Because of Love

Sarutobi Hiruzen had still wanted to maintain some dignity, but an unexpected event made him issue three Hokage orders in a row, summoning Danzo to the battlefield.

"The Nine-Tails Jinchuriki has disappeared?!"

When Guo Wang heard the news, the tea he had just brewed spilled all over the floor.

It wasn't just him. Aburame Torune, who had brought the news, was still deathly pale, and all the Root guards around them jolted in unison. Even the Anbu, most of whose emotions had been ground away, couldn't suppress their agitation in the face of this enormous "surprise."

"There should have been a squad of Anbu guarding the Jinchuriki. Where are they? And the Barrier Team—are they all useless?"

Seeing Lord Danzo, who normally never showed his emotions, smash his favorite teaware, every member of Root lowered their head and didn't dare utter a word.

"The Jinchuriki is from the Uzumaki Clan. The Barrier Team's Sealing Techniques can't stop her. And a woman whose mind has been clouded by love like this will have a very clear destination..."

A hoarse voice rang out. Orochimaru had arrived at some point, holding a scroll in his hand, his expression troubled.

"The Barrier Team's job was never to seal off the village from the outside world, but to detect whether anyone was entering or leaving. Forget it. We can investigate later. The urgent matter is to bring the Jinchuriki back."

These past few days, Guo Wang had also finished digesting Danzo's memories. He knew that among the five great powers of this world, the Tailed Beasts were the most important.

If a Kage died, someone else could take their place.

But a Tailed Beast was irreplaceable. If it was lost, it was essentially gone for good.

The Jinchuriki's disappearance wasn't frightening. What was frightening was that she had disappeared with the Tailed Beast.

In Guo Wang's understanding, the Tailed Beasts were like the divine artifacts of the great sacred grounds in the Dao Realm, suppressing the fortunes of their respective sects. A sect master could die, but the divine artifact could not be lost.

By that logic, the Hokage could die, but the Tailed Beast inside the Jinchuriki could not leave Konoha.

"This is a grave dereliction of duty. If I were Hiruzen, I'd step down and apologize."

Even two years ago, when Konoha had fought four countries alone and faced its greatest danger, it hadn't allowed the Jinchuriki, its ultimate weapon, to leave the village even once. Now, when the war was nearly over, this had happened. No matter how great his achievements, Sarutobi Hiruzen could not evade responsibility as Hokage.

"My teacher's summons also reached me. What should I do?"

Orochimaru turned the scroll in his hand and left the matter to Danzo. He truly didn't want to waste time on the battlefield. Now that he had Root's resources, an endless supply of test subjects was being sent to his base, and he had barely seen the sunlight lately.

"Do what you want. I'll go speak to Hiruzen myself."

Hearing this, Orochimaru contentedly vanished in a puff of smoke.

The Hokage Building.

Sarutobi Hiruzen looked at the Jonin below, all worked up and clamoring, and tugged at his hat in irritation, using it to cover half his face.

"Third, you can't keep letting the Jinchuriki do as she pleases."

"She wasn't born and raised in the village, after all. Her only value is as a vessel. If she leaves like this and is captured by another village, we'll lose the Tailed Beast."

"That's right. She must be kept under much stricter watch. If necessary, she should even be imprisoned."

Nara Shikaku said nothing as he listened to the people around him speak with ulterior motives.

With him at their head, the Jonin who were close to Minato could only remain silent, anxious as they were, since the Hokage hadn't stated his position.

After all, a Jinchuriki fleeing the village was enough to have her declared a rogue ninja anywhere.

"The priority is to bring the Jinchuriki back. We must do whatever it takes, even if we have to use force."

"Where's the Intelligence Division? Why haven't they sent us any news yet?"

"Anyone with a brain knows the Jinchuriki must be heading to the battlefield near the Land of Lightning. Namikaze Minato is there, after all."

"Damn it. She has no regard for the bigger picture!"

Orochimaru, the Jonin Squad leader, was absent. Those who hoped to see him take the Hokage Position began piling on, eager to use this opportunity to undermine Namikaze Minato, whose prestige had soared after the Kannabi Bridge Battle.

"Bam!"

A tremendous kick sent the door flying, and the noisy hall on the first floor fell silent at once.

Dressed in a black coat with a white lining, Danzo stepped inside, his expression impassive. His cold gaze swept over the room, and everyone instinctively lowered their heads.

"Hiruzen, I told you long ago that the Jinchuriki should be entrusted to Root."

In all of Konoha, only this man dared to storm in and call the Hokage to account.

Mitokado Homura, who had been seated beside Sarutobi Hiruzen from the start, immediately stood up to smooth things over.

"Enough, Danzo. This isn't the time for that. The important thing is how we handle this."

The Hokage Building's main hall was usually used to issue missions, but it also served as a meeting place for Konoha's leadership. Apart from the Hokage and the advisors, even the Jonin Squad leader had to stand.

As soon as Danzo entered, an Anbu member added another chair beside Sarutobi Hiruzen.

"Use the fastest birds to notify the people at the border. Send three squads to bring her back. If the Jinchuriki refuses to cooperate, their priority is to stall for time. Root will handle the recovery."

As soon as Guo Wang sat down, he acted even more like the Hokage than the Hokage himself, issuing orders.

The Intelligence Division leader glanced hesitantly at Sarutobi Hiruzen. Seeing that he still had no intention of speaking, the leader nodded and vanished from the hall with the Body Flicker Technique.

"Shikaku of the Nara Clan, you'll serve as acting Jonin Squad leader. Gather the men. In half an hour, you'll come with me to the battlefield in the Land of Lightning."

"Shouldn't we notify Lord Orochimaru?"

Ever since the Kannabi Bridge Battle, Orochimaru had essentially relinquished all his duties in the Jonin Squad. With Sarutobi Hiruzen's support, Nara Shikaku, who had devised the strategy behind the brilliant victory at Mount Kikyo, had taken over most of the Jonin Squad's authority.

"I won't say the same thing twice."

Under Danzo's cold gaze, Nara Shikaku smiled wryly, then nodded and vanished with the Body Flicker Technique as well. Most of the Jonin in the hall disappeared with him. They were all among the Hokage's core supporters. As soon as news of the situation in the Land of Lightning had arrived, they had already prepared to return to the front lines.

"The Iwagakure forces still haven't made a move. That three-foot nail, Ōnoki, must be waiting for us and Kumogakure to weaken each other. The rest of you must be twelve times as vigilant and protect the village while I lead the troops away."

"Yes!"

After answering loudly, the remaining Jonin in the hall all left.

As the leader of Konoha's hardliners, Danzo held even more sway during wartime than Sarutobi Hiruzen, the Hokage.

"Danzo, I keep having to trouble you to clean up after me. As Hokage, I'm truly sorry."

Guo Wang looked at the bitter rival whose emotions were so complicated in Danzo's memories, then rose from his seat.

"I'm not doing this for you. I'm doing it to protect this village."