Hiruzen Sarutobi and Shimura Danzō

Two days later.

In Konoha.

Third Hokage Hiruzen Sarutobi was in the Hokage Building, staring at the battle reports from the front lines. His brow was furrowed, and he tapped his pipe against the desk rhythmically. Amidst the swirling smoke, his thoughts drifted.

"Might Duy, is it? To think the Eight Inner Gates was such a powerful technique; I never noticed it in the village before."

"Does his son, Might Guy, know this technique as well? It seems I should focus on nurturing him. If he also has the potential to open the eighth gate, he will become one of Konoha's most vital trump cards."

Hiruzen Sarutobi puffed on his pipe and muttered to himself.

"Kirigakure has lost four members of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen at once. It seems their offensive is coming to an end."

"The Hyuga clan lost a member of their main house, yet the Uchiha have produced two rising stars: Wicked Eye Fugaku and Body Flicker Shisui."

"The balance of their strength has shifted further; they can no longer serve as two poles of equilibrium."

He sighed. The days of continuous warfare had once again disrupted the balance of power in Konoha. The village had suffered heavy losses, and the survival rate of ninjas from the great clans was far higher than that of commoners.

Coupled with an Uchiha clan that only grew stronger the more they fought, the internal power dynamics of the village were becoming increasingly lopsided.

Suddenly, the sound of wind stirred. An Anbu ninja appeared, kneeling on one knee before Hiruzen Sarutobi, interrupting his train of thought.

"Lord Hokage, this is the battle report sent by Lord Jiraiya."

The Anbu ninja respectfully handed over the scroll and quickly retreated; he was not qualified to hear the contents of frontline reports.

Hiruzen Sarutobi opened the scroll. It contained a detailed account of Uchiha Iori's surprise attack on the Iwagakure camp and his execution of the Five-Tails Jinchuriki.

"Uchiha Iori... I remember him. Isn't this the Uchiha youth who was just promoted to Jonin? To think he has already awakened the Mangekyō Sharingan!"

Hiruzen Sarutobi's brow furrowed, his expression turning grave. To evolve from a single tomoe to the Mangekyō in just a few days—this talent was truly terrifying.

And killing the Five-Tails Jinchuriki meant he was no rookie who possessed power without the ability to use it.

He was no longer just a genius; he was a powerhouse who had fully realized his potential.

Hiruzen Sarutobi reined in his chaotic thoughts and continued reading the report.

"Hmm, he has a good relationship with Minato, cares for his teacher and teammates, and takes the initiative to protect his comrades."

"He seems different from other Uchiha; he is a ninja who can understand the Will of Fire."

Hiruzen Sarutobi's brow relaxed. If a hardline Uchiha with a Mangekyō Sharingan were to emerge at this moment, the situation would become exceptionally complex, perhaps even requiring some unwilling compromises.

"It seems I should speak with Jiraiya to see if he can be brought into Minato's camp."

"With his strength, he would be enough to draw a group of Uchiha clansmen toward the village."

He took a deep drag of his pipe and exhaled slowly, a glimmer of hope flashing in his eyes. "Perhaps Kagami's wish can be fulfilled through him."

Just then, the door to the Hokage's office was slammed open with a loud bang.

Hiruzen Sarutobi frowned, but his expression softened upon seeing who it was.

"Danzo, what is the meaning of this rush?"

The man who entered was the leader of Konoha's Root, Shimura Danzō.

His right arm and right eye were wrapped in bandages. Ever since he was injured on a mission some time ago, those bandages had never been removed.

Everyone had grown accustomed to his appearance and did not probe into the specifics.

"Hiruzen, hand Uchiha Iori over to me. I will make him into a blade for Konoha."

Shimura Danzō gripped his cane tightly, speaking with excitement.

His research into Hashirama Cells had been stagnant for a long time. Ever since he discovered that the Sharingan could suppress the Hashirama Cells, he had secretly collected several pairs of eyes, but the results were not significant.

Now that a pair of Mangekyō Sharingan had appeared before him, how could he suppress his own excitement?

"Danzo, do not attempt to lay a hand on him. He is a ninja who understands the Will of Fire; he is our comrade!"

Hiruzen Sarutobi sat up straight, tapped his pipe against the desk, and said sternly.

"You must realize that although the offensives of the Kirigakure and Iwagakure ninjas have been thwarted, it does not mean they won't strike again."

"If you target him now, what will happen if it intensifies the conflict and causes the Uchiha clan to turn against us?"

"Hmph, do you think he would dare to resist? Does he want to defect from Konoha?"

Shimura Danzō's voice was somewhat blustering, his earlier momentum vanishing instantly. He had just remembered that the boy was not the type to have the Will of Fire ingrained in his brain.

If he failed to kill the target in one strike, the boy might not care about his status as an advisor.

"Enough, Danzo. I will not hand him over to you, but you may attempt to recruit some of the other Uchiha clansmen."

"The rise of the Uchiha in this war can no longer be suppressed; we can only attempt to divide them."

"I will entrust Uchiha Iori to Minato, so give it up!"

Hiruzen Sarutobi slammed his hand on the desk, sternly warning Danzo. He had his own plans and did not want Danzo interfering.

Nevertheless, as a friend of many years, he took a step back and granted Danzo permission to recruit a portion of the Anbu.

"Hiruzen, you will regret this!" Shimura Danzō slammed the table in anger, his voice filled with dissatisfaction and fury.

"Danzo, I am the Hokage!" Hiruzen Sarutobi did not back down, shouting back at him.

Shimura Danzō stormed out of the Hokage office, slamming the door behind him.

Hiruzen Sarutobi sat back down in his chair and took a deep breath, his thoughts becoming increasingly clear as he replayed the argument in his mind.

[The rise of the Uchiha is already unstoppable; I can only divide them.]

[Kagami's lineage has always been loyal supporters of the Hokage. Although Kagami is dead, his will has been passed down.]

[Uchiha Iori and Shisui Uchiha are both ninjas who possess the Will of Fire.]

[I will place the moderate Uchiha faction, led by them, under Minato's command to help them integrate into Konoha.]

[I will have them act as a counterweight to the radical Uchiha faction to rebuild the balance.]

Thinking this through, Hiruzen Sarutobi considered whether he should have either Iori or Shisui become a student of the Sannin.

Just as Kagami Uchiha had studied under the Second Hokage, and Obito Uchiha had studied under Minato.

[Let nature take its course. It is debatable whether the Sannin could even defeat Uchiha Iori right now, and Shisui Uchiha also possesses the strength of an elite jonin.]

[If they cannot easily win, how could they possibly take them as students? I cannot force it; I will see what they think.]

Hiruzen Sarutobi shook his head, preparing to write a letter to encourage Uchiha Iori and Shisui Uchiha.

He intended to search the Scroll of Sealing for an S-rank or a highly suitable A-rank ninjutsu as a reward for slaying the Five-Tails Jinchuriki.

At that moment, an Anbu ninja appeared silently before him and handed over a scroll.

"Lord Hokage, this is a battle report from the front lines in the Land of Wind."

"A report from Orochimaru? Today is not the scheduled time for routine reports; has something happened?"

Hiruzen Sarutobi sensed something amiss. The front lines in the Land of Wind had always prioritized stability, and sudden messages were rarely good news.

"Did Chiyo or the New Kazekage do something? Have Orochimaru and his forces suffered heavy losses?"

Hiruzen Sarutobi quickly opened the scroll and began to read it carefully.

"What? How could such a thing happen? Damn it!"