Danzo: This really wasn't my fault!!

"Danzo, Danzo... he defected?!"

Jiraiya froze on the spot, his eyes wide, staring incredulously at his Teacher before him, asking:

"Really? Old Man, you're not kidding me, are you?!"

His gaze swept frantically across the Third Hokage's face, trying to find a trace of pretense in that old face.

But Jiraiya saw on the Third Hokage Hokage's aged face was deep weariness and bitterness.

The Third Hokage looked at Jiraiya in front of him, a smile that was more like a grimace.

"If I could, I'd hope this was just a joke..."

Jiraiya slowly raised one hand and rubbed his throbbing temples hard, a sharp headache shooting from the bottom of his heart to the top of his head.

He never expected that before he could officially take the chair of the Fifth Hokage, he would have to face such a major event.

Shimura Danzō – A member of the guard of the Third Hokage Hiruzen Sarutobi Second Hokage Tobirama Senju, and also his personal disciple.

He was the first assistant to the Hokage in Konoha's history, and also the founder and supreme leader of "Root," the Anbu training department directly under the Hokage.

But this important figure... he... he actually defected?!

This is a major event that could shake the entire Ninja World!!

Jiraiya took a deep breath, lowered the hand that had been rubbing his temple, looked back at his Teacher, and asked in a heavy tone:

"Old Man, what, what exactly is going on?"

The Third Hokage Jiraiya with his aged eyes and spoke slowly in a weary tone:

"On the day the Uchiha Clan Massacre, after learning about the Uchiha Clan Massacre, I led my direct Anbu to the Uchiha Clan Compound in an emergency."

At the time, I thought that even if I couldn't prevent the worst outcome, I should at least protect the innocent people of the Uchiha Clan who knew nothing about the conflict between the village and the Uchiha.

His gaze became distant, as if piercing through time, and he saw that blood-soaked night:

"But by the time we arrived... it was already too late."

The Third Hokage commander lowered his head, his voice growing softer and softer, filled with deep self-reproach and shock:

"In just half an hour, everyone in the Uchiha Clan Compound, including the entire Konoha Military Police Force... was completely annihilated."

"What?! How is this possible?!"

Jiraiya's eyes widened, his tone filled with deep skepticism about what the Third Hokage had said.

It wasn't that I didn't believe what the Teacher was saying, but rather that the timing was simply too absurd.

The Konoha Military Police Force is not some kind of security patrol team responsible for posting notices on the street and mediating neighborhood disputes.

That was the elite armed force of the Uchiha Clan, the core fighting force that brought together all the elites of the Uchiha.

Since the founding of Konoha, the captain of the Konoha Military Police Force has always been a top member of the Uchiha Clan, and several of its members are elite Jonin or higher in combat.

In terms of overall strength, the Konoha Military Police Force is even superior to the Hokage's direct Anbu!

And this entire Uchiha Police Force was wiped out in less than half an hour?!

"Even if that kid named Uchiha Itachi awakened the Mangekyō Sharingan, there's absolutely no way he could single-handedly wipe out the entire Konoha Military Police Force in half an hour!!"

Jiraiya spoke extremely quickly, and although his words contained undisguised shock, they still carried a calm analytical tone:

"While the Mangekyō Sharingan is undoubtedly the supreme Dōjutsu of the Uchiha Clan, it also consumes a tremendous amount of energy."

To fight against multiple opponents and eliminate all targets within half an hour... this is definitely not something that child could do alone!

His gaze suddenly turned cold, a glint of cold light flashing in his eyes:

"... Was it done by Root and Danzo?"

Jiraiya immediately shook his head, denying his own earlier deduction:

"No, that's not right... They shouldn't have that much ability."

"So what exactly is this...?"

Just as Jiraiya was lost in thought, the Third Hokage sighed deeply.

He looked at Jiraiya, who was deep in thought, and forcibly suppressed the bitterness in his heart. His hoarse voice slowly rang out, answering his question:

"That's what I thought at first too."

Neither Root nor Danzo should possess that ability.

The Third Hokage recalled that bloody night not long ago, and continued in a heavy tone:

"But when we arrived at the scene, only Danzo and his Root remained in the entire Uchiha Clan Compound."

There wasn't even a single Uchiha corpse at the scene.

His tone grew increasingly lower, tinged with deep solemnity:

"Faced with this situation, no matter how unbelievable it may seem, I can't help but doubt them."

"After all... Danzo had probably been preparing for the Uchiha Clan Massacre for a long time."

At this point, the Third Hokage closed his eyes in anguish, his voice hoarse as he murmured:

"But I never expected this..."

"Because of my indulgence, Danzo and his roots have grown to this extent."

Jiraiya listened to his Teacher's words, which were full of regret.

He pondered for a moment, then looked calmly at the Teacher in front of him, and asked again with doubt:

"... Can we really be sure it was Danzo and his men who did it?"

In response to Jiraiya's question, the Third Hokage nodded with certainty.

"At first, I also had some doubts about it."

His voice regained some of its composure, but the disappointment and anger beneath that composure were impossible to conceal:

"I questioned him on the spot in the Uchiha Clan Compound, but Danzo vehemently denied it."

According to him, he had just arrived here with his men and knew nothing about the whereabouts of the Uchiha Clan members' corpses.

"Danzo... is he lying?"

Jiraiya looked at his Teacher and asked in a low voice to confirm.

The Third Hokage shook his head, a thoughtful look flashing in his eyes:

"No, based on my understanding of Danzo, I can be certain that he wasn't lying."

He paused, and the light in his eyes deepened.

"... But I can no longer believe anything he says."

Sarutobi Hiruzen sighed heavily and continued in a dejected tone:

"Without being able to ascertain the truth, I decided to take action first to subdue him, and then determine whether what he said was true or false."

But what happened afterward... undoubtedly proved he was lying.

His voice suddenly turned somber:

"Danzo cells of the First Hokage into himself."

And on that arm, which was made of Hashirama Cells, were embedded more than three Three Tomoe Sharingan!

Upon hearing his Teacher's words, Jiraiya's pupils suddenly contracted.

He turned his head, looked at the Third Hokage, and as if he understood something, asked in a solemn tone:

"Danzo was so actively pushing for the Uchiha Clan Massacre... was it all just to steal the Sharingan?"

The Third Hokage nodded heavily, his aged hands clenched into fists, the veins on the back of his hands showing signs of age.

"Just as I was about to take him down, he was forced to reveal the secret of that arm."

It was at that moment that he used the Uchiha Clan's forbidden technique... Izanagi.

The Third Hokage generation murmured in a low voice:

"At the cost of permanently losing sight in one Sharingan, I will nullify any harm I suffer, including death, and preserve a reality that is favorable to me."

Even within the Uchiha Clan, this technique is a forbidden jutsu that is absolutely prohibited from use.

Sarutobi Hiruzen gritted his teeth and muttered painfully, his cloudy old eyes filled with deep anger and disappointment:

"Danzo, from beginning to end... did all this because of his own greed."

Jiraiya struggled to process this massive amount of information in his mind.

After a long while, he sighed inwardly, still feeling a lingering fear:

"Is there really such a terrifying technique in this world...?"

"I must say, they truly live up to the reputation of the Uchiha Clan; their millennia-old foundation is truly terrifying..."

Jiraiya knew this wasn't the time to marvel at such things. He looked at his Teacher and calmly said:

"If it's Izanagi, combined with Hashirama Cells and Danzo elite Root forces controlled by that old man Danzo..."

It is indeed possible to wipe out the unprepared Konoha Military Police Force in a short period of time.

The Third Hokage listened to Jiraiya's analysis and slowly lowered his head.

This old man, who had dominated the Ninja World for decades and was revered as the "Professor of Ninjutsu," now resembled an old pine tree blown down from its roots by the wind.

"Although, based on my understanding of Danzo over the years, I should have retained some faith in what he said."

His voice was hoarse, as if he were admitting a fact he didn't want to admit:

"But all that Danzo has done has reached the point where I can no longer be sure if I truly understand him..."

Jiraiya opened his mouth, and whispered something complex:

"Old Man..."

The Third Hokage shook his head, indicating that he was unharmed.

He slowly released his clenched, white hand and continued in a solemn tone, as if he were delivering a report that had to be completed:

"At that time, Danzo knew that further explanation would be futile, so he first ordered Root members to retreat, while he stayed behind alone to block me."

Even with the power of Hashirama Cells and Izanagi, I can still suppress him in terms of strength.

His voice paused here, and his eyes noticeably dimmed:

But after he used up the last Sharingan in his arm as a price to unleash Izanagi... I still couldn't save him."

Finally, he left Konoha with his elite Root unit, which was directly under his command.

Jiraiya stared at his Teacher in silence for a long time.

He lowered his head, as if digesting the information about Danzo, or perhaps pondering the possible oddities involved.

Sarutobi Hiruzen looked at Jiraiya in front of him.

His face, etched with weariness and guilt, now held only the purest honesty:

"After that, I personally led the Anbu to raid and seal off the Root's headquarters and imprison all the remaining members."

Yan and Koharu... They cooperated with Danzo and concealed this operation from me. They are now under house arrest in the Konoha Anbu prison.

As for Danzo... I have dispatched multiple Anbu teams to continue tracking down Danzo and his remaining associates.

The Third Hokage generation added bitterly:

"... But to this day, no information has been found regarding Danzo."

He looked at Jiraiya, at this disciple he had finally waited for, and his voice softened.

"Until... the day you came back."

(I went out for drinks today and just finished writing a chapter, sorry...)

(The missing chapter will be added tomorrow.)