"Danzo, give me an explanation!"
With an angry roar from the Third Hokage, a document was hurled straight into the arms of a middle-aged man with a cross-shaped scar on his chin.
Mitokado Homura, Utatane Koharu, Orochimaru, and the others were all startled. Their gazes turned in unison toward the gloomy-faced Shimura Danzō, silently wondering what bad thing he had done this time to make Hiruzen—their teacher—so furious.
Danzo himself was somewhat bewildered.
He had only just arrived today and was already being publicly reprimanded by Sarutobi Hiruzen. Especially in front of a junior like Orochimaru, it made his expression exceptionally ugly.
And yet—
Which of his little schemes had been discovered?
As Danzo opened the document, his mind raced as he recalled the covert moves he had made recently.
"This is!!"
To his surprise, the photograph on the first page made his expression change.
Weren't these the Root squad he had sent to the Land of Hot Water to gather intelligence? Why had they been tied up and posed for a photograph?
When Aburame Ryoma returned, he had not mentioned this at all!
What? You said Aburame Ryoma had no idea Danzo had sent out another squad as insurance?
Oh, then that was fine.
"Hmph! These three are from your Root, aren't they? Danzo, you actually dared to send people to attack Mist Village shinobi without authorization! Do you have any regard for me, the Hokage, at all?!"
Sarutobi Hiruzen slammed a hand on the desk and shouted harshly.
"W-What? Danzo, you actually did such a thing on your own? Have you forgotten what Hiruzen said before?"
Utatane Koharu was equally shocked upon hearing this. Then, with a pained expression, she began berating Danzo, while Mitokado Homura chimed in from the side.
Orochimaru watched the performance of the two