"Hey, do you guys know what the Police Force is up to? Why are so many people building such a huge stage?"
"Come on, old man, how do you not know? The Police Force put up a notice three days ago."
"Exactly! I heard they're holding a celebration to review and report on the results of the Police Force reforms."
"That's right! Oh, and I got a tip from my cousin's wife's brother's sister-in-law: after the celebration, the Akimichi barbecue restaurant is giving every customer free food and drinks tonight! The Police Force is footing the bill!"
"Uh... is your sister-in-law's tip reliable?"
"Of course! My cousin's wife's brother's sister-in-law has already joined the Police Force's 39th Squad. This is an inside scoop!"
The three villagers were standing not far from the entrance to the Police Force.
Everyone in the Police Force was busy building a new stage at the entrance.
The three villagers weren't the only ones there. The other villagers had also gathered in small groups with people they knew, coming to attend the Uchiha's celebration.
Inside the Hokage Building.
"Hiruzen! How could you allow the Uchiha Clan to do something like this? Don't you know how dangerous they are?!"
Danzo barged into the Hokage's office in a rage. The cane in his hand struck the floor with a heavy thud, making an irritating sound.
Hiruzen Sarutobi lifted his pipe, took a deep drag, and began to puff out clouds of smoke.
"Danzo, you're overthinking it. I approved the Uchiha's celebration. They reported every detail to me, and I've already sent Anbu to keep watch. What could possibly be dangerous about it?"
Seeing the confident look on Hiruzen's face, Danzo grew even more displeased. He thought back to that night.
Damn it! If only I hadn't hesitated that once. I should have been the one to become Hokage!
Of course, Danzo wouldn't dare say that to Hiruzen's face. He could only grumble to himself.
"What's the point of the Police Force holding such a pointless celebration? Isn't it just a waste of the village's funds? Even Root doesn't have enough money for training. Since when has Konoha been so wealthy?"
Hiruzen took another puff of his pipe, his expression turning displeased.
"Danzo, the Uchiha paid for this celebration themselves. I've also reviewed everything, and it's all been handled properly."
"How dare you bring up Root's funding? Did you think I didn't know that you went to several major clans recently and forcibly took their children back to Root? You even forged my Hokage orders!"
Hiruzen slammed his pipe onto the desk, his brows furrowing.
"I'll let the other clans go, but you must send Neji Hyuga back. His father, Hizashi Hyuga, already gave his life for the village! How could you kidnap him?"
Danzo sneered, his expression tinged with mockery.
"Hmph!"
"Hiruzen, it's too late. I've already placed the Cursed Tongue Eradication Seal on all the children. It's too late to do anything now. They'll never leave Root in their lives."
Hiruzen shot to his feet. The dark-brown chair crashed to the floor, and he pointed at Danzo.
"How could you treat these children like this?! Danzo, you've gone too far this time. Whatever it takes, you have to send them back!"
To Danzo, Hiruzen's words sounded like empty whining. It was already impossible. Once the Cursed Tongue Eradication Seal had been placed, it couldn't be undone unless either the caster or the person it was placed on died.
Those marked could never reveal the information the caster had forbidden them to share. Even their lives were in the caster's hands.
"What, do you want me to kill myself to undo the seals on these children? I'm the root of the village. Wherever there's light, there must be shadow. Wherever there's a tree, there must be roots. Hiruzen, you can't do without me!"
Danzo thought he had Hiruzen cornered. After all, they had spent decades together and were inseparable. He knew Hiruzen's character inside and out.
And just as Danzo had expected, Hiruzen could only sigh. He knew it was too late. It was his repeated indulgence of Danzo that had made him what he was.
"Forget it this time. Root's funding will be cut in half next year."
"What?! How can you cut Root's funding? What right do you have?"
"The money will go toward cleaning up this mess and compensating the clans!"
Danzo finally stopped. He rested both hands on his cane, which struck the floor once more.
"Hiruzen, don't forget the teacher's will. The Uchiha have always been an unstable element! I'm doing this because it was the teacher's will! The Uchiha are a clan born evil!"
Hiruzen set his chair upright and sat down, taking a few more puffs of his pipe as he recalled what his teacher had once told him.
"Monkey, the Uchiha may be a clan born evil and dangerous, but their love is more sincere than that of any other clan. You must handle them properly. When you can reassure the Uchiha, you'll be a worthy Hokage."
These were the words Tobirama Senju had spoken to Hiruzen Sarutobi in private before his departure—the Second's charge to the Third.
Hiruzen opened his eyes, and the sharpness of the Shinobi Hero returned to his gaze.
"Danzo, no matter what, the Uchiha have always been members of the village. In the past, they forced us to take special measures, but now there are signs that they're integrating into the village. I won't allow you to target them again!"
"Remember this, Danzo! I am the Hokage!"
Hearing Hiruzen say those words again, Danzo felt his pent-up frustration and resentment surge up inside him.
"Hiruzen! You'll regret this!"
After leaving those words as a threat, he slammed the door behind him and stormed out.
Once Danzo had left, Hiruzen turned his chair and looked out the window toward the Police Force. The celebration stage was already finished and could be seen even from this distance.
A smile unconsciously appeared on Hiruzen's face, and he slowly closed his eyes.
The words Hashirama Senju and Tobirama Senju had once said to him began to surface in his memories.
"Hahaha! Monkey, don't become a gambling addict like me!"
"Monkey! Your hand seals for ninjutsu are too slow! Your chakra is still too chaotic! Climb that tree ten more times, then keep practicing!"
"Monkey... You have to train hard with Tobirama from now on... You two are the future of Konoha..."
"Monkey! From today on, you're the Hokage of Konoha! As the village's shadow, it's my duty to protect the next generation! You should go!"
"Tobirama... I'm sorry about Madara... You must look after the Uchiha. Monkey, you too. If only I could see how prosperous the village will be in the future..."
"Monkey, I wasn't able to properly resolve the Uchiha problem. It hasn't erupted yet, but in ten or twenty years, the conflict surrounding the Police Force is sure to break out. You must handle it properly. That's why I took Kagami Uchiha as my student. I hope he can become a bridge... I couldn't fulfill my elder brother's dying wish. I'll leave it to you, the Third!"
He slowly opened his eyes. They were no longer the deep black they had been in his youth. Now they were cloudy and gray, their former clarity long gone.
Yet a brilliant light had returned to them, and they had regained their spirit. He raised his head and gazed at the white clouds in the sky...
"First, Teacher Tobirama..."
"Can I finally fulfill your wishes...?"
"Can I still call myself a shinobi who possesses the Will of Fire...?"
A tear welled in his murky eyes and ran down Hiruzen's aged, weather-beaten, deeply wrinkled yellow-brown skin.
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