A Glimpse of Light, Who Would Return to Darkness? F4's Rift

Feeling the power of emotions transmitted from the marks within the small world, Qingwu couldn't help but exclaim, "Oh, wow~"

Qingwu was speechless. "To think they actually turned strategic resources into little pills; you guys from the small islands really know how to play~"

Void and Nirvana were happy, but Qingwu was not. With the Ninja World engulfed in the flames of war, Qingwu wept alone—his little girlfriend was just too young.

Mitokado Homura was very rational. "Koharu, I find myself increasingly unable to understand the village and the Ninja World. From now on, we should speak less and just listen to orders~ Otherwise..." He left the rest unsaid.

Utatane Koharu naturally understood the implication. "Homura, I will listen to you. We were never a match for Sarutobi and Danzo before, and now that they have regained their youth, their personalities have become even more dangerous."

Mitokado Homura sighed. "Indeed. A youthful body brings with it a greater desire for control and ambition. I have a premonition that there will be a battle between Sarutobi and Danzo sooner or later."

"Koharu~ Remember, that is not something we can participate in. One wrong step and our clans could be shattered to pieces~"

Thinking of the undisguised ambition and malice in the eyes of the rejuvenated Danzo, and the even more intense pressure and desire for control radiating from the deep-minded Sarutobi Hiruzen—along with the occasional flashes of heaven-shaking killing intent—

"Sigh~ How did we, who were once so close, suddenly become like this... Perhaps... this is who they truly are..." Utatane Koharu remained silent for a long time before letting out a sigh.

She then added with a hint of self-mockery, "But it doesn't matter now anyway. Two losers whose peak was merely elite jonin—how could we ever catch the eye of the strongest Third Hokage and the Darkness of the Ninja World?"

Mitokado Homura comforted her. "Koharu, this is for the best. Withdrawing early may not necessarily be a bad thing for us."

"Homura~ It's fortunate I have you; otherwise, I wouldn't know what to do." Utatane Koharu was deeply moved, finally realizing that someone had been silently by her side for all these years.

"Koharu~" Mitokado Homura embraced her, wanting to provide this lovely woman with some support so she would no longer feel so helpless.

"Homura~" Utatane Koharu leaned into him naturally.

"Homura~ Love me..."

"Koharu, I'm coming..."

Like dry tinder meeting a raging fire, the rejuvenated man and woman were always so full of energy. Clearly, this was not the first time.

Afterward, the changes in Mitokado Homura and Utatane Koharu were immense; everyone noticed the difference.

A clerical ninja asked curiously, "Has Elder Homura had some good news lately? He's had a smile on his face all day, and he even takes the initiative to greet people~" These high-ranking officials used to hold their noses in the air, nodding only if they were happy, and ignoring you entirely if they weren't.

"Heh heh~ What else could it be? Haven't you noticed who he's been inseparable from all day? I'd be happy too if I were him~" another ninja said with a knowing, meaningful smirk.

Someone else chimed in, "Who? Advisor Koharu, of course! Advisor Koharu is the same, smiling all day long. She's got me completely captivated..."

More and more people joined the discussion. "You're not kidding. The young Advisor Koharu radiates the aura of a mature, sophisticated woman, with a bit of that high-and-mighty queenly air... She smiled at me the other day, and just thinking about it makes me a little excited~"

"Now that you mention it, I feel the same. The rejuvenated Advisor Koharu is truly top-tier... Gulp..." one said, swallowing his saliva as he spoke.

"Yeah, yeah, her mature charm makes one unable to help but fall for her. Plus, she exudes a kind of confidence and majesty, as if everything is under her control."

"Exactly, exactly. Her smile is even more enchanting, as if it could melt a person's heart. Every time I see her smile, my heart beats uncontrollably."

"Not only that, her wisdom and talent are equally admirable. Whether handling affairs or interacting with others, she is always at ease, showing extraordinary ability."

"Indeed, Advisor Koharu is truly a perfect woman. Her beauty, wisdom, and temperament have left everyone spellbound." A Daitengu was born.

"Her figure, too, especially..." The conversation went off the rails.

"It's a pity she's a bit old."

"Bullshit! Looking at her now, if she walked out and said she was my younger sister, people would believe it. What does age matter? Older women know how to cherish people..."

"You better be talking about normal cherishing..."

"Heh heh~ You know what's up..."

"..."

Just like that, Utatane Koharu gained a group of supporters.

(Mitokado Homura: What the hell~ What's going on? I woke up to find so many rivals.)

In fact, what Mitokado Homura didn't know was that he had also gained a group of female fans who were drooling over him. To be fair, the scholarly aura of the young Mitokado Homura was indeed very attractive to women, especially since he held such a high position.

The reputations of the two were quietly whitewashed.

Ever since Mitokado Homura tasted the sweetness of love, he no longer wanted to participate in the village's messy affairs. He laid flat without regrets, agreeing with everything: "Yes, yes, you're right."

Utatane Koharu was the same. Having seen the dark side of Sarutobi Hiruzen, she hadn't thought much of it before, but once it landed on her, she realized she didn't know her teammate at all.

"Sarutobi, you decide. Koharu and I will listen to you."

In short, whatever Sarutobi Hiruzen ordered, the two of them would just follow suit, acting as if they were completely at his beck and call.

This made Sarutobi Hiruzen both happy and worried. He was happy because, with a three-to-one ratio, he held even more absolute power. He was worried because Danzo saw the three of them acting in unison and became even more extreme and at odds with him.

Especially with the recent whitewashing comments in the village, it made him feel that Danzo had ulterior motives.

"Danzo, what exactly are you thinking? I hope you don't do anything irrational, otherwise..." The young Sarutobi Hiruzen's eyes revealed a startling killing intent.

"Konoha is the Konoha of the Sarutobi clan..."

"Wow, wow, wow~ Lord Danzo is so handsome!" A little girl screamed in excitement, her eyes sparkling with adoration.

"What a cold, aloof god; this icy yet alluring vibe is just so intoxicating," a woman said, acting like a lovesick fan, her face overflowing with a look of infatuation.

"Lord Danzo, I want to have your babies!" another, even more fanatical voice rang out, filled with passion and anticipation.

"Such a handsome Lord Danzo, why didn't we notice it before?" someone asked in confusion, seemingly feeling regretful for their previous oversight.

"I heard that for the sake of Konoha, Lord Danzo has shouldered so much darkness, helping the village fend off invisible enemies," one person whispered, their tone filled with admiration and gratitude.

"Ah?! Isn't that dangerous..." another person said in surprise, their worry plain to see.

"For the sake of Konoha, Lord Danzo has faced life and death countless times; he even burned half his face, an arm, and an eye, leaving him with no choice but to wrap them in bandages..." someone described in detail, as if they had witnessed it with their own eyes.

"Lord Danzo has sacrificed so much for the development of Konoha. It's truly moving, boo-hoo..." an emotional girl actually started to cry, her tears representing the deep emotion in her heart.

"Lord Danzo is so great~" the crowd shouted in unison, their voices converging into a passionate torrent, expressing their respect and praise for Danzo.

Yes, yes, yes, praise me, praise me to your heart's content; what you're saying is that this old man... what you're saying is that this old man...

Danzo was secretly delighted; these accolades were exactly what he craved. He enjoyed the feeling of being praised by the people, feeling that his years of hard work had finally been recognized. However, he maintained a stern expression on the surface, though the corners of his mouth lifted slightly, revealing a trace of imperceptible smugness.

From then on, Danzo grew fond of strolling through the streets. In Root, he would even smile when he saw people, greet them, and kindly inquire about their health.

This once made the Root ninja wonder if they had been caught in a genjutsu, or if Lord Danzo had been replaced, leading to a minor misunderstanding.

The Root ninja surrounded him, filled with killing intent.

"Speak quickly, who sent you? Was it the Third Hokage? Lord Danzo couldn't possibly be this soft..."

This made Danzo's face turn black, and he roared, "Bastards?!" before activating the curse seal.

"Ahhh~"

The pain made the Root ninja smile knowingly.

"Oh ho ho~ This familiar feeling."

"That's right, it's Lord Danzo."

Danzo's face went completely dark. "You bunch of bastards..."

The rejuvenated Danzo, thanks to his handsome appearance, actually attracted quite a few female fans and "mommy" fans. Many ninja who heard of Danzo's deeds also became his supporters, and his reputation was even washed clean to a great extent, which only fueled Danzo's growing ambition.

"As expected, I am the only one destined for Konoha."

"Hiruzen, it is time for you to step down."

On the surface, the four of them were still good teammates, but in reality, the rift between them was growing wider and wider.

Qingwu watched this scene, for this was all his calculated scheme; even those whitewashing remarks were pushed by him from behind the scenes.

"Having tasted the warmth of the light, who would still be willing to return to the darkness?"