The Wisdom of the Owl, Unmatched Through the Ages

Sarutobi Hiruzen wore a kindly, amiable smile as he chuckled, "I trust you are well aware of just how brilliant that war in the Land of Rain truly was!"

Upon hearing this, Shimura Danzō nodded without hesitation, "That goes without saying. I must admit, your student Tsunade certainly possesses the bearing of a great general! Knowing how to assess the situation and weigh the pros and cons, such a person is more than qualified to serve as a deputy!"

As he spoke, he voiced this assessment bluntly and without reservation, right in front of everyone present.

Shimura Danzō then continued to share his perspective: "I have heard that the performances of Jiraiya and Orochimaru in this protracted campaign were also quite commendable. I have no objections regarding those two either. However..."

At this point, his tone shifted abruptly. He fixed a piercing, aggressive gaze upon Sarutobi Hiruzen and demanded, "As for that brat from the Uchiha clan, Hiruzen, what exactly is your intention?"

At this time, Shimura Danzō did not yet possess the Root organization as an intelligence source, so the information he held was far less comprehensive than that of Sarutobi Hiruzen.

Because of this, he remained convinced that this victory had been achieved solely through the personal leadership of Sarutobi Hiruzen's three beloved disciples.

Faced with such aggressive questioning from Shimura Danzō, the three youngsters standing to the side were instantly incensed.

Tsunade, in particular, with her straightforward and fiery temperament, could not suppress the anger in her heart. Just as she was about to open her mouth to retort, she caught a stern look projected by Sarutobi Hiruzen.

Under that glance, although Tsunade was unwilling, she ultimately forced herself to swallow the words that had reached her lips.

At this moment, Uchiha Kō was gently stroking Tsunade's waterfall-like, silky long hair. His movements were soft and delicate, as if he were soothing a startled kitten.

His fingers glided lightly through her hair, carrying a reassuring strength that signaled her not to be overly rash and to remain calm.

As for Uchiha Kō himself, he remained unflustered, watching everything before him with a calm expression, as if the surrounding clamor and tension had nothing to do with him.

His demeanor was composed and at ease, like an outsider quietly observing the development of the situation.

Sarutobi Hiruzen, sitting to the side, took in this scene and nodded slightly, expressing his satisfaction. His appreciation for Uchiha Kō grew by another measure.

For this young man to remain so composed and methodical in the face of such a complex situation—he was truly a rare talent!

Sarutobi Hiruzen smiled broadly, reached out to pull Danzō, who was beside him, and had him sit down. Afterward, he waved at Uchiha Kō and called out cordially, "Uchiha Kō, come over here."

Upon hearing the summons from the Hokage, Uchiha Kō nodded without hesitation and walked toward Sarutobi Hiruzen with a steady gait.

When he drew near, the smile on Sarutobi Hiruzen's face deepened. He turned to look at Danzō beside him and said with a laugh, "Danzō, did you know that in the war in the Land of Rain, the brilliant strategies of adopting a war of attrition, cutting off enemy supply lines, and launching the surprise attack on Rainy Clearing were all the work of Uchiha Kō?"

Hearing this, the previously indifferent Shimura Danzō was jolted, sitting bolt upright in an instant. He widened his eyes, staring at Uchiha Kō in disbelief, his gaze filled with confusion and shock.

However, since these words came from Sarutobi, they could not possibly be false. Thinking of this, Danzō re-examined the seemingly ordinary yet unfathomable young man before him.

What he couldn't understand was, if Uchiha Kō had done all this, why didn't he claim the credit, instead pushing it onto Tsunade, Jiraiya, and Orochimaru?

Could he be harboring some ulterior motive? At this thought, Shimura Danzō's eyes turned cold again as he glanced at Uchiha Kō. Uchiha Kō noticed this, smiled slightly, and nodded in response, which only served to annoy Shimura Danzō.

Sarutobi Hiruzen also became interested. "Kō, tell us, why were you unwilling to claim the credit?"

Danzō also looked at Uchiha Kō upon hearing this. His eyes were like a ruler; he could tell at a glance if someone was lying!

So, you naturally evil Uchiha brat, if you dare to lie, this old man will surely grind your bones to dust!

His gaze turned icy, the corners of his mouth curling up as if the person before him were not one of his own, but a criminal.

"Danzō! Pull back that look of yours!" Sarutobi Hiruzen was speechless. Why did his old friend lose control of his petty thoughts whenever he saw someone from the Uchiha clan? What had the Uchiha ever done to him!

Uchiha Kō smiled faintly. It was indeed the Danzō he knew. He sighed, "First, Lady Tsunade saved me just after I had awakened my eyes during the Hokage's pre-battle speech."

"Later, Lady Mito was also very kind to me. At the time, I had some conflicts with the Uchiha clan and didn't want to stand out, so I gave most of the credit to Lady Tsunade; she needed it more than I did."

"As for Lord Orochimaru and Lord Jiraiya, they used their own command abilities to execute the tactics I suggested. So, it is their achievement; I merely offered a few suggestions," Uchiha Kō said calmly.

Sarutobi Hiruzen nodded. What a good child. He is a pillar of my Konoha, and most importantly, he knows when to advance or retreat, seeking no empty fame, only contribution.

Shimura Danzō was startled. He realized that Uchiha Kō seemed to be telling the truth; his expression and tone were calm, as if he were speaking of a trivial matter.

He was certain that Uchiha Kō was not lying and that he truly did not care about the credit, just as he had said. He couldn't help but feel puzzled; if it were him, he would never have given the credit away, but would have instead proclaimed it loudly.

Sarutobi Hiruzen laughed heartily, "Kō-kun's wisdom is unparalleled throughout the ages! Looking back at the history of the entire ninja world, there is no one better at leading and using troops than Kō-kun!" Sarutobi Hiruzen praised him sincerely.

"I dare not accept such praise, Lord Hokage. Uchiha Kō will always be Konoha's Uchiha Kō, and always your supporter." Uchiha Kō took the opportunity to declare his stance, which made Sarutobi Hiruzen even happier!

Shimura Danzō snorted coldly and turned his head away. He admitted that this Uchiha brat had some ability!

Sarutobi Hiruzen then said to Danzō, "Old friend, do you think Kō could serve as your deputy?" His voice carried a hint of teasing.

Shimura Danzō choked, "Well, he's... passable."

Sarutobi Hiruzen nodded and turned to Uchiha Kō, "Kō, for this war with Sunagakure, I hope you can offer my old friend as many suggestions as you did when dealing with the Rain Ninja."

Sarutobi Hiruzen's expression was calm; he had made his intentions clear. He wanted Uchiha Kō to help his good friend boost his battle record.

Shimura Danzō also looked over. He knew Uchiha Kō was a man of talent, and knowing that his old friend was helping him, he couldn't help but feel a bit moved.

Uchiha Kō considered the current situation and finally nodded, "I will do my best to assist Lord Danzō."