That's for later. Ending the war is what matters now."
Sarutobi Hiruzen looked coldly at Danzo. He took a puff of his pipe before answering at an unhurried pace.
"Don't forget, I'm the Hokage!"
New writers humbly ask you to keep reading. Your continued readership determines a book's fate, and letting it pile up unread can easily kill it.
Thank you, everyone! Onz