Confronting Shimura Danzō

Shimura Danzō said, "You are the Hokage, but a retired one at that. Do you really think the inherently evil Uchiha will give you any face?"

"Hiruzen Sarutobi, stop being so naive! Show some backbone!"

"You need to tell them loudly that they must relocate immediately, they must hand over the required number of ninja, and they must head to the East Sea Battlefield to repel the Kirigakure forces!"

Mitokado Homura frowned and said, "The Uchiha are still very strong. Such blind, heavy-handed pressure will only lead to greater problems."

Shimura Danzō felt smug inside, but his face remained icy as he replied, "Fine. For the sake of Konoha, I will endure this humiliation."

"If the inherently evil Uchiha refuse to contribute to Konoha, I will personally assemble the Root ninja and fight to the death to exterminate the Uchiha Clan!"

Hearing Danzō's increasingly extreme rhetoric, Hiruzen Sarutobi couldn't help but frown. "Danzō! You've gone too far!"

Danzō snorted coldly, "Everything I do is for the sake of Konoha!"

With that, he slammed the door and left!

BANG!!

The door: ...

When Shimura Danzō was present, he was the only one targeting the Uchiha, but once he was out of sight, his three classmates began to harbor mutual hostility toward the clan.

Mitokado Homura said, "Although Danzō's attitude is excessive, his vigilance toward the Uchiha is always correct. The Teacher's ideas were never wrong."

Utatane Koharu added, "Homura is right. We cannot relax our guard against the Uchiha, or they will surely do something reckless."

Hiruzen Sarutobi replied, "You are both right. We truly cannot allow the Uchiha to run wild."

"We shall follow Danzō's suggestion and have the Uchiha ninja head to the Eastern Front to deal with the Kirigakure forces."

"Since their Fire Style is countered by Water Style, I believe Uchiha Fugaku should send even more Uchiha ninja to the front lines."

"I will immediately visit Uchiha Fugaku in my capacity as the Third Hokage. I trust he will give me this much face."

Utatane Koharu and Mitokado Homura agreed in unison, "The Third Hokage is wise!"

History proved that Hiruzen Sarutobi completely outplayed Uchiha Fugaku; using the "Will of Fire" and the protection of Konoha as his justification, he persuaded the Uchiha Clan to accept every single condition.

However, Hiruzen Sarutobi did not expect that while he had settled everything with the Uchiha, Shimura Danzō had stirred up a massive disaster within the Yamanaka Clan, suffering a humiliating defeat.

Danzō had left in such a hurry because he was certain the Third Hokage would personally go to persuade the Uchiha.

He wanted to take advantage of the moment when Hiruzen Sarutobi was focused on the Anbu and had lost his ability to monitor the village, aiming to seize the Aburame Clan and the Yamanaka Clan—two groups he had long coveted.

By borrowing Hiruzen Sarutobi's name, he intended to swindle the talented ninja he had long desired from both clans.

Shimura Danzō started with the Aburame Clan, successfully handling the reclusive Shibi Aburame and tricking him into handing over ten Aburame children, led by Aburame Torune.

When he arrived at the Yamanaka Clan with an aggressive air, continuing to use the Third Hokage's orders as an excuse, he specifically demanded geniuses like Yamanaka Fu, Yamanaka Chujiu, Yamanaka Sanya, and Yamanaka Genji.

"In the name of the Third Hokage, the ninja on this list will come with me immediately to become exclusive ninja of the Anbu Training Department for secret training to become Anbu operatives!"

Shimura Danzō added arrogantly, "Yamanaka Inoichi, as the clan head, you wouldn't dare defy the Hokage's orders, would you?"

Yamanaka Inoichi's expression was heavy and grim, his clenched fists trembling uncontrollably, yet he still issued the summons to his clansmen.

Soon, a group of eight or nine-year-old children arrived at the clan head's home. Their parents all wore grim expressions, and several mothers could no longer hold back their tears.

Yamanaka Chujiu was the last to arrive. Seeing Shimura Danzō's arrogant and overbearing demeanor, he felt an instant blockage in his heart.

Why is this piece of trash so infuriating?

I really want to kill him!

Yamanaka Chujiu's strength had increased significantly, and he now had a high degree of certainty that he could kill Danzō; his murderous intent became impossible to suppress.

Especially today, with Shimura Danzō showing up in person to conscript him into Root, Yamanaka Chujiu wanted to strike even more.

He closed his eyes and told himself in his heart, "I cannot act now. If I do, I will harm my big brother, my sister-in-law, and Ino."

"There is no need to rush. The war is about to start. Once I leave the village, I can kill Danzō however I want. No rush, absolutely no rush."

Having barely managed to control his murderous intent, Yamanaka Chujiu was still filled with resentment.

He couldn't be fooled regarding Root; he knew Shimura Danzō was bluffing and that he didn't have any orders from Hiruzen Sarutobi at all!

Thus, Yamanaka Chujiu no longer hesitated. He stepped forward, shielding the younger children behind him, pointed a finger at Shimura Danzō, and asked loudly:

"Jōnin Shimura Danzō, where is the Hokage's order?"

Shimura Danzō narrowed his eyes and retorted, "You dare ask me for an order?"

"My words are the order!"

Yamanaka Chujiu asked again, showing no courtesy, "To conscript children from the Yamanaka Clan into Root requires a formal, written order from the Hokage, signed in black and white and stamped with the Hokage's seal!"

"Jōnin Shimura Danzō, surely you don't mean to say you have no order?"

Shimura Danzō realized his bluff had been seen through. The smug expression on his face froze, and the fierce glint in his single eye could not hide his panicked gaze.

A moment later, he roared in guilty rage, "You insolent brat!"

"You are nothing but a Special Jōnin, yet you dare to question me, an Elder!"

Yamanaka Chujiu remained fearless and shouted back, "Konoha does not have the position of Elder!"

"It never has!"

"The only position you, Shimura Danzō, hold is that of a Konoha jōnin!"

Shimura Danzō had grown accustomed to throwing his weight around by relying on his status as an elder, but after being rebuffed by Yamanaka Chujiu, he suddenly realized that Konoha did not actually have an official position for elders.

And as a mere Konoha jōnin, he had no way to use his status to suppress Yamanaka Inoichi.

Consequently, he spoke instinctively: "I—I am the Hokage's assistant!"

Yamanaka Chujiu sneered and pressed him further: "Which Hokage's assistant are you?"

Danzō answered without a second thought: "Naturally, it is the Third Hokage, Sarutobi..."

He had finally taken the bait!

Yamanaka Chujiu cut Danzō off, demanding in an even louder voice: "The Third Hokage you assist?"

"Lord Third Hokage has long since abdicated. Since he is no longer the Hokage himself, he naturally lacks the authority to appoint a Hokage's assistant!"

"Lord Fourth Hokage also has no assistant, so the question arises: where did your position as Hokage's assistant come from, and where did the Hokage's orders you speak of come from?"

"Produce an official order, and the Yamanaka Clan will comply."

"But if you cannot produce an official order, the Yamanaka Clan can only conclude that you, Shimura Danzō, are forging Hokage's orders!"

"A Konoha jōnin forging Hokage's orders is either plotting something sinister or betraying Konoha!"

Yamanaka Chujiu raised his right arm high and shouted: "Ninjas of the Yamanaka Clan, ninjas of the Aburame Clan, this man's words and actions are highly suspicious!"

"Seize Shimura Danzō! Hand him over to Lord Third Hokage to be dealt with!"