The Konoha F4 with ulterior motives, Sarutobi Hiruzen's true colors

The Hyuga clan was currently discussing major matters.

The Konoha F4 were not idle either.

Shimura Danzō was the first to lose his composure: "Hiruzen, the Hyuga clan's secret inheritance must be obtained. Only with this secret medicine can we make even greater contributions to the village."

One could feel his urgency and heavy breathing just from his words; it was a kind of fanaticism and impatience.

"Secret medicine?! What secret medicine?"

"That's right, Hiruzen, what is this thing Danzō is talking about? What could possibly make Danzō so anxious?"

Utatane Koharu and Mitokado Homura had just arrived and were unaware of the situation; hearing Danzō shout, they were completely bewildered.

"Koharu, Homura, it is like this..." The Third Hokage, Sarutobi Hiruzen, told the two of them everything he had seen and heard today, then watched them quietly, saying nothing more.

He had always been this way, always leading the topic to let others discuss it, and finally, he would reluctantly express his agreement. After all, these were the results discussed by everyone, and they had nothing to do with him. It could be said that he was extremely insidious and hypocritical to the extreme.

"What?? Are you telling the truth?"

Upon hearing Sarutobi Hiruzen's words, Utatane Koharu and Mitokado Homura were so shocked that they stood up.

Creak—thud—

The chairs beneath them hit the floor due to their excessive force, making a crisp sound. From this, one could see that a major ripple had occurred in their hearts regarding this matter.

"Danzō, is what Hiruzen said true? Is there really a secret formula that can make a person return to their youth?"

"Is it true or not, Danzō! Tell me quickly! You're going to drive me crazy with this suspense..." Utatane Koharu was nearly frantic; she immediately rushed in front of Shimura Danzō. She grabbed his shoulders tightly and kept questioning him. The burning light in her eyes made even Shimura Danzō feel a palpitation of fear.

"This..."

At this moment, something unexpected happened—the man known as the "Darkness of the Ninja World," Danzō, was actually stunned! He was so taken aback by Utatane Koharu's frantic actions that he seemed completely unprepared for such a turn of events.

"Speak, Danzō." Shaking his shoulders, Utatane Koharu stared at him intently, her eyes filled with such longing and expectation that it was as if she wanted to see right through him.

Stunned.

Sarutobi Hiruzen's pipe clattered onto the desk.

Mitokado Homura swallowed hard: Koharu, have you lost your mind? That is Danzō; you are interrogating him like this... that old dog is crazy enough to bite anyone.

Thinking this, he prepared to step forward and pull her away.

"Hmph?!" Danzō tried to break free from Utatane Koharu's grip, but he was surprised to find that those hands, which had seemed frail, were now gripping him like iron pincers, leaving him unable to move an inch. Of course, he couldn't violently shove her away.

That would be equivalent to a slap in the face.

Danzō did not want to have a falling out with them over this.

It wasn't worth it.

"Danzō, you still haven't answered me." Utatane Koharu's eyes were bloodshot as she looked at him, with a feeling that she might devour someone: "Tell me, is the secret medicine for restoring youth real?"

"Gulp." Danzō couldn't help but swallow, secretly lamenting in his heart: Is this still the arrogant, overbearing Utatane Koharu? She is like a completely different person right now!

Koharu was so brave and fierce today.

In the past, if anyone had dared to treat Danzō this way, the grass on their grave would likely be three meters high by now; he was truly frightened.

Luckily, she isn't doing this to me.

Sarutobi Hiruzen and Mitokado Homura were also relieved that Utatane Koharu wasn't acting this way toward them, and they offered a silent prayer for Danzō.

"Ugh... it is true." Danzō was accustomed to big scenes and quickly calmed down, his tone cold: "Koharu, can you let go of me now?" He was feeling a bit angry.

"Oh, oh... okay."

"Mm, haha... it's true, it's true... it's good that it's true... there really is a secret medicine to restore youth... there really is..."

Having received the answer she wanted, Utatane Koharu subconsciously released Danzō and began to mutter to herself foolishly.

Watching his companion's manic state, Danzō looked at her with a hint of disdain. Hmph... as expected, she is just a woman; she can't handle the big stage.

However, Danzō did not understand a woman's heart. He underestimated the immense temptation that restoring youth held for a woman.

Especially for women as advanced in age as Utatane Koharu, the pain and helplessness they felt when facing the passing of their youth were beyond what ordinary people could comprehend. They had perhaps long been wallowing in self-pity, deeply feeling the helplessness of time's cruelty.

And now, when the hope of regaining their youth was placed before them, how could they not go crazy? Even if it meant risking everything, they had to obtain this precious information!

Aside from Utatane Koharu's muttering, Sarutobi Hiruzen's office fell into an eerie silence; no one wanted to be the first to speak and become the sacrificial lamb.

"Hiruzen, shall we wipe out the Hyuga?" Utatane Koharu suddenly said something shocking.

A flash of amusement crossed Sarutobi Hiruzen's eyes. It's done.

This was exactly why he had sent people to call Utatane Koharu and Mitokado Homura; he wanted the secret medicine, but he couldn't be the one to say it, nor could he be the one to do the deed, so...

He was a real old fox.

"Koharu, watch your words!!!"

On the surface, Sarutobi Hiruzen still spoke with a stern and serious expression.

"Don't talk nonsense, Koharu." Mitokado Homura immediately understood Sarutobi Hiruzen's intentions, but he still tried to pull Koharu back. "Have you lost your mind?! Stop spouting nonsense and sit down."

"I'm not talking nonsense. The Uchiha were so powerful, yet weren't they wiped out because of our schemes? Could the Hyuga possibly be stronger than the Uchiha?" Utatane Koharu, that woman, had been blinded by greed and was saying whatever came to her mind. The faces of the others turned dark.

Damn it, even if it were true.

You can't just shout it out loud like that, you idiot.

Damn.

Sarutobi Hiruzen signaled with his eyes. Danzo and Mitokado Homura moved simultaneously to take out the guards outside the door; one dragged the bodies in to seal them into a scroll, while the other cleaned up the traces.

Their coordination was remarkably tacit.

"Koharu, stop talking nonsense. The Uchiha clan was wiped out by the rogue ninja Itachi Uchiha; it has nothing to do with us."

"Do you understand?"

Sarutobi Hiruzen said coldly. This idiot was blathering about everything. If she weren't still useful, he would have really wanted to kill her.

Do you understand?

Do you understand?

Do you understand?

The killing intent that flashed through those final three words made Utatane Koharu sober up instantly, a chill running down her spine.

She lowered her head and said in a dry voice, "I'm sorry, I... I... I understand, Sarutobi. I won't speak nonsense again."

She was truly terrified.

That momentary killing intent had been thick and heavy.

Sarutobi had genuinely considered killing her.

"Sarutobi, Koharu just spoke out of turn in a moment of anxiety. She's already apologized, so please forgive her." Mitokado Homura quickly stepped in to smooth things over and help Utatane Koharu out of the situation.

"Hiruzen, let it go." Danzo didn't want to break the balance among the high-ranking officials either, so he uncharacteristically put in a good word. Sarutobi Hiruzen, you are actually the true darkness of Konoha, he thought to himself.

This earned grateful looks from Utatane Koharu toward the two men, and she hurriedly stood up to admit her mistake again: "Sarutobi, I was wrong. I was just too anxious to obtain the secret medicine and misspoke. I was wrong."

"Homura, Danzo, Koharu, what are you all doing? We are teammates; how could I possibly be angry at Koharu?

I was just reminding Koharu that we must be cautious in our words and actions. If what was just said were to leak out, it would cause chaos."

Sarutobi Hiruzen said with a chuckle, acting as if he hadn't been the one radiating killing intent just a moment ago, playing the part of the perfect Konoha teammate.

Hypocrite.

Danzo scoffed in disdain.

He didn't even want to speak anymore.

"Heh, I always said you were the most magnanimous, Sarutobi." Mitokado Homura quickly chimed in to flatter him. "I knew back then that you were the most reliable; if you aren't the Hokage, then who should be?"

Damn it, if I hadn't seen it with my own eyes just now.

I almost would have believed it.

"Yes, yes, Sarutobi, thank you for the reminder. I will definitely keep it in mind for the future—to be careful and cautious."

"Among us, you are the most steady and thorough. No wonder the teacher chose you; he really had a good eye." Utatane Koharu also began to flatter him frantically; she had truly been scared out of her wits just now.

Just now.

Hiruzen, he really wanted to kill me.

He has changed.

Without the Uchiha.

He has become someone I don't recognize.

Perhaps.

This is what he was like all along.

It seems I will have to follow his lead just like Homura from now on.

The balance of the four families has ultimately.

Been broken.

Sigh.

"Hahaha, you are all too polite. We are all family, so there's no need for mutual flattery..."

"I don't like that sort of thing, hahaha."

Though he said he didn't like it, Sarutobi Hiruzen's expression betrayed him; he was clearly enjoying his teammates' sycophancy.

Disgusting.

Danzo felt like he was going to be sick. Damn it, who said the teacher had a good eye? If he had chosen me to be the leader... the Hokage, Konoha would definitely be even stronger now. You were all wrong.

Back then.

He should have chosen me.

Pick me.

Danzō roared internally, though his face remained expressionless: "Cough, cough, cough~ Hiruzen, let us discuss the Hyuga instead."

"Oh, oh~ right, right, look at me, I had completely forgotten." Sarutobi Hiruzen feigned a sudden realization.

"The Hyuga clan's secret medicine."

"Homura, Koharu, Danzō, what are your thoughts?"

After saying this, he fell silent once more.

Damn it, it's like this again.

Mitokado Homura, Utatane Koharu, and Shimura Danzō were all disgusted by Sarutobi Hiruzen's hypocritical demeanor.

However, who could blame him when he was the Hokage, holding all the power in his hands?

Besides, once the secret medicine was obtained, they would also get a share of the spoils, so they didn't mind taking the blame.

It wasn't their first time, after all.

"Sarutobi, I think..."

"..."

Following this, the F4 began a heated discussion; wiping out the clan was impossible, it simply couldn't be done.

The Uchiha had just been wiped out, and the public was already in a state of panic.

If they did it again, Konoha would likely fall apart.

Furthermore, who would dare underestimate a rejuvenated Hyuga Hoze? Who could claim they could take him down without losing a few peers of equal standing? The Hyuga were so mysterious now; who knew if they had a trump card?

The Uchiha had only been defeated because they were betrayed by turncoats; their top combatants were either killed by Shisui, brainwashed like Itachi Uchiha, or, in the case of Fugaku Uchiha, chose to die without resistance.

The incident happened suddenly at night, breached from within by the traitor Itachi Uchiha, rendering the clan's barrier completely useless.

Otherwise, the outcome would have been far from certain.

If Danzō knew Izanagi, there was no reason the Uchiha elites wouldn't; at the very least, Konoha would have suffered heavy casualties.

It might have even destroyed half the village.

This time, they could only use coercion... and bribery...